Privateer
Privateer is a term used for a privately-owned vessel engaged in the practice of Commerce Raiding (also known as a Corsair) under a legally documented and issued Letter of Marque, or for a crewmember serving on such a vessel.
Description[edit]
| Privateer Ranks (Commerce Raider: Corsair / Privateer) |
|---|
| Officer Rank |
| R10 /O6+ » (Varies) |
| R09 /O5 » Group Leader |
| R08 /O4 » Leader |
| R07b/O3b» Captain |
| R07a/O3a» Captain-Lieutenant |
| R06 /O2 » First Lieutenant |
| R05 /O1 » Second Lieutenant |
| R04b /O0» (Third Lieutenant) / (Warrant Officer (Bosun)) |
| Ordinary Rank |
| R04a /WO» Warrant Officer (Chief) (various positions / titles) |
| R03 /E4 » Sergeant / (Mate) |
| R02 /E3 » Corporal / (Able Crew) |
| R01 /E2 » Henchman / Raider / Reaver / Marine |
| R00 /E1 » Apprentice Henchman / Raider |
| R00 /E0 » Lackey / Recruit |
Commerce Raiding under the auspices of Privateering is the formalized practice of attacking or threatening the use of armed force against the merchant shipping of a foreign state or other power or entity, whether of state, corporate, or private origin, for the purpose of taking either or both cargo and/or vessel as a prize for the sake of profit, and to cause deliberate harm or damage to the interests of the entity so targeted, or to discourage such behavior in the future from the entities so targeted. While Commerce Raiding is considered a legitimate operation of certain naval units during wartime as a means of disrupting enemy shipping and supply lines, when this type of operation is contracted out to private individuals or bonded corporate groups operating space vessels such as Starmercs by a legitimate interstellar government whether during wartime or other times of political tension that do not quite rise to the level of outright warfare, such individuals are referred to as Privateers and operate under the auspices of an official government-issued legal document known as a Letter of Marque and Reprisal. This document is the only legal paperwork that clearly distinguishes them from common opportunistic freelance crews, who are otherwise regarded as simple Pirates.
Starmerc Corsairs operating as Privateers often use a paramilitary seniority system of "ranking", though the specifics can vary. Ranks listed in italics in the chart at right tend to be specific to more formal and "official" Privateer or Naval Auxiliary Commerce Raider organizations.
Privateer Vessels[edit]
As dedicated and well-funded and outfitted operations backed by legal government sanction, Privateers, along with other dedicated Commerce Raiders and well financed Corsairs, typically employ vessels of the P-Class Corsair Vessel Mission Group in their operations.
Please see:
Historical Background[edit]
- No information currently available.