Dutch's Imperial Culture Corner: The Imperial Navy
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Dutch's Imperial Culture Corner
Were we have a detailed look at the (sometimes) more unknown organizations operating in the Empire. Since we're done with half the provinces, I decided to do something special. I rolled a 1d8 for the topic and you guys got the Imperial Navy.
Obligatory Sailor music
The Imperial Navy
The Imperial navy as we know it is one of the most powerful navies in the Old World, it provides opportunities for the rich and poor, and is one of the only institutions were nobles and commoners not only rub shoulders, but mingle. Whether you are a soldier or sailor, craftsman or cook, weaver or gunner, armorer or engineer, the Imperial Navy needs you.
The Imperial navy is an essential part of the Empire's military. It is not only responsible for defending the coast and trade routes, but also transports state troops and militias wherever they may be needed, acting as a force multiplier and allowing for a rapid deployment of Imperial troops. Further, the navy is used to blockade enemy ports, escort merchant convoys, explore distant lands, transport important dignitaries, and for capturing foreign vessels.
No matter someone's skill there is a place for everyone in the navy.
The first Imperial ships were build over two thousand years ago, in response to Norscan raids in the north. The Norscan tribes were expert shipbuilders and launched frequent raids on the coastal provinces. According to the Chronicles of the venerable Ottokar, the local nobles were "powerless to the blasphemous Norse." because every time they rallied an army against them they would "Flee to their vessels like the godless cowards they were, and sail down to another part of the coast to attack."
Because the Empire lacked a method to transport its troops along the coast the Norscans had freedom to raid anywhere they wanted. In an attempt to change this, the desperate nobles ordered "Great boats be built, so Westerland may be proud again in Sigmar's grace."
Apparently they succeeded because not every long after that entry it is noted; "There were great boats from point to point with great men within, bone-cages wrapped in battle coats, arms bright with weapons of war."
So successful was this early ship-building that the Local dukes and Counts demanded their coastal Barons "All build a ship for the transport of men." as part of their feudal obligations. This change proved effective against the Norscans because "They did smite the Norse like Sigmar to the unholy." However it was not enough.
In 632 the Norscans sacked Marienburg, the capital of Westerland (A feat that they would repeat three more times). According to Sigmarite records, the Emperor himself demanded that action should be taken. After lengthy discussion a new title was created: "And with Sigmar's wisdom, he did order the Keepers of the Coast be made true by law".
These new nobles were charged with creating and manning ships, further they were to: "Establish coastal patrols and watch-fires, organize routes of escape and fortifications for when invasions were too large to bear."
By the time of the mid 700s the standing navy of the Empire had spread across the northern and western coasts of the Empire. According the dwarf Saga of Damrik Ulgriksson:
Despite Damrik's opinion the fleet proved effective, the fleet did make a difference. For in 765, the Baron of Westerland concluded treaties with the Norscan Sarl, Skaeling and Bjornling tribes at the Althing of Traktatsey. Ending hostilities.
For the next three generations the Keepers of the Coast were largely ceremonial in nature, with most of them never seeing the sea or setting foot on a ship. This was a mistake, in time the Norscans took advantage of the Empire's lowered defenses. Marienburg was sacked a second time in 1109 and shamefully it wasn't Imperial forces that forced them to leave but the Black Plague in 1111. If not for the plague the Norscans would have most likely held the city.
The next two centuries civil issues at the heart of the Empire left the coastal provinces to fend for themselves. And while the navy never truly died in this period, it was devastated. Nordland was raided and settled, and records show that Westerland and Ostland didn't fare better. The permanent arrival of the Norscans did have one advantage though.
While advancements were made in the north, disaster struck in the south. The civil war had begun, by 1360 there were two Emperors and by 1547 there were three. While the Empire disintegrated around it, the navies of Nordland, Ostland, Middenland, Reikland and Westerland rose to prominence, particularly those of Reikland and Westerland. Altdorf is said to have built several large bridges to block the power of the fledgling Talabeclander and Wissenlander navy, safeguarding Altdorf from bombardment and smothering naval dreams from both provinces in their infancy.
