Initial Rank Determination

The initial rank of a character accepted aboard the USS Malinche is determined by the following:

Character's Experience
In keeping with realism, the experience of the character is taken into account. A character who has just graduated from Academy, for instance, would have a rank of Ensign (exceptions may be made for Medical characters who could theoretically graduate with a rank of Lieutenant JG due to additional schooling) and would NOT be a Department Head (DH). Similarly, a character with some, but not much experience would likely not have a position higher than an Assistant Department Head (ADH).

If a player wants their character to be an ADH or DH, a reasonable amount of experience should be included in the character's bio.

Player's Experience and Quality of the Application
The actual player's experience and the quality of the application will also be taken into account. Keep in mind that just because a player is new doesn't mean their application won't be good, nor would an experienced player necessarily have a great application. So, the player's experience doesn't automatically mean they will get either a high or low rank.

Regardless of a player's experience OR their character's experience, if the application is not up to par, it will affect their initial rank and, potentially, their initial position. It wouldn't be fair to the other players to have someone with an application that isn't up to par in a higher rank and/or position than them.

As CO, I am more than happy to assist a player with revising their bio and with their posting. I will not, however, give the character a higher rank or position if I don't feel it is appropriate based on what I see in the application. If the character's experience shows they should have a higher rank/position, I will ask the player to revise the bio. With that in mind, if a player improves their application and demonstrates (through regular quality posting and contributing to the missions) their ability, their character may be promoted to a higher rank and/or position (as long as the position is available) at an appropriate time - at least 1-2 missions.

Other Considerations
If the quality of the application and character's experience warrant a higher rank/position, but the player would prefer a lower rank/position, their wishes will be observed. This may require a modification to their bio to explain why their character is at a lower rank. For instance, if a character has been in StarFleet for 10 years and has held a DH position at the rank of Lieutenant, but the player wants the character to be Lieutenant JG, the player would likely need to add some form of disciplinary action taken against their character in the bio.