Rank Insignia and Uniforms Thread

View attachment 852454
Rank insignia of the United Nations Armed Forces. From top to bottom; Ground/Land Force, Air Force, Space Force and Navy. The officer insignia for the latter two are sleeve insignia rather than shoulderboards, but most likely come in shoulder form as well.

Commonwealth inspiration (as well as Junior Commissioned Officer/Warrant Officer scale rank insignia) is inspired by the Indian Subcontinent. Which weren't really a large part of UNAM (other than Pakistan being part of UN administrated territories between 2222-2500), with Africa, Middle East and South America (as well as parts of Europe) being the main UN territories. But I went in this direction to honour the fact that Bangladesh, India and Pakistan being some of the biggest contributors to UN Peacekeepers OTL.

NATO codeEnglishSpanishFrenchRussianChineseArabicHindi/UrduPortugueseIndonesianSwahili
OF 9GeneralGeneral de ejércitoGénéral d'arméeGenerál ármiiShang jiangFariq awwalGeneralGeneral de exércitoJenderalJenerali
OF 8Lieutenant generalTeniente generalGénéral de corps d'arméeGenerál-polkóvnikZhong jiangFariqLieutenant generalTenente-generalLetnan jenderalLuteni jenerali
OF 7Major generalGeneral de divisiónGénéral de divisionGenerál-leytenántShao jiangLiwaMajor generalGeneral de divisãoMayor jenderalMeja jenerali
OF 6Brigadier generalGeneral de brigadaGénéral de brigadeGenerál-mayórDa xiaoAmidBrigadierGeneral de brigadaBrigadir jenderalBrigedia jenerali
OF 5ColonelCoronelColonelPolkóvnikShang xiaoAqidColonelCoronelKolonelKanali
OF 4Lieutenant colonelTeniente coronelLieutenant colonelPodpolkóvnikZhong xiaoMuqaddamLieutenant colonelTenente-coronelLetnan kolonelLuteni kanali
OF 3MajorMayorCommandantMajórShao xiaoRa'idMajorMajorMayorMeja
OF 2CaptainCapitánCapitaineKapitánShang weiNaqibCaptainCapitãoKaptenKapteni
OF 1LieutenantTenienteLieutenantLeytenantZhong weiMulazim awwalLieutenantTenenteLetnan satuLuteni
Second lieutenantSubtenienteSous-lieutenantMládshiy leytenántShao weiMulazim thaniSecond lieutenantSubtenenteLetnan duaLuteni usu
OR 9Master warrant officerSubofficial mayorMajorStárshiy práporshchikYi ji jun shi zhangMusaid awwalSubedar major/Risaldar majorSargento-morBintara tinggi kepalaAfisa mteule meja
Warrant officer class 1SubofficialAdjudant-chefPráporshchikEr ji jun shi zhangMusaid thaniSubedar/RisaldarSargento-chefeBintara tinggi satuAfisa mteule daraja la kwanza
OR 8Warrant officer class 2Sargento ayudanteAdjudantStarshynáSan ji jun shi zhangMusaidNaib subedar/Naib risaldarSargento-ajudanteBintara tinggi duaAfisa mteule daraja la pili
OR 7Sergeant majorSargento mayorSergent-majorStárshiy serzhántShang shiRaqib awwalHavildar major/Daffadar majorPrimeiro-sargentoSersan mayorAfisa mteule daraja la tatu
OR 6Staff sergeantSargento primeroSergent-chefSerzhántZhong shiRaqibQuartermaster havildar/Quartermaster daffadarSegundo-sargentoSeran kepalaSajinitaji
OR 5SergeantSargentoSergentMládshiy serzhántShao shiWakil raqibHavildar/DaffadarTerceiro-sargentoSersanSajenti
OR 4CorporalCabo primeroCaporal-chefStárshiy yefréytorShang deng bingEarif awwalNaik/Lance daffadarCabo-adjuntoKopralKoplo
OR 3Lance corporalCaboCaporalYefréytorZhong deng bingEarifLance naik/Acting lance daffadarPrimeiro-caboLans kopralKoplo usu
OR 2Private first classSoldado de primeraSoldat de premiere classeStárshiy ryadovóyShao deng bingJundiun awwalSepoy/SowarSegundo-caboPrajurit satuMwanajeshi
OR 1PrivateSoldadoSoldatRyadovóyLie bingJundiunSepoy/SowarSoldadoPrajurit duaMwanajeshi
Latter two languages were official languages of UN, but were hardly used in the UN military and were fully discontinued by Earth Republic and Global Federation, as they had little to no population speaking said languages.
NATO codeEnglishSpanishFrenchRussianChineseArabicHindi/UrduPortugueseIndonesianSwahili
OF 9Air chief marshalGeneral del aireGénéral d'armée aérienneGenerál ármiiKōngjūn shang jiangFariq awwalAir chief marshalGeneral de exércitoMarsekalJenerali
OF 8Air marshalTeniente generalGénéral de corps aérienGenerál-polkóvnikKōngjūn zhong jiangFariqAir marshalTenente-generalMarsekal madyaLuteni jenerali
OF 7Air vice marshalGeneral de divisiónGénéral de division aérienneGenerál-leytenántKōngjūn shao jiangLiwaAir vice marshalGeneral de divisãoMarsekal mudaMeja jenerali
OF 6Air commodoreGeneral de brigadaGénéral de brigade aérienneGenerál-mayórKōngjūn da xiaoAmidAir commodoreGeneral de brigadaMarsekal pertamaBrigedia jenerali
OF 5Group captainCoronelColonelPolkóvnikKōngjūn shang xiaoAqidGroup captainCoronelKolonelKanali
OF 4Wing commanderTeniente coronelLieutenant colonelPodpolkóvnikKōngjūn zhong xiaoMuqaddamWing commanderTenente-coronelLetnan kolonelLuteni kanali
OF 3Squadron leaderMayorCommandantMajórKōngjūn shao xiaoRa'idSquadron leaderMajorMayorMeja
OF 2Flight lieutenantCapitánCapitaineKapitánKōngjūn shang weiNaqibFlight lieutenantCapitãoKaptenKapteni
OF 1Flying officerTenienteLieutenantLeytenantKōngjūn zhong weiMulazim awwalFlying officerTenenteLetnan satuLuteni
Pilot officerSubtenienteSous-lieutenantMládshiy leytenántKōngjūn shao weiMulazim thaniPilot officerSubtenenteLetnan duaLuteni usu
OR 9Warrant officer class 1Subofficial mayorMajorStárshiy práporshchikKōngjūn yi ji jun shi zhangMusaid awwalMaster warrant officerSargento-morBintara tinggi kepalaMaafisa wateule meja
Warrant officer class 2SubofficialAdjudant-chefPráporshchikKōngjūn er ji jun shi zhangMusaid thaniWarrant officerSargento-chefeBintara tinggi satuMaafisa wateule 1
OR 8Flight sergeantSargento ayudanteAdjudantStarshynáKōngjūn san ji jun shi zhangMusaidAssistan warrant officerSargento-ajudanteBintara tinggi duaMaafisa wateule 2
OR 7Chief technicianSargento mayorSergent-majorStárshiy serzhántKōngjūn shang shiRaqib awwalChief technicianPrimeiro-sargentoSersan mayorMaafisa wateule 3
OR 6Senior technicianSargento primeroSergent-chefSerzhántKōngjūn zhong shiRaqibSenior technicianSegundo-sargentoSeran kepalaSajenti kuruka
OR 5SergeantSargentoSergentMládshiy serzhántKōngjūn shao shiWakil raqibCorporal technicianTerceiro-sargentoSersanSajenti
OR 4CorporalCabo primeroCaporal-chefStárshiy yefréytorKōngjūn shang deng bingEarif awwalJunior technicianCabo-adjuntoKopralKoplo
OR 3Air specialist technicianCaboCaporalYefréytorKōngjūn zhong deng bingEarifSenior aircraftmanPrimeiro-caboLans kopralKoplo mdogo
OR 2Air specialistSoldado de primeraSoldat de premiere classeStárshiy ryadovóyKōngjūn shao deng bingJundiun awwalLeading aircraftmanSegundo-caboPrajurit satuMtu ndege
OR 1Air recruitSoldadoSoldatRyadovóyKōngjūn lie bingJundiunAircraftmanSoldadoPrajurit duaMtu ndege
Latter two languages were official languages of UN, but were hardly used in the UN military and were fully discontinued by Earth Republic and Global Federation, as they had little to no population speaking said languages.
NATO codeEnglishSpanishFrenchRussianChineseArabicHindi/UrduPortugueseIndonesianSwahili
OF 9Admiral of spaceAlmirante de espacioAmiral de l'espaceKosmo-admiralTàijūn shang jiangFariq awwalAdmiral of spaceAlmirante de espaçoLaksamana luar angkasaAdmirali wa anga-nje
OF 8Vice admiral of spaceVicealmirante de espacioVice-amiral de l'espaceKosmo-vitse-admiralTàijūn zhong jiangFariqVice admiral of spaceVice-almirante de espaçoLaksamana madya luar angkasaMakamu admirali wa anga-nje
OF 7Rear admiral of spaceContralalmirante de espacioContre-amiral de l'espaceKosmo-contre-admiralTàijūn shao jiangLiwaRear admiral of spaceContra-almirante de espaçoLaksamana muda luar angkasaAdmirali mdogo wa anga-nje
OF 6Space commodoreComodoro de espacioCommandeur de l'espaceKosmo-kapitán 1-go rangaTàijūn da xiaoAmidSpace commodoreComodoro de espaçoLaksamana pertama luar angkasaCommodore wa anga-nje
OF 5Captain of spaceCapitán de navío espacialCapitaine de vaisseau spatialKosmo-kapitán 2-go rangaTàijūn shang xiaoAqidCaptain of spaceCapitão de espaço e guerraKepten luar angkasaNahodha wa anga-nje
OF 4Commander of spaceCapitán de fregata espacialCapitaine de frégate spatialKosmo-kapitán 3-go rangaTàijūn zhong xiaoMuqaddamCommander of spaceCapitão de fregata espacialKomander luar angkasaKamanda wa anga-nje
OF 3Lieutenant commander of spaceCapitán de avisoCapitaine de avisoKosmo-kapitán leytenantTàijūn shao xiaoRa'idLieutenant commander of spaceCapitão de avisoLetnan komander luar angkasaLuteni kamanda wa anga-nje
OF 2Space lieutenantTeniente de navío espacialLieutenant de vaisseau spatialStárshiy kosmo-leytenantTàijūn shang weiNaqibSpace lieutenantCapitão-tenente espacialLetnan luar angkasaLuteni wa anga-nje
OF 1Space sub-lieutenantAlférez de navío espacialEnseigne de vaisseau spatial de premiere classeKosmo-leytenantTàijūn zhong weiMulazim awwalSpace sub-lieutenantTenente espacialLetnan madya luar angkasaLuteni usu wa anga-nje
Space ensignAlférez de fregata espacialEnseigne de vaisseau spatial de seconde classeMládshiy kosmo-leytenántTàijūn shao weiMulazim thaniSpace ensignGuarda-espacialLetnan muda luar angkasaBendera wa anga-nje
OR 9Master warrant officerSubofficial mayorMajorStárshiy kosmo-michmanTàijūn yi ji jun shi zhangMusaid awwalMaster chief petty officer 1st classSargento-morBintara tinggi kepalaAfisa mteule meja
Warrant officer 1SubofficialMaître-principalKosmo-michmanTàijūn er ji jun shi zhangMusaid thaniMaster chief petty officer 2nd classSargento-chefeBintara tinggi satuAfisa mteule daraja la kwanza
OR 8Warrant officer 2BrigadaPremier-maîtreMládshiy kosmo-michmanTàijūn san ji jun shi zhangMusaidSenior chief petty officer 1st classSargento-ajudanteBintara tinggi duaAfisa mteule daraja la pili
OR 7Master chief petty officerSargento primeroMaître-chefGlavny zvezdolot starshynáTàijūn shang shiRaqib awwalSenior chief petty officer 2nd classSargentoSersan mayorAfisa mteule daraja la tatu
OR 6Chief petty officerSargentoMaîtreGlavny kosmo-starshynáTàijūn zhong shiRaqibChief petty officerSubsargentoSeran kepalaSajinitaji
OR 51st class petty officerCabo mayorSecond-maîtreKosmo-starshyná 1 stajiTàijūn shao shiWakil raqib1st class petty officerCaboSersanSajenti
OR 42nd class petty officerCabo primeroQuartier-maître de premiere classeKosmo-starshyná 2 stajiTàijūn shang deng bingEarif awwal2nd class petty officerPrimeiro-espaçadorKopralKoplo
OR 3Leading specialistCaboQuartier-maître de seconde classeKosmo-kvartirmeisterTàijūn zhong deng bingEarifLeading spacemanSegundo-espaçadorAngkasawan kepalaKoplo usu
OR 2Able specialistEspaciador de primeraSpationaute de premiere classeStárshiy kosmonautTàijūn shao deng bingJundiun awwalAble spacemanPrimeiro-grumete espacialAngkasawan satuMwanaanga
OR 1Ordinary specialistEspaciadorSpationauteKosmonautTàijūn lie bingJundiunOrdinary spacemanSegundo-grumete espacialAngkasawan duaMwanaanga
Latter two languages were official languages of UN, but were hardly used in the UN military and were fully discontinued by Earth Republic and Global Federation, as they had little to no population speaking said languages.
NATO codeEnglishSpanishFrenchRussianChineseArabicHindi/UrduPortugueseIndonesianSwahili
OF 9AdmiralAlmiranteAmiralAdmiralHǎijūn shang jiangFariq awwalAdmiralAlmiranteLaksamanaAdmirali
OF 8Vice admiralVicealmiranteVice-amiral d'escadreVitse-admiralHǎijūn zhong jiangFariqVice admiralVice-almiranteLaksamana madyaMakamu admirali
OF 7Rear admiralContralalmiranteVice-amiralContre-admiralHǎijūn shao jiangLiwaRear admiralContra-almiranteLaksamana mudaAdmirali mdogo
OF 6CommodoreComodoroContre-amiralKapitán 1-go rangaHǎijūn da xiaoAmidCommodoreComodoroLaksamana pertamaCommodore
OF 5CaptainCapitán de navíoCapitaine de vaisseauKapitán 2-go rangaHǎijūn shang xiaoAqidCaptainCapitão de mar e guerraKeptenNahodha
OF 4CommanderCapitán de fregataCapitaine de frégateKapitán 3-go rangaHǎijūn zhong xiaoMuqaddamCommanderCapitão de fregataKomanderKamanda
OF 3Lieutenant commanderCapitán de corbetaCapitaine de corvettteKapitán leytenantHǎijūn shao xiaoRa'idLieutenant commanderCapitão de corvetaLetnan komanderLuteni kamanda
OF 2LieutenantTeniente de navíoLieutenant de vaisseauStárshiy leytenantHǎijūn shang weiNaqibLieutenantCapitão-tenenteLetnanLuteni
OF 1Sub-lieutenantAlférez de navíoEnseigne de vaisseau de premiere classeLeytenantHǎijūn zhong weiMulazim awwalSub-lieutenantTenenteLetnan madyaLuteni usu
MidshipmanAlférez de fregataEnseigne de vaisseau de seconde classeMládshiy leytenántHǎijūn shao weiMulazim thaniMidshipmanGuarda-marinhaLetnan mudaBendera
OR 9Master warrant officerSubofficial mayorMajorStárshiy michmanHǎijūn yi ji jun shi zhangMusaid awwalMaster chief petty officer 1st classSargento-morBintara tinggi kepalaAfisa mteule meja
Warrant officer 1SubofficialMaître-principalMichmanHǎijūn er ji jun shi zhangMusaid thaniMaster chief petty officer 2nd classSargento-chefeBintara tinggi satuAfisa mteule daraja la kwanza
OR 8Warrant officer 2BrigadaPremier-maîtreMládshiy michmanHǎijūn san ji jun shi zhangMusaidFleet chief petty officer 1st classSargento-ajudanteBintara tinggi duaAfisa mteule daraja la pili
OR 7Master chief petty officerSargento primeroMaître-chefGlavny korabelny starshynáHǎijūn shang shiRaqib awwalFleet chief petty officer 2nd classSargentoSersan mayorAfisa mteule daraja la tatu
OR 6Chief petty officerSargentoMaîtreGlavny starshynáHǎijūn zhong shiRaqibChief petty officerSubsargentoSeran kepalaSajinitaji
OR 51st class petty officerCabo mayorSecond-maîtreStarshyná 1 stajiHǎijūn shao shiWakil raqib1st class petty officerCaboSersanSajenti
OR 42nd class petty officerCabo primeroQuartier-maître de premiere classeStarshyná 2 stajiHǎijūn shang deng bingEarif awwal2nd class petty officerPrimeiro-marinheiroKopralKoplo
OR 3Leading ratingCaboQuartier-maître de seconde classeKvartirmeisterHǎijūn zhong deng bingEarifLeading seamanSegundo-marinheiroKelasi kepalaKoplo usu
OR 2Able ratingMarinero de primeraMatelotStárshiy matrosHǎijūn shao deng bingJundiun awwalAble seamanPrimeiro-grumeteKelasi satuBaharia
OR 1Ordinary ratingMarineroMousseMatrosHǎijūn lie bingJundiunOrdinary seamanSegundo-grumeteKelasi duaBaharia
Latter two languages were official languages of UN, but were hardly used in the UN military and were fully discontinued by Earth Republic and Global Federation, as they had little to no population speaking said languages.

