I find this thread fascinating, for folks in the know of military matters, is the canon record that the TOS Enterprise has a crew of 400 too large?
Creating a realistic crew manifest for a Starship. Ideas & comments?
- Thread starter NervousEnergy
- Start date
The Enterprise had multiple science departments who would have been studying samples and carrying out experiments plus an unknown number of security and engineers. If you divide ops, security, and engineers into three shifts, it isn't that hard to get to 430. I think I'd struggle more with the NuEnterprise and TNG staff levels, although in the latter you also had civilians on board.
I much prefer ships with a smaller crew where you can focus on core and associated skills of individuals.
Bry: Do you have a direct link to that??
As to race/species of characters: It is set in ST:TOS/TAS, so there are those obvious limits. We just had fights with the Romulans and Klingons, so we certainly wouldn't have any exchange officers with them. After the tribble incident on K-7, Star Fleet Medical ordered a 100% verification to make sure there were no more undercover spies in our ranks.
Other than that, it's pretty much open to your imagination. Orions can serve, after proper background checks just like everyone else. Non-member races can still apply for duty. Crossbreds like Spock are rare but possible. If I were to draft the roster all by myself, probably half or more of the crew would turn out to be human. You all are under no such restriction. If you want to make up a new species, great! I so want to create a new race based on this photo: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golde...olden_Lion_Tamarin_Leontopithecus_rosalia.jpg
As to race/species of characters: It is set in ST:TOS/TAS, so there are those obvious limits. We just had fights with the Romulans and Klingons, so we certainly wouldn't have any exchange officers with them. After the tribble incident on K-7, Star Fleet Medical ordered a 100% verification to make sure there were no more undercover spies in our ranks.
Other than that, it's pretty much open to your imagination. Orions can serve, after proper background checks just like everyone else. Non-member races can still apply for duty. Crossbreds like Spock are rare but possible. If I were to draft the roster all by myself, probably half or more of the crew would turn out to be human. You all are under no such restriction. If you want to make up a new species, great! I so want to create a new race based on this photo: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golde...olden_Lion_Tamarin_Leontopithecus_rosalia.jpg
Got it. Wow! Talk about "made for TV, not realism." There's no way to run a ship on a 24/7 schedule with that crew. It's simply not possible. It doesn't look like a whole lot of thought went into some of those ranks / job titles. What does a "Drill Instructor" do on a ship? Having a Captain O-6 subordinate to a LtCmdr O-4?? Unless she's supposed to be like an Army Captain O-3, but that's not what her background page suggests. The chief engineer's young son is onboard? Cringe.
Probably less "Drill Instructor" than "Training, Advising and Counselling Officer (TAC)" like Lt Chang in Coming of Age http://memory-alpha.wikia.com/wiki/Chang_(TAC_Officer) or the Navy Counsellor (NC) rating (which has little in common with the Starfleet Counsellor, which would be a Corpsman/Hospitalman rating (HM) if they were involved in that at all, Starfleet Counsellors (who may be related to the older Ship's Psychiatrist billet) would be officers in the Life Sciences/Medical Division.
Actually given that she was previously 2iC to a Major (a rank that is the same paygrade as, and holds the same (or slightly greater depending on service) authority as a Lieutenant Commander, plus most of the other characters have either WO ranks (any service) or non-Naval ranks then I'd stay that that element - though confusing - does mostly work.
That said, some of the others are wrong. The First Lieutenant and the Ship's Master could be the same thing (tho I'd argue that if such an anchronistic post was to exist, it would be held by the CO or XO) or the First Lieutenant and the Security Chief, but all three being the same person is something of a conflict of interest IMO. The ChEng being CWO (if such a thing exists) or a senior Sgt or CPO if they don't makes sense (For instance, "Charge" the ChEng for the HMAS Hammersley (a patrol boat with a crew of ~20) on the show Sea Patrol was a CPO), however WO Boylan is the Medic (ie a Corpsman/Hospitalman) not the CMO, those are commissioned officers. Some of the others are questionable, but the only other ones that seems wrong are PVT Cook, who while he might be the primary helmsman, would not be an Asst Navigator as that is a specialist function (either solo or merged) as we've discussed before; and SGM Paris who is listed as the SUPPO (tho he could be that as well) when he should actually be the Master-at-Arms/Security Chief/COB.
Actually given that she was previously 2iC to a Major (a rank that is the same paygrade as, and holds the same (or slightly greater depending on service) authority as a Lieutenant Commander, plus most of the other characters have either WO ranks (any service) or non-Naval ranks then I'd stay that that element - though confusing - does mostly work.
That said, some of the others are wrong. The First Lieutenant and the Ship's Master could be the same thing (tho I'd argue that if such an anchronistic post was to exist, it would be held by the CO or XO) or the First Lieutenant and the Security Chief, but all three being the same person is something of a conflict of interest IMO. The ChEng being CWO (if such a thing exists) or a senior Sgt or CPO if they don't makes sense (For instance, "Charge" the ChEng for the HMAS Hammersley (a patrol boat with a crew of ~20) on the show Sea Patrol was a CPO), however WO Boylan is the Medic (ie a Corpsman/Hospitalman) not the CMO, those are commissioned officers. Some of the others are questionable, but the only other ones that seems wrong are PVT Cook, who while he might be the primary helmsman, would not be an Asst Navigator as that is a specialist function (either solo or merged) as we've discussed before; and SGM Paris who is listed as the SUPPO (tho he could be that as well) when he should actually be the Master-at-Arms/Security Chief/COB.
