State of the Rebel Squadrons

May 2016

I. Foreword
II. Personnel and Project Updates
IIII. Promotions & Awards
IV. Squadron Reorganization
V. Mission Briefing
VI. Conclusion

I. Foreword

From: Desk of the Fleet Commander
To: Task Force Republic Shield

Greetings Rebel Squadrons!

We’ve just wrapped up our spring session and we’ve seen a continued impressive amount of activity coming out of the RPG division as the RS faces the greatest threat to our hard-won holdings in the Aurora Sector: a planetary assault spearheaded by the Super Star Destroyer Titan on Aurora itself. That battle is still ongoing, and will be concluded over the course of the coming session: Hammerfall - Operation Borealis.

The fate of planet Aurora, and likely the entire Aurora sector, hinges on the next few weeks. Participation in all ITOD objectives is critical to the survival of RS’ presence in this sector, so participate in as many activities as you can!

In case you missed it, the RS’s chat presence is migrating away from IRC to use Discord, an innovative chat/voice client that our members have latched onto. It has a traditional chatroom format we are used to, but it also includes the ability to leave members messages even when they are offline, participate in voice conversations, and identifiable profile pictures as well! Check it out at https://discordapp.com/invite/0vPv7dJ1NL2hPr8m , from the left-hand nav-bar on rs.org, or by downloading the discord desktop chat client here: https://discordapp.com/ .

With regards to the RS as a whole: the Immersion Gaming Platform: d6RPG task force remains our most active activity, dominating the scoreboards at over a thousand points, partially instigated by a surge of GMing from a new GM! More on that later. Meanwhile, CrazyCarl has been hounding us all to fly the Legacy Platform flight sims, particularly XWA on the weekends, and calls to play Hearthstone have been ringing out over Discord.

Remember, ANY activity you do with a fellow RSer, beyond just hanging around in chat, is valid for reporting! Take screenshots and let us know what you’re up to at (http://www.rebelsquadrons.org/multiplayer/report_mp.php ). If you’ve been playing a game with a particular group of friends, try and get them to join the RS! We’ll do our best to pair them with you in your squad.

Keep up the good fight, RS.
“:)
Cy

From: Operations Office (a.k.a. Markus’s Bunker)

Greetings members of the RS. I’m going to touch on something that is currently in the planning phase. Cyrel and I have been discussing changing up how our Squadron assignments are done, going forward. This session, they will remain the same. Going forward, though, we are examining the possibility of a randomized team of four, or possibly a draft system each session where designated leaders will pick their teams. We welcome any feedback that you may have on this matter.

Additionally, if you have any ideas for how to improve activity, games you’d like to play, or activities you’d like to see integrated into the RS, please feel free to email me at MarkusJ@rebelsquadrons.org.

Additionally, in the Star Wars Gaming universe, there appear to be big things on the horizon. Respawn games and various other EA studios are working to put together some interesting stuff. Specifically, the group that made Titanfall is working on a new project along with a host of others. You can find out more here:
http://www.ea.com/news/the-force-is-strong-with-respawn-entertainment


II. Personnel and Project Updates

At this time, we are looking for a new Modern Gaming Platform Coordinator and Medals Officer . If you are interested in any of these positions, please contact Markus or Cyrel. We look forward to seeing your applications. No experience is necessary for either position, only dedication and a drive to make the RS a stronger and more inviting environment.

I would like to welcome back Rear Admiral Kirghy Lommax from his leave of absence. He will be taking over for CMDR Jaran “Gunsmoke” Farlance as the new Rebel Squadrons Executive Officer. Kirghy brings a lot of experience back to the command staff, and we are happy to have him back on board.

Thanks to Josh and Licah, the ITOD points are now properly displaying on the page. You can check this, as well. Further, to encourage participation in the ITOD objectives, we will be awarding five points to individual session scores for each ITOD point you score. This could very quickly add up and be a pretty big factor for you and your squadron to make a difference.

In addition, our IO team is still hard at work on our future home, generating for us a new website using modern coding standards to bring us greater functionality and transparency. They’re being slowed down as we periodically tweak our existing website to keep us going in the interim, but rest assured, the new site is coming.

Academy news: CDT Varis Palharris, LJG Baramax, and LJG tk421: You have neither reported activity nor made contact, and will be removed from the roster and placed on reserve. If at any time you wish to rejoin the rebel squadrons, please contact me at FC@rebelsquadrons.org.