I was considering perhaps going for an alternate version, but I really don't like the idea of army style insignia in the Space Force, nor do I like the idea of Army style insignia for the Navy.
I considered different insignia for NCO/Enlisted with Air Force, Space Force and the Navy (and even JCO/WO before I remembered going with the Indian Subcontinent style). But then I wasn't sure what to go with for the Space Force (Air Force has the propellers and Navy the anchors, thought I am not sure if I would be able to fill out all the ranks.

For the rank titles, I considered changing army general titles to match with the French style Corps/Division rather than the Lieutenant/Major style. I also considered trying something like "Lieutenant Admiral" rather than "Vice Admiral" for the Space Force as a counterpart to Commonwealth Air Forces with the Vice-Marshal, but the idea of "Major Admiral" or "Space Brigadier" did not sit right with me.
to me it feels a bit too british. Maybe try to mix in some influence from the other 4 permanent security council members.
 
to me it feels a bit too british. Maybe try to mix in some influence from the other 4 permanent security council members.

UN military here is not the combination of the P5 members.

By 2060s and later UN comes to long term administration of several regions including DR Congo, Haiti, West Sahara, (now ex-) Saudi Arabia, Yeman and Afghanistan, among others, and it's Parliamentary Assembly (a body created between now and then that has representatives of UN administrated people, rather than the functional member states) decided that it needs a "native" military force rather than fully rely troops seconded from the member states as Peacekeepers (how would that be funded? Taxes on the UN administrated regions, thought probably alongside whatever member state contribution that could be secured). The "Britishness" comes from the fact that India-Pakistan-Bandladesh use that style rather than anything about the UK itself.

I have already moved away from the Commonwealth style Air Force sleeve insignia, I have considered fully going with Generals for the Air Force instead of Marshals (and other rank title things) but the fact is that the English language specified as an official language of the UN is explicitly British English, not American (and also the Indian Subcontinent thing).

To put that aside, there is little to no alternative rank insignia for naval services (only big difference is a star or some other symbol replacing the "executive curl" but many non-Commonwealth nations still use the curl). So I don't intend to change that (I have already moved away from Commonwealth traditions with the naval enlisted by not going with anchors (outside of one rank)).

Suppose I could try leaning towards French traditions for the Army and the Air Force as that would be the biggest influence in direct UN ruled areas next to the Commonwealth (mostly via Middle East, thought also some parts of Africa, but there is also my wish to honour the Indian Subcontinent contributions towards the Peacekeepers). But that would mainly mean more freaking sleeve stripes. Hmm, perhaps rather than "sword and baton with pip; sword and baton with emblem/crown; sword and baton with pip and emblem/crown" I could go with "increasing number of stars on the sleeve (perhaps I could still include the sword and baton?)" for the generals. Moving from diamond shaped pips to stars could be done alongside that I suppose. That would also serve as something of a reference to Russian/Chinese rank insignia I suppose.


(Regarding your other post, I will consider it. I do think I could work something out of cuff lace + some other stuff (part of my helmet crest colour idea is from seeing that Swiss Guards do that, so I might keep that in some form. Thought perhaps as something like corps colours rather than rank), I think the sash idea has merit as well.)
 
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(Regarding your other post, I will consider it. I do think I could work something out of cuff lace + some other stuff (part of my helmet crest colour idea is from seeing that Swiss Guards do that, so I might keep that in some form. Thought perhaps as something like corps colours rather than rank), I think the sash idea has merit as well.)

My only issue with a purely helmet base rank insignia system is that in a social context (for example, a dance or when facing the king / emperor) they probably would not wear their helmet on but either carry it under their arm or leave it with the coat-check girl so that you might want something in their hatless uniform to indicate their rank.
 
The Imperial Terran Army and the Imperial Terran Navy, for a future timeline that I plan on creating eventually. Very WIP and probably a bit rushed, but here it is:

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RankInsigniaExplanationCommand level
Supreme GeneralS in goldSenior officer of the army, chosen after Supreme General dies/retiresEntire army
High GeneralH in goldPinnacle of exceptional careers, personally chosen by High CommandSystems Army, Head of branch, or part of High Command
Colonel GeneralFour StarsPromoted after forty five years of serviceArmy Group CO, Deputy of branch or staff
Major GeneralThree StarsPromoted after forty years of serviceArmy, Army Group XO, or staff
Captain GeneralTwo StarsPromoted after thirty five years of serviceCorps, or staff
Lieutenant GeneralOne StarPromoted after thirty years of serviceDivision, Corps XO or staff
ColonelFour silver barsPromotion after twenty five years of serviceBrigade, Division XO, or staff
Lieutenant ColonelThree silver barsPromotion after twenty years of serviceBattalion, Brigade XO or staff
MajorTwo silver barsPromotion after fifteen years of serviceBattalion or staff
CaptainOne silver barPromotion requires ten years of service and passing relevant coursesCompany, Battalion XO or staff
Senior LieutenantThree gold barsPromotion requires four years of service (two if honor graduates of the Army Academy)Platoon, Company XO, or staff
LieutenantTwo gold barsPromotion requires two years of service or directly for those that are honor graduates of the Army AcademyPlatoon or staff
Junior LieutenantOne gold barOfficer straight out of the Army AcademyPlatoon or staff
CadetNothingOfficer in trainingNone
Master SergeantThree gold chevrons over three barsPromotion requires five years as a Chief SergeantBrigade (and higher) Sergeant Major and staff NCO
Chief SergeantThree gold chevrons over two barsPromotion requires five years as a Senior SergeantBattalion Sergeant Major or staff NCO
Senior SergeantThree gold chevrons over one barPromotion requires five years as a Sergeant and passing the Staff NCO CourseCompany Sergeant Major or staff NCO
SergeantThree gold chevronsPromotion requires five years as a Corporal and passing the Advanced NCO CoursePlatoon Sergeant or staff NCO
Master CorporalTwo gold chevrons over three barsDistinction requiring three years as CorporalSquad of nine soldiers
Chief CorporalTwo gold chevrons over two barsDistinction requiring two years as CorporalSquad of nine soldiers
Senior CorporalTwo gold chevrons over one barDistinction requiring one year as CorporalSquad of nine soldiers
CorporalTwo gold chevronsPromotion requires passing Intermediate NCO CourseSquad of nine soldiers
Master Lance CorporalOne gold chevrons over three barsDistinction requiring three years as Lance CorporalFireteam of 4 soldiers (
Chief Lance CorporalOne gold chevrons over two barsDistinction requiring two years as Lance CorporalFireteam of 4 soldiers
Senior Lance CorporalOne gold chevrons over three barsDistinction requiring one year as Lance CorporalFireteam of 4 soldiers
Lance CorporalOne gold chevronPromotion requires attending Basic NCO CourseFireteam of 4 soldiers
Master PrivateThree red barsDistinction requiring three years of serviceNone
Chief PrivateTwo red barsDistinction requiring two years of serviceNone
Senior PrivateOne red barDistinction requiring one year of serviceNone
PrivateNothingFresh from trainingNone

RankInsigniaExplanationCommand
Supreme AdmiralS in goldSenior officer of Navy, chosen after last Supreme Admiral dies/retiresEntire fleet
High AdmiralH in goldPinnacle of exception careers, personally chosen by High CommandSystems Fleet, head of Branch or part of High Command
AdmiralFour starsPromotion after forty five years of serviceBattle Group or staff
Vice AdmiralThree StarsPromotion after forty years of serviceBattle Group or staff
Rear AdmiralTwo StarsPromotion after thirty five years of serviceBattle Group, or staff
CommodoreOne StarsPromotion after thirty years of serviceDestroyer Flotilla, non-Destroyer Squadron, or staff
CaptainFour silver barsPromotion after twenty five years of serviceCruiser, Battleship, Destroyer Squadron commander, or staff
Senior CommanderThree silver barsPromotion after twenty years of serviceDepartment, Cruiser XO, Battleship XO, or staff
CommanderTwo silver barsPromotion after fifteen years of serviceDepartment, Destroyer, or Staff
Junior CommanderOne silver barPromotion requires ten years of service and passing relevant coursesDepartment, Destroyer, or Staff
Senior LieutenantThree gold barsPromotion requires four years of service (two if honor graduates of the Army Academy)Division, Department, Destroyer XO or staff
LieutenantTwo gold barsPromotion requires two years of service or directly for those that are honor graduates of the Naval AcademyDivision, Department Corvette, or staff
Junior LieutenantOne gold barFresh from the Naval AcademyDivision or staff
CadetNothingNone
Master Petty OfficerThree gold chevrons over three barsPromotion requires twenty five years as a Petty OfficerCommand level Petty Officer
Chief Petty OfficerThree gold chevrons over two barsPromotion requires passing Departmental Petty Officer Examination and twenty years as a Petty OfficerDepartment Petty Officer
Senior Petty OfficerThree gold chevrons over one barPromotion requires passing Divisional Petty Officer's Examination and fifteen years as a Petty OfficerDivisional Petty Officer
Petty Officer 1st ClassThree gold chevronsPromotion requires ten years a a Petty OfficerWatch Petty Officer
Senior Chief Petty Officer 2nd ClassTwo gold chevrons over three barsDistinction requiring three years in gradeWatch Petty Officer
Chief Petty Officer 2nd ClassTwo gold chevrons over two bars
Distinction requiring two years in grade
Watch Petty Officer
Senior Petty Officer 2nd ClassTwo gold chevrons over one bar
Distinction requiring one year in grade
Watch Petty Officer
Petty Officer 2nd ClassTwo gold chevronsPromotion requires at least five years as a Petty OfficerWatch Petty Officer
Senior Chief Petty Officer 3rd ClassOne gold chevron over three bars
Distinction requiring three years ion grade
Watch Petty Officer
Chief Petty Officer 3rd ClassOne gold chevron over two bars
Distinction requires two years in grade
Watch Petty Officer
Senior Petty Officer 3rd ClassOne gold chevron over one barDistinction requires one year in gradeWatch Petty Officer
Petty Officer 3rd ClassOne gold chevronPromotion requires passing Junior Petty Officer's Examination and Watch ExaminationWatch Petty Officer
Senior Chief SpacerThree red barsDistinction requiring three year of serviceNone
Chief SpacerTwo red barsDistinction requiring two years of serviceNone
Senior SpacerOne red barDistinction requiring one year of serviceNone
SpacerNothingFresh from trainingNone

More than willing to hear feedback and suggestions. Though I do plan on reworking the insignia themselves to be better looking overall. But for my first attempt, I think they do alright.
 
