Mystrea wrote:I actually said I liked the idea of Lieutenants
You're right. I guess I read that wrong.
Oh and TL and sub-commander are not the same thing at all. It's another why why I said Second in Command because it defines the role better.
To clarify, I was actually replacing the term "major" with the term "second-in-command," not the term "sub-commander." I was really making the point that whoever we identify as "Second-in-Command" actually falls into TWO categories and not just one. To me, if you're "second-in-command," then aren't you also a Sub-Commander as well? If you're trusted enough to be called "second-in-command," then Optimus would also put you in charge of a small group when he didn't need to use you in the "second-in-command" capacity. Optimus wouldn't let you lead the entire team in his absence and then over look you when it came to leading groups on random minor missions. It doesn't make any sense to have Rattrap leading the entire team in Optimus' absence and then have a mission where Dinobot is chosen as a sub-commander and leads a group of Maximals which includes Rattrap.
According to TF Wiki: "A Transformer who is second-in-command is not necessarily ranked Sub-Commander, while a Transformer ranked Sub-Commander is usually the second-in-command." So basically, in the transformers universe anyway, a transformer who is a Sub-Commander is usually, but not always, chosen as second-in-command.
So, if we were to list Rattrap and Inferno in the list like NK did, I'm envisioning it looking like this:
Rattrap SiC/sub
Inferno SiC/sub
That is exactly what I am calling the "sub-commander." As you said, Optimus does not command everyone every single minute of the mission. He might, for example, put Rattrap in charge of scoping out an area for traces of energon. He might assign other characters to go with Rattrap, but Rattrap would be the one in charge....Optimus isn't on the mission with them, so Rattrap would have to make decisions throughout the mission and the others would have to think of him as their commander until the mission were over.....hence why I've been using the term "sub-commander". He is acting as the commander, but is subordinate to the actual commander.With these large numbers you wouldn't expect Optimus to be telling each and every bot what to do all the time. When Optimus or the SIC go on a mission with a team, say of 7 bots. There should be one other who micro managers the team and Optimus or the SIC are just managing the mission as a whole.
Anyway, that is what I am calling a "sub-commander" and it sounds an awful lot like what you are describing as a "team leader." Likewise, they both sound like what NK is describing as a "sub-commander" as well.
Sub commander: Commands their own personal unit. IE: the current Predacon Air command, or Glowstick's old special ops unit. However while they hold command of their own group, they do not hold command out of their division.Further more being outranked by the Commander role, means that sometimes personnel in these groups can be moved to other teams to even them out accordingly. (Example: if Megatron feels he wants certain fliers to go with certain groups, he can take team members out of Terrorsaur's group and put them into others to balance skills out.
@NK: What exactly would be the difference between a soldier and a field unit? You might have explained, but I'm not sure I followed....I was using the terms interchangeably.....
Also....the glossary has sub-commanders, but you didn't name any Maximals as being "sub-commanders" yet just a few posts ago you were arguing that Rhinox and Rattrap are often used interchangeably as second in command so wouldn't Rhinox be a sub-commander? Optimus often calls on him to stay behind to watch over the base...sometimes entrusting him with the safety of other units who stay behind with him. I would consider him a sub-commander. Sub-Commander would, logically, be a rank lower than Second-in-Command, but a rank higher than Lieutenant. Would Orcariner be considered a sub-commander as well?? He definitely takes on leadership roles often. It might be appropriate to name at least one flier and at least one ground unit as a sub-commander for each faction.
