Eternal Father
The Imperial Navy of the Black Empire
Much of the Black Empire's Imperial Navy are remnants of the naval assets stranded after the Galactic Alliance severed the trade routes from the Core Worlds to the Pacanth Reach, and thus many of the Black Empire's naval officers are former One Sith Imperials who didn't resort to piracy after they were cut off from the Core. The Black Empire hasn't existed long enough to train a new generation in the ways of naval warfare, but entirely new academies have sprung up in recent months to compensate for the growing deficit.The ships that the Imperial Navy has in its possession are often understaffed and in need of repair, and generally haven't seen widespread action save for combating the occasional pirate raid. Still, there is much potential in the youths being tutored by some of the best and brightest officers that found their way into the service of Darth Carnifex.
The Imperial Navy, while lacking a solid membership, still maintains a rigid hierarchy:
Commissioned Officers (CO)
Lord-High Admiral - Highest rank of the Imperial Navy and supreme commander of the entire Imperial Navy. At this moment in time no one holds the rank of Lord-High Admiral, but with the lack of major naval operations the position has not been required.
Lord Admiral - A Lord Admiral commands a sector fleet of 2400 ships, with 24 being star destroyers or greater. Their largest flagship is a battlecruiser.
Admiral - An Admiral commands a large fleet of 500 ships, with 6 being star destroyers or greater. Their largest flagship is a battlecruiser.
Vice-Admiral - A Vice-Admiral commands a medium-sized fleet of 350 ships, with 5 being star destroyers or greater. Their largest ship is a battlecruiser.
Rear-Admiral - A Rear-Admiral commands a small fleet of 250 ships, with 4 being star destroyers or greater. Their largest flagship is a battlecruiser.
Commodore - A Commodore commands a system force of 150 ships, with 3 being star destroyers. Their largest flagship is a star destroyer.
Lord-Captain - A Lord-Captain is an exalted title, generally being bestowed upon a Captain of noticeable skill and prestige. Otherwise they command the same size squadron as an average captain.
Captain - A Captain commands a squadron of 60 ships, with 1 being a star destroyer. Their largest flagship is a star destroyer.
Commander - A Commander commands a squadron of thirty ships, and their largest flagship is a heavy cruiser.
Lieutenant-Commander - A Lieutenant commands a squadron of 14 ships, and their largest flagship is a cruiser.
Lieutenant - A Lieutenant commands a single frigate, which also serves as their flagship.
Midshipman - A Midshipman is the junior-most "officer" rank in the Imperial Navy. Midshipmen are actually better described as students with an officer's rank. Technically afforded an officer's respect, they are nevertheless still in demanding training to become true officers, and many of their duties are "hands-on" opportunities to learn.
Warrant Officers
Ship's Master - The Ship's Master is generally the senior-most Warrant Officer and most experienced shipman on board a given starship. Often the master is tasked with critical responsibilities, such as stellar navigation and the keeping of the starship's log. In addition, he or she might oversee the keeping of the ship's attitude jets, hangar decks, and stores and supplies.
Gun Captain - A Gun Captain is a highly respected non-commissioned officer who has the great responsibility of commanding a single gun crew on an Imperial warship. The Gun Captain is the foremost expert on performing all the duties of the subordinate ratings in his or her command and often achieves the post only after decades of working his or her way up through all the different enlisted ratings.
Sergeant-At-Arms - A Sergeant-At-Arms is placed in charge of a squad of Armsmen anywhere between six and twenty-strong with responsibility for close action in naval combat (such as hit-and-run attacks and boarding actions). A Sergeant-At-Arms' greatest responsiblity is the keys entrusted to him for the weapons lockers found on every deck of a warship. When battle commences the Master-At-Arms signals the Sergeants to clear the decks and prepare for action, indicating at that time whether to arm the crew.
Bosun (Boatswain) - A starship's Bosuns are disciplinarians and taskmasters in a crew, assigned to oversee the common enlisted ratings and indentured workers, determine their duties and ensure that they are carried out efficiently. This often means that Bosuns are responsible for enforcing discipline on recalcitrant crewmembers, and are likely to handle that task personally.
Ratings
Armsman - Armsmen are crewmembers trusted to carry weapons at all times on board the ship and maintain the contents of the weapons lockers. They keep discipline among the lower ranks and protect the crew as needed. Unlike most Ratings, Armsmen get to move around different decks of the warship in the course of their duties and their loyalties are carefully scrutinised.
Shipmen - Shipmen are a warship's enlisted crewmen who possess some training and skill, and are the Ratings most likely to be entrusted with tasks such as conduit-maintenance, bulwark repairs, cog polishing, or other menial jobs that might require some skill and autonomy.
