The Aquilan Archives (The War against the Darkness/Great Crusades Lorebook)

Section II, Chapter 2

Imperial Navy Ranks and Responsibilities.

(Much of this is taken from the WH40k Wiki [fandom one], just modified to fit the fic)

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The following will be the rank-structure of the Imperial Navy, begining with Flag-officers. (Also note that ranks with the prefix 'Imperial' are typically higher or more prestigious than similarly called ranks without the prefix. It essentially acts as 'knighting').

Imperial Grand Admiral: Rank can only be given by majority vote of the High Overlords, unanimous vote of the High lords of Gaia, or by Imperial royalty. Those who hold the rank are outside of Inquisitorial jurisdiction and answer directly to Imperial Royalty, the Emperor, the Custodes, Invictarii, and the High Overlords of Invictus. Typically placed in charge of Imperial Crusades or Grand Fleets. Supremely gifted in all manners of tactics, including ground; part of their initiation being defeating long-standing grand admiral in a 'Conquest'-style Wargames simulation, ensuring each generation of Grand Admirals is even more superb than the last. (Said simulations may last anywhere from a day to twenty years). They are typically are under the "Writ of Union", a holy oath binding their honor to the very Imperium and Royal Family itself.

Lord High Admiral of the Navy: Similar to the rank of Grand admiral, but technically lower in the hierarchy (part of the reason why the representative of the Navis Imperialis doesn't typically vote for new Grand Admiral positions due to the fact that they would be giving someone a higher rank than themselves), Lord High Admirals of the Navy is somewhat more of an administrative rank, handling paperwork for new deployments and approving new offensives, etc. They typically serve as second-in-command of Grand Fleets and handle much of the more menial tasks that find their way to the upper-echelons of a Grand Fleet's flag officers. This is also the title given to those within a Grand Fleet's internal council that do not command a Warfleet. The representative of the Navis Imperialis in the High Lords of Gaia is typically a Lord High Admiral of the Navy, but may be another rank.

This rank is not exempt from inquisitorial scrutiny or judgement unless performing a special task assigned to them by their representative Grand Admiral.

Imperial Lord High Admirals and Lord High Admirals: Typically in command of a Warfleet, these flag-officers may only be promoted to this rank by a council of LHANs (Lord High Admirals of the Navy), A Grand Admiral (with approval of at least one member of Imperial Royalty, a Custodes, or another Grand Admiral, a High Overlords of Invictus, or the collective High Lords of Terra). They are always skilled veterans in their art and craft.

And their art is war.

They often have their own councils of advisor and to manage their Warfleets, much like Grand admirals and their LHAN or other Lord High Admiral/Imperial Lord High Admiral staff, though obviously composed of lesser ranks. ILHAs and LHAs generally leave most administrative tasks to subordinates, as they are responsible for taking up those very same tasks among the larger Grand Fleet their respective Warfleet is part of. Their authority outranks the likes of planetary or sector governors, who's very own PDF (planetary Defense Force) Fleets fall under the jurisdiction of their assigned Segmentae Majoris, and their flagships are often Imperial Dreadnoughts or Leviathans (carrier versions of a dreadnought).

Lord Admirals: Generally in command of the more prestigious and veteran of the Imperium's Battlefleets, they are veterans in their craft, much like their superiors, but have been in a command position for a far lesser amount of time. When not given a command position, they generally act as part of any given Warfleet's ruling and administrative council (which is headed by the Warfleet's flag-officer). They and their commanded Battlefleet are often given oversight and charge of a given sector, and are often headqurtered in massive Segmentum Fortresses, battle stations the size of a small planetoid. If not based at a Segmentum Fortress, they utilize some other form of megastructure with sufficient anchorages and other facilities for the Battlefleet.