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Thread: Starship Crew to Officer Ratio

  1. #1
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    Starship Crew to Officer Ratio

    What, do you suppose, is the ratio of enlisted crew to officers on a Starfleet vessel?

    So, what would the crew look like on, say, an <i>Oberth</i>-class (Size 3)? A <i>Galaxy</i>-class (Size 8)?

    mactavish out.
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  2. #2
    The only numbers I recall seeing are the ones in the Spacedock PDFs.
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  3. #3
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    I think the "modern" ratio is about 10-15% officer to enlisted. I know the common ratio for the defiant is 10 officers and 30 enlisted which is 25%. TK has it right though, spacedock had the only hard numbers I can think off.
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  4. #4
    Why do you want to know, anyway? Are your players really going through characters?
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  5. #5
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    The Tutuila crew has billets for 7 officers and 28 enlisted, a 20% officer percentage
    If we look at the modern-day PC Cyclone-class, a 55 meter long vessel , and it has four officers and 24 enlisted, a 14% officer percentage. The Virginia-class nuclear attack submarine has 14 officers and 120 enlisted, a 10% officer percentage. The old Pegasus-class Patrol Hydrofoils had 4 officers to 17 enlisted, a 19% officer percentage. The Tico'-class cruisers have 33 officers and 367 enlisted, a 8% officer percentage.
    Looking at this, I would say smaller ships have higher officer percentages, up to 20%, whereas larger ships start getting reduced officer percentages, getting down in the 7% range. Granted there are more senior NCOs on larger ships, so it's not like you have all inexperienced red/gold-shorts, but there is a quick study.

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  6. #6
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    No, no... no one is going through characters.

    I am interested because, for the first time in years, I am actually considering putting together a Series using the ICON rules system and want some statistics to justify my PCs all being officers on a ship. If I have my four original players, then a crew of 20 means that the four of them are likely the officers while the remaining crew is made up of enlisted personnel.

    I was thinking of putting them aboard a small (Size 3) Starfleet ship - likely a Scout or Research vessel - with a crew complement of ~20 souls, including the commanding officer (a Lt. Commander NPC).

    I was also thinking of setting my potential Series in the 2230s or thereabouts, mainly because I really like the uniforms from the <i>U.S.S. Kelvin</i> in the 2009 <i>Star Trek</i> reboot, but wasn't sure if Starfleet was fielding ships that small at the time.

    I like that era as there is little canon material (permitting maximum creativity), it's only about 70 years after the founding of the Federation, and there is plenty of possibility for conflict within the UFP as well as from the Klingons and potentially other enemy species (like the Malurians or the Cardassians).

    I was thinking that the PCs would be Ensigns or possibly Lieutenants [JG]), possibly fresh out of Starfleet Academy (or maybe each with a single tour under their collective belts), but that they would be assigned as department heads aboard a smaller ship.

    So anyway, that's why I was asking.

    mactavish out.
    Our country's past progress has been the result, not of the mass mind applying average intelligence to the problems of the day, but of the brilliance and dedication of wise individuals who applied their wisdom to advance the freedom and the material well-being of all of our people.

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  7. #7
    Well, remember that Starfleet has a number of different potential missions, so a research vessel—especially in the 23rd century—might have a screw comprised of half commissioned science officers who pull double duty as engineers, helm, navigation, etc.

    There's also the personnel issues of being on the ragged edge of known space. If you're the only ship in the quadrant, that might mean that you're the only xenobotanist in the quadrant too, so get used to being ferried around when horrible plant spores start taking over people.
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  8. #8
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    Yeah, but I don't really want to muddle the waters like that, having players occupying multiple niches aboard ship.

    It's hard for me to plan for this Series as I am not sure which of my seasoned players will be returning and which of my players will be new to the game. It's likely that some of them will be inexperienced role-players, and I'll need to rely on the other, veteran players to help them along. Thus, some of the officers are likely to be on a second or third tour of duty while one or more of the other may be fresh out of the academy or just off their first tour.

