somethings been bugging me

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Good question.

I would think that given Liandra's somewhat imperfect shape, there could easily be an assistant engineer, perhaps even two. Firell might have someone to help her with medical matters. Some cases need constant attention, and one healer cannot provide that.

In addition to that, Liandra might simply have extra space -- for specialists, passengers, cargo or perhaps even a boarding squad (either Warrior Caste or Narn Bat Squad).

 

[hypatia]

Yes, there would have to be more medical staff. Even if only a few are injured, you'd need more than one healer.

I always wondered if some poor soul was in tha engine room with a very angry Narn cursing and throwing things. /forums/images/icons/shocked.gif I hope they got combat pay for that! /forums/images/icons/wink.gif

 

[channe]

Ok. Crew complement of Liandra-type vessels:

Captain
First Officer
Tactical
Healer
First Contact / Diplomacy
Infiltration / Covert
Engineer
Communication
Navigation (Pilot)
Healer

That's nine - considering that Kitaro does both comm and nav. The Rangers seem pretty cross-trained to me, too. There were quite a few of them fixing things in the hallways while Martel was running about attempting to find Kafta IIRC, so Na'feel could probably have a support staff of three, Firell two (more?), and the other five could be systems experts or ground team...?

I don't know enough about this stuff. Time for Channe to go research the PT boat.

 

[Joseph DeMartino]

You know, all of the main characters have to sleep sometime, and probably eat. Allowing for different work shifts and time off I would expect the ship to have a total crew complement about three times the number of the regular characters - which is what it seems to have. It isn't like Martel is going to be on duty on the bridge 24/7 (or however the Minbari day and calendar run.)

Also it seem to me unlikely that the Captain of any "naval" vessel would have or need access to controls. The commander of an aircraft carrier does not steer the ship. In battle he wouldn't even be on the bridge - he'd be in the combat information center directing the battle while subordinates handled the engines and navigation. Even aboard a PT boat if the helmsman were injured or killed another crewman would take the wheel, not the captain.

Regards,

Joe

 

[channe]

And what Joe said was consistent with "Rangers."

Martel let Dulann and Kitaro do all the work when they were attempting to get off the ground. All Martel did was lose thirty credits on a bet. It sounds like the information center *was* the bridge on the Liandra.

And there you go. Half main crew, half night-shift understudies. And I bet you Malcolm and Tafeek can do other things besides sit around and wait for first contact situations.

It's crazy that I can still remember that stuff, even though the last time I saw the movie was in March!

 

[gangster]

Agree with your thinking, I'm rewatching Rangers right now and saw 5 in the hallways as Martel ran down the hallway. And another 3 in different location in an earlier shot. Of course, the 3 could be in the same group as the 5.

 

[Loadhan]

Um ... didn't Sarah loose the bet? /forums/images/icons/wink.gif

"Today's a good day to die."
"Oh, everyday's a good day to die for you."

 

[GShans]

yes she did, i was just going to comment on that.

And to JoeD, repick your avatar, it aint up.

In a battle, i would feel that since i am in command of the ship, i should be the one pulling the trigger that kills whoever the enemy is, thus, a command/tactical board for the captain.

 

[Joseph DeMartino]

</font><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr />
In a battle, i would feel that since i am in command of the ship, i should be the one pulling the trigger that kills whoever the enemy is

[/quote]

And if you were the general in command of an army would you be the one in the front line firing a rifle at an enemy soldier, or personally firing the main gun of a tank?

Feelings aside, it doesn't work that way in today's military, and there's no reason to believe it would be any different in the future. Commanders are paid for their brains. Captains of aircraft carriers do not personally strap into fighter jets and go off to attack targets, captains of submarines do push the button to launch torpedoes. (Commanders of missile subs would personally push the button to launch a nuke - should that ever happen, God forbid - but that's a whole different issue. Several other officers have to push buttons at the same time; the rules governing use of strategic nukes are unique.)

Regards,

Joe

 

[Loadhan]

Commanders picked from brains? Well not in the case of the first contact with the Minbari. /forums/images/icons/laugh.gif

Oh - and about nukes ... in the B5 universe it seems only one person is needed to authorise use and detonation of a nuke - though normally they are all tac nukes / mines ...

 

[**DONOTDELETE**]

I would suspect that in space, nuclear weapons are no longer strategic weapons. In addition to that, opportunities for using them rarely appear in ship-to-ship battles.

 

[gangster]

Joe,
Agree nowadays command is shifting more toward ability/brains but still has a long way to go get rid of the "old boy/school tie" mentality that allowed so many obviously-unfit-for-command to slip into command positions. As for a sub commander, he gives the command to launch a torpedo but does not physically push the button himself. And when it comes to launching nukes, that order, and targeting, comes from much higher headquarters and the sub commander and his weapons officer unlock the launch system, verify the launch codes, then turn the launch key. They can not launch on their own since the launch codes have to be "released" by higher command. Same applies to ground based nuke missles.

About the only nukes that could be detonated without higher authority are the "backpack," nuclear mine and artillery round. Even these have to have the codes/authority entered before they can be used.

 

[KoshN]

</font><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr />
<font color="yellow"> Originally posted by hypatia: </font color>
Yes, there would have to be more medical staff. Even if only a few are injured, you'd need more than one healer.

[/quote]

"Healer! We need a healer in here." (when David finds Dulann) implies more than one healer. He didn't say "Healer! We need the healer in here!"

 

[channe]

Damn, that crew has to be crosstrained. Every time I think of a need, I think of another need, and another need, and another need...

 

[A_M_Swallow]

One of the first jobs a British Prime Minister has to do on gaining office is write 4 hand written notes, one for each of the nuclear missile firing submarines. These contain the Captain's orders in the event of the destruction of Britain. No further orders are needed to launch the missiles.

Consistent with Britain starting a nuclear war by timeout, everyday a message is sent to the duty submarine ordering it not to fire.