Captain

The term Captain referred to both a military rank and a position of command and direction aboard a traveling vessel, whether it be by sea, land, air, or space. In this capacity, the holder (and therefore, the vessel) does not necessarily have to be martial in origin — it could very well be civil or commercial in nature. The position is held in high regard wherever it is used.

Galactic Empire
Aboard a and most other Imperial vessels, a captain was the commanding officer. He made all the command decisions and led his vessel, for better or for worse. Admirals often used Star Destroyers as flagships or stations, but even in the presence of an admiral, a captain led his vessel without question.

New Republic
A captain typically commanded a warship of cruiser scale or larger, or a support ship of fleet tender scale or larger. The rank could also be applied to senior, field-deployed officers of such departments as engineering, medical, flight, logistics, or intelligence.

Galactic Empire
A captain in the Imperial Army commanded a company, usually consisting of four platoons. A captain was immediately superior to First Lieutenant and below major.

In the Stormtrooper Corps, a Captain was a rank between First Lieutenant and Major, and generally commanded several platoons of troopers, but not enough to match a company.

New Republic
Captains in the New Republic Army had proven themselves more than once as capable officers. It was rare beyond rare to find a captain in the Army or Marines who hadn't seen heavy combat. Support personnel who held this rank were capable of doing all the jobs of a First Lieutenant, and occasionally served as aides to a Battalion Commander. Typically, however, Captains were the first line officers considered to have both rank, authority, and experience, while commanding company-sized units. Their subordinates expected them to demonstrate the highest degrees of technical and tactical experience, and to ensure that the soldiers were well-taken care of.

In the New Republic Starfighter Corps, Captains had proven themselves more than once as capable pilots. A few of these pilots even held "ace" status. For support personnel, they carried a little clout. In special circumstances, they could even be put in charge of a squadron. Support personnel who held this rank were capable of doing all the jobs of a First Lieutenant, but might serve as an aid on the flagship or home post to the wing commander.