Re: [GZG] Monster ships

John,

Operational ranges won't solely be determined by life support or
reactor fuel consumption. They may be determined in part by the number
of system spares a ship can store (cruisers probably have more
inherent storage), food supply (not accounted directly in the game -
you can presume it to be equal or unequal on ships as your tastes
run), and the other sorts of facilities on ships. Cruisers will have a
full fledged doctor and a decent sick bay, a DD may well have a
physician's assistant or medic and a very limited sick bay, as one
example. Certainly if we look at the modern carrier, it is a virtual
city with all sorts of services like laundries, various messes,
probably a store or two, medical and dental facilities, a chaplain or
two, psychologist (maybe integrated with medical staff), and so on.

The smaller the ship, the less likely the ship is to contain such
things. You build attritional units very barebones and the DD
generally fits that role. Does not have to, but can easily be seen as
such. Cruisers, on the other hand, have a purpose in showing the flag
and projecting an image. They can also stand in the line of battle. So
the end result is they are not built as attritional units generally
and are more full featured. This may translate to longer operational
ranges and durations.

Also, note that showing the flag is going to be a role for cruisers
because they can have a wardroom worthy of hosting someone of some
importance on a local planet. Destroyers may well not have such a
facility.

It is totally a stylistic choice, but there are reasons for larger
ships being built with additional facilities not inherent in smaller
ones. This is another reason that salvaging damaged big ships is
important - they aren't meant as attritional units.

One last point: With the exception of the last few years, fleet C4I
isn't usually vested in smaller ships. The Canadians are actually
using their old destroyers in the command role because they have more
space than the newer patrol frigates. Similarly, cruisers and other
bigger ships have better space to accomodate fleet command or
diplomatic roles.

-- 
http://ante-aurorum-tenebrae.blogspot.com/
http://www.stargrunt.ca

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from oppression; for if he violates this duty he establishes a
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