Session Start: Thu Jul 13 18:33:30 2000
*** Now talking in #battlecry
*** Kessler has joined #battlecry
<Werdna_LB> thatnk you
<Kessler> Hi
<Werdna_LB> *thank
<Werdna_LB> sadly, because of Nighthawk having to leave his job of FO, it kinda screwed some of the last interview up
<Kessler> Hehehe, I'll bet it did!
<Werdna_LB> so I'll start by asking, do you think FO Sarriss is a good enough officer for the job?
<Kessler> Well I don't really know Sarriss professionally....
<Kessler> But she's keen, enthusiastic, highly motivated and a good officer, so I think she'll do just fine.
<Kessler> (And she got a taste of it from the IWATS Graphics Course she did too)
<Werdna_LB> how so?
<Kessler> The email requirement. She's had a little taste of getting a load of email that has to be replied to by a deadline
<Werdna_LB> ah...
<Kessler> But nothing NEAR like what it will be as FO :)
<Werdna_LB> did you not get the urge to take the job back when Nighthawk left?
<Kessler> I never wanted to leave in the first place....
<Kessler> But my reasons for doing it are the same now....
<Kessler> I'm studying for RL promotion exams, and that takes priority over the EH unfortunately.
<Kessler> However, I just got some good news....
<Kessler> I was planning to step down as FO in November anyway, because I get drafted back to sea in December (I'm in the Royal Navy)....
<Kessler> But I just got my ship's programme, and we're not really going anywhere until January 2002...
<Werdna_LB> that's a long way off!
<Kessler> So I should be able to stay in the EH for a good long time yet :)
<Werdna_LB> will you be looking for a (EH) promotion after your exams then?
<Kessler> Perhaps, but I'd forgotten how much fun being an FM was....
<Kessler> Put it this way, as FO I was getting 50 - 80 emails a day, all of which needed repying to....
<Kessler> As an FM I get around three, and two of those are usually spam :P
<Kessler> And I have the time to fly more too, which is always nice :)
<Werdna_LB> how close are you to the FCHG promotion you were after?
<Kessler> I'm a Gallant right now, and since I just flew TC-TIE 155 for the Squadron league, I figure I'm about two battles away from making it to Knight....
<Kessler> The problem right now, is that I *should* be studying....
<Kessler> But what the hell, I need to relax *sometime* :)
<Werdna_LB> if you don't go for any promotions after your exams, what else would you like to do in the EH?
<Werdna_LB> ...rojects, join a subgroup, etc
<Werdna_LB> *projects
<Kessler> That's a good question....
<Kessler> I think I'd like to concentrate on writing fiction again....
<Werdna_LB> cool!
<Kessler> I haven't written anything for about five months, I think it's time to pick up the pen again...
<Kessler> Plus, it's something I can do on the Word Processor onboard when I'm on duty :)
<Werdna_LB> well...as long as you remember to submit it to Battlecry
<Werdna_LB> :o)
<Kessler> Of course! :)
<Kessler> As for Subgroups...
<Kessler> I may join the Navy, which would be expected of me since I created it :P
<Werdna_LB> "expected"...probably, as I was going to ask you about that
<Kessler> Hehehe
<Kessler> Well I have a decent modem now, so I can play multiplayer properly again :)
<Werdna_LB> do none of the other subgroups interest you, or are you just a TC person?
<Kessler> I came into this world a TIE Corps pilot, and a TIE Corps pilot I'll always be!
<Kessler> (I'm actually in the DB too, but you'd never know it from my activity levels :P)
<Werdna_LB> what rank Jedi are you?
<Kessler> *coughJediHuntercough*
<Kessler> (It's more than I deserve :P)
<Werdna_LB> well have you thought about taking some of your time to become a DJK?
<Kessler> I suppose I could, in fact I probably should. Tridens used to be a great House, but it's falling on hard times lately. Anything I can do to help it get back on its feet would be the least I could do, really
<Werdna_LB> how would you consider doing that?
<Kessler> The only way I know that works... lead by example. Fly lots, get rewarded lots, communicate lots, and show everyone what they're missing by sitting on their asses.
<Werdna_LB> do you think that's the best skill of a good leader?
<Werdna_LB> or do you think a good leader should have other qualities too?
<Kessler> Saving the tough questions for last huh?
<Werdna_LB> not really, I'm just making them up on the spot!
<Kessler> LOL!! I think the single best attribute of a good unit, be that a Squadron, a battleteam, a House, whatever... is that everyone communicates with each other....
