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A military never remains static; it is a dynamic beast that is continually evolving with the times. There are a multitude of things to do everyday for all those who are a part of it. The lower level people receive orders for the day from their superiors and they must follow them, lest they get in trouble. They are all part of the fantasy military hierarchy.
The military hierarchy is mostly derived from the real world. It’s also the driving factor in keeping the organization running smoothly since there’s many things to do regardless if you’re a soldier or supreme commander. Everyone must work together in harmony to ensure that the military remains in tiptop shape so it can effortlessly deal with whatever challenges it faces.
There are several key tips to create a fantasy military hierarchy that feels natural. The first one is to create all the positions that will be used for the military. This is the most important one since you aren’t just making the names of the different positions, you’ll also be fleshing out their descriptions.
With all the positions officially created, it’s time to focus on how they relate to each other. This dictates how people from different positions interact with each other which can and will affect how the military reacts to an ever-changing world. For instance, a lieutenant might need his platoon to clear out a band of bandits that’s been threatening the local townsfolk of late and he’ll need to use his position to have them deal with the nuisance.
The last tip in establishing a fantasy military hierarchy is to create an official chain of command. An organizational chart is the best way to go about it since you can construct it according to rank and show the positions both above and below it. The chain of command makes it easy for people to see where each position is in terms of influence.
This is the third article in the series looking at the fantasy military. If you want to see what other articles we have, they’re all on our blog page!
So you’ve decided to develop the military for your fictional world but you’re not sure where to start. Sometimes it’s better to take something as big as the military and break it down into smaller pieces so you can go through them without feeling overwhelmed. Coming up with all the different positions is a great first step!
You might be wondering why should you bother about creating all these different rankings? Well, these positions all play a crucial role in the fantasy military hierarchy. The military must always be ready to deal with whatever threats that arise and it requires great coordination between different ranks to accomplish successfully.
Jot down all positions you’d like to feature in the military on your favorite word processor or notepad. If you’re having trouble, there’s no harm in looking up those in the real world for ideas. They could even serve as inspiration for the unique ones you make for your own!
Now that you’ve written down all the positions you plan to use to build the fantasy military hierarchy, it’s time to flesh them out. Each rank comes with a set of responsibilities. While there might be an overlap of responsibilities among different ranks, that is an exception, not the norm. This helps you keep track of which positions have which responsibilities, minimizing the chance of a mix-up.
Having a clear set of responsibilities means everyone knows what they need to do. For example, a soldier might need to stand guard while the senior leadership meets to discuss strategy on where to attack next. Here, the soldier’s assignment is to keep his superiors safe from harm whereas their job is to look at the battlefield conditions, assess the battle readiness of the men, and evaluate the enemy numbers and fortifications and come up with a plan of attack that will lead them to victory while minimizing casualties.
Now that you’ve put down all of the positions you intend to use in your military alongside with their descriptions, it’s time to hone in on how they interact with one another. This is a crucial step in establishing a fantasy military hierarchy that not only fits in with the vibe of the world but also feels realistic to your audience.
You might be wondering why you should bother to put a lot of effort in doing this since it’s just a fictional world. The point of showcasing how people in different positions in the military interact with each other is to give your audience insight into its inner workings, considering that it’s something you see all the time in the real world across many different organizations. Thus, it feels more relatable and believable which will make it easier for your audience to immerse themselves into your world!
One common attribute you see in many organizations that you can apply when working on the fantasy military hierarchy is that the lower levels treat the higher-ups with respect. They view them as authority figures in addition of being not just their boss but their boss’s boss. They don’t denigrate them — at least in a public way — but they see them as people as to learn what to do and what not to do.
On the opposite side of the spectrum, people in higher positions in the military tend to treat their subordinates in a harsh but professional way. They don’t do so because they are mean-spirited, they do it to toughen them up. Battle is not a pretty sight and they need their people to be able to handle anything that can happen. They want them to be prepared not just physically but emotionally and mentally so that they can go back home to their families.
Many times, people from different positions will collaborate together on missions and etc. The objective is to successfully accomplish the mission without suffering any loss of life and synergy is key in achieving success. The leaders pay meticulous attention to realtime data so they can see how their men are faring and the subordinates regularly keep them posted on the latest developments. By dealing with all unexpected challenges together can they clear it safely and in a timely manner so that everyone can get back home safely.
Setting up the official chain of command is the third and last thing to do in regard to the hierarchy. It’s done by combining the first two together to make a hierarchy that feels natural and is part of how the world operates. A superb way to go about this is to develop an organizational chart.
This particular chart is used in many real world organizations to denote each position’s level but it can also apply to the fantasy military hierarchy. This chart is more of a visual aid designed to help you keep track of which level each position is in. You can use it as you further flesh out the world.
The chain of command for the military officially begins at the top with its leadership. This includes the person who is in charge of the entire military, regardless of if he was appointed or confirmed to the position. He oversees all operations and a group of leaders such as the top commanders, generals, and admirals give him recommendations and advice. They operate similar to the king’s royal council.
Below the senior leadership is the mid-level employees. They include lower ranked generals and so on. They are responsible for implementing the senior leadership’s orders which are to be done immediately. They’re also tasked with ensuring that their commands are in tiptop shape so they can be ready to serve when called upon.
The lower tiers of the military fantasy hierarchy are soldiers and other equivalent-level workers. They have a bevy of responsibilities to do such as maintenance and training to become proficient with their weapons. When they receive orders, they are expected to carry them out right away.
If done right, the hierarchy of the military will make it easier for your audience to be more immersed in the world you’ve built. They’ll see how people from different ranks interact with each other in a realistic way and work together as a team to confront whatever obstacles come their way.
As you start working on the hierarchy, the first thing to do is to make the positions that will comprise it. The fantasy military hierarchy wouldn’t exist if there were no positions, right? Don’t forget to give each one a set of responsibilities so that they don’t just stand around aimlessly all day.
Exploring how each position interacts with each other is key in creating a hierarchy that works well. In the end, the military is a whole team whose sole purpose is to protect the country and keep her people safe from harm. The different ranks all work together to ensure that happens without suffering any casualties which can be exceptionally difficult to prevent at times.
The military operates on a rigid hierarchy. The leadership issues orders with the expectation that they will be carried out swiftly. It’s up to the workers in the lower levels to implement them as well as inform them of any unforeseen circumstances or changes on the battlefield.
Focusing on creating the fantasy military hierarchy will make it feel natural to your audience as well as shed some light into its inner-workings. They will see how and why the decisions that the higher ups are made and see how their subordinates follow through as well as work together as a whole unit to defend the realm from those that mean her harm.
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Sunfire
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