None of the above.
All the rank number does is change the leaders rank string, from recruit (or is it private?) (0 is low, this is "C" indexing,
not Pascal
- i.e. list indices are zero based) to general (10 or 11, cant recall the maximum), as found in the rank text file for each nation. So 0 is the string that is first in the list of strings , and the larger number is the "general" or whatever is the last string in the list.
It changes nothing in the leader statistics, the scenario editor has to do that himself (unlike ranks generated in the game, which can go up as experience is gained).
It is solely there so that the editing designer can input a nice rank name that he thinks suits the situation (He may also edit the leadership stats appropriately, if he so desires).
I'll need to check that field is only taking the appropriate numbers (its a byte, so 740 is not going in, it will be truncated at the very least to fit, even if the field is not maxing out at the 10 or 11 top end).