Navy Crew Duties and Ratings

[Major B]

I've been fiddling around with navy ratings for MTU and wanted to post some of the stuff I've come up with to generate some discussion.

Working with MT (I'd guess that later versions would vary from that but can't be sure), the crew divisions from the starship construction tables is:

[FONT=Courier New]- Bridge[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]- Engineering[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]- Maintenance[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]- Gunnery (includes screens)[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]- Flight[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]- Ships Troops (this will be a separate discussion)[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]- Command[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]- Stewards[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]- Frozen Watch (not applicable to this discussion)[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]- Medical[/FONT]

Of course this is simplified. For example, I'd think the command crew would include ratings for many different specialties. However, I'd like to work out something more detailed for MTU, so I've compiled a list of specialties that are either left our or may have been lumped into one or more of the categories above.

Following is my list of missing or lesser included specialties or functions that I think might be found on a Naval starship. Some of the functions I list may have been replaced with automated systems (as discussed in the laundry thread), but others may still require personnel to do the inputs into the automated systems so not everyone can be eliminated by technological improvements...

I'm interested to hear what everyone else thinks. Have I left out something or is there no longer a requirement for any of these:

[FONT=Courier New]- Communications (are these specialists part of the bridge crew?)[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]- Computer Operators / Programmers (bridge or command crew?)[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]- Intelligence (bridge or command crew?)[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]- Clerical / Admin / including personnel and pay folks[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]- Logistics (replenishment of expendibles and property book folks and [/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]supply clerks / storekeepers)[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]- Craft Maintenance (equivalent to today's ground crews - this is not [/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]part of the flight crew (just pilots in MT))[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]- Armament Handlers (part of gunnery crew?)[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]- Crew Support (part of the Steward's duties? - Mess, Religious/[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]Counseling support, Services (laundry, barber, sundries stores), Mail, [/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]etc)[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]- Electronic Warfare (sensor operators)[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]- Damage Control (a function of the maintenance crew?)[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]- Craft Controllers (equivalent to air traffic control - someone needs [/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]to herd those fighters)[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]- Fire Control (bridge or command crew?)[/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]- Gravitics and Electronics Maintenance / Repair[/FONT]

Something else I thought of that is not on the list, since it is not really a crew function, are the construction folks. By that I mean naval construction. I'd think that the IN would contract a shipyard to build a ship, but would still have construction folks who specialize in specific fields to do refit / repair / refurbishment / and modification work.

One more requirement that may apply: IMTU the Imperial Marines have minimal support structure so that they can devote more personnel to the teeth than the tail. This means the Imperial Navy must provide them with Personnel, Logistics, and Medical support. In addition, IM requirements would result in increased need for IN personnel in specialties such as forward observers, intelligence, and transport.

Finally, would the IN have a need for any future equivalent to the SeaBees (Construction Battalions)?

 

[samuelvss]

I think you have a good breakdown.

Some functions will be distributed throughout other larger divisions, such as intelligence and communications.

Damage control is a maintenance-centric function, but ultimately there will be many tasked with damage control as a secondary function, and the command and bridge divisions will have damage control reps there.

SOme functions will / may be taken up by robots. (I'm thinking the most menial such as sanitation). If you are in a "low automation" TU, then there will be those who supervise even the Roombas, to guard against a coup.

The bridge will have staff functions, as will command; these will, on larger ships, be separated. The difference between execution and planning drives this. The staff will have many of the same specialties, though, just coming at it from a different angle. Flight on the bridge is flying the ship; flight in command (think combat control center) will maneuver small craft, watch all the other vectors, and think a few turns ahead while the bridge folks are dodging the last salvo.

These functions are not set in stone; the duty engineering watch officer in the combat control center on a quiet night might normally work in engineering proper (down with the drives and such).

 

[far-trader]

...If you are in a "low automation" TU, then there will be those who supervise even the Roombas, to guard against a coup.

:rofl:

Roomba Coup! That's got a nice ring to it. Thanks for the chuckle, and an idea... :devil:

 

[Magnus von Thornwood]

Here is some information re: Departments.

While poking around I found this rather useful info, frankly I should have hit this site first, good old FAS. They got all the good military info.

Hope it helps...

FAS: Departments and Divisions of the US Navy

 

[Drakon]

Based on US Navy, which is a system that I am most familiar with, you have primarily Operations department and the Engineering department. One takes care with the inside of the ship, the other, outside. As ships grow in size, and more importantly, ship's crew grows in numbers, different functions get hived off as their own departments. Astrogation becomes a separate entity in the ship's organization.

