The closing Royal Navy comparison puts Starfleet's improvised fleet command in historical perspective. A captain flying a commodore's pennant might direct a small force of several ships, but doing so imposed an acknowledged burden on the flagship. Officers commanding larger groups received lieutenants, midshipmen, writers, and other personnel, while Age of Sail commanders also relied on informal staff networks. Expanding a commander's span of control requires expanding the organization that supports the commander.
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How Royal Navy commodores received staff support
Real captains could command small task forces as commodores, but the extra duty was recognized as a strain and larger formations brought formal staff allocations.