Noble Fleet Officers

[BillDowns]

The duscussions on X-boat routes made me think of this subject.

In the old Spanish navy, the command officers were always noblemen. They could be young, stupid, and inexperienced, but it took a Noble to be in command. Any thoughts on whether this might have been the case with the 1st or even 3rd Imperiums??

 

[BillDowns]

The duscussions on X-boat routes made me think of this subject.

In the old Spanish navy, the command officers were always noblemen. They could be young, stupid, and inexperienced, but it took a Noble to be in command. Any thoughts on whether this might have been the case with the 1st or even 3rd Imperiums??

 

[Plankowner]

I don't think so. Obviously, from the Naval Char Gen tables it HELPS to be nobel, but I never thought it was necessary.

I figure that by the time a Naval Officer gets up around O5+ he has had lots of time to impress some High Noble and get that +1 SS, or be in a position to do something that might get him/her Knighted.

My guess would be that most of the larger ships (Cruisers and up) would be commanded by Nobels, but certainly not all. Most of your Admirals are probably nobles, but that could mostly be Knights.

 

[Plankowner]

I don't think so. Obviously, from the Naval Char Gen tables it HELPS to be nobel, but I never thought it was necessary.

I figure that by the time a Naval Officer gets up around O5+ he has had lots of time to impress some High Noble and get that +1 SS, or be in a position to do something that might get him/her Knighted.

My guess would be that most of the larger ships (Cruisers and up) would be commanded by Nobels, but certainly not all. Most of your Admirals are probably nobles, but that could mostly be Knights.

 

[Plankowner]

OK, another thought.

IF you made the CO be Nobel, no matter how incompetent, then the First Officer (XO) would be the real authority on the ship.

In many ways this mirrors the current US military where all it really takes to be an officer is a college degree. A new Ensign may not know anything about the department he is placed in charge of and it is the senior NCO in the department's job to keep the newbie officer from breaking anything AND teach him what he needs to know.

Good officers recognize this right off the bat. I spent four of my years in the Navy teaching 3 different Junior Officers how to do my job, with varying degrees of success.

In the good old days, you had to be either rich or a Noble to become an officer. I don't suppose it would be too much of a stretch to require nobility as a requirement for command. You would have to fudge the HG duty resolution tables a bit, but not too much.

 

[Plankowner]

OK, another thought.

IF you made the CO be Nobel, no matter how incompetent, then the First Officer (XO) would be the real authority on the ship.

In many ways this mirrors the current US military where all it really takes to be an officer is a college degree. A new Ensign may not know anything about the department he is placed in charge of and it is the senior NCO in the department's job to keep the newbie officer from breaking anything AND teach him what he needs to know.

Good officers recognize this right off the bat. I spent four of my years in the Navy teaching 3 different Junior Officers how to do my job, with varying degrees of success.

In the good old days, you had to be either rich or a Noble to become an officer. I don't suppose it would be too much of a stretch to require nobility as a requirement for command. You would have to fudge the HG duty resolution tables a bit, but not too much.

 

[The Oz]

Plankowner:

You sound like another one of us former squids who seem to be very prevalent here on CotI.

The HG Navy career tables do tend to make most senior Naval officers into higher Soc individuals. One could expect that most lower-Soc commanding officers are either:

1. Very competent

2. the favorite of some high-Soc Admiral.

 

[The Oz]

Plankowner:

You sound like another one of us former squids who seem to be very prevalent here on CotI.

The HG Navy career tables do tend to make most senior Naval officers into higher Soc individuals. One could expect that most lower-Soc commanding officers are either:

1. Very competent

2. the favorite of some high-Soc Admiral.

 

[Black Globe Generator]

Originally posted by The Oz:
One could expect that most lower-Soc commanding officers are either:

1. Very competent

2. the favorite of some high-Soc Admiral.

3. Or knows where that high-Soc admiral hid the bodies.

(It's not what you know, or who you know, but rather what you know about who you know!)

