New Rank Titles

I'm thinking of changing the ranks titles soon and I wondered what everyones thoughts were on this:

Leader: Head of Operations
Department Head/First Officers: Special Operative
Officer: Operative
Member: Agent
Recruit: "Rookie"???

Thats just off the top of my head and I still can't think what to do about the Recruit rank. I was thinking of "Grunt" but thats far too miltary for my liking. As long as it's really far away from miltary titles (captain, sergeant, admirial, etc) I'm open to ideas.

Shoot away....

you could use something like;

Leader: Mastermind
Department Head: Assassin
Officers: Enforcer
Member: Hired Gun
Recruit: Informant

or

Surveillance
Expert Hitman
Scoundrel
Specialist
Spice Runner
Organiser
Coordinator

*places down a can with the words 'WORMS' written on the side and produces a can-opener*

I know this isnt massively on-subject but it seems one of the closest threads and I'm too ill and lazy to start a new one, but can I recommend a 6th Rank?

There seems to be a gap between "member" and "officer" that feels vacant. I appreciate this may be the musings of a semi-delusional mind (I still have another 1/2 hours before I can take any more painkillers), but what about a "Senior Member" rank? - someone who is not an officer, but covers those people who have been here a long time and have a great amount of experience on the forums (amount of posts, time logged in the forums / chatbox / ventrilo etc). In other words, someone who new people can speak to about whatever is crossing their minds and (whilst they might not have the official clout of an officer or above) they know they are liable to get a definative answer from.

*releases the worms*
"Fly, my pretties!"

I remembered a post in a similar thread, The Mysterious Fourth Rank, that might answer LWs question (and remind us of other things discussed previously)

Sureshot wrote:

Redwatch wrote:

If this isn't set in stone, might I suggest the following for considderation:

0 pips = Registered (they must work for their first pip!)
1 pip = Guild Recruit
2 pips = Guild Member
3 pips = Guild Member (extra pip given out for outstanding contribution)
4 pips = Guild Officer (with “First Officer” as rank name + admin rights for the one chosen as such)
5 pips = Guild Leader

I’m sure we’ll have people coming and going over time and the three pips member thing acknowledges longer-term members before they hit the glass ceiling of Guild Officer. And not giving that rank a special name above “member” should avoid two pip members getting too jealous.

Same goes for the “officer” pips/name rank – “First Officer” isn’t too far above the other officers but everyone knows that’s where the final say lies when the Guild Leader is away.

I can add on another little TD and expand the backgrounds of the originals to go up to six, but that to me means most members never passing the "half-way" mark.

Just my thoughts. I think we all recognise this is Sureshots baby and support his right to structue his guild however he likes!

Cheers. Yeah you have some good ideas there. The only thing I'm not keen on is the 3 pip 'oustanding contribution' rank. I and I'm sure other people would be fine with it, but there will always be some that would feel I'd be showing favourtism. Plus the pips main purpose is to signify rank and if I have members with an extra pip compared to other members, it defeats the object. You'll also no doubt get members that believe they are a higher rank because they have that extra pip, which obviously wouldn't be the case. The rank of First Officer though would be a rank above officer and that in itself shows outstanding contribution. In would in fact be a sub-leader position. Also, I'm fine with registered getting 1 pip but they have to fill out an application form to get it. One of the registered ranks may change to 'New Applicant' soon because I actually have two 'Registered' titles. The first registered title is a default one that everyone gets and isn't a rank at all so I can't change that. If I add in a 1 pip rank called 'New Applicants' then the person will have to fill in an application form. That to me signifies the first step.

I do however think members should have more pips than they have at the minute. You're right it doesn't seem right that you only have 2/5, which is why I think upping the pips to 6 would suit it better. A member with 3/6 pips just makes sense to me as it seems a nice round number for the rank. Only problem I can see with this though is that they'd have to be redesigned and thats a bit of a pain in the butt!

Also the "The Guild As It Stands" has a similar theme developing (and could use an update! )

Argh! My worms are escaping!

