HG 1e Capital Ship Design Crew Command Section

[snrdg121408]

Hello all,

I have been looking over the Command Section text and table on HG 1e p. 67, which has raised a question.

The Command Section, per p. 67, recommends that there should be seven officers (commanding Officer, executive Officer, a computer officer, two navigation officers, a communications officer and a medical officer) and support personnel equal to 50% of the total officers. On shipss >20,000 tons the number of personnel should amount to 5 per 10,000 tons of hull.

The summary table in the right hand column of page 67 has Command with a base crew of 10 or 5 per 10,000 tons of hull.

If I understand the rules hulls between 3,000 and 20,000 tons should have have a command section of 7 officers and roundup(7 x .5,0) = 4 support personnel for a total crew of 11. This is roughly 1 support personnel per 2 officers.

A 25,000 ton hull would use the equation roundup((25,000 /10,000) x 5,0) = roundup(2.5 x 5,0) = roundup(12.5,0) = 13

The summary table on HG 1e p. 67 has the command section's base crew as 5 or 10 crew per 10,000 tons of ship.

Based on the information in the summary table a 25,000 ton ship could have a crew of either 13 or 25.

How do I determine the number of officers are in 13 or 25 Command Section personnel?

 

[AnotherDilbert]

I think they mean either ( 10 ) or ( 5 / 10000dT ).

So, a 25 000 dT ship should have 13 Command crew.

7 officers + 50% enlisted should probably be rounded to 11, but I have always used 10 for aesthetic reasons.

 

[snrdg121408]

Hello AnotherDilbert,

I think they mean either ( 10 ) or ( 5 / 10000dT ).

So, a 25 000 dT ship should have 13 Command crew.

7 officers + 50% enlisted should probably be rounded to 11, but I have always used 10 for aesthetic reasons.

Thank you for the reply and for checking my math which actually worked out to 13, and I agree that the option there is an option to have either 5 command section or 10 command section personnel per 10,000 tons on ships > 20,000 tons.

On ship's between 3,000 and 20,000 tons the recommended full command crew is 7 officers + 50% support personnel, aka enlisted, which after rounding up is a total of 11 bodies which appears to be what the majority of members have recommended in other crew related topics.

The ration is roughly 1 enlisted for every two 2 officers. Starting with the base of 7 officers plus 4 enlisted the progression is:

7 officers + roundup(7 x 0.5,0)= 7 officers + roundup(3.5,0) = 4 enlisted = 11
8 officers + roundup(8 x 0.5,0)= 8 officers + roundup(4,0) = 4 enlisted = 12
9 officers + roundup(9 x 0.5,0)= 9 officers + roundup(4.5,0) = 5 enlisted = 14
10 officers + roundup(10 x 0.5,0)= 10 officers + roundup(5,0) = 5 enlisted = 15
11 officers + roundup(11 x 0.5,0)= 11 officers + roundup(5.5,0) = 6 enlisted = 17
12 officers + roundup(12 x 0.5,0)= 12 officers + roundup(6,0) = 5 enlisted = 18
13 officers + roundup(13 x 0.5,0)= 13 officers + roundup(6.5,0) = 7 enlisted = 20
14 officers + roundup(14 x 0.5,0)= 14 officers + roundup(7,0) = 7 enlisted = 21
15 officers + roundup(15 x 0.5,0)= 15 officers + roundup(7.5,0) = 8 enlisted = 23
16 officers + roundup(16 x 0.5,0)= 16 officers + roundup(8,0) = 8 enlisted = 24
17 officers + roundup(17 x 0.5,0)= 17 officers + roundup(8.5,0) = 9 enlisted = 26

Rounding the enlisted crew down would work better, unfortunately this is opposite of the consensus of the crew count rounding up.

7 officers + round down(7 x 0.5,0)= 7 officers + round down(3.5,0) = 3 enlisted = 10
8 officers + round down(8 x 0.5,0)= 8 officers + round down(4,0) = 4 enlisted = 12
9 officers + round down (9 x 0.5,0)= 9 officers + round down(4.5,0) = 4 enlisted = 13
10 officers + round down(10 x 0.5,0)= 10 officers + round down(5,0) = 5 enlisted = 15
11 officers + round down(11 x 0.5,0)= 11 officers + round down(5.5,0) = 5 enlisted = 16
12 officers + round down(12 x 0.5,0)= 12 officers + round down(6,0) = 6 enlisted = 18
13 officers + round down(13 x 0.5,0)= 13 officers + round down(6.5,0) = 6 enlisted = 19
14 officers + round down(14 x 0.5,0)= 14 officers + round down(7,0) = 7 enlisted = 21
15 officers + round down(15 x 0.5,0)= 15 officers + round down(7.5,0) = 7 enlisted = 22
16 officers + round down(16 x 0.5,0)= 16 officers + round down(8,0) = 8 enlisted = 24
17 officers + round down(17 x 0.5,0)= 17 officers + round down(8.5,0) = 8 enlisted = 25

Removing the medical officer from the command section does not change the basic calculations from having 7 officers.

My quibble with the medical officer in the command section of a warship is based on my experience in the USN. The commanding officer and executive officer are both combat specialty slots, while the medical officer is a non-combat specialty slot.

Of course I could be totally out to lunch but at least I've had my moment on the soap box which I will step down from to move onto other topics.

 

[Condottiere]

There used to be a seneschal, an officer that dealt with incoming information, and only forwarded the most important and relevant bits to the commander.

 

[snrdg121408]

Howdy Condottiere,

There used to be a seneschal, an officer that dealt with incoming information, and only forwarded the most important and relevant bits to the commander.

I have seen the word "seneschal" I do not recall if it was in Traveller and/or some other book I've read. If possible is there anyway I can please get the title and page that "seneschal" appears in?

 

[Condottiere]

Azhanti High Lightning, as I recall.

Then, it's never mentioned again.

 

[snrdg121408]

Hello Condottiere,

Azhanti High Lightning, as I recall.

Then, it's never mentioned again.

I've dug out FFE 002 Supplements 1-13 and FFE 005 Games 1-6+ to check on Azhanti High Lightning and as usual I have not found mention of the "seneschal". I look another day and the gremlins will have put "seneschal" in the book.

Thank you for the reference even if I cannot find it.