The Imperial Terran Army and the Imperial Terran Navy, for a future timeline that I plan on creating eventually. Very WIP and probably a bit rushed, but here it is:


RankInsigniaExplanationCommand level
Supreme GeneralS in goldSenior officer of the army, chosen after Supreme General dies/retiresEntire army
High GeneralH in goldPinnacle of exceptional careers, personally chosen by High CommandSystems Army, Head of branch, or part of High Command
Colonel GeneralFour StarsPromoted after forty five years of serviceArmy Group CO, Deputy of branch or staff
Major GeneralThree StarsPromoted after forty years of serviceArmy, Army Group XO, or staff
Captain GeneralTwo StarsPromoted after thirty five years of serviceCorps, or staff
Lieutenant GeneralOne StarPromoted after thirty years of serviceDivision, Corps XO or staff
ColonelFour silver barsPromotion after twenty five years of serviceBrigade, Division XO, or staff
Lieutenant ColonelThree silver barsPromotion after twenty years of serviceBattalion, Brigade XO or staff
MajorTwo silver barsPromotion after fifteen years of serviceBattalion or staff
CaptainOne silver barPromotion requires ten years of service and passing relevant coursesCompany, Battalion XO or staff
Senior LieutenantThree gold barsPromotion requires four years of service (two if honor graduates of the Army Academy)Platoon, Company XO, or staff
LieutenantTwo gold barsPromotion requires two years of service or directly for those that are honor graduates of the Army AcademyPlatoon or staff
Junior LieutenantOne gold barOfficer straight out of the Army AcademyPlatoon or staff
CadetNothingOfficer in trainingNone
Master SergeantThree gold chevrons over three barsPromotion requires five years as a Chief SergeantBrigade (and higher) Sergeant Major and staff NCO
Chief SergeantThree gold chevrons over two barsPromotion requires five years as a Senior SergeantBattalion Sergeant Major or staff NCO
Senior SergeantThree gold chevrons over one barPromotion requires five years as a Sergeant and passing the Staff NCO CourseCompany Sergeant Major or staff NCO
SergeantThree gold chevronsPromotion requires five years as a Corporal and passing the Advanced NCO CoursePlatoon Sergeant or staff NCO
Master CorporalTwo gold chevrons over three barsDistinction requiring three years as CorporalSquad of nine soldiers
Chief CorporalTwo gold chevrons over two barsDistinction requiring two years as CorporalSquad of nine soldiers
Senior CorporalTwo gold chevrons over one barDistinction requiring one year as CorporalSquad of nine soldiers
CorporalTwo gold chevronsPromotion requires passing Intermediate NCO CourseSquad of nine soldiers
Master Lance CorporalOne gold chevrons over three barsDistinction requiring three years as Lance CorporalFireteam of 4 soldiers (
Chief Lance CorporalOne gold chevrons over two barsDistinction requiring two years as Lance CorporalFireteam of 4 soldiers
Senior Lance CorporalOne gold chevrons over three barsDistinction requiring one year as Lance CorporalFireteam of 4 soldiers
Lance CorporalOne gold chevronPromotion requires attending Basic NCO CourseFireteam of 4 soldiers
Master PrivateThree red barsDistinction requiring three years of serviceNone
Chief PrivateTwo red barsDistinction requiring two years of serviceNone
Senior PrivateOne red barDistinction requiring one year of serviceNone
PrivateNothingFresh from trainingNone

RankInsigniaExplanationCommand
Supreme AdmiralS in goldSenior officer of Navy, chosen after last Supreme Admiral dies/retiresEntire fleet
High AdmiralH in goldPinnacle of exception careers, personally chosen by High CommandSystems Fleet, head of Branch or part of High Command
AdmiralFour starsPromotion after forty five years of serviceBattle Group or staff
Vice AdmiralThree StarsPromotion after forty years of serviceBattle Group or staff
Rear AdmiralTwo StarsPromotion after thirty five years of serviceBattle Group, or staff
CommodoreOne StarsPromotion after thirty years of serviceDestroyer Flotilla, non-Destroyer Squadron, or staff
CaptainFour silver barsPromotion after twenty five years of serviceCruiser, Battleship, Destroyer Squadron commander, or staff
Senior CommanderThree silver barsPromotion after twenty years of serviceDepartment, Cruiser XO, Battleship XO, or staff
CommanderTwo silver barsPromotion after fifteen years of serviceDepartment, Destroyer, or Staff
Junior CommanderOne silver barPromotion requires ten years of service and passing relevant coursesDepartment, Destroyer, or Staff
Senior LieutenantThree gold barsPromotion requires four years of service (two if honor graduates of the Army Academy)Division, Department, Destroyer XO or staff
LieutenantTwo gold barsPromotion requires two years of service or directly for those that are honor graduates of the Naval AcademyDivision, Department Corvette, or staff
Junior LieutenantOne gold barFresh from the Naval AcademyDivision or staff
CadetNothingNone
Master Petty OfficerThree gold chevrons over three barsPromotion requires twenty five years as a Petty OfficerCommand level Petty Officer
Chief Petty OfficerThree gold chevrons over two barsPromotion requires passing Departmental Petty Officer Examination and twenty years as a Petty OfficerDepartment Petty Officer
Senior Petty OfficerThree gold chevrons over one barPromotion requires passing Divisional Petty Officer's Examination and fifteen years as a Petty OfficerDivisional Petty Officer
Petty Officer 1st ClassThree gold chevronsPromotion requires ten years a a Petty OfficerWatch Petty Officer
Senior Chief Petty Officer 2nd ClassTwo gold chevrons over three barsDistinction requiring three years in gradeWatch Petty Officer
Chief Petty Officer 2nd ClassTwo gold chevrons over two bars
Distinction requiring two years in grade
Watch Petty Officer
Senior Petty Officer 2nd ClassTwo gold chevrons over one bar
Distinction requiring one year in grade
Watch Petty Officer
Petty Officer 2nd ClassTwo gold chevronsPromotion requires at least five years as a Petty OfficerWatch Petty Officer
Senior Chief Petty Officer 3rd ClassOne gold chevron over three bars
Distinction requiring three years ion grade
Watch Petty Officer
Chief Petty Officer 3rd ClassOne gold chevron over two bars
Distinction requires two years in grade
Watch Petty Officer
Senior Petty Officer 3rd ClassOne gold chevron over one barDistinction requires one year in gradeWatch Petty Officer
Petty Officer 3rd ClassOne gold chevronPromotion requires passing Junior Petty Officer's Examination and Watch ExaminationWatch Petty Officer
Senior Chief SpacerThree red barsDistinction requiring three year of serviceNone
Chief SpacerTwo red barsDistinction requiring two years of serviceNone
Senior SpacerOne red barDistinction requiring one year of serviceNone
SpacerNothingFresh from trainingNone

More than willing to hear feedback and suggestions. Though I do plan on reworking the insignia themselves to be better looking overall. But for my first attempt, I think they do alright.
My 2 issue with using letters for the top ranks is that

1- "H" for High General only works if the whole world solely speaks english
2- even if everyone speaks english, they looks pretty tame compared to lower level.
you might want to make the Lieutenant general to Colonel General' stars gold (since in your system, silver outrank gold) and then have 1-2 silver for the 2 highest ranks. To make them even more distinctive, they could have more arms (ex: Silver 8-pointed stars vs Gold 4-pointed stars) or place them in a wreath.
 
My 2 issue with using letters for the top ranks is that

1- "H" for High General only works if the whole world solely speaks english
2- even if everyone speaks english, they looks pretty tame compared to lower level.
you might want to make the Lieutenant general to Colonel General' stars gold (since in your system, silver outrank gold) and then have 1-2 silver for the 2 highest ranks. To make them even more distinctive, they could have more arms (ex: Silver 8-pointed stars vs Gold 4-pointed stars) or place them in a wreath.
1: Fair enough, was considering replacing the High/Supreme rank insignia with other potential ones. Just not too sure what.

2: Honestly might change it to straight gold and increase the number of bars for Major, Lieutenant Colonel and Colonel. Probably a bit easier that way. Might also change the silver stars to gold bar the top ranks. Might have those be black stars or something.

What else do you suggest changing/edting? I am a bit concerned that I have too many enlisted rank distinctions for the lower ranks, even if there are historical precedence for a few of them.
 
My only issue with a purely helmet base rank insignia system is that in a social context (for example, a dance or when facing the king / emperor) they probably would not wear their helmet on but either carry it under their arm or leave it with the coat-check girl so that you might want something in their hatless uniform to indicate their rank.

Rank insignia.png

The coat sleeve is depicted as red in this picture thought this is far from universal (blue, green and white are other common coat colours). The sash is not worn in battle, as helmet plume/crest and cuff lace in considered enough. With the sashes being a feature of "dress uniforms".

For the Knightly Orders there is no such uniform. Instead the differences are:
Master - Commander of a knightly order, composed of a varying number of knight companies, up to 100 for the largest. Wore full plate, with a black plume and a tabard with the insignia of the master of the order (mostly the insignia of the order modified slightly to display the personal arms of the master on it), with their horse barded. Carried a shield with their personal arms imposed on the arms of the Order. Wore a long sword, a cape with the insignia of the master of the order (mostly the insignia of the order modified slightly to display the personal arms of the master on it), a star/sunburst medal of the order and a collar/chain of the order in non-combat/ceremonial occasions.
Lord Captain - Commands a knight company of 10 lances. Wore full plate, with a dark red plume and a tabard with the insignia of the order surrounded by a sunburst (a star/grand cross), with their horse barded. Carried a shield with their personal arms with the arms of the order inescutcheon. Wore a long sword, a cape with the insignia of the order surrounded by a sunburst (a star/grand cross), a star/sunburst medal of the order and a collar/chain of the order in non-combat/ceremonial occasions.
Knight Captain - Commands a "lance" of 3 to 12 men. Wore full plate, with a red plume and a tabard of the order, with their horse barded. Carried a shield of their own arms. Wore a long sword, a cape of the order and a collar/chain of the order in non-combat/ceremonial occasions.
Squire (considered equilavent to a regular captain) - equipped similarly to the knight captain in battle but with no plume, tabard, or barding. Carries a shield with the arms of the order. In non-combat/ceremonial occasions wore a dagger but no sword, and a tabard of the order above a captain's uniform.
Serjeant - Unarmoured horse, no shield, lance, torso armour (but none on the arms or legs), white plume on lobstertailed helmet as regular cavalry serjeants (one in the smallest knight lance, two in largest ones)
Soldier - Halbediers mounted for movement but not for combat or Horse Archers (who can also fight dismounted), not distinct from regular soldiers. (4 of each in the largest lances)
 
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View attachment 852616
The coat sleeve is depicted as red in this picture thought this is far from universal (blue, green and white are other common coat colours). The sash is not worn in battle, as helmet plume/crest and cuff lace in considered enough. With the sashes being a feature of "dress uniforms".

For the Knightly Orders there is no such uniform. Instead the differences are:
Master - Commander of a knightly order, composed of a varying number of knight companies, up to 100 for the largest. Wore full plate, with a black plume and a tabard with the insignia of the master of the order (mostly the insignia of the order modified slightly to display the personal arms of the master on it), with their horse barded. Carried a shield with their personal arms imposed on the arms of the Order. Wore a long sword, a cape with the insignia of the master of the order (mostly the insignia of the order modified slightly to display the personal arms of the master on it), a star/sunburst medal of the order and a collar/chain of the order in non-combat/ceremonial occasions.
Lord Captain - Commands a knight company of 10 lances. Wore full plate, with a dark red plume and a tabard with the insignia of the order surrounded by a sunburst (a star/grand cross), with their horse barded. Carried a shield with their personal arms with the arms of the order inescutcheon. Wore a long sword, a cape with the insignia of the order surrounded by a sunburst (a star/grand cross), a star/sunburst medal of the order and a collar/chain of the order in non-combat/ceremonial occasions.
Knight Captain - Commands a "lance" of 3 to 12 men. Wore full plate, with a red plume and a tabard of the order, with their horse barded. Carried a shield of their own arms. Wore a long sword, a cape of the order and a collar/chain of the order in non-combat/ceremonial occasions.
Squire (considered equilavent to a regular captain) - equipped similarly to the knight captain in battle but with no plume, tabard, or barding. Carries a shield with the arms of the order. In non-combat/ceremonial occasions wore a dagger but no sword, and a tabard of the order above a captain's uniform.
Serjeant - Unarmoured horse, no shield, lance, torso armour (but none on the arms or legs), white plume on lobstertailed helmet as regular cavalry sergeants (one in the smallest knight lance, two in largest ones)
Soldier - Halbediers mounted for movement but not for combat or Horse Archers (who can also fight dismounted), not distinct from regular soldiers. (4 of each in the largest lances)
This is very nice. :) I'm almost tempted to do something similar for my own fantasy setting, but truth be told, I haven't figured out how I'd do soldiers ranks in their context yet. I've only created law enforcement ranks a few years ago, since it's closer to the sort of stories I focus on.
 
View attachment 852454
Rank insignia of the United Nations Armed Forces. From top to bottom; Ground/Land Force, Air Force, Space Force and Navy. The officer insignia for the latter two are sleeve insignia rather than shoulderboards, but most likely come in shoulder form as well.

Commonwealth inspiration (as well as Junior Commissioned Officer/Warrant Officer scale rank insignia) is inspired by the Indian Subcontinent. Which weren't really a large part of UNAM (other than Pakistan being part of UN administrated territories between 2222-2500), with Africa, Middle East and South America (as well as parts of Europe) being the main UN territories. But I went in this direction to honour the fact that Bangladesh, India and Pakistan being some of the biggest contributors to UN Peacekeepers OTL.

