Re: Crew for Space Stations

Just to add my 2 cents...

The majority of Naval personnel barely know one end of a small arms
weapon
from the other- its not their job.  Less than 10% of a ship's company
(and
I'm talking major combatants of Destroyer and Frigate sizes here) are
trained for boarding operations or landing operations- for the most part
such ops in a high threat environment would be very risky due to the
amount
of continuation training and exercises these guys have to keep up their
skills.  After all, a 5" gun is the best way of cowering the enemy and
getting shot at is nobody's cup of tea- If you wanted that shit you
should
have joined the Army [just sign here :-)].

Having said that, during times of conflict and when 'sent into harms
way'
you could expect this situation to improve somewhat.  Basic rifle skills
would probably be equivalent to Militia for around half the crew.  When
one
addresses the situation at a Fleet Base (read Space Station for FT now),
most tecs would be at this level too.  That is, they can stand behind a
barricade and shoot at things but they will scarper rather quickly when
faced with regular troops.  After all, they should have been engaged and
destroyed in their transports on the way in.

So in my long inded way what I am saying is that a small Marine/Security
force could be appropriate, but not too many as they are also protecting
other vital assests.  Ships do not offload their Marine contingents
until
they are required- they have many other uses.  Station crews could
muster a
small amount of 'fightin' boarding parties and a few more 'static' ones.

Remember that it is a dreadful waste to have your tecs killed in a
firefight- nobody will be able to fix that combat system or do those
tricky
welding jobs when the fleet arrives home from combat operations.

Paul O'Grady
paulog@one.net.au
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"I can picture in my mind a world without war, a world without hate. And
I
can picture us attacking that world, because they'd never expect it."
Anon
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