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State of the Rebel Squadrons, January 2008
State of the Rebel Squadrons
Thursday, January 31st, 2008
I. State of the Rebel Squadrons
II. High Command News
III. Fleet Shorts
IV. Executive Office Reports
V. Zealot Operations
VII. Promotions/Awards
VIII. Closing Thoughts
I. State of the Rebel Squadrons
I know it hasn't been a month since the last installment of the SotRS, but plenty of things have occurred in this short time period to discuss! I've been seeing many new faces around the Bar & Grill, and would like to take a moment here to welcome all of the new faces to the Rebel Squadrons. A steady stream of new members have joined our ranks, bringing further activity to units such as the RID, which has had a bit of a stagnation lately; I look forward to everything these new people might contribute to the RS! A huge project, the second entire tour of the RS-wide ITOD, has recently been completed in a preliminary sense by David Vaughan. We're currently going through it with a fine-tooth comb, tweaking things to make sure everything is fun and coherent for everyone. Personally, I've finally managed to wring enough free time to work on a pair of long overdue projects, the RS-wide merit system and a new set of medals for those hard working Tactical Operations personnel. All in all, things continue to stay the course, steadily moving with absolutely no hold ups that have threatened the cohesion that we've made here. I am sure that the coming months will see some very interesting ideas come to fruition as we continue to push the envelope of Star Wars gaming and role playing.
II. High Command News
Debate closed earlier this month on a provision that would allow Executive Officers to directly promote members below them. The general consensus followed the consensus of old: Executive Officers (XOs) should direct any request to promote members of their fleet up the CoC; instead of being able to directly promote. Since this issue was brought up, I'm going to take a few moments to explain what should happen:
If the XO wishes to promote a member, he/she should immediately take the request (including reasoning) to their immediate Commanding Officer (Squad, Wing, Fleet). Should further discussion need to take place, it should take place at this stage. (IE: I don't think Such-and-Such should be promoted because he didn't report on the last mission, etc.)
If the immediate CO is unavailable, either due to LoA, illness, etc. the XO should then take it to the person above him. In the event that a FLEET XO is unable to contact the Fleet CO, he/she can take his/her request IMMEDIATELY to either myself or Josh. We make ourselves available nearly 24/7. This system is in place to facilitate communication between the CO and XO, so that the CO can know most everything that is going on in their squad/wing/fleet. In addition, it provides a check on promoting members; should the CO have a problem with said promotion it can be stopped before someone under them 'goes over their head'.
Hopefully this will alleviate any further issues that might crop up, if anyone has any questions about this or if you are unsure of what to do please feel free to hop on IRC, AIM, or any of the plethora of communications channels we have available and contact me personally. I'm always glad to answer questions.
III. Fleet Shorts
Patriot Battle Fleet -
The Patriots are currently flying the third mission of the GDF campaign. The mission is still ongoing, as reports are being accepted until 10 February. Up to this point, only a few pilots have reported in, but I expect an influx of reports here pretty soon. Also, the PSG saw some major changes in its Fleet Command Staff. Brigadier General Max Cal moved on to become the Redemption Fleet Commanding Officer. Major General Anton Nels was appointed as Executive Officer, and Lieutenant Colonel Gavin Starseeker was appointed as Second Officer. Overall, this has been a slow, but nonetheless productive, month for the Patriots. As we always do, we will continue to fly, fight, and accomplish the mission!
Vigilance Starfighter Group -
Since Kirghy will be releasing a VSG newsletter on Sunday, I'll forgo anything large here except to say that the VSG has just completed VSG 109, results are being tabulated; and a full newsletter will be released soon. Thanks to everyone who flew VSG 109A/B!
Redemption Fleet -
Redemption Fleet has recently garnered a new CO whom is busy at work organizing everything he's set out to do. He's appointed Adhemar Voltin as his executive officer, and the two of them have begun to branch out into other areas of the RS to get a feel for things both internal and external to their fleet. Good luck to the two of them!
