Be sure to go check it out!
SML Dayta is now Assistant of the Battalion Commander. Congratz to her.
http://www.petitiononline.com/xwa/petition.html
(Thank you AD Darksaber for bringing this to attention.)
Unfortunately I was with limited computer access over the past two days so I haven't done much in the way of FO-ing. However I'm back now and all outstanding requests should be dealt with by this time tomorrow. Sorry for the delay guys.
Also I take suggestions for a BSC Hosted Competition from the EH. Please mail them to me. Also, I search Hosts for this comp who already got BSC knowledge. I think about something like the old Zone Sunday Competition.
Well, no news has been posted since Monday so I decided to make a post. Uh, well...what's new you ask? Plenty, the EH got a new ally called Sith Squadron. Don't know much about them, but they seem cool. Also got an alliance with Dark Empire recently, so we just rock all around.
The CSMA is back open for business until MG Sithspawn's Operation: BBQ Ewok is back on tap. Please continue to submit your course exams and we will grade them. Thanks and I hope to see alot of tests coming in. The updated site will hopefully be up my 1 June 2003.
Add you future plans for the Wing and what steps you would take to encourage recruitment, activity and keep things running smoothly.
The application period is open through to Friday 25th April. Mail apps to hullbreach@warpmail.net. Flakes, cheaters, resume-padders and anger management cases need not apply (that means you Miack!).
The download links to battles were disabled this week because one member of the defecting group of the Dark Brotherhood suggested downloading all our battles and using them for their own use. The links are now back online but you must login for them to appear. This is the protect the hard work of the TIE Corps' mission designers.
At yesterdays meeting I was appointed the new position of Cheif Records Officer (CRO). As CRO it's my duty to log the history of the HF as well as conduct research in the HF.
I have made a Reseach Office website (thanks to Prae for the title graphic). It's small right now and needs a lot of work and will gradually grow. Part of the office is the Polling centre. Pleas visit and take part in the weekly polls.
This weeks poll: "What is your opinion of a new group within the Hammer's Fist specially for fiction writing?"
So go visit the website at http://www.delakkrennel.com/records/
Thanks to Delak for providing the webspace.
Operation One Shot One Kill 2 is starting May 1st. This competition will not be for just the fiction part anymore. There will also be a GFX part to it and also points will be awarded for taking and passing any and all sniper exams at the CSMA. Incentives are good and medals will be awarded for 1st, 2nd, 3rd place.
With the resignation of LC Pellaeon, I've opened TCC:XvT for applications. You can find all requirements in latest TAC report. Good luck to all who wish to be TAC's slave :)
There is a New Comp on. As requested, the Grey Wolf Madness starts on Saturdays at 5:00 am an ends at 7:00 am! The Host is Joey C. For Info's on the comp, please mail the Host or check the Combat Calendar! The 1st time the Comp is gonna be held is on Saturday, the 19th April 2003!
As I'm new to the job, please have a little patience while I settle in. If you have any questions/concerns/complaints/whatever, my door and email box are always open. I am especially eager to hear from the members about new activities or anything else you'd like to see in the HF. We have the potential to be as popular as the other SGs, but we are seen as a bunch of inactive slackers. I want this to change and I am asking for your help to accomplish this.
This is going to sound odd but I don't know how else to explain it:
I'm YOUR XO. My time and effort belong to YOU the members. I am now officially HF property and because I presently have no life, I will make myself available to anyone who needs a hand/advice/anything. If you just need to rant or scream at the world, I'm here for that too. You have problems not EH or HF related, feel free to rant, the door is always open.
Medals/Promos will be a bi-weekly occurance now instead of once a month which I know was a major gripe.
JK2 Tourneys will take place at least once a month. I'll come up with some medals and stuff. When the EHDB gets themselves sorted out, we'll hopefully get a good inter-service rivalry going.
RECRUIT RECRUIT RECRUIT!! We need more people!
Unfortunately, the fallout from the DB mutiny will affect the us. We're a small club and every loss hurts. Those who are leaving us are not to be ridiculed or taunted. They have made their decisions and we will respect that. Know that there are no hard feelings and you will always be fondly remembered and missed. Good leaders are NOT easy to come by and no one can really be replaced, but we will carry on as we always have though the galaxy darkens around us. To those leaving, I wish you luck in your endeavours and that you will be greatly missed.
