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The Situation Now

Yesterday I had two very interesting conversations.

Acutally I’m going to stop right there. Yes my dear readers, this is how articles are now beginning, “yesterday I had two very interesting conversations.” A sign of the times if there ever was one.

Today I want to pose to you a question. Is it better with the IS’s fairness, or was it better without? Read on and decide.

My first conversation was with Maks Vendetta, who today the Alliance Navy has blockaded along with his group “Sturm Korps” and I think that the rest of the Iron Symphony will follow suit or have already. Anyway Maks was talking about how the Iron Symphony restricts combat these days in the medium that, they only allow it to take place physically ON the battlefield, with “electronic warfare” for lack of a better term like messing with a group resources (websites, databases etc..) being a bannable offense.

Of course I disagreed with Maks’ arguement claiming that such actions had no place in the modern combat community, saying it was immature and ridiculous. But I went away for a while and had a think. I came back and started writing this with more in mind than just the petty electronic warfare of today, so I shall begin:

Let us first examine some of Second Life Combat’s personalities past and present, men who used to (and still do) hold a lot of influence over others in the community, it is fair to say that these were the important people of the day; Bruno Ziskey, Harlequin Salome, Nanao Mahfouz, Judge Hocho (when they were admirals that is), Christoph Naumova. Now some of these men would object to even be seen in the same sentence as each other, but they all hold one thing in common; they ruled as they wished and they fought as they wished.

But don’t mistake this article for nostalgia, a lot of these men did some very bad things and at times there was a common “fuck you” attitude. So that was the past; there was a “do what thou wilt” approach to combat, lots of politics and news and stories.

Now let us examine the Iron Symphony; a lot of people such as Maks Vendetta have viewed their rise to the position of one and only superpower (or…group of loosely allied friendly militaries, whatever we’re calling it these days) with disquiet. BUT I want to make one thing clear, yes they make mistakes, yes some of them may have past reputations for malice, hell there may even be some malice still within the IS ranks but the Iron Symphony by and large are nice guys.

And that’s the problem isn’t it? as my good friend (who I’ll now use to make my arguement infallible!) Caine Constantine said:

[13:32] Caine Constantine: Yeah who knows maybe they’re too nice for their own good.

With the I.S, Everything’s got to be fair, ratios, air-ground rules, armor rules, alt-spy regulations, intelligence network bans, electronic warfare bans. These look like the actions of an authoritarian body but really and truly they just want to make it fair for everyone, unfortunately as Maks pointed out to me, rather validly, we are now seeing the price; there is combat, the type we were crying out for months back remember? (There must have been thousands of comments on the old journal telling “that evil man Lurdan to stop betraying his men and fight”) But it’s stagnant in a lot of cases; blockades can and will be used, Maks’ group Sturm Korps have banned Merczateer weaponry. There are so few stories on the Journal because the community is so boring.

So there is the conclusion I drew from my reflection on that particular conversation with Maks Vendetta, now he did say a lot of silly things granted; big German words and trying to make out SL combat had an “intelligentsia” but it made me think of the community’s two “options”:

Exciting community where many people are often fucked around.

or

Boring community where rarely anything happens but it is definetly fair (thanks to the IS)

There are advantages and disadvantages to both I think. (by the by if all of you knew this already I apologise, I’m a slow thinker). What do you think regardless?

The Second conversation I had yesterday was shorter and it took place with Caine Constantine, we discussed the impact that media has had on the community, in terms of that people are too afraid to do anything that will make them appear very badly if it gets out. Do you think the media had had this affect, I would like to hear your views

===Miscellaneous News===

- The Merczateers are getting rid of their Salamis sim, currently they are raising funds to move it away from Badnarik

- I’ve been thinking about doing history segments and character profiles on notable people in the community (take note egomaniacs) what do you all think?