III. Promotions and Awards

And now, we have a number of awards to hand out for last session. Squadron scores for Hammerfall: The Lithran Offensive are below:

Name	Member Count	Raw Base Points	Percent Reported	SCORE
Dagger Squadron	3 / 6	108	50%	54
Red Dragon Squadron	2 / 3	264	66.7%	176
Red Squadron	2 / 2	269	100%	269
Resurrection Squadron	7 / 7	1129.7	100%	1129.7
The Academy	7 / 9	534.1	77.8%	415.4
Wildcard Squadron	3 / 5	192.8	60%	115.7

Without further adieu, medals and promotions below Looks like the XWA Crowd is getting back into the swing of things, and there are medals to follow!

Medals

• Merit Commendation - FA Joshua Hawkins, and BGN Teu Veld - For putting in a lot of quiet work on the Minecraft server! Congrats!
  
• Combat Citation - MGN Kimiao Quinal - For continued excellence on the field of battle, and organizing some serious smitage in tanking! Congrats!
  
• Valiance Combat Citation - 1LT Ralis Solin, CDT Arexander Clevor, CrazyCarl - After overcoming many obstacles and valiant coordination, pilots CrazyCarl, Ralis Solin, and Arexander Clevor succeeded in playing several XWA campaign missions together in cooperative multiplayer over GameRanger. It was a glorious event, so they tell us!
  
• Valiance Combat Citation - BGN Mat Bizegar - For going above and beyond in your participation in weekend multiplayer flight sim events!
  
• RS Top Squadron goes to Resurrection Squadron for putting up 1129.7 points last session! Congrats!
  
• RS Activity Top Gun goes to Eric Skrevski with a combined point total of 339. Congrats, Eric! Good to see you on the leaderboard!
  
• RS ITOD Top Gun goes to Teu Veld with 15 points reported! Congrats, Teu!
  

Promotions

• Officer Jay Forerunner, FA Licah Fox mentioned you in his operation report: “I recommend Jay Forerunner for promotion to Lieutenant Colonel. He has been the RS's top officer in Commander and Uprising, and has assumed the TFL duties for both, with very quick response time whenever I ask him to accomplish a task. I believe he has distinguished himself over the past 7 months in those two games to the point that we need to recognize him.” For your work with Uprising and Commander, you are promoted to Lieutenant Colonel. Keep up the good work.
  
• Officer Mat Bizegar, FA Licah Fox had this to say in his operation report: “Biz is due for a major recognition. He has been quietly toiling in the background for many years now, and served as assistant TFL of Commander, de facto, since he led the Windows server RS squad for a long time. He hasn't been promoted since 2007 and has been doing the best he can with Battlefront. I know Cyrel would like more activity in Battlefront, but Biz has really tried to be around on IRC, Discord, the forums, etc. to make sure he catches anyone else interested in Battlefront. I recommend him for a promotion to MGN.” Based on his recommendation, we hereby promote you to Major General, congratulations!
  
• Officer Koah, your direct superior MGN Kimiao has noted in his Squadron reports your continued excellent levels of activity, and has put you in for promotion. We happily accept. Congratulations, Commander.
  
• Cadet Arexander Clevor, for your active participation and presence on Discord, you hereby graduate from the Academy, are promoted to LJG, and have earned placement into an active duty squadron effective immediately. Congratulations.
  

IV. Squadron Reorganization

It has been no secret that the leaderboard has been less and less interesting as of late. Through persistent participation, Resurrection Squadron has time and time again claimed victory on the leaderboards. While the command staff is immensely proud of Resurrection’s accomplishments and admire their continued participation in the RS, we feel that they are getting a little too complacent in their position at the top. As such, after a great deal of deliberation, we have decided it is time for a pair of squadron mergers.

Effectively immediately, Red and Wildcard squadrons will be merging to form the new ‘Diamond’ Squadron under the command of MAJ Yaihi'l Beskar.

Red Dragon and Dagger squadrons will be merging to form the new Jellybean Squadron under the command of BGN Naesa Draw.

Members that have been marked AWOL for inactivity or are otherwise on LOA will not be transferred into these new squadrons. They may request transfer to an active squadron once they are back. Otherwise, they will be transferred to the academy at the end of the session.