Illustrations and Tapestries from the period suggest that the ships were armed with simple catapults and bolt throwers, along with longbow men. Imperial ships were designed for river or short coastal journeys and their designs didn't change for many centuries. However one port did make some advancements: Marienburg
The Westerlander port city was growing fast as merchants from across the Old World gathered to gain access to the goods of the war-thorn Empire. Of these, the most advanced were the Tileans (Yes, I did check my eyes and double checked the text, who'd have thought that Tileans could be useful). They were skilled with black powder and in shipbuilding.
The temple of Verena in Marienburg recorded:
The Westerlanders took this as a challenge and in short order Tilean secrets were secured and Marienburg's ships spotted new designs in relative short time. Westerlander art from the middle of the 16th century depicts ships with small crude cannons. Neither save nor pretty, but they look like cannons.
Naturally, the Dwarfs were displeased.
Marienburg ignored the declaration and several angry records in Middenheim speak of the Westerlanders sinking all vessels of the coast of Nordland and Ostland, bringing all trade from Kislev and Norsca under their control. When the Empire finally fell apart in the early second millennium, there were no fleets north of Marienburg, but Carroburg and Altdorf both had a large amount of ships on the river Reik. The Marienburg fleet outnumbered both combined, something that was necessary, because Marienburg was sacked again by the Norscans in 1360 and 1850. With its new naval superiority it could afford to follow Tilea's example and explorer.
As a result, the Empire "discovered" Ulthuan in 2000 and was warned to stay away from the open seas on pain of death. The elves made good on their promise until the Treaty of Marienburg in 2150.
While the fleet of Marienburg grew, so did the fleet of Reikland, if slower. The Nordland and Ostland fleets were eradicated; the Middenland fleet lasted longer, but was destroyed in 2251 after a dispute between the Wolf Emperor and the Baron of Westerland.
When Magnus the Pious reunited the Empire, Marienburg's navy rapidly made it into a world power, though not without help. Though in the past, when the last true noble ruling over Westerland died and the merchants council was put into place, the aging and largely useless Reikland navy was named the 'Imperial First Fleet' on insistence of the Cult of Sigmar, even though it was hardly fit for service. The Marienburg's superior navy was named "The Imperial Second Fleet". This naming scheme changed, however, upon Magnus's ascension to power.
Instead, the 'First Imperial Fleet' was finally let go, as none of its ships had even touched open sea in generations, not to mention generally being nigh unusable in battle or anything beyond short bursts of traveling. Ships still plied Reikland's waters then and to this day, only without the greater prestige and authority of before. Scholars theorize to this day that had it not been Magnus the Pious who did the deed, the Cult of Sigmar might have gone into an uproar instead of the quiet and short lived grumbling they displayed instead.
The mantle, instead, was given over to Nordland who had made a stunning recovery in naval power under the brilliant logistician Stephan von Kessel, the province's Elector Count, and renamed the First Imperial Navy. Said naming scheme was copied soon after by Westerland, i.e. the Second Imperial Navy. Soon after, as a requested award for heroic actions in 2312 IC (See, Battle of Three Armies), the Count of Ostland, Frederick von Hohenzollern, became the Steward of the Third Imperial Navy while his province's one major port - Salkalten - became its home.
The Imperial fleet has a strict order of command that can generally be sorted into three groups. Commissioned Officers, nobles granted right to command by the Elector Count. Warrant Officers, commoners whose talents and experience demands special recognition. And lastly, Seamen.
Commissioned officers each hold a commission, a letter granting them the right to exercise some of the Elector's authority in return for performing duties. Only nobles can hold commissions and holders are entitled men of the Empire while they hold their commission. Some commission can be hereditary and can be passed down. Commissioned officers have right to a private cabin and are attended to by several servants.
At the Head of a Fleet stands the Imperial Sea Lord, who is only answerable to his respective Elector Count. An Admiral a responsible for a squadron of ships, which can range from an entire fleet to two ships, but commands normally between three to twelve ships. Admirals with a large squadron usually appoint captains to act as Vice-Admirals to command the lead ships, the "Van" that will bear the brunt during the fighting, and Rear-Admirals, who command the "Rear". Typically the Vice-Admiral is rated higher than the Rear-Admiral.
