The Role of Starship Engineers / Technical Sentries

[Fred]

Starship Engineer

The all-purpose starship crew members of the Star Army, technical sentries are the most common enlisted occupation, aside from power armor pilots. The function of a Technical Sentry could be compared to that of a combat engineer. It will be your job to repair the engine or get through an inoperative door. Technical sentries are a starship's security force in addition to being repair workers. They are trained in close-quarters battle and piloting power armor. Most technical sentries are assigned under another enlisted crew member with a different occupation. Starship engineers wear the red-paneled Star Army uniform.

This occupation is the combination of a supply chief, a finance clerk, and an armorer. Responsible for keeping track of the items and money onboard a ship, the armorer is important, especially in long-term missions. In addition to finance, supply, weapons maintenance, and keeping track of the cargo, armorers are expected to oversee the human cargo--the stasis system. People shouldn't get into this job unless they like keeping busy with numbers. Armorers wear the red-paneled Star Army uniform. A crew with a good armorer will get paid on time, and always have access to the best, most, and latest equipment.

Um... right. Cool. I remember sharing with Doshii Jun a while before that Engineers were cool and that every ship should have one (a PC, I mean). However, for them being the 'most common enlisted occupation'... there sure are not many of them.

Now, I look at the above description and find the tasks an engineer needs to do rather nebulous. Self-repair functions and sprites don't help the matter much either.

So... just how does this work? What can an engineer and his staff interact with in a ship's engine room? How can he maintain his vessel, what tools are at his disposal, just how does a ship react to damage and how can he respond to that? Surely guidelines be brought up so that the people playing engineers/technical sentries would have some more reliable base to their actions other than "pulling stuff out of their asses".

( I'd appreciate if the people contributing to this thread could limit the technobabble to the sort of stuff a person who'd casually watch sci-fi shows could stomach, please )

 

[Doshii Jun]

On the Yukika, player Kett uses his engineer Roger Kard as a demolitions expert, a power armor pilot, and an engineer. But ... he probably is pulling shit from his ass to fix things, though. I dunno. KETT! Speak, you!

 

[Yangfan]

You mean, you can't actually fix starships by randomly pressing buttons and speaking in technobabble?

But why would sci-fi lie to me?

Seriously though, during an actual battle, a technical sentry would do well to do what every soldier does in a battle: request for and follow orders from his immediate CO.

She might be expected to do something specific, such as "go to deck x and seal off hatches #y-z", "escort Officer Bob to location x", "put out the fire on deck x" (the automated system gets damaged, maybe).

Or, she might be given orders that require more independent thinking on her part, such as "locate enemy boarding party", or "deck x is breaking apart, evade and survive".

I don't believe the sentries should be expected to actually fix anything during a battle, except for some very simple jury-rigs, where maybe part of the challenge is for the player to figure out how to get something marginally functioning with limited resources and time.

When not in a battle, a technical sentry could be doing maintainance (tinkering with tools on object x). Or, for all I know, she could be in the cafeteria, making cat calls at the (other) Nekos. :3

edit: I just wanted to add that the technical sentries are our redshirts. This being a sci-fi setting, we need redshirts. Thankfully, one doesn't have to die every away mission.

 

[Kett]

How'd I know I'd get picked to defend this role... well, let's put it bluntly; I believe Tech Sentries/Spaceship Engineers are there for the express purpose of being the go-to guy when something "clever" needs to get done. I'm not talking genre defying starship combat tactics here, mind you, I'm talking about if you need to fit a round peg in a square hole. To use the example of Roger, when the Yukika's CO wanted to be able to burn rubber when the time came, he developed a solution using unconventional methods and bypassing safeties, something I can't imagine an AI would, or even could do, with respect to the safety disablement. Likewise, when a river needed to get diverted so that a rescue team could get at a submerged vessel, Roger was there, overlooking the whole thing with detonator in hand.

Now, I realize that some of this argument has more to do with Roger and less with engineers in general, but really, any time that good ol' ingenuity needs to be flexed, they're the guys you want dealing with the problem. To a certain extent, the "speciali ability" of the engineer IS to be able to pull shit out of your ass and make it useful; just think of how many jerryrigs Geordi pulled as chief engineer on the Enterprise. And really, is having an extra set of eyes watching the engine gauges a bad thing?

 

[Fred]

Good points. The only problem I see is that we have little information on what the engine rooms look like; thus very little idea of what an engineer interacts with. Some basis for inspiration would be nice, no?

* * *

I'm going to think about what I recall Star Trek TNG had with the Enterprise-D.

