Revised Administrative Rank Table for Modern/Sci-Fi Settings

[Icelander]

Originally Posted by tbrock1031

I realize Rank has to deal with "number of people under you", regardless of whether it's Admin, Merchant, Police, Military, or Feudal, but having some idea of the positions involved is also crucial. In a government, using these formulas, what Rank would you give to a legislator in a provincial legislature? The Minister of Intelligence for an expansionist (conquering system after system in rapid succession) interstellar nation that at the time the campaign starts is 100 systems but by campaign's end is over 20,000, and still growing?

It doesn't matter how large the civilian population is; only the people to whom the character can say go and they goeth count. If the setting has low-ranking people in the intelligence or security services be able to boss around normal citizens as well as the personnel who work in their respective services, then you probably have a setting where Rank also replaces Status and costs 10/level.

So the Minister of Intelligence doesn't get Rank any higher no mattter how many star systems are conquered, per se. His Rank tracks the size and power of the intelligence apparatus that he controls, which might indeed grow as the empire grows, but not necessarily at the same rate.

In many settings, senators, congressmen and other legislators don't actually have all that much Rank, in that they cannot order many subordinates around. Instead of just high Rank they have high Status , usually some Wealth, and sometimes Courtesy Rank. They might and usually do also have some of Social Regard and/or Legal Immunity, personal Reputations among supporters, Ally Groups, Allies, Contacts, Friends, Favours, etc.