The new squadron rosters are as follows:

Resurrection Squadron

• MGN Nicolai Ginofev
  
• LGN Eric Skrevski
  
• ADM Lucas Benoit-Stark
  
• FA Danny "David Lee Japan" Qatar
  
• MGN Markus Jarnhann
  
• FA Michael Raven
  
• FA Joshua Hawkins
  

Diamond Squadron (Formerly Red/Wildcard)

• MAJ Yaihi'l Beskar
  
• BGN Mat Bizegar
  
• LCM Galen McGrath
  
• LCL Darth Gumbo
  
• BGN Hermus Dogan
  
• MAJ Domeno
  
• RA Kirghy Lommax
  
• BGN Teu Veld
  
• CMDR Jaran "Gunsmoke" Farlance
  
• CDT Arexander Clevor
  

Jellybean Squadron(Formerly Red Dragon / Dagger)

• BGN Naesa Draw
  
• MGN Kimiao Quinal
  
• LCM Koah
  
• LCM CrazyCarl
  
• 1LT Ralis Solin
  
• ADM Tyrell "Spokes" Borran
  
• CMDR Jay Forerunner
  
• BGN Swifty Chapple
  
• BGN Rhuryc
  
• VA Gavin Cantorph Kravis
  

In addition to these changes, Squadron COs have a new codified list of responsibilities in accordance with their positions. It will soon be added to the site as a new Fleet Commander Directive, but until then, they can be viewed here ( https://docs.google.com/document/d/1aRoUEtiCWl4V9QP3oQjwbeRgoKDbyjOilUToDG-0HS4/edit?usp=sharing ). Members wishing to attain the responsibilities of their own squadron must demonstrate (most) of these qualities before they will be considered for the position.

V. Mission Briefing - Hammerfall: Operation Borealis

The situation was dire.

Diverting most of its attention to the conflict in the Aurora Sector, the RS had been in the process of pushing towards the Lithran system, a critical manufacturing and resupply point bolstering the Titan Fleet’s bid to control the sector. Progress was being made sewing the seeds of insurrection on the world and chipping away at the outer defensive positions when the worst possible situation arose. The Imperials countered RS’s efforts by striking at the heavily defended Sector Capital, Aurora, with all of their might. Spearheading the assault is the Super Star Destroyer Titan herself, vanguarding a nearly overwhelming invasion fleet. Should Aurora fall, the RS will no longer have a fortified stronghold in the sector, nowhere to fall back to, and will be systematically forced out.

The scope of the battle around the planet is MASSIVE, as the invasion force includes dozens of Star Destroyers and hundreds of support ships assaulting the planet. The Super Star Destroyer Titan has focused her efforts on Aurora Prime, trading blows with Aurora’s planetary shield grid and her plethora of Planetary Scale Turbolasers and Ion Cannons. While the planet is forced to fend off the Titan, entire task forces are systematically assaulting and destroying RS’ network of defensive stations in orbit. Swarms of fighter craft bodyguard waves of transports rushing the surface, intent on decimating the world’s shield grid from the surface and allow the Titan to begin decimating installations from orbit. Damaged and battered, Aurora’s shield grid was beginning to falter, already unable to safely shutter itself to allow Aurora’s planetary guns to fire without risking the Titan’s wrath from reaching the surface.

Yet, hope was not yet lost.

The most fortified system in the sector, Aurora boasted an impressive array of defensive surface installations and orbital emplacements. Allies cultivated by the Allegiance Battle Group and splinter groups founded by the ABG’s own members, pulled from their typical roles, have rushed to the system to lend aid. The bulk of the RS’s forces in the Aurora Sector, a task force from the RS’ home Greeop Sector, and a significant contingent of the RS’s rimward flank are all engaged with the Titan’s supporting fleet.

Can the RS hold on, can they resist long enough to make this invasion too costly for the Imperial forces to continue? Can they strike back hard enough to give the RS the momentum it needs to capture Lithra, and retake the Aurora Sector? Will Aurora Prime instead fall, all but dooming the RS’s efforts to hold onto the sector?

It is up to you, officers, to hold the line.

Welcome to Hammerfall: Operation Borealis.

(Author Credit: ADM Cyrel Vandroth)


Below are the currently presented ITOD objectives. Please note that your current activities can be found on the RS Main Page by clicking the ‘Activities’ tab on the left menu bar, or by going to: http://www.rebelsquadrons.org/activities/

Note, you will NOT receive credit (ITOD score or associated leaderboard points) unless you submit a report via the activities tool. It is the only way for the TFL to know that you have participated and to award credit.

Battlefront:

1. Play a multiplayer match
2. Play a multiplayer match with another RSer
3. Take no damage in the Endor Chase mission and get the achievement "Safety ain't the point of a joyride"

Uprising:

Activity is heating up, and the Empire has begun seriously cracking down on the sector, showing signs of swiftly undoing substantial progress towards freedom. It is your solemn duty to see to it personally that such never comes to pass!

