Naval Traditions and Slang
Captain’s Privilege
The Captain of an Imperial Navy warship has absolute authority over her ship. Even an Inquisitor might think twice about contradicting a Captain on her own deck, though it would be a foolish officer indeed who tested this tradition. To avoid confusion with the junior rank, Imperial Guard officers ranked “Captain” are by ancient tradition temporarily brevetted as Majors for the duration of their transit aboard Prosperitas fleet voidships. A ship’s Commanding Officer is referred to as “The Captain” aboard that ship regardless of rank – for example, the master of a frigate might be ranked Commander, but referred to as “Captain” on board.
Forms of address
Officers are usually addressed as “Sir” or “Ma’am” by subordinates; informally, commanding officers of ships might be called “Captain”. Ratings and junior officers are usually addressed by rank and/or surname by their superiors.
Among their peers, Prosperitas sector Captains tend to be known by an abbreviated form of the name of their ship. The Captain of the Malcador’s Reply might therefore be known as “Reply” by his fellow Captains, while the unfortunate commander of the Fires of Damnation would be called “Damnation” by hers.
Still On Patrol
Ships lost in the Warp rarely return – and those that do are often, at best, lifeless, airless hulks with nothing recognisably human left alive aboard. Nevertheless, by Battlefleet tradition, ships which disappear into the Empyrean are politely referred to not as “lost” but “Still On Patrol” – an optimistic but unrealistic nod to the idea that “absent friends” may yet return from their voyage.
Compliments
An officer of Battlefleet Prosperitas has the right to expect a salute and greeting (called ‘paying the compliment’) from ratings and junior officers. (The Captain of a ship is always saluted aboard her own vessel – even by visiting officers who outrank her.) Unlike other Sector fleets, the officers of Battlefleet Prosperitas do not keep elaborate traditions concerning wearing or removing head-dress before saluting.
In former years, some officers adopted the Gothic Sector tradition of clicking their heels together when greeting a superior or receiving an order; this is now seen as archaic and has fallen out of fashion with younger officers.
Toast of the Day
After a meal, Battlefleet Prosperitas officers typically drink the “Loyal Toast” to “His Divine Majesty, the God-Emperor of Mankind” (shortened on some ships to simply “The Emperor” or other acceptably orthodox variants). This is usually followed by the Toast of the Day, given by the youngest officer present:
Sunday: Absent Friends
Monday: Our Ships in the Warp
Tuesday: Our Ratings
Wednesday: Ourselves
Thursday: Victory for Us and Glory for our Comrades
Friday: A Willing Foe and Void-Room
Saturday: Spouses and Sweethearts (may they never meet)
Language and Slang
When Battlefleet Prosperitas personnel are forced to operate on planets, they take great delight in confusing their Crusade comrades with their unique dialect. Terms vary substantially from ship to ship, but some common ones include:
Ashore – on a planet
Deck – floor or ground
Deckhead – ceiling
D’y’hear there – a signal warning that a formal announcement or vox transmission is to follow; equivalent of the Guard vox word “Hello”.
Galley – kitchen or dining facility
Forward, aft, port, starboard – ahead, behind, left and right. Navy ratings and officers often use these directions even on planets, to the great frustration of Guard soldiers and other members of the Crusade.
Dit – A story or information
Joss – Nickname for the ship’s Fleet Commissar (never in their presence!)
Pit – also rack – bed space
Stoker – Irreverent nickname for a member of the ship’s Adeptus Mechanicus priesthood