<Kessler> When you talk to each other, you know what you're all doing, what you're NOT doing, how well or how badly others are doing.. You can offer help, advice, have it offered to you....
<Kessler> And you can enjoy each others' company. That's what makes a Squad gel as a team, when they all interact socially as well as with games....
<Kessler> You begin to *feel* like you're part of team, not a lone pilot.....
<Kessler> And that's what we're supposed to be doing, after all. Anything a CMDR does to foster this feeling can only be good.
<Werdna_LB> so why do you think that this sometimes doesn't happen in some squadrons?
<Werdna_LB> it seems obvious to many!
<Kessler> I have no idea.... perhaps language difficulties? Although I doubt it. Some of the most prolific e-mailers and message Board posters I know are Austrian or Chzechoslovakian
<Kessler> (I'll bet I spelled that wrong)
<Kessler> But some people don't join up for chit-chat either.....
<Kessler> If that's the case, leave them to their own thing, and worry about the rest of the pilots in the squad
<Kessler> If people want to interact, they will, but you have to show them what they're missing by staying quiet....
<Kessler> Simply cursing them for lack of communication in the weekly report isn't going to help.
<Werdna_LB> would you hold it against a member if they were quiet and under your command? (maybe not by much, but at least favour the chatty ones)
<Werdna_LB> would you show any favouritism?
<Kessler> Not at all. Here's an example..
<Kessler> In Tornado Squadron we have a pilot called LCM Veers....
<Kessler> He never sends email, never posts on message boards, never talks....
<Kessler> But you can guarantee that every time we fly a contest, he turns in a good score.....
<Kessler> He gets out of the EH exactly what he wants, he never bugs anyone for medals or promotions, and the Squadron considers him a valuable member...
<Kessler> Communication just isn't his thing, and we respect that. But he's still a good pilot, and we'd miss him if he left.
<Werdna_LB> talking about your squadron there...
<Kessler> :)
<Werdna_LB> you mentioned Aven Kronn as being a good CMDR...
<Werdna_LB> why do you like him in command?
<Kessler> He's an easy-going kind of guy....
<Kessler> He's the kind of guy who'd be your friend if he wasn't your CMDR. That's probably the best quality a CMDR can have, that and a sense of humour....
<Kessler> For example, he's German, and we all make fun of him by referring to him as "Der Fuhrer"....
<Kessler> But everyone in the Squadron has that done to them....
<Kessler> I'm known as a Cadet-abuser,
<Kessler> CPT Steele is always late,
<Kessler> No-one ever asks about Veers,
<Werdna_LB> - yes, I was leaving the Cadet thing for later :o)
<Kessler> CPT Rea has an ego so large it's a danger to shipping, etc...
<Kessler> Hehehe....
<Kessler> It's just a friendly way of making ourselves more than merely names on a roster, we all have personalities.
<Kessler> Here's an example...
<Kessler> Have you seen the Tornado Flight III page?
<Kessler> http://www.xtc56.dial.pipex.com/f3intro.htm
<Kessler> That just about says it all.
<Werdna_LB> no, but I'm looking now
<Werdna_LB> I've seen the squadron page though...interesting
<Kessler> Kronn's on leave, so the Squad page is a little out of date
<Kessler> I think the secret to enjoying it is to not take yourself too seriously...
<Werdna_LB> ah yes, I have seen the FIII page, that's the one I was thinking of
<Kessler> Just look at my bio for example...
<Kessler> With a face like a Rancor licking stale sweat out of the armpit of a Jawa, Kessler's chances of getting a shag on a Saturday night were pretty remote. Luckily, he has a master key for the Cadet barracks on the PLT Daedalus, and isn't afraid to pull rank when the situation demands it.
<Kessler> Hehehe.... and yes, _I_ wrote that :)
<Werdna_LB> how close are you really to your SW alter-ego?
<Kessler> Pretty close I think. Not as old and only about half as ugly as Kessler, though :)
<Werdna_LB> have you ever got confused when filling in a form in RL, and nearly put Kessler on as your name?
<Kessler> Many, MANY times!
<Werdna_LB> good, it's not just me then :o)
<Kessler> My Boss at work is a Navy Commander, and he took great pleasure in telling everyone that I was an Admiral :P
<Werdna_LB> you were once LT Wedge though...
<Werdna_LB> ...a rebel...
<Kessler> Ah yes...
<Werdna_LB> ...what club was that in?
<Kessler> Green Squadron to be precise
<Kessler> It's what the RS used to be - the Republic Shield
<Werdna_LB> what made you swap sides?
