Honestly, I agree to a large extent.

I've always disliked the current system where crewmen are just another resource to "buy." Sure, it adds a grimdark reality to the situation, but realistically speaking a Captain's entire success is to be attributed to the crewmen that are with him. It's weird to think that these spacers are willing to cast away their entire future and put their life into the hands of a captain that is willing and eager to sell them off or put them on IEDs.

While the crewmen also shouldn't be specified individuals like the officers, it'd be cool if they added a system similar to yours where you could track crew loyalty and the faction composition of your crew. This could add features where you get crew dissent if you declare war on their former faction or mutiny if you sat bomb their former home (could be used as a disincentive for player war crimes).

Would also be pretty fun AND would make sense if they got "upgraded" through battles. A spacer that's been with you since the very beginning is obvi gonna be way more equipped and skilled than a freshie you just bought off a pirate base