IE| – The Iberian Empire – Information

[The Iberian Empire]

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Ranks

Tier 1: Guerreros

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Scout

Fresh blood of the Corsairs. While scouts might be no less skilled in combat than their counterparts with higher ranks, traditionally a new initiate is to prove his worth in solo mission of exploration and reconnaissance. If one can take care for oneself, he will be able to take care of his fellow warriors.

Guerilla

A typical young warrior of the Kingdom. Often called “the club of “B”: brave, bold, bloodthirsty because most of the guerillas are still young and try to show-off at any occasion. Their lack of coordination and audaciousness is compensated by fearless youth maximalism and unpredicted maneuvres that can puzzle even seasoned opponents. Whether genius or stupid, guerillas often serve to distract enemies while more combat-savvy Corsairs carry out the plans set forth by the commanders.

Guerrero

A regular warrior of the Kingdom. Having survived the solitude of scouting and group chaos of guerillas, people of this rank usually show decent performance both while on a solo mission or in a group. They are the main muscle of both the army and the fleet, yet still are more mindful of their own profits and spoils than the benefits of the Kingdom and Crete overall. Because of this, guerreros are often exempted from the most important missions.

Legionnaire

Sturdy veterans who have developed a sense of comradeship and the value for teamwork often become legionnaires. Having pride in their service and legacy of old “Hispania”, legionnaires are reliable soldiers who have some sense of duty, which by Cretan standards, is being able to refrain from uncontrolled debauchery and robbery. Quite often such veterans are bonded together by forming a legion, either voluntarily or under the orders of the commanders. Their relative civility and restrain make them perfect guardians of home space, and many legionnaires are deployed to serve on the garrisons or in the defence flotillas.

Conquistador

A skillful veteran with some sense of duty and who has not lost his ambitions throughout the service can become a conquistador. More of a title rather than a military rank, a conquistador is usually a warrior who has proved that his brains are apt for improvisation and rapid analysis of a situation even during the direst combat. Adaptability combined with skills, multiplied by ambitions to do something to show their worth to the top-ups make the conquistadors perfect assault troops. They are often deployed to fight far away from home in hostile space to “conquer for the Crown”, hence the name. Having shown their exceptional value to both their peers and commanders and returning home with the spoils of war, conquistadors are respected among all stratas of Corsair society and are most often featured in the folk songs and tales. Also, are famous for being popular with the opposite sex and good lovers.

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Tier 2: Caballeros

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Decurion

Those of the warriors who have shown capability to either lead by example or having something in their brains to command effectively are rapidly promoted to decurions. These low-tier “commanders” are usually the leaders of squads in the ground forces or wing commanders in space. Their new position comes with new responsibilities of taking care of the few subordinates and the benefits of being on the first step to becoming a caballero.

Capitan

While decurion is basically a conquistador with some wits to inspire and lead by example akin to a sergeant, el capitan is already what is called “an officer” in House navies. Los capitanos usually swap their “Titan” for a ship of a larger size, primarily “Imperator”-gunboat, to have more time for coordinating the subordinates in a fight while not having to avoid every barrage. Unlike a decurion, el capitan undergoes some formal training by the veterans of old regarding the combat theory. Their bigger ships also allow to bring more loot, and becoming a capitan is equal to becoming rich, should the luck favour you in combat that is.

Optio

Those capitanos who have impressed the centurions are taken as their “second-in-command”, thus de facto becoming their apprentices. Field experience teaches better than any theory. This is the way of the Corsairs that has supplied the Kingdom and the Empire with quite talented commanders. Still, some advanced theory is beneficial and Optios study fleet maneuvres in spare time. Optios often serve on the same ship with the centurions or on a smaller ship that always works in conjunction with the one of their patron centurion.

Centurion

Centurions are the bread and butter of Corsair’s field commanders. Having enough men in their disposal, centurions can carry out complex combat maneuvres whether in space or on the ground, and be on par with the officers of the Houses. Rarely are centurions young, and thus have seen everything in their climbing the career ladder. Their invaluable experience and understanding of the position in the social and military hierarchy of every subordinate depending on his rank allows centurions to easily sacrifice some guerillas as “meat shield” in order to perform a brutally effective tactical move that can leave stunned even the most sophisticated adversary. To have a better overview of the battle, centurions are often seen piloting “Praefect”-class cruisers.

