Based on the preceding Standard Small Starship Bridge (Plumeria Type) with some influence from the Fuji-class Bridge, the Star Army Internal Small Starship Bridge (Type 40) was designed as part of an upgrade program by Kage Yaichiro at the end of YE 39 through early YE 40. It is intended for small to medium-size vessels in the Star Army of Yamatai.
Intended for a small or intermediate number of crew members and installation near the center of a vessel rather than on the hull, the Internal Small Starship Bridge (Type 40) is more defensible than normal offerings and is typically referred to as a “6+1” bridge. This is in reference to the ability to seat six people plus the commanding officer of the vessel, though two additional standing stations with handholds also exist. This is in contrast to the “4+1” arrangement of its predecessor and the “7+1” of the Fuji-class' bridge. However, this bridge is fully capable of functioning as a 4+1 provided some crew do double-duty. It is colored typically in cool colors and has a blue carpet, but some customization is possible on distinguished vessels with their own color schemes.
Unlike some other bridges, the entire bridge can be transformed into a partial or full immersion volumetric simulation. The purpose of this is to permit the creation of a full scale panoramic vision of a battlefield as well as to display appropriate information. As the very center of the bridge is uncluttered and visible from every station, it is also common to have volumetric projections of sensor scans or maps displayed for the CO's review in the center of the room. This can also be used for volumetric telepresence of important officers wishing to speak to the crew, during which a volumetric image of the CO in their chair can be displayed to the other end of the communication in kind. A separate Main Screen projector also exists, in case this system sustains damage in combat.
Force fields are used to provide tactile feedback to volumetric objects, permitting things like keyboards made of light and other physical interaction with volumetric representations of data. People who are interacting via volumetric telepresence can also have a tactile presence in this manner. It should be noted, however, that the force fields are also used to help cushion turbulence and keep people in place as well as to dull the impact of arms fire during assaults on the bridge.
This is not foolproof and is of little use at point-blank ranges, but is sufficient to reduce the damage output of a weapon by one Tier for a meter of distance. This increases by one Tier of mitigation for every doubling of range to a maximum of 4 Tiers of mitigation from one end of the bridge to the other. Any enemy weapon employed above Tier 6 will overpower the force field system and fire with full damage. Weapons used by those the ship's computer system recognizes as allies are not mitigated by this system.
The purpose of this specific functionality is to allow the bridge crew enough time to attempt evacuation, self-destruct, or other last-ditch countermeasures if the bridge is overrun by enemy forces. An enemy that can get through a ship's blast shutters to an internal bridge is not expected to be held at bay for long, so this system is not meant to promote a counterattack. That being said, the Commanding Officer is the one to decide the course of action in any given situation.
Storage cabinets surround each console around the bridge and are filled with emergency supplies such as Star Army Environmental Suit, Type 28 (AMES), medical kits, tool kits, rations, water, toiletries, weapons, and other things as needed. They can also be equipped with refrigerators and microwaves, though many Commanding Officers will not permit this modification. There are a total number of 24 large storage units and 8 small storage units.
The bridge has three doors; to the port, starboard, and aft of the bridge. Where the doors lead depends on the ship design on which the bridge is used.
On the Plumeria 2E refit plan being considered at the time the bridge was created, the side doors lead out into Deck 4's corridors near crew cabins and escape pods; while the rear door accesses another another Deck 4 corridor as well as two small Zero-G Passageways. These passageways go to the CO's Quarters, XO's Quarters, and MEGAMI on Deck 3 as well as to more Escape Pods on Deck 5.
The stations across the bridge are all capable of different roles, though there are some stations that are designed to more efficiently coordinate with each other than others. While the CO and Guest Stations can pair easily with any other stations, the other stations are usually connected together by function in cases where the role of their occupants overlap or compliment each other. In spite of these different roles, all stations around the circumference of the bridge have:
The front six stations around the circumference of the vessel and the CO's station have Starship Chair, Type 35, which are all oriented to be able to look at any other seated station without obstruction for the purposes of meetings or discussion as well as quicker evacuation. The chairs also have provisions for wired SPINE-based telepathy (or communicator-based failing that, if permitted by the CO) to allow for any station's user to communicate with and share their console's information with any other via broadcast or specific targets. Everyone knows who is talking to who, however, and can elect to listen in if desired. This is not about secrecy as much as simply being able to function and coordinate without talking over top of each other or interrupting a face-to-face transmission in progress. The CO, however, may conduct truly covert communications with any seated station.
There are also two stations at the very rear of the bridge which do not have any chairs. Instead these stations have a handlebar to help with turbulence but may optionally be equipped with a Starship Chair, Miniature, Type 35 or a Kiosk Console Line's Military Mini-Neko Station to allow an 8+1 configuration. These stations are multipurpose and are typically unmanned unless needed for specific purposes or to replace a damaged station in combat.
It should be noted that the CO's station does not have a conventional console, so as not to interfere with the motion of personnel on the bridge. This also gives the CO a better view of the volumetric functions of the bridge and the crew. As a result, many of the systems are integrated into the chair's platform as well as the chair itself. The cupholder and sound-powered telephone are integrated into the extensions to the armrests, as are tactile controls. If more advanced controls are needed, volumetric controls with forcefield feedback can be called upon to act as a console.
When commanded by a Mino-Neko, the CO's chair is either removed and replaced by a Starship Chair, Miniature, Type 35 or (more often) a booster seat is installed in the chair which connects to a Starship Chair, Miniature, Type 35 or a Kiosk Console Line's Military Mini-Neko Station.