NATO codeEnglishSpanishFrenchRussianChineseArabicHindi/UrduPortugueseIndonesianSwahili
OF 9GeneralGeneral de ejércitoGénéral d'arméeGenerál ármiiShang jiangFariq awwalGeneralGeneral de exércitoJenderalJenerali
OF 8Lieutenant generalTeniente generalGénéral de corps d'arméeGenerál-polkóvnikZhong jiangFariqLieutenant generalTenente-generalLetnan jenderalLuteni jenerali
OF 7Major generalGeneral de divisiónGénéral de divisionGenerál-leytenántShao jiangLiwaMajor generalGeneral de divisãoMayor jenderalMeja jenerali
OF 6Brigadier generalGeneral de brigadaGénéral de brigadeGenerál-mayórDa xiaoAmidBrigadierGeneral de brigadaBrigadir jenderalBrigedia jenerali
OF 5ColonelCoronelColonelPolkóvnikShang xiaoAqidColonelCoronelKolonelKanali
OF 4Lieutenant colonelTeniente coronelLieutenant colonelPodpolkóvnikZhong xiaoMuqaddamLieutenant colonelTenente-coronelLetnan kolonelLuteni kanali
OF 3MajorMayorCommandantMajórShao xiaoRa'idMajorMajorMayorMeja
OF 2CaptainCapitánCapitaineKapitánShang weiNaqibCaptainCapitãoKaptenKapteni
OF 1LieutenantTenienteLieutenantLeytenantZhong weiMulazim awwalLieutenantTenenteLetnan satuLuteni
Second lieutenantSubtenienteSous-lieutenantMládshiy leytenántShao weiMulazim thaniSecond lieutenantSubtenenteLetnan duaLuteni usu
OR 9Master warrant officerSubofficial mayorMajorStárshiy práporshchikYi ji jun shi zhangMusaid awwalSubedar major/Risaldar majorSargento-morBintara tinggi kepalaAfisa mteule meja
Warrant officer class 1SubofficialAdjudant-chefPráporshchikEr ji jun shi zhangMusaid thaniSubedar/RisaldarSargento-chefeBintara tinggi satuAfisa mteule daraja la kwanza
OR 8Warrant officer class 2Sargento ayudanteAdjudantStarshynáSan ji jun shi zhangMusaidNaib subedar/Naib risaldarSargento-ajudanteBintara tinggi duaAfisa mteule daraja la pili
OR 7Sergeant majorSargento mayorSergent-majorStárshiy serzhántShang shiRaqib awwalHavildar major/Daffadar majorPrimeiro-sargentoSersan mayorAfisa mteule daraja la tatu
OR 6Staff sergeantSargento primeroSergent-chefSerzhántZhong shiRaqibQuartermaster havildar/Quartermaster daffadarSegundo-sargentoSeran kepalaSajinitaji
OR 5SergeantSargentoSergentMládshiy serzhántShao shiWakil raqibHavildar/DaffadarTerceiro-sargentoSersanSajenti
OR 4CorporalCabo primeroCaporal-chefStárshiy yefréytorShang deng bingEarif awwalNaik/Lance daffadarCabo-adjuntoKopralKoplo
OR 3Lance corporalCaboCaporalYefréytorZhong deng bingEarifLance naik/Acting lance daffadarPrimeiro-caboLans kopralKoplo usu
OR 2Private first classSoldado de primeraSoldat de premiere classeStárshiy ryadovóyShao deng bingJundiun awwalSepoy/SowarSegundo-caboPrajurit satuMwanajeshi
OR 1PrivateSoldadoSoldatRyadovóyLie bingJundiunSepoy/SowarSoldadoPrajurit duaMwanajeshi
Latter two languages were official languages of UN, but were hardly used in the UN military and were fully discontinued by Earth Republic and Global Federation, as they had little to no population speaking said languages.
NATO codeEnglishSpanishFrenchRussianChineseArabicHindi/UrduPortugueseIndonesianSwahili
OF 9Air chief marshalGeneral del aireGénéral d'armée aérienneGenerál ármiiKōngjūn shang jiangFariq awwalAir chief marshalGeneral de exércitoMarsekalJenerali
OF 8Air marshalTeniente generalGénéral de corps aérienGenerál-polkóvnikKōngjūn zhong jiangFariqAir marshalTenente-generalMarsekal madyaLuteni jenerali
OF 7Air vice marshalGeneral de divisiónGénéral de division aérienneGenerál-leytenántKōngjūn shao jiangLiwaAir vice marshalGeneral de divisãoMarsekal mudaMeja jenerali
OF 6Air commodoreGeneral de brigadaGénéral de brigade aérienneGenerál-mayórKōngjūn da xiaoAmidAir commodoreGeneral de brigadaMarsekal pertamaBrigedia jenerali
OF 5Group captainCoronelColonelPolkóvnikKōngjūn shang xiaoAqidGroup captainCoronelKolonelKanali
OF 4Wing commanderTeniente coronelLieutenant colonelPodpolkóvnikKōngjūn zhong xiaoMuqaddamWing commanderTenente-coronelLetnan kolonelLuteni kanali
OF 3Squadron leaderMayorCommandantMajórKōngjūn shao xiaoRa'idSquadron leaderMajorMayorMeja
OF 2Flight lieutenantCapitánCapitaineKapitánKōngjūn shang weiNaqibFlight lieutenantCapitãoKaptenKapteni
OF 1Flying officerTenienteLieutenantLeytenantKōngjūn zhong weiMulazim awwalFlying officerTenenteLetnan satuLuteni
Pilot officerSubtenienteSous-lieutenantMládshiy leytenántKōngjūn shao weiMulazim thaniPilot officerSubtenenteLetnan duaLuteni usu
OR 9Warrant officer class 1Subofficial mayorMajorStárshiy práporshchikKōngjūn yi ji jun shi zhangMusaid awwalMaster warrant officerSargento-morBintara tinggi kepalaMaafisa wateule meja
Warrant officer class 2SubofficialAdjudant-chefPráporshchikKōngjūn er ji jun shi zhangMusaid thaniWarrant officerSargento-chefeBintara tinggi satuMaafisa wateule 1
OR 8Flight sergeantSargento ayudanteAdjudantStarshynáKōngjūn san ji jun shi zhangMusaidAssistan warrant officerSargento-ajudanteBintara tinggi duaMaafisa wateule 2
OR 7Chief technicianSargento mayorSergent-majorStárshiy serzhántKōngjūn shang shiRaqib awwalChief technicianPrimeiro-sargentoSersan mayorMaafisa wateule 3
OR 6Senior technicianSargento primeroSergent-chefSerzhántKōngjūn zhong shiRaqibSenior technicianSegundo-sargentoSeran kepalaSajenti kuruka
OR 5SergeantSargentoSergentMládshiy serzhántKōngjūn shao shiWakil raqibCorporal technicianTerceiro-sargentoSersanSajenti
OR 4CorporalCabo primeroCaporal-chefStárshiy yefréytorKōngjūn shang deng bingEarif awwalJunior technicianCabo-adjuntoKopralKoplo
OR 3Air specialist technicianCaboCaporalYefréytorKōngjūn zhong deng bingEarifSenior aircraftmanPrimeiro-caboLans kopralKoplo mdogo
OR 2Air specialistSoldado de primeraSoldat de premiere classeStárshiy ryadovóyKōngjūn shao deng bingJundiun awwalLeading aircraftmanSegundo-caboPrajurit satuMtu ndege
OR 1Air recruitSoldadoSoldatRyadovóyKōngjūn lie bingJundiunAircraftmanSoldadoPrajurit duaMtu ndege
Latter two languages were official languages of UN, but were hardly used in the UN military and were fully discontinued by Earth Republic and Global Federation, as they had little to no population speaking said languages.
NATO codeEnglishSpanishFrenchRussianChineseArabicHindi/UrduPortugueseIndonesianSwahili
OF 9Admiral of spaceAlmirante de espacioAmiral de l'espaceKosmo-admiralTàijūn shang jiangFariq awwalAdmiral of spaceAlmirante de espaçoLaksamana luar angkasaAdmirali wa anga-nje
OF 8Vice admiral of spaceVicealmirante de espacioVice-amiral de l'espaceKosmo-vitse-admiralTàijūn zhong jiangFariqVice admiral of spaceVice-almirante de espaçoLaksamana madya luar angkasaMakamu admirali wa anga-nje
OF 7Rear admiral of spaceContralalmirante de espacioContre-amiral de l'espaceKosmo-contre-admiralTàijūn shao jiangLiwaRear admiral of spaceContra-almirante de espaçoLaksamana muda luar angkasaAdmirali mdogo wa anga-nje
OF 6Space commodoreComodoro de espacioCommandeur de l'espaceKosmo-kapitán 1-go rangaTàijūn da xiaoAmidSpace commodoreComodoro de espaçoLaksamana pertama luar angkasaCommodore wa anga-nje
OF 5Captain of spaceCapitán de navío espacialCapitaine de vaisseau spatialKosmo-kapitán 2-go rangaTàijūn shang xiaoAqidCaptain of spaceCapitão de espaço e guerraKepten luar angkasaNahodha wa anga-nje
OF 4Commander of spaceCapitán de fregata espacialCapitaine de frégate spatialKosmo-kapitán 3-go rangaTàijūn zhong xiaoMuqaddamCommander of spaceCapitão de fregata espacialKomander luar angkasaKamanda wa anga-nje
OF 3Lieutenant commander of spaceCapitán de avisoCapitaine de avisoKosmo-kapitán leytenantTàijūn shao xiaoRa'idLieutenant commander of spaceCapitão de avisoLetnan komander luar angkasaLuteni kamanda wa anga-nje
OF 2Space lieutenantTeniente de navío espacialLieutenant de vaisseau spatialStárshiy kosmo-leytenantTàijūn shang weiNaqibSpace lieutenantCapitão-tenente espacialLetnan luar angkasaLuteni wa anga-nje
OF 1Space sub-lieutenantAlférez de navío espacialEnseigne de vaisseau spatial de premiere classeKosmo-leytenantTàijūn zhong weiMulazim awwalSpace sub-lieutenantTenente espacialLetnan madya luar angkasaLuteni usu wa anga-nje
Space ensignAlférez de fregata espacialEnseigne de vaisseau spatial de seconde classeMládshiy kosmo-leytenántTàijūn shao weiMulazim thaniSpace ensignGuarda-espacialLetnan muda luar angkasaBendera wa anga-nje
OR 9Master warrant officerSubofficial mayorMajorStárshiy kosmo-michmanTàijūn yi ji jun shi zhangMusaid awwalMaster chief petty officer 1st classSargento-morBintara tinggi kepalaAfisa mteule meja
Warrant officer 1SubofficialMaître-principalKosmo-michmanTàijūn er ji jun shi zhangMusaid thaniMaster chief petty officer 2nd classSargento-chefeBintara tinggi satuAfisa mteule daraja la kwanza
OR 8Warrant officer 2BrigadaPremier-maîtreMládshiy kosmo-michmanTàijūn san ji jun shi zhangMusaidSenior chief petty officer 1st classSargento-ajudanteBintara tinggi duaAfisa mteule daraja la pili
OR 7Master chief petty officerSargento primeroMaître-chefGlavny zvezdolot starshynáTàijūn shang shiRaqib awwalSenior chief petty officer 2nd classSargentoSersan mayorAfisa mteule daraja la tatu
OR 6Chief petty officerSargentoMaîtreGlavny kosmo-starshynáTàijūn zhong shiRaqibChief petty officerSubsargentoSeran kepalaSajinitaji
OR 51st class petty officerCabo mayorSecond-maîtreKosmo-starshyná 1 stajiTàijūn shao shiWakil raqib1st class petty officerCaboSersanSajenti
OR 42nd class petty officerCabo primeroQuartier-maître de premiere classeKosmo-starshyná 2 stajiTàijūn shang deng bingEarif awwal2nd class petty officerPrimeiro-espaçadorKopralKoplo
OR 3Leading specialistCaboQuartier-maître de seconde classeKosmo-kvartirmeisterTàijūn zhong deng bingEarifLeading spacemanSegundo-espaçadorAngkasawan kepalaKoplo usu
OR 2Able specialistEspaciador de primeraSpationaute de premiere classeStárshiy kosmonautTàijūn shao deng bingJundiun awwalAble spacemanPrimeiro-grumete espacialAngkasawan satuMwanaanga
OR 1Ordinary specialistEspaciadorSpationauteKosmonautTàijūn lie bingJundiunOrdinary spacemanSegundo-grumete espacialAngkasawan duaMwanaanga
Latter two languages were official languages of UN, but were hardly used in the UN military and were fully discontinued by Earth Republic and Global Federation, as they had little to no population speaking said languages.
NATO codeEnglishSpanishFrenchRussianChineseArabicHindi/UrduPortugueseIndonesianSwahili
OF 9AdmiralAlmiranteAmiralAdmiralHǎijūn shang jiangFariq awwalAdmiralAlmiranteLaksamanaAdmirali
OF 8Vice admiralVicealmiranteVice-amiral d'escadreVitse-admiralHǎijūn zhong jiangFariqVice admiralVice-almiranteLaksamana madyaMakamu admirali
OF 7Rear admiralContralalmiranteVice-amiralContre-admiralHǎijūn shao jiangLiwaRear admiralContra-almiranteLaksamana mudaAdmirali mdogo
OF 6CommodoreComodoroContre-amiralKapitán 1-go rangaHǎijūn da xiaoAmidCommodoreComodoroLaksamana pertamaCommodore
OF 5CaptainCapitán de navíoCapitaine de vaisseauKapitán 2-go rangaHǎijūn shang xiaoAqidCaptainCapitão de mar e guerraKeptenNahodha
OF 4CommanderCapitán de fregataCapitaine de frégateKapitán 3-go rangaHǎijūn zhong xiaoMuqaddamCommanderCapitão de fregataKomanderKamanda
OF 3Lieutenant commanderCapitán de corbetaCapitaine de corvettteKapitán leytenantHǎijūn shao xiaoRa'idLieutenant commanderCapitão de corvetaLetnan komanderLuteni kamanda
OF 2LieutenantTeniente de navíoLieutenant de vaisseauStárshiy leytenantHǎijūn shang weiNaqibLieutenantCapitão-tenenteLetnanLuteni
OF 1Sub-lieutenantAlférez de navíoEnseigne de vaisseau de premiere classeLeytenantHǎijūn zhong weiMulazim awwalSub-lieutenantTenenteLetnan madyaLuteni usu
MidshipmanAlférez de fregataEnseigne de vaisseau de seconde classeMládshiy leytenántHǎijūn shao weiMulazim thaniMidshipmanGuarda-marinhaLetnan mudaBendera
OR 9Master warrant officerSubofficial mayorMajorStárshiy michmanHǎijūn yi ji jun shi zhangMusaid awwalMaster chief petty officer 1st classSargento-morBintara tinggi kepalaAfisa mteule meja
Warrant officer 1SubofficialMaître-principalMichmanHǎijūn er ji jun shi zhangMusaid thaniMaster chief petty officer 2nd classSargento-chefeBintara tinggi satuAfisa mteule daraja la kwanza
OR 8Warrant officer 2BrigadaPremier-maîtreMládshiy michmanHǎijūn san ji jun shi zhangMusaidFleet chief petty officer 1st classSargento-ajudanteBintara tinggi duaAfisa mteule daraja la pili
OR 7Master chief petty officerSargento primeroMaître-chefGlavny korabelny starshynáHǎijūn shang shiRaqib awwalFleet chief petty officer 2nd classSargentoSersan mayorAfisa mteule daraja la tatu
OR 6Chief petty officerSargentoMaîtreGlavny starshynáHǎijūn zhong shiRaqibChief petty officerSubsargentoSeran kepalaSajinitaji
OR 51st class petty officerCabo mayorSecond-maîtreStarshyná 1 stajiHǎijūn shao shiWakil raqib1st class petty officerCaboSersanSajenti
OR 42nd class petty officerCabo primeroQuartier-maître de premiere classeStarshyná 2 stajiHǎijūn shang deng bingEarif awwal2nd class petty officerPrimeiro-marinheiroKopralKoplo
OR 3Leading ratingCaboQuartier-maître de seconde classeKvartirmeisterHǎijūn zhong deng bingEarifLeading seamanSegundo-marinheiroKelasi kepalaKoplo usu
OR 2Able ratingMarinero de primeraMatelotStárshiy matrosHǎijūn shao deng bingJundiun awwalAble seamanPrimeiro-grumeteKelasi satuBaharia
OR 1Ordinary ratingMarineroMousseMatrosHǎijūn lie bingJundiunOrdinary seamanSegundo-grumeteKelasi duaBaharia
Latter two languages were official languages of UN, but were hardly used in the UN military and were fully discontinued by Earth Republic and Global Federation, as they had little to no population speaking said languages.

I was considering perhaps going for an alternate version, but I really don't like the idea of army style insignia in the Space Force, nor do I like the idea of Army style insignia for the Navy.
I considered different insignia for NCO/Enlisted with Air Force, Space Force and the Navy (and even JCO/WO before I remembered going with the Indian Subcontinent style). But then I wasn't sure what to go with for the Space Force (Air Force has the propellers and Navy the anchors, thought I am not sure if I would be able to fill out all the ranks).

For the rank titles, I considered changing army general titles to match with the French style Corps/Division rather than the Lieutenant/Major style. I also considered trying something like "Lieutenant Admiral" rather than "Vice Admiral" for the Space Force as a counterpart to Commonwealth Air Forces with the Vice-Marshal, but the idea of "Major Admiral" or "Space Brigadier" did not sit right with me.
If you don't mind a few comments from myself:

1: Warrant Officers (except for the US and some others) are generally appointed to various senior NCO roles for the army, including Sergeant Major (and other senior NCO) roles. From what I understand, its the same with the Junior Commissioned Officers of the subcontinent, which are akin to the Warrant Officers of the Commonwealth and othr non-US countries (though their perks are similar to US Warrant Officers). Similar problem with the Navy/Air Force/Space Force. Why have them both when its generally one or the other? Also, the shoulder boards are a bit too confusing for WO1/WO2, as they look quite similar to junior officer ranks bar the small distinctive marks, which could cause confusion to some. Maybe make them a bit more distinctive?

