You rise in rank as you improve your martial fame and business reputation. New military ranks are reached by increasing your renown, which rises as you complete tasks and achieve victories on the field of battle. The larger and harder are your fights, the shorter is your path to glory. As for your business acumen, it is judged best by the jingle of coins: your status increases with your cash reserves, with the amount of trade goods in your warehouses, with the manufactories and plantations you own, and with the cargo capacity of your fleet.

As you rise in status, so do your opportunities. New military ranks allow you to hire better soldiers and purchase more powerful warships. An increase in business reputation opens access to larger trade vessels and allows to build more manufactories. Famous warriors and influential traders are permitted to outfit their fleets with heavier naval artillery, can purchase letters of marquee and eventually can be invited to join one of the European powers - or the Brethren of the Coast.

Sailor:

Can hire civilian combatants (colonists, hunters, irregular cavalry).
Can purchase boat-sized vessels.

Military ranks:

Midshipman:

Can hire colonial soldiers.
Can purchase light ships.

Lieutenant:

Can purchase medium ships, up to rank 2.
Can have 1 letter of marquee.
Can purchase 12-pounder naval artillery.
Can upgrade vessels.
Can join a faction.

Captain Lieutenant:

Can hire regular soldiers.
Can purchase warships, up to rank 2.
Can purchase 16-pounder naval artillery.
Can attack and plunder cities.

Captain:

Can purchase field guns.
Can purchase warships, up to rank 3.
Can have up to 2 letters of marquee.
Can purchase 24-pounder naval artillery.
Can conquer cities for his faction.

Commodore:

Can hire elite soldiers.
Can purchase warships, up to rank 4.
Can have up to 3 letters of marquee.
Can purchase 32-pounder naval artillery.
Can be granted governorship over a city by his faction.

Admiral:

Can purchase warships of any rank.
Can have up to 4 letters of marquee.
Can purchase 42-pounder naval artillery.

---

Business reputation:

Shopkeeper:

Can build mines and plantations.
Can own 1 enterprise per town, up to 5 total.
Can purchase light ships.

Trader:

Can hire colonial soldiers.
Can own up to 2 enterprises per town, up to 10 total.
Can purchase medium ships, up to rank 2.
Can upgrade vessels.
Can join a faction.

Merchant:

Can build manufactories.
Can own up to 3 enterprises per town, up to 15 total.
Can have 1 letter of marquee.
Can purchase trade ships, up to rank 2.
Can purchase 12-pounder naval artillery.

Patrician:

Can hire regular soldiers.
Can own up to 4 enterprises per town, up to 20 total.
Can purchase trade ships, up to rank 3.
Can purchase 16-pounder naval artillery.
Fewer taxes and harbor fees in the cities of his faction.

Councilor:

Can purchase field guns.
Can own up to 5 enterprises per town, up to 25 total.
Can purchase trade ships, up to rank 4.
Can have up to 2 letters of marquee.
Can purchase 24-pounder naval artillery.
Can be granted governorship over a city by his faction.
Fewer taxes and harbor fees in the cities of his faction.

Chairman:

Can hire elite soldiers.
Can own up to 10 enterprises per town, up to 100 total.
Can purchase trade ships of any rank.
Can purchase 32- and 42-pounder naval artillery.
Can have up to 4 letters of marquee.
Fewer taxes and harbor fees in the cities of his faction.