Rank insignia plaque

"You are in command now, Admiral Piett."

- Darth Vader, promoting officer Piett

Rank insignia plaques, also referred to as rank pins, were badges used in the military forces of Sheev Palpatine's Galactic Empire as a means to indicate and distinguish officer ranks. They originated during the Clone Wars, when Palpatine was still Chancellor of the Galactic Republic. The plaque, which was worn on the left side of the regulation tunic over the heart, consisted of translucent, colored rectangular tiles mounted on a metal bar. Those plaques could comprize one or two rows of tiles mounted on top of another. Double-row plaques were made from two separate parts of one row each, rather than two rows of caps on a single backing piece. The different types of tiles came in blue, red and amber.

Galactic Republic insignia
As examplified by Wulff Yularen, Kilian, and Coburn, a fleet admiral wore an insignia that bore three red tiles on the top bar, and two blue tiles on the bottom bar. Many clone naval officers, some of which held the rank of captain, wore a single-rowed plaque, with two red and one blue tiles (from left to right).

Galactic Empire insignia
In the Imperial Navy, a plaque featuring one row of three red tiles atop one row of three blue ones indicated the rank of commander or captain. An admiral's plaque was made of twelve multicolored squares, six red over six blue, the rank pin of a Grand Moff also bore twelve squares&mdash;six blue over trios of red and gold. A single row of blue tiles was the badge of a lieutenant. The plaque of grand generals had twelve squares, three blue and three gold over trios of blue and red.

Appearances

 * Star Wars: Galactic Defense
 * Star Wars: The Clone Wars film
 * Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith
 * Tarkin
 * A New Dawn
 * Star Wars Rebels: Spark of Rebellion
 * The Rebellion Begins
 * Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope
 * Star Wars 1: Skywalker Strikes
 * Star Wars: Darth Vader 2: Vader, Part II
 * Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back
 * Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi
 * Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith
 * Tarkin
 * A New Dawn
 * Star Wars Rebels: Spark of Rebellion
 * The Rebellion Begins
 * Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope
 * Star Wars 1: Skywalker Strikes
 * Star Wars: Darth Vader 2: Vader, Part II
 * Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back
 * Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi
 * Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith
 * Tarkin
 * A New Dawn
 * Star Wars Rebels: Spark of Rebellion
 * The Rebellion Begins
 * Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope
 * Star Wars 1: Skywalker Strikes
 * Star Wars: Darth Vader 2: Vader, Part II
 * Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back
 * Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi
 * Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith
 * Tarkin
 * A New Dawn
 * Star Wars Rebels: Spark of Rebellion
 * The Rebellion Begins
 * Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope
 * Star Wars 1: Skywalker Strikes
 * Star Wars: Darth Vader 2: Vader, Part II
 * Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back
 * Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi
 * Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope
 * Star Wars 1: Skywalker Strikes
 * Star Wars: Darth Vader 2: Vader, Part II
 * Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back
 * Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi
 * Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope
 * Star Wars 1: Skywalker Strikes
 * Star Wars: Darth Vader 2: Vader, Part II
 * Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back
 * Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi
 * Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi