How is the IISS organised in the Spinward Marches?

[Badenov]

The viceroyalties of the Spanish empire might be a model to consider.

Alas, I know less about that than the little I know about the North American colonies. I am all ears to hear about that.

 

[Kakistocrat]

Alas, I know less about that than the little I know about the North American colonies. I am all ears to hear about that.

In brief, the Spanish monarch would appoint viceroys to govern in his stead in the viceroyalties; the viceroys moved to their viceroyalties and governed at the pleasure of the king, and could be replaced (and subsequently reïnstated) as the king saw fit. The viceroyalties were considered to be provinces of Spain rather than its colonies. Not only were there viceroyalties in the Americas (the Philippines and Guam were part of the Viceroyalty of New Spain, which had its capital in Mexico City, and included all of Spanish America from what is now Costa Rica northward), but parts of what are now Spain and Italy also had separate viceroyalties.

 

[GypsyComet]

Imperial *Authority* has a long tail, all the way back to Capital. The Imperial *Chain of Command* on the other hand, tends to stop at the Sector Duke, and may only get to the Subsector Duke if there is one. If decisions need to be made, including tough, ugly, or messy decisions that affect billions, the Sector Dukes (or the Archdukes as they are re-appointed) are where those decisions land.

Which is, indeed, very much the Age of Sail model.

 

[Badenov]

Imperial *Authority* has a long tail, all the way back to Capital. The Imperial *Chain of Command* on the other hand, tends to stop at the Sector Duke, and may only get to the Subsector Duke if there is one. If decisions need to be made, including tough, ugly, or messy decisions that affect billions, the Sector Dukes (or the Archdukes as they are re-appointed) are where those decisions land.

Which is, indeed, very much the Age of Sail model.

In brief, the Spanish monarch would appoint viceroys to govern in his stead in the viceroyalties; the viceroys moved to their viceroyalties and governed at the pleasure of the king, and could be replaced (and subsequently reïnstated) as the king saw fit. The viceroyalties were considered to be provinces of Spain rather than its colonies. Not only were there viceroyalties in the Americas (the Philippines and Guam were part of the Viceroyalty of New Spain, which had its capital in Mexico City, and included all of Spanish America from what is now Costa Rica northward), but parts of what are now Spain and Italy also had separate viceroyalties.

Okay, so this is basically what I was suggesting, for matters that have the 4 to 6 weeks to get to a subsector Duke and back. For anything more urgent, it would have to be done at a more local level. A sector Duke may be 8-10 jumps, or more, each way, and they almost certainly can't manage anything outside the subsector with any degree of detail.