[Issue 28] Ranks: Tanki and the Real World

[Pathfinder 1,690]

 

As you probably have discovered, Tanki uses a rank system where you gain experience for playing. This allows you to reach higher and higher ranks to unlock better and better equipment. Ranking up can be an extremely memorable moment in a player's career, and many decide to organize special gatherings where they can rank up and record it. I am probably not an exception when I say that the moments just before and during a rank-up are some of the most memorable and exciting moments in the game. The fact that it is hard-earned adds further to this.

 

But how do Tanki ranks compare to actual military ranks? Do they share a lot of resemblance or are they completely fictional?

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Since all countries in the world have their own unique names for their ranks, this can make it very confusing to compare a rank in a particular country with that from another.

 

To resolve this problem, NATO introduced a standard rank scale in an attempt to match every member country's military ranks to corresponding ranks used by the other members. The rank categories were established in the document titled NATO Codes for Grades of Military Personnel. There are two major scales: the 'Officer' scale and the 'Other Rank' scale.

 

Within the military force of any country, there are three major components: the Army, the Navy and the Air Force. So, there is a separate Officer and Other Rank scale for each of these. Below shows the British and US Navy Officer Ranks.

 

 

You might find that many of these rank names are unfamiliar, and that is because these are Navy ranks. Ranks in the three different sections of the army are quite different.

 

So, for Tanki, we will look at the Army ranks only.

 

Other ranks (enlisted in US)

 

Starting from the bottom we have the 'other ranks', referred to as 'enlisted ranks' in the US. This rank scale goes from the lowest (Privates and Corporals) to the highest (Sergeants).

 

The shortening 'OR' is used when describing the tiers. There are nine tiers, going from OR1 (lowest) to OR9 (highest). Below shows the OR scale for the British and US armies.

 

 

Warrant Officers

 

WO1–WO5 (bottom to top) are used for United States warrant officers only; other countries use only regular officer ranks, not having warrant officers, or warrant officers are considered as other ranks or enlisted rank (For example a British Army WO1 is coded as OR-9).

 

Warrant Officers (WO) and Chief Warrant Officers (CWO) in the US Military rank below officers but above officer candidates and enlisted servicemen. The first warrant officer rank, WO1 does not have a "commission" associated with it, instead having a "Warrant" by appointment from the Secretary of the Army instead of commissions from Congress as with commissioned officer, Second Lieutenant through General of the Armies. Warrant Officers are allowed the same courtesies as a commissioned officer, but may have some restrictions on their duties that are reserved for commissioned officers. Warrant Officers are not referred to as "commissioned officers."

 

 

Officer ranks

 

Officers are the higher ranks in any army, coded from OF1 to OF10 (bottom to top). The OF10 tiered ranks are sometimes known as 'five-star ranks'.

 

For the British (top) and US (bottom), the ranks are as follows:

 

 

Many of the ranks that appear should be familiar, and follow the same order as in Tanki, but some ranks don't appear in the British/US ranking system.

• Gefreiter is a German, Swiss and Austrian rank that has existed since the 16th century. It is usually the second rank or grade to which an enlisted soldier, airman or sailor could be promoted. That is, it ranks just above private, just as it does in Tanki.
• Master Corporal (MCpl) in the Canadian Armed Forces and the Royal Canadian Army Cadets is an appointment of the rank of Corporal in the Canadian Army and Air Force. It is senior to Corporal, but junior to Sergeant, and sits appropriately between those two ranks in Tanki as well.
• A few non-English-speaking militaries maintain a lower rank than first or second Lieutenant, frequently translated as "Third Lieutenant". The Soviet Union used the three ranks "Strarchi lieutenant" (OF1a), "Lieutenant" (OF1b), and "Mladchi lieutenant" (OF1c). That is to say they had three tiers within the broad Lieutenant bracket.
• Marshal is comparable to Field Marshal, often the highest military rank in countries, ranking at OF-10. Marshals are typically, but not exclusively, appointed only in wartime. The US equivalent of this rank is General of the Army.
• Commander is not a particularly high-ranking military rank. In navies, it is immediately junior to Captain, but senior to the Lieutenant Commanders. You can see this in the top spoiler.
• The Generalissimo ranks are military ranks of the highest degree, superior to field marshal and other five-star ranks (that is OF-10) in the countries in which they are used.The word is an Italian term, from generale, plus the superlative suffix -issimo, itself from latin issimus, meaning "utmost, to the highest grade". Historically this rank was given to a military officer leading an entire army or the entire armed forces of a nation. Other usage of the rank has been for the commander of the united armies of several allied powers. There are just 23 people in history that have been dubbed Generalissimo, including Joseph Stalin and Kim Jong-il. It is therefore very appropriate that the Generalissimo rank is right at the top of the Tanki rank ladder.