2: The Space Force titles could probably do without "of Space" at the end. It would almost always be eliminated in every day use (and on most documents for length reasons). Maybe an (S) after them instead like was done with naviagating, medical and engineering officers in the Royal Navy?

3: It's a bit odd that the Air Force has a Sergeant be considered junior to a Technican rank (at least one that didn't have Sergeant after it, like in a few places). Perhaps rename Senior Technican and Chief Technican to Senior Sergeant and Chief Sergeant?

4: Historically speaking, Leading Rating was considered to be a non-NCO rank (which complicated things as it replaced Petty Officer 2nd Class in the Royal Navy) yet here it has the same stripe as actual NCO, Unless it's meant to be a junior NCO? If it's not, I suggest changing the insigia of it to 2 red chevrons to ensure it is clear that it's not an NCO rank. If it is meant to be a junior NCO, perhaps retitle it?

5: Otherwise, most everything seems fine to me. Nothing too much else jumps out. Very interesting ideas.
 
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What else do you suggest changing/edting? I am a bit concerned that I have too many enlisted rank distinctions for the lower ranks, even if there are historical precedence for a few of them.
the number of lower ranks often reflects viewpoints of the general and/ or the government.

If you have conscription and don't expect your lower rankers to have much initiative, you would only need a few ranks (ex: no-rank conscripts who just do the bare minimum effort, 1 chevron conscript rank for showing enthusiasm, 2 chevrons conscript rank for being best in your cohort & 3 chevrons for conscripts who agree to sign a contract to remain in the army to train the next batch of conscripts )

If on the other hand you have a professional, volunteer army, you could have a lot of non-officers ranks so that people who sign up can see it as a career so that while they may not be officer material, they still have stuff to aspire to. (ex: no-rank volunteer recruit, volunteer recruit who passed basic training, volunteer who shows leadership potential, career soldiers who passed a leadership course, career soldiers who passed an advanced leadership course, career soldier who pass a specialist course, and so on, and so on)

So I would suggest: think of what kind of society they live in and what place the armed forces have in that society.
 
This is very nice. :) I'm almost tempted to do something similar for my own fantasy setting, but truth be told, I haven't figured out how I'd do soldiers ranks in their context yet. I've only created law enforcement ranks a few years ago, since it's closer to the sort of stories I focus on.
maybe go for heraldic symbols. Chevrons are common so are Estoiles (6-pointed wavy stars). Gorget goes back to the middle ages as part of a knight's armour so they could serve to tell officers from non-officers. If you have a specific time period you are trying to emulate, maybe look at clothings of that period and see if elements could be modified (ex: the "Ruff" of the 16th-17th century would indicate an officer while a shoulder to waist sash could carry an insignia specific to a given rank)
Another idea would be to have all ranks wear rings around their cuffs but the type (and number) changes with rank:
- Lower-sub-officer: 1+ ring in contrasting colour cloth
- upper sub-officers: 1+ ring including metalic silverish threads
- Low Officer: 1+ ring made of lace
- Upper Officers: 1+ ring made of gold threads depicting oak leaves
- etc......
 
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1: Warrant Officers (except for the US and some others) are generally appointed to various senior NCO roles for the army, including Sergeant Major roles. From what I understand, that is true even with the Junior Commissioed Officers of the subcontinent. Similar problem with the Navy/Air Force/Space Force. Why have them both? Also, having the shoulder boards are a bit too much like actual officers, might want to make them a bit more distinctive
JCOs do have their rank insignia on shoulders iOTL. As for the senior NCOs and Warrant Officers co-existing, well most OTL Commonwealth armies have Staff Sergeants as well as two grades of Warrant Officers. IIRC my commitment to three grades of Warrant Officer was the JCO grade. As for adding the NCO grade, iirc that was after checking rank structure of several nations and deciding that number of NCO/Enlisted ranks was good. But I am not 100% sure now I look back on it.

Hmm, I think I came to that number when first working on the European Federation ranks, I was trying to look for an average number of NCO rank grades. When moving to the UNAM I think I took that as a starting point and went from three tiers of lieutenant (well two + an ensign rank) to simply two tiers of lieutenant.

2: The Space Force titles could probably do without "of Space" at the end. It would almost always be eliminated in every day use (and on most documents for length reasons). Maybe an (S) after them instead like was done with naviagating, medical and engineering officers in the Royal Navy?

That is certainly fair. My main thoughts were on how some air forces have their general ranks have the Air in them (Brigadier General to General of Air Brigade, Divisional General to General of Air Division etc) and to a lesser extent the Commonwealth Style Air Marshals but I do agree that in everyday use the space bit probably does get cut (I imagine a continental "Ship of the Line Captain" or a Kapitan zur See" are probably simply called "Captain/Kapitan" unless there is a Frigate Captain and/or Corvette Captain nearby where confusion might be possible.

3: It's a bit odd that the Air Force has a Sergeant be considered junior to a Technican rank (at least one that didn't have Sergeant after it, like in a few places). Perhaps rename Senior Technican and Chief Technican to Senior Sergeant and Chief Sergeant?

Ah, Chief and Senior Technician were from Pakistani Air Force (thought technically Chief Technician was replaced by Assistant Warrant Officer in 2006). Thought the Pakistani Air Force does not have Sergeants.
But in the OTL Royal Air Force a Chief Technician outranks a Sergeant. Thought Flight Sergeants do outrank Chief Technicians but are in the same NATO grade.

4: Historically speaking, Leading Rating was considered to be a non-NCO rank (which complicated things as it replaced Petty Officer 2nd Class in the Royal Navy) yet here it has the same stripe as actual NCO, Unless it's meant to be a junior NCO? If it's not, I suggest changing the insigia of it to 2 red chevrons to ensure it is clear that it's not an NCO rank. If it is meant to be a junior NCO, perhaps retitle it?

Are you talking about Leading and Able Ratings both having a single chevron? To explain that, well I have a Corporal, Lance Corporal, Private First Class and Private grades. Now, of course normally Lance Corporal is pretty much equilavent to Private First Class rather than above it (thought there are some militaries out there which have both two grades of private and multiple grades of corporal).
To make it work with sergeant-three chevrons, corporal-two chevrons and lance corporal-one chevron I had the Private First Class one a different colour. Thought you'll notice the Air Force one doesn't have a different colour but instead the air specialist technician has the UN symbol on it.
Hmm, it is true that Leading Rating/Seaman is distinct from Petty Officers. But well, in other languages I included that grade is equilavent to junior corporal/quartermaster rather than as a senior mariner/mate.

the number of lower ranks often reflects viewpoints of the general and/ or the government.

If you have conscription and don't expect your lower rankers to have much initiative, you would only need a few ranks (ex: no-rank conscripts who just do the bare minimum effort, 1 chevron conscript rank for showing enthusiasm, 2 chevrons conscript rank for being best in your cohort & 3 chevrons for conscripts who agree to sign a contract to remain in the army to train the next batch of conscripts )

If on the other hand you have a professional, volunteer army, you could have a lot of non-officers ranks so that people who sign up can see it as a career so that while they may not be officer material, they still have stuff to aspire to. (ex: no-rank volunteer recruit, volunteer recruit who passed basic training, volunteer who shows leadership potential, career soldiers who passed a leadership course, career soldiers who passed an advanced leadership course, career soldier who pass a specialist course, and so on, and so on)

So I would suggest: think of what kind of society they live in and what place the armed forces have in that society.

Interestingly while it is a conscript based military the modern Turkish military has tons of NCO ranks. (As a Turk who hasn't done military service yet even I am somewhat confused about what the differences in the NCO ranks are. But I think I might have figured it out. The distinction between Uzman Çavuş and Uzman Onbaşı to regular Çavuş and Onbaşı is that the former are long service/professional version of said ranks while the latter are conscript promotion ranks. I came to this conclusion through noticing that the Gendarmerie has tons of Uzman Çavuş and Uzman Onbaşı ranks but no regular Çavuş and Onbaşı ranks. Thought I should really look into that sometime to make sure (rest of the NCO ranks starting from OR-5 level are prefixed "Astsubay" or "Subofficer" so I am pretty sure they are professional NCOs.)
 
Interestingly while it is a conscript based military the modern Turkish military has tons of NCO ranks. (As a Turk who hasn't done military service yet even I am somewhat confused about what the differences in the NCO ranks are. But I think I might have figured it out. The distinction between Uzman Çavuş and Uzman Onbaşı to regular Çavuş and Onbaşı is that the former are long service/professional version of said ranks while the latter are conscript promotion ranks. I came to this conclusion through noticing that the Gendarmerie has tons of Uzman Çavuş and Uzman Onbaşı ranks but no regular Çavuş and Onbaşı ranks. Thought I should really look into that sometime to make sure (rest of the NCO ranks starting from OR-5 level are prefixed "Astsubay" or "Subofficer" so I am pretty sure they are professional NCOs.)
One example of the purely conscript low non-officers is Russia who basically have about 4 ranks for them. If you show promises, you might be offered a contract and become a Práporshchik.

There are obviously many variants that are possible. In the US, you have warrant officers who are people with technical knowledge but not necessarily considered commission officer material. Some countries have "technical" ranks which similarly are meant to show progression within ones career but not meant to become commission officers

You could even, in theory, have the reverse: few officers with non-officers given extra autonomy in the field.
 
Sparrow Avengers universe - Soldiers, ranks and rank insignia of the Zemplín Federation (1918 - mid-to-late 1940s)

The rank insignia of the armed forces of the Zemplín Federation (1918 - late 1940s), from my Sparrow Avengers timeline/universe.

The Zemplín Federation is one of a number of region-based smaller successor states to former Austria-Hungary that emerged after a mildly alternate WWI, due to increasingly ATL developments during the later decades of Austria-Hungary and during WWI.

My Sparrow Avengers universe, in sporadic development for some fifteen years now, is intended as a somewhat more grounded homage to the Crimson Skies universe.

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Ranks in the Zemplín Federation's armed forces (in multiple languages)

An overview of ranks and how they sound in the individual main languages of the Zemplín Federation, including Zemplín dialects.

Unlike standard Slovak, the Zemplín dialect of the Slovak language does not use long vowels, only short vowels.

The Rusyn variations of the rank names are written in the Русиньскый алфавіт (Rusyn alphabet), followed by an English transliteration.

The Yiddish variations of the rank names are written in the Hebrew script used for Yiddish, followed by an English transliteration.

English termZemplín
Slovak term
Zemplín
Hungarian term
Zemplín
Rusyn term
Yiddish
term
Austro-Hungarian termStandard Slovak term
SoldierVojakKatonaсолдат (Soldat)זעלנער (Zelner)Soldat / KatonaVojak prvého stupňa
Soldier First ClassSlobodnikŐrvezetőСтарший солдат (Starshyy soldat)פּריוואַט (Privat)Gefreiter / ŐrvezetőVojak druhého stupňa
Non-commissioned
officer (NCO)
PodoficirAltisztПідофіцір (Pidoficir) נידעריקאָפיציר (Niderikofitsir) / יינגעראָפיציר (Eyngerofitsir)Unteroffizier / AltisztPoddôstojník
CorporalKapraľTizedesДесятник (Desyatnyk)קאָרפּאָראַל (Korporal)Korporal / TizedesDesiatnik, Kaprál
SergeantStražmešterŐrmesterЧотовий (Chotovyi)
Сержант (Serzhant)
סערזשאַנט (Serzhant)Zugsführer / ŐrmesterČatár, Seržant
Master sergeantŠtabnikTörzsőrmesterСтарший Чотовий
(Starshyy chotovyi)
Старший сержант (Starshyy serzhant)
סערזשאַנט-הויפּט (Serzhant-hoypt)Feldwebel / TörzsőrmesterRotmajster / Nadrotmajster
Staff sergeantŠtabmešterFőtörzsőrmesterСтаршіна
(Starshyna)
שטעקן סערזשאַנט (Shtekn serzhant)Stabsfeldwebel / FőtörzsőrmesterŠtábny nadrotmajster
CadetUčeňHadapródПідхорунжий (Pidkhorunzhyi)קאַדעט
(Kadet)
Kadett / KadetKadet
OfficerOficirTisztофіцір (Oficir)אָפיציר
(Ofitsir)
OffizierDôstojník
EnsignFenrichZászlósХорунжий (Khorunzhyi)ענסיגן (Ensin)Fähnrich / ZászlósPráporčík
Sub-lieutenantPodporučikHadnagyПідпоручпик (Pidporuchnyk)סובליעוטענאַנט (Sublyeutenant)Leutnant / HadnagyPodporučík
LieutenantPoručikFőhadnagyПоручпик (Poruchnyk)לוטענאַנט (Lutenant)Oberleutnant
/ Főhadnagy
Poručík
CaptainKapitaňSzázadosСотпик (Sotnyk)קאַפּיטאַן (Kapitan)Hauptmann / Rittmeister (cavalry) / SzázadosKapitán (archaically Stotník)
MajorMajorŐrnagyМайор (Maior)הויפּט (Hoypt)Major / ŐrnagyMajor
Lieutenant ColonelPodplukovnikAlezredesПідполковпик (Pidpolkovnyk)לוטענאַנט-פּאָלקאָווניק (Lutenant-polkovnik)Oberstleutnant / AlezredesPodplukovník
ColonelPlukovnikEzredesПолковпик
(Polkownyk)
פּאָלקאָווניק (Polkovnik)Oberst / EzredesPlukovník
GeneralsGeneraľeTábornagyokгенералі (Henerali)גענעראלן (Generaln)GeneralenGeneráli
Brigadier generalBrigadni generaľDandártábornokБригадний генерал
(Brihadnyi heneral)
בריגאדיר גענעראל (Brigadir general)Brigadengeneral / DandártábornokBrigádny generál
Major generalGeneraľmajorVezérőrnagyГенерал-майор (Heneral-maior)הויפּט גענעראַל (Hoypt General)Generalmajor / VezérőrnagyGenerálmajor
Lieutenant GeneralGeneraľporučikAltábornagyГенерал-лейтенант (Heneral-leitenant)
Генерал-поручник
(Heneral-poruchnyk)
גענעראל לוטענאַנט (General lutenant)Generalleutnant / AltábornagyGenerálporučík
Colonel GeneralGeneraľplukovnikVezérezredesГенерал-полковник (Heneral-polkovnyk)גענעראל-פּאָלקאָווניק (General-polkovnik)Generaloberst / VezérezredesGenerálplukovník
GeneralGeneraľTábornagyГенерал (Heneral)גענעראל (General)General / TábornagyGenerál

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Ranks and their rank insignia symbols
Soldier - No rank insignia
Soldier First Class - 1 stylized grain
Corporal - 2 stylized grains
Sergeant - 3 stylized grains
Master sergeant - A full ear of grain
Staff sergeant - A stylized stalk with three ears of grain
Cadet - A fish
Ensign - 1 stylized acorn
Sub-lieutenant - 2 stylized acorns
Lieutenant - 3 stylized acorns
Captain - 1 stylized grape
Major - 2 stylized grapes
Lieutenant Colonel - 3 stylized grapes
Colonel - A full bunch of grapes
Brigadier General - 1 stylized river wave
Major General - 2 stylized river waves
Lieutenant General - 3 stylized river waves
Colonel General - A stylized tri-mount with a sharper central peak and two rounded summits to the side
General - A knightly helmet above the stylized tri-mount with a sharper central peak and two rounded summits to the side

Colour codes indicating service branch or unit type
Dark green - Infantry (riflemen, supplemented by light machine gunners and anti-tank riflemen in each rifleman unit)
Dark green and white square with red blood drop - Medical corps of the army (no religious symbolism, avoiding Christian or Jewish favouritism)
Spruce green and dark green trim - Jaegers / Skirmishers
Spruce green, crossed telekia (yellow oxeye) and Carpathian soldanelle (snowbell) flowers and dark green trim - Mountain marksmen
Dark green with light blue trim - Paratroopers
Light red with dark green trim - Heavy machine gunners and mortar crews
Dark red with dark green trim - Artillery and artillerymen
Light brown with dark green trim - Logistics and supply
Dark brown with dark green trim - Engineers and sappers
Dark green with dark blue trim - River patrol
Dark green with horseshoe (or wheel) - Mounted infantry / Light horse / Dragoons (or Bicycle infantry)
Light green with horseshoe - Cavalry (Hussars and Uhlans, the latter with added thin light-grey-ish trim)
Grey with light green trim - Tank, tankette, armoured car and other armoured ground vehicle crews and mechanics
Black - Railway military personnel
Light blue - Aircraft and military aviators, air force pilots
Light blue with added airship shape - Airships and airshipmen

Additional notes
The individual elements of the rank insignia are based on heraldic charges found in the coats of arms and county flags of the former Zemplín county (CoA) and Ung county (CoA), previously part of the Hungarian half (Transleithania) of Austria-Hungary. The basic shape of the collar-worn rank insignia was patterned on WWI era Austro-Hungarian rank insignia. Given the fact that the Zemplín standard uniforms were based primarily on Austro-Hungarian soldier uniforms, this was a straightforward decision even in the earliest months of the new military.