    I really like the whole exploration angle, and I like the "raggedy edge" concept as well. I guess I'm just wondering who the enemies are and where the hotspots are located in the first half of the 23rd century. Klingons? Tholians? Romulan spies?

    Also, where should they go? I'm seriously thinking about having them involved in some early encounters with the Cardassian Union and with the Malurians. I've also been working on an encounter with the so-called arsenal of freedom, or rather with weapons purchased from the purveyors of such things on Minos.

    So which ship do you suppose I should use? The Oberth-class? Or something more saucer-and-nacelle traditional?

    mactavish out.
    Our country's past progress has been the result, not of the mass mind applying average intelligence to the problems of the day, but of the brilliance and dedication of wise individuals who applied their wisdom to advance the freedom and the material well-being of all of our people.

    -Conscience of a Conservative, Barry Goldwater

  9. #9
    OK, TBH... Its like WarpSpeed. ie. Starships travel at the speed of plot.

    This you only need the thinest excuse for it to count, your series needs trumps all other considerations. If you have a ship with an expected crew of 20 and 4 players then you can either make them all the officers or adjust as required.

    If however you want a couple more officers around then why not? Thats just what the TV series seems to do.
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  10. #10
    The Antares class is probably your best bet.



    As for muddying the waters, remember that a. they did this in the show all the time (Data should be wearing blue!) and b. you don't want the PCs to be sidelined while some NPC is put on the spot instead.
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  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by The Tatterdemalion King View Post
    The Antares class is probably your best bet.



    As for muddying the waters, remember that a. they did this in the show all the time (Data should be wearing blue!) and b. you don't want the PCs to be sidelined while some NPC is put on the spot instead.
    Why would the Ghief of Operations be wearing blue? Operations wears gold. Data is not a Sciences officer.

  12. #12
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    Why would the Chief of Operations be wearing blue? Operations wears gold. Data is not a Sciences officer.
    I was thinking the very same thing, Owen.

    mactavish out.
    Our country's past progress has been the result, not of the mass mind applying average intelligence to the problems of the day, but of the brilliance and dedication of wise individuals who applied their wisdom to advance the freedom and the material well-being of all of our people.

    -Conscience of a Conservative, Barry Goldwater

  13. #13
    Quote Originally Posted by Owen E Oulton View Post
    Why would the Ghief of Operations be wearing blue? Operations wears gold. Data is not a Sciences officer.
    Except he's usually the guy doing all the science.
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  14. #14
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    Thanks for the input, gents. I'm hoping to wrangle my players together in October, but - as some of them live out of the area (or even out of state) - it might end up being a one-off rather than an ongoing Series, which is a little disappointing.

    On a related note, how do you handle occasional players? Are they Special Guest Stars? Do you assign them specific roles based on their occasional appearances, or do they remain there always in the background?

    mactavish out.
    Our country's past progress has been the result, not of the mass mind applying average intelligence to the problems of the day, but of the brilliance and dedication of wise individuals who applied their wisdom to advance the freedom and the material well-being of all of our people.

    -Conscience of a Conservative, Barry Goldwater

  15. #15
    Quote Originally Posted by mactavish View Post
    On a related note, how do you handle occasional players? Are they Special Guest Stars? Do you assign them specific roles based on their occasional appearances, or do they remain there always in the background?
    We have a benefit here the nature of the background allows for a more televised approach to this...

    I suppose it depends on the player. for truely occasional players or new people who may join a game but not sold on it. Perhaps the 'special guest star' routine with a pre-built character out of the ships crew roster (or build a new but previously unnamed background Character like Mr Kyle or O'Brien.). Best case they join the game the character upgrades to main cast. Worst case they never come back but your ship has a new fleshed out named NPC to interact with.

    For semi regulars then I would just give them a also starring role. No reason that they cannot be main crew or even command staff but they would be the supporting cast when their players are not around. Usually with a plot safety net from certain death when NPC'ed.
    DanG/Darth Gurden
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    “Putting the FUNK! back into Dysfunctional!”

    Coming soon. The USS Ganymede NCC-80107
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