Ok, I've read the complete rules (your version) a few times now and I haven't found a location in the rules that specifies when actions can happen. While most are reasonable and scattered throughout the rules, there are numerous instances where a single compendium would be very useful.

My question: Is a loan from a shylock a premonthly? Does it occur before or after applications to the fleet?

Second question: Is the purchasing of rank a seperate action from application? Either way, can it be considered a seperate action for purposes of conditional statements?

as far as i see they are all pre-monthly actions so when you apply to a ship as a certain rank the payment for that comes out at the same time, the loan is also pre-monthly....

Cool..

So, according to that reading, the following set of orders works (variables that don't really matter are $foo) :

Apply for $regt
If accepted {
Get loan of $amt,
Purchase $rank
} else {
Apply for $regt2
IF Accepted {
get loan of $amt2
Purchase $rank2
}
else {
Apply for $regt 3...
//Same bloody if statement
}

Since all premonthlies have the same precidence, and the rules are unclear, the above works?

Yes, the rules do need editing and consolidating. I will send you the Advice for New Shipmates I wrote which does give some detail about timings.

Borrowing money from characters or shylocks is a premonthly action.

Andy

There is no strict order for premonthly actions to allow more flexibility for roleplaying - your example is fine, though I don't quite understand why you don't just borrow as much money as you can and then apply for ships - remeber there is a -1 modifier for every 2 rejections, but also remember that if it is a player captain, he decides.

Andy

Apply to the Fiddler's Green...most actively role-played ship in the fleet (to date)..

Ash/ AM Captain of the FG