<Kessler> The only reason I joined the RS was because I found them first. I was looking for an Imperial club, and I found the EH about a week later....
<Kessler> I jumped ship and defected just about immediately. They were disappointed to see me go, but VERY unimpressed when they realised I was joining the Imps :P
<Werdna_LB> why did you want to be one of us baddies?
<Kessler> I ended up in Nun Squadron on the Sov, and Kramer was STILL Commodore even back then!
<Kessler> Well I'm English. I have the right accent for an Imperial :)
<Werdna_LB> me too, but from Newcastle so I don't have the accent
<Kessler> Me too!
<Kessler> But I don't have that accent anymore :(
<Werdna_LB> what! yer a geordie n'all?
<Kessler> I'm from Throckley, near the Northumberland border, on the A69
<Kessler> 6 miles west of the City Centre
<Werdna_LB> so how come you've lost your accent?
<Kessler> Been living with these southern shandy-drinking poofters for too long :P
(note by editor: it's a turn of phrase, so I'm sorry if you are a shandy-drinker)
<Werdna_LB> so...the big question...you support Newcastle Utd right?
<Kessler> Of course! There's only one United!
<Werdna_LB> good...then I can carry on my interview :o)
<Kessler> Hehehe
<Werdna_LB> anyway...it was one of your goals as FO to make sure that the TC squadrons were as active as they could be...
<Werdna_LB> ...did that go as well as you hoped?
<Werdna_LB> (it was a really early goal, but I remember it)
<Kessler> Yes, it did. A measure of how successful it was, by the number of BSFs that were submitted every month......
<Kessler> The TAC had to give up checking every BSF because he was getting too many :)
<Kessler> Although it wasn't a great success across the _whole_ fleet, the average activity rate skyrocketed, which was something I was pleased with, because it meant people were getting a lot of fun out of the club
<Werdna_LB> how did you achieve this?
<Kessler> It happened largely by accident...
<Kessler> I had a few plans to try out, but before I could see if any would work, something strange happened....
<Kessler> The TIE Corps Commanders' Citation suddenly became a VERY desirable award to have once I instituted it. And Wings were falling over themselves to beat the Colossus' record of 200 BSFs in a month in order to win it.
<Kessler> That 200 BSF record didn't last very long. Wing X just got over 500 in one month, for example. But it was the TCCOM's award that gave people something solid to aim for
<Kessler> That wasn't the reason I started the award, but it was a nice side effect :)
<Werdna_LB> so the TCCOM is only based upon the number of missions flown?
<Werdna_LB> rather than other means of activity
<Kessler> Not at all! In fact, I made that pretty clear in FO reports....
<Kessler> Wing II won the second award simply by being a fun Wing to be in.....
<Kessler> But for some reason, Wing Commanders fixed on beating that 200 BSF target as a concrete way of showing that they should get the award, and it sure boosted activity :)
<Werdna_LB> As seen by former FO Nighthawk, the FO's curse is still flying around...
<Werdna_LB> ...how lucky do you feel that you beat it by a week?
<Kessler> Hehe, it must have skipped a generation with me :)
<Kessler> Nighthawk just had some really bad luck, the timing sucked..
<Kessler> He would have been a great FO, more of an admin guy than me, but he was choosing others to handle the "people" stuff for him.
<Kessler> One of whom is the new FO - VA Sarriss, so everything worked out okay in the end.
<Werdna_LB> unless she gets caught by the curse too
<Kessler> Ack! Don't say that! :P
<Kessler> They might ask me back!
<Werdna_LB> mentioning Nighthawk getting assistants, what did you think of that, as you don't like the idea of them?
<Werdna_LB> (or attaches...whatever the hell you want to call them)
<Kessler> I'm not a very trusting kind of guy, especially not where the TC database is concerned. If any of my Assistants screwed up, I'd be responsible. Plus, I liked to work fast, and I'd had a lousy CA when I took over. (Sorry Chandler, but it's true), so I preferred to just get on with it myself....
<Kessler> Plus, I didn't believe in taking a perfectly good Pilot out of a useful squadron position, promoting them to VA and asking them to process emails. Seemed like a waste of talent and useless promotion to me, so I didn't do it.
<Werdna_LB> You pretty much built Tornado squadron...
<Werdna_LB> how did you do that?
<Kessler> Erm, what's the Statute of limitations on unethical recruiting practices?
<Kessler> *practices*
<Werdna_LB> ethics and rules didn't exist then
<Kessler> Cool. In that case...
