To: Officers of the Empire
Re: Ranking
When I first started SIMming, rank was a prestigous thing. Not every Fleet Commanding Officer was a Fleet Admiral, in fact, most were Admirals, and some Vice Admirals. When you reached the rank of Senior Captain, you were a respected officer, one to be reckoned with. When you were a Rear Admiral, you were headed for the command track, almost certainly.
Gradually, as SIMming progressed, this was no longer true. Take *The New Order* (TNO)..over three years ago; it was nothing like my first SIMs. In it were over 15 Fleet Admirals, each in command of three to four people. It was disgusting. This new philosophy of having a plethora of high ranking Admirals all over the place was adopted by most all SIMs. Very few SIMs don't adopt that. These SIMs that do not I respect dearly. To get to the rank of Admiral you have to work *hard*
If you are a Commodore here, you are PLAIN AWESOME. You are the finest the Imperium has to offer. You have shown time and time again you can get near any job done. You should be proud of the rank you hold. If you are above Commodore, you are to be respected over all things. You are the absolute epitomy of a good SIMmer. You are treated with extreme respect. You are second to none, except your superior officers. If you reach the rank of Admiral, which I can say is highly unlikely, you will be the best officer in the Empire, next to none. You should be extremely proud of what you have accomplished.
Keep in mind that rank does not ensure comission. In other words, just because you are an Admiral, does not mean I will not assign you a Nebulon-B Frigate. Ships are assigned based on combat ability, availability, and skill. Not always will the highest ranked get the biggest ships.
I hope that clears up any questions about ranking for the Galacitc Empire. If you have any further questions, let your CO know. If he does not know the answer, he will forward your question to me.
Below, for your reference, is our ranking list.
For the Glory and Honor of the Empire!
Regards,
Lord Lucius Hadrian Nack
Prince Regent, Galactic Empire
Ranking
Breakdown
Navy Army / Starfighter Corps
Grand Admiral Field Marshal/Wing Commander
High Admiral High General
Fleet Admiral General
Admiral Lieutenant General
Vice-Admiral Major General
Rear Admiral Brigadier General
Commodore Colonel
Fleet Captain Lieutenant Colonel
Captain Major
Staff Commander Division/Wing Captain
Commander Platoon/Squadron Commander
Lieutenant Commander First Lieutenant
Lieutenant Senior Grade Second Lieutenant
Lieutenant Junior Grade Sergeant Major
Ensign Corporal
- Private
Officer Cadet Officer Cadet
Details:
Grand Admiral - The Grand Admiral serves as commander of the Royal Imperial Navy. At the time of Palpatine there were several, but today none exist. A Grand Admiral, donning a white uniform as opposed to the typical olive-drab, is feared throughout the galaxy. Grand Admiral's combine tactical prowess along with diplomatic talent. They are the epitomy of Imperialism.
Field Marshall / Wing Commander - Much like the Grand Admiral, the Field Marshall and the Wing Commander are the sole leaders of their respective military branches. They are respected above all, for they have proven time and time again to be unstoppable.
High Admiral / High General - The High Admiral/General is an honored warrior, one of the best the Empire has to offer. The rank of High Admiral/General is not easily attained. A High Admiral/General has proven himself to stand out among even his peers----the fleet admirals.
(Fleet) Admiral / (Lieutenants) General - There are few Admirals / Generals in the Galactic Empire; some lead fleets / brigades while others serve as executive officers to the branch commanders. They are the elite of the Rebellion, showing great skill with commanding and carrying out battles. They serve on the Military High Command.
Vice-Admiral / Major General - These officers either lead Fleets, serve as executive officers of fleets, or head subdivisions and/or minor branches. They are in training to become part of the military high command. This rank is also often given to diplomatic members of the Empire. They serve on the Military High Command as well (not the bureaucrats, however).
Rear Admiral / Brigadier General - The post is mostly honorary and can only be given to captains who have served as ship commanders previously, and it is often used to train officers for the admiralty. Captains who have been killed in battle will very often be promoted posthumously to this rank as a last honor. This is the lowest rank of the Admiralty. This rank is also often used to induct members into the Admiralty, as they serve as non-voting members of the Military High Command.
Commodore / Colonel - Not quite Admiralty, but almost. This is what is commonly referred to as the "Lower half of the Rear Admiralty." This is the training rank for all members going into the Admiralty. They do the same duties as Rear Admirals, but just do not have the same experience. As well, they do not sit on the Military High Command.
Fleet Captain / Liuetenant Colonel - This rank is given to captains who have shown superior skills in combat and command. This marks the ascendance of an officer out of the standard officers ranks. He or she may not have the command abilities required to lead Imperial Fleets, but he or she has proven him/herself a capable warrior.
Captain / Major - Captains are appointed by their commanders to command ships. Captains are promoted from among the commanders. Captains usually serve as Battle Group Commanders or Executive Officers. They are responsible for maintaining their division strength and readiness.
Staff Commander / Division (Wing) Commander - Commanders are appointed by the Empire to serve as ship commanders. They can hold the position as Battle Group XO, and in rare cases CO. Staff / Division Commanders serve a more administrative role in the fleet / brigade, often being in charge of a specific task, i.e., rosters.
Commander / Platoon (Squadron) Commander - Commanders are appointed by the Empire to serve as ship commanders. They can hold the position as Battle Group XO, and in rare cases CO.
The rest of the rankings are officer ranks that are received, usually, out of training. Officer Cadets are, in fact, officers in training.
Imperial Command Levels
Council of the Military - The Council of the Military is a group of military members of the Imperium involved in the main decision making process. They are the most honored members of the Imperial Armed forces. A member who is part of the Council of the Military is to be highly respected. The Prince Regent, or Warlord, leads the Council of the Military.
Naval High Command - The Naval High Command makes many decisions concerning the Naval aspect of the SIM. They also voice their opinions of how to better the SIM. The opinions are sent to the Council of the Military, via the leader of the Naval High Command, normally the Naval Commanding Officer (NCO).
Army/SFC High Command - The Army/SFC High Command makes many decisions concerning the ground warfare and starfighter combat aspect of the SIM. They also voice their opinions of how to better the SIM. The opinions are sent to the Council of the Military, via the leader of the Army High Command, normally the Army Commanding Officer (ACO).
Commanding Officer (CO) - The Commanding Officer leads an Imperial Assualt Group or Battle Group.
Executive Officer (XO) - The Executive Officer is an aide and second in command to a Commanding Officer. While Assualt Groups do not normally have commanding officers, Battle Groups usually do.