Vanguard Fleet -
Note: The opinions expressed in the first sentence of this fleet blurb do not reflect the personal opinion of the FCO. :-P (Yes, that was a joke)
Chapter 8 of Star Wars Galaxies launched and it’s fabulous! This latest update is all about space. Yes, you heard it, space finally got some love from the developers. There are three new gunboats and a new star fighter! The Rebel Incom X4 Gunship, Imperial YE-4 Assault Gunship, Blacksun AEG-77 Vigo Gunship, and the Naboo N-1 Starfighter. (as a side note, Halyn Lance actually named the Freelance gunship!)
Oh, and my personal favorite is the Nova Orion space station! Yes, that’s right! A real space station that you can dock with, run around in, buy a drink in the cantina, chat with some friends, find jobs to take out those pesky pirates, and the perpetual enemy the Black Suns!
Josh Hawkins and Sandarie ran all over the station cleaning up the dust durnis and were rewarded with a fabulous feather duster! The collections system is tremendous fun and rewarding. If you are into decorating your house or ship, you can get new decorating items, more storage units, and… *drum roll* you can twist and turn those furnishings if you collect the right things. Yes, so you aren’t the best housekeeper, you can set those pictures on the walls slightly askew. Put the desk in your office at an angle in the corner! It’s amazing fun! Praise goes to Josh Hawkins (another blue female Twi’lek) for putting information about the collections on the wiki!
Guildchat is hopping, Teamspeak a hoot. Ironman, Josh Arands, Anishor, Sandarie, Richardii, Vandross, Aaron, all your favorites hang out there! There are other regulars as well, but I can’t remember all of them! Come by, laugh, ask questions, get a group to attempt to tackle the Heroic instances that arrived in the previous chapter.
The RSPA is alive and doing incredibly well on the Starsider server. If you haven’t been around in awhile, but have been thinking giving it a shot again, now is the time! The players are excited and looking forward all the content. Do it, do it now!
Allegiance Battle Group -
After a long and arduous duel with Lord Inquisitor Dar En Kendrath, Jedi Master Sienn Sconn, one of the two active Masters in the ABG, was felled by the Inquisitor's hand. The Inquisitor passed quickly after dispatching his once-friend and long-time enemy; collapsing onto the Master's empty robes as his essence passed to the Force. Sconn is still with everyone, watching over them, and his spirit still permeates the air at the Temple of Bethlamore. Our heros continue to struggle through the occupation of their world, and the loss of Sienn Sconn has scored a deep wound... But as all seems lost, faint gleams of hope still shine; the fight will go on... It must go on.
IV. Executive Office Reports
Of significant note here the RS Historical Officer, Lieutenant Commander Gavin Starseeker, has resigned from his post. The historical officer, charged with keeping the RS historical page and archiving what we're doing and what we've done, is an extremely important position within our organization. While he posted a notice about it some days ago, I'm reiterating that here; anyone interested in being the RS Historical Officer should contact me immediately with their resume. I will be seeking to fill this position within a week, so hop to it!
The Logistics Office has been hellishly busy working on the new RS Tour II outline, recently completed by General David Vaughan. The Tour, which is extremely well thought out and comprehensive, will immediately pick up after the upcoming SSF 112 mission; scheduled for release in three months or so. I won't go into any further detail, as it would be laced with spoilers, but I must say that this tour is going to be hellishly fun for all involved! TacOps is currently going through the tour outline with a fine-tooth comb, already picking out problems and tweaking things so that everyone might enjoy the hard work coming out of these people.
The Recruitment Office, spearheaded by Brigadier General Damon Lightwind, has been on top of every new member coming into the RS. A few new RSers have expressed their extreme surprise at the speed that they were personally contacted by Damon; which has left a definite positive impression.
I'm pleased to announce the appointment of a new Operations Officer! Brigadier General Eric Reagan, current PBF CO; has expressed his heavy interest in the position, and after much internal deliberation I've decided to give him a shot. Reagan currently has quite a bit on his plate, seeing as how he's a full FCO, but overwhelmingly expressed his desire to branch into the executive offices as well. Good luck Eric! I'm sure you'll do just fine.
TacOps is still looking for people interested in coordinating their combined efforts in the RS-wide ITOD! Interested parties should contact David Vaughan immediately, as he seeks to fill this position sometime within the coming month(s).
