The Art of Warfare Blogs: Division Blogs

As one of the oldest multi-game, multi-platform gaming communities currently active, TAW has a distinct honor among gaming clans: where else in online gaming can you find a place where the father joined and the clan was around long enough for the son to join? Forkyeah is just such a member, second generation TAW. Not only is he a second generation member of TAW, but he is a second generation member of TAW's long-standing Quake Wars division along side his father Flydog. In no other player was the loyalty, longevity, and resilience of the QW team better represented that this decorated player. QuinoaAOC took a few minutes to get to know Forkyeah and put his thoughts on what it means to play in TAW in print. 

You have been in the Quake Wars division since 2009, did you play any other games with TAW prior to joining QW? if so, how did those divisions differ from QW? 
Nope.  
 
QW is the longest running active division in TAW, what is it about Quake Wars that you feel keeps the players interested in the game?
 Tactical Gameplay that rewards players who stick together and frustrates players who want to be rambo.

There are plenty of clans out there in a game as long running as Quake Wars, what made you decide to join TAW?
My Dad, Flydog, joined TAW so he convinced me to join so that we could get more than pub play out of Quake Wars.
 
What do you feel sets TAW apart from other clans?
The level of modesty that it has consistently stayed at. There are times where it can be inappropriate, but it is not constantly an 18+ environment like most other clans.

In your nearly 3 years in TAW, you have earned 4 medals and participated in numerous tournaments and other events, what was your proudest moment as a gamer in QW?
I gotta be honest, there are no specific events that stick out that I can accurately recall...BUT there is no prouder moment in Quake Wars than when you throw a last second grenade or fire a random rocket at the objective killing the enemies who are disarming or transmitting at the last second and your team wins the map because of it.

Do you play any other games with TAW or visit with any other divisions? if so, which ones and why?
Nope.

What do you feel sets QW apart from other divisions in TAW?
It feels like we create the leaders for new divisions since we are the old dogs.

As a Quake Wars player, what has TAW done to help you better enjoy your gaming experience?
Going from Pubplay to organized tournaments really shows Quake Wars potential as a game. I can understand how the popularity of Quake Wars has decline because the game is built for tactics and strategies which goes against the common, "Spawn, shoot, grenade, die"

What might someone be surprised to know about you?
I go to Arizona Christian University for a Christian Ministries degree and hope to be a pastor.
 
Do you have any special hobbies or activities outside of online gaming/TAW?
 I play the drums.

Any parting comments or things you would like to add about your QW for other TAW members?
If you want to spawn and be able to spray bullets down range, run in circles and pretend like you have a team then Quake Wars is not your game. There is no FPS out there that requires teamwork as much as Quake Wars does. Ask any of the super shooters in our division and they will admit that simply killing the enemy will not win a map. If you truly are looking to be part of a division where your ability to work with others will be stretched and developed then get 5$, go online, find the game, and switch divisions. 

For the past three years, BulletStopper has occupied a division office in TAW's storied QW division and has joined several members of central command on the list of TAW officers who have held the DC position in the clan's longest running division. Quake Wars has existed as a division longer than the majority of TAW's current membership has been a part of the community and BulletStopper has the honor of commanding that group of hard core TAW members. QunioaAOC of the newsletter team asked BulletStopper to step away from BFE for a few minutes to answer a few questions. 

Let’s start by telling everyone a little about you,
I'm 3' 7", 270 lbs, long green hair, yellow eyes, I am a Sagicrabbyass, my favorite food is cooked, and my favorite color is transparent.  Oh wait, this is not a dating site!  Forget what I just said.  
 
What might someone be surprised to know about you?
I have been involved with music at a local level no matter where I have lived.  I have played ice hockey and roller hockey in local leagues until a long string of injuries forced me to stop playing.  I raced cars on local tracks years ago, and was involved in a few scary crashes.  I do not like watching basketball, baseball or football.  They don't interest me.
 
Do you have any special hobbies or activities outside of online gaming/TAW?
I have played drums for almost 30 years, and have been in several bands myself.  I love working with anything that is involved with music, whether it is recording, creating new sounds, or even customizing gear for musicians.  I have even mixed and mastered CDs for my friends' bands.  It helps me relax after a long day of work.  
 
