Battlegroups Report 19

An interesting week, so let’s get down to the good stuff.

NEWS FROM THE BGS

MAJ Cray Mikalen has joined us from the Sov, Wing III to be precise. He’s taking over from Drake as WC of Wing IX. Drake left some big shoes to fill, as well as (I understand) a big mess and huge bar tab in the Stardrifter as a result of his going-away party. If you get a chance, stop by the Relentless and welcome Cray to the BGs.

In related news, the IntCOM has resigned his position and moved to the Reserves. This leaves both a COM and WC (Wing III) position open. Requirements are posted in the usual places. Pri has also promised some juicy bits on the IntCOM thing in his next report.

RogueWing has graciously taken on the task of being one of the TAC officers for the BGs in the upcoming Imperial Storm IV. There’s still much to be ironed out regarding this comp, and you’ll get more details as they become available. In the past, IS was more of a multi-player event, although they did try to include SP activity last year with mixed results.

In a more…uh…personal note, reports are starting to surface that the pet of an officer on board the Immortal seems to have some kind of hormone imbalance as well as very questionable taste when it comes to its leisure time activities. I’ve been getting complaints about this for some time now, and all I can say is, Mosh, you need to keep that thing on a leash.

STANDING ORDERS AND PROCEDURES

MSEs are getting close again. And that brings me to an old BG tradition that needs to be revived: the ‘Of The Month’ awards. These used to exist for the best pilot, squadron, and wing of the BGs, and I’m looking to add my own personal award – Ship of the Month. It works like this: when COMs submit their MSEs, they need to include their nomination for Pilot, Commander and Squadron of the Month, with their reasons for each choice. I’ll look over the recommendations and then select the BGs Pilot, Commander and Squadron of the Month. A COM can also nominate his Wing for Wing of the Month. I’ll compare the nominations and make a decision.

What’s required for an ‘of the month’ award? In the past this was often based on pure numbers, but I’d like to see something more. Cranking out tons of missions flown on ‘easy’ is one thing, beating two elite squadrons and winning six comps during a month is something else. A pilot who goes from no activity to setting four high scores and communicating like crazy is also a candidate for Pilot of the Month. These awards will be given for outstanding achievement or accomplishment.

One question I’ve often seen regarding these is: ‘Shouldn’t the Commander of the Squadron of the Month also be the Commander of the Month?’. Got a simple answer for this one – NO. A commander who takes over a dead squadron and brings it back to life is a clear candidate for CoM. The Squadron of the Month is usually a team effort. If it’s based on only one or two people flying, then one of them could be Pilot of the Month, but the Squadron as a whole certainly hasn’t earned that honor. Pilot and Commander of the Month are both based on individual effort. Squadron, Wing, and Ship of the Month are all based on teamwork. Keep that in mind when making your recommendations.

You can also look for a BG-wide comp to design banners for the unit ‘of the month’ awards.

CLOSING THOUGHTS

Our numbers are slipping again, which means it’s recruiting season once again. I know that the Challenge is hard at work in this area, and the Immortal seems to be keeping a steady flow of people coming in. But it’s just keeping up with the numbers we’re losing.

This is a difficult situation, and it gets worse with every day as our main game platforms age. Some pin their hopes on the new LA game, while others long for a SW mod to Starshatter. Personally, I don’t think either is a good solution. No matter what platform we use, the problem will always be attracting and then keeping good people.

We in the BGs have much to be proud of. We’re the oldest component of the TC aside from the Avenger. We’ve produced more than our share of famous personages in the EH. And we’ve always remained steady in the face of crisis. Our four ships are proud and active. Now we need to find a way to package that history and pride and market it to a wider audience. The BGs is a fun, rewarding place to be, and that will draw people no matter what game platform is used. To focus on platforms is to miss the point. What is needed is a clear focus on the bedrock of this club – the Flight Member. We have that here, and people are starting to discover that. So long as we stay true to that creed, we will be keeping the faith with our predecessors and be able to teach newcomers our ways.

That’s all for now. Keep flying and having fun!

BGCOM/AD Krax Tarnisar/TIE Corps Battlegroups