V. Zealot Operations
Zealot operations continues to chug along on the surface of Aphene, with little help coming in the way of the Modified Strike Cruiser Hopewell. The crew of the Hopewell, previously featured in the 'Kaz Story' forums, is a motley assemblage of the lowest common denominator in the New Republic. Making a cameo appearance in Zealot 109, the Hopewell has been a constant source of vague references and laughs in the B&G. You can read up on the old Kaz Story at this link.
I've been enthralled with the ongoing storyline, and while I personally haven't been able to participate due to time constraints, keep up with it every day. I suggest you all give them a look, as the personalities that make up Zealot are unique and entertaining. You can read of their exploits on the RS forums, with their current thread located here.
VII. Promotions/Awards
I have but one promotion this month, seeing as how most everyone I wanted to recognize on an RS-wide level were eligible as of the writing of the 'end of the year' SotRS... So here goes.
General David Vaughan, yes... you! Step forward. Your dedication to the RS goes beyond anything I have seen from any other singular member. You have, only recently, finished the enormous undertaking of the RS-ITOD tour 2 outline, along with a multitude of other logistics projects. You continue to spearhead TacOps, being the voice of cohesion in the group, and while you seek to resign from this position soon; I am sure your counsel will be used for months to come. I can not articulate how much you've meant to the RS over the past months; but I can certainly try. General David Vaughan, you are the poster child for a leader in the RS, you continuously strive to do more, do better, do faster, and have always carried out your duties well above and beyond any reasonable expectations. I am proud to, at this time, promote you to the rank of Commodore. Congratulations, and thank you.
VIII. Closing Thoughts
While January did see a bit of stagnation due to school examinations/school starting up for a decent chunk of the RS, the end of the month has seen a resurgence of activity even higher than the Pre-December holiday levels. I have been overjoyed to see this upsurge, and hope that it continues into the coming days. As spring approaches, the dawn of a new tour merely months away, and multiple RP stories starting to come together toward an end; I can only imagine what the immediate future has in store for us... One way or the other though, it's going to be fun.
Thursday, January 31st, 2008
I. State of the Rebel Squadrons
II. High Command News
III. Fleet Shorts
IV. Executive Office Reports
V. Zealot Operations
VII. Promotions/Awards
VIII. Closing Thoughts
I. State of the Rebel Squadrons
I know it hasn't been a month since the last installment of the SotRS, but plenty of things have occurred in this short time period to discuss! I've been seeing many new faces around the Bar & Grill, and would like to take a moment here to welcome all of the new faces to the Rebel Squadrons. A steady stream of new members have joined our ranks, bringing further activity to units such as the RID, which has had a bit of a stagnation lately; I look forward to everything these new people might contribute to the RS! A huge project, the second entire tour of the RS-wide ITOD, has recently been completed in a preliminary sense by David Vaughan. We're currently going through it with a fine-tooth comb, tweaking things to make sure everything is fun and coherent for everyone. Personally, I've finally managed to wring enough free time to work on a pair of long overdue projects, the RS-wide merit system and a new set of medals for those hard working Tactical Operations personnel. All in all, things continue to stay the course, steadily moving with absolutely no hold ups that have threatened the cohesion that we've made here. I am sure that the coming months will see some very interesting ideas come to fruition as we continue to push the envelope of Star Wars gaming and role playing.
II. High Command News
Debate closed earlier this month on a provision that would allow Executive Officers to directly promote members below them. The general consensus followed the consensus of old: Executive Officers (XOs) should direct any request to promote members of their fleet up the CoC; instead of being able to directly promote. Since this issue was brought up, I'm going to take a few moments to explain what should happen:
If the XO wishes to promote a member, he/she should immediately take the request (including reasoning) to their immediate Commanding Officer (Squad, Wing, Fleet). Should further discussion need to take place, it should take place at this stage. (IE: I don't think Such-and-Such should be promoted because he didn't report on the last mission, etc.)
