ShadowHand Report

"War. Everyone wants to go. No one wants to stay." - The real-life Raken

The Dark Crusade P2C2

The next Chapter of everyone's favorite never-ending saga begins August 18th. With feedback taken in from last chapter, you can look forward to: fewer events to crush you, a battle plan, and being one step closer to the end of the Crusade.

Speaking of battle plans and feedback, I recently gave you a heads-up about this event. Why did I do that? Because these events are typically pretty involved and I wanted you all to get a jump on things. Mull things over with your people, think about teams, etc. In past Vendettas I've run, a lead-in like this was something people asked for. So here it is. Or rather, there it was?

I also recently emailed your Summits with copies of their DJB Armed Forces MTOE (Military Table of Organization & Equipment) that will be used for this event. This is your bible. Unless your wiki matches this document, don't rely on it. I know some of you have worked hard to update your wikis to bring them in line with the MTOE. Awesome. Some of you have not. So understand the distinction: If your wiki doesn't match that sheet exactly, don't use it. Use the sheet.

I also answered some additional questions. No big deal. I'm not giving away anything else though. The rules will be revealed when the event goes live. I think you'll see some stuff you like and maybe one thing you won't like, but bear in mind: war sucks, people.

In the business we say: "Embrace the suck." Sounds perverted, but there is no other way. You play the hand you're dealt.

And if this event does manage to give you poopy-face, here's one other bit of intel: There's always another mission.

So stay positive. Have fun. Try to remember there are a lot of people in the dungeon beneath the Dark Hall working their asses off for you hoping that just maybe you enjoy what they create.

You guys have been awesome with this unprecedented Vendetta so far. I thank you. Keep it up. We're almost done.

Dark Crusade DJB-Wide Leader Board

Stole this idea from Marick (Wally), Arcona's Consul, with permission. He did up a nice leader board to show his unit which of their members were leading the race in the medal count. With the help of my esteemed comrades Solari and Montresor, I created one for the entire DJB for the Dark Crusade. It does not cover Pravus/Sarin's DC Prelude Run-On you all may have earned Novae for. It only addresses the Crusade proper until present.

If you find an error, and believe me-we did, let me know in email and I'll fix you up. Hope this motivates you guys, encourages some additional friendly competition, etc. Maybe we'll do some additional awards and such for leaders and the like? Follow the link below.

Dark Crusade DJB Leader Board

Proposals, Projects, Ideas, etc.

This section will not be what you think. Instead, I'm asking that if you have ideas, projects, etc., that you want to run by me, please wait until the Crusade is over. All of us are absolutely crushed with the prepping, running, and scoring of this thing month-in and month-out. Meanwhile, everything else in the club still needs tending and that eats what time remains to me. So in order to not miss out on your good ideas and such, please wait to send them until we're done.

Much appreciated.

Project Matrix

This section is what you think. Something I'd like to do, likely after the Crusade and maybe even GJW XI, is create a matrix accessible to all members that shows exactly what projects the club is working on, their status, links to relevant news posts/reports, additional details, etc.

Leaders who worked with us in the time of Sarin/Pravus' rule might remember he used to run a spreadsheet like this. We've come a long way with things like Google Docs and Drive and I'd like to improve on Matt's Officer-ly organizing.

This being said, and because I likely won't have the final say, I'm sure there will be "some" projects I won't be allowed to share with you. Personally I'm not a big fan of this, but I just work here. What I do like is letting people know what the hell we're doing and avoiding kerfuffles like we've had recently with key players and leaders being on different pages of the script.

I figure something like the above would help us office drones and, more importantly, help our members stay current and in-sync on what's happening project-wise.

DGM Office Hours

Some of you might have noticed that my free-time ebbs and flows over the course of the year. This is due to my job. The irony is, when I'm at work, I have a lot more time for DB things like I do right now. When I'm home though, that's family time and I get far less time to sit in front of the computer.

This is due to the nature of my work taking me outside the US anywhere from 6-9 months of the year, so when I'm home, I'm making up for lost time with my wife and four children. So please don't get terribly concerned if you see my "presence" ebb for a month or two here and there. I'm not "burnt-out" or "idling." I am simply forced in those times to cut my DB hours to only what's absolutely needed of me.

Throughout the year though, and ask around if you don't believe me, I am on email. Email is always the best way to get me. I can often get you what you need within minutes or hours of receiving your email. Do I miss one here and there. Oh yeah. I sure do. When traveling, I am often on the move four and five days at a time with no connectivity. So just hit me again after a few days and I will take care of you.

As this relates to IRC: Those who know me well know that historically I am not an IRC guy. Again, this would have to do with the wife, four children, job, etc. But as DGM I do owe you a presence on IRC and I am doing my best to get on the thing when and where I can. Once again though, here's work biting me in the ass. Depending on where I go, I deal with different network issues. Some places I work IRC is fine. Like now. Other places I go they block it, or it is otherwise incompatible with where I'm at, and I cannot use it. Like in recent months.

Again, please don't think I'm disinterested, absent, etc. I just don't always get the time I'd like to sit there and actively bullshit with y'all. I'm here as much as I can be. I hope it's enough. And I hope this clears some things up if anyone was curious or concerned.

Management Theory

Recently we had an epic comment run on a Chamber of Justice ruling. Some semi-heated posts were exchanged and at the end of the day, despite everything, everyone left with their limbs and eyesight still intact. Some leaders in the past have shut these things down when they boiled over to a certain point. I don't believe in this. Some even think there's an official policy. There's not.

So when someone thinks we should "close comments," I get what they're saying. I do. But that's not my style. From the outset of taking this job to help Muz, I've said that I like comments on the news page. People get to voice their opinions right out in the open and, when keeping it relatively civil, it lets them dispel their frustration, anger, etc., in a cathartic manner. Sometimes, it does devolve though.

If I see something truly offensive, sure, I might look to keep that off the front page (and unfortunately in this case, we did reach that point.) Some suggested that the conversation be taken to the forums. I like this idea too, but once the train has left the station on a discussion of that nature, face it, no one is going to the forums.

Now, that said, if you are posting something you expect feedback on, feel free to create a forum for comments and link to it in your article. Remember to uncheck the comments box when posting and we're all good. But I'm not keen on censorship and will try to avoid it as much as is possible here. I'd rather push a post like that down the page with good news than shut it down like the Gestapo. This way, in a few days, it's gone and forgotten. Everyone had their say and we're on to the next order of business.

I know some of you disagreed with my call the other night. No problem. I totally get where you're coming from and all I can say is that when you're the one responsible for brushing Muz's hai--I mean, when you're the one responsible for the entire club, you can make your own call like I made mine.

Thanks to the other leaders involved for helping me keep an eye on it and take action when needed.

Next Time on the New Hit Series, ShadowHand...

• Recognizing some badasses...
• Dark Crusade P2C2 Results (Maybe?)
• And finally, with the help of some friends, Raken learns about "emotions," why humans have them, and what he can do to pretend like he has them too.
• How to make scandal pie.

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See you out there,

-R