Desert Ranger ranks (Wasteland)

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Each character starts out as a private. As you acquire experience points, you can radio back to Ranger Center for a field promotion. Each time you’re promoted, your rank changes, your maximum constitution goes up by two points, and you get an additional two points to invest in any attribute. Rank does not affect how orders are given or taken since your characters are equal members of a team. A high rank, however, could impress civilians enough so you can get into places where regular folks can’t go.

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Ranks are an abstraction of classic RPG levels used in Wasteland.

Ranks

Level	Rank	Experience
1	Private	0
2	Private First Class	+ 1,024 = 1,024
3	Specialist	+ 2,048 = 3,072
4	Senior Specialist	+ 3,072 = 6,144
5	Corporal	+ 4,096 = 10,240
6	Lance Corporal	+ 5,120 = 15,360
7	Command Corporal	+ 6,144 = 21,504
8	Grenadier	+ 7,168 = 28,672
9	Fire Grenadier	+ 8,192 = 36,864
10	Grenadier Major	+ 9,216 = 46,080
11	Master Grenadier	+ 10,240 = 56,320
12	Sergeant	+ 11,264 = 67,584
13	Sergeant	+ 12,288 = 79,872
14	Technical Sergeant	+ 13,312 = 93,184
15	Technical Sergeant	+ 14,336 = 107,520
16	Sergeant Major	+ 15,360 = 122,880
17	Sergeant Major	+ 16,384 = 139,264
18	Master Sergeant	+ 17,408 = 156,672
19	Master Sergeant	+ 18,432 = 175,104
20	Sergeant Argeant	+ 19,456 = 194,560
21	Sergeant Argeant	+ 20,480 = 215,040
22	Cadet	+ 21,504 = 236,544
23	Cadet	+ 22,528 = 259,072
24	Cadet Specialist	+ 23,552 = 282,624
25	Cadet Specialist	+ 24,576 = 307,200
26	Combat Cadet	+ 25,600 = 332,800
27	Combat Cadet	+ 26,624 = 359,424
28	Command Cadet	+ 27,648 = 387,072
29	Command Cadet	+ 28,672 = 415,744
30	Lieutenant	+ 29,696 = 445,440
31	Lieutenant	+ 30,720 = 476,160
32	Lieutenant	+ 31,744 = 507,904
33	1st Lieutenant	+ 32,768 = 540,672
34	1st Lieutenant	+ 33,792 = 574,464
35	1st Lieutenant	+ 34,816 = 609,280
36	Fireteam Lieutenant	+ 35,840 = 645,120
37	Fireteam Lieutenant	+ 36,864 = 681,984
38	Fireteam Lieutenant	+ 37,888 = 719,872
39	2nd Lieutenant	+ 38,912 = 758,784
40	2nd Lieutenant	+ 39,936 = 798,720
41	2nd Lieutenant	+ 40,960 = 839,680
42	Lieutenant Argent	+ 41,984 = 881,664
43	Lieutenant Argent	+ 43,008 = 924,672
44	Lieutenant Argent	+ 44,032 = 968,704
45	Captain	+ 45,056 = 1,013,760
46	Captain	+ 46,080 = 1,059,840
47	Captain	+ 47,104 = 1,106,944
48	Combat Captain	+ 48,128 = 1,155,072
49	Combat Captain	+ 49,152 = 1,204,224
50	Combat Captain	+ 50,176 = 1,254,400
51	Tech Captain	+ 51,200 = 1,305,600
52	Tech Captain	+ 52,224 = 1,357,824
53	Tech Captain	+ 53,248 = 1,411,072
54	Command Captain	+ 54,272 = 1,465,344
55	Command Captain	+ 55,296 = 1,520,640
56	Command Captain	+ 56,320 = 1,576,960
57	Captain Argent	+ 57,344 = 1,634,304
58	Captain Argent	+ 58,368 = 1,692,672
59	Captain Argent	+ 59,392 = 1,752,064
60	Major	+ 60,416 = 1,812,480
61	Major	+ 61,440 = 1,873,920
62	Major	+ 62,464 = 1,936,384
63	Fireteam Major	+ 63,488 = 1,999,872
64	Fireteam Major	+ 64,512 = 2,064,384
65	Fireteam Major	+ 65,536 = 2,129,920
66	Specialist Major	+ 66,560 = 2,196,480
67	Specialist Major	+ 67,584 = 2,264,064
68	Specialist Major	+ 68,608 = 2,332,672
69	Techniqual Major	+ 69,632 = 2,402,304
70	Techniqual Major	+ 70,656 = 2,472,960
71	Techniqual Major	+ 71,680 = 2,544,640
72	Major Argent	+ 72,704 = 2,617,344
73	Major Argent	+ 73,728 = 2,691,072
74	Major Argent	+ 74,752 = 2,765,824
75	Lance Colonel	+ 75,776 = 2,841,600
76	Lance Colonel	+ 76,800 = 2,918,400
77	Lance Colonel	+ 77,824 = 2,996,224
78	Lance Colonel	+ 78,848 = 3,075,072
79	Lieutenant Colonel	+ 79,872 = 3,154,944
80	Lieutenant Colonel	+ 80,896 = 3,235,840
81	Lieutenant Colonel	+ 81,920 = 3,317,760
82	Lieutenant Colonel	+ 82,944 = 3,400,704
83	Fireteam Colonel	+ 83,968 = 3,484,672
84	Fireteam Colonel	+ 84,992 = 3,569,664
85	Fireteam Colonel	+ 86,016 = 3,655,680
86	Fireteam Colonel	+ 87,040 = 3,742,720
87	Division Colonel	+ 88,064 = 3,830,784
