Military Rank In the Empire of Humanity - Delegated Commissions
These ranks have the same sort of legal status that NCOs and Warrant Officers have in the US Army - their commissions are delegated, given by more senior ranks within the Imperial Military.
Delegated Commissions are important within the military of a given star system. Depending upon the importance of the system, one rank or another of delegated commission is generally the most senior officer in the system, and any one of them might be the senior officer on duty in the event of an attack. Since attacks in the age of Vector Drive are brutally intense and can destroy planets or other important installations in seconds, they have to be on top of the situation at all times. A few of the most important systems may have more senior officers assigned, and a few of the least populated systems may have someone still in the sergeant grades for a system commander, but in the vast majority of systems, the senior military officer is in the Ensign, Lieutenant, or Captain grades.
The vast majority of these officers are in Tactical Space or Strategic Space units, because it's a spaceborne assault and defense that decides the outcome of the vast majority of all battles. Most Planetary Surface units are assigned a space within a larger type of unit subordinate to a Tactical Space or Strategic Space commanding officer. Delegated Commissions in Planetary Surface units are rare, and turnover is comparatively low.
Ensign candidate wears a white square on a black tab. These officers are in training for their new roles in these leadership echelons. They shadow a Planetary Surface, Tactical Space, or Strategic Space Officer within these ranks, who is charged with instructing them in the practicalities of what they need to know. An Ensign Candidate is heavily tested before being allowed to progress. They are technically in the line of command, but are often intentionally bypassed by senior officers in that line of command. This is the only command grade Delegated Commission that does not go with a specific command assignment.
Staff Ensign white square on white is a staff grade, out of the line of command.
Ensign green square and is the executive/operations officer of a Brigade of three groups in Planetary Surface forces
Brigade Ensign red square commands a brigade in Planetary Surface, usually a mixture totaling around twelve cubes (appx 2.5 million) combat troops in Tactical or Strategic Space
First Staff Ensign quartered white square on white is a staff rank
Master Ensign gold square executive/operations in a Division of five Brigades in Planetary Surface
Division Ensign blue square Commanding officer of a Division in Planetary Surface, or roughly a fourth of combat troops in the space branches (12,960,000) In terms of precedence, this officer ranks with but after an active Primus; officers above this rank have precedence over a Primus although outside of combat they must still accept instructions from whomever the civil government may be, even a Primus.
Lieutenant wears 2 purple squares in planetary surface, is the executive/operations officer of a Field Division of four Divisions
Field Lieutenant wears 2 green squares and commands a Field Division, or roughly four fourths in the space branches (51,840,000)
Staff lieutenant 2 white squares on white is a staff rank
first lieutenant 2 red squares executive/operations in a Corps of three Field Divisions.
corps lieutenant 2 Gold Squares Commands a Corps, or roughly twelve fourths of troops (155,520,000) Over time, corps have evolved to being one of the most important levels of command and operation. This is almost always the ultimate rank for any pure Planetary Surface officer.
master lieutenant 2 blue squares, executive/operations officer in a Field Corps of five Corps
Field Captain 3 purple squares and commands roughly a fifth of troops (777,600,000) In terms of precedence, this rank is equal to but after an active Secundus. Officers above this rank precede a Secundus.
Captain 3 green squares Operations/executive of an Army of four Field Corps
army captain 3 red squares commands roughly four fifths of combat troops (3,110,400,000)
staff captain 3 white squares on white is a staff grade
first captain 3 gold squares operations/executive of a Field Army of three Armies
master captain 3 blue squares commander of a Field Army of roughly twelve fifths of combat troops (9,331,200,000) plus staff. Over time, this rank has become somewhat romanticized in the way that captains of independently operating capital ships have in our culture, as this person is generally the most senior commander in one of the Empire's most mature systems, and has to be extraordinarily sharp in the event of a threat to their system. If they fail, the repercussions are generally widespread. The Empire is always looking for sharp master captains; it seems the supply never equals the demand because the good ones get promoted to higher command. This is also the highest grade NOT subject to involuntary recall, and therefore it is more socially acceptable for master captains not to apply for higher ranks or to decline promotions beyond this point.
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