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Beta Squadron - Violent Order
Mental Health: Real Life, Responsibilities, and ReMob
Normally this would be the space where I would write a bit of fiction, to carry on the story of Beta Squadron through my point of view. This month I want to change things up a little, so bear with me. This month I want to talk about mental health, and I don't want to bury it in fiction or metaphor. I'll try to be concise.
First and foremost, I want to thank all of you who have made an effort to participate despite my sporadic periods of activity throughout the month. Without going into detail, my own mental health has been struggling as I deal with a number of things and try to improve my physical health. Some days have been a challenge to even log into Discord, let alone participate in games or lead a squadron.
Some of you have been aware of my situation and been very helpful, but in the end it falls on me to make sure I'm communicating, so I'm going to thank you all for your considerable and ongoing understanding.
Along those lines, I just wanted to take this opportunity to remind you all that, for all the EHTC is important to us all in different ways, at the end of the day being here should be something that brings you joy. If (or when, more likely) life steps in and demands your attention, you should never feel bad for putting life first. There is nothing going on here that can't be delayed or delegated when needed, and there is no point at which your participation should take precedence over your day-to-day life.
I think sometimes it's easy to forget that.
Motivation can also be hard to find sometimes. When you know you should grind out a few games, or even just hop into a VC and hang out, but just can't seem to get it together and off the couch. I'm here to tell you, that's okay. Before we're gamers, pilots, officers, or anything else, we should be friends. When you don't feel like talking or hanging out, when you just need some anti-social time, need some quiet time to recharge the "social battery" that's at 1%, you have my encouragement to take a day or a week off. I say this not only as your squadron Commander, but also as your friend. I'll be here if you need me.
I'll check in on you from time to time - that's part of the gig - but believe me, I understand.
And finally, don't think for a moment that I can't help you with your issues because I'm dealing with my own.
Burdens shared are always lighter than burdens carried alone.
Anyway, enough with that. We have some exciting news in the works, and with ReMob right around the corner I'd love to see Beta Squadron shake off some lethargy. Let's gear up and get it done!
Squadron News
Beta Squadron has seen some major changes this year so far, and more are incoming! April was a bit of a slow month, but May is already shaping up to be busy busy!
Lieutenant Hunter Wilson has returned from the Reserves, and will soon be back up to speed and earning those Legions with the best of us. Welcome back, Hunter!
Fleet News
Please be sure to congratulate BGCOM/RA Genie, former CO of Lambda Squadron, on his promotion to Battlegroup I Commodore. Then apologize for the 🔥 🔥 he'll have to put out and repair bills coming out of his bankroll. The Hammer and our associated ships will benefit greatly from his steadfast leadership and relentless motivation.
Squadron ReMobilization 23
With Imperial Storm over a month behind us, the fleet has had plenty of down time to repair and rearm, and not a moment too soon! Squadron ReMobilization (ReMob) will be upon us before we know it, and I know Beta can make for a solid showing in the next big fleet-wide event of the year. Let's see if we can find a day or two per week that we can all put in some effort to earn Legions (of Skirmish AND Conflict, no doubt both will be in heavy demand!), write some fictions, solve some puzzles, and otherwise contribute to the squadron and Battlegroup effort.
Squadron Management 6
That's right, the venerable SM/5 is currently undergoing heavy review and updating, and we should soon see the 6th edition hitting the Imperial University soon. Big shout out to the Training Officer corps for the extra effort they've put into this, bravo zulu!
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That's right, the Emperor's Hammer TIE Corps now has added Elite Dangerous to our "Primary Games" list, which is not only eligible for competitions, but will also allow pilots to earn Legions of Skirmish (PvE) & Legions of Conflict (PvP)! Many people were involved in doing the research for feasibility, and due to their outstanding work you may now earn credit within the TIE Corps for playing a game you were likely playing anyway. You won't see me playing it, but I want to encourage you all to check it out anyway and see if it's something you want to get involved in. And don't forget, you can start dreaming up competitions involving Elite Dangerous to submit up the chain. Feel free to DM me if you need help figuring out the submission requirements.
And of course, for reporting requirements you'll want to double check the COO Manual to ensure you get proper credit for the games you play.
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Other News
The Training Office has announced the activation of a new, higher-level qualification you may earn from the Imperial University. The Graduate of Starfighter Operations qualification has a much stricter set of requirements and will really help you stand out from your fellow pilots, if you should choose to pursue it. The Training Office is currently working up other Graduate-level courses as well, so stay tuned!
Additionally, the Training Office has also released 3 brand new courses, developed by COL Aardvark, on the Nature of the Dark Side, found in the Dark Jedi Shadow Academy. Feel free to be one of the first to complete all three parts!
