From the Commander of Spectre Squadron, my alter ego GN Plif:

CM Matu Vonnegut has been serving in Spectre Squadron for over a year now and as our Flight Leader for most of that. In that capacity, he's been helping drive participation when the CMDR and SQXO have been busy tackling our primary roles which has resulted in Spectre performing well alongside other squadrons in Corps-wide events. To recognize him for his service as a Commander and to set the bar even higher for him going forward, I'm proud to promote him to the rank of Captain.

Congratulations, CPT Matu Vonnegut!

From Rho Squadron CMDR CPT Maston Dane:

Isabis Kamaria, with great skill, is one of our best pilots and when it comes to SWTOR, is our best, maybe EH's best. For nearly a year she’s been playing matches, staying on coms when possible, participating in events, dazzling us all with her writing, even coming in first for one of RtFs prompts, and expresses excitement about the entirety of the offerings of the TIE Corps and has even gone beyond that by joining the Dark Brotherhood – She was promoted to Commander in October of 2023 and has earned at an SS each of the Next 4 months as a FL. There is no more promising a pilot than the pilot who is excited they’re here, ready to bring justice forcefully to the Rebels. I’m proud and honored to have her amongst our ranks and I hereby recommend she be given the rank of Captain for the month of March 2024.

Congratulations, CPT Isabis Kamaria!

As there was an administrative delay, the promotion is backdated to February 29th.

For earning a first set of Legions of Combat & Skirmish both in (EA) Star Wars Battlefront II, SL Leon of Eagle Squadron has been promoted to full Lieutenant.

Congratulations, LT Leon!

Following behind former Sin Commanders LC Andr3 and LC SkyShadow, a new Lieutenant Colonel steps into the role: LC Honsou.

On February 17th 2024, Honsou reached out inquiring about the Sin CMDR opening. He expressed that he has long been interested in joining Sin Squadron for their unique lore and culture - the TIE Sinister with its specialized air conditioning and cup holders no doubt being part of that draw. Noting the move from CMDR of a squadron in one Battlegroup to the same position in a different Battlegroup as a rare move worthy of special focus in a selection process, RA Adom "fr0Zen" Wietu followed up with numerous rounds of interview questions and sought feedback from current and emeritus Sin Squadron membership.

The outcome was thorough satisfaction in the answers provided by Honsou, and broad support for the move from the membership.

Nearly six weeks later, and with Imperial Storm Six in the rearview, we can now say welcome aboard the ISDII Warrior as Sin Squadron's new Commander, LC Honsou!

Sin Squadron has been without a CMDR for a little while now but we've selected LC Honsou, previously the CMDR of Beta Squadron, to transfer over and become the next Sin CMDR. Good luck in your new role!

Naturally, this means that Beta Squadron now has a vacant CMDR position. RA Genie is working on that and will have news for us when that's been pinned down.

Since joining the Combat Operations Staff a number of months ago, GN Elwood the Brave has been a tremendous source of help to the entire fleet. He alone has processed nearly seven thousand Legions in the last four months, including 3000 during Imperial Storm VI. Without his effort, things would grind to a halt during these giant events. For his effort over the last four months, I am proud to recommend a Gold Star of the Empire.

For earning a first Legion of Skirmish in (EA)Star Wars Battlefront II, SL Jafan Dallo of Typhoon Squadron has been promoted to full Lieutenant.

Congratulations, LT Jafan Dallo!

From Gamma Squadron CMDR CPT Blaster72:

For exceptional achievement in the field of flight excellence I hereby submit my recommendation that SirPants be promoted to the rank of Captain.

Congratulations, CPT SirPants!

From Gamma Squadron CMDR CPT Blaster72:

For his continued activity and dedication to the Emperors Hammer I am pleased to recommend Asen Starlancer be promoted to the rank of Captain!

Congratulations, CPT Asen Starlancer!

From Gamma Squadron CMDR CPT Blaster72:

For his continued activity and dedication to the Emperors Hammer I am pleased to recommend Habu for the rank of Commander.

Congratulations, CM Habu!

For earning a first number of Legions of Combat in Star Wars: Squadrons, SL Londog of Gamma Squadron has been promoted to full Lieutenant.

Due to administrative oversight, this well deserved promotion was delayed, and is dated retroactively to January 20th.