Now on to gaming,
 
You have been with TAW, in the Quake Wars division since 2008. You made DO later that year, meaning that you have been in the division offices of QW for longer than most divisions have existed. How have you managed to keep that division running that strong in the face of newer, faster, more realistic games that have hit the scene since then?  
Actually, I made DI my first year in TAW.  I made DO, and finally DC just in the past year.  I was DI for about a year, then stepped up to the XO position.  Then I steadily moved forward to CO, DO, and finally DC.  I did, however decline the DO position the first time it was offered to me.  As a matter of fact, I was pretty much strong-armed into taking the DO position thanks to StealthMist and Dogstar.  Keeping it going has been rather interesting.  We have had some issues lately with the game (ID Software made a mess of it when they turned off the games authentication server, which we are still waiting for them to fix), but the hardcore QW members still come back for more, even if things aren't going smoothly.  There have even been a few instances when it was problematic due to timeliness.  I will admit, that we have lost a few members to some of the newer games, but we have actually had a few of those members return to the QW Division because they know it is one of the better games out there.  I also have to give props to the people whose footsteps I have followed in, and to the great staff that I have had the pleasure of working with.  It is not just a team "in-game", but also a team outside of the game.  I am not the one who keeps the QW Division together, I am just another member with some extra letters after my callsign that does a little more work.  It is all the QW members who keep it going.
 
QW is the longest running active division in TAW, what is it about QW that you feel makes it such a timeless division?
I think as an FPS it has a lot more to offer than most of the standard, run of the mill style FPS games out there.  Everybody loves MW3, BC, and similar games.  But what I see as the edge that QW has over the others is the fact that it truely IS a team game.  There are no deathmatches nor capture the flag modes.  It is all team based objectives.  If the team does not work together, the team does not succeed.  That is only half of it.  The other half is the mixed up group of people that are part of the Division.  Some have been here longer than I have, and others have not.  We still continue to get new recruits, although not as often or as many as we used to.  But there is something to say about a game that still has people playing it regularly after 5 years!  
 
In your nearly four years with QW, what has been the most memorable accomplishment you have made as a division?
As a Division I would have to say that the most memorable thing is that we are still an active division.  At one point we were the largest Division, but our numbers have dropped down to about a third of what is was at its height.
 
What was the most memorable personal accomplishment in your tenure as an officer of QW?
The two hour bootcamp I did while I was a DI.  There is still an audio file of it floating around somewhere.  All I have to say to all the DIs out there is to "Know when a recruit is too drunk to do a bootcamp".
 
Every division has its ups and downs, how have you managed to minimize the bad times and make the most of the good times as a leader in QW?
I try to remain focused on the bigger issues so the Battalion staff can focus on their duties.  Sometimes the bigger issues do require that the Battalion Staff remain flexible to accommodate them if needed.  I also like to make sure that the whole Division is kept up to date on what is happening, and what steps we are taking to get back on track.
 
As a longtime member of the same TAW division, what sorts of trends do you see as old divisions close and new ones emerge?
Some of the older divisions that have closed have gone because the next carbon copy of the game has come out, and it usually is under a different name.  You will see membership spike in a new division, and then the numbers come down and the ones that are left are the ones that will be sticking around for a while.  The main problem is that too many of the games come out about the same time, and everybody gets them, and they jump around until they find one they like.  Even then, it is all a matter of the quality of people that we have that are playing.  Not quantity.

 
What do you feel other divisions, new divisions in particular, could learn from QW?
Get a game plan together that works for your game, and stick with it.  The worst thing you can do is keep changing your mind on what you are going to do.  You need to focus on the core of what we are here for, to compete against and with our fellow TAW members.  Come up with a plan and stick to it.  There will be minor fixes here and there, and they are to be expected.  We continually revisit our BFE(Battle For Earth) rules and update them as needed to keep it fresh, and fair.  Also, make sure you have a group of dedicated staff.  Remember that the rest of the Division is looking to you to bring them together in the glory of warfare.
 
If you could change just one thing about TAW as a whole, What would it be and why?
You know, there are a lot of little things that possibly could be made better, but it works pretty well for what it is as it is.  I trust the guys above me to make this better than what it is, in a calm orderly fashion.  As for myself, I am more concerned about making the QW Division better than it is now, and making sure that we outlast all the other Divisions.
 