- Vegna Fouroux

Chaos Begets Madness

It’s been roughly One Year since the departure of The Spartan King and the Winter Cold and now as then, another Leader has taken a hit. But like the good King, it would appear he too did unto himself:

The Promising “Chaos Decretum” which the journal has received reports for months now on growing numbers and advanced technology under the self-crafted “manipulative, cruel, and laid back” leadership of Dark Svenska, has been split in two, with Most of its members breaking away to form a similar themed group called “Blood Fist” leaving Dark and his depleted force out in the cold.

This new group Blood Fist, or as Dominus Svenska calls them “those brainwashed by Fur Covered Filth.” Are under the active leadership of Clix Diesel who in two days has marshaled the resources and people to organise a sim, build the sim, ranks, equipment, progression in armor and other necessities to ease its transition from New to Veteran group status. But again the Chaos Decretum claims Mr. Diesel is now “scared shitless for what he has done.”

Yet indeed what caused this breakaway, it is here that this reporter has his doubts. And it may seem curious to you as well. According to Clix Diesel the breakaway occurred because he personally and wanted the group on a whole to “start fresh, with the ability to pick and choose who we fight with instead of being trapped in the shadows of the groups past.” This is essentially according to Blood Fist, the Chaos Decretum’s “rebirth.” Which was inspired in Mr. Diesel seeing others leave the group, recognising the need for change and taking it upon himself to start his own group. Dark Svenska was offered a Leadership Position which he turned down.

But when I asked was there any build up to this, there didn’t seem to be any. This was seemingly a spontaneous whim on the part of Mr. Diesel who instead of asking his leader to consider a fresh start or change, simply left with a good proportion of its members for his own group. This, readers is not like the coups of the past, which has been sparked by some move leading to outright conflict, or a chain of events leading to boiling point. So really we have to ask the question, is this Clix Diesel’s grab for power? Or a sincere attempt at a fresh start? When I posed the question why he didn’t attempt to try and work it out first, I received this reply, in short placing a case for change under the Dominus as being ridiculed and unfeasible:

Clix Diesel: Dark’s leadership was far from professional. He was rude to attackers, Insulting large groups on our own sim. People were invited into the group by dark himself on occasion and caused disruption and unrest. Dark was typically not around when we had to deal with important issues ad most certainly didn’t understand the impact poor relations with other armies had on the group. we suffered for his childish behavior, and there was no possible way to become a respectable group under these conditions. I went out of my way to talk to other armies on behalf of chaos. And Darks reputation came first every time. While I tried to represent us as the respectful army we were becoming, he continued to stain our reputation with his attitude. Dark is a good friend, and I will never ever say I hate him. But as a leader… the results of the last two days say the rest.

As you can imagine Dominus Svenska, who is reknowned in the community for his somewhat, sulphuric attitude was not at all pleased about this “treachery” when I talked with him, claiming his troops were “brainwashed” but will soon return to the fold and that Chaos is still strong. This is his punishment he says for “Trusting Furries” and that he rejected Clix’s offer of a position in “Blood Fist” Because he doesn’t follow traitors.

In a rare and almost vulnerable moment with Dark he outlined some of his disappointments:

Dark Svenska: Sure, I admit most of this would be my fault. But is this an excuse for betraying me? No, it’s not. They know they could of talked to me, and they know what they have done, so much they are hiding their regret behind a mask of deception.

Dark Svenska: Because, they were my friends.

Dark Svenska: Brothers, and sisters, i treated them as one of my own.

Dark Svenska: And they turned on me, that is the saddest thing you can do.

The Dominus ended with this: “Gloat and Insult all you want, but we are still here, we are still strong. These traitors want to see an asshole? They will get my full attention then, and you all know what I am capable of when it comes to this. You all experienced my ruthless cruelty toward the emotional and political masses of this community, so, if you wish to aid me? I accept you, if not? You will burn with the scum.”

In conclusion, Chaos have suffered calamities before and I doubt this is the last we shall see of them, even now they are regrouping and preparing for battle once more. As for Blood Fist, we may be seeng the ascendant star of a new power. Time will only tell.

- Vegna Fouroux