# Military  / Defense Force Ranking



## columbo1977 (May 29, 2014)

Hey

I was wondering if anyone had advice on the best thing to use in my Scifi Universe. I am working on the idea that large families control most of the major things like Wormhole tech , ship building etc.

But for the exploration and defense side I am unsure on whether to have private forces or an organised military, and if so what ranking system to use.

Any ideas?

Thanks

Graham


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## Bishop (May 29, 2014)

I'm not sure how to answer, mostly because it's your world. I can say that traditionally in sci-fi books, films, tv, etc., private security forces are generally portrayed as being brutal, difficult to control, and often shoot first and ask questions later. Organized military is portrayed all over the map, sometimes as absolute heroes, sometimes as conspiracy-style evil, sometimes as a benign force. The issue would come with the idea that families control what would be normally corporate endeavors, but what type of government exists? If a major governing power is around, they'd likely have a navy/military of some kind to protect their citizens and interests. If the world is run by the families in different areas, those families would probably have private security or a small military of their own (depending on their budget) to protect their citizens and interests. 

I suppose what I'm saying is that there's a lot of factors to consider that make one more realistic than the next, and the best practice here is to ask questions. Who runs the galaxy? What infrastructure and budget do they have? What type of enforcement do they want (honorable vs brutal)? ... and so forth.

As for rankings, traditionally space rankings mirror US Military rankings (usually because humanity is rooted in that tradition) so you might look up naval/army/air force rankings to see what types of structures already exist, and go from there. In my books, I use a custom form of naval + air force combined.


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## Cran (May 29, 2014)

columbo1977 said:


> Hey
> 
> I was wondering if anyone had advice on the best thing to use in my Scifi Universe. I am working on the idea that large families control most of the major things like Wormhole tech , ship building etc.


Monopolies, whether families, family-controlled corporations, or corporation-controlled or national/political/idealogy-controlled planets, have a comfortable history in SF; it certainly makes it easier to know who to see about specific things. Without an operating basis like the *Principle of Enlightened Self-Interest*, however, it often ends badly for them. 



> But for the exploration and defense side I am unsure on whether to have private forces or an organised military, and if so what ranking system to use.


Most space operas use both, often with criminals (organised crime, pirates, or smugglers) or vigilantes - or in the other direction, rebels and anti-heroes thumbing their noses at the ruling authority - among the private or local forces. Official military and law enforcement versions, as well as larger opposition hierarchies, are usually based on navies with marines as ground forces; which is why you can get Admirals and Generals in the same room.


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## columbo1977 (May 29, 2014)

Bishop said:


> I'm not sure how to answer, mostly because it's your world. I can say that traditionally in sci-fi books, films, tv, etc., private security forces are generally portrayed as being brutal, difficult to control, and often shoot first and ask questions later. Organized military is portrayed all over the map, sometimes as absolute heroes, sometimes as conspiracy-style evil, sometimes as a benign force. The issue would come with the idea that families control what would be normally corporate endeavors, but what type of government exists? If a major governing power is around, they'd likely have a navy/military of some kind to protect their citizens and interests. If the world is run by the families in different areas, those families would probably have private security or a small military of their own (depending on their budget) to protect their citizens and interests.
> 
> I suppose what I'm saying is that there's a lot of factors to consider that make one more realistic than the next, and the best practice here is to ask questions. Who runs the galaxy? What infrastructure and budget do they have? What type of enforcement do they want (honorable vs brutal)? ... and so forth.
> 
> As for rankings, traditionally space rankings mirror US Military rankings (usually because humanity is rooted in that tradition) so you might look up naval/army/air force rankings to see what types of structures already exist, and go from there. In my books, I use a custom form of naval + air force combined.



I am not sure what to do at the moment, I am world building, I had decided that there was a council that ruled the planet made up of the largest families (basically corporations) but I wasn't sure how to structure it so was asking advice. There are also colonies, not sure what to do with them.

Just trying to think of something good..... I will answer your questions to assists.

Who runs the galaxy? At the point in tie of this book other life forms are not really mentioned so its just Humans and the invading race.
What infrastructure and budget do they have? The major families control the council on Earth, they decide what happens and all contribute to defense, including the hub system that leads to the colonies.
What type of enforcement do they want (honorable vs brutal)? A bit of both, they are fair but each family has an agenda and alliances are made etc.

Again I am flushing this out now so things are coming all the time.

Thanks for looking.


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## Elvenswordsman (May 29, 2014)

What...? So this is a thread for brainstorming, and you're not actually looking for suggestions? I could write this for you, but what good would that do?

Part of writing is being creative, taking chances, and writing from your own knowledge. Would you really know how to write from my experience with ranks?


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## columbo1977 (May 30, 2014)

Yes I am looking for suggestions, I want to make sure it is realistic so was wanting other writers opinions or suggestions, the stuff above I just came up with now.

I have an idea for a novel and am now building the world around it so I can start writing.


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## Sam (May 30, 2014)

Most military ranks throughout the world follow a base structure of enlisted and officer ranks. The positions vary according to whether the unit is navy, army, or marine. You also have air force and coast guard ranks. A standard army rank structure would be as follows. 

Enlisted, from lowest to highest: Private, Private First Class, Corporal/Specialist, Sergeant, Staff Sergeant, Master Sergeant/First Sergeant, Sergeant Major/Command Sergeant Major. 