The length of an Admiral commission varies.
The rank of Captain is relatively new, and was established by the Prince of Altdorf in 2235 in order to differentiate between the master of a ship larger than 700 men and the master of a smaller vessel. Magnus the Pious granted the position its commissioned status, afterwards the Electors of Reikland and Westerland gave offered a Captain commission to every noble commanding a warship in order to entice experienced nobles into the navy.
Nowadays most Reiklander Captains have little to no knowledge no how to run a ship, and have to rely on their officers to for all technical aspects of running their vessels. They dream of easy glory and riches. Nordlander Captains are by contrast almost all seasoned veterans and the Nordland fleet refuses to grant Captain Commissions to those who have no idea to run their ships. This difference in mentality of both the captains and their command is a point of conflict between the two fleets. This doesn't stop rivalries from forming within both fleets though.
Every Captain is assisted by one or more Lieutenants, the last of the commissioned ranks. Their deployments depend on the ship and its Captain, most are responsible for a deck or quarter, or act as a second in command for the Captain. Lieutenants of larger vessels are often regarded higher than Captains of smaller ships and informally hold more authority.
While the nobles command the ships, the Warrant Officers run them. All ships require specialists, and these specialists are granted a warrant, a letter from the Sea lord granting them special privileges, including better pay and a servant and mate to help them with their work. In the Nordland fleet experience is rated higher than commission and a Warrant Officer who knows his stuff is rated higher than a Lieutenant, and high-ranking Warrant Officers are treated like Commissioned Officers in all respects. In the Reikland fleet most nobles would rather die than taking an order from a commoner.
The highest ranking Warrant Officers are called Wardroom Officers; they are named like that because they are allowed to eat in the Officer's mess hall. Most common Wardroom Officers are magisters, masters, surgeons, priests and pursers. The master is regarded as the most important Wardroom Officer, as he is often an experienced ship commander in his own right, and is responsible for running the ship and navigation. In the Nordland fleet a Master is the second in command instead of a Lieutenant.
Standing Officers are highly skilled commoners who are responsable for an important aspect of running the ship. Many are permanently attached to their ships, and can be sorted into three groups; Boatswain, Carpenter, and Gunner.
Boatswains (pronounced bosun) are in charge of the rigging, sails and anchors and making sure that the crew conduct themselves efficiently. They are also the ones who deal out punishment and are often feared men on the ship.
The Carpenter is the most important standing officer, it's his job to make sure that the vessel keeps floating and his crew is always inspecting and doing maintenance.
The Gunner is responsible for the ship's guns, and insures carriages, cannons, tackle, instruments and gunpowder are properly stored and ready for use. All gun crews and the ships armorer answer to him. He doesn't give the order to fire, that's left in the hands of the Lieutenant.
Lower Warrant Officers are skilled seamen who have worked below deck and worked their way up. The Captain can promote or demote them on a whim. The most common Lower Warrant Officers are; armorer, cook, caulker, master-at-arms, ropemaker, and sailmaker. The Armorer serves as a smith, making whatever the Gunner needs. The Cook is often an old are disabled sailor who earned his warrant through service, he feeds the crew. The Caulker fills the ships seams with oakum, to keep the ship watertight, and answers to the Carpenter. The Master-at-Arms is the ship's watchman, keeps the peace and trains the crew for boarding actions; he is typically a former Marine. The Ropemaker and Sailmaker work for the Boatswain and make their respective things.
After that there are the Seamen who are led by Coxswains (Petty Officers).
The Marines are the fighting wing of the navy and follow a separate command structure similar to the State Army. They board other ships, attack coastal targets from warships, and work as firefighters, arms trainers, and bridge watchers. Their relation with the seamen is often poor and officers from both sides keep a close eye to the situation the stop incidents from escalating.
