Fleet Admiral Kreeayt Havok
Tactical Officer
Dark Jedi Master
Master At Arms
Dragoon (ret.)

The most frequently asked question in the hammer is "I finished the battle, now what? How do I prove it? Who do I prove it to?" I've gotten this question from everyone from Wing Commanders, CMDRs, FL, FM, even fellow Command Officers! I think it's long past time that the entire Hammer followed a single, unified, and welll publicized procedure on file review. As best as I can determine right now, there exists no single clear procedure. This may in fact be the Hammer's single greatest weakness. So, I propose the following

guidelines:

1) All members who wish to play EH missions are henceforth required to create a new Pilot file, specifically for playing the EH missions.

2) When a pilot plays a battle, he should use this Pilot file. When he runs out of unbeaten missions (to be replaced with EH missions), he starts a new one.

3) All pilots are instructed to take a thirty second mission clip, in case verification is required. This will not be sent via E-mail unless it is requested! (Clip Files take a long time to send and are a pain to review).

4) When a pilot completes an entire battle, which he wishes to claim credit for, or when the player completes a free mission, that he wants credit for, he will send his file to the Squadron Commander .

5) The CMDR reviews the pilot file. If he is satisfied that the mission has been played, he grants credit. He may, for any reason, request a mission clip. These requests must always be honored!

6) If a CMDR hasn't responded either affirmatively or negatively at the end of 72 hours, send the file to a WC. If your WC hasn't responded, send it to your COM. If, after 72 hours, your COM hasn't responded either, then please send to the Executive Officer for verification.

7) The CMDR or file reviewer sends the medal request to the FCA (XA), and CC:s the pilot who submitted the file. When he recieves it the FCA(XA) sends verification.

You have your medal, and everyone's happy :)

To: Squadron Commanders, Ship Commodores, Wing Leaders

From: Rear Admiral Anakin

Re: Squadron, Ship, and wing/fleet banners

OPS, as you may have heard, is compiling a manual with all banners contained in it. Now, this would be easy for me if I had all the banners. Please, all squadrons, ships, etc. with banners please send them to me A.S.A.P. Also, if you don't yet have a banner, please either make one or notify me with your ideas, slogan, motto, etc. so I can make one. I just wanted to tell you how many banners I've received (dirctly or through VEELON or GNDaniels). I've received ZERO banners so far (not including the 2 I made). Now, I want this manual to be good. It won't be with only TWO banners in it! It is a necessity to have everyone's banner on file so OPS can take the time on arranging the materials graphically instead of sending out notices to squadrons whose banners are missing. Even if your banner was posted in an NL, please send it to me. I want the files via e-mail so I have a record of who sent and who didn't. Thank you for your cooperation.

"Yeah! Thatīs another fishcan to my record" I said.

"Great Crona! Thatīs your 10 MC80 today! And it makes your MC80 kill list to 255, a new record!!! And that sure was a great kill on that A-wing, it didnīt have a chance" a voice said

The stage shifted now I was standing somewhere similar to the Dark Hall.

"We have gathered here to honor Crona who has served the Emperorīs Hammer beyond any call of duty. He is the greatest among pilots and hereby I promote you to Adm...

"ATTENTION ALL SQUADRONS, ATTENTION ALL SQUADRONS..."

"No no...it was the best dream yet. Very well" I jumped out of my bed while I heard the general chaos outside. (As Always) I thought. I got dressed, opened my door and got out all in a matter of seconds. I saw my flight 2 leader GN Dex running in the corridor "Hey Dex whatīs going on?" I asked while I runned up beside him. "Oh hi sir! We'll talk later I prefer to get out of here before another salvo of those heavy rockets hits us. I saw what it did with some guys down the corridor" he said while he ran faster down the corridor.

"ATTENTION ALL SQUADRONS WE ARE UNDER HEAVY ATTACK!

! THIS IS NOT A DRILL, I REPEAT THIS IS NOT A DRILL" someone said in a speaker "SCRAMBLE SCRAMBLE"

(That must probaly have been when I crashed with an Y-Wing in my dream) I thought with a smile on my face while I entered the flight ready room and grabbed my helmet. I looked around; I saw that almost all the other helmets were gone except some from Cobra that had hard to convert to that they had to put there clothes on and run to the flight deck in a matter of seconds. I ran over to my Defender. "How are you feeling today?" I asked the ship while I climbed abord. I started the Defender "Feel pretty good today donīt ya?" I said.

"Flight Control, this is Cobra CMDR Asking departure clearence" I called over the radio.

