Military Ranks

> *"...For your valor in combat and your skill in leading soldiers to victory, I name you a Legatus of the Free Legions of the Solar Republic."*
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Within all major factions in the Solar System, Military Ranks help to distinguish chain-of-command and instruct which orders take precedence in conflicting scenarios. Although there are small variations and differences throughout the Rim, Republic, and Remnant, most ranks are fairly similar, all stemming from the same militaristic hierarchy which originated in the Society.

## Chain of Command (Naval Forces)

**ArchImperator:** The Supreme Commander-in-Chief of all military forces, the archImperator heads and controls the entirety of the armed forces. With total operational control to wage war as they see fit, they nonetheless often delegate many operations to their inferiors, focusing generally on overall strategy rather than individual battles. Although generally not the head of state, Cyrus au Grimmus is a notable exception to this, holding the title of both archImperator and Dictator. The current Solar Republic archImperator is Killian O'Lykos.

**Navarch:** A title rather than a rank, the Navarch is an Imperator that has distinguished themselves enough to be trusted with absolute command of naval forces by the archImperator.

**Imperator Classiarii:** Imperators command large congregations of fleets, usually on a planetary scale. They tend to be the highest naval officers on the field, and there are rarely more than a few of them active at a time in a single conflict.

**ArchPraetor:** The next step below Imperator, archPraetors oversee a handful of fleets, and have imperium above their individual Praetors.

**Praetor (1st, 2nd, 3rd Class):** A Praetor is in charge of a small to medium fleet of battleships, and wield not-insignificant influence in politics and on the field of battle.

**SubPraetor (1st Class, 2nd Class):**
A subPraetor is usually in charge of one ship and its associated attendants (e.g. a torchShip and accompanying corvettes.

## Chain of Command (Ground Forces)

**ArchImperator:** TThe Supreme Commander-in-Chief of all military forces, the archImperator heads and controls the entirety of the armed forces. With total operational control to wage war as they see fit, they nonetheless often delegate many operations to their inferiors, focusing generally on overall strategy rather than individual battles. Although generally not the head of state, Cyrus au Grimmus is a notable exception to this, holding the title of both archImperator and Dictator. The current Solar Republic archImperator is Killian O'Lykos.

**Polemarch:** A title rather than a rank, a Polemarch is an Imperator that have distinguished themselves enough to be trusted with absolute command of field forces by the archImperator.

**Imperator Telluris:** Imperators hold command over large groups of legions, usually on a planetary scale, and are usually the highest officer in the field. There are rarely more than a handful of Imperators active at a time.

**ArchLegate:** The next step below Imperator, archLegates oversee a group of several legions, and have imperium above their individual Legates.

**Legate:** One of the highest military roles conceivably available, Legates lead entire Legions, and as such they hold significant power and influence. Though technically all Legates share the same rank, legion size creates informal power structures, and double-strength legions can only be commanded by Legates 1st class.

**SubLegate:** While Legates lead Legions, subLegates have command of the varying Cohorts in a Legion, each Cohort generally containing a thousand or more warColours and Immunes. With each Cohort being a flexible military regiment, the most elite and prestigious within a Legion is The First Cohort. Officers and infantry alike often aspire to join the First Cohort. Titled the Primus Pilus (or "First Spear"), the commander of the First Cohort also acts as a trusted advisor for the Legate.

**Centurion (1st Class, 2nd Class):** Generally tasked with leading a Century (around a hundred-two hundred warColours), 1st Class Centurions are also often given command of Battalions (specialized forces made up of several hundred warColours). A Centurion is the highest ground military rank an Unscarred Gold can receive, and is usually a starting rank for Peerless.