On Sun, Jul 17, 2016 at 3:15 AM, Tim <xxxxxx@little-possums.net> wrote:

I would guess that it would depend very much upon the actual
population, with some modification for strategic importance and other
factors.

A system with a 20 000 people might have one or two small
SDBs, and a small jump-capable ship based elsewhere that passes
through every now and then.

Two SDBs, one on station, one maybe on station, or doing training, or doing maintenance.

Probably 2-3 crews for each ship, at least, so the *ship* can stay on station while the crew spends time dirtside.

(which is what the US Navy does with some ships, to keep them deployed longer, because it's less expensive to have one ship with three crews in rotation than to have three ships and crews in rotation.)

https://www.cbo.gov/sites/default/files/110th-congress-2007-2008/reports/10-31-navy.pdf

A system with 20 000 000 000 people
probably has a trillion credit capital fleet and I would expect a
naval base. The stated lack of one should indicate some unusual
political situation.

As I understand it, the maps show Imperial naval bases. A world with 20 billion people probably has its own *local* naval base, assuming it's got an A or B port.

The Impies may or may not have their own port, but presumably they have some measure of access to the local naval facilities. (Which is probably staffed by ex-Impies anyway, particularly if your TU is one big happy adventure.)

Dan

"Any sufficiently advanced parody is indistinguishable from a genuine kook." -Alan Morgan