Because the Zemplín Federation's armed forces had always been budget-conscious - much of their equipment and weaponry during the 1920s was WWI surplus, and later acquistions didn't always replace the older gear - the rank insignia was as simple, easy to remember and regular in its patterns as possible. There are no variations in the main symbols associated with each individual rank, though some operational branches of the military also include additional identifying symbols, and rarely a thinner bar in the trim. By far the greatest indulgence was the fairly substantial number of colours, used for coding the various branches of the military. Much of the rank insignia and colour codes had not changed throughout the existence of the Zemplín Federation, ever since they were designed in the early 1920s.

None of the symbols reflect ethnic, religious, political or any other identity or ideology. This is a deliberate move, since the philosophy behind the Zemplín Federation, including its armed forces, is a civic patriotism (developed from regional local-patriotism) that seeks cohesion and inclusion, in a polar opposite to a segregated military. There are therefore no symbols with religious connotations (Christian cross, Star of David in Judaism) on the medical corps rank insignia, as well as no symbols associated closely with only Slovaks, or only Hungarians, or only Rusyns, or only Jews, or any of the other ethnicities inhabiting independent Zemplín.

The rank insignia's individual elements still reflects the region's history, its past county heraldry and vexilology (both of the preceding Zemplín and Ung counties), as well as the natural riches of the region, making for a decidedly unique combination of rank symbols. The neutrality of the individual elements is meant to foster the civic patriotism esprit d' corps of the Zemplín military, instead of highlighting one group unfairly above or below another, instead of promoting ethnic or other exceptionalism.

The yellow ox-eye and Carpathian snowbell were chosen as more appropriate symbols for the Zemplín mountain marksmen (replacing the Alpine edelweiss flower of their Austro-Hungarian predecessors and counterparts) due to the presence of the two flower species in the higher mountain ranges of Zemplín, including the Vihorlat Mountains, the Beech Mountains and the Low Beskids, with the ox-eye a widely recognized floral symbol of Vihorlat and the other neighbouring ranges, while the snowbell was chosen for being a pretty but inconspicuous-seeming flower, evoking the stealthiness expected of the mountain marksmen in mountainous combat operations. As the rest of the insignia of the mountain marksmen featured either heraldic silver/white (argent) or gold/yellow (or), the ox-eye and snowbell were also chosen for their colours, evoking a heraldic gold/yellow (or) and a heraldic purple (purpure).

When the rank insignia was being conceived in the early 1920s. there were some ultimately abandoned concepts for the symbols chosen. One of them was of featuring an oak sprig with several acorns in between the three-acorns insignia (lieutenant) and the single-grape insignia (captain), in the same manner as the full ears of grain for the higher sergeant ranks or the full bunch of grapes for the rank of colonel. This was not adopted, as it was felt it would interfere with the hierarchy of the individual ranks. Another example were ideas for some variations of the basic symbols, depending on certain operational branches, but due to the added complexity, budget and need for memorizing, these ideas were dropped as well, in favour of fully consistent rank insignia.

Though there are a handful of unique rank name variations in the Zemplín Federation's armed forces - most notably the likes of the "artillery sergeant", in homage to just such a separate rank name in the bygone Austro-Hungarian army - the absolute vast majority are all the same in every operational branch of the armed forces. Just like with the intentionally consistent symbolic hierarchy of the rank insignia, without any arbitrary irregularities, so too was it felt that the rank names need to stay consistent, rather than vary wildly from service to service. Whenever it is necessary to note the particular service of an armed forces member, terms like "sergeant of the jaegers" or "captain of the hussars" are used as descriptors. Soldier jargon had even led to the rise of certain rank-related colloquialisms in some of the branches, most nostably in the air force, where there's a habit of adding the prefix ľuft- ("air-") to the ranks of individual aeroplane pilots, and adding the prefix šif- ("ship-", in the sense of ľuftšif, "airship") to the ranks of individual airshipmen. Examples of these rank nicknames include ľuft-stražmešter ("air-sergeant"), ľuftkapitan ("air-captain") or šifporučik ("ship-lieutenant"). Zemplín and other Austro-Hungarian successor states being landlocked and with no navies, there's not really much confusion with the river patrol units, as the vast majority of their vessels are only boats (člun), resulting in rank nicknames like člunštabnik ("boat master sergeant").

Regarding the absent general ranks in many branches of the armed forces, this is simply the consequence of the majority of the operational branches being under the main branches of the armed forces, i.e. the Infantry (most op-branches), Cavalry (originally 3 op-branches, later 2), Armour (originally part of the Cavalry, spun off after a few years, becoming a single self-contained branch), Railway troops (single self-contained op-branch) and Air Force / Aviation (2 op-branches, one focused on heavier-than-air aircraft and sundry, the other on the small airship fleet). Thus, you can have a colonel of jaegers, medics, artillery, engineers, logistics, dragoons, uhlans, the airship service, etc., but that is the highest possible rank within those operational branches, and any promotion of a person to brigade general reverts to assigning the rank to that of the respective main branch. Thus, a hypothetical artillery general or uhlan general or airship general will actually be a general of the Infantry, or a general of the Cavalry, or a general of the Air Force, in that order.

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Some infantry soldiers of the Zemplín Federation's armed forces (more details under the spoiler below)

Pechota Zemplínskej federácie (medzivojnové obdobie) = "Infantry of the Zemplín Federation (interwar period)"
fľintar - equivalent of "rifleman". Fľintar is an ATL word derived from the Zemplín dialect's generic word for a rifle or long gun - fľinta. The closest direct translation of fľintar into English would be akin to "fusilier". The Zemplín riflemen are equipped with green or brown standard issue uniforms, leather highboots (particularly good for the marshy parts of south Zemplín, or soggy terrain and rainy weather in general) or sturdy leather boots and shin-protecting puttees (both largelly inherited from WWI Austria-Hungary and worn in dryer weather and most terrain types), modified Russian Adrian helmets on their heads (these are being slowly supplemented with more modern Polish and Czech models), webbing, a backpack and often also a bandolier, and last but not least, a bayoneted Steyr-Männlicher M1895 or Mosin-Nagant 1891 bolt-action rifle (once again, captured leftovers or surplus from the times of the Great War). In more recent years, the riflemen have started to also use some Czech-designed newer bolt-action rifles, but these still aren't the most common in their arsenal.
oficir - an "officer" in Zemplín Slovak (predictable, ey ?). This one's wearing much of the same outfit as the average rifleman, but with a durable Austro-Hungarian-style kepi (also worn by riflemen and other footsoldiers, but less often than officers). He's holding a decorated officer's sword and, in his sidearm holster, carries a Rast & Gasser M1898 or a Nagant 1895 revolver, or one of the many WWI surplus Austro-Hungarian pistols. (These are not directly visible in the picture, but are yet another example of repurposed older equipment left over in the region after the end of WWI.) In more recent years, they had also started to carry Czech-designed pistols or Belgian-designed Browning pistols.
horský strelec - mountain marksman (horski štriľec in Zemplín Slovak), mountain infantryman, a mountain warfare subset of the Zemplín jaegers (jager in Zemplín Slovak), the irregular infantry skirmishers. The Zemplín Federation's homebrewn, somewhat DIY answer to the likes of Austro-Hungarian mountain troopers or Italian Bersaglieri of WWI. They're part of the irregular skirmisher infantry, a fairly elite part at that, akin to nearly special forces or commandos. As you can see in the picture, they have both summer (leto) and winter (zima) versions of their kit and uniform and carry combat knives instead of bayonets. Unlike regular riflemen, they wear hats or hoods on their head and always wear puttees, simple kneeguards and combat boots on their legs. Though they mostly travel on foot, after their initial establishment, the Zemplín Federation eventually started experimenting with gradually adding snowshoes and skis to their wintertime equipment, and the relevant snowshoe travel and skiing to their wintertime mobility training. The mountain marksmen often perform border guard operations in the mountainous area of the federation's borders.

(The ATL terms present in the image are noted in parentheses.)

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Mounted soldiers of the Zemplín Federation's armed forces (more details under the spoiler below)

Jednotky na koni Zemplínskej federácie (medzivojnové obdobie) = "Mounted units of the Zemplín Federation (interwar period)" (encompasses the cavalry consisting of lancers and hussars, as well as the horseman mounted infantry consisting of dragoons)
ulan - equivalent of "uhlan" and "lancer". Ulan is an OTL as well as ATL Zemplín dialect term for such a cavalry soldier. Zemplín was one of the few Slovak-speaking regions of former Austria-Hungary whose successor statelet kept a lancer tradition in their military, carrying it over from the Austro-Hungarian days. This was because the central and southern parts of the new country represented a rare area with predominantly lowland or low-hill terrain, a type of terrain better-suited to lancers than others. The Zemplín Federation's uhlans/lancers are equipped with green standard issue uniforms, leather highboots (particularly good for the marshy parts of south Zemplín, or soggy terrain and rainy weather in general) or sturdy leather boots and shin-protecting puttees (both largelly inherited from WWI Austria-Hungary and worn in dryer weather and most terrain types), modified Russian Adrian helmets on their heads (slowly supplemented with more modern Polish and Czech models), webbing, a bandolier (not finished yet and therefore not visible in this version), a cavalry lance (their primary melee weapon), a hanger or trench knife (melee sidearm), pistol or revolver (ranged, handgun sidearm), and the carbine version of a Steyr-Männlicher M1895 bolt-action rifle (their primary ranged weapon, though carried mainly as a backup to the lance). In more recent years, the uhlans/lancers have also started to use the carbine versions of some Czech-designed newer bolt-action rifles, but these still aren't the most common in their arsenal. By the latter half of the 1930s, uhlan units also started including at least one uhlan carrying an anti-tank rifle, an element inspired by Polish and CMSR mounted units of the era.
husar - equivalent of a "hussar", specifically one in the vein of a traditional 19th century hussar or WWI hussar of Austria-Hungary, but with the distinction that the Zemplín Federation's hussars eschew all ceremonial clothing elements and wear only an ordinary WWI style uniform, much like the Zemplín Federation's uhlans and dragoons (see below). Husar is, of course, an OTL as well as ATL Zemplín dialect term for such a cavalry soldier. The Zemplín Federation's hussars are equipped with green standard issue uniforms, leather highboots (particularly good for the marshy parts of south Zemplín, or soggy terrain and rainy weather in general) or sturdy leather boots and shin-protecting puttees (both largelly inherited from WWI Austria-Hungary and worn in dryer weather and most terrain types), modified Russian Adrian helmets (slowly supplemented with more modern Polish and Czech models) or modified kepis on their heads, webbing, a bandolier (not finished yet and therefore not visible in this version), a sabre (their primary melee weapon), a hanger or trench knife (melee sidearm), pistol or revolver (ranged, handgun sidearm), and the carbine version of a Steyr-Männlicher M1895 bolt-action rifle (their primary ranged weapon). In more recent years, the hussars have also started to use the carbine versions of some Czech-designed newer bolt-action rifles, but these still aren't the most common in their arsenal.
draguň - equivalent of "dragoon" or "lighthorseman". Draguň is an OTL as well as ATL Zemplín dialect term for such a mounted infantry soldier. The Zemplín Federation's dragoons / light horse are equipped with green standard issue uniforms, leather highboots (particularly good for the marshy parts of south Zemplín, or soggy terrain and rainy weather in general) or sturdy leather boots and shin-protecting puttees (both largelly inherited from WWI Austria-Hungary and worn in dryer weather and most terrain types), modified Russian Adrian helmets (slowly supplemented with more modern Polish and Czech models) or skirmisher style hats on their heads, webbing, a bandolier (not finished yet and therefore not visible in this version) and a bayoneted Steyr-Männlicher M1895 bolt-action rifle, or Mosin-Nagant 1891 bolt-action rifle, or the Steyr-Männlicher M1895 short rifle. Though the dragoons originally only carried hangers, trench knives and bayonets as their melee sidearms, a decision was made in the early days of the Zemplín military to equip them with sabres as well, just in case. (Making them the only non-cavalry soldiers to carry sabres.) They are also the only mounted troops to occassionally carry and use the sniper variant of the Steyr-Männlicher M1895 bolt-action rifle, which brings them closer than any other mounted unit to the jaeger and mountain marskman soldiers of the ZF's infantry. In more recent years, the dragoons have also started to use some Czech-designed newer bolt-action rifles and carbines, but these still aren't the most common in their arsenal. By the latter half of the 1930s, dragoon units also started including at least one dragoon carrying a light machine gun, which distinguished them even more greatly from the largelly similar armaments used by the hussar units.

