Al-1701 wrote: ↑Sun Jan 26, 2020 2:22 am
I would think these spaceships are far more automated than our current naval ships. So, they can operate with smaller crewed. In the "Ultimate Computer" they were looking at being able to run a Constitution-class with only 20 people. Also, a large portion of a carrier's crew is related the craft it's carrying "pilots, mechanics, munitions experts, etc." We haven't seen a true carrier in Star Trek (some Galaxy-class ships were probably used in the role in the Dominion War by replacing most of their shuttles with fighters).
Speaking of the Galaxy-class, in "Yesterday's Enterprise they were described to be able to carry 6,000 troops which would be more in line with modern crews for a ship of that size.
Actually, BSG addressed this. The Pegasus was described as twice the size of Galactica with half the crew, demonstrating how more automation reduces crew sizes even as the size of the ship itself increases.
An issue with smaller crew numbers is damage control
Modern warships kinda can get away with this because weapon lethality is so high most good hits in a way will finish a ship off making things moot effectively reducing some ships to being big aircraft, so DC importance isn't so great.
Still, that and maintenance and reason why the USN has always favoured high crew numbers. Similar to why NATO countries prefer a four man tank crew and dislike autoloaders as the extra crew member allows for a more even distribution of responsibilities (Like another man on watch allowing for more sleep time for everyone).
Modern carriers have a roughly 50/50 between airwing personnel and ship personnel. In fact without the airwing, they only use one galley but open up the forward galley when the airwing is on board. Also the air wing usually mans the forward galley with its most junior enlisted. I hated it. 16 hour days washing pots and pans or learning how to crack 8 or 10 eggs at a time to fill a bucket for breakfast or having to separate trash ans then haul that nasty trashbag all the way aft hoping none of garbage gets on your uniform.
Galaxy class is far larger and going by crew density, you probably could fit about 30,000 to 40,000 very comfortably on board. Though in universe, the limit is 15,000.
Don't know that everyone loves the trope necessarily, but I really dislike the one-upmanship that shows up in sci-fi, particularly in sequels, remakes, or reboots. The sequel trilogy was particularly bad in that regard. Case in point, the measuring contest where they show how much bigger Starkiller base is than the death star. Or TLJ having a "mega-class" ship. Cringy fan fiction style stuff.
Somewhat similarly, I really dislike retroactive changing the clearly intended result of an earlier story. For example, the idea put forward in the DS9 mirror universe episodes that Spock fixing the illogical system of constant murder and mutiny would somehow make the Terran Empire vulnerable is pretty laughable and irritating, and it devalues one of Kirk's better moments at the end of "Mirror Mirror." Or in the series Millennium, Morgan and Wong put together a wild and bold ending to the second season, only for the new showrunners in season three to walk things back to a ridiculous degree, to the point that the drama of the previous season was almost completely invalidated.
Beastro wrote: ↑Sun Jan 26, 2020 1:45 am
One I dislike, though admit it works for good reason, is the Ancient/Precursor one where there's the first race which emerges with Mankind always being one of the younger ones that's the new kid on the block.
The big reason why I don't like it is it makes me wish someone would play with it and make the reveal be that Mankind is actually the first race that has emerged, though that of course wouldn't work with a typical Trek/B5 type setting.
McAvoy wrote: ↑Tue Jan 21, 2020 12:26 am
I have been hit in the balls during a fight and I can tell you that the pain is not near as bad as getting randomly hit when you are not expecting it.
At best for me it was a dull pain.
On the other hand, a well placed hard enough kick to the balls can seriously injure a man. There was a story where a angry wife grabbed hee husband by the balls and twisted them ending up killing him.
Here is another one:
'That's a direct order'. No one in the military says that. You are told to do something and you do it. Don't do it, and it's not that long before higher ups get involved.
The amount of times I hear this not only in science fiction but modern day placed shows or movies makes it sound like people have an option to listen to a superior.
Another: huge spaceships bigger than a aircraft carrier will absolutely have more than one officer with the rank of captain. Only one will be the CO and XO will be of equal rank. The commanding engineering officer will most likely be a captain as well. Aircraft carriers have a captain as we in command of the air wing. The whole trope of one officer with the rank of captain kinda bugs me. Star Trek and B5 have this. Though the TOS crew of course by the end were nearly all captains.
The "direct order" is a dramatic device meant to underline a moment of seriousness and contention.
The captain thing I can forgive as Sci-Fi in the model of Trek is inspired by Age of Sail navies more than modern ones.
The one that pisses me off in Trek though is an admiral that comes on board, takes command for a mission and then precedes to take direct command effectively deposing the CO as if they're synonymous and incompatible.
clearspira wrote: ↑Wed Jan 22, 2020 7:15 am
The interesting thing about the crew numbers is that Gene Roddenberry was a navy man so he probably knew that.
?
He was USAAF and flew in B-17s for a year until a bad landing led him to become a crash inspector.
You're right, he was. I don't know where I heard he was navy.
Beastro wrote: ↑Sun Jan 26, 2020 1:45 am
One I dislike, though admit it works for good reason, is the Ancient/Precursor one where there's the first race which emerges with Mankind always being one of the younger ones that's the new kid on the block.
The big reason why I don't like it is it makes me wish someone would play with it and make the reveal be that Mankind is actually the first race that has emerged, though that of course wouldn't work with a typical Trek/B5 type setting.
We also often drove the first guys into near extinction and/or hiding even though they were stronger, more powerful, and/or more organized.