- Wallpanel : A huge cut-away sideview of the ship showing it's decks.
- Wallpanel : Diagram showing warp engine information.
- 8-shaped table : sort of a multi-function station that could handle anything from snesor calibration to warp field configurations. Includes the possibility to self-destruct the ship.
- Console with controls over systems such as shields, tractor beams, sensors, phasers.
- Another console doing about the same thing.
- The console area has removable panels in which chips can be removed - these small card-like thingies apparently have something to do with computer functions.
- space between the warp core and the 8-shaped table occasionally used to have a torture chair where Geordi typically tinkers on Data.
- The warp core. Big cylindrical pulsing thing.
- Dilithium-chamber, inside the middle section of the warp core.
- a second level reachable by lift that has other consoles for subsystems.

we also know that shooting the warp core is bad and having a compromised warp core caused a big hatch to slide down... one which has Geordi typically do a tumble or some acrobatic to clear it in time.

* * *

Now the above isn't a whole lot, but it's still sufficient for someoe to be able to figure out his working space. For the Star Army, we have...

- CFS system?
- Power system?
- Hyperspace system?
- Hemosynth conduits?

Not a whole lot and pretty vague.

Now, I understand that each ship calss would have indiviualised engine rooms... but it sure would be nice to know about the few standardized things. Dynamism is something I prize and having a solid, believale environment can only strengthen that.

 

[Yangfan]

Hmm. I believe Wes do a description like that for the bridges of the varius ship classes, since a lot of action take place on the bridge. Varius other locations onboard the ships are described as well.

You should convince him to do it for the engineering rooms as well. Although, on most Star Army ships, the engines only require minor, occasional maintenance, and there are only small access corridors to the engines rather than an "engineering room".

- CFS system?
- Power system?
- Hyperspace system?
- Hemosynth conduits?

Some of these are already described for each ship-class.
Ref: https://stararmy.com/starships.html

You could always ask him for more descriptions in these areas. I would personally support that. But, ultimately, Wes will be the one who ends up doing the extra work, so it should really be up to him to decide whether it's necessary or not.

 

[Fred]

Yangfan... which ships have those descriptions? I see a whole lot of systems listed, but no actual description of the engineering. Not even recent vessels such as the Nozomi and the Sakura-classes have them.

It's my personnal belief that the engine section should be everybit as well described as the Bridge, but doing so would indeed have been exhaustive work for Wes. I was hoping to get more information on standards and tendencies that SA vessels have. Just has bridge set up follows some tendencies, so should it be for a ship's engine room and components. For that matter, some description on the said components and how they look like inside a vessel could help too.

If we look at the Yushi-class side view, it's rather obvious a sizeable part of the underbelly is used as the ship's engine / power generation section. Knowing something more about these 'thing-a-ma-jigs' would be really nice though. I'd like to stop calling them 'thing-a-ma-jigs' myself.

 

[Zack]

That is a Yui class. [/nerd]

 

[Fred]

Yes, I know. And the Yushi is a stripped down civilian version. Still, since the Yui 5 looks different, it's why I called it the Yushi.

Can we get back on topic please?

 

[Zack]

I can't believe I'm actually about to say this but: The Yui 5 would look different because this is a picture of the Yui 4. That picture also does include weapons, was previously used as a representation of the Yui class and says specifically Yui Class Destroyer in the URL file address at the top of your screen.

 

[Fred]

I can't beleive you have either.

The important part, though, is that diagram is actually the closest thing I've seen about detailing an engine room. The problem is : it doesn't say all that much and if this, like I mentioned before, could be adressed it'd be a very good thing in my opinion.

 

[Zack]

Arrrgh! defeat!

 

[Yangfan]

* at Fred and Zack*

This is the best I can come up with:

For the Nozomi:

Hemosynthetic Conduit Systems: This network, consisting of blood-filled tubes, runs throughout the ship carrying femtomechanical purpose-oriented molecules (constructed at the level of elementary particles) that are tied to the ship's life support and computer system. At access points, the bloodstream can hemosynthesize objects, including food and water packages, as well as dissolve objects. A secondary internal network (HSCS-2) recycles and dissolves waste, and a third, independent system (HSCS-3) carries femtomachines through various parts of the ship where repairs are needed, to control damage automatically, even during combat.

More on the HSCS Systems: The HSCS system fluid can be differentiated by color. The HSCS-1 system is bright red, HSCS-2 is brown, and HSCS-3 is gray. While the HSCS-1 and HSCS-3 fluids are harmless to Nekos, the HSCS-3 waste liquid is extremely dangerous to organics (it dissolves them).

Food from the HSCS is probably not what one has in mind when "food" is mentioned. The food packets generated by the HSCS, while edible, come only in the form of slimy blocks of nutrient-rich "flesh."

Conformal PSC Device: The PSC (Psionic Signal Controller) is a form of psionic and telepathic protection, capable of nullifying all such activity. The device can selectively allow channels to permit secure telepathic operation and to maintain communication even under psionic attack. The PSC devices also negate 'magical' attacks and effects. This PSC is safe enough to remain active at all times, unlike older "ADN" devices. The field generated by the PSC protects the entire Mindy, and extends only one meter out past the hull of the ship (thus, it will not create an obvious psionic "dead zone". Added in Ke-D2-6c2 upgrade.

