>>3869603
Piloting / Perception are attacking stats that are combined with your mech's stats. Mech stats mainly matter until you get Lionheart: Uxbridge is melee-focused, and thus needs you to have good piloting and prefer melee, Manningham is ranged and needs you to have good Perception. You mainly win the duel with Hawkins by prioritising solely these stats, 4 + fitting mech is the safest number. Mechs also have unlisted stats like speed, weapon damage and the like - that's why it's important to pick a good mech.

And for the man who can change your blood chemistry, he needs the war numbers high! 70 Approval, above 65 Warrior, one flirt at enemy base which only triggers if the approval is higher than 65

There are other ways to win the two duels, but they either require hard number crunching or, yet again, a mech better than Picton.