posted
What are the factors that are being used in determining the "crew complement" of starships. I was in the Feration Starship Datalink. As I was glancing through, I've noticed something that confused ever since. I've done some math and got the following numbers. The Norway-class is only 3.5% smaller in size as compared to the Akira-class. (I compared their internal volume not their external physical measurements). So by grounding off, we can say that the two of them are almost equal in size, right? Alright then, why is the crew complement of the Akira 500 while the Norway-class is only at a low 190?
------------------ Logic is the beginning of wisdom
[This message has been edited by Saboc (edited November 15, 1999).]
posted
<guess>Maybe they use vacuum-tube transtators?</guess>
Seriously, it might be an older ship with more and/or bulky equipment. Or (wonder of wonders) nobody at paramount thought about it and just decided that "this-is-the-way-things-are-now-get-back-to-work!"
--Baloo
------------------ Loyalty to petrified opinion never yet broke a chain or freed a human soul. --Mark Twain www.geocities.com/Area51/Shire/8641/
Someone went to my site... I never hear what people here had to say about it so I was surprised to see it mentioned. Those figures come from the DS9 Tech Manual, which some people have tried to forcefully forget.
------------------ Calvin: "I'm a man of few words." Hobbes: "Maybe if you read more, you'd have a larger vocabulary." Federation Starship Datalink - Now with a pop-up on every page...damn you Tripod!
posted
Actually it would be nice to hear some theories about the distribution of SF-manpower. I haven't given it much thought. The only guideline I can think of right now is that ships commonly used for patrol duties and other defensive purposes only have the essential personnel. Let's get the ball rolling!
------------------ -You're crazy!!! -I thought I was pisces!
complement \Com"ple*ment\, n. [L. complementun: cf. F. compl['e]ment. See Complete, v. t., and cf. Compliment.] 1. That which fills up or completes; the quantity or number required to fill a thing or make it complete.
2. That which is required to supply a deficiency, or to complete a symmetrical whole.
History is the complement of poetry. --Sir J. Stephen.
3. Full quantity, number, or amount; a complete set; completeness.
To exceed his complement and number appointed him which was one hundred and twenty persons. --Hakluyt.
4. (Math.) A second quantity added to a given quantity to make it equal to a third given quantity.
5. Something added for ornamentation; an accessory. [Obs.]
Without vain art or curious complements. --Spenser.
6. (Naut.) The whole working force of a vessel.
7. (Mus.) The interval wanting to complete the octave; -- the fourth is the complement of the fifth, the sixth of the third.
8. A compliment. [Obs.] --Shak.
(Sorry, but temptation sometimes overwhelmes me ).
--Baloo
------------------ Loyalty to petrified opinion never yet broke a chain or freed a human soul. --Mark Twain www.geocities.com/Area51/Shire/8641/
The First One
A lovely little thinker, but a bugger when he's pissed
Member # 35
posted
Yes, we're just ragging you a little. Ptobably killed your thread and left your question unanswered, but hey, it happens. 8)
Registered: Mar 1999
| IP: Logged
posted
Even if one class is as big as another class, it may have a significantly smaller crew on board. It's max capacity may be close to the same, but if the ship is a frieghter or a science or medical ship, it simply wouldn't need as many people to run it.
posted
This is slightly off-topic, but still slightly relevant. Several years ago, I wrote some articles for the tech fanzine "Logbook" of the Galactic Engineer's Condordance about how I use ships' volumes to determine both the complement and displacements (weights) of starships. (This group folded last year.)
First, you need to determine the volume of the hulls of a ship (for example, the Constitution class). You can do this by breaking a ship into mathematical solids (spheres, cones, cubes, etc), by measuring deck area and multiplying by a constant deck height, or by making models in clay and then measuring the volume of clay used. Once the volume (in cubic meters) is determined, you divide the known crew size by the volume to get the number of crewmen per cubic meter, a kind of "crew density" factor. I've calculated that the crew density of the EntA is about 0.00227 crewmen per cubic meter, or about 440 cubic meters per man. Then when you design ships of the same type and same era, you multiply the hull volume by "crew density" to get the crew size. This is a rough method, but it's better than guessing.
A similar method can be used to determine displacements of starships, either for hulls and engines or for complete ships. By the way, the weights of starships in recent canon and quasi-canon sources (official tech manuals: millions of tons) are much higher than in sources for the TOS and movie era (hundreds of thousands of tons).
Sorry, these articles are not posted anywhere. But if someone is really interested, I can email a copy.
------------------ When you're in the Sol system, come visit the Starfleet Museum
posted
Hey Masao, can I have a copy? I have a question regarding what you posted. If what you wrote is correct, then how do we explain the huge standard deviation of the Akira's crew size and the Norway's? I did some math and found out that they have an almost equal volume. (well, not really but close enough. The Norway's is about 10% smaller than the Akira's) I think that people at Paramount or wherever should do a little research before giving out un-supported numbers. I know that it is only Star Trek but I think they should try to be a little more consistent..
------------------ Logic is the beginning of wisdom
posted
Saboc: I have no idea about the complement of the ships you mention. In fact, I'm not sure what I wrote is even correct. It's simply a way that I use when coming up with crew complements for the noncanon ships that I design (like those SPAM SPAM SPAM in the Starfleet Museum) As far as complements on TV, I think that as with ship displacements, the writers are simply pulling numbers out of ... the air.
"Consistent, consistent? what is consistent?"
By the way, how are you figuring out volumes? The old-fashioned way (number crunching) or with a CAD program?
How can I get a copy of my articles to you? I don't have a website.
By the way (2), I notice from your info that you're from Mpls. I grew up in Rochester.
------------------ When you're in the Sol system, come visit the Starfleet Museum
posted
LOL I took 8 math courses in high school and 2 calculus classes in college. But to be honest, my methods of figuring out the internal volume are very "not by the book". I just took a bunch of different formulas of different levels (non-calculus and calculus alike including computational research methods of research sciences) and play around a little. All of the calculations were done by hands (well not really, I used the T-85 calculator). LOL Yeah...I"m from Minneapolis. I've been to rochester once. It's pretty nice down there.
------------------ Logic is the beginning of wisdom
).
(just kidding)
Printer-friendly view of this topic