Congratulations, LT Londog!

The first trailer for the upcoming show The Acolyte has been published! Slated to premier beginning with two episodes on June 4th, the show will take place one hundred years before the events of The Phantom Menace. The show promises to highlight a darker aspect of Star Wars lore, with the tagline "In An Age Of Light - A Darkness Rises."

Click the image below to watch the trailer!

After 30 days, Imperial Storm VI has come to a close.

This years competition saw a plethora of battles as all three Battlegroups sought to take the fight to the Kilji and despite some bumps along the way they did just that.

As per the instructions of Grand Admiral Rapier, the TIE Corps and Secret Order set out to prevent the Kilji Illumine from making passage across the Tkon Rift and using it as passage to attack the species that call this part of the Chaos home. Over the course of the month we saw multiple star systems swap hands as both sides attempted to take and hold the Rift, by the end however the TIE Corps still held sway over several star systems, and just as importantly, had destroyed close to 60% of the Kilji fleet.

Whilst Imperial forces that were damaged in battle had been forced to withdraw from the Rift and seek repairs at the friendly worlds of the Chaos the Kilji have no such allies to fall back on, they remain a threat but a significantly reduced one as they fall back to the worlds they have conquered and in attempt to lick their wounds ahead of any future conflicts.

With the strategic victory in the bag, I am pleased to announce that all participating pilots will receive the Tkon Rift Campaign Medal alongside any Operational Readiness Awards they are due.

A final map has been uploaded to the Imperial Storm VI hub and I will be compiling all of the relevant statistics for Squadron Commanders over the course of the next few days.

Finally, I'd like to thank all of the Team Leads - FA La'an, VA Setzer, RA fr0zen and RA Genie for helping me run this edition of the game, it always takes a lot of behind the scenes work to get it going and a significant amount of patience! I'd also like to thank all of the INN posters, you added a very entertaining element to the month which a lot of people have commented on!!

A post game survey will also be landing in the inboxes of all TC pilots & and I would be grateful if you could take the time to give me any feedback you can on how Imperial Storm VI went for you.

Destiny 2 matches can now be submitted for both PvE and PvP matches on the website. Battlefronts Classic (that seems like the right grammar? Don't ask me, I'm a pilot, not an English major) have also been added for PvP submissions, all thanks to our Internet Officer, HA Turtle Jerrar.

If you have backlogged screenshots, now's the time to submit them. We'll accept out-of-date screenshots within a one-week grace period, but after March 25th we'll continue with our 72 hour rule. As always, feel free to send any questions to the COO or your friendly neighborhood COOA.

Join us on the Emperor's Hammer TIE Corps Discord on Monday, 18 March at 1930 Eastern/2330 UTC for a watch party: The Last Starfighter, hosted by Commander OL"Davy Jonez.

Soldiers of Battlegroup III, we are engaged in FIVE separate battles for the very soul of the Rift today. This has been a long campaign and it is nearly finished. We must hold the line and free these worlds from the slavery the Marmalades will inflict if we fail today.

For the Emperor’s Hammer!

From the Commander of Delta Squadron, COL Highlander:

For immediately completing 2 Imperial University courses upon his arrival to Delta Squadron ...congratulations Lieutenant!!!!!

Nice work and congratulations, LT Alexander Dœnut!

CM Therj'en'nuruodo has stepped back into the reserves while he focuses on IRL responsibilities. We appreciate him joining the COOAs and helping us out while he was part of the team!

If you're interested in becoming a COOA, take a look at the COE exam and send the COO (me) a ping over email or Discord. Responsibilities include:

• Processing PvE and PvP screenshots
• Investigating new game proposals
• Regular review of game rules
• Running and/or reviewing Combat Events
• Restocking coffee

Destiny 2 and the Battlefront Classic collection are being added to the TIE Corps!

Destiny 2 matches can be played immediately (beginning March 14, 0:00GMT, basically at this time of posting.) The website doesn't allow matches to be uploaded yet, but any matches played beyond this point can be submitted, even if you're over the 72 hour limit. Take screenshots showing that you've earned a victory with your name on it, and you can send it in for approval. As usual, you must have at least one kill or objective point.

