Colonel

(Redirected from Tai-sa)
Inner Sphere Military Ranks
Enlisted
Field Officer
General Officer
For specific ranks see Military Ranks


Colonels typically command regiments of ground troops. This rank is generally the highest rank in any mercenary unit; even mercenary groups with multiple regiments typically use Colonel for their commanding officer. Occasionally this officer is identified by "Senior Colonel."

SLDF[edit]

To achieve the rank of Colonel in the SLDF, a soldier had to serve for at least ten years. This also showed that the officer had a great deal of tactical skill. The SLDF Navy used the rank of Commodore for this rank. Each rank used a small star as their insignia.[1]

SLDF Rank insignia
Rank Insignia (First SLDF)[2] Insignia (Second SLDF)[3]
Colonel
Commodore
SLDF-Colonel.png SLDF-Colonel.png

Lyran Commonwealth and Lyran Alliance[edit]

Like their AFFS counterparts colonels in the LCAF command regiments.[4] To show their rank they wore two silver pips. The LCAF Navy used the rank of Kaptain.

LAAF Military Rank Insignia
Rank Insignia
Colonel
Kaptain
ColonelLAAF.png

Draconis Combine Mustered Soldiery[edit]

In the DCMS, "colonel" is known as Tai-sa. In 3025, a DCMS Tai-sa is a regimental commander and wares an apple green stylized kanji numeral "3" as their rank insignia.[5] In the Draconis Combine Admirality, the equivalent rank is "Captain."

DCMS Tai-sa insignia by branch of service
Rank MechWarrior Aerospace fighter Infantry Armor Artillery Naval crew
Draconis Combine Admiralty
Technical
service
Tai-sa
(Colonel)
Taisa-mech.png Taisa-asf.png Taisa-infantry.png Taisa-armor.png Taisa-artillery.png Taisa-naval.png Taisa-tech.png

Armed Forces of the Federated Suns[edit]

A rank in the Federated Suns military structure, Colonels usually command regiments. Colonels in the AFFS wear epaulets with two broad bands across the bottom as their symbol of rank. This epaulet is also used by the AFFS' Navy to indicate the rank of Commodore.[6]

AFFS Colonel (Commodore) insignia by branch of service
Rank MechWarrior Aerospace fighter Infantry Armor Naval crew Technical
service
Administrative Medical Legal Logistics/
Transportation
Colonel
(Commodore)
ColonelMW.png ColonelASF.png ColonelInf.png Colonelarmor.png Colonelnaval.png Coloneltech.png Coloneladmin.png Colonelmedical.png Colonellegal.png Colonellogistics.png

Capellan Confederation Armed Forces[edit]

In 2451 a regiment of the CCAF revolted, killing the Capellan Chancellor's brother. Chancellor Jasmine Liao, as part of her purge of the officer corps, took control of all powers held by divisional and sector level commanders (generals) and prohibited any rank higher than Colonel.[7] For the next six centuries, CCAF Colonels were either Regimental Colonels that commanded regiments or Senior Colonels who were the military directors of a Capellan Commonality. These officers were also responsible for logistics and strategic planning in their Commonality.[8] When Sun-Tzu Liao took the throne in 3052, he created the rank of Sang-shao to replace the rank of Colonel. The CCAF Naval version of this rank became Kong-sang-shao. In both cases, CCAF officers with this rank use a silver triangle to indicate their rank.

CCAF Military Ranks
Sang-shao
Kong-sang-shao
(Colonel)
Sangshao.png

As they are independent of CCAF command, Warrior House regiments do not use the rank of Sang-shao. Commanders of Warrior House regiments use the rank of Shiao-zhang (Lord Colonel) instead.

Free Worlds League Military[edit]

In the FWLM a colonel commanded regimental sized troop formations. Provincial rulers were usually given the honorary rank of Colonel. The commanding officers of mercenary units frequently had a rider in their contract that would give them this rank, regardless of formation size.[9]

Colonels in the FWLM used three broad gold bars and one narrow gold bar on a purple background as their rank insignia.