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UESPA is an Army rank structure whilst Starfleet is Navy.
I know, it does seem a little out of balance, maybe that 23 per shift, though you'd still have a few unnecessary positions--though most of the essentials would be covered.
I know, it does seem a little out of balance, maybe that 23 per shift, though you'd still have a few unnecessary positions--though most of the essentials would be covered.
Nearly half of the crew being officers or senior enlisted also seems a tad unlikely. The Hammersley for instance never identified as having had more than three officers (CO, XO and NAV (initially a LT, later replaced by a Midshipman (roughly an Acting Ensign in RAN usage)), two CPOs (ChEng and Medic), one PO (Bosun) two Leading Hands (roughly a Corporal or PO3 in US Forces), and a selection of Able Seaman and Seaman (only three of which were ever named, but available information requires that the unnamed ten or so crew are of these ranks as it's clear we meet all the specialists across the series.
Sorry about necroing an old thread but it didn't seem worth starting a new one or this as it builds on previous stuff from this thread.
Something I've been thinking about regarding enlisted personnel, what would be the disadvantages of assuming that Starfleet service is advanced and complex enough that the training courses are sufficiently advanced that (especially from the TNG era onward with holodecks) all personnel with "rank" insignia are qualified to the equivalent of US Army Specialist or USAF Senior Airman (originally Airman 1st Class) - designated Crewman Third Class (or [Rating] Third Class if known, wear one chevron) with Crewman 2nd Class & 1st Class) corresponding to Junior NCOs (Corporals, Sergeants and Petty Officers). Occassional use of the title Petty Officer could be explained as an abreviation for Petty Officer of the Watch or Leading Petty Officer ie the person who supervises a compartment or work detail in the absence of a Chief?
This may have been the system in use in Earth Starfleet in the 2100s as there appears to have been a position junior to the CN3 position (and therefore probably similar to USAF Airman (E2), rather than USN/CG Seaman Recruit (E1, tho only USCG currently uses the badge).
Simon Tarses description of himself as "Simon Tarses, Crewman First Class, medical technician", could allow for him to be equivalent to a Hospitalman Hospitalman (CNHM (E3)), but given that he's also credited as a pharmacy tech -
SABIN: J'Dan used suspensions of deoxyribose to carry the encoded files he stole. Isn't it true one of your duties is to prepare those suspensions?
TARSES: Several technicians share that job.
- and that his security clearance "allows you access to all the stores and files in Sickbay? Access which you can exercise at any time?" suggests a level of experience and authority more in keeping with an Independent Duty Corpsman-eligible person (minimum E5, which the character might be a little young for at 23 (licensed media) but is plausible for the then 30-year old actor). This is also reinforced by TOS characters YMN3 Lawton (17-19, so likely straight out of training) and Yeoman Rand (a senior Yeoman at 24 (per Miri novelisation)), as Tarses is unlikely to be junior to the former and is credibly similar in "rank" to the latter?
Something I've been thinking about regarding enlisted personnel, what would be the disadvantages of assuming that Starfleet service is advanced and complex enough that the training courses are sufficiently advanced that (especially from the TNG era onward with holodecks) all personnel with "rank" insignia are qualified to the equivalent of US Army Specialist or USAF Senior Airman (originally Airman 1st Class) - designated Crewman Third Class (or [Rating] Third Class if known, wear one chevron) with Crewman 2nd Class & 1st Class) corresponding to Junior NCOs (Corporals, Sergeants and Petty Officers). Occassional use of the title Petty Officer could be explained as an abreviation for Petty Officer of the Watch or Leading Petty Officer ie the person who supervises a compartment or work detail in the absence of a Chief?
This may have been the system in use in Earth Starfleet in the 2100s as there appears to have been a position junior to the CN3 position (and therefore probably similar to USAF Airman (E2), rather than USN/CG Seaman Recruit (E1, tho only USCG currently uses the badge).
Simon Tarses description of himself as "Simon Tarses, Crewman First Class, medical technician", could allow for him to be equivalent to a Hospitalman Hospitalman (CNHM (E3)), but given that he's also credited as a pharmacy tech -
SABIN: J'Dan used suspensions of deoxyribose to carry the encoded files he stole. Isn't it true one of your duties is to prepare those suspensions?
TARSES: Several technicians share that job.
- and that his security clearance "allows you access to all the stores and files in Sickbay? Access which you can exercise at any time?" suggests a level of experience and authority more in keeping with an Independent Duty Corpsman-eligible person (minimum E5, which the character might be a little young for at 23 (licensed media) but is plausible for the then 30-year old actor). This is also reinforced by TOS characters YMN3 Lawton (17-19, so likely straight out of training) and Yeoman Rand (a senior Yeoman at 24 (per Miri novelisation)), as Tarses is unlikely to be junior to the former and is credibly similar in "rank" to the latter?
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