The Imperial Navy uses two primary means of communication. Flags and pennants, and whistle blasts. However other ways exist, especially since the arrival of Engineers aboard many ships. Flags and pennants are the most popular method of communication, 26 square flags represent and 10 triangular pennants represent numbers. Several combinations have preset meaning. 0F For example means that a ship's powder store is vulnerable and that other ships should move away in case it explodes. The Nordland fleet also uses a hand-flag system to supplement this.
Heraldic flags, called ensigns by the navy, are used to provide information about the ship; it's home province, whom it represents, if there's a Sea Lord or Admiral on board. The Admiral's ship is known as the flagship since it flies his crest.
Whistles are used for communication on the ship itself and every officer, from the Sea Lord to the Coxswain has a whistle as a symbol of their authority. With different tones and lengths carrying different messages.
The navy employs a large amount of people and it is always recruiting. Despite popular believe it doesn't just press-gang people into service, since almost no one wants untrained men on their ship who don't know what to do. Men who are press-ganged have often served on merchant ships before joining the navy or, in some cases, have served on foreign ships. Most people in the navy are volunteers who join for the regular pay and promise of adventure. Most people in the navy are unmarried men between the age of 18 and 30.
People employed by the navy have a lot of responsibilities, but in return they get many benefits. Most people in the navy work onboard ships and are at sea for months at a time, or work in its massive support and bureaucratic network. A select few work undercover as spies. Whatever the work, if it needs done it gets done. Whoever joins the navy gets a fresh start, access to the naval missions along the river Reik and coasts, and a chance at riches.
All new recruits get cleaned, deloused, and clothed, and after signing their contract, are guaranteed wages. They also get fed on board, a significant draw to people who have no chance at other employment. The network of naval missions along the Reik and coast provide serving seamen with cheap food, bedding and entertainment, which makes them very popular.
The largest draw by far is the chance at riches. Any ship legally captured gets sold, along with its contents, upon returning to port. The money earned is split between the Sea Lord and the crew. The Sea Lord takes one eight, the Captain takes one quarter, the Lieutenants, Master, Warrant Officers and Petty Officers each take one eight. The last eight is split by the Seamen and Marines. However, if a ship is illegally captured, then the full cost is borne by the Captain, something that can easily turn a man into a pauper if he's not careful.
Were we have a detailed look at the (sometimes) more unknown organizations operating in the Empire. Since we're done with half the provinces, I decided to do something special. I rolled a 1d8 for the topic and you guys got the Imperial Navy.
Obligatory Sailor music
The Imperial Navy
The Imperial navy as we know it is one of the most powerful navies in the Old World, it provides opportunities for the rich and poor, and is one of the only institutions were nobles and commoners not only rub shoulders, but mingle. Whether you are a soldier or sailor, craftsman or cook, weaver or gunner, armorer or engineer, the Imperial Navy needs you.
The Imperial navy is an essential part of the Empire's military. It is not only responsible for defending the coast and trade routes, but also transports state troops and militias wherever they may be needed, acting as a force multiplier and allowing for a rapid deployment of Imperial troops. Further, the navy is used to blockade enemy ports, escort merchant convoys, explore distant lands, transport important dignitaries, and for capturing foreign vessels.
No matter someone's skill there is a place for everyone in the navy.
The first Imperial ships were build over two thousand years ago, in response to Norscan raids in the north. The Norscan tribes were expert shipbuilders and launched frequent raids on the coastal provinces. According to the Chronicles of the venerable Ottokar, the local nobles were "powerless to the blasphemous Norse." because every time they rallied an army against them they would "Flee to their vessels like the godless cowards they were, and sail down to another part of the coast to attack."
Because the Empire lacked a method to transport its troops along the coast the Norscans had freedom to raid anywhere they wanted. In an attempt to change this, the desperate nobles ordered "Great boats be built, so Westerland may be proud again in Sigmar's grace."
Apparently they succeeded because not every long after that entry it is noted; "There were great boats from point to point with great men within, bone-cages wrapped in battle coats, arms bright with weapons of war."
So successful was this early ship-building that the Local dukes and Counts demanded their coastal Barons "All build a ship for the transport of men." as part of their feudal obligations. This change proved effective against the Norscans because "They did smite the Norse like Sigmar to the unholy." However it was not enough.