If the immediate CO is unavailable, either due to LoA, illness, etc. the XO should then take it to the person above him. In the event that a FLEET XO is unable to contact the Fleet CO, he/she can take his/her request IMMEDIATELY to either myself or Josh. We make ourselves available nearly 24/7. This system is in place to facilitate communication between the CO and XO, so that the CO can know most everything that is going on in their squad/wing/fleet. In addition, it provides a check on promoting members; should the CO have a problem with said promotion it can be stopped before someone under them 'goes over their head'.
Hopefully this will alleviate any further issues that might crop up, if anyone has any questions about this or if you are unsure of what to do please feel free to hop on IRC, AIM, or any of the plethora of communications channels we have available and contact me personally. I'm always glad to answer questions.
III. Fleet Shorts
Patriot Battle Fleet -
The Patriots are currently flying the third mission of the GDF campaign. The mission is still ongoing, as reports are being accepted until 10 February. Up to this point, only a few pilots have reported in, but I expect an influx of reports here pretty soon. Also, the PSG saw some major changes in its Fleet Command Staff. Brigadier General Max Cal moved on to become the Redemption Fleet Commanding Officer. Major General Anton Nels was appointed as Executive Officer, and Lieutenant Colonel Gavin Starseeker was appointed as Second Officer. Overall, this has been a slow, but nonetheless productive, month for the Patriots. As we always do, we will continue to fly, fight, and accomplish the mission!
Vigilance Starfighter Group -
Since Kirghy will be releasing a VSG newsletter on Sunday, I'll forgo anything large here except to say that the VSG has just completed VSG 109, results are being tabulated; and a full newsletter will be released soon. Thanks to everyone who flew VSG 109A/B!
Redemption Fleet -
Redemption Fleet has recently garnered a new CO whom is busy at work organizing everything he's set out to do. He's appointed Adhemar Voltin as his executive officer, and the two of them have begun to branch out into other areas of the RS to get a feel for things both internal and external to their fleet. Good luck to the two of them!
Vanguard Fleet -
Note: The opinions expressed in the first sentence of this fleet blurb do not reflect the personal opinion of the FCO. :-P (Yes, that was a joke)
Chapter 8 of Star Wars Galaxies launched and it’s fabulous! This latest update is all about space. Yes, you heard it, space finally got some love from the developers. There are three new gunboats and a new star fighter! The Rebel Incom X4 Gunship, Imperial YE-4 Assault Gunship, Blacksun AEG-77 Vigo Gunship, and the Naboo N-1 Starfighter. (as a side note, Halyn Lance actually named the Freelance gunship!)
Oh, and my personal favorite is the Nova Orion space station! Yes, that’s right! A real space station that you can dock with, run around in, buy a drink in the cantina, chat with some friends, find jobs to take out those pesky pirates, and the perpetual enemy the Black Suns!
Josh Hawkins and Sandarie ran all over the station cleaning up the dust durnis and were rewarded with a fabulous feather duster! The collections system is tremendous fun and rewarding. If you are into decorating your house or ship, you can get new decorating items, more storage units, and… *drum roll* you can twist and turn those furnishings if you collect the right things. Yes, so you aren’t the best housekeeper, you can set those pictures on the walls slightly askew. Put the desk in your office at an angle in the corner! It’s amazing fun! Praise goes to Josh Hawkins (another blue female Twi’lek) for putting information about the collections on the wiki!
Guildchat is hopping, Teamspeak a hoot. Ironman, Josh Arands, Anishor, Sandarie, Richardii, Vandross, Aaron, all your favorites hang out there! There are other regulars as well, but I can’t remember all of them! Come by, laugh, ask questions, get a group to attempt to tackle the Heroic instances that arrived in the previous chapter.
The RSPA is alive and doing incredibly well on the Starsider server. If you haven’t been around in awhile, but have been thinking giving it a shot again, now is the time! The players are excited and looking forward all the content. Do it, do it now!
