Civilian ship suffers maintenance failures?

[Jumpp (OP)]

My standard geo survey ship is a civilian model with no jump drive. Like most civilian ships, it can remain in the field more or less forever without any issues.

I made a civilian jump drive and added it to this model. Design pane still says it's a civilian ship. But now when it goes out to work, it starts very quickly suffering morale and maintenance problems, since it's built for a 3-month deployment and I added no engineering spaces.

I'd expected that when the design pane says that a ship is a civilian ship for maintenance purposes, that this means it won't have morale or maintenance issues. Am I wrong about what civilian ship means?

[83athom]

You need at least 1 engineering space for no maintenance failures to happen. Also keeping a survey ship at 3 months deployment is a very bad idea, its also why your crew are suffering moral problems. The reason it still says its a commercial ship is because the check is to see whether or not there is a military component.

[Jumpp (OP)]

I'm not sure I understand your answer.

My civilian geo survey ship, with 3 months deployment, runs just fine out in the field for years, just like my civilian freighters, terraformers or sorium harvesters. On such ships I never change the default deployment time from 3 months, nor do I add any additional engineering spaces. I just add the engine, the fuel, and the working modules (cargo bays, terraformers, harvesters, &c) and then I lock the design and never think about it again.

That exact same ship, with a civilian jump drive bolted onto it, suddenly starts suffering maintenance and morale problems.

Any idea why?

[83athom]

Post the design. Mine usually look something like this.

Code: [Select]

Baltimore class Geological Survey Vessel    20 000 tons     267 Crew     2530.425 BP      TCS 400  TH 937.5  EM 0
3125 km/s    JR 1-25(C)     Armour 3-65     Shields 0-0     Sensors 8/8/0/12     Damage Control Rating 4     PPV 0
MSP 316    Max Repair 195.3125 MSP
Intended Deployment Time: 60 months    Spare Berths 1   
Cryogenic Berths 200   

JC20K Commercial Jump Drive     Max Ship Size 20000 tons    Distance 25k km     Squadron Size 1
625EP50HS CMCFD (2)    Power 625    Fuel Use 5.3%    Signature 468.75    Exp 5%
Fuel Capacity 2 520 000 Litres    Range 427.9 billion km   (1584 days at full power)

Artemis CIWS-250 E1 (5x6)    Range 1000 km     TS: 25000 km/s     ROF 5       Base 50% To Hit
Thermal Sensor TH1-8 (1)     Sensitivity 8     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  8m km
EM Detection Sensor EM1-8 (1)     Sensitivity 8     Detect Sig Strength 1000:  8m km
Geological Survey Sensors (12)   12 Survey Points Per Hour

This design is classed as a Commercial Vessel for maintenance purposes

[Vandermeer]

Any idea why?

Usual reasons are either that it is of only 1kt or lower size, making it military by default, or the engine is not a civil one. Since the smallest civil engine is 1250t, the smallest possible civil ship size should be around 1500t or so I guess.

If it is none of those two, we really need the design posted.

[Jumpp (OP)]

I'm baffled. I'm unable to reproduce the effect. I must've been hallucinating. Sorry about the distraction.

[Steve Walmsley]

You need long deployment times on survey ships because morale affects survey time. If the morale falls below 100%, surveys will take longer.