Officer, from lowest to highest: Second Lieutenant, First Lieutenant, Captain, Major, Lieutenant Colonel, Colonel, Brigadier General, Major General, Lieutenant General, General. 

The United States, for instance, works on the pay grade E-1 to E-9 for enlisted soldiers and O-1 to O-9 for officers. The positions of Corporal/Specialist are both E-4, but have different responsibilities. Master Sergeant/First Sergeant are both E-8, but are different roles. Sergeant Major/Command Sergeant Major are E-9 and likewise. You very rarely, if ever, see this progression in officer ranks. 

If your story has an air force, the officer ranks will usually be exactly the same as the army ranks I've laid out above. The enlisted ranks will be different. 

Airman Basic, Airman, Airman First Class, Senior Airman, Staff Sergeant, Technical Sergeant, Master Sergeant/First Sergeant, Senior Master Sergeant, Chief Master Sergeant/Command Chief Master Sergeant. 

If it has a navy, the ranks are completely different. 

Enlisted, lowest to highest: Seaman Recruit, Seaman Apprentice, Seaman, Petty Officer Third Class, Petty Officer Second Class, Petty Officer First Class, Chief Petty Officer, Senior Chief Petty Officer, Master Chief Petty Officer, Fleet Command Master Chief Petty Officer. 

Officer, lowest to highest: Ensign, Lieutenant (Junior Grade), Lieutenant, Lieutenant Commander, Commander, Captain, Rear Admiral (Lower Half), Rear Admiral (Upper Half), Vice Admiral, Admiral, Fleet Admiral. 

Those are usually the standard bearers for military rank structure throughout the world, but they can vary from country to country. Because you have so many different positions, that's why Cran said you often see Generals and Admirals in the same room. You can have three Generals and two Admirals at any given time: Generals from the army, marines, and air force; Admirals from the navy and coast guard. Now, I don't know your story well enough to know if you need navy, coast guard, or marines, but any civilisation surely needs an army and an air force. 

Good luck.


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## Bishop (May 30, 2014)

columbo1977 said:


> Yes I am looking for suggestions, I want to make sure it is realistic so was wanting other writers opinions or suggestions, the stuff above I just came up with now.
> 
> I have an idea for a novel and am now building the world around it so I can start writing.



In writing science fiction, realism is a really difficult line.

You want it to be believable, but still imaginative. Realistic, but still fantastical. The way that this best translates is through technology's character. People create things that are reflective of certain things: A need, a wish, expression of self, etc. Everything from the government down to ink pens have been invented for a reason. Thus everything in your world must have a reason. Sometimes reasons are obvious and never need to be even given a second thought. Spaceships are made to expand and explore in space. Done. Somethings are more complex. Why families? It evokes an image to the reader of a mafioso style government that rules under an omerta, or oath of blood. "Family" as a power structure is traditionally used as either a monarchy or a cartel. It's not wrong to use this style of ruling class, but you need to have a reason for it, and you need to question every aspect of it for yourself. Why this? What is that for? How big is this? Your mind has to ponder these questions constantly, but it can't be done all before you write. In fact, most of the questions I ask myself about my world come in the editing stage.

One of the questions you're asking us, though, that you need to answer for yourself is: Does the ruling class of families use private security or an organized military? Or, more likely, you're asking "which should I use?" The real answer that anyone will give for that question is: I don't know; it's your story.

I can discuss the benefits and pitfalls, the symbolic potential and benign imagery, the feeling that either gives the reader, but all of that doesn't answer the question. I don't know anything about your story. I don't know the main character, I don't know his goals, I don't know his antagonist, I don't know the plot structure, I don't know anything about it. You have to pick what fits your story best. I can give you a lot of insight about world-building, I've been doing it a long time now and I absolutely love imagining possibilities for future existences. I can tell you what works, what doesn't, where plot holes and issues might form, etc. But in the end, I can't build your world for you.

If I were you, I'd start writing and worry a little less about these details. Do you even need to mention if the families' muscle is military, private security, criminal, or otherwise? Is that integral to the plot? I sometimes think that planning out the world too much before actually diving into the writing causes someone to create a lovely sandbox with no sandcastle. There's a lot to work with, but no actual structure.

Write a story. Build the world around it as you go, like uncovering the shroud of fog as you walk.


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## Morkonan (May 30, 2014)

columbo1977 said:


> ...But for the exploration and defense side I am unsure on whether to have private forces or an organised military, and if so what ranking system to use....



See "Dune", by Frank Herbert.

Use "privatized" paramilitaries, since you're dealing with a society that is largely based on private ownership/control. Certainly, those powerful families would have secured certain rights of protection for themselves, right? 

For "Ranks", make up different rank structures/names used by different families. Some may have direct analogues to current real-world ranks, some may not. For instance, a "Guardian", an officer that oversees the operations of a military unit and ensures that it complies with religious doctrine, might have an analogue in the USSR's "Political Commissar" rank. A "Star Leader" might be something akin to an "S3" position, a Military Staff Officer focused on Operations areas, but without a formally recognize military "Rank" in present day services. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Staff_(military)

You can, of course, include some generic and recognized titles (I'd encourage you to make some of them easily recognized analogues), but make some of them more interesting by having them represent culturally unique differences and, as a result, culturally interesting ranks should have equally interesting rank titles. What would a "Political Commissar" be called within one of your more indoctrinated "powerful family" militaries?


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