Allegiance Battle Group -
After a long and arduous duel with Lord Inquisitor Dar En Kendrath, Jedi Master Sienn Sconn, one of the two active Masters in the ABG, was felled by the Inquisitor's hand. The Inquisitor passed quickly after dispatching his once-friend and long-time enemy; collapsing onto the Master's empty robes as his essence passed to the Force. Sconn is still with everyone, watching over them, and his spirit still permeates the air at the Temple of Bethlamore. Our heros continue to struggle through the occupation of their world, and the loss of Sienn Sconn has scored a deep wound... But as all seems lost, faint gleams of hope still shine; the fight will go on... It must go on.
IV. Executive Office Reports
Of significant note here the RS Historical Officer, Lieutenant Commander Gavin Starseeker, has resigned from his post. The historical officer, charged with keeping the RS historical page and archiving what we're doing and what we've done, is an extremely important position within our organization. While he posted a notice about it some days ago, I'm reiterating that here; anyone interested in being the RS Historical Officer should contact me immediately with their resume. I will be seeking to fill this position within a week, so hop to it!
The Logistics Office has been hellishly busy working on the new RS Tour II outline, recently completed by General David Vaughan. The Tour, which is extremely well thought out and comprehensive, will immediately pick up after the upcoming SSF 112 mission; scheduled for release in three months or so. I won't go into any further detail, as it would be laced with spoilers, but I must say that this tour is going to be hellishly fun for all involved! TacOps is currently going through the tour outline with a fine-tooth comb, already picking out problems and tweaking things so that everyone might enjoy the hard work coming out of these people.
The Recruitment Office, spearheaded by Brigadier General Damon Lightwind, has been on top of every new member coming into the RS. A few new RSers have expressed their extreme surprise at the speed that they were personally contacted by Damon; which has left a definite positive impression.
I'm pleased to announce the appointment of a new Operations Officer! Brigadier General Eric Reagan, current PBF CO; has expressed his heavy interest in the position, and after much internal deliberation I've decided to give him a shot. Reagan currently has quite a bit on his plate, seeing as how he's a full FCO, but overwhelmingly expressed his desire to branch into the executive offices as well. Good luck Eric! I'm sure you'll do just fine.
TacOps is still looking for people interested in coordinating their combined efforts in the RS-wide ITOD! Interested parties should contact David Vaughan immediately, as he seeks to fill this position sometime within the coming month(s).
V. Zealot Operations
Zealot operations continues to chug along on the surface of Aphene, with little help coming in the way of the Modified Strike Cruiser Hopewell. The crew of the Hopewell, previously featured in the 'Kaz Story' forums, is a motley assemblage of the lowest common denominator in the New Republic. Making a cameo appearance in Zealot 109, the Hopewell has been a constant source of vague references and laughs in the B&G. You can read up on the old Kaz Story at this link.
I've been enthralled with the ongoing storyline, and while I personally haven't been able to participate due to time constraints, keep up with it every day. I suggest you all give them a look, as the personalities that make up Zealot are unique and entertaining. You can read of their exploits on the RS forums, with their current thread located here.
VII. Promotions/Awards
I have but one promotion this month, seeing as how most everyone I wanted to recognize on an RS-wide level were eligible as of the writing of the 'end of the year' SotRS... So here goes.
General David Vaughan, yes... you! Step forward. Your dedication to the RS goes beyond anything I have seen from any other singular member. You have, only recently, finished the enormous undertaking of the RS-ITOD tour 2 outline, along with a multitude of other logistics projects. You continue to spearhead TacOps, being the voice of cohesion in the group, and while you seek to resign from this position soon; I am sure your counsel will be used for months to come. I can not articulate how much you've meant to the RS over the past months; but I can certainly try. General David Vaughan, you are the poster child for a leader in the RS, you continuously strive to do more, do better, do faster, and have always carried out your duties well above and beyond any reasonable expectations. I am proud to, at this time, promote you to the rank of Commodore. Congratulations, and thank you.
VIII. Closing Thoughts
While January did see a bit of stagnation due to school examinations/school starting up for a decent chunk of the RS, the end of the month has seen a resurgence of activity even higher than the Pre-December holiday levels. I have been overjoyed to see this upsurge, and hope that it continues into the coming days. As spring approaches, the dawn of a new tour merely months away, and multiple RP stories starting to come together toward an end; I can only imagine what the immediate future has in store for us... One way or the other though, it's going to be fun.