Core Rulebook Crew Question 2 Gunners

[snrdg121408]

Hello again,

The Core Rulebook Crew Requirement table p. 113 lists the following for Gunner:

Minimum: None
Average: 1 per turret or bay
Full: 2 per turret or bay

My issue is with the bay requirements, which I believe, should match with the HG bay requirements of 2 bay weapon operators not the 1 as listed for the Average requirement.

My opinion is that the Average requirement is 1 per turret and 2 per bay.

The Full requirement, again in my opinion, is 1 plus backup per turret and 2 plus backups per bay.

Of course I'll use the numbers as listed, but don't really agree with them. :wink:

 

[rust]

In both cases, turret and bay, you have one person aiming and firing
one weapon at one target - the bay weapon is just a bigger version of
a turret weapon (in the case of missiles: a "multi-barrel" weapon).

Since most of the "mechanical" tasks (loading, moving the weapon to
aim it, etc.) are automated, I really do not see any need for a second
gunner for a bay weapon, since two persons assisted by a computer
can hardly aim a weapon better than one person assisted by a compu-
ter.

 

[Stofsk]

One person fires the weapon, the other supervises.

EDIT: Actually, HG does say that there should be one petty officer for each type of weapon installed, but does that mean for every number of weapon? If a bay weapon requires a crew of two, is one a crewman overseen by a petty officer? Or does it have two crewmen, plus one petty officer? Or does that one petty officer oversee every bay weapon of the same type - which doesn't seem right.

 

[snrdg121408]

Morning PDT to rust (again),

Thank you again for providing assistance in answering my posts I really appreciate them.

In both the LBB and FFE CT: Book 2 Starships the only weapons available were turrets with bays and spinal mounts being introduced in LBB/CT Book 5 High Guard. I don't have a problem with 1 gunner per turret and partially agree with the line of reasoning for 1 gunner per bay. Unfortunately, the issue is a conflict, in my opinion, between the Core Rulebook and HG, not to mention my years of CT ship designing using 2 gunners per bay. :wink:

Of course the Core Rulebook is similar to CT/LBB Starships in that both are primarily designing civilian ships and non-capital warships. On the civilian side I can see 1 gunner per bay, but for a warship the 1 bay gunner hits my military side as being wrong.

Again thanks for the reply and more data to run through my aged natural Mark 0 computer, aka brain.

 

[Rikki Tikki Traveller]

Go with the HG requirements for Bays and consider the TMB reference as in error. HG spent a lot more time on crews and I think that source makes more sense.

So:

Average Crew is 1 per Turret or 2 per Bay.

YMMV

 

[snrdg121408]

One person fires the weapon, the other supervises.

EDIT: Actually, HG does say that there should be one petty officer for each type of weapon installed, but does that mean for every number of weapon? If a bay weapon requires a crew of two, is one a crewman overseen by a petty officer? Or does it have two crewmen, plus one petty officer? Or does that one petty officer oversee every bay weapon of the same type - which doesn't seem right.

Thanks for the questions Stofsk,

Here is how I handle the HG requirement , MgT p. 67 & FFE CT: Bk 5 p. 33, of "at least 1 PO for each type of weapon" for bays.

1 bay has 1 PO and 1 rating. The PO covers the requirement of at least 1 PO per weapon type.

2 bays carrying the same weapon type has a crew of 4. Depending on rounding of the 30% PO section of the rules there is at least 1 PO for the weapon type carried.

2 bays carrying different weapon systems would have 1 PO for each weapon.

Over on the Yahoo CT Starships board there is an alternate method that was discussed which is another possibility. Each bay weapon type would require 1 PO specialized in the particular weapon in addition to the standard requirement. Turrets mounting the same weapons require 1 PO specializing in the weapons employed. Mixed turrets are a small problem, but the consensus, I think, was still 1 PO specializing in mixed weapons turrets.

Hope the above helps.

 

[snrdg121408]

Morning Rikki Tikki Traveller,

Thank you for the reply and recommendation to use the HG bay gunner requirements in the Core Rulebook calcualtions at least for the Average crew. Would that apply to the Full crew requirement per the table on Core p. 113 or is the suggested modification posted in here?

 

[Rikki Tikki Traveller]

I would think the Full Crew in the TMB would be equivalent to the Battle or Overstrength crews.

Remember, the Core Rule Book crew requirements are for smaller ships, so there may be some disconnect between the two systems.

 

[snrdg121408]

Afternoon Rikki Tikki Traveller,

I like most of the Crew Strength idea as present on HG p. 69, however I disagree that a FUll crew is 76% to 90% of the calculated requirement. To me Full means 100% of the crew requirements for normal ship operation. Most of the time I spent in the Navy the commands I served at were fully manned per the number to operate under normal conditions. This didn't mean that the departments, disvisions, and watch sections had a full complimet of the right watch standers but there were enough bodies to stand all the inport and at sea watches.

However, with the rules as written I have to agree that the suggested equivalency between the TMB Full and Battle/Overstrength crew strength sounds right.

Yep, there is a disconnect between the Core Rulebook and HG crew requirement that have continued in all the Traveller design sequences in my opinion. Regardless of size certain crew requirements are standard. Pilots/helmsman are needed to maneuver a ship in normal space. Navigators are needed for jump capable ships. Engineers are required to run power and propulsion systems. After those three areas the crew requirements vary depending on the ship purpose. CT Book 2 Starships addresed the crew requirements for ships from 1,000 dtons upwards bay indicating that the ship has a Captain and, I think, at least 3 assistants. The Core Rulebook does not appear to address the issue of the equivalent HG Command Section.

Again thank you for the reply.