One point for each individual Sector Battle ranked as at least Lieutenant! This is to be done up to three separate Sector Battles, for a maximum of three points. Any "alts" do not count towards this objective.

The Old Republic:

Complete 3 different flashpoints and submit screenshots of the objective completed. Each Flashpoint will earn one objective point.

Minecraft:
With the battle for Aurora raging, we need all the help we can get repairing and replacing our forces.
1.       Power X number of mining lasers. See TFL Fulliron for assignment
2.       Contribute x number of Iron Blocks for the purposes of building a shipyard. Again, see the TFL for assignment
3.       Build your Iron contribution into the shipyard framework

X-Wing Alliance:

The battle for the planet Aurora is raging and the ISD Redemption has been recalled from the Lithran system to assist in the defense, however the Titan force is significant and even with the reinforcements the battle is not going well. . .

Mission available here:
http://www.rebelsquadrons.org/itod/mission?id=1168

Empire At War:

One point for winning, one additional point for having either the station or your ISD survive, and the third point for having both survive.

Mission available here:
http://www.rebelsquadrons.org/itod/mission?id=1169

Star Citizen:

1 Point for a screenshot at Port Olisar
1 Point for a screenshot in Arena Commander
1 Point for giving me any feedback what you think about the game and how you'd like to see it integrated into the RS.

World of Tanks:

1 point recruit a tanker to the RS (This means to the Rebelsquadrons.org webpage)
1 point participate in a battle with another RS player.
1 point for playing in a competitive match (clan wars/stronghold)
(3 points can be awarded max)

Star Wars Minis:

Briefing: Nothing special here, pilots, but it’s all the same just as critical. You’ll be flying regularly scheduled combat patrols along our frontlines, focused along possible Imperial patrol lines near and at the Lithra System. Engage and destroy any Imperial forces you encounter.

Objective Instructions: Play Minis! Instructions on how to set up Vassal, the software we use to emulate the game, can be found here: (http://wiki.rebelsquadrons.org/index.php?title=X-Wing_Miniatures#Setting_up ). Once you’re up and running, stop by our DALNet channel #rs_bar_and_grill and ask if anyone wants to play a game or post on the forums to arrange a match with someone. Follow the instructions in the wiki article to load up Vassal and join a game.

Play matches and submit them as activity via the Generic Reporter (http://www.rebelsquadrons.org/multiplayer/report_mp.php ). Matches involving at least 100 points matches (or higher if you want to involve capships/epic scale battles) are valid for completing this objective.

Once you have accumulated three matches (or however many you can for the operation), use the mission reporter link (http://www.rebelsquadrons.org/activities/objective?id=10 , select ‘report on this actvity’) to create a mission report for this objective. Include in the comments section links to each of your activity reports (found here via clicking ‘Leaderboards’, ‘Multiplayer Hub’, then under ‘Full Match Listings’ select ‘X-wing Minatures’ and find your report. Or just go here: http://www.rebelsquadrons.org/multiplayer/mp_nc_reports?activity=mini ).

Point Distribution: 1 point for every qualifying match played (max 3 per player).

Galaxy of Heroes:

Briefing: Galaxy of Heroes now has Guild Functionality, but we are SORELY lacking in the points needed to do guild raids for high-level gear. Dust off your best squads and get out there, doing individual missions helps us get overall guild points!

Objective Instructions: There are daily objectives that include getting up to 600 guilds points. Your points do not need to be earned in one day, but will be tallied over the coarse of the ITOD.

Point Distribution: 1 point for every unique instance of reaching 600 guild points for the day. (max 3 times/3 ITOD points).

Modern Gaming Platform Coordinator Directives:

1 point for 1 hour total played with another RSer. Use a screenshot as evidence.
1 point for 2 hours total.
1 point for 3 hours total and at least two different games.


VI. Conclusion
Folks, there’s a lot of good things on the horizon. I know things have been quiet around here, lately. But we’re working on getting some ideas together to try and bolster activity and keep things exciting. If you have any suggestions at all, please please hit us up and drop them our way. We care about the community we have here, and we want it to grow as best we can.

Regards,

The Command Team:

MGN Markus Jarnhann
Rebel Squadrons Operations Officer
Contact the Operations Officer

RA Kirghy Lommax
Rebel Squadrons Executive Officer
Contact the XO

ADM Cyrel Vandroth
Rebel Squadrons Fleet Commander
Contact the FC



Admiral Cyrel Vandroth
Rebel Squadrons Fleet Commander
fc@rebelsquadrons.org