Khan

Khan (also known as kaKhan) is a high rank in Clan society, designating the leader of a Clan. When the Clan requires military action above the small scale skirmishes that are Trials of Possession, the Clan Council becomes a Kurultai (War Council) and it elects from within a council member to become a Khan. The Khan (though having much more influence) can't interfere with Clan laws/society; that is still in the hands of the Council. He/she is, however, commander of the entire Clan's military assets, including the touman, and becomes the top of the military hierarchy that doesn’t exist without a Khan.

saKhan

The saKhan is the second-in-command of a Clan. His or her duties are less well-defined than that of the Khan, and often involve doing what is necessary to carry out the Khan's agenda.

Oathmaster

An Oathmaster was a special position created by Khan Sandra Rosse of Clan Nova Cat. Originally the Oathmaster was charged with ensuring that all members of Clan Nova Cat adhered to the beliefs and practices of the Clans. In time they took on a more mystical role, becoming responsible for the spiritual well-being of the Clan. Oathmasters were responsible for interpreting visions, especially on behalf of those Khans who lacked the clarity of sight to foretell the future. They were also responsible for interpreting the prophecies which Sandra Rosse had left behind in her journal after her passing. In many cases these prophecies were eerily accurate in predicting events to come, although whether a Nova Cat Khan chose to act upon them was at their discretion. An grand melee was held every year by the Nova Cats to determine who would be Oathmaster. The position of Oathmaster was also adopted by certain other Clans, although lacking in the same spiritual character. Typically granted to the oldest and most experienced warrior, these Oathmasters fulfilled specific functions for various ceremonies, such as administering oaths.

Loremaster

A Loremaster is a special rank among the Clans whose responsibility is to safeguard and interpret Clan law. Elected by their Clan Council, Loremasters have considerable political power. Unlike the Khans, they are not above the normal political infighting, allowing them to take a proactive role in investigations and trials as inquisitor and advocate. By tradition, the Loremaster does not cast a vote in Clan Councils except in breaking a tie. The role of Loremaster encompasses a number of minor positions including issuing writs and summons as High Bailiff, heading the Clan's police force as Provost General, and serving as chief administrator in the role of Adjutant General. Loremasters oversee any trials resulting from Clan Council decisions and are the final arbiter in these disputes. They also have the power to initiate internal investigations without the Khans' consent, especially one or both are implicated. In times of crisis, the Loremaster will step in if a Khan is otherwise unable to fulfill their duties, making it a tempting position for ambitious warriors.

Galaxy Commander

Galaxy Commander is the highest officer rank within the Clan military structure.

Star Colonel

Star Colonel is a high-level officer rank within the Clan military structure. A Star Colonel commands a Cluster of units, usually four or five Binaries, Trinaries, or Supernovas. The rank lacks a direct analogue in the Clans' Star League Defense Force antecedents, although it is roughly equivalent to the Lieutenant Colonel rank in use among the Successor State militaries. A Clan usually has fewer than a dozen Star Colonels at any one time. Because Clan military forces are smaller in number than those of the Inner Sphere, the next rank, Galaxy Commander, is often held by the Khan or saKhan of the Clan. As Clan society is a military-led caste system, Star Colonels must be politically, as well as militarily, adroit. Therefore a Clan Colonel often has much more political power and experience than his/her Inner Sphere equivalent.

Star Captain

Star Captain is a mid-level officer rank within the Clan military structure. A Star Captain commands either a Binary, Trinary, or Supernova unit. A larger commission would typically include 10 MechWarriors, 50 Elementals, 35+ serviceman for the related equipment, plus additional functionaries (or the equivalent numbers for Aerospace fighters, Protomechs, etc). Star Commanders usually require months or years of exceptional service before being promoted to Star Captain. Alternatively, a Sibko cadet can test into the position by defeating three opponents during his/her Trial of Position, an exceptional and extremely rare event.

Star Commander

Star Commander is an officer rank within the Clan military structure. A Star Commander is in charge of either a Star or a Nova. The Inner Sphere equivalent is Lieutenant. Clan warriors usually require several years of success before promotion to Star Commander. Alternatively, a Sibko cadet can test into the position by defeating two opponents during his/her Trial of Position.

Warrior Point 1-5

Sibko who succesfully complete their Trial of Entry become full-fledged Mechwarriors in the Clan. The starting Mechwarrior rank is dependent on how many opponents a Sibko defeats in their Trial of Entry. A Mechwarrior may also be promoted up to Warrior Point 5 rank by a Clan officer as a recognition of consistent performance in combat missions. Note: Warrior Point ranks are currently consolidated into a single Warrior rank for simplicity of rank administration.

Solahma

A Solahma unit is generally an infantry unit made up of old or dying Clan warriors. Though often used as garrison forces, these units prefer to be used as shock troops. In this way, the aging warriors can serve their Clan to the bitter end, dying in combat - a death considered far more appropriate and honorable than dying in bed.

Sibko

Sibko is a Clan compound word for "sibling company," the primary means by which Clan warriors are raised and trained. Sibkos are generally collections of trueborn children produced by the same geneparents and number upwards of one hundred children. Some Clans will stock an entire sibko from offspring of a prestigious Bloodname or from a particular Bloodheritage, though in many offspring of several different Bloodnames are common. Clan Wolf in particular is known for creating sibkos from a number of different Bloodnames and subcastes, and while such units tend to number only twenty, greater emphasis is placed on cooperation. Trueborn children will be placed in a sibko after having survived training in a Crèche. Here they begin training in skills necessary for their individual role, whether as MechWarriors, aerospace pilots or Elementals, until around their 20th birthday when they either pass their Trial of Position and become a full warrior, or fail. Each warrior type is trained separately to keep competition fierce yet balanced, and judging a cadet's worth begins early in their career, though the weeding-out process generally doesn't begin until they reach maturity. Each cadet is tested for intelligence, command ability, reflexes and strength, and above all martial skills, all while being indoctrinated in Clan history and philosophy. The severity of this testing depends on the individual Clan's policy: stricter testing guidelines during this period means fewer warriors though theoretically of a higher quality, while others may conduct sibko life under less stringent rules yet use a more difficult Trial of Position to ensure high-quality cadets enter front-line units. Regardless of the measures by the end as few as four or five cadets will pass their initial Trial of Position and graduate to full-fledged warriors. Those who fail this final test are relegated to the civilian castes, though some progressive Clans do allow a secondary Trial of Position to allow potential warriors the chance to rank in a second-line unit. Freeborns who have proven themselves fit for warrior training are also placed into sibkos and undergo a training regime designed to make them the best warriors possible. High casualty and dropout rates from these freeborn sibkos are only compounded by the callousness of the training officers assigned to them, as happy to see these cadets dead as pass their Trial of Position.