Any station, with the aforementioned seating accommodations, can be used by Mini-Neko.
The CO sits in the center seat and oversees the entire vessel's operations. They have to manage the information provided by their crew and coordinate the actions of their crew in any given situation. This may also include working together with or commanding other ships. It is also possible for the Commanding Officer to view the resources and contents of any station on the bridge at any given time and even commandeer it from her position.
It is rather common for a Commanding Officer to take over the Piloting and Weapons role via the CO's Station in standard operations when there is not a large bridge crew, as it is the traditional role held by the CO on 4+1 bridges. It is also possible in this design for the two stations to coordinate and split responsibilities. While a Pilot typically also manages the offensive weapons that are dependent on the ship's orientation in relation to the enemy, for example, the CO may elect to manage point defense and secondary weaponry that is less dependent on the orientation of the ship's center line so as to keep the Pilot from being overwhelmed. The CO can assist any other station from their station should the crew need assistance in their duties, though this station is usually paired with the Piloting and Weapons Station in practice.
This station has the ability to pilot the ship and to fire all weaponry, though this functionality is sometimes commandeered by or shared with the CO's station. This is usually dependent on the skills of the CO, the bridge crew available, and need. It is often that this station is either empty or that the CO coordinates closely with this station to take Point Defense control and non-center line weapons out of the Pilot's hands to simplify matters for them. The Piloting and Weapons station is considered to be paired with the CO's Station and is to its left hand side, though it can pair with the Guest Station as well.
If the Pilot is capable of using SPINE, she will often turn her chair to face the front of the bridge with no need to employ tactile control…though she can use volumetric tactile controls if desired.
The science station is in charge of managing the ship's sensors and helping interpret the meaning of the results with their training and knowledge. They are responsible for both passive and active scans. Typically this is for events outside the ship, but they still have access to interior sensors as well and are seated next to and paired with the Systems and Safety Monitoring station to allow for optimal coordination. This station is the right half of the front-left-most console from the CO's perspective.
This station monitors the interior of the ship via assorted sensors, making sure all components are operating properly. It is often used for damage control, since it can easily pinpoint systems failures and internal damage. This station can also be used to monitor the security status within the ship and oversee countermeasures against intruders. The station is notable for its large diagram of the ship. It is also used to finely monitor and balance balance a vessel's Combined Field System between propulsion, shielding, stealth, and other functions. Efforts to repair the CFS are also conducted from this station. While typically not manned during normal operation, it is critical to man this station during combat. Otherwise, the Piloting and Weapons or the CO Stations manage a simplified version of this process.
Because external phenomena may impact internal ship systems and vice-versa, the Science and Sensors station is right next to and paired with the Systems and Safety Monitoring station to allow for optimal coordination between these two stations. This station is the left half of the front-left-most console from the CO's perspective.
This station is used for mission planning, monitoring of away missions and power armor missions, intelligence gathering, research, and general communications. As such, it is not unusual for the communications officer to also be an Intelligence Officer. It should be noted that because the Liaison's Station often coordinates between the ship and any infantry or supplemental forces in play (and is also usually an Intelligence Officer), these two stations often coordinate and are thus paired together to ensure that the larger plan is adhered to or various minutia adjusted as needed given the overall battle situation. This station is the left half of the front-right-most console from the CO's perspective.
A new type of position, this station is borne from the fact that the Plumeria's 2E variant included support for temporary forces up to a Rikugun Star Army Century in size. This can also be allocated to Uchuugun forces, scientists, settlers, evacuees, or virtually any short-term occupancy. The Liaison is the station on the bridge which these occupants' representative or appropriate officer employs if properly vetted or ranked. However, the Liaison is not the raking officer of the group. Rather than being the Centurion of a Century, for example, the Century Liaison would typically be the Century's Intelligence Officer from their Support Platoon. In these cases, the Liaison would need to coordinate closely with the Mission Ops/Communications Station, and thus these stations are adjacent and paired together.
In cases where a properly vetted or ranked Advisor is aboard the vessel instead of a Liaison, and needs to coordinate with Ops, they may optionally be stationed here to more directly facilitate this where appropriate. This, however, is not a hard and fast rule. This station is the right half of the front-right-most console from the CO's perspective.
This is the one station that is not explicitly paired with the other seated stations because it is entirely multipurpose in nature. Diplomats, other high ranking officers, and members of the Admiralty all typically sit here. Of course, there are often cases where the Admirals claim the CO's Station and the ship's CO is relegated to this station instead. This depends on how “hands on” the specific Admiral is, and is more common on flagships. If not used by such an entity, the Executive Officer of the ship may sit here or it may be left vacant. It is also used for roles as-of-yet undetermined, much like the standing stations.
Pairing and other access is widely variable, depending on the entity seated here and their role. It is to the right hand side of the CO's Station and can pair with all other stations if access permissions are sufficient.
The two Standing Stations to the rear of the bridge are spare stations for various purposes, but are often unmanned and usually lack chairs in favor of hand bars. An Admiral's aide or an Advisor may use this station, for example. They can be used as needed and are notable for being able to take over functions from other stations that are destroyed or disabled in combat.
Toshiro created this article on 2018/01/02 07:31. FM approved by Wes on 2018/01/15 and approved by CadetNewb on 2018/01/15, here: https://stararmy.com/roleplay-forum/index.php?threads/star-army-internal-small-starship-bridge-type-40.61119/
