Quarter 4 2022 Update

FleetCom Update

Okay, it has been a while since we posted an update, but a lot has been going on. Ech0Whiskey had injured himself and I (Razzun) have started a new job. This along with a few other factors led to no Quarter 2 or 3 updates. But we are back and VVarMachine is still doing very well!

We are actively looking at enhancing the VVarMachine website and integrating the login with SCNet. We hope to have this live no later than the middle of next year. This will give us the ability to create accounts that can work on both sites and allow us to better manage all the VVarMachine documentation that exists on Google Drive. Right now Google Drive is a bit of a mess and it would be nice to have a better way to organize and manage all that information.

Razzun is also looking for screenshots and short action shots from each Division. When you take your screenshots/videos, please think “what do people think of when they hear the name of this game?”. Submit everything to Razzun no later than December 31, 2022. If you need a place to dump video files, please contact Razzun.

We would like to thank all those that continue to donate through Patreon or Discord Server Boosting. Our Patreon supporters: Aarius, aramova, Bushman, FallenHylian, TwoGreen, greg_nog, Johnrexet, Karrth, RabbiMaxx, Razzun, ReapsD, Sivien21, Straker, Zahraphim. Your continued support is greatly appreciated and is solely used to offset the costs of the Microsoft Azure servers that host all our communication tools and SCNet website.

Discord Server Boosting gives our Discord server a little extra flair from server banners to a custom join link. Our Discord Server Boosters: aramova, CaptainWicky, Ech0Whiskey, FallenHylian, Jeffon, Lee Adama, NavyRigger, nomad_thehunter, Razzun, Sportsworth, and Zahraphim. Sorry, we do not have the ability to determine the number of times each person boosts, but we greatly appreciate all of your support!

Division Updates

ARMA

Human Resources Department

Ah, September – the official month where we switch from hot girl summer to dadbod fall.   It’s always when the quarterly update is due, so here I am again!

The HR department has been quite busy since our last update!  Firstly, DF “Author” Khan has taken over as the HR Department head, and his hard work has started to show within the workspace division.  This time last year, the Arma division was not known for handling the administrative paperwork well.  Since Khan has taken charge, that has changed.  The roster has received a much-desired facelift, and training has been getting recorded and updated on a steady, regular basis.  Khan, I think I speak for the whole unit when I say we appreciate your efforts and the initiative you put into getting things squared away.  

In addition to the new department head, Ferris and Khan have also revised our recruiting processes and procedures, including a new recruit questionnaire!  This new form is more streamlined and efficient, doing away with unnecessary information that was on the previous form.  In conjunction with the new HR changes, there has been a new addition to things to track.  That’s right!  The official VVAR Arma Division Awards Program is here!  If you navigate to the HRM section of the workspace discord, you will notice that Khan has been doing a wonderful job posting and updating awards as they are earned by each member.  

VVarMachine Security Services would like to welcome our newest members, AP Shy, OA Fishy, OA Tamayo, and OA Krono!  Welcome to the team. We are glad to have you here!  Additionally, there have been some leadership changes to note as well.  Our beloved Varian has stepped down as the Platoon CO, and assumed the position as VG1 ATL, before transferring to MAC at the end of August.  Khan has stepped up as the new Platoon CO, while CS Curtis has assumed the role of Platoon SGT.  OS3 Sam has assumed the role as VG2’s new ATL.  OS2 Carl has been promoted as VG1’s ATL, and is expected to assume leadership of VG1 here in the coming weeks.  CN Ferris, with Douglas & Lovelace on ELOA, is assuming leadership of the MAC division, and has been busy bringing new and potential transfers under his wing.  Things are moving and shaking with the Arma division, and I can’t wait to see how everything works out with everyone in their new positions!

Research and Development Department

R&D has been hard at work for the past several months.  Hubok was kind enough to let us keep using his server for much longer than we had any right to, but now all of that is changing.  Our very own OS2 Bian now has a server at his residence, and between him and Ferris, they have been working hard to get our new dedicated server up and running.  Not to say we haven’t had any headaches along the way, but such issues are to be expected as we break in the new box.