And those are all the ranks! Hope you enjoyed reading this article and have a better understanding of the background behind the rank system we have in Tanki right now!

 

 

 

 

Edited October 30, 2014 by Remaine

[Jtipt.The.Killer 196]

Nice one..always wanted to know the similarities.

[blackopspaul 753]

Yes, you actually done one of my suggestions?

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Great article! 

[Pathfinder 1,690]

Yes, you actually done one of my suggestions?

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Great article!

 

Yeah I did! Hope you enjoyed it :)

[blackopspaul 753]

Yeah I did! Hope you enjoyed it :)

I did :)

Edited October 31, 2014 by blackopspaul

[Mr.I3oSS 557]

Its Awesome and informative

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Devs gotta read this... Very good job Kirby :)

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Looking forward to see what you throw at us in Issue 29

[MA3CTPO_HA_XAHTEP 832]

Hmm, interesting...

[Lord-of-the-Snipers 1,620]

quote: "There are just 23 people in history that have been dubbed Generalissimo, including Joseph Stalin and Kim Jong-il. It is therefore very appropriate that the Generalissimo rank is right at the top of the Tanki rank ladder."

 

Don 't particularly know if these two questionable historical figures are the best representatives for Generalissimo 's... :D

[Pathfinder 1,690]

quote: "There are just 23 people in history that have been dubbed Generalissimo, including Joseph Stalin and Kim Jong-il. It is therefore very appropriate that the Generalissimo rank is right at the top of the Tanki rank ladder."

 

Don 't particularly know if these two questionable historical figures are the best representatives for Generalissimo 's... :D

Their actions and motives may have been questionable :p but they were certainly powerful!

[jazz20 1,181]

^{When Tanki first started, Marshal was the highest rank. After a few years, they bumped it up to generalissimo. Over the next few years, do you think Tanki will add more ranks so that Gens can once again rank up?}

[Pathfinder 1,690]

^{When Tanki first started, Marshal was the highest rank. After a few years, they bumped it up to generalissimo. Over the next few years, do you think Tanki will add more ranks so that Gens can once again rank up?}

I think that if they do, they are likely to be fictional ranks :p

[lordmostafa 3,821]

Well done, you must have searched quite alot for the info and pictures, and for that I am grateful, awesome work ;)

[Amagi 1,728]

Interesting...

[magnaboy2 656]

Cool

[shadewarttt 3,350]

Wow, finally something that might prove to be useful in real life. 

[Myth 126]

Very informative :)

[carltanki 4]

Great article! Always wanted to know more about the tanki ranks in the real world

[naca7 143]

Very Interesting!

[Raging_Rabbit 1]

interesting and informative! nice :)

[pizzaslad 471]

I looked for some of the ranks before, but gave up because I wasn't too intent on finding out. Nice to see someone has done all the work  ;)

Will look back here in case I need some proof!

 

GJ

[andreaNEW 108]

I think that if they do, they are likely to be fictional ranks :P

I wonder which kind of names for ranks more over than generalissimo ... something with stars ? or planets ? galaxies ?

[teejay_tanker 95]

nice job

i was wondering the same thing since last few days

[Magnificence 126]

Ahh the similarities.

[tiger_of_malaysia 271]

Love it! Good job, Kirby. :D

[CTIBPO 35]

Real world? None of the senior officer ranks (and most likely junior officer ranks and WOs) would be driving or firing the tank! L

Edited November 3, 2014 by CTIBPO