Worf commanded Defiant as a LCDR.
If, as it sounds, you're running the game with a small starship attached to a station the way Defiant was, then treat the ship as a department of the station. The ship's commander would report to the station CO as a department head, but still be the ship's CO when on patrol or a mission. Historically, and in moder usage, you could even call the "commander" the "officer in charge"... usually used in modern times with a vessel assigned to a shore command when the vessel is not considered and independant command itself. The OIC has the authority of a commander when underway, but is subordinate to the shore facility commader in a way that CO's of independant commands are not. Probably too realistic for startrek.
For a similar ship NOT attached to a station and performing relatively long-endurance missions I'd say you'd need at least a Commander. Defiant-class, attached to a station and performing local patrols and such- LCDR. Nova-class on a 6 month mission to chart a nebula- CDR.
Historically it was very common for LCDRs to have command of minesweepers, corvettes and destroyer escorts during WWII... and during the age of sail a Lieutenant might be given command of a sloop or similar-sized ship. If you were going to use Runabouts, you could give a Lieutenant command of the runabout, as a "sub-department head" under a Flight Operations Officer department head.
Last edited by calguard66; 04-11-2005 at 09:09 AM.
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