Tides of War

I've been trying to think of something fun for us to do as a squad. To help us play more like a team and build our skills, to see what its like for us to fly against other people who may not belong to another team or they may.

Maybe invite some really good guest pilots to fly against us and give us lessons on team tactics. The problem with this is not getting top pilots to show us stuff because they will. The problem is if I schedule something and our guys don't show up. Dependability is sadly lacking in our squad.

I don't know how many of you may interested or not, but I'm really bored with FFA and General Teams rooms. There never any help in the teams rooms and no one flys together except organized squads like TS, FD and USHA and all they care about doing is getting quick kills.

Its bad enough that we don't have enough people show up on time for practice. I don't know. I'm really at a loss on how to get us together as a team. We just don't seem to have the participation or the intrest anymore and I'm really depressed about the whole situation.

I'd like to hear some items of interest from other squad members.

JoKeR

Hey Joker, head up m8 its not all bad. We still have a hardcore of pilots that turn up regularly - me, yourself, Tbar, Jonny, Rew, Talon to name a few. Only a couple of 2 squads ago we had too many pilots and I'm encouraged by some of the new guys who have joined lately.

Thursday sounds good to me but time zones are a big problem for me and euro based pilots (events such as LTS are way too late starting for me).

Burton and I are restarting Euro practice on Wednesday evenings but we could try and set something up like you suggested on a Thursday evening instead if the time is ok. We have to arrange times to maximise our attendance by including as many pilots as possible. I notice that the best squads always seem to be putting out familiar names and have that "hardcore" of pilots that keep things going. I'd much rather see only 10 pilots as long as they are reliable and would recruit on that basis. Maybee we can find a way of rewarding pilots who regularly attend - perhaps ribbons/decorations/rank or something. Just suggestions, what do people think?

Don't lose heart Joker, you're a top C/O and we need you :-)

Regards

Zarn

No Worries Zarn, I'm not giving up or giving in anytime soon. I just miss some of my old mates that haven't been around in a while. I wrote Coldfire an E-mail to see what was up with him. he's a terrific pilot such as yourself and I don't want to lose him. He's been very busy with personal stuff and won't be around for a while. He hasn't lost interest, just doesn't have the time right now. I miss Emrys, Air Boss, Picken, Saj and Strife. These guys are guys that where taking us in the right direction. Strife should be back soon now that Tax season is over with and he's healing well from his illness. Strife has been my favorite wingman and we work well together.

I'm glad to hear that you and Burton are going to try to get a practice going on Wednesday's That will be a tremendous help. Burton is a good old school pilot who has been around for quite a while and knows his stuff. I think between you and him you guys may be able to revive the Eagle Squad.

If we ever get that good base of 10 or 12 pilots together on a regular basis and practice together we could become as good as USHA and FD and even better. We just need a little more dedication and the right mix of pilots. Right now my top pilot list includes Zarn, Tbar, Jonny, Talon, Hollywood, Burton, Rew89, Bryz and Sheep. We have some good new talent on the way too. I'd love to get Nudge involved somehow too. He's a good pilot but unfortunately the boys from down under just have a hard time making it to events. Believe it or not, but we have had nearly 70 pilots in and out the doors of the BSS squad. To me thats a huge turn over. It really hurt to have Top_Gun turn tail on us. He was a really good asset for the squad. I think that Lil_J may have some of that Top_Gun talent in him too. PAF is doing real well and Jonny made a good write up on him too, That makes me really happy to see. Jonny has that "4th dimension" view of things in the sky which helps out the rest of us when flying together. Packers is another pilot that has been doing well but his play time has been inconsistent. Deadlock just kinda does his own thing and that pisses me off all the time. Hot Shot has said he wants to come back and fly with us, but this past Sunday he had some connection problems. He would make a good T/O if we could just get him fixed up and playing consistently.

I have noticed that our communications on team speak are getting stronger and stronger. This is a big improvement for us. Its making it easier for us to get a greater amount of kills in 2 squad. I think we are possibly twice as good as we were last year at this time and we are doing it with a patched up group of experienced and new pilots. I think that says a lot about what we are doing. I do believe in a lot of practice. I think that thing I got started by diving on the mountain near the SU base did us a great deal of help in using team speak and learning how to Zoom & Boom in the GE planes. The reason I say this is because ever since that time we have elevated out scores in those planes consistently.