<Kessler> I looked around the Squadrons with the worst CMDRs and stole their best pilots. Simple as that. I showed them that their current CMDRs were neglecting them and promised a fun time if they wanted to join Tornado.
<Kessler> TOTALLY illegal now, but back then I got away with it :P
<Werdna_LB> nice, but how could you tell they were good pilots?
<Kessler> Message Board posts, contest scores, general attitude. It's easy to spot the ones that you know are going to be valuable additions to your squad :)
<Kessler> Apart from that...
<Werdna_LB> but your the first to admit that a bad CMDR hide that in a pilot ???
<Kessler> I also tried my damnedest to stick with the few remaining original pilots we had. I didn't want them to feel "replaced" by the new guys, rather than revitalised by them.
<Kessler> I don't understand the question, sorry
<Werdna_LB> you got the pilots from squadrons that had bad CMDRS...
<Werdna_LB> ...but you have said that they can cause the pilots to not do anything and be unnoticed...
<Werdna_LB> ...so how could you see through that?
<Kessler> Oh I get it. Yes, it can be very frustrating for an active pilot to have a deadbeat CMDR. That's one thing that I had a zero tolerance policy on as Wing Commander, BGCOM and FO. If you're in a command position and you're idle - you're out...
<Kessler> But if you know what to look for, you can see the frustrated pilots who just need a good CMDR to blossom...
<Kessler> Message Board posts are a good place to look, but you have to be careful...
<Kessler> You don't want to recruit someone who just wants rewards, rewards and more rewards.
<Kessler> When you know a CMDR is useless, you can pretty much predict that he or she is going to have some pilots who could be really good if they only got the chance....
<Kessler> Those are the ones to look for
<Kessler> Or rather, those are the ones I _looked_ for. We can't get away with that anymore :P
<Werdna_LB> ignoring the unethical methods then, how else did you do it?
<Kessler> Again, it's all down to teamwork....
<Kessler> Your pilots are supposed to be part of a Squadron... you have to make them _feel_ like they are....
<Kessler> Your Squadron needs its own identity..
<Kessler> It needs something that only it has that makes it special...
<Kessler> Then your pilots can identify with the Squad and begin to take a pride in being a member
<Werdna_LB> what was so special about Tornado?
<Kessler> Until that happens, they may as well leave the Squadron name out of their ID line, because it doesn't really mean anything.
<Kessler> We were the highest-scoring, most loudmouthed, egotistical scumbags in the Fleet. Simple as that. No-one could beat us, and every time we won, we'd make sure you knew it.
<Kessler> Nowadays we're just egotistical scumbags, but our day will come again, mark my words :)
<Kessler> I already have the "We got our butts kicked by Tornado Squadron and all we got to show for it was this lousy banner" graphic ready :)
<Werdna_LB> i'll see if my squadron can try to achieve that :o)
<Werdna_LB> a little game now, if you could pick a half-dozen EH members to go on a special operation with...who would they be?
<Kessler> Ohhh... good question.
<Werdna_LB> (only two members from your squadron though)
<Kessler> VA Freelancer, just in case I need anyone slapped with a trout.
<Kessler> CPT Rea, in case we need to keep the bad guys occupied with stories about how fantastic a pilot he is while we run for it
<Kessler> COL Ricaud, because he's a slut.
<Kessler> HA Kawolski, because if he gets anywhere near you with a knife you're going to DIE (He knows what I mean)
<Kessler> And COL Callista, because she's a better pilot than I am :)
<Werdna_LB> is that all? you have one more spot left if you want
<Kessler> Oh yeah....
<Kessler> LCM Jan "Danger" Donner, because even Rebs need sweet lovin'
<Werdna_LB> I have to stop the interview now I'm afraid :(
<Kessler> Well I hope you have enough
<Werdna_LB> really, I could ask questions forever, but i suppose this will have to do
<Werdna_LB> it should be more than enough
<Kessler> Oh yeah...
<Kessler> I just updated the Tornado III page with a picture of Kessler that's a LOT more authentic..
<Kessler> http://www.xtc56.dial.pipex.com/IM030891.jpg
<Kessler> ;)
<Werdna_LB> so...thank you very much for the interview...
<Kessler> You're welcome :)
<Werdna_LB> ...and I'll let you get on with whatever you do now
<Kessler> Good question. Diablo II I think :)
<Kessler> <Salute>
<Werdna_LB> <SALUTE>
*** Kessler has left #battlecry
Session Close: Thu Jul 13 20:15:48 2000