Does crew size affect consumption rate of supplies

dagmar · February 17, 2015, 5:26am

Does crew size affect consumption rate of supplies?

sporksaregoodforyou · February 17, 2015, 5:29am

Absolutely. Hunger goes up by the total crew number every few seconds. Running a small crew is far cheaper.
edited by SporksAreGoodForYou on 2/17/2015

fretling · February 17, 2015, 5:51am

No, it goes up in half-of-your-total-crew increments, rounded to the nearest even number if fractional.

wlerin · February 17, 2015, 5:59am

And “every few seconds” is every 10 seconds. Possibly more if you’re experiencing stuttering.

rapiere · February 17, 2015, 6:24am

a sweet spot for the cargo ship is 25 crew, give enough margin while needing 50 seconds to use up one supply. You can try also 19 crew, for one supply every 60 seconds.

delta_angelfire · February 17, 2015, 6:25am

also, your crew is fed at 50 or more and resets to zero. So based on how the math works, having 19 crew has the same consumption rate as having 24 crew (something I learned the hard way when I got my merchant ship)

fretling · February 17, 2015, 2:15pm

I like 14 in the Frigate. The times I accidentally get up to 15 – or take on an extra for whatever reason – well, 10 seconds per increment means it’s only 10 seconds less per supply, but it feels like I burn through supplies at a prodigious rate compared to 14.

sporksaregoodforyou · February 17, 2015, 3:10pm

With WE ARE CLAY, I run 12/22 in the frigate.

shadow · February 17, 2015, 3:26pm

That’s quite risky, considering you’re just a mishap or two away from being undermanned and stuck at half speed.

fretling · February 17, 2015, 3:29pm

Fourteen’s not so bad. Other than the first time I visited the Grand Geode after its completion, I haven’t ever lost a zailor without being aware that it was a possibility and prepared for half-speed.

rocketheeledjack · February 17, 2015, 7:32pm

Likewise, but I also run with an Avid suppressor, the engine going is the only thing that’s ever caused me serious problems.

sporksaregoodforyou · February 18, 2015, 12:46am

Right, but with the impeller and avid suppressor also equipped, half speed + full power is hardly ever more than 30s away from more crew.
I also save a buttload on supplies (I rarely buy them, and mostly sell, because it seems like everything everywhere gives supplies).

me too! Head up North. Farm a few lifebergs. Loot for supplies and fuel. Throw inevitable excess supplies overboard. Go do things. Repeat. Genuinely, my major gripe right now is waiting outside ports for SAY. But that’s probably #fwp.
edited by SporksAreGoodForYou on 2/18/2015