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Orks have Boyz that grow bigger and badder, becoming Nobz or oddboyz. Some start off as Storm Boyz before becoming regular Boyz, but others may never get rid of their regimented ways and become Kommandos instead.
Marines have Scouts becoming Devastators becoming Assault Marines becoming Tacticals, before finally joining the third company.
Tau have their own ranking system too.

The questions then are:
-What determines if someone joins a particular component? What determines whether someone joins the Skitarii, Ordo Reductor, Electropriests, etc? Do respective groups have their own initiation structures/requirements?
-Within the Skitarii, what determines whether a soldier is assigned to the Rangers or the Vanguard? Expediency, or a series of physicals and tests? What determines whether a soldier is rebuilt as a Ruststalker or an infiltrator? Former rank, or analysis of prior combat performance?

Other than the fantasy flight books, what are good fluff sources for determining the ranking system of mechanicus forces post-Mechanicum?

From the few Mechanicus focused novels I have read, it is probably based on combat performance and aptitude.

Brand spanking new recruits a probably put through some sort of "boot camp" equivalent where they get analyzed and assigned to where they are best suited or needed.

Within the greater Machine Cult itself, ranking also seems to be based on aptitude, how efficient you are, ability to follow more advanced protocols, etc... With promotions comes greater augmentation, which in turn opens up other areas for advancement. That said, there is also a good amount of politics involved too. Knowing whose knobs to turn if you get my meaning

From what I've read it's mostly age and augmentation. The two seem heavily interlinked.

I remember reading that the Skitarii, at least most of the footmen, are not Magos proper. They're more akin to a planet's PDF (but much more competent and effective) while the Mechanicus is part of the ruling class. Even the highest Ranking Skitarii would be below the lowest Magos.

As for the Magos themselves, it all depends on discovery, augmentations, recommendations and age. Someone relatively new to the Mechanicus would be stuck doing all the labor work (nicknamed a "Cog" if I remember) and would have minimal agumentations. As he demonstrates his proficiency in technological repairs and memorizations he would be granted augmentations. Linear promotion like this ends when he reaches the higher ranks, where he has to get recommendations from those higher than him before he can join them.

Basically, it's like some sort of really complex academia for magos, while the Skitarii are more like military school.

 MechaEmperor7000 wrote:
I remember reading that the Skitarii, at least most of the footmen, are not Magos proper. They're more akin to a planet's PDF (but much more competent and effective) while the Mechanicus is part of the ruling class. Even the highest Ranking Skitarii would be below the lowest Magos.

As for the Magos themselves, it all depends on discovery, augmentations, recommendations and age. Someone relatively new to the Mechanicus would be stuck doing all the labor work (nicknamed a "Cog" if I remember) and would have minimal agumentations. As he demonstrates his proficiency in technological repairs and memorizations he would be granted augmentations. Linear promotion like this ends when he reaches the higher ranks, where he has to get recommendations from those higher than him before he can join them.

Basically, it's like some sort of really complex academia for magos, while the Skitarii are more like military school.

The ad mech is a slightly odd academia, but sounds a good description as promotion is all based on mastery of machines and such. Its sole drive is to seek knowledge and preserve what it has. Though a STC working database would change it alot.

The AdMech is feudal. For the vast majority of people within it, their job will be the same that their family has done for untold generations. Now, the AdMech also values skill, but with their vast manpower you'd have to be exceptionally skilled and talented in order to get noticed and go up on the social ladder. Joining the Skitarii is also a way to get out of that live and possibly move up, if you have the skill and luck needed to survive and get promoted. Skitarii promotion is purely based on skill and duration of service as far as I can see.
For high ranking Magos advancement is probably based on achievements and connections.

"Feudal" makes sense, the same way that most Sisters/Stormtroopers/Commissars/etc are products of the Schola Progenium and were already born with silver spoons, plus the fact that each Forgeworld is supplying itself rather than going through the bureaucracy of the Departmento Munitorium.

So, rather than it being "Scouts become Devestators become Assault Marines become Tacticals", we have "Better Marksmen are Rangers, tougher gits are Vanguard", with the Sicarans being reconstructed based off analysis of prior combat performance?

Are there ways for Skitarii to advance to become Tech-priests proper?

In the Cult Mechanicus Book it's based on killing those ahead of you and looting things

 MagicJuggler wrote:
"Feudal" makes sense, the same way that most Sisters/Stormtroopers/Commissars/etc are products of the Schola Progenium and were already born with silver spoons, plus the fact that each Forgeworld is supplying itself rather than going through the bureaucracy of the Departmento Munitorium.

So, rather than it being "Scouts become Devestators become Assault Marines become Tacticals", we have "Better Marksmen are Rangers, tougher gits are Vanguard", with the Sicarans being reconstructed based off analysis of prior combat performance?

Are there ways for Skitarii to advance to become Tech-priests proper?

I thought the schola was for orhpans?

 IGtR= wrote:

I thought the schola was for orhpans?

Specifically orphans of upper-class Imperials - so Guard officers, Nobles, Navy Officers, Merchant Princes, and the like.

Anything that you want it to be.

There are so many different forgeworlds et al that the structures and routes for advancement will be as varied as you can ever want.

For the "fighting" contingent I have always thoughts its based on the requirements at the time. All the skitari got wiped? all new recruits get turned into skitari irrespective etc

For techpriests? I think it would be more based on talent but who knows.