Blackwood Mercenary Rankings

[Handsomeman]

This is only a minor suggestion, but it has been something that always bothered me. Some of the rankings of the mercenaries seems to military-like(grunt, footsoldier, warrior, sergeant, brigadier, elite). I didn't post anything about it before because it was a minor issue, and that i have little imagination to come up with names to solve the problem. But after google searching mercenary rankings today, i managed to copy down some mercenary rankings from another site. Green, sprog, grunts, veteran, specialists?, elite seems more appropriate for mercenaries.

[Biohazard89]

Lancepesad was the Medival term for a Private First Class nowadays
Sergeant was a Term for the Serveing man AKA the Professional non noble Soldier so maybe it should be Recruit, Lancepesad, Sergeant, Veteran, Elite, and so on.

Just an idea.

[TheBrogueadier]

(grunt, footsoldier, warrior, sergeant, brigadier, elite).

I agree! Dash it all, every one and their auntie knows it should be Brogueadier, not Brigadier.

Pip pip!


Personally I'd say that having vaguely military terms seems extremely apt for a martial force. I'd imagine that the majority of folk in a mercenary group would have served in some capacity, so names that tip their hat at the former career would be par for the course.

The only titles I'm not a fan of are Warrior (Seriously. Who calls themselves a warrior with a straight face?) and Elite (Because, again, who calls themselves elite with a straight face, and without sounding like a total nard).

Grunt, Footsoldier, Sergeant, Captain, Colonel, Brigadier, Major-General.

Yes, they're all military ranks, but they're memorable military ranks. The kind of ranks that people remember and the kind of ranks that heroes come from (well, apart from the two lowest ones, but they suck)

Either that, or a rank system that reflects the financial make up of a mercenary group, reflecting what your typical rank holder might earn as a share:

Twelfth, Eighth, Quarter, Third, Half, Full, Twice full.

[Kaizen]

Twelfth, Eighth, Quarter, Third, Half, Full, Twice full.

Win. So much win.

Giving the mercs military ranks makes them a little too much like the Legion and makes them appear more 'standardized military force' than 'mercenary fighting force for hire'. Giving them the paygrade rank also puts them more in line with their supervising faction (Exigo) who's ranks also go by a paygrade: Grade F, E, D, C, B, A.

Also, being in the military myself, seeing - Sergeant, Captain, Colonel, Brigadier, Major-General - in that promotion order just makes me wince (but that's a personal thing, heh!)

[AsuraKing]

Who calls themselves a warrior with a straight face?) and Elite (Because, again, who calls themselves elite with a straight face, and without sounding like a total nard).

Cruven Does! I personally like the ranks Handsome came up with more than the military ranks.. minus the specialist, cause I think elite fits a merc group more than specialist does.

[TheBrogueadier]

I will admit part of my naming rational is because I want to make a Blackwood character called Horatio Sanders.

"Colonel Sanders? What kind of chicken-shit outfit do you think this is? You able to read stripes boy? It's Brigadier Sanders."

"First dozen men to break through orc lines get themselves a full share for today. Up and at'em boys." *watches all the eighth shares and below charge of to get creamed by the Bloodmaim*