Any parting comments or things you would like to add about your QW for other TAW members?
We are a team, a family, a conglomeration of different mindsets, and most of all....friends that share a common interest.


LTC BulletStopper
Division Commander
Quake Wars Division
The Art of Warfare

I just wanted to take a moment and let everyone know that being Division Commander of the Quake Wars Division is an honor.

Here are a few things I wanted to share with you all, some of which were obtained in an email from one of our former DCs.

In April of 2007, TFO approves the 23th division in TAW: Quake Wars [QW]

It's been a long road and a wild ride. Here we are five years later, and still going.

The TAW QW Division was founded almost five years ago as one of the first divisions to use the "TAW Vanguard" process. Coming out of Vanguard a few months later it was a strong, close-knit division. As time went on, the division grew, and by the end of 2008 we had managed to become the biggest division in TAW. Later in 2009 we managed to become the biggest division in the history of TAW.  Since then, the size of the division has gotten smaller, in part to the numerous games that have come and gone that have lured members away from QW.  In the end, QW has weathered the storms and has kept itself alive due to the dedication of the core members that we have now, as well as the support from former QW members.

But that accomplishment aside, along the way we have met so many people, and remember, it is the people that matter. In the end, the games, tournaments, events, etc., all start to blend together, but our memory of our friends and the time we shared stays strong and vibrant with us. We have come to know many people whom we consider friends here, and even strengthen those friendships in person at Quakecon in Dallas.

Let us also not forget the people we lost along the way, like Zirawing who lost his life in a fire trying to save others, and all the comrades who have come and gone due to real life issues or moving on to other games.

We have nearly completed BFE XIX.  Unfortunately there have been a few setbacks on completion of the BFE, but rest assured, your Division and Battalion staff are working on solutions so that we may conclude BFE XIX, and continue on to 6 years, and possibly beyond.

To quote a famous Greek, "only the dead have seen the end of [Quake] wars."

I also wanted everyone to know that has participated in BFE XIX will be receiving a tab as soon as they become available.  Also, the Division Command Staff has created a special tab that will be awarded to several TAW members that are not a part of the QW Division, for their participation during the BFE as an external floater.  We appreciate their time in joining us in our matches, and this is a small way in which we can show our appreciation to them.

Here are a pair of testimonials from some of our oldest members:

My time in QW has been really good, joined in May 2008, recruited by Crusher WL, the first 2nd Bn CO.

It didn’t took long time before I was a FL , had 2 PL’s the late Zirawing and Poutting.

After a while I stepped up as HDI (TS today? ) and had some fun planning together with Feanor , HDI at the 1st Bn.

When Crusher leaved TAW in Dec. 2008 I stepped up as CO for the 2nd Bn and stayed there for almost 3 years.....in Nov 2011 I was asked to step up as DO for the QW Division and accepted and here I am

 The reason that I have stayed in the QW Division is that it is a great game, great members and my staff was really outstanding. Some of the staff members that have passed under my “supervision” are Dogstar and Stealthmist.......

We are always having fun in the matches , out internal scrim tournament are called “Battle for Earth” and we are now playing #19.......

In TS there is always a friendly atmosphere..

 These are the main reasons that I’m still in the QW Division

 Thanks for the word

 Cheers

 LTC OldWolf

DO QW Div.

******************************************************************************************

Quake wars is one of the best tactical team shooters I have ever played, and one of the best multilayer games played period. I have played over 2600 hours on it, and still play. It has user end dedi servers, custom maps and mods, player server admin ingame, and a great community. It could have been even better, had it gotten more attention and support from the publisher and developers. 

With my long time in QW, I am one of the top players, and quite skilled at flying and using heavy vehicles. I hope that the game will continue to get the support it needs, and we shall continue to have fun with it.

-ShmeeCow

This was the first official match for the second EU TAW team ever. The opponent they had to face was O.P.P. an opponent they didn't know much about.

TAW line up: Patamon (captain), Azztec, Nist and Frankenstein (=Wackocat)

First match: Volcano

The first map was TAW's choice, they picked Volcano and started on the attacking side. The team managed to get the first objective within a big 5 min, but on the 6th min while doing the second objective our captain, Patamon, went afk. A cat had entered his house and his dog was chasing it troughout the house. So the team had to play 3 vs 4 which is really hard. The other guys however didn't give up and still managed to finish the map in less then 12 min.

