So, as I continue my effort to convert the BFG campaign system to Firestorm Armada, one of the things I’m having to come up with is names for things that were previously very Grim Dark. Specifically, the BFG campaign system includes a set of commander titles and planet names that fit right in with the 40k universe, but clash rather badly with the Firestorm one (in my opinion).
Naming Planets
Starting with the planet names, I’m trying to get away from the 40k concept of a planet only doing one thing, or primarily only one thing. For example, you have Agri-worlds that are giant farms, Hive Worlds that are planet-sized cities, and so on. Firestorm seems a bit more familiar, so I imagine that planets are still somewhat generalized in their function. So, I am planning on using the following categories in the campaign:
Uninhabited: Worlds that, for whatever reason, have no permanent sentient presence. These could be pristine worlds set aside as nature preserves, or the site of a weapons test gone horribly wrong. More likely, though, they are just too worthless or bothersome to colonize!
Settled: These are planets that have some sort of permanent settlement, even if it is a small research or science facility. They may also be planets that have only recently been colonized, and as such are still in the “gold rush” phase of their development; these worlds very much represent a frontier for those pioneers hardy enough to venture there. This class of world can also be a world that has been settled for some time, but, for whatever reason, have become back-waters and not developed into larger settlements.
Developed: These planets boast moderate populations and reasonably well-developed infrastructure. Life here is a definite step up from a Settled world, as the colony is no longer one missed supply shipment or bad winter away from going hungry. These planets are capable of reasonable levels of industrial production, though much of that must be funneled back into the colony itself.
Civilized: These are some of the oldest and most well-developed planets in the galaxy. They feature large populations, but also have access to very high levels of technology which enable that population to live in relative comfort and safety. While some civilized worlds have degenerated into failed states full of dangerous slums, many others have been elevated to paradises, with green parks and forest preserves sharing space with the concrete canyons of sprawling cities.
Industrialized: These planets have become major centers of trade and manufacturing. Often, they are created in systems with many resource-rich planets and asteroids, giving their vast facilities ready access to the necessary raw materials. Industrialized worlds are started as such from scratch on planets and moons that are otherwise uninhabitable or would require uneconomical amounts of terraforming. While they typically have precious “spare” population, they are able to generate a prodigious amount of industrial production.
Commander Titles
With that sorted, I now turn to the titles for the commanders. My current plans involve having 6 commander ranks, and I would very much like to have unique ranks for each faction. Unfortunately, that means I will need a total of 36 titles for just the main 6 factions! The fluff in the rulebook and the faction books provides some small help, as they ocassionaly mention titles that a few famous personages have. I am also looking to historical and modern naval practice for ideas. Even so, the process is somewhat slow going! Here, I’m presenting what I’ve come up with for the Terrans and the Directorate:
Terrans
The Terran ranks are based most closely on customary naval ranks, since I’m assuming the Terrans are the most tradition bound of the human factions:
- Captain
- Commodore
- Rear Admiral
- Vice Admiral
- Fleet Admiral
- Star Admiral
Directorate
The Directorate, on the other hand, are the least conventional of the human factions. Their organization is hinted as being more like a major corporation than a military, so I decided to come up with a list of titles that reflects that:
- Associate Fleet Manager
- Fleet Manager
- General Fleet Manager
- Deputy Director, Fleet Operations
- Director, Fleet Operations
- Vice President of Fleet Operations
And there you have it. As I continue to crank away, if you have any suggestions for additional titles, please let me know. Until next time!