"You are clear Cobra CMDR, launch sequence initiated

(Strange no information is being transferred to my com-link) I thought.

I checked it out "Hm...it seems to work alright, maybe somebody fixed my helmet"

I didnīt have time to think about that now I was launched out into space.

I pressed G "hm pretty obvious" I said. It read ISD Vanguard must survive as primary and as Secondary. Wonder what bonus is?. I did the pre-combat settings "Cobra form up with me" I called over the radio.

"Yes sir" Everybody replied one way or another. "Letīs see whatīs for dinner" I said while I pressed M to get the map up. "Hm...here is both for breakfast, lunch, dinnner, supper, the between meals and itīs all going to be a happy meal for us" I said. On the map I saw 1 interdictor cruiser at 15 km, 3 MC80 10 km, 1 Dreadnought at 6 km and 2 Strike Cruiser that was just going to attack the Vanguard. "Get the Srike Cruisers" I said.

"Ha! Not to worry my Tie Dragon will take them both down" GN Andy Dragon CMDR answered.

"Alright Cobra will cover Dragon" I said to my squadron members.

"This is GN Deathwatch Viper CMDR, WHERE ARE THOSE REBELS? I`LL KILL THEM ALL!" He shouted

"Take it easy" I replied.

"Ha ha ha ha!!!...you must be kidding, seeya later Crona" he replied

"Alright" I answered

I continued to look at the map. There were some other capital ships but they were so far away that they didnīt show any threat except the fighters they were launching.

I engaged a Y-wing that was after a Tie Dragon. Soon I reached up with it and began firing. Suddenly my threat indicator light up. "Damn!" I said. I had to make a quick choice. I was engaged by a A-wing that was preparing to shoot 2 adv. missiles in my ass that would easily finish me and the Y-wing was also preparing to get the Tie Dragon with a missile that would finish it off.

"Come on, come on..." I said to the damn Y-wing that had a very experienced pilot. He evaded many of my laser shots. And at the same time I saw the frightening yellow light on my threat indicator. Knowing that it can turn red must be one of the most frightening things that can happen. Not to talk about pilots flying standard Tie starfighters. "Finally!" I said when the Y-wing begun to lose hull. The A-wing was about 2 km behind and closing. And at the same time there were calls for assistance from my wingmen and other pilots. "Talk about pressure" I said quietly to myself. "Hm...wonder how much pressure a wing commander must have in a situation like this. He must reply and help all the pilots in the wing under his command and at the same time knowing that his next step could kill him and save another pilot or the other way around. They must love it" I interupted myself I canīt go on talking to myself. Itīs a bad habit of mine. At least I think so. "No!" The A-wing had locked on to me and there were 2 missiles after me.

"Crona can you assist me?" I heard GN Sniper saying.

I pressed space so one of the two missiles came up in my CMD. They were closing very fast. Then the Y-wing was destroyed. I didnīt say a word, the sweat was flowing down my forehead knowing I could be dead in a matter of seconds. But with a steady hand, I managed to turn the Tie Defender so it headed against the missiles the same time as I saw the missiles getting closer in the CMD 0,60...0,50 km. I felt how my body wanted to panic. Turn away from the missiles, hit the eject button, anything. Then I was heading against the missile at a very fast speed. I had 3-4 seconds. I tried to get the targeting sight to light up knowing that I would only have one chance and I couldnīt afford to miss. Then in the last second it lit up and I fired...they were destroyed. I took a deep breath. I know that it wasnīt the first time it had happened and I know that it wasnīt the last time I would have 2 missiles after me. It is hard to describe what you feel in a moment like this...you feel like you have maybe not won the war but won the battle and that you will still be there to fly other missions. And I know that in a matter of seconds, minutes I would have forgoten all about this and that Y-wing I destroyed and the Tie Dragon I saved from destruction and that I wouldnīt get a medal, it is just something a pilot is supposed to do. Every pilot goes through it hundred of times and sooner or later the missiles are to fast or the Y-wing is just too evasive. Hopefully you are promoted before that. It was the first time this struck me and I noted in my mind to think more about it later.

"Hello! Hello! you awake, thanks for the save" a Dragon flight member said.

Thinking about what I just thought I said "You would have done the same, Iīm sure of it" Then I was hit. It was the A-wing that had followed up on the attack. The A-wing passed right above my head showing me itīs tail. I quickly noticed that this probably was some kind of recruit. Because one of the first rules a pilot learns is to not let your enemy get a sight of your back. I fired at the A-wing I hit. To bad that thatīs the last thing this rebel will learn, ha!" I saíd and fired the last shot. And the pilot and his A-wing were destroyed.