In 632 the Norscans sacked Marienburg, the capital of Westerland (A feat that they would repeat three more times). According to Sigmarite records, the Emperor himself demanded that action should be taken. After lengthy discussion a new title was created: "And with Sigmar's wisdom, he did order the Keepers of the Coast be made true by law".
These new nobles were charged with creating and manning ships, further they were to: "Establish coastal patrols and watch-fires, organize routes of escape and fortifications for when invasions were too large to bear."
By the time of the mid 700s the standing navy of the Empire had spread across the northern and western coasts of the Empire. According the dwarf Saga of Damrik Ulgriksson:
Despite Damrik's opinion the fleet proved effective, the fleet did make a difference. For in 765, the Baron of Westerland concluded treaties with the Norscan Sarl, Skaeling and Bjornling tribes at the Althing of Traktatsey. Ending hostilities.
For the next three generations the Keepers of the Coast were largely ceremonial in nature, with most of them never seeing the sea or setting foot on a ship. This was a mistake, in time the Norscans took advantage of the Empire's lowered defenses. Marienburg was sacked a second time in 1109 and shamefully it wasn't Imperial forces that forced them to leave but the Black Plague in 1111. If not for the plague the Norscans would have most likely held the city.
The next two centuries civil issues at the heart of the Empire left the coastal provinces to fend for themselves. And while the navy never truly died in this period, it was devastated. Nordland was raided and settled, and records show that Westerland and Ostland didn't fare better. The permanent arrival of the Norscans did have one advantage though.
While advancements were made in the north, disaster struck in the south. The civil war had begun, by 1360 there were two Emperors and by 1547 there were three. While the Empire disintegrated around it, the navies of Nordland, Ostland, Middenland, Reikland and Westerland rose to prominence, particularly those of Reikland and Westerland. Altdorf is said to have built several large bridges to block the power of the fledgling Talabeclander and Wissenlander navy, safeguarding Altdorf from bombardment and smothering naval dreams from both provinces in their infancy.
Illustrations and Tapestries from the period suggest that the ships were armed with simple catapults and bolt throwers, along with longbow men. Imperial ships were designed for river or short coastal journeys and their designs didn't change for many centuries. However one port did make some advancements: Marienburg
The Westerlander port city was growing fast as merchants from across the Old World gathered to gain access to the goods of the war-thorn Empire. Of these, the most advanced were the Tileans (Yes, I did check my eyes and double checked the text, who'd have thought that Tileans could be useful). They were skilled with black powder and in shipbuilding.
The temple of Verena in Marienburg recorded:
The Westerlanders took this as a challenge and in short order Tilean secrets were secured and Marienburg's ships spotted new designs in relative short time. Westerlander art from the middle of the 16th century depicts ships with small crude cannons. Neither save nor pretty, but they look like cannons.
Naturally, the Dwarfs were displeased.
Marienburg ignored the declaration and several angry records in Middenheim speak of the Westerlanders sinking all vessels of the coast of Nordland and Ostland, bringing all trade from Kislev and Norsca under their control. When the Empire finally fell apart in the early second millennium, there were no fleets north of Marienburg, but Carroburg and Altdorf both had a large amount of ships on the river Reik. The Marienburg fleet outnumbered both combined, something that was necessary, because Marienburg was sacked again by the Norscans in 1360 and 1850. With its new naval superiority it could afford to follow Tilea's example and explorer.
As a result, the Empire "discovered" Ulthuan in 2000 and was warned to stay away from the open seas on pain of death. The elves made good on their promise until the Treaty of Marienburg in 2150.
While the fleet of Marienburg grew, so did the fleet of Reikland, if slower. The Nordland and Ostland fleets were eradicated; the Middenland fleet lasted longer, but was destroyed in 2251 after a dispute between the Wolf Emperor and the Baron of Westerland.
When Magnus the Pious reunited the Empire, Marienburg's navy rapidly made it into a world power, though not without help. Though in the past, when the last true noble ruling over Westerland died and the merchants council was put into place, the aging and largely useless Reikland navy was named the 'Imperial First Fleet' on insistence of the Cult of Sigmar, even though it was hardly fit for service. The Marienburg's superior navy was named "The Imperial Second Fleet". This naming scheme changed, however, upon Magnus's ascension to power.