Don't just stand there, BLAST THEM!

Can I just state that this thread is for rank titles ONLY. I think Red's already stated that this is mentioned in another thread. Sorry for not being clearer about what this thread is for in the title.

Tando wrote:

you could use something like;

Leader: Mastermind
Department Head: Assassin
Officers: Enforcer
Member: Hired Gun
Recruit: Informant

or

Surveillance
Expert Hitman
Scoundrel
Specialist
Spice Runner
Organiser
Coordinator

The only problem that I can see with this is that we have multiple Scoundrels, Hitmen, Spice runners etc all at different ranks. I like being called a Mastermind though. Kudos to you sir! Oh and Informant is a great name for Recruit. I may well consider that one, thanks.

Lunarwolf wrote:

*places down a can with the words 'WORMS' written on the side and produces a can-opener*

I know this isnt massively on-subject but it seems one of the closest threads and I'm too ill and lazy to start a new one, but can I recommend a 6th Rank?

There seems to be a gap between "member" and "officer" that feels vacant. I appreciate this may be the musings of a semi-delusional mind (I still have another 1/2 hours before I can take any more painkillers), but what about a "Senior Member" rank? - someone who is not an officer, but covers those people who have been here a long time and have a great amount of experience on the forums (amount of posts, time logged in the forums / chatbox / ventrilo etc). In other words, someone who new people can speak to about whatever is crossing their minds and (whilst they might not have the official clout of an officer or above) they know they are liable to get a definative answer from.

*releases the worms*
"Fly, my pretties!"

A-ha! About that can of worms! Hehe. Right first off there will only be the 5 ranks. "Why?" You may ask. the answers pretty straight forward really. We're only a small guild therefore we need very few ranks indeed. Nothing is more off-putting for potential recruits than seeing a guild FULL of pointless ranks. Not only does it show that you're an inexperienced giuld its also confusing as hell working out the heirarchy.

Now what I have in mind is that maybe we should start the officer elections now. We've got the majority of the guild here now so I think we're ready to move up a gear. This upcoming 'election' will be for the officers (4 pip) ranks NOT the 2nds in command/ department heads (if we decide to do the latter, which I think we are anyway. I'm such a tease! ). Now the sub-leader/head of department ranks WILL be decided when we have 20 members, and I'd prefer if we at least got to know each other long enough for our choices to be the right ones.

Redwatch wrote:

I remembered a post in a similar thread, The Mysterious Fourth Rank, that might answer LWs question (and remind us of other things discussed previously)

Also the "The Guild As It Stands" has a similar theme developing (and could use an update! )

Aye this is what I started the thread for. Before I start though I wanted to figure out some snazzy titles before we moved on.

Sorry to double post this is where we're at now:

Leader: Head of Operations
Department Head/First Officers: Special Operative
Officer: Operative
Member: Agent *
Recruit: Informant (thanks Tando!).*

*= These ones are confirmed and staying that way.

Anymore suggestions for the titles?

EDIT:

Another way we could look at is this:

Leader: ??? (Think I may choose my own one but you're welcome to suggest things)
Department Head./First Officers: ???
Officer: Special Agent
Members: Agent
Recruits: Informant

Glad to have helped

Leader:
Progenitor

First Officer:
Marshal

Officers:
Alderman -A member of a municipal assembly or council in many jurisdictions.
Warden -An official charged with supervisory duties or with the enforcement of specific laws or regulations

Member:
Specialist
Technician

New Recruit:
Supplicant
Initiate
Novitate
Tyro –noun, plural -ros. a beginner in learning anything; novice.

Sureshot wrote:

Now what I have in mind is that maybe we should start the officer elections now. We've got the majority of the guild here now so I think we're ready to move up a gear. This upcoming 'election' will be for the officers (4 pip) ranks NOT the 2nds in command/ department heads (if we decide to do the latter, which I think we are anyway. I'm such a tease! ). Now the sub-leader/head of department ranks WILL be decided when we have 20 members, and I'd prefer if we at least got to know each other long enough for our choices to be the right ones.