There have been a slew of chances to the mod pack.  Several redundant elements have been removed from the mod pack to lighten up the room it takes on our hard drives, and new things have been added.  Our F-16 Viper has a series of new skins and that special Ferris touch.  The most notable of the mod changes was a consolidation mod created by Ferris to reduce the size of the arsenal list.  Instead of having ten to twenty different versions of a rifle in the arsenal list, you choose the rifle you want, then select the attachment, barrel length, furniture color, etc., all from one easy-to-use list.  It might not be a flashy new vehicle or weapons system, but it is the quality of life mod we didn’t know we needed until we had it.  

All things considered, Ferris may run the R&D department, but there has been a significant increase in participation from multiple members within the division.  From mod suggestions to testing, we are starting to see some quite interesting things coming out of the R&D department, not just from Ferris.  Keep up the good work, everyone!

Marketing Department

Thanks to Bis, the marketing division has been steadily pushing out Arma content to our social media outlets.  CS Curtis might be the marketing division head, but Bis deserves all the recognition for the past few months since Curtis has been tied up with working on a new degree.  Thank you Bis, your hard work is noticed and much appreciated.  Additionally, a big thank you to OP Walrus for submitting his screenshots as well.

We have several members who have been streaming our operations, and slowly but surely, we are building up a collection of clips and videos.  There are plans for a bloopers reel video, as well as a new recruiting video.  Eventually, we will upload videos to TikTok to help spread the word about the VVAR Community.  So, if you all have any clips from your stream, or others’ streams, submit them so we can add them to the pile and start creating some content!

Training Department

The training department came out of last quarter with a deficit.  We lack instructors to teach our courses, leaving us with a void in training.  That is no longer the case.  The VVAR Sec Services training department is up and running full bore and has never been stronger!   Not only do we have multiple instructors for each PQS now, but thanks to the efforts of OS2 Bian and DF Khan, many of the PQS documents have also been updated and brought up to speed to match new mechanics and mod sets.  Additionally, the PQS courses have been modified to accommodate new and experienced players, streamlining the process of getting qualifications for members with previous ACE and Arma experience.  

When a new or current member seeks training, we have the personnel to cover the training.  I don’t think I need to detail how much more efficient this makes us as a unit.  Everyone has playstyles they enjoy, and making it so members can get the qualifications they need to play how they like versus waiting weeks for training to be hosted means that everyone enjoys their VVAR Arma experience all the more.  

Additionally, Ferris has streamlined the training process further with the revision of the training department.  Before, members would attend training al la carte, meaning that someone would offer the training, and then members would have to pick and choose which they would want to do.  Now, some of the training have prerequisites before they can train.  A good example of this is getting a rotary pilot qualification.  Before a member can get a MAC qualification, they must attend the RTO and JTAC PQS courses.  This is not a form of gatekeeping, but rather it has members starting with the basics, such as radio communications, then building on those basics, such as calling in airstrikes on a target and finally honing those skills, such as flying a CAS asset and knowing from the radio calls where to put the ordinance.  There have been several hands involved with the revamping of the training department, you know who you are.  Your efforts are noticed and appreciated.  Keep up the good work!

Production Department

This quarter brought us two new mission makers pitting themselves against the unit.  At the end of the last quarter, OS2 Carl was just starting his Mission Maker PQS.  Under the careful guidance of Ferris and Khan, Carl took the unit through a series of ops where we took on a mix of Russian Ultra-Nationalists who were using their funds to purchase large amounts of weapons and then intercept and pirate the cargo ships as a result.  Carl used his new talents to challenge and punish us along the way, creating a very interesting and enjoyable experience for all.  

Our second mission maker was OP Duckett.  Duckett joined the ranks of mission makers bringing his Zeus experience from TFT8 over to us.  VVAR is much more relaxed regarding mission parameters than our TFT8 brethren, and it felt like Duckett had a lot of knowledge and experience to bring to the table.  His Zeus PQS took us through a series of consecutive ops where we hit targets defended by Russian forces as we tracked down different clues each week, leading us to our next objective.  One unique aspect Duckett brought to the table was a dynamic mission set.  There were several objectives to deal with right off the bat each week, but it was up to Platoon leadership to decide which target to hit and how best to deal with the threats at each location.  In addition to the ground presence, enemy air and anti-air assets were much more active in Duckett’s ops making MAC’s job much more challenging than it normally is.  The operations were certainly a fun experience and a fresh new take on a mission that we hadn’t experienced much of before.  Bravo-Zulu, to both Carl and Duckett for a job well done.  

