Courtesy Rank and its effect on Status

[aelana]

On B29 it states "Courtesy Rank.... Those who currently hold a title that carries little real authority may also take Courtesy Rank. Courtesy Rank is for social situations only..."

On B28 it defines Status as "...a measure of social standing..."

In situations where Rank and Status co-exist, its my posit that Courtesy Rank should affect status in the same way as standard rank (i.e. someone with Courtesy Rank 5 should have a +2 to status).

However I am unsure that this is the "correct" interpretation since GCA does not give that to courtesy rank and wanted to know what the "official" rule is (yes I know, I am the GM I can make it work the way I want it to, but I am asking for what the standard ruling is).

[Kromm]

Full Rank gives Status. Courtesy Rank merely gives you an excuse for Status. If you formerly had Rank 6 [30] with Status 2 [0] for free, then when you quit the service in which you held Rank, you may retain Courtesy Rank 6 [6] and Status 2 [10]. Thus, the proper way to create someone who has all the social benefits of Rank without the command benefits is to buy Courtesy Rank alongside Status.

More generally, when the rules say Rank, they mean Rank. Courtesy Rank is not Rank, but a lesser advantage that happens to be graded the same way as Rank.

[aelana]

Originally Posted by Kromm

Full Rank gives Status. Courtesy Rank merely gives you an excuse for Status. If you formerly had Rank 6 [30] with Status 2 [0] for free, then when you quit the service in which you held Rank, you may retain Courtesy Rank 6 [6] and Status 2 [10]. Thus, the proper way to create someone who has all the social benefits of Rank without the command benefits is to buy Courtesy Rank alongside Status.

More generally, when the rules say Rank, they mean Rank. Courtesy Rank is not Rank, but a lesser advantage that happens to be graded the same way as Rank.

But as I read it courtesy rank could be used to model two people with equal "rank" in the sense of modern military rank but diferent levels of responsibility...

I.e. One would be Rank (army) 5 the other would be Rank (army) 4 Courtesy Rank (army) 1

in that case should they not get the same status bump since they are technically the same rank / pay grade / etc?

[Kromm]

You can have both Rank and Courtesy Rank, sure. Bonus Status, however, is based only on Rank. Courtesy Rank is small-r rank, but not Rank.

I think it should be self-evident that getting a 5-point Status level because you bought 3 points of Courtesy Rank is unbalanced.

[lvdogma]

Originally Posted by aelana

But as I read it courtesy rank could be used to model two people with equal "rank" in the sense of modern military rank but diferent levels of responsibility...

I.e. One would be Rank (army) 5 the other would be Rank (army) 4 Courtesy Rank (army) 1

in that case should they not get the same status bump since they are technically the same rank / pay grade / etc?

I use that method as well, here is an example:

Captain Custer, Rank 3 [15] is in the Regular Army during the civil war.

He is given the Brevet rank of General, Rank 07 [0] by the "GM" for the duration of the adventure.

Captain Custer loves being a general and purchases Courtesy Rank. Rank 3 [15] + Courtesy Rank 3 [3] = a social regard/standing as Rank 6. He is called General in all situations.

*

Later on in an alternate universe Lt. Colonel Custer retires and runs for public office. He has purchased Courtesy Rank 4 [4] (or in a stretch Courtesy Rank 6 [6] is he wants to perhaps pick up a negative social trait as well) and now leverages his old/retired military rank to his advantage socially.