If I might ask, how many "Officers" positions will be voted for? I would have some serious issues If I could make only one vote.

Personally, for my credits, I'd like 2.

Well we already have 1 Officer and thats Raif. So for the meantime I'm sorry to say it's just the one. I know how you feel though, it's gonna be tough! The good news is though that when we get the full 20 you'll be asked to vote for another 2 anyway for the department heads. Eventually we'll have 4 officers in the guild (2 of which will be in the 2nd highest chain of command).

Leader: Director
1st Officer: Executive
Officers: Supervisor
Member: Agent
Recruit: Informant

Comming from a different approach here. We're not scum, this is actually, a buisness. As such, I've put forward buisness-sounding names. This guild will operate formally, not like some begger on a street who's been given a rifle.

I'm also against calling recruits Informants (no offence Tando). Sure, they can inform, but that won't be their primary job. And others can inform others aswell, it's not exactly a tight post. As such, I vote for the names "Initiate" and "Novitate", credit goes to Redwatch though.

Harlequin2 wrote:

Leader: Director
1st Officer: Executive
Officers: Supervisor
Member: Agent
Recruit: Informant

Comming from a different approach here. We're not scum, this is actually, a buisness. As such, I've put forward buisness-sounding names. This guild will operate formally, not like some begger on a street who's been given a rifle.

We're a little more than just a normal business though, we're an agency of ....well scum mostly!

Think FBI, MI6, KGB, thats the kinda thing I'm after but more secretive sounding.

Quote :

I'm also against calling recruits Informants (no offence Tando). Sure, they can inform, but that won't be their primary job. And others can inform others aswell, it's not exactly a tight post. As such, I vote for the names "Initiate" and "Novitate", credit goes to Redwatch though.

I think this one is going to a vote actually.

Initiate and Informant. They're both very good indeed.

p.s. I haven't mentioned anything about jobs yet. This thread is just for basic titles.

Leader: President
1st Officer: Officer in Charge
Officers: Special Agent
Member: Agent
Recruit: Initiate

I think these "Operative" titles make it sound more like a military organisation rather than a crime one.

Artekus wrote:

I think these "Operative" titles make it sound more like a military organisation rather than a crime one.

Yeah, that's the trouble. It'd be nice if we could find rank titles that are neither militaristic or too corporate. But then you get into religious or masonic sounding ones which wouldn't really fit either. And what's left runs the risk of sounding lame.

It's a tough one.

Yeah, Agent is perfect because it sounds formal/dark, but can be someone dirty, clean or religious. It has a broad number of subjects that fit under it which is what we want.

Let me explain my ideas a bit more:

Leader: Director
Because Sureshot is literally directing the guild. You call the shots like a movie director and can show others how it's done.

1st Officer: Executor/Executive
Someone who executes orders, but also other people. Executive has a similar meaning, and so the two's meanings can be blended, an executive is a high ranking corporate person.

Officer: Supervisor
The officers supervise the agents. That doesn't mean that they're any more skillful, just that they have a different and higher ranking job to carry out.

Damn I knew this was going to be close but not that close! C'mon people we need someone to sway those votes.

I'm assuming thats all the votes we'll be getting then? Can people leave a reply so I can tell who has voted? If I don't hear anything in the next couple of days I'll automatically accept the leading vote as the poll winner.

*Holds up hand* Initiate.

"Informant" to me sounds like some outside a group or organisation giving info to those inside. Feels odd for someone having just been accepted into something.

Initiate. I've already stated, an Informant seems like a role, not an actual status, like you would be called Envoy, etc.

Initiate is better than informant.

I actually realy like both of them. Informant sounds good to me because it almost suggests that they're not part of the guild yet, but they are a in league with the agency. Initiate sounds good too because it sounds like something you'd have as a starting rank.

Tough decision.

Initiate is the best to inform about the title

I voted Initiate. While informant sounds more in-line with the guild, it also suggests they are an outsider rather than working for the guild.