"Anyone having trouble out there?" I asked. I checked the message log.

Dragon Squadron had destroyed the 2 Strike Cruisers. Some EH pilots had entered the hangar but none destroyed. Mostly Tie Dragons that had been a bit too slow with the evading part. Dragon squadron was 4 km away now. Apparently, they had destroyed the Cruisers a bit before I destroyed the Y-wing.

"Nothing I canīt handle" GN Mandrake responded.

"The same here and itīs the same for my flight group, there is not a rebel fighter yet that has damaged a Tie Dragon, at least not seriously!" GN Ninja flight 3 leader responded

"Hey, flight group 2 doesnīt have any problem either!" GN Dex said.

"Ok! Good! Perivor, Tinman, Lee you okay?" I asked. While I pressed R to get a enemy up on the CMD. It picked up a X-wing that was attacking GN Andy Cobra CMDR.

It was 3 km away. I engaged it.

"Iīm okay Crona. There must be atleast 10 New Republic squadrons in the battle and they all fly like recruits. Letīs just say my flight record is going to be a lot better after this" GN Lee responded.

"Same here" Perivor responded.

"Same here!" Tinman responded.

"Ok ok! Viper, Dragon how about you?" I asked.

"GN Andy here, We are doing quite alright. Some have entered the hangar we are maybe going to have a problem with those MC80s!" he answered.

"GN Deathwatch here! There is no rebel getting through to the Vanguard here.

"Ok good work" now I had reached firing distance to the X-wing. It did a sharp turn to the lower right. I followed it, adjusted my speed. It is always a good idea to adjust your speed. Because even if your craft is faster or slower it will be hard to get the enemy if you donīt have the same speed. A few well placed laser beams and the X-wing was history.

"This is Rear Admiral Zeus to all EH fighters. We are sending out 2 transports one with heavy bombs and one with adv. missiles. It will be Viperīs job to protect the ones that are docking with the transports. Good luck" she said and two transports exited the Vanguardīs hangar. Since my Defender wasnīt equiped with missiles. I saw that there wasnīt a rebel fighter to close that I could engage. "Cobra Squadron this is your CMDR Iīm going to get me some heavy bombs. Flight-1 follow me and when we have got our bombs flight-2 will get thereīs and then flight group-3." I said, then I did a half loop backwords so I headed for the transports.

"This is Tinman, Roger, that one sir, Iīm taking vic formation with you sir." he said.

"Affirmative Tinman! Flight group-1 you are advised to take vic formation with me" I replied. I radioed the transport that I wanted a reload. I was getting closer to it.

1 min after that I was boarded by the Heavy bomb transport. It gave me four loads of heavy bombs.

"Great those MC80s will never know what hit them" I said quietly to myself.

"This is Dragon CMDR, we are engaging the MC80 now, we could need some assistance" GN Andy said.

"On my way" I replied. With a load of 8 heavy bombs I headed for the MC80 that was 8 km away. When there was 3 km left they had destroyed the first MC80.

"Yeah! The first MC80 destroyed. Going fo...aouch...damn I got a bad hit there. My lasers are out and the CMD display is damaged. Iīm going to one of those transports to see if they can repair the damage" GN Andy reported while he turned around and headed for the transports.

"Roger that..." I was taken totally by suprise. It was like someone had kicked me in the back. Somehow had a A-wing with probaly a very advanced jamming system sneaked up behind me and fired a adv. missile with out locking on to me or maybe he had locked on to me but my sensors were jammed so they didnīt see it. Anyway, I quickly drained my laser energy to the sheilds. And did a loop back so I would see the A-wing. I managed to get away a couple of laser bolts. The A-wing shields were at 67%. I immediately followed the A-wing. It had done a low left turn. I placed myself behind it again. And a couple of fire bolts and the A-wing was destroyed.

"This is Bob...YEAH! The second MC80 is destroyed now and the entire squadron has been reloaded now, flight-2 with adv. missiles and flight-3 with heavy bombs" Bob said.

"Great use your heavy bombs on that last MC80" I replied.

"This is GN Andy. Almost my entire squadron has been hit or entered the hangar. And I see that you have heavy bombs so I think you can make it by yourself. Seeya in the bar!" GN Andy reported in and I saw on my sensors that he was heading for home.

"This is GN Bob. Flight-3 destroy that MC80 now!" he said to his wingmen.