 

[Black Globe Generator]

Originally posted by The Oz:
One could expect that most lower-Soc commanding officers are either:

1. Very competent

2. the favorite of some high-Soc Admiral.

3. Or knows where that high-Soc admiral hid the bodies.

(It's not what you know, or who you know, but rather what you know about who you know!)

 

[rancke]

Back when I ran a naval campaign, I added some refinements to the character generation system. I allowed anyone who was either noble or had had a recent spectacular success (i.e. decoration) to roll for promotion (with a -4 to the roll) even if they had already had one promotion withing the last four years. If it had been four years or more, Imperial nobles and people with a recent spectacular success got a +4 to the promotion roll (Planetary nobles/Imperial knights got a +2).


Hans

 

[rancke]

Back when I ran a naval campaign, I added some refinements to the character generation system. I allowed anyone who was either noble or had had a recent spectacular success (i.e. decoration) to roll for promotion (with a -4 to the roll) even if they had already had one promotion withing the last four years. If it had been four years or more, Imperial nobles and people with a recent spectacular success got a +4 to the promotion roll (Planetary nobles/Imperial knights got a +2).


Hans

 

[Plankowner]

OZ: Yeah just another Bubblehead/Squid. I always figured a submarine was as close to a real spaceship as I was ever going to get.

Loved submarines so much, when I got out, I got into aviation!

 

[Plankowner]

OZ: Yeah just another Bubblehead/Squid. I always figured a submarine was as close to a real spaceship as I was ever going to get.

Loved submarines so much, when I got out, I got into aviation!

 

[parmasson]

I make all my NPC Captains knights. If you are good enough or connected enough they find a reason to knight you. I have Lt Cmdrs as captains of the smaller 400 ton stuff.

Anything higher requires a baronet or higher. Of course you could be the baronet of an airless rock. If the admiralty wants you in command they can do it. Question is who does the promoting? Subsector nobles? Sector duke? (Forgive me if I get this wrong)
You could always introduce the purchase system for commissions IYTU…

How do you combine the titles of sector duke, knight and lord admiral in a title?

 

[parmasson]

I make all my NPC Captains knights. If you are good enough or connected enough they find a reason to knight you. I have Lt Cmdrs as captains of the smaller 400 ton stuff.

Anything higher requires a baronet or higher. Of course you could be the baronet of an airless rock. If the admiralty wants you in command they can do it. Question is who does the promoting? Subsector nobles? Sector duke? (Forgive me if I get this wrong)
You could always introduce the purchase system for commissions IYTU…

How do you combine the titles of sector duke, knight and lord admiral in a title?

 

[BillDowns]

Well, in the British system, a baronet is really not a peer, just a hereditary knight but all children of peers would be baronets at least. A duke would not be given a knighthood - he is already above that; now, if he acheives a dukedom after being knighted, then the knighthood is superseded by the dukedom.

Usage would be along these lines, I believe:
Admiral Sir James Bond
Admiral Lord James Bond (a marquis, baron, minor peer)
Admiral Earl Bond (similar for Duke, Grand Duke, Count)

 

[BillDowns]

Well, in the British system, a baronet is really not a peer, just a hereditary knight but all children of peers would be baronets at least. A duke would not be given a knighthood - he is already above that; now, if he acheives a dukedom after being knighted, then the knighthood is superseded by the dukedom.

Usage would be along these lines, I believe:
Admiral Sir James Bond
Admiral Lord James Bond (a marquis, baron, minor peer)
Admiral Earl Bond (similar for Duke, Grand Duke, Count)

 

[Spiderfish]

But he could be made a Knight in a specific order.

KCB - Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath

KBE - Knight Commander of the British Empire

So you might have a Baron being rewarded by being made a Knight Commander of the Order of Illesh or whatever your calling it in return for some service.

 

[Spiderfish]

But he could be made a Knight in a specific order.

KCB - Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath

KBE - Knight Commander of the British Empire

So you might have a Baron being rewarded by being made a Knight Commander of the Order of Illesh or whatever your calling it in return for some service.