Battlefront Classic launches at the same time, and the same rules apply: keep screenshots of the victory screen showing the list of players who won, and send it in. Same rules apply here, show at least one kill or objective point. Custom games must have their settings shown as an additional secreenshot.

As Battlefront Classic is a new relaunch, we may adjust requirements over time.

Along with the Battlefront Classic launch, we will host a new event: Classically Battlefront. This will track the number of matches played, and pilots will earn awards according to the number of matches played. Anyone who plays at least 25 will earn an IAR, and Iron Stars will be awarded based on placement - with the option of earning a DFC.

Please reach out to the COO, TCCS, or any COOA if you have any questions!

SL MsMayham of Alpha Squadron has given us insight into her character through the INPR and completed the TCCORE IU course.

SL Alexander Stark, also hailing from Alpha Squadon, earned their first Legions of Combat in Star Wars: Squadrons.

Thus, both pilots are promoted to full Lieutenant.

Congratulations, LT MsMayham & LT Alexander Stark!

From Eagle Squadron CMDR COL Miles Prower:

For displaying exceptional activity as a Flight Member within Eagle Squadron over the last two months, it is my pleasure as squadron commander to endorse Lieutenant Ferro for advancement in rank after placing special trust in the loyalty to the Empire, integrity and abilities of Lieutenant Ferro. In the view of these special qualities and their demonstrated potential to serve in the higher grade, Lieutenant Ferro is to be promoted to Lieutenant Commander.

Congratulations, LCM Armon Ferro!

The Secret Order will support two new games: Helldivers 2 immediately, and Battlefront Classic upon its release on March 14.

“HELLDIVERS™ 2 is a 3rd person squad-based shooter that sees the elite forces of the Helldivers battling to win an intergalactic struggle to rid the galaxy of the rising alien threats. From a 3rd person perspective, players use a variety of weapons (pistols, machine guns, flamethrowers) and stratagems (turrets, airstrikes, etc.) to shoot and kill the alien threats. Players can also aim down the sights for a more accurate 1st person camera view.”

As Helldivers is a PvE game, it will not be eligible for Clusters of Fire, but is eligible for competitions and as activity towards your monthly evaluations. Once the Path system is implemented, it will be used towards earning experience points. Please record the number of successful missions you've played and submit these to your House Quaestor at the end of the month using this form: https://forms.gle/8uRESBHipNvUNQ918

This form will change monthly and be posted. This will eventually be replaced with an "upload match" functionality similar to what we have for reporting matches in the TC, but we're not quite there yet.

With its launch, we will also open up a new competition: The Illumine Strike Back: Helldivers 2

Play as many games as possible, and earn bonuses for playing with other EH members. (They don't have to be SO members.)

Battlefront Classic also returns and will be supported for Clusters of Fire. Support here is pretty straightforward and works like our other platforms.

We're opening up a new competition here as well: Get in, Trooper!. Submit Clusters of Fire as usual, and the Master-at-Arms will grant you one point per kill. The top seven will earn Crescents, and the top player may additionally earn a Kaiburr Star if they submit at least 50 matches.

Soldiers of Battlegroup III, to your ships! We are fighting multiple battles across the Rift to stop the insidious spread of the Marmalade menace.

Our forces are working to liberate two separate worlds from the tyrannical religious slavery that has been visited upon them. In the battle for A697 we have beaten back the first wave, but a second wave has descended on our forces, this time with near equal firepower. However in the battle for P3009 we vastly out match the pitiful forces the Enleavened Janitor Kale has sent against us.

To arms! For the Emperor’s Hammer!

One thing that has troubled this reporter since the inception of this war with the Kilji has been their rapid technological advancement in recent decades.

From the records of Grand Admiral Thrawn, and those of the Chiss Expansionary Defense Force, we know that the last time the Kilji Illumine sent a Kilhorde into the Chaos regions around Chiss space their ships used simple Electrostatic Barriers instead of shields and Spectrum Lasers rather than turbolasers. Also their largest ship, the flagship of their Generalirius, would barely been as large as a Victory Class Star Destroyer. Now their fleet are peer equals to our own, with their flagship for a mere General as large as a SSD. How did they advance so quickly? How did they build such a large fleet?

The Kilhorde that was sent into this region 50 years ago could easily have been completely annihilated by just one of our Battlegroups, if not by just one ISDII and her support ships. How are they fielding a fleet bigger than three of our Battlegroups?