(Austria-Hungary moved away from lance-equipped uhlans in the later 19th century, but in this ATL, they revisited the concept before the start of the 20th century and some of their successor states continued it in their own way after the ATL WWI. The Zemplín Federation's uhlans are comparable to the OTL and ATL post-WWI Polish uhlans, with the exception of not carrying sabres, and having hanger as their sidearms and firearms as backup weapons. Sabres are instead reserved for the hussars, who also double as ranged cavalry. While uhlans focus on lance charges of varying size, especially in ambushes on travelling and routed enemy infantry and some enemy mounted units, hussars focus on flanking and ride-by harassing of enemy infantry (sabre cuts a standard attack !) and on melee and ranged hit-and-run tactics, as well as on supporting the flanks of their own advancing infantry. The modern dragoon paradigm used by the Zemplín Federation and many of the other post-WWI states is comparable to the light horse units paradigm of WWI era ANZAC troops, albeit in an interwar central European context, rather than WWI Middle Eastern. Another point of reference are the OTL Czechoslovak, ATL CMSR and other interwar era mounted units. Though mounted infantry, they are also equipped with sabres, like the cavalry's hussars, and are the only non-officer infantrymen to carry them. Dragoons are rather versatile, fighting primarily dismounted, and intended for more direct fire support of the conventional infantry. Some neighbours of the ZF, including the Šariš Free State, only field hussars and dragoons, due to generally hilly terrain unsuitable for most lancer operations.)

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Male and female pilot of the Zemplín Federation's air force in standard issue flight gear (male master sergeant and female lieutenant)


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Paratrooper of the Zemplín Federation, major rank, with CMSR-designed Vz. 34 (OTL Vz. 38) SMG and Polish-designed 1930s helmet

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Zemplín Federation law enforcement (police and gendarmerie) ranks

English termZemplín
Slovak term
Zemplín
Hungarian term
Zemplín
Rusyn term
Yiddish
term
Austro-Hungarian termStandard Slovak term
Non-commissioned
officer (NCO)
PodoficirAltisztПідофіцір (Pidoficir) נידעריקאָפיציר (Niderikofitsir) / יינגעראָפיציר (Eyngerofitsir)Unteroffizier / AltisztPoddôstojník
CorporalKapraľTizedesДесятник (Desyatnyk)קאָרפּאָראַל (Korporal)Korporal / TizedesDesiatnik, Kaprál
SergeantStražmešterŐrmesterЧотовий (Chotovyi)
Сержант (Serzhant)
סערזשאַנט (Serzhant)ŐrmesterČatár, Seržant
Master sergeantŠtabnikTörzsőrmesterСтарший Чотовий
(Starshyy chotovyi)
Старший сержант (Starshyy serzhant)
סערזשאַנט-הויפּט (Serzhant-hoypt)Feldwebel / TörzsőrmesterRotmajster / Nadrotmajster
Staff sergeantŠtabmešterFőtörzsőrmesterСтаршіна
(Starshyna)
שטעקן סערזשאַנט (Shtekn serzhant)Stabsfeldwebel / FőtörzsőrmesterŠtábny nadrotmajster
CadetUčeňKadetПідхорунжий (Pidkhorunzhyi)קאַדעט
(Kadet)
Kadett / KadetKadet
OfficerOficirTisztофіцір (Oficir)אָפיציר
(Ofitsir)
OffizierDôstojník
EnsignFenrichZászlósХорунжий (Khorunzhyi)ענסיגן (Ensin)Fähnrich / ZászlósPráporčík
Sub-lieutenantPodporučikHadnagyПідпоручпик (Pidporuchnyk)סובליעוטענאַנט (Sublyeutenant)Leutnant / HadnagyPodporučík
LieutenantPoručikFőhadnagyПоручпик (Poruchnyk)לוטענאַנט (Lutenant)Oberleutnant
/ Főhadnagy
Poručík
CaptainKapitaňSzázadosСотпик (Sotnyk)קאַפּיטאַן (Kapitan)Hauptmann / Rittmeister (cavalry) / SzázadosKapitán (archaically Stotník)
MajorMajorŐrnagyМайор (Maior)הויפּט (Hoypt)Major / ŐrnagyMajor
Lieutenant ColonelPodplukovnikAlezredesПідполковпик (Pidpolkovnyk)לוטענאַנט-פּאָלקאָווניק (Lutenant-polkovnik)Oberstleutnant / AlezredesPodplukovník
ColonelPlukovnikEzredesПолковпик
(Polkownyk)
פּאָלקאָווניק (Polkovnik)Oberst / EzredesPlukovník
CommandersVeľiceľeParancsnokokКомандири (Komandyry)קאַמאַנדערן (Kamandern)N/AVelitelia
ChieftainNačeľnikFőnökНачальник
(Načalnyk)
העטמאַן (Hetman)???Náčelník
Police CommanderVeľiceľParancsnokКомандир
(Komandyr)
קאַמאַנדער (Kamander)???Veliteľ

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The backstory, history and development of the Zemplín Federation's armed forces
- Part 1: History and evolution of the ZF military
- Part 2: Soldiers, ranks and rank insignia of the ZF military
- Part 3: Military inventories and equipment of the ZF military

There's much more detailed material about this ATL country's military behind all three links, including what military vehicles they use, etc.

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Sparrow Avengers universe - Soldiers, ranks and rank insignia of the Zemplín Federation (1918 - mid-to-late 1940s)

The rank insignia of the armed forces of the Zemplín Federation (1918 - late 1940s), from my Sparrow Avengers timeline/universe.

The Zemplín Federation is one of a number of region-based smaller successor states to former Austria-Hungary that emerged after a mildly alternate WWI, due to increasingly ATL developments during the later decades of Austria-Hungary and during WWI.

My Sparrow Avengers universe, in sporadic development for some fifteen years now, is intended as a somewhat more grounded homage to the Crimson Skies universe.

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Ranks in the Zemplín Federation's armed forces (in multiple languages)

An overview of ranks and how they sound in the individual main languages of the Zemplín Federation, including Zemplín dialects.

Unlike standard Slovak, the Zemplín dialect of the Slovak language does not use long vowels, only short vowels.

The Rusyn variations of the rank names are written in the Русиньскый алфавіт (Rusyn alphabet), followed by an English transliteration.

The Yiddish variations of the rank names are written in the Hebrew script used for Yiddish, followed by an English transliteration.

English termZemplín
Slovak term
Zemplín
Hungarian term
Zemplín
Rusyn term
Yiddish
term
Austro-Hungarian termStandard Slovak term
SoldierVojakKatonaсолдат (Soldat)זעלנער (Zelner)Soldat / KatonaVojak prvého stupňa
Soldier First ClassSlobodnikŐrvezetőСтарший солдат (Starshyy soldat)פּריוואַט (Privat)Gefreiter / ŐrvezetőVojak druhého stupňa
Non-commissioned
officer (NCO)
PodoficirAltisztПідофіцір (Pidoficir) נידעריקאָפיציר (Niderikofitsir) / יינגעראָפיציר (Eyngerofitsir)Unteroffizier / AltisztPoddôstojník
CorporalKapraľTizedesДесятник (Desyatnyk)קאָרפּאָראַל (Korporal)Korporal / TizedesDesiatnik, Kaprál
SergeantStražmešterŐrmesterЧотовий (Chotovyi)
Сержант (Serzhant)
סערזשאַנט (Serzhant)Zugsführer / ŐrmesterČatár, Seržant
Master sergeantŠtabnikTörzsőrmesterСтарший Чотовий
(Starshyy chotovyi)
Старший сержант (Starshyy serzhant)
סערזשאַנט-הויפּט (Serzhant-hoypt)Feldwebel / TörzsőrmesterRotmajster / Nadrotmajster
Staff sergeantŠtabmešterFőtörzsőrmesterСтаршіна
(Starshyna)
שטעקן סערזשאַנט (Shtekn serzhant)Stabsfeldwebel / FőtörzsőrmesterŠtábny nadrotmajster
CadetUčeňHadapródПідхорунжий (Pidkhorunzhyi)קאַדעט
(Kadet)
Kadett / KadetKadet
OfficerOficirTisztофіцір (Oficir)אָפיציר
(Ofitsir)
OffizierDôstojník
EnsignFenrichZászlósХорунжий (Khorunzhyi)ענסיגן (Ensin)Fähnrich / ZászlósPráporčík
Sub-lieutenantPodporučikHadnagyПідпоручпик (Pidporuchnyk)סובליעוטענאַנט (Sublyeutenant)Leutnant / HadnagyPodporučík
LieutenantPoručikFőhadnagyПоручпик (Poruchnyk)לוטענאַנט (Lutenant)Oberleutnant
/ Főhadnagy
Poručík
CaptainKapitaňSzázadosСотпик (Sotnyk)קאַפּיטאַן (Kapitan)Hauptmann / Rittmeister (cavalry) / SzázadosKapitán (archaically Stotník)
MajorMajorŐrnagyМайор (Maior)הויפּט (Hoypt)Major / ŐrnagyMajor
Lieutenant ColonelPodplukovnikAlezredesПідполковпик (Pidpolkovnyk)לוטענאַנט-פּאָלקאָווניק (Lutenant-polkovnik)Oberstleutnant / AlezredesPodplukovník
ColonelPlukovnikEzredesПолковпик
(Polkownyk)
פּאָלקאָווניק (Polkovnik)Oberst / EzredesPlukovník
GeneralsGeneraľeTábornagyokгенералі (Henerali)גענעראלן (Generaln)GeneralenGeneráli
Brigadier generalBrigadni generaľDandártábornokБригадний генерал
(Brihadnyi heneral)
בריגאדיר גענעראל (Brigadir general)Brigadengeneral / DandártábornokBrigádny generál
Major generalGeneraľmajorVezérőrnagyГенерал-майор (Heneral-maior)הויפּט גענעראַל (Hoypt General)Generalmajor / VezérőrnagyGenerálmajor
Lieutenant GeneralGeneraľporučikAltábornagyГенерал-лейтенант (Heneral-leitenant)
Генерал-поручник
(Heneral-poruchnyk)
גענעראל לוטענאַנט (General lutenant)Generalleutnant / AltábornagyGenerálporučík
Colonel GeneralGeneraľplukovnikVezérezredesГенерал-полковник (Heneral-polkovnyk)גענעראל-פּאָלקאָווניק (General-polkovnik)Generaloberst / VezérezredesGenerálplukovník
GeneralGeneraľTábornagyГенерал (Heneral)גענעראל (General)General / TábornagyGenerál


Ranks and their rank insignia symbols
Soldier - No rank insignia
Soldier First Class - 1 stylized grain
Corporal - 2 stylized grains
Sergeant - 3 stylized grains
Master sergeant - A full ear of grain
Staff sergeant - A stylized stalk with three ears of grain
Cadet - A fish
Ensign - 1 stylized acorn
Sub-lieutenant - 2 stylized acorns
Lieutenant - 3 stylized acorns
Captain - 1 stylized grape
Major - 2 stylized grapes
Lieutenant Colonel - 3 stylized grapes
Colonel - A full bunch of grapes
Brigadier General - 1 stylized river wave
Major General - 2 stylized river waves
Lieutenant General - 3 stylized river waves
Colonel General - A stylized tri-mount with a sharper central peak and two rounded summits to the side
General - A knightly helmet above the stylized tri-mount with a sharper central peak and two rounded summits to the side

Colour codes indicating service branch or unit type
Dark green - Infantry (riflemen, supplemented by light machine gunners and anti-tank riflemen in each rifleman unit)
Dark green and white square with red blood drop - Medical corps of the army (no religious symbolism, avoiding Christian or Jewish favouritism)
Spruce green and dark green trim - Jaegers / Skirmishers
Spruce green, crossed telekia (yellow oxeye) and Carpathian soldanelle (snowbell) flowers and dark green trim - Mountain marksmen
Dark green with light blue trim - Paratroopers
Light red with dark green trim - Heavy machine gunners and mortar crews
Dark red with dark green trim - Artillery and artillerymen
Light brown with dark green trim - Logistics and supply
Dark brown with dark green trim - Engineers and sappers
Dark green with dark blue trim - River patrol
Dark green with horseshoe (or wheel) - Mounted infantry / Light horse / Dragoons (or Bicycle infantry)
Light green with horseshoe - Cavalry (Hussars and Uhlans, the latter with added thin light-grey-ish trim)
Grey with light green trim - Tank, tankette, armoured car and other armoured ground vehicle crews and mechanics
Black - Railway military personnel
Light blue - Aircraft and military aviators, air force pilots
Light blue with added airship shape - Airships and airshipmen

Additional notes

The individual elements of the rank insignia are based on heraldic charges found in the coats of arms and county flags of the former Zemplín county and Ung county, previously part of the Hungarian half (Transleithania) of Austria-Hungary. The basic shape of the collar-worn rank insignia was patterned on WWI era Austro-Hungarian rank insignia. Given the fact that the Zemplín standard uniforms were based primarily on Austro-Hungarian soldier uniforms, this was a straightforward decision even in the earliest months of the new military.

Because the Zemplín Federation's armed forces had always been budget-conscious - much of their equipment and weaponry during the 1920s was WWI surplus, and later acquistions didn't always replace the older gear - the rank insignia was as simple, easy to remember and regular in its patterns as possible. There are no variations in the main symbols associated with each individual rank, though som operational branches of the military also include additional identifying symbols, and rarely a thinner bar in the trim. By far the greatest indulgence was the fairly substantial number of colours, used for coding the various branches of the military. Much of the rank insignia and colour codes had not changed throughout the existence of the Zemplín Federation, ever since they were designed in the early 1920s.

None of the symbols reflect ethnic, religious, political or any other identity or ideology. This is a deliberate move, since the philosophy behind the Zemplín Federation, including its armed forces, is a civic patriotism (developed from regional local-patriotism) that seeks cohesion and inclusion, in a polar opposite to a segregated military. There are therefore no symbols with religious connotations (Christian cross, Star of David in Judaism) on the medical corps rank insignia, as well as no symbols associated closely with only Slovaks, or only Hungarians, or only Rusyns, or only Jews, or any of the other ethnicities inhabiting independent Zemplín.

The rank insignia's individual elements still reflects the region's history, its past county heraldry and vexilology (both of the preceding Zemplín and Ung counties), as well as the natural riches of the region, making for a decidedly unique combination of rank symbols. The neutrality of the individual elements is meant to foster the civic patriotism esprit d' corps of the Zemplín military, instead of highlighting one group unfairly above or below another, instead of promoting ethnic or other exceptionalism.

When the rank insignia was being conceived in the early 1920s. there were some ultimately abandoned concepts for the symbols chosen. One of them was of featuring an oak sprig with several acorns in between the three-acorns insignia (lieutenant) and the single-grape insignia (captain), in the same manner as the full ears of grain for the higher sergeant ranks or the full bunch of grapes for the rank of colonel. This was not adopted, as it was felt it would interfere with the hierarchy of the individual ranks. Another example were ideas for some variations of the basic symbols, depending on certain operational branches, but due to the added complexity, budget and need for memorizing, these ideas were dropped as well, in favour of fully consistent rank insignia.