"This is GN Crona. Flight-1 help out!" I ordered.

On the bridge

"Sir, Rear Admiral, sir!" a commander said on the bridge.

"Yes, what is it?" Rear Admiral Zeus said in deep tought.

"Sir, we have intercepted a New Republic transmission. It was probably meant for us too, sir" he replied.

"I see...and what is the transmission" Zeus asked.

"Sir, that one of the New Republic fleets will be here in about 2-3 minutes" he said.

"What! This is a yellow alert, prepare the evacuation. If a entire fleet is coming here I donīt think even the SSD Avenger alone would win. Cause alot of damage thatīs for sure but not win." she said.

"Sir, would that be with out the 2 wings of fighters, sir? A commander asked.

"Yes, commander without itīs 2 wings" she replied.

She went and sat down in her command chair were she pressed a button to the com-link.

"Attention all squadron commanders. We have information about a new threat that will cross our path in about 2 minutes. You must destroy the Interdictor cruiser and enter hangar before this. Because the new threat will certainly have more Interdictors. Good luck and may the Dark Side be with us" she said and the com-link went quiet.

"Allright guys now we have destroyed the last MC80, now get that Interdictor" I said

"Si...ple...rep...ir" Someone responded. What I checked the damage. Damn the communications were damaged so it couldnīt receive the my wingman's radio transmissions. "Damn adv. missile" I said, it had damaged my communications.

"Ou...of..mis..hea..ing...ome" someone said." I checked the threat display. Almost everybody in my squadron was heading home.They hadnīt heard the message from Rear Admiral Zeus. I was heading for the Interdictor I had some enemy fighters after me. Lucky for me they were out of missiles. I saw that some of my wingmen had been able to damage it a bit. It had about 40 % shields left. I slowed down and at 1,5 km I fired all my heavy bombs. Then it was full throttle. I put the lasers on maximum to the engine as well as the sheilds. I flied to the Interdictor's bridge at an enourmous speed leaving some of the heavy bombs behind me. The enemy fighters was at 0,5 - 1 km away from me since I slowed down. They had probably also increased their speed because they still followed me with out getting too far behind. The inexperienced pilots that followed only payed attention to me not the Interdictor. When I was just about to hit the bridge I did a lower turn to the right flying under the bridge a bit to the left and I had the bridge above and the rest of the ship under me. This way I the Interdictor came on my six. The new republican pilots didnīt notice the Interdictor until I steared away. And as inexperienced as they were they didnīt have a chance to turn away. Right at the same time a couple of heavy bombs hit the Interdictor reducing the sheilds. And we got a replay of the destruction of the SSD at the battle of the Endor as several New Republic fighters hit the bridge and totally destroyed it. The Interdictor was spinning round and round as itīs control system was damaged. This was more than it could take and the hull was ripped apart like paper as the Interdictor exploded in a giant blow.

"Yeah!" I said to myself while I headed for the ISD Vanguard, I had probably no chance to be able to enter the hangar in time, but who knows.

My onboard computer registrated that the capital ships that didnīt pose a threat in the beginning of the battle had come closer and was now 10 Km away and they were launching fighters.

"This is Rear Admiral Zeus to General Crona, nice work on that Interdictor...we must hyperjump out now, we are sending rendevouz coordinates for you, over and out!

"Ok sir!" I said while I saw the ISD Vanguard entering hyperspace. I pressed the hyperspace button. Maybe I wouldnīt make it in time. At my relief, the T/D turned towards where the Vanguard entered hyperspace. When I exactly entered hyperspace I thought I saw several green dots on the sensors but this might have been my imagenation.

When I existed hyperspace I didnīt see a sign of the Vanguard. (This might take a while) I thought as I reached out with the force to see if there was any life present. I felt something getting closer...then the Vanguard exited hyperspace.

"Whew" I was said glad that I didnīt have to wait any longer and that I received the right coordinates.

"Cobra-1 1 enter hangar now, we have rebel scouts after us." RA Zeus said.

"Yes, sir!" I said and steared my starfighter against the Vanguard that was about 2 km away.

Seconds later I entered the hangar. At the same time I received a message that the RA wanted to see me on the bridge. It was probably some kind of speach about what a good job I had done but thatīs another story. And when I walked on to the bridge, not did I think of any thing that happened during the mission.

Respectfully submitted

Brigadier General Crona

Emperorīs Hammer Strike Fleet

(CMDR/BG Crona/Cobra/ISD VAN

PS. I wrote this story before I was promoted and we got a new WC aboard the Vanguard.