From the Desk of Vice-Admiral Ricaud ...
I'm very glad to be able to say that the Battlegroups have had a tremendous start to the New Year ... the Battlegroups Squadron Championship has come to a conclusion, with Tempest Squadron winning the title of Grand Champion in the final with Falcon Squadron, and plans for the next BG-wide competition are already progressing very nicely.
There were perhaps only two major hiccups in Battlegroup operations: a major command shake-up following Vice Admiral Torres' resignation, which resulted in a series of transfers/promotions that left the ISD Challenge and ISD Colossus with different sets of Commodores and Wing Commanders respectively. The second little crisis was in Wing VIII, when a downsizing was planned to help improve activity, with all two squadrons intended for closure. However, following a series of lengthy e-mail chains, heated debates, and emergency IRC meetings, the re-organisation become a mainly staff-based one, with notably Captain ZysFryar, Major Mell, Colonel "Pappy" Renegade, Colonel David Torres, and Sector Admiral Compton himself joining the wing.
In retrospect, both occurances have been very healthy for the Battlegroups ... I'm fortunate to have a highly skilled and experienced staff, and Wing VIII is now shaping up to be a potentially major force in the TIE Corps.
Elsewhere, aboard the ISD Relentless Rear Admiral Jarak Maldon is running Operation Delta Phoenix, a highly plot-driven and fluid competition which may set the trend for future Battlegroup operations; the ISD Challenge is kicking ass and taking names as ever, giving 100% (very nearly literally, in terms of participation) for the SSSD Sovereign Squadron League 2000; and the ISD Immortal is continuing to steadily grow and expand under the leadership of Vice Admiral Marc and Lieutenant Colonel Blade.
Until next month .. :-)
Vice-Admiral Val Ricaud
Commander, TIE Corps Battlegroups