Caballero

Hard service can lead a man into grave, or to a triumph. Becoming a caballero is certainly a triumph for any Corsair for this title is recognised as minor nobility with all the perks such a status entails. Caballeros are promoted personally by the local warlord, be it someone from higher nobility or the monarch himself. Aspiring and talented commanders from the ranks of centurions usually become caballeros after staging an outstanding battle, although optios, and even capitans can become a caballero if their feats have been truly remarkable. Caballeros are assigned to their patron from among the higher nobility whom they shall serve as their retainers and military specialists. For their service, they are awarded with land on Crete or Amorgos within the holdings of their patron, and their personal manor. In combat caballeros can pilot both small interceptors and large war vessels, including the battleships. The choice of the ships heavily depends on the funds their patron is ready to provide for his retainers. What some can consider as trading military career for licking boots of some big wig, the others call a proper reward for the years of service that will not be lost upon death and be inherited by descendants. The truth is, probably, somewhere in-between.

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Tier 3: Courtiers

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Senor

Getting to become a courtier of the King is a hard task. Usually it involves becoming a caballero of the King or some closely related to the King noble. If one succeeds in the task, however, he is usually granted with a rank of “Senor” that distinguishes him from the caballeros of the lesser nobility and allows for the King to uphold his status through the positions of his courtiers. A Senor is a hereditary title, and as such does not necessarily mean that the holder thereof has spent decades fighting in all parts of Sirius to get the piece of the noble pie. However, this rank provides access to royal fundings and the best equipment a Corsair can get, thus spawning a lot of young equipped to the teeth brash nobles who are ready to show off even more than guerillas since only one of Senor’s children is entitled to inheriting the title. Unlike the guerillas, however, the equipment of young Senors allows them to survive longer and even achieve some high positions in Corsair’s society.

Grandeza

Those Senors opting for “civil” services and administration are usually rewarded with a title of Grandeza should they prove their worth. This is the highest lower nobility title that a civilian can expect. However, it is more than enough to live a luxurious by Cretan standards life and have a prominent voice in the life of the Kingdom without exposing oneself to risk of dying every now and then. Grandezas are respected in the society because of their important job, and the brutal retainers they can send to support their policies, although nobility related to the military matters is regarded higher.

Warlord

A dream of almost any child on Crete is to become a warlord - a high-ranking military commander who enjoys autonomy because of his status of a noble and thus “can do whatever he wants”. Long military career or professional education usually help warlords form many ties with all sorts of warriors, supplying the nobles with live force. Such private armies are often used to assert the dominance over certain patches of land that technically do not belong to a warlord yet will legally become his “by the right of force”. Despite sometimes regarded as an impetus to Corsairs’ unity, warlords are needed to select the fiercest and strongest leaders that can protect the way of Crete and impose its rule in the toughest conditions of the Omicrons.

Overlord

A bigger and badder warlord. More subordinate warriors, more guns, more money, more hunger for power. While it is possible to get “promoted” to an overlord by the monarch, most overlords are self-made by taking what is due from their rivals. Some become so big and bad that they become monarchs themselves. Together with warlords, they usually fly the biggest ships to uphold their status and to gather support of guerreros willing to shed blood for glory in some big operation with big ships involved.

Adelantado

Warlords and overlords recognised by the monarch and deemed loyal enough to the Crown can be proclaimed “adelantados” - the highest possible military rank in the Kingdom. Adelantado is simply “the one who leads” and substitutes the King on the battlefield, acting in his absence as the supreme leader. An adelantado is free in his actions unless the King decreed otherwise, and can organise his own campaigns of any scale and in any direction as long as those are not prohibited by the monarch beforehand. Since adelantados are capable of deploying whole fleets, their favour is often sought by the people from outside the Kingdom and the Empire, making them even more important than some higher nobility.

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Tier 4: Nobility

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Baron

A hereditary title that can only be awarded by the King himself. Too fancy for many Corsairs, the title is considered “suspicious” and not fitting the Corsair way. However, whether being a big and bad warlord or some top administrative clerk, it is the direct backing of the Crown that make them rise above the others. Capable of lobbying their desires in front of the King and expecting a favourable result, they can employ not only their own brute force, but also the brute force of the whole Kingdom if they are regarded favourably. In addition, barons have much better fiefs and holdings than lower nobility and therefore can enjoy better life and attract better caballeros in their service.

Conde

A rare hereditary title that is usually awarded to the best friends or the most talented nobles of the Kingdom by the King personally. Enjoying immense power both in the military and administrative matters, Condes are second only to the King and to adelantados in the time of big military operations. The main benefit of being a conde (or a baron) is that they can stop caring about public opinion and do things from the shadows if necessary while not afraid of losing the inflow of talented followers due to riches and status the higher nobility enjoys unlike the warlords who have to constantly prove they are the best to follow and not the other warlord.