Enlisted Ranks for Book 1
- Thread starter daryen
- Start date
Straybow
SOC-14 1K
I really dislike the "we use a d6, so there should be six ranks" fixation. The larger the organization the more ranks you need (up to a point). Britain's small forces don't need the 7 or 8 enlisted ranks they used in WW2 when there were millions in each branch. USA's much larger forces still use 9 enlisted ranks.
Maybe it's ironic that in Germany their small forces mean that Army Captains who qualify for promotion often can't be placed as a Major. So, they have an on-again, off-again placeholder rank of Staff Captain.
Maybe it's ironic that in Germany their small forces mean that Army Captains who qualify for promotion often can't be placed as a Major. So, they have an on-again, off-again placeholder rank of Staff Captain.
Ildefonse
SOC-9
Ha! My lazy shortcut does have consequences.So, US Maritime Service trains pirates to match the Navy too?
daryen
SOC-14 1K
So, updating from Aramis's list, I get this:
Note that I changed a couple minor items from his list. Notably, I did keep Spacehand/Sailor, as they were from LBB5. I also kept Master Chief PO because I liked that title. Also, I figure a Master Sergeant is Army, a Gunnery Sergeant is Marine, and a Flight Sergeant is Flyer.
Merchant, Pirate, and Bureaucrat still cause issues, however.
Merchant's problem is that what I have done is pretty much exactly what LBB7 did. Merchants in LBB7 had no explicit enlisted rank names. So, that is what we have here. I suppose I could just duplicate Navy/Sailor, but I'd rather not. So, I'll just stick with the LBB7 approach. Note that I switched from Crewman to Merchant as many (maybe even most) merchants are not based on ships.
The problem with Pirate is different. The issue is that the ranks given in Supp4/SMC include enlisted rank names directly in the ranks. The first three ranks are Henchman, Corporal, and Sergeant. That pretty much wipes everything out for any potential lower ranks. So, just duplicating the Merchant's non-ranks seems to make the most sense (though obviously using Pirate instead of Merchant).
With Bureaucrats, it is similar to Pirate. They include the super low-level titles in the main ranks (specifically Clerk and Supervisor), which doesn't really leave much room for the enlisted ranks. Given that, how does the above work?
| Enlisted Rank | Army/Marine/Flyer | Navy/Sailor | Merchant/Pirate | Diplomat | Bureaucrat |
1 | Private | Spacehand/Sailor | Merchant/Pirate 1 | Assistant Clerk | Intern |
2 | Lance Corporal | Able Hand | Merchant/Pirate 2 | Clerk | Associate |
3 | Corporal | Leading Hand | Merchant/Pirate 3 | Senior Clerk | Senior Associate |
4 | Sergeant | Petty Officer | Merchant/Pirate 4 | Supervisory Clerk | Principle Associate |
5 | Master/Gunnery/Flight Sergeant | Chief Petty Officer | Merchant/Pirate 5 | Attaché | Team Leader |
6 | Sergeant Major | Master Chief Petty Officer | Merchant/Pirate 6 | Senior Attaché | Senior Team Leader |
Note that I changed a couple minor items from his list. Notably, I did keep Spacehand/Sailor, as they were from LBB5. I also kept Master Chief PO because I liked that title. Also, I figure a Master Sergeant is Army, a Gunnery Sergeant is Marine, and a Flight Sergeant is Flyer.
Merchant, Pirate, and Bureaucrat still cause issues, however.
Merchant's problem is that what I have done is pretty much exactly what LBB7 did. Merchants in LBB7 had no explicit enlisted rank names. So, that is what we have here. I suppose I could just duplicate Navy/Sailor, but I'd rather not. So, I'll just stick with the LBB7 approach. Note that I switched from Crewman to Merchant as many (maybe even most) merchants are not based on ships.
The problem with Pirate is different. The issue is that the ranks given in Supp4/SMC include enlisted rank names directly in the ranks. The first three ranks are Henchman, Corporal, and Sergeant. That pretty much wipes everything out for any potential lower ranks. So, just duplicating the Merchant's non-ranks seems to make the most sense (though obviously using Pirate instead of Merchant).
With Bureaucrats, it is similar to Pirate. They include the super low-level titles in the main ranks (specifically Clerk and Supervisor), which doesn't really leave much room for the enlisted ranks. Given that, how does the above work?
Enoki
SOC-14 1K
Pirate ranks... I'd think they'd be similar to gangster ones
1. Associate (someone who wants into pirating but isn't part of a crew)
2. Applicant or Initiate (someone who is invited to join but has to prove their mettle)
3. Hand / Crew / Made (the lowest rank that is actually in the pirate crew)
4. Soldier / Sailor (a skilled pirate that has proven himself repeatedly)
5. Sergeant (a leader among the pirates that the top members can rely on to get things done)
6. Old Hand or OH (similar to OG--Old Gangster. This is a guy that's been in the crew forever it seems and is still somehow alive. Revered for his knowledge and success but he's not a leader of the pirate crew. Trains new members and gives advice to leaders).
1. Associate (someone who wants into pirating but isn't part of a crew)
2. Applicant or Initiate (someone who is invited to join but has to prove their mettle)
3. Hand / Crew / Made (the lowest rank that is actually in the pirate crew)
4. Soldier / Sailor (a skilled pirate that has proven himself repeatedly)
5. Sergeant (a leader among the pirates that the top members can rely on to get things done)
6. Old Hand or OH (similar to OG--Old Gangster. This is a guy that's been in the crew forever it seems and is still somehow alive. Revered for his knowledge and success but he's not a leader of the pirate crew. Trains new members and gives advice to leaders).