88	Division Colonel	+ 89,088 = 3,919,872
89	Division Colonel	+ 90,112 = 4,009,984
90	Division Colonel	+ 91,136 = 4,101,120
91	Colonel Argent	+ 92,160 = 4,193,280
92	Colonel Argent	+ 93,184 = 4,286,464
93	Colonel Argent	+ 94,208 = 4,380,672
94	Colonel Argent	+ 95,232 = 4,475,904
95	Lance Commander	+ 96,256 = 4,572,160
96	Lance Commander	+ 97,280 = 4,669,440
97	Lance Commander	+ 98,304 = 4,767,744
98	Lance Commander	+ 99,328 = 4,867,072
99	Lieutenant Commander	+ 100,352 = 4,967,424
100	Lieutenant Commander	+ 101,376 = 5,068,800
101	Lieutenant Commander	+ 102,400 = 5,171,200
102	Lieutenant Commander	+ 103,424 = 5,274,624
103	Commander	+ 104,448 = 5,379,072
104	Commander	+ 105,472 = 5,484,544
105	Commander	+ 106,496 = 5,591,040
106	Commander	+ 107,520 = 5,698,560
107	Technical Commander	+ 108,544 = 5,807,104
108	Technical Commander	+ 109,568 = 5,916,672
109	Technical Commander	+ 110,592 = 6,027,264
110	Technical Commander	+ 111,616 = 6,138,880
111	Force Commander	+ 112,640 = 6,251,520
112	Force Commander	+ 113,664 = 6,365,184
113	Force Commander	+ 114,688 = 6,479,872
114	Force Commander	+ 115,712 = 6,595,584
115	Brigadier General	+ 116,736 = 6,712,320
116	Brigadier General	+ 117,760 = 6,830,080
117	Brigadier General	+ 118,784 = 6,948,864
118	Brigadier General	+ 119,808 = 7,068,672
119	Lieutenant General	+ 120,832 = 7,189,504
120	Lieutenant General	+ 121,856 = 7,311,360
121	Lieutenant General	+ 122,880 = 7,434,240
122	Lieutenant General	+ 123,904 = 7,558,144
123	Major General	+ 124,928 = 7,683,072
124	Major General	+ 125,952 = 7,809,024
125	Major General	+ 126,976 = 7,936,000
126	Major General	+ 128,000 = 8,064,000
127	Technical General	+ 129,024 = 8,193,024
128	Technical General	+ 130,048 = 8,323,072
129	Technical General	+ 131,072 = 8,454,144
130	Technical General	+ 132,096 = 8,586,240
131	General Argent	+ 133,120 = 8,719,360
132	General Argent	+ 134,144 = 8,853,504
133	General Argent	+ 135,168 = 8,988,672
134	General Argent	+ 136,192 = 9,124,864
135	General Argent	+ 137,216 = 9,262,080
136	General Argent	+ 138,240 = 9,400,320
137	General Argent	+ 139,264 = 9,539,584
138	General Argent	+ 140,288 = 9,679,872
139	General Argent	+ 141,312 = 9,821,184
140	General Argent	+ 142,336 = 9,963,520
141	Imperial Scarscalp	+ 143,360 = 10,106,880
142	General Argent	+ 144,384 = 10,251,264
143	General Argent	+ 145,408 = 10,396,672
144	General Argent	+ 146,432 = 10,543,104
145	General Argent	+ 147,456 = 10,690,560
146	General Argent	+ 148,480 = 10,839,040
147	General Argent	+ 149,504 = 10,988,544
148	General Argent	+ 150,528 = 11,139,072
149	General Argent	+ 151,552 = 11,290,624
150	General Argent	+ 152,576 = 11,443,200
151	1st Class Fargo	+ 153,600 = 11,596,800
152	General Argent	+ 154,624 = 11,751,424
153	General Argent	+ 155,648 = 11,907,072
154	General Argent	+ 156,672 = 12,063,744
155	General Argent	+ 157,696 = 12,221,440
156	General Argent	+ 158,720 = 12,380,160
157	General Argent	+ 159,744 = 12,539,904
158	General Argent	+ 160,768 = 12,700,672
159	General Argent	+ 161,792 = 12,862,464
160	General Argent	+ 162,816 = 13,025,280
161	Photon Stud	+ 163,840 = 13,189,120
162	General Argent	+ 164,864 = 13,353,984
163	General Argent	+ 165,888 = 13,519,872
164	General Argent	+ 166,912 = 13,686,784
165	General Argent	+ 167,936 = 13,854,720
166	General Argent	+ 168,960 = 14,023,680
167	General Argent	+ 169,984 = 14,193,664
168	General Argent	+ 171,008 = 14,364,672
169	General Argent	+ 172,032 = 14,536,704
170	General Argent	+ 173,056 = 14,709,760
171	Revenant Argent	+ 174,080 = 14,883,840
172	General Argent	+ 175,104 = 15,058,944
173	General Argent	+ 176,128 = 15,235,072
174	General Argent	+ 177,152 = 15,412,224
175	General Argent	+ 178,176 = 15,590,400
176	General Argent	+ 179,200 = 15,769,600
177	General Argent	+ 180,224 = 15,949,824
178	General Argent	+ 181,248 = 16,131,072
179	General Argent	+ 182,272 = 16,313,344
180	General Argent	+ 183,296 = 16,496,640
181	Supreme Jerk	+ 184,320 = 16,680,960

