Ranks - What made you choose yours?

I've basically gone for something low because, unlike a lot of guys on here, i don't have any military experience or even much airsoft experience, but not so low a rank as to be unrealistic, as i'm getting on a bit now, and i don't want to think i'd still be a private at age 35!

Maybe when(if!) i get any better, i might allow myself a small promotion, but i've always been more interested in the grunts of the war, from whatever side, rather than commanding, but who knows!

2nd Lieutenant is what I normally go for. Not quite leadership caliber but a squad leader is what I normally end up being!

I put 1st Sergeant on my infantry gear, because I like the patch, its the biggest 1 with the most number of lines on it!

As part of a re-enactment group you usually start out as a low ranking soldier. People with instructive capabilities become NCOs, Officers are quite rare, but it really depends on the size of the group. We only have one LT.
Age is also a good factor.

I got promoted to T-5 by the organisation, because I'm constantly fixing jeeps, Coleman cookers and cameras.

For GIs a Technical rank was more a pay-raise then anything else. A T-5 or T-4 did not have the power to command. Though a T-5 does outrank a PFC but not a CPL. The Technical rank just meant you had special capabilities/training like chauffeurs, radio-operators, photographers, engineers.

Of course, with Airsoft, anything goes

My Hohenstaufen SS Rank is Sturmmann I was 'promoted' by Stubblehopper

Chose rank based on age and likely "real war" experience . Went for Hauptmann so I could wear a silly hat and be recognisable as part of the organsing crew at our games (hence why we try to keep Shirmutzes for orgnaisers).
Since Chommer didn't want to be in charge at CR I got promoted ot Major but also have Oberfeldwebel kit ot play when not organsing. Finally have a Standartenfuhrers rig coz I wantedot join HS but didn't want a uniform with the runes on the collar

I for one, have gone for ranks that would have been quite common for someone of my age group in the German forces - and I think thats the key.

I chose a 2lt for my initial re-enacting impression as its appropriate for my age (maybe a tad low) and playing a juniour officer gave me more freedom with kit and expensvie purchases when starting out.

As a CIA organiser it also makes sense to play officers.

For my heer loadout i went for stabsgefrietor which is not even an NCO but it seems a bit daft when you find yourself leading squads as an orgniaser and experienced soldier/airsofter so my seocnd heer loadout was feldwebel.

As a note it is rare for junior officer to be a squad leader, platoon yes but they are a bit to valubale and in short supply to be commandiong squads.

As an example in the late war german army a shortage of officers would mean plattons would be under the command of a sgt and at times even corporals.

From my perspective and i think i speak for CIA here but i coudl be worng its better for us if you dont badge past juniour nco as then we can assign squad leader armbands or pepaulettes on a game by game basis that way in a game you knwo the guy with sgt stripes is a squad leader and not just someone who sewed them on but isnt part of your teams command.

Same goes for officers crusher caps on the axis side, guy and dave ask players not to wear them so we can spot team oficers at a distance.

guy and dave ask players not to wear them so we can spot team oficers at a distance.

Which will be really helpful when i get my sniper setup done.

I started as 2nd Lt... but that was basically because I was wearing 49 Pat BD at the time and that has to be worn with a shirt and tie and hence really only works for officers (or ATS).

When I got my 37 Pat BD I got an officer's cap with it as since I was part of the CiA organisation I needed to be an officer again. However I went up to Captain as I'd been reliably informed that an officer over 25 years old in WW2 would have been at least a captain, except in some uncommon cases.

Since then I've been promoted to Corporal from Private in my Chindit Re-enactment group and have also now got the right headgear ORs for NWE line infantry, so I can do private there instead of having to do an Officer.

For my No2 Commando loadout I am going to be in command (alongside Gadge) at Wotan and hence have bought the officer's pattern beret badge. Hence I'm a Captain again.

I've got several sets of rank slides so I can do different officer's ranks, though right now that'll mean two sets of captain slides for me and Gadge. Take them off and I'm a private again.

I've collected enough 37 pattern webbing to do officer and OR (several times over)

Personally, unless I have to due to the various restrictions mentioned above, I'd always go as a Private as have absolutely zero military experience and really don't want to piss anyone off who has such experience.

I'd also encourage any other Brit players to do the same. For CiA use I've made up some NCO armbands and the aforementioned rank slides. I'd prefer Brits to turn up with no rank insignia at all and have it assigned based on what they'll actually do at the event.

In the end though... its up to you!

Absolutely no rank whatsoever for a start am female and doing a male, in a role where I wouldn't have been allowed, am unsure on the rank thing, I think I'd be paranoid someone would take offence or make something out of it what with me being female, so I stick to grunt

I thought my eyes were going silly reading this as guys avatar kept glowing

I normaly have NCO insignia on, it started when I made a tunic up to look like the Steiner one from "Cross of Iron" after getting the silver tresse sewn on the collar it seemed a pitty to remove it, its now been re badged with ss shoulder boards to match the collar tresse & the bling thats pinned on it, I was going to go for a Sepp Allerberger look but thought the Knights Cross round my neck would be a bit of a overkill

Steve.D

Obergefreiter - approximates to a Cpl. And is a nice bit o' bling!

Yeah its weird that it does equate to lance corporal but isnt considered an NCO rank by the germans now or then.

An unterofficer is a true corporal weirdly and is an NCO.

I still dont quite get the german rank system, could be worse and be the US system with seven types of sgt....

Depends entirely what impression/loadout I'm wearing.

Kitted out as my alter ego, Richard Schulze, I'm a Lt.Col - that's the rank he rose to by November 1944, and it's definitely in keeping with my age -

When I go to open days with my Gerry kit on I usually go as a junior NCO or a junior officer - Lt. - primarily because that rank is more in keeping with the mp40 loadout.

I haven't attended a CIA event yet, but at Wotan I will go either as a GD grunt, or more likely a Waffen SS NCO - but without a visor cap, and no bling, so hopefully no one will confuse me with someone who actually knows what they're doing -

As has been said, with airsoft it's more up to you.

I agree with the age point of view and think the higher ranks for organisers is a good idea. It makes life easier if your unsure - just look for the more bling'd up fellow. I'd probably go with a low rank such as Schutze, maybe when i'm older 'n wiser I might promote myself.

A thought cropped to mind when writing this - Military Police = Marshall's?

I'm sure the GD could accommodate a Gefreiter or a few Schutzen!

Organisers as MP's or Feldgendarmerie? NO WAY. It would make me feel "dirty"

We've gone for private because there isn't anything lower.

i tend to badge up as private or a slightly more senior private now the years are passing me by. gefreiter on my FJ loadout, and either pfc or private in my 'nam kit. this is down to my navy times where i steamed through the ranks and left after 11 1/2 years as a lofty able seaman.