Activites - gimme some ideas for new ones or old ones with a different twist. If you're in another SG and they do something fun that can be translated to the HF, but all means suggest it! I hear there is 'nothing to do' to often and I want to change that, but there is not sense busting my ass if no one wants to participate. The HF is nothing without it's active members so come on guys, lets make this SG as great as it has the potential to be. Many hands make light work, so lets all pitch in.
That's it from me. More news as situations warrant.
Membership: 95 active, 204 total
This is my last Hammer's Fist Domain Report connected with my first tour as Prefect of the Hammer's Fist Elite Stormtrooper Legion (to use my full title!). Most people just called me "boss." I tried not to be a boss though, prefering to be a team member and run the HF by concensus. I think it worked for the most part.
I have been the Hammer's Fist SGCOM for two and a half years to the day. The HF has enjoyed high periods and suffered through low ones, but overall I believe I have elevated this subgroup and carried it farther than it has gone before. Many changes and strides have been made through my own work and that of my excellent staff.
I have largely enjoyed my turn being at the helm of (arguably) the oldest subgroup of the Emperor's Hammer and am grateful for an understanding staff and dedicated membership. The HF has always had a small core of diehards who will keep the HF going. Sometimes their views conflict on the best direction. It has been interesting watching the debates and weighing in on points myself. The HF is nothing if not a lively and challenging place and I was hoping to have a longer run at the top. At the least, I was hoping to be the first to reach 100 HF Domain Reports! That is what I get for skipping some.
My energy for keeping up with this wild horse has waned, however, and I am finding it impossible to drum up the same level of enthusiasm that I had at the beginning. Back in January, I had given myself until March to see if I could climb out of my tailspin but it is obvious I am going to have to ditch. I am not pulling out of it and the HF is starting to fly as low as I am.
I have had a good run. I've heard I am the second-longest sitting SGCOM. DP Trench, I think you're status as longest-running SGCOM is still secure. :)
It has been at times not just a little bit frustrating, but if the HF needs a Prefect at some point in the future...well, I am leaving that door open. I have tried hard to improve the HF and foster its growth. I have implimented many changes and refined what was already there. I know my replacement will do the same and push the Hammer's Fist in directions I had not thought to do.
I am taking up an advisory post to the new Prefect Mordred. There, I will continue to contribute to the HF and EH in a non-leadership capacity, mostly with concrete things like designing new Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds (and maybe TIE Fighter) missions, and graphics work. In fact, I hope to see a section in the EH Mission Compendium just for the Hammer's Fist in the near future through my work and other SWGB mission designers. Thanks for a great time. For any current or former HFers, I'm not dead, just resting.
XO/HC Mordred, you are now PRF/GN Mordred, the minimum rank for Prefect being that of General.
[Salute]
Prefect of the Hammer's Fist Elite Stormtrooper Legion
Field Marshal Ares
PRF/FM Ares/GS-1/DREAD Retribution =MS=
[LC/OGD/DSS/HCx3/LoSx5/MoD-GC/CoOx3]
IC/GOE/SS/CoL/LoAx2
CSMA grading will be put on hold with the exception of the SSBTC for recruits. This will be the policy until the end of MG Sithspawn's Operation: BBQ Ewok. On another note, there should be at least 5 more courses out within the next month, so be prepared and save up your CSMA energy for them.
I've gotten many questions lately by people who want to hold competitions with the RS now that we've formally allied with them. This is great and actually encouraged by not only myself, but GA Ronin as well. I just want to lay down the proper procedures to make sure things get done and the comps can happen. When you make initial contact with the RS regarding a competition, you must CC the LA, TO, and COO(If an MP comp) on your emails. We will need to be apprised on what is going on. After you get your competition set up and approved by all parties, send in a Competition Approval Form if you plan to award medals, if not just have your comp and win some glory for the EH.
I hope this will help a little bit to eliminate some of the confusion regarding this subject, and good luck in your comps.
There is a new Competition where we can play. You can find the information in the Combat Calendar and on the BSC Website. If you got questions please mail me.
Membership: 95 active, 204 total
The HF membership numbers have slipped slightly, but the infusion of a new SGCOM should see that number jump sharply in the next few weeks. The trick will be to retain all the newcomers (and those who have come out of retirement for another round as a trooper).