Formulas

The formula to calculate the experience points needed to level up to a specific level from the previous level is:

exp = 1024 * (nextLevel - 1)

The formula to calculate the total experience points needed for a specific level is:

exp = 512 * (level * level - level)

Game internals

The rank names are located at offset 0x1a642 in the unpacked EXE file as a list of compressed strings.

The mapping table from level to rank is located at offset 0x1a543:

$ hexdump -C -s 0x1a543 -n 181 wlu.exe 
0001a543  01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08  09 0a 0b 0c 0c 0d 0d 0e  |................|
0001a553  0e 0f 0f 10 10 11 11 12  12 13 13 14 14 15 15 15  |................|
0001a563  16 16 16 17 17 17 18 18  18 19 19 19 1a 1a 1a 1b  |................|
0001a573  1b 1b 1c 1c 1c 1d 1d 1d  1e 1e 1e 1f 1f 1f 20 20  |..............  |
0001a583  20 21 21 21 22 22 22 23  23 23 24 24 24 24 25 25  | !!!"""###$$$$%%|
0001a593  25 25 26 26 26 26 27 27  27 27 28 28 28 28 29 29  |%%&&&&''''(((())|
0001a5a3  29 29 2a 2a 2a 2a 2b 2b  2b 2b 2c 2c 2c 2c 2d 2d  |))****++++,,,,--|
0001a5b3  2d 2d 2e 2e 2e 2e 2f 2f  2f 2f 30 30 30 30 31 31  |--....////000011|
0001a5c3  31 31 32 32 32 32 32 32  32 32 32 32 33 32 32 32  |1122222222223222|
0001a5d3  32 32 32 32 32 32 34 32  32 32 32 32 32 32 32 32  |2222224222222222|
0001a5e3  35 32 32 32 32 32 32 32  32 32 36 32 32 32 32 32  |5222222222622222|
0001a5f3  32 32 32 32 37                                    |22227|