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The Crew - without them your ship will not sail anywhere


Bart Smith

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Hi 

Here is how crew looks on HMS Victory. As you can see was so many occupations and duties. Here my question to developers and players: how this match Naval Action? Any ideas?

  Classes of the Crew

The crew were divided into four ranks based on their experience and recommendations. Whenever a ship was paid off and her crew discharged, everyone who had achieved any advancement would ask for letters of recommendation to present to their next ship.

The Boys

The lowest, or at least most poorly paid members of the crew were the boys. There were 42boys listed in Victory's crew. They ranged in age from 12 to 18 years old. Only one, an Italian, came from outside the United Kingdom. Unlike other members of the crew, most were volunteers, but many were orphans or the children of destitute families who were volunteered by the institutions supporting them. Others were apprentices who grew tired of their servitude and ran away to sea. Undoubtedly some delinquents were allowed to go to sea to avoid other punishments.

Boys served many functions on the ship. One of their main goals was to become acquainted with all the aspects of seamanship, so they were frequently moved from station to station to learn new skills and to find the best place to suit their needs and preferences.

One of the first positions a boy would be assigned to was quarterdeck messenger. Several boys would spend each watch on the quarterdeck waiting to carry messages from the officer of the deck, or captain, to various parts of the ship to co-ordinate manoeuvres. This also gave the junior officers an opportunity to observe and correct their behaviour.

Some boys were used as top-men on the upper spars as their light weight was an advantage on the tiny yards. They were also used in small spaces where a full-grown man could not work comfortably, such as helping to bring up the anchors from the small space in the bow.

In action almost all the boys were employed carrying powder to the guns, although many of the landsmen were also employed in this work. Because of the way they scurried along the deck, dodging the men working the guns and crouching to try to avoid the incoming shot, they were all informally called 'powder monkeys'.

Landsmen

Landsmen had little or no experience at sea, they received less pay and had no say in where they were assigned in the ship. As each new crew member came aboard they were interviewed by the first lieutenant, seldom would he delegate such an important office of his job. Any certificates the sailor presented would be inspected and a brief interview conducted. At the conclusion of this interview the new hand would be entered into the ship's books as one of the ratings. He would also be assigned a place to hang his hammock, a watch, stations for all manoeuvres of the ship and was instructed where to stow his gear. There were 86 landsmen inVictory's crew.

Ordinary Seamen

Anyone who could demonstrate to the lieutenant's satisfaction that they could perform one or more tasks on the ship would be rated as an ordinary seaman. They would be paid a bit more than a landsman and if possible, assigned to a position consistent with their skills. There were 194 ordinary seamen in Victory's crew.

Able Seamen

Able seamen were very experienced sailors who could serve at any of the stations of the crew. They could tie dozens of different knots, and knew when and where to use each. They could find any rope or line in the dark, make emergency repairs and instruct the younger men. When the men worked in isolated parts of the ship such as in the masts and rigging, the senior able seaman took command of the others, supervising their work. Victory's crew included 211 able seamen.

The Royal Marines

Listed here as their position aboard ship is most unusual to modern understanding. Unlike the modern marines, in the age of sail they were also an active part of the crew, hauling on the ropes during sailing manoeuvres and adding their weight to the capstan when raising the anchor or hoisting masts and yards. The marines were stationed as guards in the ship, restricting access to various places such as the captain's and admiral's cabins, the powder magazine and spirit room6.

In action some were employed in the 'tops'7 firing down on the enemy's deck. Others served the guns on the quarterdeck, or tended the sails from that part of the ship. If they were needed to board the enemy's ship, they would be ready and available. Guards were still posted, primarily to keep anyone from fleeing to the safety of the lower decks.

There were 146 marines aboard Victory, including a captain, three lieutenants, four sergeants, three corporals, a trumpeter and two drummers. The remainder were private soldiers. One of the functions of the drummers was to 'beat to quarters' when the ship was cleared for action. There were different beats to indicate if it was to be a drill, or if action might be imminent.

Petty Officers

Petty officers were the non-commissioned officers of the navy. Their name derives from the French word petit, meaning small. They had specialities regarding the operation of the ship. There were 60 petty officers on the muster role.

One of the most infamous members of any crew was the Master-at-Arms, the head of the ship's police force. He was one of the highest-paid men in the enlisted ranks, and he was expected to be despised by the rest of the crew as part of his duties. This was done to help enforce discipline and deflect resentment from the officers. Victory's Master-at-Arms was William Elliot.

Other specialists included a sailmaker and a ropemaker. The coxswain8 had charge of the captain's gig9. Admiral Nelson himself had served as coxswain in his early years at sea.

The quartermasters oversaw the steering of the ship, as well as keeping track of the ship's time. A bell would be struck a certain number of times, marking each half hour of the watch. The time would be adjusted when the ship's position was reported each day at noon. The ship's clocks, or chronometers, always remained set to the time in England to allow for proper navigation.