One project that has the potential to greatly increase interest in the HF and retain members is a library of custom HF missions and levels for Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds and Jedi Knight 2. We lack such a database because of the historical difficulty in making custom first person shooter levels, and this difficulty has only increased along with the complexity of the games. While I have not figured out how to successfully use the Jedi Knight 2 editor, the SWGB editor is very easy to use - about on par with any of the TIE Fighter mission editors. I will be using most of my club time with SWGB scenario and campaign creation.
I have spoken briefly with the SCO about SWGB scenarios and campaigns, and it may be possible to have such files included in the vast TC/EH mission database as "SWGB - HF" missions. Mission package format (text files, proper mission design, official mission briefing images, etc.) will also be worked out.
Other significant awards go to MG Sithspawn, HC Mordred, and COL Nightflyer. These three members are now ushered into the Master Stormtrooper circle, being given the =MS= certification. This is a recommendation / invite-only status awarded only to the brightest members of the subgroup. Congratulations to you all.
Prefect of the Legion
Field Marshal Ares
It is with the greatest of pleasures that I announce the formal alliance of the Emperor's Hammer and the Rebel Squadrons. As two of the largest, best run clubs on the net, we have long shared friendly relations together. However, all attempts in the past at formally allying our two organizations have been met with various problems. However, through the efforts of Rear Admiral Darknyte, Admiral Rahj Tharen, and Grand Admiral Ronin, we have successfully secured an alliance which will be the foundation upon which we will build many more venues.
What does this mean for the average EH or RS member? Not a lot, in some ways, for we have always and forever shared our mutual love of Star Wars and the desire to have fun. However, we now can stand officially together, allied in our common cause - the desire to live out a bit of that amazing universe of Star Wars. I look forward to seeing what the Emperor's Hammer will bring to our table in terms of competition, exchange of ideas, and friendship.
The Office of External Affairs will begin investigation into various
competitions with the Emperor's Hammer. More details will be forthcoming.
Respectfully submitted,
Major General Lamin D. Zykara
Rebel Squadrons Minister of External Affairs
Some of you may know what a MUD is, but for those that do not a MUD is a multi-user dungeon, a text-based role-playing sim. Remember those old two-tone games that used to be around for BBC and Amstrad computers, where you got a room description and a list of doors, and you chose where you went? Well it's that, only online and for many players at once.
The EH has it's own MUD, located at:
http://www.fox-developments.co.uk/mud/
MUD can count as activity for almost any subgroup- there's every aspect of the SW universe represented, from pilots and bounty hunters to Jedi and businessmen. It's free, easy to play on and highly addictive.
Activity can be logged, and each player- on submitted his/her email address, can be mailed a regular update informing them how long they have spent on the MUD. This can then me submitted to superiors as proof of acitvity in the usual fashion.
Line Admiral Astix
Field Marshal Ares
Membership: 96 active 205 total
The new Platoon League website is http://hf.xpi.org.uk/PL/details.htm
The password feature of the HF website is now made more secure thanks to Zsinj. I did not know it wasn't secure, but it is secure now. :-)
This was to be part of my previous report but I was too medicated to write it! The future of the HF with the Unreal Tournament 2003 game engine looks bright. Finally there is a Star Wars conversion for a first person shooter that looks like it will actually be finished and not fade away into the land of vaporware! What I am talking about is Troopers: Rise of the Rebellion.
Their website is http://www.ut2003troopers.co.uk/
The conversion allows players to play either the Empire or Rebellion side of the conflict with UT2003. It takes a very different tack than the old Unreal Tournament: Emperor's Hammer UT conversion, but it does many things better. Of course this is partly due to the UT2003 engine, but the "Troopers..." team seems to have a few semi-professionals on it too, and the hardware and software to pull it off.
At present, "Troopers..." looks to be just a resetting of UT2003 in the Star Wars universe with appropriate characters (at least one stormtrooper type, perhaps more), weapons, and locales. The gametypes seem to be the same as for UT2003 however (deathmatch, capture the flag). When the conversion is available to the public and in a late form (so code isn't updated frequently), it would be good to modify it further to the HF's needs.
Prefect of the Legion
Field Marshal Ares
I have resigned from the EH entirely. Read the SO report or ask me for a forward of my resignation mail if you want a copy - bafordham@earthlink.net.