Archive/Policy: Command

Command policy

This section is required reading for all Command/Head Players. A working knowledge of Command procedure and policy is expected of all Command Department players from their first round in the role onwards. As a head, your authority begins and ends in your department. Only the HoS has jurisdiction outside of their department regarding Security matters. The Captain has supreme authority in all matters and is the highest in command; all other heads of staff are of equal rank. The Head of Personnel is not second in command and not a "first mate."

1. If you are uncertain about jurisdiction, duties, and et cetera, read over the Chain of Command.
2. The intricacies and guidelines regarding the role of Acting Captain are covered extensively in the Chain of Command page.
3. Do not extend the access of your ID as acting Captain except during an emergency.
4. Heads should be promoted internally from their own department by the Captain or Acting Captain only. Non-heads-of-staff assuming the role of leading their department on their own is not acceptable.
5. All heads are expected to give warning to both admins via admin-help and their colleagues via in-character means before disconnecting.
6. If you are a head, lead your department. Extensive time spent AFK, ERPing, or ignoring your staff is not acceptable.
7. Stick to commanding your own department as a head. Don't micromanage a department that isn't your own.
8. You can defend your department or the station, but you are not Security (unless you’re the HoS).
9. Treat your staff fairly, don’t give them mundane or obnoxious tasks.
10. Except for the Captain, the HoS has final say on all security matters.

Captain & Acting Captain

1. The Line of Succession is not a substitute for the Chain of Command, and should not be confused with such.
2. The Line of Succession is ordered in a mix of most importance and least responsibilities. The HoP and RD make the best acting captains, both because a mix of their importance and fewer responsibilities. The CMO and CE make acceptable acting captains because of their middling importance, but greater responsibilities. The HoS, QM, and Pathfinder make the worst acting captains because of the great deal of responsibility the HoS has, the unimportant role the QM fills (as well as the multitude of activities the QM has to fill their time), and the general likelihood that the Pathfinder is not present aboard the station/the expectation that they will not be on board for long periods of time.
3. The captain has authority over all departments and holds executive decision making power on all matters, especially regarding permabrigging and executions.
4. The role of acting captain is for the making of executive decisions only, such as execution and permabrigging. The acting captain is not expected to, and should not, dictate to other heads of staff how to run their department.
5. If the Captain (or acting captain) are found to be abusive, uncooperative, unpopular, or etc., they can be deposed of by the other heads of staff. Otherwise they may be removed by an admin.
6. An acting captain should never be selected from a non-head of staff.
7. As the acting captain you inherit their responsibilities, not their rank or equipment (taking the spare captain headset, not the Bowman, to communicate with other departments is fine, however). You're expected to secure the spare ID and the nuclear authentication disk. Changing into the captain's gear and changing your job title to something unrelated to your actual position('Captain' or 'Acting Captain') is confusing for both players and admins.

Line of Succession

Head of Personnel -> Research Director -> Chief Medical Officer -> Chief Engineer -> Head of Security -> Quartermaster -> Pathfinder

If the crew has no Captain during an emergency, an Acting Captain may be selected. The Acting Captain should be selected according to the Line of Succession. Ideally, all heads should agree on who the acting captain will be; if a mutual decision can’t be made, contact an admin IC through the fax machine (AKA Centcom).

When is mutiny okay?

1. When a head or the Captain is an obvious griefer.
2. When a head or the Captain’s incompetence or negligence has become a direct threat to the crew or station as a whole.
3. When a head or the Captain is an obvious antagonist.
4. Only AFTER admin-helping and getting the go-ahead from an admin.