This is a minor issue - something to consider down the line after the more important things are resolved.
With the introduction of the rank decals, these have shifted their purpose from "something nice for the player's eyes only" to a way that other commanders can learn something about the player. With that change in purpose, the design of the insignias fall a bit short because many of the steps between them are so similar.
http://vignette2.wikia.nocookie.net..._online.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20141104001529
With effective visual communication, you would be able to tell at a glance what rank someone is from the insignia. With many of the current insignias, you have to be already familiar with the differences between the various levels in order to know what to look for, and even then it isn't immediately obvious.
Harmless - Mostly Harmless - Novice
Those are fairly easy to spot the differences.
Novice - Competent - Expert
Not so easy to tell the difference. You have to be familiar with how the ones look from before, so know what to look for.
Master - Dangerous - Deadly - Elite
Again, not easy to tell the difference.
I suggest redesigning the insignias so that you have 3 different core graphics - one for harmless to novice, another for competent to master, and another for dangerous to elite. Each of those three should be made distinct enough that you can tell the difference between them at a glance.
For example
The core insignia for harmless to novice being the current novice insignia
The core insignia for competent to master being the current competent insignia
The core insignia for dangerous to elite being the current elite insignia
To tell the difference between the graduations at each of those 3 levels, add additional graphics to both sides of each insignia - for example horizontal bars.
Harmless, competent, and dangerous could have one horizontal bar on both sides.
Mostly harmless, expert, and deadly could have two horizontal bars on both sides.
Novice, master, and elite could have three horizontal bars on both sides.
With that kind of design, anyone should be able to tell at a glance exactly what rank the insignia represents.
With the introduction of the rank decals, these have shifted their purpose from "something nice for the player's eyes only" to a way that other commanders can learn something about the player. With that change in purpose, the design of the insignias fall a bit short because many of the steps between them are so similar.
http://vignette2.wikia.nocookie.net..._online.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20141104001529
With effective visual communication, you would be able to tell at a glance what rank someone is from the insignia. With many of the current insignias, you have to be already familiar with the differences between the various levels in order to know what to look for, and even then it isn't immediately obvious.
Harmless - Mostly Harmless - Novice
Those are fairly easy to spot the differences.
Novice - Competent - Expert
Not so easy to tell the difference. You have to be familiar with how the ones look from before, so know what to look for.
Master - Dangerous - Deadly - Elite
Again, not easy to tell the difference.
I suggest redesigning the insignias so that you have 3 different core graphics - one for harmless to novice, another for competent to master, and another for dangerous to elite. Each of those three should be made distinct enough that you can tell the difference between them at a glance.
For example
The core insignia for harmless to novice being the current novice insignia
The core insignia for competent to master being the current competent insignia
The core insignia for dangerous to elite being the current elite insignia
To tell the difference between the graduations at each of those 3 levels, add additional graphics to both sides of each insignia - for example horizontal bars.
Harmless, competent, and dangerous could have one horizontal bar on both sides.
Mostly harmless, expert, and deadly could have two horizontal bars on both sides.
Novice, master, and elite could have three horizontal bars on both sides.
With that kind of design, anyone should be able to tell at a glance exactly what rank the insignia represents.