Captain

Revision as of 14:47, 24 July 2013 by Mbear (talk | contribs) (fixed references)
Inner Sphere Military Ranks
Enlisted
Field Officer
General Officer
For specific ranks see Military Ranks

In most Inner Sphere and Periphery militaries, soldiers with the rank of Captain command companies. In the various naval forces, the rank of Captain is usually a ship's commanding officer and is roughly equivalent to a Colonel of ground forces.

SLDF

In the first Star League, a Captain commanded a company of ground forces. In the SLDF Navy, they commanded DropShips. In any case, these officers were expected to demonstrate initiative.[1]

In the second Star League a Captain is the front line commander of a company of ground troops. Unlike their first Star League counterparts, SLDF Navy officers at this rank are called Commander and command a flight of AeroSpace Fighters, a DropShip, or act as the Executive Officer of a JumpShip or WarShip.[2]

In both cases, the rank insignia for an SLDF Captain is two green bars.

SLDF Rank insignia
Rank Insignia (First SLDF)[3] Insignia (Second SLDF)[4]
Captain
(Commander)
SLDF-Captain-1stSL.png SLDF-Captain-1stSL.png

Lyran Commonwealth and Lyran Alliance

The LCAF and LAAF use the rank of Hauptmann for company commanders. These officers are the highest rank that routinely see combat. To honor these officers, the Lyran Alliance's first OmniMech was named the Hauptmann.

LAAF Military Rank Insignia
Rank Insignia
Hauptmann Hauptmann.png

Draconis Combine Mustered Soldiery

The DCMS uses Tai-i to indicate company commanders. Their symbol is a royal blue "5". The Draconis Combine Admiralty rank is Chu-i.[5] A chu-i in the DCA frequently commands a flight of six AeroSpace Fighters.[6]

DCMS Officer Ranks by branch of service
Rank MechWarrior AeroSpace Fighter Infantry Armor Artillery Naval Crew
Draconis Combine Admiralty
Technical
Service
Tai-i
(Captain)
Chu-i
(Lieutenant)
Taii-mech.png Taii-asf.png Taii-infantry.png Taii-armor.png Taii-artillery.png Taii-naval.png Taii-tech.png

Armed Forces of the Federated Suns

Captains in the AFFS use an epaulette with one narrow band across the base as their rank insignia.[7]

AFFS Captain's Insignia by branch of service.
Rank MechWarrior AeroSpace Fighter Infantry Armor Naval Crew Technical
Service
Administrative Medical Legal Logistics/
Transportation
Captain CaptainMW.png CaptainASF.png CaptainInf.png Captainarmor.png Captainnaval.png Captaintech.png Captainadmin.png Captainmedical.png Captainlegal.png Captainlogistics.png

Capellan Confederation Armed Forces

Prior to Sun-Tzu Liao's ascension to the Celestial Throne, the CCAF used the rank of Captain to indicate the commanding officer of a company. Due to the CCAF's unique rank structure at that time, Captains and Majors were assigned to a variety of different duties that would be handled by higher ranking officers in other militaries.

After Sun-Tzu became Chancellor, he introduced several new ranks into the CCAF as part of Xin Sheng. These ranks were given new Chinese names, and resulted in several promotions. Officers who held the rank of Captain under Romano Liao were renamed Sao-shao equivalent to Major in other militaries. Officers who command companies now hold the rank of Sang-wei. Their rank insignia is a brass bar with a single silver pip. [8]

The CCAF Admiralty rank uses the same insignia, but is named Kong-sang-wei.

CCAF Military Rank
Sang-wei
Kong-sang-wei
(Captain)
Sangwei.png

Free Worlds League

Like their counterparts in other Successor States, FWLM Captains are company commanders. They use two thick gold bars on a purple background as their rank insignia. In the FWLM Navy, an officer at this level is known as a Lieutenant Commander and commands a ship's watch or heads up a department aboard ship.[9]

FWLM Captain's Military Rank Insignia
Rank Insignia
Captain CaptainFWL.png

The Clans

Star Captain is the rank used by the Clans for the commanding officer of a Binary or Trinary. Commanders of DropShips and JumpShips are also given the rank of Star Captain. Clan Hell's Horses also uses the rank of Nova Captain, who commands a Supernova.

Clan Blood Spirit

Clan Blood Spirit Military Rank Insignia
Rank Insignia
Star Captain Blood-Spirits-Star-Captain.png

Clan Cloud Cobra

Clan Cloud Cobra Military Rank Insignia
Rank Insignia
Star Captain CloudCobra-StarCaptain.png

Clan Coyote

The Nova Captain rank used by the Coyotes could be considered equal to either a senior Inner Sphere Captain or a Major, depending on the holder's experience.

Clan Coyote Military Rank Insignia[10]
Rank Insignia
Star Captain Coyote-StarCaptain.png
Nova Captain Coyote-NovaCaptain.png

Clan Diamond Shark

Clan Diamond Shark Military Rank Insignia
Rank Insignia
Star Captain DiamondShark-StarCaptain.png

Clan Fire Mandrill

Clan Fire Mandrill Rank Insignia by service branch[11]
Rank MechWarrior AeroSpace Fighter Elemental
Star Captain FireMandrill-StarCaptain-MW.png FireMandrill-StarCaptain-ASF.png FireMandrill-StarCaptain-Elemental.png

Clan Ghost Bear

Clan Ghost Bear Military Rank Insignia
Rank Insignia
Star Captain GhostBear-StarCaptain.png

Clan Goliath Scorpion

Clan Goliath Scorpion Military Rank Insignia
Rank Insignia
Star Captain GoliathScorpion-StarCaptain.png

Clan Hell's Horses

The Nova Captain rank used by the Horses could be considered equal to either a senior Inner Sphere Captain or a Major, depending on the holder's experience.