There were also men assigned to supervise the handling of the sheets10 and a man assigned to serve in the powder magazine when the ship was in action.

The remainder were assigned to aid the warrant officers in their duties. These included master's mates, boatswain's mates, carpenter's crew, gunner's mates and quartergunners, and armourer's mates.

The Specialists

Like the petty officers these men also had special training, however their skills did not involve the actual sailing of the ship. They were commonly referred to as 'private men'. There were 44 specialists aboard Victory. They included:

The two assistant surgeons, who assisted the Surgeon.

The flag secretary and his clerk; they assisted the Admiral and Flag Lieutenant with the correspondence and accounts of the fleet. The captain's clerk would assist the captain with the correspondence and accounts of the ship itself.

The specialists also included a victualler's agent, three men listed as supply (victualling), and another 26 assigned to general supply. These men usually worked far below deck in the hold, bringing up the supplies as they were needed and assuring that all were safe and secure from damage.

Others included a man to aid in the repair of the sails and another for the caulking of the ship's seams to prevent the entry of water from rain or the sea. There were also several men listed as 'Retinue', who were the stewards, including one dedicated to the Admiral.

The Midshipmen

The midshipmen are the other group aboard, consisting mostly of boys and young men. The difference between the midshipmen and the ship's boys is that the midshipmen have an expectation of becoming commissioned officers themselves one day, and are given chances to command as their skills improve. Although they would later become warrant officers, in 1805 they were classed as petty officers, assigned at their captain's whim. They were often appointed to help out family and friends who requested assistance. It was also an opportunity to gain influence with a powerful man who wished to find employment for a younger or troubled son. It was not unusual for a captain to have his own son serving as one of his midshipmen.

There were 21 midshipmen aboard Victory ranging in age from 16 to 29 years old, all but four were 21 or less. Although almost all were from the United Kingdom, one, Richard Bulkeley, an 18-year-old, is listed as an American. A short search finds that he is the son of Sir Richard Bulkeley, so he was probably born overseas while his parents were on holiday.

The midshipmen would be stationed in various parts of the ship to supervise the crew.

Forward or Warrant Officers

The warrant officers are the true professionals aboard ship. They have demonstrated a skill level that has entitled them to head various departments of the ship. Rather than a King's Commission, they were issued a Warrant for service by the Board of Admiralty, or other boards appointed by them, after careful examination. They had been established in earlier times because the commissioned officers were considered above the position of a mere tradesman.

There were a total of 17 warrant officers assigned to Victory.

The Master

The most senior of the warrant officers, the master was charged with the navigation and the daily operation of the ship. Thomas Atkinson was the master, with six mates who also held a warrant.

The Surgeon

William Beatty was the Victory's surgeon. He supervised two assistant surgeons who were rated as specialists.

In later years he would obtain further degrees in medicine from the University of Aberdeen on 28 February, 1806, and another from the University of St Andrews on 14 October, 1817. He was knighted in 1831. He would become the preferred physician of King William IV and is known to history as 'Dr Sir William Beatty MD FRS11'. It appears unlikely he was entitled to any of the fine titles while he was aboard Victory. It was only in the 20th Century that the terms surgeon and doctor became interchangeable.

The Purser

The purser was the chief store-keeper of the ship. Victory's purser was Walter Burke. The purser was required to post a bond before accepting his position and he was personally responsible for the supplies entrusted to him. To allow for the inevitable loss of provisions at sea, he had been allowed to issue stores at 14 instead of 16 ounces to the pound, and seven instead of eight pints to the gallon. This was one of the grievances corrected after the Spithead Mutiny. He was still allowed to sell clothing, tobacco and personal items to the crew at a modest profit.

The Boatswain

The boatswain12 was in charge of the maintenance of the spars and rigging. William Wilmet held this position. The boatswain and his mates were also charged with conveying the orders of the deck officer to the crew using a specialized whistle known as the bosun's call, often misnamed 'pipe'. Although a badge of the boatswain, the call was also carried by the master and his mates as well as the coxswain. The most common boatswain's signal heard today are the four distinct sounds of 'piping the side'. The individual notes correspond to the orders 'hoist', 'veer', 'lower' and 'belay'. These were the orders given in an earlier time when officers were hoisted aboard in chairs, rather than climbing the accommodation ladder themselves. The boatswain was the most qualified seaman aboard, and he would remain with the ship even when she was no longer in commission to continue its maintenance.

The Carpenter

The carpenter was in charge of the maintenance of the vessel itself. William Bunce was assisted by two ship's carpenters, also warrant officers. In battle they would work, with their crew, in the 'wings', small corridors along each side of the ship, just below the lower gun deck. They would plug any shot holes near the waterline.

