Read the promotion guidelines below, and, when you complete the requirements for a promotion, post your achievements and you will be promoted. Dedicated, diligent players can reach the rank of officer trainee quite quickly.

If you are sponsored by the captain of your crew, you can enter the PPA directly as an officer trainee with the title of Midshipman, either as your usual character or with an alt started specifically for the purpose of being in the OiT program.

We also offer fast-track training for current captains and officers who know the basics but want to make sure they haven't missed anything.

If you are an officer in another crew, and wish to become a PPA instructor, either as your primary character or as an alt, speak to our captain.

Mates start out in this crew as Cabin Persons. Upon learning some basic skills, they are titled Urchins. Once they gain further experience, they are promoted to the rank of Pirate, and titled Sailmaster or Carpenter, depending on their best duty puzzle. Pirates who distinguish themselves at Gunnery can earn the title Gunner.

Pirates who earn entrance into officer training (OiT), as well as mates who come to us from outside the crew for the OiT program, first receive the rank of Officer with the title Midshipman. Once they prove themselves capable, they are titled Navigator.

OiTs who graduate from the Academy are titled Boatswains. If they remain in the PPA as an instructor, they are titled Lieutenant upon completing instructor qualification. After further teaching experience, they can be promoted to the title of Quartermaster. A few will later be promoted to the rank of Senior Officer.

Players with officers in other crews, who wish to have an alt in the Academy, are titled Ambassador. Those who complete instructor qualification are titled Lookout.

The ranks and promotion requirements are given in greater detail below.

Cabin Persons are new mates to the crew. They're learning the ropes, and should be improving their abilities at the duty puzzles, and learning to swordfight. They should also try to take advantage of the more formal training sessions that the PPA offers.

To be promoted from Cabin Person to Cabin Person (Urchin):

• Attend a New Player orientation.
• Be certified by an officer as able to follow orders and target in battle.

Pirates are the more experienced mates who form the backbone of the crew. Pirates may just be enjoying the game, or they might be trying to prepare for officer training. Pirates are encouraged to learn the Gunnery puzzle on training ships and to volunteer when the commanding officer asks for a cannon-loader. Pirates are also encouraged to ask permission to Navigate.

To be promoted from Cabin Person (Urchin) to Pirate (Sailmaster/Carpenter):

• Be a subscriber to Puzzle Pirates. (The game enforces this restriction.)
• Attend a Pirate Theory session.
• For the title of Sailmaster, achieve Broad/Distinguished in Sailing, Narrow in Carpentry, and Narrow in Bilging.
• For the title of Carpenter, achieve Broad/Distinguished in Carpentry, Narrow in Sailing, and Narrow in Bilging.
• Post your information in the Orientation forum thread.
• Job at least once with the Navy.
• Job at least once with another Rudder Revolution crew.

To obtain the title of Gunner:

• Achieve the rank of Pirate (Sailmaster or Carpenter).
• Obtain Narrow/Respected in Gunnery and be certified by an officer as being able to load at least one cannon every two rounds of battle.

OiTs are experienced mates who are learning to be commanders. They are knowledgeable about the game, and skilled at the puzzles. They are in the process of honing their leadership skills and learning the game skills necessary to successful command.

OiTs are initially untitled (just their bare rank of "Officer"), signifying that they have not yet been given officer theory instruction. They are to act like Pirates in all respects, unless specifically ordered to do otherwise by an officer. They should try to do Officer Theory with an instructor as soon as possible; once they've had this instruction, they'll be titled Midshipmen.

Midshipmen have been given their Officer Theory, and are just beginning to learn how to command; they are not permitted to take ships out on their own, unless supervised by a non-Midshipman officer. Navigators are allowed out without supervision, and are building up their command experience prior to graduation.

To be promoted from Pirate to OiT (Midshipman):

• Demonstrate you are an active player.
• Obtain Solid, or Broad/Master, in both Sailing and Carpentry.
• Obtain Apprentice in Gunnery.
• Obtain Neophyte in Navigation, and be comfortable doing this puzzle while paying attention to your chat window.
• Take part in a tournament or event.
• Help conduct a New Player orientation, or post an acceptable training document to the Training forum.
• Recruit one new member to the crew.

To be promoted from OiT (Midshipman) to OiT (Navigator):

• Command, and write voyage logs for, at least two voyages under the supervision of an instructor.
• Request, and pass, a Command Qualification Run given by an instructor, demonstrating that you are ready to be entrusted with unsupervised command.

To graduate from OiT (Navigator) to full officer (Boatswain):

• Command and log at least one voyage of brigand pillaging.
• Command and log at least one solo voyage (just you and swabbies).
• Command and log at least one voyage involving the foraging and trading of commodities.
• Participate, as the commander, in at least one PvP battle, either as part of a tournament or in cooperation with an instructor. (In other words, consensual battles only!)
• Assist in teaching one PPA training session.
• Request, and pass, the PPA graduation exam given by an instructor.

Once an OiT graduates, he is expected to return to the crew that originally sent him to the PPA for officer training. Boatswains who came up through the ranks of the PPA can stay on as instructors; otherwise, they are encouraged to find a permanent crew to join. PPA graduates are generally welcomed as officers into any Rudder Revolution crew, and are highly regarded outside the flag as well. Boatswains from the PPA are permitted to remain in the crew as officers for as long as they want, until they decide they're ready to move on to something else.

A Boatswain can, if he leaves the crew, keep an alt character in the crew. That character will hold the rank of officer, and be titled Ambassador.

The PPA has a promotion path for officers who choose to stay within its ranks in order to support the training mission of the PPA. The first step in this is to qualify as an instructor by observing classes. After this, instructors should actively engage in teaching, in order to qualify as Quartermasters.

A select number of Quartermasters may be promoted to Senior Officer. These are the crew's core members; they form the crew council and are responsible for the administration of the crew, in addition to their teaching duties. They are expected to help fulfill the overall needs of the flag, and to represent the PPA to the game as a whole.

Becoming an instructor (Ambassador to Lookout, Boatswain to Lieutenant):

• Notify a senior officer that you intend to become an instructor. Obtain the approval of the crew council.
• Witness an OiT theory session given by a current instructor.
• Assist an instructor in giving a Navigator his graduation exam.

To be promoted from Lieutenant to Quartermaster:

• Actively participate in the PPA and its teaching activities.
• Teach a New Player orientation.
• Teach a Pirate Theory session.
• Teach an OiT Theory session.
• Supervise an initial Midshipman's run.
• Conduct a Midshipman's commander qualification run.
• Participate in giving and evaluating a Navigator's graduation exam.

To be promoted from Quartermaster to Senior Officer:

• Distinguish yourself as a leader and teacher.
• Participate actively on the forums.
• Have no officer alt characters in any other crews, except for specific PPA administration purposes. The PPA must be your main crew.
• Be approved by the crew council.