Should MechWarrior be an officer rank?

[drjones]

Here are links to a couple of previous threads that involved similar discussions.

https://bg.battletech.com/forums/index.php?topic=51864.0

https://bg.battletech.com/forums/index.php?topic=81160.0

[EPG]

Enjoying this discussion.  To me the rank of a Mechwarrior and their standing as a mechwarrior st two different things.  One of them is their position in the military hierarchy, and the other is their ability.  The parallel with airplane pilots makes this clear.  Pilots come with a variety of different ranks, but to many people the fact that someone is a fighter pilot (assigned that role and actually competent at it) is far more important than their exact rank. 

I see it the same with mech warriors.  Unless they are personally notorious in some way, or well known as a mech commander, their status as a mechwarrior is going to be more important to a LOT of people than their exact military rank.  This is even going to apply to a lot of people IN the armed forces, particularly those who are of much lower or much higher ranks.  The general responsible of a regiment or an invasion doesn’t care overly much about the exact position of their mechwarriors in the org chart all the time - they just want to know if they are available for service and how good they are.  Likewise the repair and support staff don’t particularly care what the rank of the mechwarrior assigned to the war hammer is - their job is to make sure it’s ready for action.  The crew chief for the techs in charge of a lance support team may technically outrank a mechwarrior in that lance , but operationally the mechwarrior is going to get a lot of unofficial say so, because otherwise the unit isn’t going to function very well.

[Arkansas Warrior]

Enjoying this discussion.  To me the rank of a Mechwarrior and their standing as a mechwarrior st two different things.  One of them is their position in the military hierarchy, and the other is their ability.  The parallel with airplane pilots makes this clear.  Pilots come with a variety of different ranks, but to many people the fact that someone is a fighter pilot (assigned that role and actually competent at it) is far more important than their exact rank. 

I see it the same with mech warriors.  Unless they are personally notorious in some way, or well known as a mech commander, their status as a mechwarrior is going to be more important to a LOT of people than their exact military rank.  This is even going to apply to a lot of people IN the armed forces, particularly those who are of much lower or much higher ranks.  The general responsible of a regiment or an invasion doesn’t care overly much about the exact position of their mechwarriors in the org chart all the time - they just want to know if they are available for service and how good they are.  Likewise the repair and support staff don’t particularly care what the rank of the mechwarrior assigned to the war hammer is - their job is to make sure it’s ready for action.  The crew chief for the techs in charge of a lance support team may technically outrank a mechwarrior in that lance , but operationally the mechwarrior is going to get a lot of unofficial say so, because otherwise the unit isn’t going to function very well.

Actually, I would expect that sort of disconnect to impair unit coordination and combat readiness.  *No one* likes to get ordered around by someone they outrank.  We've actually seen that, sort of, in BT, albeit offscreen in the depths of the Third Succession War, where it's usually only mentioned in Sourcebooks:  the Warriors' Cabal that gave the FedSuns so much trouble (including assassinating Prince Peter Davion in 2961).  The Cabal was the direct result of lavishing praise and honor on mechwarriors above all other branches and out of proportion to their station; they became entitled, full of themselves, and began to abuse their power and authority, eventually murdering a Prince and refusing to swear fealty to his son rather than give up their power.

[EPG]

Actually, I would expect that sort of disconnect to impair unit coordination and combat readiness.  *No one* likes to get ordered around by someone they outrank.  We've actually seen that, sort of, in BT, albeit offscreen in the depths of the Third Succession War, where it's usually only mentioned in Sourcebooks:  the Warriors' Cabal that gave the FedSuns so much trouble (including assassinating Prince Peter Davion in 2961).  The Cabal was the direct result of lavishing praise and honor on mechwarriors above all other branches and out of proportion to their station; they became entitled, full of themselves, and began to abuse their power and authority, eventually murdering a Prince and refusing to swear fealty to his son rather than give up their power.

Yes.  It can definately be a source of tension if taken to extremes or not handled properly.  It’s similar to the tension between nobles and non nobles.  Baron lafarge may ‘own’ the planet, but is technically outranked by the commanding general of the house/federal garrison, even though the baron has a larger militia and household guard than the official plantetary gaarrison  If everyone gets along personally, and they each make an effort to avoid stepping on the others toes, everything can work very well.  Under other circumstances it could lead to disaster, unless someone senior to both of them in all ways micromanages the situation.