Introduction - Life During Wartime

Just in case you've been living under a rock for the last week, the Great Jedi War is upon us. Unlike last year's Rite of Supremacy, this event will pit Clan against Clan and be determined more by placement than by participation. However, I have some things on that subject that I hope everyone will keep in mind that I'll expand upon below, so read on…

Great Jedi Wars and You

Vendettas, and this Great Jedi War, are the once a year, flagship event the Brotherhood hosts. I know in the past they've been seen as so important as to run up against good sense at times. Do I want Plagueis to do as well as possible? Of course I do, I am just as competitive (if not more so) than the next person. Our performance shouldn't come at the expense of member experience, however. What does this mean for you, the member? Well, in short, you do you. Do what you find enjoyable. The one thing to keep in mind, however, is what this opportunity represents. Sure, the final scorecard of this Great Jedi War isn't as influenced by participation as the prior Rite of Supremacy was (and for sure not like the Pro Bowl), but that is on the Clan's scorecard, not your own. When the Summit and I sit down to write the award and promotion recommendations when all is said and done and the war is over the Panda occupying the MAA's throne doesn't care so much what Plagueis did during the war on that scorecard. He's going to evaluate what you did when War Were Declared. Each competition entered is another checkbox on your own personal scorecard, and Great Jedi War time is probably the best time to run up the score so to speak. The only stat that I'm really worrying about when all is said and done here is how many hours the summit and I have to put into writing those recommendations at war's end. Make us spend hours on that task.

Bins and Participation

The Great Jedi War competitions are divided up into Bins, which I know can be a bit confusing to those that haven't really seen them before. In short, you get Clan participation points for the first competition you enter in each Bin. With this in mind, the Dark Council have engineered a system that can allow members to more easily reach that participation in each bin by offering what some might call "gimmes". These competitions are highly accessible (you don't need any specific game for the gaming competition as an example) and can often be completed quickly (PUSH THE BUTTON!). Each of the current bins has something that can qualify as this:

• [GJW XV Phase I] Fiction Bin: Resplendent Research is a Shadow Academy trivia test about the Great Jedi War fictions and Lore.
• [GJW XV Phase I] Gaming: Sabotage (Web Game) is a quick browser based game
• [GJW XV Phase I] Graphics and Miscellaneous: Press the Button I is a discord based competition where one pushes a button and Puzzle: GJW Edition is a jigsaw.
• [GJW XV Event Long] Gaming: Casual Gaming Queue Cluster Race allows you to play almost any non-supported game with another DB member for credit (and the supported game version is the same for supported games).
  
• [GJW XV Event Long] Multimedia: Power of the Crystals is an arts and crafts project where (as a judge) I've seen simple lego creations or folded paper entries.
  
• [GJW XV Event Long] Fiction: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Mortis is the only one that really has a higher barrier to entry, requiring 500 words of fiction.
  

Basically, there are easy competitions to run through that can run up both your own scorecard as well as the Clan's and doing just the above will net you seven competition participations right there (which all by itself is close to getting a medal alone). A good strategy that I have often recommended is to track down those quicker competitions and knock them out ASAP and then pivot to the entries that you'll be taking time on. There's nothing worse than focusing on a fiction that ends up eating all of your time and you miss out on those quick and easy entries when you run out of time at the end of the round. Over this weekend, as an example, I made sure to blow through 8 competitions and nailed down 100% bin participation in at least the Phase I bins right out of the gate. Like I said above, if you can, be sure that you're making the summit put in some late nights writing recommendations when all of this is done!

Great Jedi War Links

• Great Jedi War XV Competitions (This is the importantest one!)
• Great Jedi War XV Wiki
• Theaters of War & Crystal Research
• The Children of Mortis
• Aliso System Possessions/Clan Assets Very helpful for the Battleplan event!

The Ascendant and Allegiant

With the Great Jedi war also comes new methods of recognition, as Clan Plagueis will finally be awarding both of our artifacts based on activities during the current Vendetta. Each awardee will be selected based on different criteria, taking home the title of Ascendant or Allegiant respectively. Additionally, both Alaris and myself will be ineligible for these awards as Consul and Proconsul respectively, as these awards are intended to recognize the membership instead of the Clan level leadership.

The Plagueis Ascendant will be awarded to the member that amasses the largest total number of points for the Clan. Remember, points can be awarded based on participating in Bins or placing top ten in an event! The holder of the Ascendant title will also be awarded the following artifact which will be theirs to keep until they are forced to defend their title in the next Brotherhood Vendetta:

• Mortis Crystal - A lightsaber crystal that can drain Force energy.

The Plagueis Allegiant is a bit of a different animal, however. It is not based on competitions entered, points earned, or any other activity metrics. The Allegiant title is instead a fellowship award that will be voted on by the members of the Clan and given to the member that best exemplifies the values and traditions of support that have always been a part of what Clan Plagueis has built itself upon. The members that are out there proof reading entries, helping other members connect with resources to complete their entries, etc. At the conclusion of the Great Jedi War, every member of the Clan will be able to vote for two other members for this award, and the member that receives the largest number of votes will be awarded the honor of being named Allegiant and the following artifact:

• Rakatan Energy Transfer Device - A Rakatan device designed for capital punishment that can transfer life energy from one person to another.

Brotherhood News Great Jedi War Edition

• Fist Supplemental Report - GJW XV Gaming Rules - An important update on gaming rules during the GJW, including how to form parties for participation within the Rites of Combat.
• Fist Supplemental Report - GJW XV - Long-Form Gaming Clarification - Further updates and clarification on gaming during the GJW.

In Closing

I cannot stress enough, again, that this War is the best opportunity to make your own personal hay in the Brotherhood. More entries equals more awards and faster advancement, and all of that leads to credits piling up in spending accounts to get all that fun stuff that the Regent staff releases with each new booster (shameless plug!). We're all here to have fun, so get out there and seize the opportunity that is in front of us.

Adapt, Ascend, Avail indeed.