The divisions in each department follows different criteria. For Engineering, the divisions are divided along equipment or technical lines. All mechanical equipment goes to the Machinery division whether it is steam turbines, hydraulic plants plumbing systems. All electrical switchboards goes the Electrical division, (along with interior communications on smaller ships) and reactor control systems go to the RC division.

In Operations, division are more along functional lines. Navigations, communications, sensors. Navigation would get maintenance and operational responsibility for all Nav equipment, everything from sextants to navigational computers, to clocks.

- Communications (are these specialists part of the bridge crew?)

Operations department. Bridge is more where their watch is located. Ship's organization, while similar, will be subtly different, as the organization is primarily an administrative thing.

- Computer Operators / Programmers (bridge or command crew?)

Operations department, or, if their primary use is astrogation, then the Astrogation department.

- Intelligence (bridge or command crew?)

Operations. If we are talking military intelligence, it might be a responsibility of any ground forces.

- Clerical / Admin / including personnel and pay folks

Part of the Logisitics Department.

- Logistics (replenishment of expendibles and property book folks and supply clerks / storekeepers)

It will be its own department. Also they will have responsibility for the Mess Decks and galley.

- Craft Maintenance (equivalent to today's ground crews - this is not part of the flight crew (just pilots in MT))

You need separate flight maintenance division of the Flight Department. Flight would be a separate department on carriers.

- Armament Handlers (part of gunnery crew?)

Would be a division of the Flight Department, if we are talking about arming smallcraft. Weapons Department if we are talking shipboard weapons.

- Crew Support (part of the Steward's duties? - Mess, Religious/Counseling support, Services (laundry, barber, sundries stores), Mail, etc)

Logistics. Psychological counseling would be a responsibility of the Medical department.

- Electronic Warfare (sensor operators)

Operations.

- Damage Control (a function of the maintenance crew?)

a division of Engineering.

- Craft Controllers (equivalent to air traffic control - someone needs to herd those fighters)

Flight Ops.

- Fire Control (bridge or command crew?)

Weapons. On warships ships, sensors go to Fire Control division of the Weapons Department, instead of Operations or Nav.

- Gravitics and Electronics Maintenance / Repair

Engineering. Generally speaking Operations operates, maintains and repairs their own equipment, while Engineering handles the stuff essential for keeping the ship operational, or not part of any other department.

 

[Major B]

Based on US Navy, which is a system that I am most familiar with, you have primarily Operations department and the Engineering department. One takes care with the inside of the ship, the other, outside. As ships grow in size, and more importantly, ship's crew grows in numbers, different functions get hived off as their own departments. Astrogation becomes a separate entity in the ship's organization.

The divisions in each department follows different criteria. For Engineering, the divisions are divided along equipment or technical lines. All mechanical equipment goes to the Machinery division whether it is steam turbines, hydraulic plants plumbing systems. All electrical switchboards goes the Electrical division, (along with interior communications on smaller ships) and reactor control systems go to the RC division.

In Operations, division are more along functional lines. Navigations, communications, sensors. Navigation would get maintenance and operational responsibility for all Nav equipment, everything from sextants to navigational computers, to clocks.

Great insight Drakon, thanks. I was trying to figure how to divide the functions, especially as the size of the ship grows, and this helps a lot.

Hope it helps...

Very useful Magnus - thanks

Some functions will be distributed throughout other larger divisions, such as intelligence and communications.

Damage control is a maintenance-centric function, but ultimately there will be many tasked with damage control as a secondary function, and the command and bridge divisions will have damage control reps there.

The bridge will have staff functions, as will command; these will, on larger ships, be separated. The difference between execution and planning drives this. The staff will have many of the same specialties, though, just coming at it from a different angle. Flight on the bridge is flying the ship; flight in command (think combat control center) will maneuver small craft, watch all the other vectors, and think a few turns ahead while the bridge folks are dodging the last salvo.

Great points... I was thinking of splitting along functional lines but your post makes it clear that some divisions will need functional slice elements. Along with Drakon's post this helps to organize the crew divisions, what specialties are in each, and how they change into more functional than operational entities as the ships grow in size.

One more specialty I thought of after the initial post - cargo handlers (kind of like stevedores but I'd think on a starship they'd be more like air force load masters than the ground crew.

 

[ThunderChilde]

MGT High Gaurd has a career path called line crew as I recall, think deck hand, or sailor during the age of sail. They are the generalists, they can function in most departments as the file part of rank and file.

Mechanics, Damage Control, what have you is the provence these folks. Every organization has its minions.