Moving forward, we will spend the next couple of weeks stress-testing our new server.  Instead of accomplishing this with player-made missions or Liberation, we are trying out a new mission mode – Invicta.  Ferris and Bian have been working hard to get everything working for everyone, and it should be a fun experience for everyone once the hardware and settings are all fleshed out, and things are running smoothly.  Provided that the stress testing works out, we could be looking at Invicta as a permanent feature on the VVAR Sec Services server for people to play whenever the Arma bug bites them!

That’s all for this quarter, folks!  Remember, sit down, shut up, set your intercom to your IQ, and hang on!  And in the event of an emergency, stop screaming, we’re scared too!

To see this in document form, please follow this link.

Written by: CS ‘Canvas’ Curtis
Approved for release by: CN ‘Fix-it’ Ferris

PlanetSide 2

This is likely the longest update the PlanetSide 2 Division has had for a quarterly update. This is, in part, because of the inclusion of some quarter 2 and quarter 3, but this is also because our unit has made significant progress in our usual routines and tactics. Let’s get into it:

I have a number of commendations to present from the quarter 2 timeframe. These months saw the gradual return of consistent scheduling and larger-scale operations following the end of my leave of absence. I would like to thank Ech0, Serindipity, and ToastyMan for their assistance in running Operations in my absence from January to March, with extra appreciation directed towards Toasty (who eventually went on LOA for the duration of May) for continuing to run many weekday Operations even after my return.

Over the course of quarters 2 and 3, we ran some of the most successful Public Operations from the past couple of years. While the actual recruitment numbers resulting from these Operations have been low, the quality of blueberry participation and the attendance and preservation of tactics from our members made these operations very enjoyable for everyone involved. Thank you to everyone who continues to show up and put their best foot forward, as your effort is directly reflected in the participation of the blueberries.

My last commendation to mention is for the members of the ARMA Division that have been joining us for various types of Operations over the past month. Your presence alone has been a breath of fresh air and has allowed our unit to have more weight on the battlefield. Every extra bullet you fire counts for something and lets us expand the scale of our battle objectives, so thank you on behalf of the PlanetSide 2 Division for taking the plunge into our world.

Over the course of the summer, we have been performing extremely well during any given operation and with a high level of consistency, with the only Ops not meeting this mark being the ones that fall prey to poor continent states. The introduction of the Corsair on Oshur has led to the inception of Boat Ops. Boat Ops have been very fast, enjoyable Ops that play to our strengths of communication and adaptability, which at least serve as a worthy replacement for when Oshur cancels our Bastion Ops. Our success this summer has been rather comfortable, and while we have enjoyed this success, I do not want us to simply stop at where our Ops are now.

With continued examples of our members’ combat capabilities and individual tactical choices that benefit our unit’s effectiveness, especially over the course of the summer, we have taken the plunge into running rigid combined arms operations. The philosophy behind this style of squad composition is to force members to fill the roles they want to fill without asking them to fill roles they dislike or find uninteresting. This composition creates more space for our members to stick to roles and objectives that align with their preferred skill sets, which are likely things they enjoy doing and already find themselves to be more effective while fulfilling.

This change may not sound so drastic compared to larger PlanetSide 2 Units or other divisions within VVAR, but what I’m comparing this against is how we have been running our squads up until now. VVAR Squads have been using tactics that are specifically beneficial for smaller units, asking our members to swap between armor, air, and infantry as a whole. This results in our success rate being high due to the fact that we are always putting all of our resources towards one tactical goal at a time. Running an armor fireteam consisting of three people or an infantry fire team of six people requires much more from any single individual than running a full squad of twelve infantry, especially in the fast, chaotic environment inherent in PlanetSide 2.

This new philosophy is something we have been working towards for a long time, and the initial results this past week (as of the time of writing) have been very promising. We have all shown each other that we are capable of maintaining our adaptability and maneuverability as a unit that we’ve come to expect despite spreading our numbers so thinly between specialized fire teams. On a personal note, the fact that several members are seeing how they can personally improve as a result of having more weight placed on them in their roles is very encouraging. This also opens up a number of new possibilities for organizations within and outside of Ops that will be explored as we continue to iron out potential issues with interaction between fire teams.