FWLM Colonel's Rank Insignia
Rank Insignia
Colonel ColonelFWL.png

The Clans[edit]

The Clans use the rank of Star Colonel for officers who command Clusters (roughly 45-75 'Mechs).

The equivalent rank in Clan Naval units is Star Commodore. They command DropShip or JumpShip squadrons, or a single WarShip.

Clan Blood Spirit[edit]

Clan Blood Spirit Military Rank Insignia
Rank Insignia
Star Colonel
Star Commodore
Blood-Spirits-Star-Colonel.png

Clan Cloud Cobra[edit]

Clan Cloud Cobra Military Rank Insignia
Rank Insignia
Star Colonel CloudCobra-StarColonel.png

Clan Coyote[edit]

Clan Coyote Military Rank Insignia[10]
Rank Insignia
Star Colonel Coyote-StarColonel.png

Clan Diamond Shark[edit]

Clan Diamond Shark Military Rank Insignia
Rank Insignia
Star Colonel DiamondShark-StarColonel.png

Clan Fire Mandrill[edit]

Clan Fire Mandrill Rank Insignia by service branch[11]
Rank MechWarrior Aerospace fighter Elemental
Star Colonel FireMandrill-StarColonel-MW.png FireMandrill-StarColonel-ASF.png FireMandrill-StarColonel-Elemental.png

Clan Ghost Bear[edit]

Clan Ghost Bear Military Rank Insignia
Rank Insignia
Star Colonel GhostBear-StarColonel.png

Clan Goliath Scorpion[edit]

Clan Goliath Scorpion Military Rank Insignia
Rank Insignia
Star Colonel GoliathScorpion-StarColonel.png

Clan Hell's Horses[edit]

Clan Hell's Horses Military Rank Insignia
Rank Insignia
Star Colonel HellsHorses-StarColonel.png

Clan Ice Hellion[edit]

Clan Ice Hellion Military Rank Insignia
Rank Insignia
Star Colonel IceHellion-StarColonel.png

Clan Jade Falcon[edit]

Clan Jade Falcon Officer Rank Insignia[12]
Rank Trueborn Freeborn
Star Colonel JadeFalcon-TBStarColonel.png JadeFalcon-FBStarColonel.png[13]

Clan Nova Cat (SLDF)[edit]

Clan Nova Cat Military Rank Insignia[14]
Rank Insignia
Star Colonel NovaCat-StarColonel.png

Clan Smoke Jaguar[edit]

Clan Smoke Jaguar Military Rank Insignia
Rank Insignia
Star Colonel SmokeJaguar-StarColonel.png

Clan Snow Raven[edit]

Clan Snow Raven Rank Insignia by service branch[15]
Rank MechWarrior Aerospace fighter Elemental Naval crew Armor Infantry Support
Star Colonel SnowRaven-StarColonel-MW.png SnowRaven-StarColonel-ASF.png SnowRaven-StarColonel-Elemental.png SnowRaven-StarColonel-Naval.png SnowRaven-StarColonel-Armor.png SnowRaven-StarColonel-Infantry.png SnowRaven-StarColonel-Support.png

Clan Star Adder[edit]

Clan Star Adder Rank Insignia by service branch[16]
Rank MechWarrior Aerospace fighter Elemental Naval crew
Star Colonel Star-Adder-StarColonel-MW.png Star-Adder-StarColonel-ASF.png Star-Adder-StarColonel-Elemental.png Star-Adder-StarColonel-Naval.png

Clan Steel Viper[edit]

Clan Steel Viper Military Rank Insignia
Rank Insignia
Star Colonel SteelViper-StarColonel.png

Clan Wolf/Clan Wolf-in-Exile[edit]

Clan Wolf/Clan Wolf-in-Exile Military Rank Insignia
Rank Insignia
Star Colonel Wolf-StarColonel.png

Comstar/Word of Blake[edit]

The equivalent Com Guard and Word of Blake Militia rank is Precentor. ComStar Precentors use a ComStar logo with a red halo to show their rank. Word of Blake Precentors use a gold medallion. Insignia shows theta symbol, indicating JumpShip/WarShip crew. Other service branches replace theta with appropriate Greek letter.