Instead, the 'First Imperial Fleet' was finally let go, as none of its ships had even touched open sea in generations, not to mention generally being nigh unusable in battle or anything beyond short bursts of traveling. Ships still plied Reikland's waters then and to this day, only without the greater prestige and authority of before. Scholars theorize to this day that had it not been Magnus the Pious who did the deed, the Cult of Sigmar might have gone into an uproar instead of the quiet and short lived grumbling they displayed instead.
The mantle, instead, was given over to Nordland who had made a stunning recovery in naval power under the brilliant logistician Stephan von Kessel, the province's Elector Count, and renamed the First Imperial Navy. Said naming scheme was copied soon after by Westerland, i.e. the Second Imperial Navy. Soon after, as a requested award for heroic actions in 2312 IC (See, Battle of Three Armies), the Count of Ostland, Frederick von Hohenzollern, became the Steward of the Third Imperial Navy while his province's one major port - Salkalten - became its home.
The Imperial fleet has a strict order of command that can generally be sorted into three groups. Commissioned Officers, nobles granted right to command by the Elector Count. Warrant Officers, commoners whose talents and experience demands special recognition. And lastly, Seamen.
Commissioned officers each hold a commission, a letter granting them the right to exercise some of the Elector's authority in return for performing duties. Only nobles can hold commissions and holders are entitled men of the Empire while they hold their commission. Some commission can be hereditary and can be passed down. Commissioned officers have right to a private cabin and are attended to by several servants.
At the Head of a Fleet stands the Imperial Sea Lord, who is only answerable to his respective Elector Count. An Admiral a responsible for a squadron of ships, which can range from an entire fleet to two ships, but commands normally between three to twelve ships. Admirals with a large squadron usually appoint captains to act as Vice-Admirals to command the lead ships, the "Van" that will bear the brunt during the fighting, and Rear-Admirals, who command the "Rear". Typically the Vice-Admiral is rated higher than the Rear-Admiral.
The length of an Admiral commission varies.
The rank of Captain is relatively new, and was established by the Prince of Altdorf in 2235 in order to differentiate between the master of a ship larger than 700 men and the master of a smaller vessel. Magnus the Pious granted the position its commissioned status, afterwards the Electors of Reikland and Westerland gave offered a Captain commission to every noble commanding a warship in order to entice experienced nobles into the navy.
Nowadays most Reiklander Captains have little to no knowledge no how to run a ship, and have to rely on their officers to for all technical aspects of running their vessels. They dream of easy glory and riches. Nordlander Captains are by contrast almost all seasoned veterans and the Nordland fleet refuses to grant Captain Commissions to those who have no idea to run their ships. This difference in mentality of both the captains and their command is a point of conflict between the two fleets. This doesn't stop rivalries from forming within both fleets though.
Every Captain is assisted by one or more Lieutenants, the last of the commissioned ranks. Their deployments depend on the ship and its Captain, most are responsible for a deck or quarter, or act as a second in command for the Captain. Lieutenants of larger vessels are often regarded higher than Captains of smaller ships and informally hold more authority.
While the nobles command the ships, the Warrant Officers run them. All ships require specialists, and these specialists are granted a warrant, a letter from the Sea lord granting them special privileges, including better pay and a servant and mate to help them with their work. In the Nordland fleet experience is rated higher than commission and a Warrant Officer who knows his stuff is rated higher than a Lieutenant, and high-ranking Warrant Officers are treated like Commissioned Officers in all respects. In the Reikland fleet most nobles would rather die than taking an order from a commoner.
The highest ranking Warrant Officers are called Wardroom Officers; they are named like that because they are allowed to eat in the Officer's mess hall. Most common Wardroom Officers are magisters, masters, surgeons, priests and pursers. The master is regarded as the most important Wardroom Officer, as he is often an experienced ship commander in his own right, and is responsible for running the ship and navigation. In the Nordland fleet a Master is the second in command instead of a Lieutenant.