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Important Note:
If you believe that anyone in Beta Squadron, Battlegroup I, or the TIE Corps is behaving in an inappropriate manner, please bring it to my attention, or the attention of your direct superior. If the person misbehaving is your direct superior, report it to their immediate superior.
EHTC Leadership, myself included, has a zero tolerance policy for harassment or otherwise inappropriate conduct. This includes but is not limited to DMs, voice channels, email, or any other form of communication. Using your chain of command is the best option for handling matters.
There is virtually always a member of the senior leadership (Rear Admiral and above) online, so if quick action is necessary don't be afraid to "ping" or DM them directly.
If you have ANY questions about the above, please DM me or BGCOM.
Squadron Activity (1st - 30th April)
1-1 CMDR/CM neurotictim/Beta/Wing I/ISDII Hammer/Battlegroup I
MEDALS AWARDED:
* ORA x 17
* LoS x 19
* IS-SW x 2
* IS-BW x 1
* MoC-boc x 4
* MoC-poc x 1
* IAR x 1
MEDALS AWARDED:
* MoC-doc x 1
* MoC-boc x 2
MEDALS AWARDED:
* MoC-boc x 4
* MoC-soc x 1
* OV x 1
MEDALS AWARDED:
* MoC-soc x 1
* MoC-boc x 1
MEDALS AWARDED:
* MoC-boc x 3
* MoC-poc x 1
* MoC-goc x 1
MEDALS AWARDED:
* LoC x 9
* LoS x 1
* ORA x 10
* MoC-boc x 2
* MoC-soc x 1
* CoB x 2
* PC x 1
MEDALS AWARDED:
* LoC x 2
* LoS x 2
* MoC-boc x 2
* MoC-soc x 1
MEDALS AWARDED:
* LoC x 8
* LoS x 5
* ORA x 10
* MoC-goc x 1
* MoC-boc x 3
* MoC-soc x 1
* PC x 1
NEW COMBAT RATING:
*New Combat Rating (MP PvP) rank achieved: Elite 4th
MEDALS AWARDED:
* MoC-boc x 2
* MoC-soc x 1
Discord Comms
Competitions
Make sure to check out the competitions in the Competition Center, the hub for activities in the Emperor's Hammer. You are eligible to participate in any comp for Beta Squadron, Battlegroup I, or TIE Corps.
There are plenty of competitions, notably Season Six of TIE Corps in Battle (TCiB), the new long-run SWTOR Conquest and SWTOR: Galactic Seasons being run by MAJ "Pops" Gytheran. There are even a couple of Elite Dangerous comps going on, if that's more your speed or you're looking for the latest primary game.
There are also some non-gaming comps, with jigsaw puzzles, word challenges, and even a scavenger hunt! Check the Competition Center (link above) and find something that piques your interest.
Interested in creating and running a competition? Talk to me and I'll help walk you through the process!
Closing Comments
I'm still playing Star Wars: The Old Republic (SWTOR) when I'm feeling up to it. I would LOVE to see more Beta pilots in the game, and I'd be happy to help you through the beginning, as I was helped. So if you have any interest in playing, let me know when and I'll be there (if I can, of course).
You can also reach out to MAJ Gytheran or LC Solohan50 if I'm not around. Keep in mind, it's a free-to-play game and runs on older computers pretty well, so no reason not to give it a go! If you play for a while and decide you want to subscribe for the benefits, it's super straightforward. Or you can just play it at no cost, either way is fine by me.
I fully expect Legions of Skirmish and Conflict (LoS & LoC, respectively) to factor heavily in scoring for the upcoming ReMob event, which means now is a good time to familiarize yourself with Star Conflict, the game famous for quick Legions. I learned how it works, and while it definitely can be a grind, you know what makes it much more fun? Having squadmates fly with you! It's also free to play, and doesn't require a whole lot of brain cells, so if you're looking to up your gaming participation without investing a ton of time, this might be the game for you. If Beta can squad up once or twice during ReMob, we can earn a lot of Legions very quickly and establish ourselves.
Referring back to my opening remarks, I'd definitely like to see your names in any of the various competitions going on, or in my MSE reports, but at the end of the day we can only do what we can manage. So manage yourselves and your real life in such a way that gaming with us is something you want to make time for, and if that isn't possible right now, just know that it's okay. We'll catch up another time. Stay safe, stay healthy.
If you have any questions, comments, moans, groans, or complaints, feel free to DM me or catch me in VC. I look forward to seeing you all getting it done in the coming month!
Respectfully,
CMDR/CM neurotictim/Beta/Wing I/ISDII Hammer
SS/BSx7/PCx2/ISM/IAR/MoI/MoC--poc-goc-soc-8boc/MUA/IS-5SW-4BW-3CW-PR-7GR-2SR-7BR-CR/ORA-2C/LoC-TS/LoS-RS/CoB
[Marksman1st][Gunner'sMate1st]{TCCORE-SM/5}
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