Life Support System: The ship has a very thorough recycling system, tied into HSCS-2, which breaks down anything classified into "waste" into its atomic components. The air recycling system (which is segmented and highly monitored for security reasons) can support up to 120 NH-17 or NH-22 personnel up to twenty years (the KFY recommendation, however, is to replenish it at least every six months). Water can be recycled for twenty years as well.

Matter Collection System: The MCS allows the ship to collect hydrogen molecules as it travels through space, which can be used to provide fuel or converted into higher elements for use in the HSCS. The MCS units can be shielded in combat with cover plates.

Nodal System: Trillions of tiny femtomachines are distributed in the air aboard the ship, allowing anywhere to become a control panel with a simple swirl of a person's finger. The ship can use the system to sense what is happening throughout the interior, thus giving it more information to use for environmental control, security, and communication. Using the nodal system, the ship's computer may manifest herself anywhere on the ship in physical or holographic form. This system is also used to decorate the interior of some Nozomi-type ships.

Self-Destruct: Although the Nozomi Scout Ship lacks a dedicated self destruct system (primary for space efficiency reasons), the ship can be destroyed from the monitor room by deliberately overloading the generator and capacitor system. The process takes only a few seconds and results in an aether energy explosion powerful enough to totally destroy the ship (and anything within 2500 km). Added in Ke-D2-6c2 upgrade.

The Sakura has all of the above except for the Self Destruct system.

Actually, a description of the ship's propulsion system is lacking from both. But I believe Wes has them sitting around, but simply neglected to include them.

At least, I hope that's the case.

From the Ayame-class description:

Continuum Distortion Drive: An experimental technology undergoing testing, it propels the ship at speeds many times the speed of light by generating continuum distortions and nesting them to create asymmetric peristaltic fields, using a set of rotary distortion coils. The normal CDD speeds are augmented by working with the forward deflector to enter a quantum slipstream. This allows the ship to travel thousands of times the speed of light.

Hydrogen Collection Matrix: The HCM located on each rotary continuum distortion nacelle allows the ship to collect hydrogen molecules as it travels through space, which can be used to provide fuel for the continuum distortion drive's quantum power core. The HCM units can be shielded in combat with cover plates that were installed since Ki-D2-3c design upgrade.

Hyperspace Fold Drive: A quick way to get from point A to point B. The pizza delivery guy used it to get to the party in less than a minute. Unfortunately, the molten cheese burned some dude's chin pretty bad because it was still hot. The fold drive is capable of moving the ship through hyperspace at speeds up to 5 light-years a minute. Time, however, does not move the same for those on the ship as for those in "real" space, which can make a seemingly short trip take a long time.

 

[Doshii Jun]

Don't think so, Yangfan. Last I checked, the CDD provides both sublight and faster-than-light. That's why Star Army vessels don't have any real engines, and the older ships use ion engines as auxiliary. That's why I put real freakin' engines on the Odori.

 

[Yangfan]

I agree. I'm saying that the CDD description should be in the Nozomi and Sakura description pages as well... unless they don't have CDD?

 

[Fred]

*insert big sigh*

Thanks Yangfan for taking the time to whip up the descriptions... but I had that end covered. Wouldn't have made such a fuss wanting to know about the interior layouts of ships and how things were presented if I hadn't looked at the system descriptions first. Unfortunately, those end up looking more like a system specs blurb than an actual explanation of how it actually fits in the ship and what it really looks like.

But thanks. Really. I appreciate it.

And yes, they do both have continuum distorsion drives.

 

[Zack]

I belive the CDD has been replaced with the CFS which not only covers movement but protection and some weapon elements as well.

 

[Fred]

Mmm, my impression was that CDD and CFS were mostly synonymous, but you are right : most of the recent ships do come equipped with them :

The Anri-class Repair Vessel,
the Sakura-class Gunship,
the Nozomi-class Scout Destroyer.

Oddly enough, the T4 Fox shuttle and the Mindy/Kylie power armors have CDDs. I'm not sure of what the LAMIAs come equipped with : there is no mention of their combined field except in their intro blurb... but no specific mention of it as a part in the description below.

 

[Yangfan]

Just to be clear, Wes wrote all those descriptions. I just lifted them off the website.

Those systems lack visual description because, if you ask me, they are hidden / abstracted away for the sake of preserving the sanity of the average player. ^_^

If you insist on say, finding out what the engines look like, you can always find opportunities during a JP to visit the engines, to see what's visible to the crew, at least.

 

[Fred]

Yeah, I suppose that could work... though the last time I had to prompt Wes into sharing information on something obscure (psionic attacks), I ended up having my fingers slapped on.

I personally dislike making screw ups while in JPs due to me not knowing better ... *growls* Wes, could you just post in this thread and answer the question, please? Otherwise, I think what technical sentries and engineers should do in a ship and how theyt could be plauyed was very well covered - it's the lack of coherent environmental/situational interaction which bothers me.