Moving into Quarter 4 of 2022, we have built a reserve of screenshots and clips so that we can create consistent posts to the VVAR social media, something that we have not been able to achieve until now (Shoutout to ToastyMan for being our lead cameraman). We plan to maintain a rate of 3 – 4 Public Ops per month and potentially explore further recruitment efforts towards the end of the year. Due to the new squad composition changes, we will be putting in work to revitalize and restructure our existing squad setups into fireteam setups in order to change how these plans are framed, as well as work on adding some new setups that can be slotted into our squads. While there will be more varied assets during our Ops moving forward, it is still valuable to create new ideas for how our fire teams can organize themselves.

That’s all for this Quarter’s PlanetSide 2 Update. I appreciate anyone who took the time to read this, so let’s move on to Star Citizen.

Star Citizen

Greetings Everyone!

It’s been a while since I’ve put together a news update for the fleet, so we’ve got a few things to cover as we head towards the end of the year.

State of the Game & CitizenCon 2952

We’re currently in version 3.17.2 which brought quite a few bug fixes to the mess of a patch which was 3.17.1. In addition to general stability and bug fixes, this most recent release doubled the per-server player count to 100! Looking forward, version 3.18 is expected to bring online some new core technology for Persistent Entity Streaming, a major refactor of the Cargo System, new mission types, and the first pieces of salvage gameplay. This patch is tentatively scheduled for release in the 3rd quarter 2022.

CitizenCon 2952 is less than one month away! Starting at 3 pm UTC on October 8th, our Fleet will gather to watch the live stream and check out any special in-game events, and be prepared to welcome new members during the free fly events to follow. CitizenCon will contain many presentations about the upcoming evolution of the StarCitizen universe with version 4.0, including info on new star systems, flight model changes, player resource management gameplay, new concept ships, and more. Stay tuned for more details in the next couple of weeks, and save the date!

Fleet Operations

Due to many factors, the last 6 months have been challenging for our organization and our ongoing operations. Activity throughout the summer was down overall, due to members being on vacation / LOA, and a slower release cadence by CIG which struggled to keep player interest throughout a patch cycle. Furthermore, the most recent major patch brought some changes to the persistent database systems, requiring a full wipe of all player data upon patch release.

With this clean slate after the wipe, our fleet has been focused recently on revenue generation through both combat and commercial means. Dynamic events in the PU such as Jumptown, Siege of Orison, Ninetails Lockdown, and Zenothreat provided good opportunities for our members to earn money and build skills in combat. Meanwhile, our logistics forces have been working to refine the organization’s financial policies and procedures, and improve pre-mission gathering and staging of equipment to support large-scale combat operations.

With the summer now mostly behind us, and our members getting back to a more regular schedule, we’ll be looking to resume more joint operations with allied organizations in the coming months. The first of these will be a head-to-head match against the UEE Pathfinders, taking place on November 5th at 1800 UTC. Be on the lookout for more info on this event after CitizenCon.

A Sincere Thank You

At the beginning of April, I suffered a serious injury on my bike which put me in the hospital for a week and kept me off the gaming computer for a few months. During the time I was unable to participate in our community, I received so much love and concern from our members. I truly appreciate all of the support I received from everyone here, and I wanted to give special thanks to our staff within the SC Fleet who kept the machine running in my absence. Plenty of our members in the past have gone through injuries or other times of struggle. I’d like to believe that VVAR has consistently been an anchor which our members can rely upon when they need help. My injury allowed me to experience this from a new perspective – it was reassuring and humbling to know that this community had my back throughout my recovery, and I thank you all for that.

No matter your role in the fleet or our community, or how long you’ve been here, you all deserve my appreciation for making this community something special, that we can all be proud of.

Wrapping Up

I hope you all enjoyed your summer, and you’re as excited as I am for what the next few months will bring to StarCitizen and our organization. I can’t wait to experience CitizenCon with you all and dive into new gameplay in the upcoming 3.18 release.

Final Thoughts

See you online and see you around!