We begin to see some answers from the data obtained by the Secret Order. Their shield systems and weapons design have striking similarities to those of the Trade Federation during the waining days of the Clone Wars. Is it possible that a faction of those insurrectionists found shelter from the justice due to them out here in the Unknown Regions? Once again, Grand Admiral Thrawn's records show that he destroyed a similar group of Neimoidians who also had tried to hide here in the Chaos after the Clone Wars. Did another group also do the same but were found by the recently devastated Kilji?

Are we now fighting the descendents of the forces that plunged the galaxy into the horrors of war? A war from which our glorious Empire rose to prevent any more like it in the future?

The Tactical Office is pleased to announce several new releases from a busy weekend of testing, correction and final checks.

TIE-TC 247: Typhoon Squadron Earns its Stripes!

XW-F 12: Firebird Senior Pilot Test

XWA-TC 73: Anti-Rogue Squadron: The Bacta War

XWA-F 163: Lost in the Woods

Congrats and thank yous to Locke, Master and Jagged Fell on some quality submissions!

From Rho Squadron CMDR CPT Maston Dane:

LT Miguel, with great enthusiasm, is the type of pilot I look for in Rho Squadron. He has surpassed all my expectations of what a new pilot would do. I’m truly proud seeing him take on challenges and he is actively making Rho a better place. No other pilot under me keeps in such constant contact with me. Its rare he goes a day without messaging me and they are thoughtful and inquisitive. He is always asking about the various aspects of EH and requesting aide to ensure they’re done right and he is always a pleasure to converse with. He expresses excitement about the entirety of the offerings of the TIE Corps and has even gone beyond that by joining the Dark Brotherhood and even helped devise, organize and participate in a 3 day watch party marathon of the Original Trilogy of historical holorecords, things he had never seen. The event brought in a staggering 30+ participants and resulted in a pilot joining us – Miguel has been a Lieutenant since 2024-01-03 and has earned at least an ISM each of the Next 2 months as a FM and has taken and passed the TCCORE. There is no more promising a pilot than the pilot who is excited he’s here, ready to bring justice forcefully to the Rebels. I’m proud and honored to have him amongst us. He has such great potential and has handled himself admirably. I hereby, with great pride, recommend he be given the rank of Lieutenant Commander for the month of March 2024.

Congratulations, LCM Miguel!

Take heart soldiers of the TIE Corps, through the efforts of the Secret Order we have had a much needed boost to our fighting prowess.

They have negotiated, or coerced, the ship yards of the Paccian Governance to repair several of our ships.
Their agents have also infiltrated the Kilji fleet and have returned with vital intelligence for our scientists.

With their information we now know the Marmalade's weapon specifications and have tuned our shields to block more damage from their ships. They also brought out the designs of their shield systems, allowing our weapons experts to calibrate our systems to more effectively peirce their defenses.

[SSD Avenger, Day 68, ABY 32.]
[Unknown Regions, sector coordinates 2007.]

Two figures stood in a room deep within the Super Star Destroyer Avenger, on opposite sides of a massive circular holotable. One wore the red robes of a Royal Guard; the other, the gilded, black robes of the Grand Master.

"Explain to me your successes and failures. And succinctly, my report to the Fleet Commander is due in twenty minutes. How have you used your team, and what benefit has it brought to the fleet?" asked the man robed in red.

"We have sent small strike teams to every world in the sector," came a deep reply from underneath the black hood, "and have made significant progress. While our main fleets have engaged the Kilji Illumine in open space, we have fomented rebellion and formed allies across every system. They have no interest in the Illumine religion taking hold over their own fiefdoms, potentially upending the power they hold over their worlds. We have received supplies, technicians, engineers, and even scientists and novel technology to improve our shielding and the efficiency of our limited supply of Tibanna gas."

"Can we trust these... aliens with our technology?"

"They have been thoroughly interrogated by our top agents. All changes are carefully monitored and verified by two teams of our own engineers. They've been surprised by their output. We believe we can increase our turbolaser output by 6%, and shielding by an additional 4%."

"And?" asked the man in red, impatiently. "More efficient lasers alone won't turn back the Kilhorde. Our reputation with the Chiss is on the line."

