Ship staffing requirements

[JFGarber]

From page 283 of the BBB,

"Staffing Levels
The naval architect determines the number of Watches
or Shifts which will be staffed. A merchant ship on a safe
route probably uses minimalist staffing: one crew per three
consoles. A naval cruiser on war patrol probably uses full
crew staffing plus crew for weapons and defenses."

Is anyone willing to share any house rules or suggestions that are a little more...rigorous?

 

[robject]

We also know what a bridge is supposed to have, which suggests some roles. And the "Operations" page in ship design similarly suggests crew positions.

I still go with the "1 engineer per 35 tons of drive" rule of thumb.

 

[pendragonman]

We also know what a bridge is supposed to have, which suggests some roles. And the "Operations" page in ship design similarly suggests crew positions.

I still go with the "1 engineer per 35 tons of drive" rule of thumb.

Ditto

 

[JFGarber]

Well, the 35 ton rule-of-thumb lines up nicely with p. 283's discussion of mechanisms and control panels. So that makes good sense.

Page 282 also gives us " Ships require some provision for
healthcare and health maintenance. Most ships require crew
Medical skill levels equal or exceed total crew, specialists,
and passengers. "

The search for enlightenment continues.

 

[jawillroy]

Page 282 also gives us " Ships require some provision for
healthcare and health maintenance. Most ships require crew
Medical skill levels equal or exceed total crew, specialists,
and passengers. "

Huh. I sure missed that.

So, either well-distributed medical skill, or that free trader needs a couple of med-schoolers on staff at all times?

 

[atpollard]

Page 282 also gives us " Ships require some provision for healthcare and health maintenance. Most ships require crew Medical skill levels equal or exceed total crew, specialists,
and passengers."

What does that mean?

I must be misreading because it can't really say that a ship with 10 'Crew, specialists and passengers' requires 10 levels in Medical Skill ... as in 5 people at Medic-2.

 

[jawillroy]

What does that mean?

I must be misreading because it can't really say that a ship with 10 'Crew, specialists and passengers' requires 10 levels in Medical Skill ... as in 5 people at Medic-2.

Granted, with the way T5 hands out skills, this might not be hard to achieve...

 

[atpollard]

Granted, with the way T5 hands out skills, this might not be hard to achieve...

The classic Empress Marva has a 3 person crew, 7 passengers and 4 low berths.

Does that ship really require the Steward/Medic to have Medic-14?
Does it expect a Pilot/Navigator, Engineer/Medic-7, Steward/Medic-7?

 

[jawillroy]

The classic Empress Marva has a 3 person crew, 7 passengers and 4 low berths.

Does that ship really require the Steward/Medic to have Medic-14?
Does it expect a Pilot/Navigator, Engineer/Medic-7, Steward/Medic-7?

I agree - that doesn't seem reasonable. I was mostly being facetious.

 

[JFGarber]

Taken literally, I think it's errata, and I will post it as such.

I'll either ignore it, or allow the ship's computer to function as C+S+K levels of Medic. That helps keep the rule under control for small vessels, while large liners would still be (reasonably) expected to embark a medical staff.

 

[pendragonman]

Best possible autodoc?

 

[JFGarber]

Autodocs should be permitted to absorb some number of levels of that requirement, I agree. But I am unaware of any canon equivalency between skill levels of sophont medics and autodocs.

Any help on that topic?

 

[Selandia]

From page 283 of the BBB,

Is anyone willing to share any house rules or suggestions that are a little more...rigorous?

Make the Crew Bill

It is actually the list of stations to be manned in the various circumstances that are likely to be meet, along with Who (PC or NPC) is assigned to that station.

There are two basic type of Bills: Watch keeping and Special stations

For the Watch keepiing bill, time the number of Watch.

So the Fair Trade, 200 dt courrier/merchant

Captain, Navigator, pilot
Watch keeping pilot
Chief engineer (PoPlant and J expert)
First Watch keeper (PoPlant and M)
Second Watch keeper (PoPlant and Life sup) and Gunner
First Steward and medic


Jump space Watch keeping
First Watch:
Captain on bridge (monitoring systems & security)
first Watch keeping engineer in engine

Second Watch:
Watch keeping pilot on bridge (monitoring systems & security)
Chief watch keeping in engine room
Day works (upon demand): Steward in passenger area
First E wakeep nursing the unused M Drive or taking over PoPlant to allow some LiSup maintenance or repairs by second wakeep

Real space Watch keeping
First Watch:
Captain on bridge, collision avoidance
first Watch keeping engineer in engine