Clan Hell's Horses Military Rank Insignia
Rank Insignia
Star Captain HellsHorses-StarCaptain.png
Nova Captain HellsHorses-NovaCaptain.png

Clan Ice Hellion

Clan Ice Hellion Military Rank Insignia
Rank Insignia
Star Captain IceHellion-StarCaptain.png

Clan Jade Falcon

Clan Jade Falcon Officer Rank Insignia[12]
Rank Trueborn Freeborn
Star Captain JadeFalcon-TBStarCaptain.png JadeFalcon-FBStarCaptain.png

Clan Nova Cat

Clan Nova Cat (SLDF)

Clan Nova Cat Military Rank Insignia[13]
Rank Insignia
Star Captain NovaCat-StarCaptain.png

Clan Sea Fox

Clan Smoke Jaguar

Clan Smoke Jaguar Military Rank Insignia
Rank Insignia
Star Captain SmokeJaguar-StarCaptain.png

Clan Snow Raven

Clan Snow Raven Rank Insignia by service branch[14]
Rank MechWarrior AeroSpace Fighter Elemental Naval Crew Armor Infantry Support
Star Captain SnowRaven-StarCaptain-MW.png SnowRaven-StarCaptain-ASF.png SnowRaven-StarCaptain-Elemental.png SnowRaven-StarCaptain-Naval.png SnowRaven-StarCaptain-Armor.png SnowRaven-StarCaptain-Infantry.png SnowRaven-StarCaptain-Support.png

Clan Star Adder

Clan Star Adder Rank Insignia by service branch[15]
Rank MechWarrior AeroSpace Fighter Elemental Naval Crew
Star Captain Star-Adder-StarCaptain-MW.png Star-Adder-StarCaptain-ASF.png Star-Adder-StarCaptain-Elemental.png Star-Adder-StarCaptain-Naval.png

Clan Steel Viper

Clan Steel Viper Military Rank Insignia
Rank Insignia
Star Captain SteelViper-StarCaptain.png

Clan Wolf / Clan Wolf-in-Exile

Clan Wolf/Clan Wolf-in-Exile Military Rank Insignia
Rank Insignia
Star Captain Wolf-StarCaptain.png

Comstar/Word of Blake

The ComGuard and Word of Blake Militia don't use this rank. Instead their Level II formations are led by an Adept.

Free Rasalhague Republic

In the KungsArmé officers with this rank are called Kapten, Swedish for Captain.[16] These soldiers wear a green patch with a vertical silver bar crossed at the base by a small silver bar as their rank insignia.

KungsArmé Military Rank Insignia
Rank Insignia
Kapten FreeRasalhague-Captain.png

Periphery Powers

Magistracy of Canopus

In the Magistracy Armed Forces, purchasing a company command means the officer holds the rank of Commander. This rank is also used by the Magistracy Navy.[17] Commanders wear two gold edged blue-green diamonds set inside each other to show their rank.

Magistracy Armed Forces Insignia
Rank Insignia
Commander MagistracyOfCanopus-Commander.png

Taurian Defense Force

In the TDF, company commanders use the rank of Subaltern.[18] This should not be confused with the AFFS rank. The Taurian Defense Force Navy uses Air Master, Junior Grade or Air Master, JG for officers at this rank. In either case, their rank insignia is a single gold ring filled with a red dot.

Taurian Defense Force Insignia
Rank Insignia
Subaltern TaurianConcordat-Sublatern.png

Marian Hegemony

With the interest the Legiones Marianes have in recreating the Roman Empire, company commanders are known as Principes, a Latin word meaning leader or ruler. (To avoid annoying the Imperator and Caesar, the latter translation isn't used.)[19] A principes wears the silver triangle of a legionnaire with an inset black triangle to show their rank.

Marian Legions Insignia
Rank Insignia
Principes MH-Principes.png

Outworlds Alliance

In the Alliance Military Corps, company commanders are known as Section Leaders.[20] Their rank insignia is a pair of vertically stacked Supervisor's green bars.

Alliance Military Corps Insignia
Rank Insignia
Section Leader OA-SectionLeader.png

References

  1. The Star League, p. 112
  2. Field Manual: ComStar, p. 80
  3. The Star League, p. 113
  4. Field Manual: ComStar
  5. House Kurita (The Draconis Combine), p. 129
  6. Field Manual: Draconis Combine, p. 19
  7. House Davion (The Federated Suns), p. 126
  8. Field Manual: Capellan Confederation
  9. Field Manual: Free Worlds League, p. 22
  10. Field Manual: Warden Clans, p. 48
  11. Field Manual: Crusader Clans, p. 45
  12. Field Manual: Crusader Clans, p. 97
  13. Field Manual: ComStar, p. 112
  14. Field Manual: Warden Clans, p. 127
  15. Field Manual: Crusader Clans, p. 120
  16. Field Manual: ComStar, p. 66
  17. Field Manual: Periphery, p. 24
  18. Field Manual: Periphery, p. 53
  19. Field Manual: Periphery, p. 73
  20. Field Manual: Periphery, p. 88

Bibliography