The man in black pressed a button on the holotable, and ships began to hover, outlined in blue. "We have secured additional ships to the effect of enabling an additional 10% of the First Recon Division. Before the battle began, that is- meaning a very significant reinforcement at this stage of the game. I hope the Fleet Commander will be pleased with this performance."

The red-cloaked man nodded. "That will be sufficient. I will submit my report. Carry on." The other shut off the holotable and followed behind.

Imperial Storm VI: Secret Orders has concluded! In this competition, we submitted Secret Order-based activities to help the Fleet combat the Kilji Illumine across three categories: earning Clusters of Fire, playing Dark Brotherhood singleplayer missions, and submitting fiction, art, or other creative works related to battles that took place during the first three weeks of IS VI.

The top three overall earn awards, as well as the top seven in each category.

The creative awards go to:

1. Acolyte KEBLAOMEGA (Crescent with Diamond Star)
2. Stalker Locke Setzer (Crescent with Ruby Star)
3. Novice Hector von Ricmore (Crescent with Amethyst Star)
4. Warrior TheBlackxRanger (Crescent with Sapphire Star - tie)
5. Juggernaut Westric Davalorn (Crescent with Sapphire Star - tie)
6. Darth Surgo (Crescent with Sapphire Star - tie)
7. Novice Vapen Van'an (Crescent with Emerald Star - tie)
8. Inquisitor Taurus (Crescent with Emerald Star - tie)

The singleplayer awards go to:

1. Warrior TheBlackxRanger (Crescent with Diamond Star)
2. Acolyte KEBLAOMEGA (Crescent with Ruby Star)
3. Stalker Locke Setzer (Crescent with Amethyst Star)
4. Acolye Vanguard88 (Crescent with Sapphire Star)
5. Juggernaut Westric Davalorn (Crescent with Emerald Star)
6. Darth Surgo (Crescent with Topaz Star)

The multiplayer awards go to:

1. Warrior TheBlackxRanger (Crescent with Diamond Star)
2. Juggernaut Habu (Crescent with Ruby Star)
3. Stalker Locke Setzer (Crescent with Amethyst Star)
4. Acolyte KEBLAOMEGA (Crescent with Sapphire Star)
5. Novice Vapen Van'an (Crescent with Emerald Star)
6. Marauder Maston Dane (Crescent with Topaz Star)
7. Marauder fr0Zen (Crescent with Quartz Star)

The overall awards go to:

1. Warrior TheBlackxRanger (Gold Nova)
2. Acolyte KEBLAOMEGA (Silver Nova)
3. Juggernaut Habu (Bronze Nova)

Congratulations!

The full report can be found on the ISVI:SO tracker.

Continue the Fight!

Our Secret Order has finished their mission and we will soon be seeing the fruits of their labors on the battlefield. But in the meantime, we are locked in many heated battles for the survival of our fleets and the liberty of the whole of the Tkon Rift.

It has been a hard fought campaign fellow soldiers of the TIE Corps, but our fight is not yet done. To your fighters and death to our enemies!

LCM Shane, formerly a Flight Member in Alpha Squadron, has been selected to be Alpha's Flight Leader. Good luck in your new role!

Success!

We have managed to re-engage the enemy fleet from the Battle of P3069. We found them in Sector 1105, likely running for safety. Has this orange scourge turned yellow?

To arms soldiers of the TIE Corps! Are fleet is numerically smaller than the Marmalades' but we have greater amount of firepower and have a chance to deal a serious blow to their war fighting ability in the Tkon Rift.

I know you may be getting tired, but we are entering the final week of this campaign and we soon will be reinforced by the efforts of our Secret Order.

For the TIE Corps! For the Emperor’s Hammer!

LCM Gabba Gabagool, previously a Flight Member in Kappa, has been selected to be Kappa's new Flight Leader. Congratulations and good luck in your new role!

Many thanks to the outgoing FL, MAJ JetMech, for his service in that role for as long as he was able to contribute. It's been a while since he's been a FM, so I hope he takes it easy for a bit and returns to a leadership position when he's ready.

VICTORY

Warriors of the TIE Corps, we engaged the primary fleet of the Kilhorde and emerged having destroyed 13 of their capital ships. Their fleet is currently on the run from us as we have wheeled about attempting to re-engage them and prevent their escape.