Second Watch:
Watch keeping pilot on bridge, collision avoidance
second watdh keeping in engine room
Day works (upon demand): Steward in passenger area
Chief nursing the down J Drive

Harbor Watch keeping
Night:
One person on bridge monitoring security and systems
Day:
wakeep pilot on bridge monitoring security and systems while Captain works the navigation and the engineers nurse the PP as it is on both in real and jump space, so avail for maintenance only in harbor while you are plugged on harbor's Po Grid

Confine water/space (approaching dock or any tricky non combat situation )

Captain at sensor and Tac plot
Wakeep pilot at helm
Chief at Bridge Eng console
First E wakeep at M drive for emergency manual overide
Second E wakeep at PoPlant for emergency manual overide
Steward at passenger control station


General quarter (battle station)

Helm: best pilot
sensor and Tac plot: the other pilot
Guns: Second E wakeep
Engine: Chief at Bridge Eng console or Engine room/ damage control back-up
Damage control station (ship's locker): first E wakeep & Steward as medic and helper

Standing for inspection, collision station and abandon ship station should also be made

Do they still have "man overboard station" in space?

fighting ship will have various subset of the Battle station

So a 6 person crew will contain enough people to fill every subset of the Crew Bill of the Fair Trade. you could manage it at 5 and dispense with an Eng if not gunned but if will make for more harbor maintenance time. Even if gunned you may dispense of an Eng if the first damage control call leave the eng empty and a single person is avail for manual overide in the E room at Constricted space station.

The skill set may varies, of course: Steward as Gun and 2nd E wakeep as medic at battle station Chief as the M expert ... no gun...

Have fun

Selandia

 

[JFGarber]

I like it. Rigorous, and tied to operations. Apparently the ship's computer can handle a number of consoles equal to its model number. Can it replace multiple watch standers, leaving essentially one watch stander for the computer?

At the heart of my question is the relationship between computer, console(s), and crew.

MT had an explicit calculation involving the computer's control rating to reduce crew number. <sigh>

 

[kilemall]

Reading over MgT computer rules, it has software that effectively stands in for human crew, the functional equivalent of expert skill software for robots. So I would probably go for more that direction.

 

[jawillroy]

What does that mean?

I must be misreading because it can't really say that a ship with 10 'Crew, specialists and passengers' requires 10 levels in Medical Skill ... as in 5 people at Medic-2.

And yet, the description of the Beowulf on (i forget what page, it's the two-page-spread with descriptions of a handful of ACS type) specifically states a crew of four (Pilot/astrogator, engineer, steward/freightmaster, medic.) Somehow I don't think think that dude has Medic-10, even after T5 char-gen.

 

[pendragonman]

And yet, the description of the Beowulf on (i forget what page, it's the two-page-spread with descriptions of a handful of ACS type) specifically states a crew of four (Pilot/astrogator, engineer, steward/freightmaster, medic.) Somehow I don't think think that dude has Medic-10, even after T5 char-gen.

In T5, that could be a C+S of 10...That is pretty doable.

Int/Edu (whichever it is) of 7, medic 3?

 

[jawillroy]

In T5, that could be a C+S of 10...That is pretty doable.

Int/Edu (whichever it is) of 7, medic 3?

" Ships require some provision for
healthcare and health maintenance. Most ships require crew
Medical skill levels equal or exceed total crew, specialists,
and passengers. "

C+S would make sense, if that's what it said. I would like to believe that's what was meant - and I may well play it as if it did.

 

[whulorigan]

" Ships require some provision for
healthcare and health maintenance. Most ships require crew
Medical skill levels equal or exceed total crew, specialists,
and passengers. "

C+S would make sense, if that's what it said. I would like to believe that's what was meant - and I may well play it as if it did.

Sounds like a good post for the T5 Errata Thread.

 

[Selandia]

I like it. Rigorous, and tied to operations. Apparently the ship's computer can handle a number of consoles equal to its model number. Can it replace multiple watch standers, leaving essentially one watch stander for the computer?

At the heart of my question is the relationship between computer, console(s), and crew.

If a Scout could be crewed by one, it mean that a high level of automation is acheived in High TL. the Scout is basically reading a book or sleeping until an alarm bell calls for his/her attention and action. The sentient crew is needed for sentient reaction to situation believed to be beyond automation or for casual task best done by peoples.

Of course, what would be Sci-Fi w/o a Hans Solo or Luke Skywalker pulling on a stick and Chewby swinging at guns

Beyond that, there will be security requirement.

have fun

Selandia