Being from a military background in USMC flight wing (VMA-142 Flying Gators) I guess I expect a little more. It was a reserve squadron that had one of the best records of any Marine Air battle group Regular or Reserve even though at that time we were flying the old A-4 Skyhawks. Now I'm old and fat, but still have a lot of military discipline in me. I guess that why me and Cutter got along so good. lol

I know I get frustrated easily when I see things getting out of hand and sometimes I say things that I don't really mean when I get a little ticked off. Just take it with a grain of salt. No worries about me going anywhere. The thing I guess I like most about this squad is that I consider all you a part of my extended personal family and sometimes I worry to much when I don't hear from my family on a regular basis, but I guess thats just me.

I wear it on my sleeve for all to see.

JoKeR

I don't get it. Do you mean that at sometime during Thursdays we will have a special room with BSS vs All? If that's so then I'd come and I don't think anyone would miss a chance to gang up on us, but as you know, I can only come every other week because of the deal me and my sister made a while back(she gets one day and I get the next then she gets the day after that, etc.)

Some pilots who haven't showed up are out because of real life reasons. Like AirBoss has to take care of his dealership business, Strife is feeling ill, and I think Picken is in the military right now. Others like Emrys, Hotshot, Saj, USAFCAR, and a few others just disappeared without saying a thing(except for Saj who has been on the forums explaining his situation but before that he didn't tell us a thing). If you need leave then say so, either on these forums or tell JoKeR or Tbar or any BSS on TeamSpeak so that they can inform the others.

We had a good turn out last match I was at and I wish we could have that situation where we have so many that we don't know what to do rather than have so little that there's only one thing to do, forfeit.

No, Jonny, The Thursday night thing is something I've been thinking of doing for a while. The embarrassment would come if I schedule something and no one or very few pilots show up. I'd just like to get the whole squad together and get some serious work together on a weekly or bi-weekly basis.

The lack of response to forum post and e-mails is horrible. To me, I just don't feel the love! A lot of work for me, but I'm not getting the responses I think we should be seeing. EVERYONE should be checking out the forums and e=mails at least once a week. I know some people have some issues going on. Hot SHot is trying to make a come back which is good for the squad. He's a good pilot and we need his talents. Saj, I have no idea what his deal is. He pops in every month or so and says he can't get in. Well damn it man! get if fixed. I miss Emrys and my Wingman Strife. Strife should be back soon. Tax season is over and I think he's doing well with the kidney illness. Coldfire has been super busy with personal stuff and he will be making a come back when he gets caught up. I think Picken will join us when he get settled in with the Army, and by the way I think that is where Red is too. He told me sometime ago that he was trying to pass his ASVAB test for his recruiter. Maybe he will make it back one day.

I don't know maybe I'm hoping for too much for the squad. I just want to get a real good base of 10 or 12 pilots that can make it to most all events. Right now its about 5. I'm thinking of sending you one of my old PC's just so you can have your own.

Some guys, I think just want to have a tag to fly and can careless about flying matches. Thats ok, but let me know a head of time so I won't be trying to count on you for a match. We've got some good Aussie and Philipean (PAF) pilots that are fantastic, but the time schedules are way off for those guys to fly with us.

We are making good headway with our 2 squad events. This is really making me pleased, but I worry who is going to show up from week to week.

So far only Zarn stays on top of things and keeps me informed on a regular basis. Of course Tbar keeps me advised too. We talk weekly on team speak. Tbar is very busy with ToW Club functions and this is something to be happy about because as long as ToW club is running we have a very nice home for our Squad! I think if anyone one of our guys were to take a step back and take a look of what it takes for me to keep all of this up to date and if they had to do it, they might have a little more respect for the squad. Its a lot of hard work. Then multiply that by 10 and see what Tbar has going.

Talon, Hollywood and REW89, I haven't forgot about you guys either. You are doing a nice job of showing up for matches and helping out with the squad. Now we need to get the new guys up to speed! I really need a liaison to help get the Newbs up to speed and get them ready for squad functions. Top_Gun was doing a pretty good job, but then he bailed on us. Oh Well!

Anyway Jonny, Nice to have you on board, even if its just every other day lol

JoKeR!