I just kind of cooked off with this idea in another thread but I feel it deserves it’s own thread. People haven’t liked the ASO for one reason or another. It’s a multi role that does everything else on the ship, and can do command. They manage 4 different departments because it didn’t seem justifiable for some of those departments to have their own officer role. Or roles were diminished for this “every role” to take over. (looking at RO into QM and CE’s demotion)
Some people feel the ASO role oversteps onto their roles (Biggest complaint I seen from IOs. There are some people who love doing intel processing and want to vibe, but the ASO just does it anyway)
My proposal?
Kill the ASO
Give back requisitions their Req Officer (Which has been one of the longest standing gripes about the ASOs introduction)
We can also restructure req into having a new system of Two cargo techs, 1 Quartermaster and 1 Req Officer. Or keep status quo by replacing the QM with RO and make the RO rank scalable (from WO into 1st Lt)
Make the CE Rank scalable as well (WO to 1st Lt, their old rank)
Then the big proportionate of all this? Add a new role to manage the Hanger/Vehicles/IOs
Originally I was going to say make a role called the Spacecraft Maintenance Officer (Based off of the Aircraft Maintenance Officer which is a real role in the USMC)
Then thinking about it, they would need to help manage vehicle deployment and IOs.
Making them the SMO though, would make it so their main focus is dealing with pilots and hanger staff. Coordinate with req, intel, and medical. Would have all squad comms so they can relay messages from the pilots to the ground or vice versa.
They should have a lockout timer that requires them to have played both DP and GP for some hours (Maybe 10? maybe more?)
Can do medical things, have access to medical vendors. though they should coordinate with medical, and if med is too short staffed. they can make pills, do chemistry etc. (good for low pop)
Have authorization to fly either dropship if something happens to a pilot. (Where as the ASO has to play guessing games if they are allowed to or not half the time)
Like all officers of the departments they should be able to decrypt, process intel, be on the chain of command as well.
If we want something that really handles all three, could keep the ASO role but mitigate it to just hanger, vehicles and intel. Post your ideas for a new title for that.