Now it was O.P.P. attack round. Patamon rejoined the team and it was a  4 vs. 4 again. The team managed to hold the first obj for about 8-9 min, which is very good. However they lost the second objective in less then 2 min. O.P.P. managed to finish the map about a big minute faster then out TAW team. 

Second match: Salvage

The score was now 0 : 2 for O.P.P. and we had to play there map choice on a map that we didn't practice as a team yet. It wasn't looking good for our team, but  they managed to start the match knowing that we had some pretty good individual players and an improving teamplay.

O.P.P. had to attack first. Absolutely by the quick attack, caused our team to fall immediately. O.P.P. managed to get a plant on the first objective in about 40 sec, which is very impressive. Already knowing we lost a map and the first objective within seconds, things weren't looking good. They already started on the second objective and managed to complete it for 80 percent.

And then something happend that nobody saw comming. All four of our guys remained icecold and all of the called out which possition they would take without having any practice on them. Patamon and Azztec  gave orders and got everybody into position. Nist took care of the objective area and was covering everyone of our guys from the back. All of them shouting the side O.P.P. was attacking from and they managed to get a reset on the objective.

Believe it or not, but our guys managed to hold the second objective until the end of match, which was a total of more then 18 min!!!

With a newly found spirit, our guys were ready to attack. They managed to get the first 2 objectives with 4-5 min and with a nice sneakplant of Azztec we were able to finish the map in about 7 min.

Thirth map: Refinery

It was 2 : 2 so they had to play a thirth map. The map was chosen by eleminating maps that the teams didn't want to play and so they had to play refinery.

First up was the attack from our own TAW team. Patamon cleary made orders and all of us were ready to get our needed 2 points. They needed 2 min to get to the objective and all of them managed to protect the hacker until the objective was done, then they proceeded to the 2 last objectives. Azztec got the first plant on, while Frankenstein got the other plant on. O.P.P. managed to disarm Frankensteins plant, but we got the other one. With combined effort our guys managed to get the other plan on as well and they finished the map in a little more then 5 min.

Well with our on fire, we started the last attack from O.P.P. They needed 3-4 min to get the forward and then they still needed to get the first objective. But with our team fired up, they didn't even got a look at the objective. So our team got the other 2 points as well.

Endscore: TAW 4 : 2 O.P.P.

Things are looking good for our team. Hopefully they can proceed to 4th division next season. I wish you guys the best and more updates are going to follow!

Hi everyone!

For The Makaron Leauge is a new format of QW competition. Over 20 teams are participlating, in 5 divisions. Higher division show high skilled games, while lower division give a chance for newbies to join in and become familar with the 4v4 competition.

We are happy to set up one of these teams, and proud to have won 2 out of 3 matches this season! Unfortunately we lost some of our points, because we have broke a rule (without knowing it), so we are only at third place in the third division. For the upcoming season, with over 30 teams participlating in it, we have now a working #1 team and that´s why we are going to set up another team! Mr. Patamon will lead them to victory, I am sure!

Everyone who is interested in playing in one of our teams, or would even like to lead one, just has to contact me. Next season is starting next week! 

Roster of our teams: 

TAW #1: 

Captain: onYn

Member: wijet, SUPERNOVA, Wackocat, Calidrin 

TAW #2: 

Captain: patamon

Member: Nist, Mr.thoka, OldWolf, Runeforce, patamon, Azztec, der_farni

cheers, 

onYn

Please give Mr. MarcusMaxwell a big Hoooaahh for stepping up as XO and completing the staff in 2nd Bn !!!

Since I have stepped up as the new DO for the QW Division,after almost 3 years as CO, there was a need for a new CO in the 2nd Bn and there has also been some changes in the staff due to RL issues.

The new staff in 2nd Bn QW Division is as follows :

CO: zerrro

XO: will be announced shortly

SO: Wackocat

FS: Runeforce ( has done the BFE ( Battle For Earth ) XVIII, running the Holiday Havoc and in progress with BFE XIX that will start in the beginning of 2012.

TS: Patamon

Thanks everyone for stepping up and making the QW Division such a nice and friendly place to be a member of !!!

LTC_OldWolf

DO QW Division