This victory was only possible due to the extraordinary efforts of all the pilots of the TIE Corps. This reporter salutes you.

This victory does not mean the end of this war how ever. We must pursue the Marmalades wherever they hide and continue to break their spirit.

For the TIE Corps!

Another strange message was forwarded to my in-box today. This one seems to be a transcript of the Roost's final transmission.

[static] ... the Kilji swarm ... [static]
[static] ... no escape ... [static]

[static] ... we fight ... [static]
[static] ... we stand ... [static]
[static] ... we sacrifice ... [static]
[static] ... we honor ... [static]

[static] ... the Kilji rage ... [static]
[static] ... the fire and blood ... [static]
[static] ... the screams and pain ... [static]
[static] ... the death and loss ... [static]

[static] ... we resist ... [static]
[static] ... we defy ... [static]
[static] ... we strike ... [static]
[static] ... we soar ... [static]

[static] ... the Tkon Rift ... [static]
[static] ... our final stand ... [static]
[static] ... our legacy ... [static]
[static] ... our glory ... [static]

[static] ... remember us ... [static]
[static] ... the CRL Roost ... [static]
[static] ... the brave ... [static]
[static] ... the fallen ... [static]

Remember the Roost!

TO ARMS!!!

Our Battlegroup Commanders have decided that the Marmalade advance stops HERE! They have committed our forces to the capture of P3069 and we will do it or die trying! Our forces are on near equal footing with the hated slavers, but if we are to overcome their preternatural combat accuracy we must all rush to the combat simulators and do our duty!

For the liberation of the Rift! For the TIE Corps! For we are the Emperor's Hammer!

We continue our valiant fight above the world of P3069 but our brothers-in-arms in Battlegroup I have found themselves in two separate engagements at the moment.

The Marmalade main fleet has found the ISDII Grey Wolf in sector 0307 and they have begun their attack on our fellow TIE Corps ship.

Meanwhile one of their Interdictors is being attacked in sector 0905.

In none of these battles can our forces emerge victorious, but we will make them pay for every meter!

For completing their first Imperial University course, the TCCORE at a very good 94%, SL C Wrench of Kappa Squadron has been promoted to full Lieutenant.

Congratulations, LT C Wrench!

As requested by CMDR/LC Vapen Van’an and approved by BGCOM/RA fr0Zen, LT Nix Varro of Sin Squadron has been selected to transfer to Theta to become its new Squadron Executive Officer (SQXO). Good luck in your new role!

Well warriors of Battlegroup III, the time has come for us to shoulder the responsibility of a near impossible battle. The A/CRS Hellfire and her TIE Fighters have been attacked while attempting to liberate the world of P3069 from the zealots.

We are significantly out gunned, but we will make them pay to hold this world dearly with blood. Don't allow them to drive the Hellfire from the Rift without exacting a harsh cost. Let this be a glorious battle that will be told for generations to come by the free peoples of the Tkon Rift.

To your fighters, the Battle of P3069 has commenced!

Recently, the Training Office has encountered a few issues with new members in the Imperial University, an issue that was not their fault, but rather a lack of forwardness. While the Training Manual is publicly available to all in the Wiki, we soon came to realize that this document was not high up on new member's priority lists when engaging with the club.

As a solution, the Internet Office (thanks Turtle!) put together a yearly prompt for all members about the Academic Integrity Policy. Before students can take any exams, they will have to acknowledge the policy, with renewal approval on a yearly basis. We hope this cuts back on misunderstanding and mistakes from newer members that were unfamiliar with the policies employed by the Training Office.

If any member has any doubts or concerns, my DMs are open.

In the second battle of sector 1204, the Emperor’s Hammer forces decimated the Marmalade fleet and left them all as burning wrecks.

A small force from Battlegroup II was briefly engaged with a Kilji picket group in sector 1105, but the TIE Corps ships are effecting a retreat to conserve our numbers in this arduous campaign.

The worlds of the Rift continue to change hands as the different armadas traverse the region in search of one another.

Our forces have taken heavy losses in the opening weeks of this campaign, but this reporter still believes that the superiority of the TIE Corps pilots will win out and we will save those of the Tkon Rift from the slavery offered by the orange scourge.