Is There a 7-Star General? No, But Here‘s How Ranks Work in Games
Straight answer: There are no 7-star generals in real militaries or in the games that simulate them. The highest rank is the rare, prestigious 5-star "General of the Army" or "Fleet Admiral."
As a passionate gamer and military history buff, I think ranks are fascinating in how they shape command structures and gameplay. Let‘s explore how officer ranks and command hierarchies function in war games compared to real-world armies. Understanding this lets you optimize playstyles and unit mixes based on having the right commanders for the job.
Background on Real World Rank Insignia and Structure
The traditional US military rank system includes:
- 5-Star General (extremely rare)
- 4-Star General
- 3-Star Lieutenant General
- 2-Star Major General
- 1-Star Brigadier General
The five-star general epitomizes strategic leadership, holding theater-wide command during major wars. Five-stars like George Marshall, Douglas MacArthur, and Dwight Eisenhower commanded entire armies groups across continents during WWII. Many war games simulate both the rank and those high-level leadership dynamics.
Below is a quick reference guide for recognizing ranks by insignia:
| Rank | Army Insignia | Navy Insignia |
| 5-Star General | Five silver stars in a pentagonal pattern | Five silver stars in a pentagonal pattern |
| 4-Star General | Four silver stars in a diamond pattern | Four silver stars in a square pattern |
Table shows Army and Navy officer insignia. Air Force and Marine Corps use variations on this theme
Beyond visible insignia, higher ranks confer more powerful command responsibilities…
How Ranks and Command Structures Work in Games
Having spent countless hours commanding armies in games like Total War, Civilization, and Company of Heroes, I‘ve noticed creative adaptations of real military hierarchies.
Core principles carry over. Higher ranked units and hero generals wil buff subordinates‘ morale, defense, and offense. Attach a 5-star general to a division, and regiments gain substantial combat bonuses. Games balance rank power to avoid over-stacking force multiplication exploits.
But developers take artistic license by extending rank structures into 6-stars all the way to mythic 10-star demigods. This helps differentiate legendary generals and min-max unit compositions.
For example, Supreme Commander lets you level up officers through combat, unlocking skills and upgrades. The highest max-level 10 star officer dominates the battlefield. Science fiction strategy games like Halo Wars portray higher tech Spartans and alien factions with elevated rankings compared to ordinary soldiers.
The most creative use of extended ranks I‘ve experienced is in company of Heroes 2‘s Commander system…
While realism varies, giving more stars and bars to top brass mirrors how crucial commanding officers acted in pivotal battles. Legendary figures like Patton, Rommel, and Zhukov turned the tide in critical moments when warfare balanced on a knife edge. Their leadership could overmatch material differences.
Understanding commanders‘ capabilities and how ranks shape the flow of battle is vital to multiplayer victory and enjoyment.
Game Ranks vs Real Ranks Table
Here is a comparison I created showing real world ranks alongside a typical strategy game‘s officer grade structure:
| Real World Ranks | Game Ranks | |
| Highest Rank | 5-Star General | 10- Star Field Marshal |
| Senior Commander | 4-Star General | 6-Star General |
| High Officer | 3-Star Lieutenant General | 5-Star General |
| Junior Officer | 2-Star Major General | 3-Star Lieutenant General |
| Entry Officer | 1-Star Brigadier | 2-Star General |
Some differences stand out:
- 10-star Field Marshal ranks do not exist in real militaries
- Game ranks inflate stars to differentiate commander impact
- Top game officers gain supersized bonuses befitting heroes
- Bottom-level game officers may command large formations, unlike Brigadiers leading small units
But the key principles of hierarchy, command authority, and force multiplication hold true across the spectrum.
Understanding real rank structures and adapting them to fun gameplay opens amazing possibilities for us gamers. It let‘s us experience simulated command roles and epic historical battles from new perspectives.
In that spirit, through the lens of a gamer, let‘s look at some famously impactful real-world generals who could translate well as video game heroes…
Famous Generals Who Would Make Great Playable Hero Units
George Patton
Known for bold armor assaults and inspiring leadership, a five-star Patton would make for the ultimate tank commander bonus hero. Like in Company of Heroes, he could buff vehicle speed and firepower for dramatic flanking strikes.
William Tecumseh Sherman
Sherman‘s famous march to the sea saw his armies live off the land and cause economic ruin to the South. This could be an epic storyline campaign about foraging supplies and sabotage. Waiting for Georgia peaches to spawn along the march would aid your forces!
Sun Tzu
The legendary ancient Chinese military philosopher would be the top pick fora special officer that unlocks unique battle tactics and stratagems to shift the tide of war. Bamboo forest ambushes would confuse enemies!
There are so many options from military history that could inspire gameplay. The hero officer mechanics built into games really let us fantasize about commanding past legends!
Summary
At the end of the day while 7-star ranks make no sense in reality, creatively adapting military command hierarchies and histories makes games more fun as we simulate directing the course of human events. Appreciating the differences and crossovers between real officers of every star and their in-game counterparts brings an extra layer of engagement for us armchair generals!
I‘d love to hear from other gamers into strategy and war history. Let me know some of your favorite commander characters and mechanics! Maybe we just made the next million dollar game concept together!
