Dec 7, 2003
First and foremost,
a salute to the U.S. soldiers that lost their lives 62 years ago at Pearl Harbor - Salute
~S~ Fellow Mercs,
Mrace wanted me to cover some things about
the upcoming WEC (Week End Challenge) that we are considering for this coming January.
I
would like to also take this opportunity to express my appreciation for the squad, where I see us going (growing), and also
the discovery of how effective we are with the use of wingmen.
STATUS OF THE MFF
We are a young, rapidly improving
squad, moving from rookie to novice, from veteran, to ace; at all levels we are improving.
With our growth and growing pains, the active majority of us are impelled to take on bigger and better things, such
as the WEC (Weekend Challenge). What was just a game is still just a game,
though we have raised the stakes a bit because we in general are passionate in our game play, have a desire
to win, to challenge, and to be challenged. Americans love a good fight Patton (So do the Aussies!).
As a squad we are of wide opinion, which
I think is healthy; however opinions should come to the table openly, honestly, and promptly, through this process a
general consensus is reached. Our consideration should always be for that of
the many, not of the few. We are a squadron governed by a military and democracy
mix, we did not elect our officials but rather joined them when we joined the Mercs.
What I see is a good council; everyone can speak his mind and state his opinion.
I see our commanders and leaders working hard to take everyones ideas into consideration. This takes time sometimes, but I still see fair decisions based on the squadron as a whole.
I tell you this from experience with
my former squadron, I am glad that I can share it with you. With our becoming more seasoned there is the risk that some
will grow and go in their individual directions.....this is natural!
Challenge and changes make opinions differ. However, we must not separate the flock because of a difference
of opinion, this type of insubordination is usually stemmed from dissatisfaction, jealousies, and/or ill intent.
We should work as a unit for the better of all the members. If there are differences,
they should be voiced, considered, and then the decisions accepted. We should
respect our decision makers as they must respect the majority opinions.
Disharmony reflects on the leaders, and prompt that action is to be taken, whether it be changing rules or changing
a member's position. It is ok to have differing opinions, as it is also ok to disagree with the conclusions,
but it is not ok to split-up your teammates!
Im sure that everyone is as proud of our squadron as I am, and I also hope that we are all willing
to do what is necessary to make the MFF a success story.
HAVING A WINGMAN
Yesterday afternoon, Trap and I had
a discussion regarding wingman tactics. We both noted that having a wingman is
brought up in nearly every article that you pick up regarding combat flying.
The night before, Tyka and Trap had
displayed great wingman work the other night in a bout against the 232, where they joined opposite forces to even up the teams. They stuck to their fight plan doing the boom and zoom and were unusually effective,
racking up the points.
Again this theory was tested when
[Bolt and Corpen], [Tyka and Trap], [Sky and I] paired off in a match against a formidable opponent. With the game ours after 25 kills to their 16, we consistently flew extremely well, in shut-out scores
against our opponents. To top it off, our opponent wanted a final game set up
for Last Alive where in the end, nearly all of the Mercs were still in the air!
We were all surprised at how well we did
by sticking to our wing! Similarities such as planes, styles, abilities, and tactics will pair up wingmen.
With the wingman theory bought, tested,
and approved, we will be making this common practice.
WEC IN JANUARY
We want to give every active member
who wishes to fly WEC that opportunity. At the same time, we all want the MFF
to make the best showing possible. If we do well in the WEC, we wont have to
worry about recruiting, they will come to us!
If you are interested in participating,
it is important that you know the following:
1) For WEC tourneys, we should look at wingman compatibility, selecting as necessary, even across squadrons. Having a wingman is necessary!
a) Select a wingman that compliments your style, plane, etc. If you are having problems selecting a wingman, let us know
and we will try to help match you.
b) Your wingman selection will be tested to see if you are compatible. For
the time being, mrace will make these approvals until he assigns others to this duty.
2) We will need several wing mates to help assure a good mix. Here is a list
of wingmen that have been submitted thus far. They are as follows:
a) Trap and Tyka
b) Bolt and Corpen
c) Sky and Smoke
3) Once you are winged so to speak, you may be called to a match when you are both on line.
4) All Matches should be approved if at all possible, even if you are a CO or whatever, you should try to get information
first. Best scenario is for the War Officer to set up the match in advance, with
at least a 4vs4. Dont ever allow our opponent to dictate what we do or how we
do it!
a) Dont accept just any match! If at all possible, matches should be scheduled
in advance to avoid us falling into the hands of ringers. Some squads have been
known to have only their best aces online during WEC. There is no feeling worse
than getting talked into a match, losing to a couple of these ringers, then having to ask your CO to post 3 losses (believe
me, Ive been there, man what an idiot I was!). To protect you from this, you
may always tell them, Merc WEC matches must be set up by the WO, and/or approved by the CO.
b) War Officer Should you not be available, someone should be covering for you.
We will need volunteers for consideration. The following is the busiest
time for the War Officer. He should be aware of the following:
i)
Try to avoid 2vs2 (these are usually ringer matches).
ii)
Dont fly anyone without his approved wingman!
iii) Discuss matches, assignments with the CO.
iv) Avoid all 3vs3, 5vs5, or any odd number matches where someone is without their wing.
v) Games should be scheduled for IP if at all possible, to prevent lag, interruptions, etc.
vi) We should be first option to host, this helps us to set up our most comfortable environment.
c) Zone friends should be set to do not disturb if you are in a skirmish.
d) Make a checklist of things to remember to make you confident and comfortable during the bout. Nothing worse than flying a Zero when you wanted a Sairlol
That is all for now, please respond to
mrace and me with your potential wingmen.
Take Care,
~S~
Smok