Com Guard/Word of Blake Militia Insignia
Rank Com Guards Word of Blake Militia
Precentor Comstar-Precentor.png WoB-Precentor.png

Free Rasalhague Republic[edit]

In the KungsArmé officers with this rank are called Överste, Swedish for Colonel.[17] These soldiers wear a green patch with a silver Roman numeral "1" to show their rank.

KungsArmé Military Rank Insignia
Rank Insignia
Överste FreeRasalhague-Colonel.png

Periphery Powers[edit]

Magistracy of Canopus[edit]

The Magistracy Armed Forces use Colonel to indicate a regimental commander or head of a division within the MAF bureaucracy. Prior to the reforms of the late thirty-first century, they could also command major Combat Formations, but that role is no longer available. The naval equivalent is Rearad.[18][19] MAF Colonels wear two small gold diamonds as their rank insignia.

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

Taurian Defense Force[edit]

In the Taurian Defense Force, a Colonel serves as a regimental commander for both 'Mech and conventional forces. In the TDF Navy, officers who hold this rank are known as Space Masters. Space Masters captain naval vessels and have command authority over all other aerospace ranks.[20][21][22] A TDF Colonel uses the gold circle and horn of the Brigadier as their rank insignia, but fills the center of the ring with a red dot to differentiate themselves from the lower rank.

Taurian Defense Force Insignia
Rank Insignia
Colonel TaurianConcordat-Colonel.png

Marian Hegemony[edit]

With their focus on recreating Roman society, the Hegemony Armed Forces do not use the rank of Colonel. Instead officers who command regimental sized formations are known by the Latin term Prefect.[23] Their rank insignia is a gold bordered black triangle with an eagle in the center.

Marian Legions Insignia
Rank Insignia
Prefect MH-Prefect.png

Outworlds Alliance[edit]

In the Alliance Military Corps, a regiment's commanding officer is known as Chairman.[24] They wear two vertically stacked brown bars as their rank insignia.

Alliance Military Corps Insignia
Rank Insignia
Chairman OA-Chairman.png

Aurigan Coalition[edit]

In the Aurigan Coalition Military the colonel is a senior regimental commander, and prior to the Restoration, they commanded BattleMech battalions for each Founding House.[25]

Notes[edit]

  • In many of the world's military establishments, a brevet was a warrant giving a commissioned officer a higher rank title as a reward for gallantry or meritorious conduct but without conferring the authority, precedence, or pay of real rank.[26]
  • Ranks, when not preceding a name, are not capitalized.[27]
Ex: The major stood and rendered a salute to General DeChavilier.
  • Non-English ranks, with the exception of those used by the Federated Suns or Lyrans, are italicized.[27]


References[edit]

  1. The Star League, p. 112
  2. The Star League, p. 113
  3. Field Manual: ComStar
  4. House Steiner (The Lyran Commonwealth), p. 118
  5. House Kurita (The Draconis Combine), p. 130
  6. House Davion (The Federated Suns), p. 128
  7. House Liao (The Capellan Confederation), p. 34
  8. House Liao (The Capellan Confederation), p. 68
  9. House Marik (The Free Worlds League), p. 86
  10. Field Manual: Warden Clans, p. 48
  11. Field Manual: Crusader Clans, p. 45
  12. Field Manual: Crusader Clans, p. 97
  13. Theoretical rank insignia. No freeborn has ever held this rank in the Jade Falcon touman
  14. Field Manual: ComStar, p. 112
  15. Field Manual: Warden Clans, p. 127
  16. Field Manual: Crusader Clans, p. 120
  17. Field Manual: ComStar, p. 66
  18. Field Manual: Periphery, p. 25
  19. Handbook: Major Periphery States, p. 87
  20. The Periphery, p. 74
  21. Field Manual: Periphery, p. 54
  22. Handbook: Major Periphery States, p. 112
  23. Field Manual: Periphery, p. 73
  24. Field Manual: Periphery, p. 88
  25. House Arano (The Aurigan Coalition), p. 26
  26. Brevet Wikipedia page
  27. 27.0 27.1 Per Line Developer Ray Arrastia, 02Aug2022 (screencap)

Bibliography[edit]