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Modified from Paranoia Press: Merchants & Merchandise:
Enlisted Rank | Merchant (Deck Department) | Merchant (Engineering Department) | Merchant (Support Department) |
| 1 | Deck Hand Apprentice | Drive Hand Apprentice | Crew Hand Apprentice |
| 2 | Deck Hand | Drive Hand | Crew Hand |
| 3 | Able Deck Hand | Able Drive Hand | Able Crew Hand |
| 4 | Bosun's (Boatswain's) Mate | Engineer's Mate | Steward's Mate |
| 5 | (Senior) Bosun's (Boatswain) Mate | (Senior) Engineer's Mate | (Senior) Steward Mate |
| 6 | (Chief/Master) Bosun (Boatswain) | (Chief/Master) Engineer's Mate | (Senior) Steward |
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Hairy Jim DeGriz
SOC-12
Try this on for size... Albeit in some organizations Worker I is senior to Worker III.
| Diplomats | Bureaucrat | Bureaucrat Job Titles |
| Deputy Administrative Aide | Clerical Assistant | Clerical Worker I |
| Administrative Aide | Clerical Worker | Clerical Worker II |
| Senior Administrative Aide | Clerical Specialist | Clerical Worker III |
| Deputy Attaché | Team Leader | Clerical Lead I |
| Attaché | Assistant Supervisor | Clerical Lead II |
| Senior Attaché | Supervisor | Clerical Lead III |
I'm not familiar with this supplement. Did it have a trade system? Was it just Book 2 2.0 or was it wildly different? Most of the Paranoia Press stuff was a little over the top.
Merchants & Merchandise had an expanded Merchant Career generation systerm (pre-CT:Book 7 -Merchant Prince), as well as an equipment section. I do not believe it had trade rules. It is on the FFE Traveller Apocrypha 2 CD.
Hairy Jim DeGriz
SOC-12
Ok this got out in Beta, forgot that Supevisor and "Clerk" are "Officer" ranks for Bureacrats... Congratulations Senior Lead Client Service Specialist Smith, you have been promoted to CLERK. Thanks mister Johnson, I always dreamed of being a Full Fledged CLERK.
| Bureaucrat | We're Here to Help… |
| Clerical Assistant | Client Service Assistant |
| Clerical Generalist | Client Service Generalist |
| Clerical Specialist | Client Service Specialist |
| Senior Clerical Specialist | Senior Client Service Specialist |
| Lead Clerical Specialist | Lead Client Service Specialist |
| Senior Lead Clerical Specialist | Senior Lead Client Service Specialist |
Is there an edit function to clean up my premature postings?
Hairy Jim DeGriz
SOC-12
I think this has more to do with generally having only one promotion opportunity per term in the LBBs. Also 6 terms = 36 years and a character should be mustering out by age 54. NPC's of course can be customized. And maybe there's a house rule that permits double promotion in one term on a natural 12...
Condottiere
SOC-14 5K
It's basically come down to retention, and that requires monetary incentive.
In a way, Mongoose were correct that basic training for the initial profession grants you a smorgasbord of skills, because soldiering is going to require technological know how in order to operate effectively.
At the upper end, rank seems somewhat independent of the position that the non commissioned officer is assigned to, more of one of the qualifications for it.
In a way, Mongoose were correct that basic training for the initial profession grants you a smorgasbord of skills, because soldiering is going to require technological know how in order to operate effectively.
At the upper end, rank seems somewhat independent of the position that the non commissioned officer is assigned to, more of one of the qualifications for it.
There are all sorts of oddities.
As for number of ranks, 1800-1850, the US army had 5 ranks (but at least 10 different pay rates)... Private, Corporal, Sergeant, Battalion Sergeants, and Regimental Sergeants. There were specialty bonuses... and positional authority. All regimental level Sergeants were grade 1, Bn or Base level grade 2 along with Bn & Co 1Sgt, Grade 3 the other company level sergeants, grade 4 corporals and , grade 5 privates and specialists. Note: Bn1Sg wore an extra rocker, but was officially the same rank as Co1Sg.
From shortly before the USCW until 1960-something, the US had 7 enlisted grades. Again, positional insignia without formal rank authority making it look like more.
Many nations have 5-7 rank levels with positional authority. The US 9 is a bit excessive; the UK Warrants being essentially the same additional supergrades as US E8, E9 & E9A.
That looks like the extant "officer" ranks for Pirates. See Sup 4.
24 years /pedant
For the record, this was posted at 3:42pm PT, it's 7:11pm PT and I could edit it.
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Hairy Jim DeGriz
SOC-12
That explains why all of my characters died of old age in character creation... LOL. To paraphrase a prior question. Is there no edit function once somenone else replies?
It times out. "When?" is the question, one which I need to RTFM to figure out. (I'm behind the power curve there. Mea Culpa.) It's an adjustable setting.
Enoki
SOC-14 1K
Well, historically, pirates were far more democratic and egalitarian in many ways than militaries and governments. The guys that ran pirate crews had to be successful and couldn't be too picky about who they took other than in terms of their ability.
On the 'officer' side I'd make it ranks such as:
1. Prospect (someone who is being groomed for a leadership position like a Midshipman)
2. Capo (You're made and the crew recognizes you as an officer)
3. Senior Capo
4. Lieutenant (you've made it to a position of respect in leadership)_
5. Senior Lieutenant (you're a Right hand man now)
6. Pirate / Pirate Captain (the equivalent of Captain. You wear your title--given to you from wanted posters--as a badge of rank)
Spinward Flow
SOC-14 5K
Right now, the setting is for the edit window to close 30 minutes after initial posting.
Well, it's 7:10pm PT right now, and my post from 3:42pm PT still has the EDIT button.
And the edit worked, so...
