Commodore

Commodore is a military rank, typically applied in a pro tempore or transitional fashion, for a officer in a Navy who commands several ships in addition to his or her own. The rank may be given as a per-need field promotion (and be rescinded as such), or as a permanent promotion in keeping to an order of ascendancy to that of Admiral status. Indeed, Commodore is typically classified one rank below that of Rear Admiral, and one above Naval Captain.

In Imperial Service

An Imperial Commodore commanded a Naval Squadron, consisting of several Lines. In the Empire, a Commodore was considered a junior member of the Admiralty, and was considered and respected as such by their subordinates. In rare cases, a Commodore may also command a special Imperial task force, as was the case with Task Force Inquisitor. A Commodore was equivalent to a Fleet Commodore in the Imperial Starfighter Corps.

In Union Service

Caspian Navy

Commodore is the most senior non-flag officer rank in the Caspian Navy, it ranks below Rear Admiral and above Fleet Captain. The most prominent Caspian Commodores are usually in command of a Hurricane-Class Fleet Carriers, though the rank is often found among leading support to Admirals or commanding smaller defence installations. On occasion a Mergansar-Class Heavy Cruiser may be commanded by a Commodore, though as a rule those postings are held by Fleet Captains. During its brief period of independence, Krittish Commodores tended to be assigned to Arsenal-Class Heavy Cruisers with those assignments carrying over after reunification.

In commanding Hurricane-Class Fleet Carriers, Caspian Commodores often find themselves in command of tactically superior ships compared to some Admirals. Generally speaking it has been the policy of the modern Caspian Navy for Admirals to keep their flag on vessels that hold a greater number of crew. In other cases Admirals are commanding vessels such as the Valorous-Class Light Carriers as a hold-over from the time the Krittish Navy was independent.

Caspian Starfighter Corps

Commodore is the most senior non-flag officer rank in the Caspian Starfighter Corps ranking below Marshals and Admirals and ranking above Vice Commodores. Commodores typically serve as the Executive Officer of Starfighters for one of the Naval Defence Groups, Patrol Groups, or Task Groups. They will typically base themselves on the Admiral Roj-Class Battleship or Hood-Class Battlecruiser within their Group. This will allow them to coordinate with the overall Commanding Officer of the Group, while the Commanding Officers of Starfighters tends to be based on the Hurricane-class Fleet Carrier within the group.

In Other Service

The larger galactic navies, such as the Imperial Navy or New Republic Navy, would bestow the title and rank of Commodore upon the senior or lead officer of a tributary or allied homogeneous force attached to their fleets for a campaign. They would do this so as not to confuse their own ranking structure by making the officer in question a bonafide Admiral.

Smaller independent flotillas occasionally christened their most senior commanding officer a Commodore, but this was rare. Pirate clans would frequently state that their leader held the rank of Commodore, since multiple ships were involved, and as Commodore, would qualify under the Articles of War as a Flag Officer, and thus be granted quarter. But, as often the case, the major navies stipulated that any and all pirates, regardless of rank, were granted no quarter whatsoever.