Lit Galactic Empire hierarchy

The problem is that sources and authors themselves keep mixing up ranks and positions.

 

The Imperial hierarchy is clearly based/influenced by Germany in the 2nd WW, so I'm guessing the Moffs are the Space Gauleiters but without the name, which might have been confusing to audiences who might not have been well versed in WW2 history.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gauleiter

GrandAdmiralJello That doesn't really make sense, how can it be outside the Naval hierarchy when (as in Germany) it's the chief Naval rank with the position of being Commander in Chief off said Navy.

 

I've only been keeping track of the canon hierarchy because I believe the legends one to be messed up. So far it actually seems organised and nothing out-of-order. Just a few things which needs clarification. Then again, they might end up messing it up in the future.

 

Of course its disorganised and out of order. As fett 4 said, the hierarchy was based on that of Nazi Germany. Both the Empire and Nazi Germany were designed intentionally to have a very conflicting hierarchy that keeps the underlings in competition and Sheev/Hitler on top. Just check out the amount of random positions Hitler's closest like Himmler, Goering, Bormann etc held throughout the duration of the Second World War, its very similar to all the conflicting Grand Moffs, Admirals, etc.

 

Well I know abit of the hierarchy in nazi germany, and it doesen't seem that messed up either. Maybe the divisions and stuff.

 

What is the military police of the galactic empire? It's documented that ISB's task is ensuring the loyalty of the citizens of the empire, and that it was an organization under COMNPOR, twice the size of the imperial intelligence. It doesen't say it ensures the loyalty of the military though, although it's also said it "root out enemies of the new order" although that's also very vague if they act as a military police aswell..

 

Well, loyalty officers are part of the ISB, so yes, they also act as a military police. Specifically the Internal Affairs branch of the Bureau.

 

Didn't the ISB serve as the military police, the GRU if you will, of the Imperial military in Legends? That was the implication in Allegiance. I don't see why it couldn't work the same way in the new canon.

 

Interestingly, an officer of the ISB can work within two branches at the same time; Agent Kallus worked in both the Internal Affairs and Investigations branches.

 

Ah thankyou, I didn't know it had an internal affairs branch.

 

I just realized Grand Moffs and Moffs are basically "Reichkommisar". Anyway, there is one thing I find conflicting and can't make out of. How did for instance someone with the rank of captain within the Navy, and captain within Army, relate? If both ordered a stormtrooper, I assume he would follow the army captain. Vice versa with a crewman on navy.

But here is the actual confusing part between those examples. Is there really a captain in both navy and army? Perhaps something of an officer corps existed. The stormtrooper corps is the main component within the imperial army. Does the stormtrooper corps happen to be only stormtroopers, or included the officers? And where are the army officers when on a starfleet? I doubt they could be on the bridge and command, because that's the navy officers job. Specifically this about army-navy officers-relationship is conflicting with both their power and responsibilties. Of course there are ways to clear this up, I just can't think of a good solution myself.

 

Not rather subtly, the New Canon Empire resembles the United States a lot more than it did in previous canon.

 

How so?

 

Well. The united states is a democratic republic, not a totalitarian dictatorship.

 

But the way it roughly works is this as far as I can tell:

* The Emperor
I
I
* The Imperial Ruling Council, which is basically the Emperor's Cabinet ---- The Joint Chiefs
* The Regional Governors who are military rulers of the states which compromise the Empire. Tarkin is a special case because he controls the entire Outer Rim territories, at least until we meet some new Grand Moffs.

While the title of Grand Admiral exists as per Rebels, it doesn't actually appear to be the same title as in Star Wars Legends. Grand Admiral Thrawn is very clearly "just" the head of the 7th fleet of Grand Moff Tarkin's forces.

Which means that he probably outranks Motti but is subordinate to him.

 

Motti holds a position that most likely doesen't grant him more power. Thrawn holds two ranks above him. By the way, the short hierarchy you made it sort of true. But it also makes you think of what powers the Grand Vizier has. He is the deputy and right hand of the emperor. Grand Admirals, it would seem that they control their own fleet even within other governors sectors (which is logical and good). However, Grand Moff-Grand General might play out differently, as they hold no fleet. What is clear is that grand admirals and more worth and powerful than grand generals.

 

Not making a comment on American military policy or corruption here. No, I'm literally commenting on the fact the Nu Canon set up for how the Imperial Republic (until the events of "A New Hope") seems to work more similarly to the United States. The Legends continuity put a lot of emphasis on the Imperial Court, meaningless titles, and the backstabbing as well as the Moffs serving as the Empire's proxies.

James Luceno's depiction of the Empire in Tarkin as well as what we see in Rebels seems to work in a manner more of a U.S. dictatorship with some Nazi elements added ala COMPNOR.

You have the Emperor, his ministers, the increased importance of the Joint Chiefs, and the ISB functions much less like political officers than an actual functioning Intelligence organization--which is perhaps because Armand Isard is in charge of it in this universe.

 

GMT literally dispatches Thrawn to assist Lothal's Governor.



The Grand Admirals do not have discrentionary power over the military in NuCanon it seems, another way which I think they're more similar to the US. It seems that the military is subject to civilian control, ironically enough, with the Emperor going down to the Moffs and Joint Chiefs over the Grand Admirals.

Here, Thrawn is differential to Tarkin, which doesn't necessarily mean much as so was Vader.

 

That doesen't really tell us that Thrawn is below him. Pryce asked for Thrawn, perhaps she checked if he was available? Perhaps the emperors command is to prioritize outter rim territories for grand admirals?

 

I admit, I may be reading into this as I'd think they'd be equivalent positions in the Empire. I always felt Grand Moffs were supposed to be directly subordinate to the Emperor, though, and got the short shrift in Legends.

Tarkin is the third most powerful man in the Empire, IMHO.

I do, however, think "Grand General" was a fake title as it's clear Tagge is the temporary Supreme Commander of the Empire--very temporary.

 

Yes, grand moffs and grand admirals seem equivalent. Thrawn didn't really pay much respects to the meeting with Tarkin, and vice versa.

I am still left wondering on the navy-army officer confusion however.

 

Well, Genralissmo is the title for "Commands all branches of the Military" so it works for Grand General.

Less so for why Tagge is said to have a Starfleet to begin with.

My headcanon is that General Tagge is the Joint Chief of the Starfighter Corps.