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Crew of a small capital freighter?
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Fallon Kell
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PostPosted: Fri Sep 02, 2011 9:17 pm    Post subject: Crew of a small capital freighter? Reply with quote

So, as some of you already know, I am partial to Krapou's Startship Pricing System, at least until I write one of my own. Yesterday I was building a new small bulk freighter, and I came across something of a discrepancy...

Under Krapou's system, A 500 foot (155 m) long vessel requires between 250 and 3500 crewmen, while a real life sea freighter of similar length might require only 20. Are the crew requirements of a freighter this size in Star Wars really 12-175 times what they would be for a modern seagoing vessel of similar size, or is this chart just appropriate for warships and cruise ships?
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Bren
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PostPosted: Sat Sep 03, 2011 8:35 am    Post subject: Re: Crew of a small capital freighter? Reply with quote

Fallon Kell wrote:
Are the crew requirements of a freighter this size in Star Wars really 12-175 times what they would be for a modern seagoing vessel of similar size, or is this chart just appropriate for warships and cruise ships?
No and probably yes. Given the availability of droids and the crew requirements for a corvette, even a crew of 20 may be a bit high for a cargo ship.
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CRMcNeill
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PostPosted: Sat Sep 03, 2011 10:55 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I think a better guideline would be to look at some of the official material and see what crew requirements are for something in the same class. IIRC, the Action VI Bulk Freighter is in the same size range and only requires a crew of 10-20.
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Fallon Kell
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PostPosted: Sun Sep 04, 2011 4:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thank you, guys. I've taken your advice and looked up some similar ships, like the Action VI. They seem to have small crews in the 10-20 range.

I'm working on modifying Krapuo's system so crew requirements reflect the capabilities of the ship, rather than just the length. I'll see if I can get permission from Krapou to post it once I've finished...
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Matthias777
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 06, 2011 1:16 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I had never seen that system before, but I like the idea of it. Unfortunately, the type of ship (or capabilities, as Fallon Kell stated) should be a huge part of that system; I'm very interested in seeing Fallon's modified version of Krapou's system.
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Fallon Kell
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 06, 2011 2:06 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Matthias777 wrote:
I had never seen that system before, but I like the idea of it. Unfortunately, the type of ship (or capabilities, as Fallon Kell stated) should be a huge part of that system; I'm very interested in seeing Fallon's modified version of Krapou's system.

Well thanks, but don't hold your breath. Building a starship construction system can be a monumental task, and it will probably take me awhile...
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Matthias777
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 06, 2011 2:13 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Fallon Kell wrote:
Well thanks, but don't hold your breath. Building a starship construction system can be a monumental task, and it will probably take me awhile...

Size matters not? Laughing
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Fallon Kell
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 06, 2011 3:34 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Matthias777 wrote:
Fallon Kell wrote:
Well thanks, but don't hold your breath. Building a starship construction system can be a monumental task, and it will probably take me awhile...

Size matters not? Laughing
Yoda was lifting that X-wing, not building it from spare parts... I ought to be able to lift the papers once I'm done with them, too!Laughing
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Krapou
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 06, 2011 3:54 am    Post subject: Re: Crew of a small capital freighter? Reply with quote

Fallon Kell wrote:
Under Krapou's system, A 500 foot (155 m) long vessel requires between 250 and 3500 crewmen, while a real life sea freighter of similar length might require only 20. Are the crew requirements of a freighter this size in Star Wars really 12-175 times what they would be for a modern seagoing vessel of similar size, or is this chart just appropriate for warships and cruise ships?


Yep, I came across this problem some time ago, but I didn't find any elegant solution for large bulk freighters (the crew requirements in my system are supposed to fit capital military ships)

I guess a quick and dirty fix could be to divide by 10 the crew requirements for capital ships designed for only bulk transport. (and I have a feeling this method would clearly not work well for ships above 150m)

In order to have a more precise result, my guess is that it would require to list all the bulk transports above 50m, and then check their crew requirements in order to find a chart that matches most of the values according to the ship price...
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Fallon Kell
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 06, 2011 2:29 pm    Post subject: Re: Crew of a small capital freighter? Reply with quote

Krapou wrote:
Fallon Kell wrote:
Under Krapou's system, A 500 foot (155 m) long vessel requires between 250 and 3500 crewmen, while a real life sea freighter of similar length might require only 20. Are the crew requirements of a freighter this size in Star Wars really 12-175 times what they would be for a modern seagoing vessel of similar size, or is this chart just appropriate for warships and cruise ships?


Yep, I came across this problem some time ago, but I didn't find any elegant solution for large bulk freighters (the crew requirements in my system are supposed to fit capital military ships)

I guess a quick and dirty fix could be to divide by 10 the crew requirements for capital ships designed for only bulk transport. (and I have a feeling this method would clearly not work well for ships above 150m)

In order to have a more precise result, my guess is that it would require to list all the bulk transports above 50m, and then check their crew requirements in order to find a chart that matches most of the values according to the ship price...

Oh, wow! I didn't know you were on these forums! What a pleasant surprise! Thank you so much for building this system. Despite this particular problem, I've found it to be quite handy, elegant, and robust.

I'm working on adding a crew cost column to the tables of high tech systems. Either a total manpower requirement, or an additional percentage. (For example, a x1 Hyperdrive could add 50% crew, and 50 weapon emplacement might points take 5 crew to maintain.) After all the crew requirements are tallied up, a designer can buy automation for construction points, reducing the total crew required.

Every time I try and do something like this, I gain new respect for those who already have. Especially when it comes to fine-tuning the system so the prices begin to match the canon closely, it turns into a lot of difficult work!

Do you mind if I post what I'm working on to get input from everyone else here? I will of course give you full credit. (Something along the lines of "Modified by Fallon Kell from a system by Krapou".)
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Krapou
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PostPosted: Wed Sep 07, 2011 10:27 am    Post subject: Re: Crew of a small capital freighter? Reply with quote

Fallon Kell wrote:
Do you mind if I post what I'm working on to get input from everyone else here? I will of course give you full credit. (Something along the lines of "Modified by Fallon Kell from a system by Krapou".)


I don't mind at all ! And of course the system itself is not mine : most of it comes from Grimace and the D20 book Starship of the Galaxy.
As far as I'm concerned, modify it all you want, so that everybody can benefit from your work ! Wink
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Fallon Kell
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PostPosted: Wed Sep 07, 2011 4:40 pm    Post subject: Re: Crew of a small capital freighter? Reply with quote

Krapou wrote:
Fallon Kell wrote:
Do you mind if I post what I'm working on to get input from everyone else here? I will of course give you full credit. (Something along the lines of "Modified by Fallon Kell from a system by Krapou".)


I don't mind at all ! And of course the system itself is not mine : most of it comes from Grimace and the D20 book Starship of the Galaxy.
As far as I'm concerned, modify it all you want, so that everybody can benefit from your work ! Wink

Thank you. Yes, I'll have a long chain of credits on this one...
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Spartikis
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PostPosted: Thu Sep 08, 2011 1:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yeah a dozen or two crew should be enough to operate a bulk freighter. Most crew guides are assuming military ships. thats like comparing a real world bulk cargo ship to a us navy destroyer.
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