Standing Officers are highly skilled commoners who are responsable for an important aspect of running the ship. Many are permanently attached to their ships, and can be sorted into three groups; Boatswain, Carpenter, and Gunner.
Boatswains (pronounced bosun) are in charge of the rigging, sails and anchors and making sure that the crew conduct themselves efficiently. They are also the ones who deal out punishment and are often feared men on the ship.
The Carpenter is the most important standing officer, it's his job to make sure that the vessel keeps floating and his crew is always inspecting and doing maintenance.
The Gunner is responsible for the ship's guns, and insures carriages, cannons, tackle, instruments and gunpowder are properly stored and ready for use. All gun crews and the ships armorer answer to him. He doesn't give the order to fire, that's left in the hands of the Lieutenant.
Lower Warrant Officers are skilled seamen who have worked below deck and worked their way up. The Captain can promote or demote them on a whim. The most common Lower Warrant Officers are; armorer, cook, caulker, master-at-arms, ropemaker, and sailmaker. The Armorer serves as a smith, making whatever the Gunner needs. The Cook is often an old are disabled sailor who earned his warrant through service, he feeds the crew. The Caulker fills the ships seams with oakum, to keep the ship watertight, and answers to the Carpenter. The Master-at-Arms is the ship's watchman, keeps the peace and trains the crew for boarding actions; he is typically a former Marine. The Ropemaker and Sailmaker work for the Boatswain and make their respective things.
After that there are the Seamen who are led by Coxswains (Petty Officers).
The Marines are the fighting wing of the navy and follow a separate command structure similar to the State Army. They board other ships, attack coastal targets from warships, and work as firefighters, arms trainers, and bridge watchers. Their relation with the seamen is often poor and officers from both sides keep a close eye to the situation the stop incidents from escalating.
The Imperial Navy uses two primary means of communication. Flags and pennants, and whistle blasts. However other ways exist, especially since the arrival of Engineers aboard many ships. Flags and pennants are the most popular method of communication, 26 square flags represent and 10 triangular pennants represent numbers. Several combinations have preset meaning. 0F For example means that a ship's powder store is vulnerable and that other ships should move away in case it explodes. The Nordland fleet also uses a hand-flag system to supplement this.
Heraldic flags, called ensigns by the navy, are used to provide information about the ship; it's home province, whom it represents, if there's a Sea Lord or Admiral on board. The Admiral's ship is known as the flagship since it flies his crest.
Whistles are used for communication on the ship itself and every officer, from the Sea Lord to the Coxswain has a whistle as a symbol of their authority. With different tones and lengths carrying different messages.
The navy employs a large amount of people and it is always recruiting. Despite popular believe it doesn't just press-gang people into service, since almost no one wants untrained men on their ship who don't know what to do. Men who are press-ganged have often served on merchant ships before joining the navy or, in some cases, have served on foreign ships. Most people in the navy are volunteers who join for the regular pay and promise of adventure. Most people in the navy are unmarried men between the age of 18 and 30.
People employed by the navy have a lot of responsibilities, but in return they get many benefits. Most people in the navy work onboard ships and are at sea for months at a time, or work in its massive support and bureaucratic network. A select few work undercover as spies. Whatever the work, if it needs done it gets done. Whoever joins the navy gets a fresh start, access to the naval missions along the river Reik and coasts, and a chance at riches.
All new recruits get cleaned, deloused, and clothed, and after signing their contract, are guaranteed wages. They also get fed on board, a significant draw to people who have no chance at other employment. The network of naval missions along the Reik and coast provide serving seamen with cheap food, bedding and entertainment, which makes them very popular.
The largest draw by far is the chance at riches. Any ship legally captured gets sold, along with its contents, upon returning to port. The money earned is split between the Sea Lord and the crew. The Sea Lord takes one eight, the Captain takes one quarter, the Lieutenants, Master, Warrant Officers and Petty Officers each take one eight. The last eight is split by the Seamen and Marines. However, if a ship is illegally captured, then the full cost is borne by the Captain, something that can easily turn a man into a pauper if he's not careful.
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