The Gunner

The gunner was charged with the care of the ship's cannons. William Rivers would see that all were in good repair and fully supplied for battle. He was assisted by the gunner's mates and quartergunners, who were petty officers. He would train the men in serving the guns and supervise them in battle.

The Armourer

The armourer was charged with the repair of all weapons. He was responsible for all of the small arms, except those carried by the marines. In the event of a battle he would issue pistols and cutlasses to the boarding parties.

The Cook

Charles Carroll had charge of the ship's galley (kitchen). He would see that the fires were lit early each morning and supervise the cooking of the meals. He would also see that everything was clean and in its place. When going into battle, the galley fire was thrown overboard to reduce the chance of a fire on the ship.

As part of his daily routine, the cook would soak the salt meat to soften it and then boil it until the crew collected the meat for their meal. A thick layer of melted fat, called slush, remained. The cook was entitled to a large portion of the slush, the remainder was used to lubricate various parts of the ship. The cook often sold his slush to the crew, who used it to make treats such as pudding and duff. The money collected by the cook was kept separate from his established balances and gave rise to the modern term 'slush fund'.

The Standing Officers

Several of the warrant officers were assigned to the ship, rather than the captain. Even if the ship was removed from active duty they would remain aboard and see that everything was kept in good repair while she lay in ordinary at the shipyard.

Ship's Officers

There were eight commissioned lieutenants on board, not counting the executive officer. While the ship was at sea one of them would be supervising her movements as officer of the deck. Unlike the crew they would not stand at every watch, but rotate the duty among themselves. Any serious decision, such as when to add or reduce sail was made by the captain, but the lieutenant would send a message when he thought a change should be made.

The Executive Officer

The most senior lieutenant aboard, John Quilliam, was designated the Executive Officer. He was second-in-command of the ship and usually stood no watches. He was responsible for overseeing every aspect of the ship's condition and reporting any defect to the captain.

The Captain

Captain Thomas M Hardy was appointed captain of Victory when Nelson established her as his flagship, making him Flag Captain. He had full authority over the conduct of his ship. Every detail was, ultimately, his responsibility, from the discipline of the crew to the welfare of the ship in a storm. If the ship were lost for any reason he would face a court-martial.

The Flag Staff

The flag staff13 had no authority over the conduct of the ship, other than to assign goals and generally direct the course to be sailed. They are included here as members of the ship's company in the previous listings.

Captain George Murray, Nelson's Captain of the Fleet, had been detained in England for personal reasons. Nelson had declined to appoint a replacement. His Flag Lieutenant, George Pasco, was wounded in the battle. Chaplain Alex Scott is often referred to as Nelson's chaplain, although he also conducted services for the entire crew. The Admiral's secretary, John Scott, was one of the first men killed as the Victory went into battle. Nelson's steward was Henry Chevallier, who comforted him in his last hours.

The Admiral

Admiral Lord Horatio Nelson was Commander-in-Chief at Trafalgar. 

 

 

edit (by bungee):

I underlined the capitals so everyone can see them at first glance

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Haha, I ended up reading it too. We're a group of naval combat enthusiasts: we're in no rush!

 

Short answer to the short question: dunno, sorry. Worth asking, and fingers x'd for an informed answer.

 

Baggy

 

Indeed - we're the kid of folks who happily spend 2 hours setting up a fleet for a 20-minute engagement.  Walls of Text do not scare me!

 

And yes, it would be nice to know the depth of the crew system - doesn't have to be as detailed as OP, but it would be nice if I could choose my XO, Bosun, Master-at-Arms, etc.

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As much as I would love all of this. I don't think that the devs can have a 1:1 representation of crew on board ships.

I would love to allocate crew to different tasks manually though. This would make the game extreme in the way of configuration difference.

 

I am fairly sure that crew will gain experience with the ship?

 

Lack of crew does affect things at the moment in game and the game does show lost crew.

you can also prioritise the crew to do things like plug holes and maintain the pumps.

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Glad to see yall opinions. And sorry for wall of text;-) Got question for testers: how look crew management at the moment in game and how crew loss afected for sailing speed, reload and all..?

crew focus for sailing,gunnery and survival. last one makes the other two slower since the crew focuses on pluging holes and operating the waterpumps.

sail is the fasted to set sail

gunnery to reload

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Even though graphically there is not a 1:1 representation I would like in the main menu to play with my crew %

For instance if I could choose the ratio of marines to seamen for instance.... The number of topmen to waisters.

Pressed men vs able seamen.

I guess you would have to promote, train or pay for better men and these men would also be in short supply in some cases.

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Even though graphically there is not a 1:1 representation I would like in the main menu to play with my crew %

For instance if I could choose the ratio of marines to seamen for instance.... The number of topmen to waisters.

Pressed men vs able seamen.

I guess you would have to promote, train or pay for better men and these men would also be in short supply in some cases.

 

So very much this! 

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