Though there are a handful of unique rank name variations in the Zemplín Federation's armed forces - most notably the likes of the "artillery sergeant", in homage to just such a separate rank name in the bygone Austro-Hungarian army - the absolute vast majority are all the same in every operational branch of the armed forces. Just like with the intentionally consistent symbolic hierarchy of the rank insignia, without any arbitrary irregularities, so too was it felt that the rank names need to stay consistent, rather than vary wildly from service to service. Whenever it is necessary to note the particular service of an armed forces member, terms like "sergeant of the jaegers" or "captain of the hussars" are used as descriptors. Soldier jargon had even led to the rise of certain rank-related colloquialisms in some of the branches, most nostably in the air force, where there's a habit of adding the prefix ľuft- ("air-") to the ranks of individual aeroplane pilots, and adding the prefix šif- ("ship-", in the sense of ľuftšif, "airship") to the ranks of individual airshipmen. Examples of these rank nicknames include ľuft-stražmešter ("air-sergeant"), ľuftkapitan ("air-captain") or šifporučik ("ship-lieutenant").

Regarding the absent general ranks in many branches of the armed forces, this is simply the consequence of the majority of the operational branches being under the main branches of the armed forces, i.e. the Infantry (most op-branches), Cavalry (originally 3 op-branches, later 2), Armour (originally part of the Cavalry, spun off after a few years, becoming a single self-contained branch), Railway troops (single self-contained op-branch) and Air Force / Aviation (2 op-branches, one focused on heavier-than-air aircraft and sundry, the other on the small airship fleet). Thus, you can have a colonel of jaegers, medics, artillery, engineers, logistics, dragoons, uhlans, the airship service, etc., but that is the highest possible rank within those operational branches, and any promotion of a person to brigade general reverts to assigning the rank to that of the respective main branch. Thus, a hypothetical artillery general or uhlan general or airship general will actually be a general of the Infantry, or a general of the Cavalry, or a general of the Air Force, in that order.

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Some infantry soldiers of the Zemplín Federation's armed forces (more details under the spoiler below)

Pechota Zemplínskej federácie (medzivojnové obdobie) = "Infantry of the Zemplín Federation (interwar period)"
fľintar - equivalent of "rifleman". Fľintar is an ATL word derived from the Zemplín dialect's generic word for a rifle or long gun - fľinta. The closest direct translation of fľintar into English would be akin to "fusilier". The Zemplín riflemen are equipped with green or brown standard issue uniforms, leather highboots (particularly good for the marshy parts of south Zemplín, or soggy terrain and rainy weather in general) or sturdy leather boots and shin-protecting puttees (both largelly inherited from WWI Austria-Hungary and worn in dryer weather and most terrain types), modified Russian Adrian helmets on their heads (these are being slowly supplemented with more modern Polish and Czech models), webbing, a bandolier (not finished yet and therefore not visible in this version) and a bayoneted Steyr-Männlicher M1895 or Mosin-Nagant 1891 bolt-action rifle (once again, captured leftovers or surplus from the times of the Great War). In more recent years, the riflemen have started to also use some Czech-designed newer bolt-action rifles, but these still aren't the most common in their arsenal.
oficir - an "officer" in Zemplín Slovak (predictable, ey ?). This one's wearing much of the same outfit as the average rifleman, but with a durable Austro-Hungarian-style kepi (also worn by riflemen and other footsoldiers, but less often than officers). He's holding a decorated officer's sword and, in his sidearm holster, carries a Rast & Gasser M1898 or a Nagant 1895 revolver, or one of the many WWI surplus Austro-Hungarian pistols. (These are not directly visible in the picture, but are yet another example of repurposed older equipment left over in the region after the end of WWI.) In more recent years, they had also started to carry Czech-designed pistols or Belgian-designed Browning pistols.
horský strelec - mountain marksman (horski štriľec in Zemplín Slovak), mountain infantryman, a mountain warfare subset of the Zemplín jaegers (jager in Zemplín Slovak), the irregular infantry skirmishers. The Zemplín Federation's homebrewn, somewhat DIY answer to the likes of Austro-Hungarian mountain troopers or Italian Bersaglieri of WWI. They're part of the irregular skirmisher infantry, a fairly elite part at that, akin to nearly special forces or commandos. As you can see in the picture, they have both summer (leto) and winter (zima) versions of their kit and uniform and carry combat knives instead of bayonets. Unlike regular riflemen, they wear hats or hoods on their head and always wear puttees, simple kneeguards and combat boots on their legs. Though they mostly travel on foot, after their initial establishment, the Zemplín Federation eventually started experimenting with gradually adding snowshoes and skis to their wintertime equipment, and the relevant showshoe travel and skiing to their wintertime mobility training. Thr mountain marksmen often perform border guard operations in the mountainous area of the federation's borders.

(The ATL terms present in the image are noted in parentheses.)

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Some mounted soldiers of the Zemplín Federation's armed forces (more details under the spoiler below)

Jednotky na koni Zemplínskej federácie (medzivojnové obdobie) = "Mounted units of the Zemplín Federation (interwar period)" (encompasses the cavalry consisting of lancers and hussars, as well as the horseman mounted infantry consisting of dragoons)
ulan - equivalent of "uhlan" and "lancer". Ulan is an OTL as well as ATL Zemplín dialect term for such a cavalry soldier. Zemplín was one of the few Slovak-speaking regions of former Austria-Hungary whose successor statelet kept a lancer tradition in their military, carrying it over from the Austro-Hungarian days. This was because the central and southern parts of the new country represented a rare area with predominantly lowland or low-hill terrain, a type of terrain better-suited to lancers than others. The Zemplín Federation's uhlans/lancers are equipped with green standard issue uniforms, leather highboots (particularly good for the marshy parts of south Zemplín, or soggy terrain and rainy weather in general) or sturdy leather boots and shin-protecting puttees (both largelly inherited from WWI Austria-Hungary and worn in dryer weather and most terrain types), modified Russian Adrian helmets on their heads (slowly supplemented with more modern Polish and Czech models), webbing, a bandolier (not finished yet and therefore not visible in this version), a cavalry lance (their primary melee weapon), a hanger or trench knife (melee sidearm), pistol or revolver (ranged, handgun sidearm), and the carbine version of a Steyr-Männlicher M1895 bolt-action rifle (their primary ranged weapon, though carried mainly as a backup to the lance). In more recent years, the uhlans/lancers have also started to use the carbine versions of some Czech-designed newer bolt-action rifles, but these still aren't the most common in their arsenal. By the latter half of the 1930s, uhlan units also started including at least one uhlan carrying an anti-tank rifle, an element inspired by Polish and CMSR mounted units of the era.
husar - equivalent of a "hussar", specifically one in the vein of a traditional 19th century hussar or WWI hussar of Austria-Hungary, but with the distinction that the Zemplín Federation's hussars eschew all ceremonial clothing elements and wear only an ordinary WWI style uniform, much like the Zemplín Federation's uhlans and dragoons (see below). Husar is, of course, an OTL as well as ATL Zemplín dialect term for such a cavalry soldier. The Zemplín Federation's hussars are equipped with green standard issue uniforms, leather highboots (particularly good for the marshy parts of south Zemplín, or soggy terrain and rainy weather in general) or sturdy leather boots and shin-protecting puttees (both largelly inherited from WWI Austria-Hungary and worn in dryer weather and most terrain types), modified Russian Adrian helmets (slowly supplemented with more modern Polish and Czech models) or modified kepis on their heads, webbing, a bandolier (not finished yet and therefore not visible in this version), a sabre (their primary melee weapon), a hanger or trench knife (melee sidearm), pistol or revolver (ranged, handgun sidearm), and the carbine version of a Steyr-Männlicher M1895 bolt-action rifle (their primary ranged weapon). In more recent years, the hussars have also started to use the carbine versions of some Czech-designed newer bolt-action rifles, but these still aren't the most common in their arsenal.
draguň - equivalent of "dragoon" or "lighthorseman". Draguň is an OTL as well as ATL Zemplín dialect term for such a mounted infantry soldier. The Zemplín Federation's dragoons / light horse are equipped with green standard issue uniforms, leather highboots (particularly good for the marshy parts of south Zemplín, or soggy terrain and rainy weather in general) or sturdy leather boots and shin-protecting puttees (both largelly inherited from WWI Austria-Hungary and worn in dryer weather and most terrain types), modified Russian Adrian helmets (slowly supplemented with more modern Polish and Czech models) or skirmisher style hats on their heads, webbing, a bandolier (not finished yet and therefore not visible in this version) and a bayoneted Steyr-Männlicher M1895 bolt-action rifle, or Mosin-Nagant 1891 bolt-action rifle, or the Steyr-Männlicher M1895 short rifle. Though the dragoons originally only carried hangers, trench knives and bayonets as their melee sidearms, a decision was made in the early days of the Zemplín military to equip them with sabres as well, just in case. (Making them the only non-cavalry soldiers to carry sabres.) They are also the only mounted troops to occassionally carry and use the sniper variant of the Steyr-Männlicher M1895 bolt-action rifle, which brings them closer than any other mounted unit to the jaeger and mountain marskman soldiers of the ZF's infantry. In more recent years, the dragoons have also started to use some Czech-designed newer bolt-action rifles and carbines, but these still aren't the most common in their arsenal. By the latter half of the 1930s, dragoon units also started including at least one dragoon carrying a light machine gun, which distinguished them even more greatly from the largelly similar armaments used by the hussar units.

(Austria-Hungary moved away from lance-equipped uhlans in the later 19th century, but in this ATL, they revisited the concept before the start of the 20th century and some of their successor states continued it in their own way after the ATL WWI. The Zemplín Federation's uhlans are comparable to the OTL and ATL post-WWI Polish uhlans, with the exception of not carrying sabres. Sabres are instead reserved for the hussars, who also double as ranged cavalry, While uhlans focus on lance charges of varying size, especially in ambushes on travelling and routed enemy infantry and some enemy mounted units, hussars focus on flanking and ride-by harassing of enemy infantry (sabre cuts a standard attack !) and on melee and ranged hit-and-run tactics, as well as on supporting the flanks of their own advancing infantry. The modern dragoon paradigm used by the Zemplín Federation and many of the other post-WWI states is comparable to the light horse units paradigm of WWI era ANZAC troops, albeit in an interwar central European context, rather than WWI Middle Eastern. Another point of reference are the OTL Czechoslovak, ATL CMSR and other interwar era mounted units. Though mounted infantry, they are also equipped with sabres, like the cavalry's hussars, and are the only non-officer infantrymen to carry them. Dragoons are rather versatile, fighting primarily dismounted, and intended for more direct fire support of the conventional infantry. Some neighbours of the ZF, including the Šariš Free State, only field hussars and dragoons, due to generally hilly terrain unsuitable for most lancer operations.)


The backstory, history and development of the Zemplín Federation's armed forces
- Part 1: History and evolution of the ZF military
- Part 2: Soldiers, ranks and rank insignia of the ZF military
- Part 3: Military inventories and equipment of the ZF military

There's much more detailed material about this ATL country's military behind all three links, including what military vehicles they use, etc.

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I'd just recommand that the officers ranks be discerned more easily from the lower ranks. The symbols for soldiers 1st class-sergeants and captain-LT Colonel may be easier to tell apart from a distance if, for example, they used different colours (ex silver vs gold or black vs gold) or else having the officers had a metallic thread border to their collar.
 
I hope the moderators will pardon my pulling this thread out of mothballs, but I have a question touching on uniforms for an Alternate History and didn't want to start a new thread in order to ask it: to whit, 'If one were designing a combination of British and United States military uniforms & rank insignia for a near-future setting, what do you think that should look like?'

This question is prompted by the cheerfully-bonkers 'Tuffleyverse' timeline for the tabletop wargame FULL THRUST, in which there exists a polity called the 'New Anglian Confederation' which appears to have been created when the United States of America was left something of a blasted stump by a Second American Civil War, with Great Britain and Canada stepping in to help pick up the pieces afterwards (My vague impression is of the relict United States becoming something like a Commonwealth Republic rather than a colony), getting the ball rolling to create something new.

Incidentally, none of the FULL THRUST factions seem to have been given uniform & insignia designs to date, so that might be a subject I return to with another power in mind at some point.

Background on the various powers in this setting can be found HERE

The timeline to which I refer can be found HERE
 
I hope the moderators will pardon my pulling this thread out of mothballs, but I have a question touching on uniforms for an Alternate History and didn't want to start a new thread in order to ask it: to whit, 'If one were designing a combination of British and United States military uniforms & rank insignia for a near-future setting, what do you think that should look like?'

This question is prompted by the cheerfully-bonkers 'Tuffleyverse' timeline for the tabletop wargame FULL THRUST, in which there exists a polity called the 'New Anglian Confederation' which appears to have been created when the United States of America was left something of a blasted stump by a Second American Civil War, with Great Britain and Canada stepping in to help pick up the pieces afterwards (My vague impression is of the relict United States becoming something like a Commonwealth Republic rather than a colony), getting the ball rolling to create something new.

Incidentally, none of the FULL THRUST factions seem to have been given uniform & insignia designs to date, so that might be a subject I return to with another power in mind at some point.

Background on the various powers in this setting can be found HERE

The timeline to which I refer can be found HERE

you could combine the US and UK rank insignias in a similar way to this.

If they are meant to be used on miniatures, you could otherwise start with the idea of insignias being discernible on ~ 28mm figure so that, for example, officers all have red gorget patch and accessories tells ranks apart (ex: "Generals" carries a stick.)

england.jpg
 
M. Pasquin, thank you very kindly for pointing this out to me: For the record this line of thought is purely speculative, rather than launched into with modelling in mind (Since my modelling skills are a solid Zero Minus) though one would absolutely love to come up with a design that looks good on wargaming materials. I'm still trying to work out how to best balance 'New & Improved' symbolism against 'Tried & True' (Not to mention something British, Canadian and formerly-US elements can all happily salute), but will try to post my ideas sooner rather than later.


In return for your kind consideration, please allow me to do my best to post a link to an interesting bit of 'Might Have Been' uniformology recently discovered on deviantArt.com (Though technical issues with my computer mean that I'm not sure this link will work 100%: if you try it, please let me know) -

Hopefully this will take you to a page where a speculative uniform for a United European Army is depicted based on some preliminary studies from the 1950s (and there seem to be links to sources of further information to boot).
 
you could combine the US and UK rank insignias in a similar way to this.

If they are meant to be used on miniatures, you could otherwise start with the idea of insignias being discernible on ~ 28mm figure so that, for example, officers all have red gorget patch and accessories tells ranks apart (ex: "Generals" carries a stick.)

View attachment 901790
I’m still puzzling out the exact insignia, but I do have a mental image of the New Anglian Confederation uniform, at least - one imagines a combination of Air Force cut and Royal Navy colour scheme & insignia, more or less (It makes more sense for spacers to wear a forage cap than a sailor hat, at least*); for some reason the mental image of the New Anglian Confederation wearing ‘Army Pinks & Greens’ with somewhat-British uniform for it’s service dress intrigues me, though I’m not sure how this combination would work in practice.

I’m definately thinking in terms of an commissioned officers/warrants officers/NCOs system along the British lines, rather than the US ranking system: I do think an eagle will be appearing in some form, though probably a golden eagle and not a bald eagle.


Still need to give this topic some thought (and would definitely like to have more artistic talent!).
 
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