9th Fleet

Introduction

On an August day back in 1999, a few players got together on MPlayer while playing Starfleet Command and formed a fleet they called the 9th for the Starlance Gaming League. Little did they know at the time just where this adventure would take them, but in the following months and years the 9th has always been involved in the community in one degree or another. We have been an active part in the early ladder leagues, player run campaigns, the online Dynaverse, and have been active with four incarnations of Starfleet Command. Since then, we have expanded from our primary gaming of SFC to include Bridge Commander, EVE and Neverwinter Nights. We look forward to continuing this tradition as new game titles come out which we are commonly interested in.

Our Philosophy

We believe in the team concept, and encourage a positive and supportive attitude among our members. Leadership plays a big role, and anyone who shows interest in being active in this regard is given the opportunity to do so. We acknowledge that each member has different abilities and different interests, and as such do not penalize them if they don't "measure up". Each member is recognized for their accomplishments in one form or another, including awards, participation recognition, and promotions within a ranking structure. We encourage continual activity (but by no means is it mandatory) by taking part in events as they occur. We enjoy taking part in a range of available activities, which are regularly monitored through various community discussion forums, and utilize a forum of our own. This has proven to be the backbone of our very existence, and have long ago realized that regular communication is the key to our survival.

Our Goal

First and foremost- we believe in having fun. Due to our background, and the online circumstances, there is a certain level of roleplay involved, which to the initiated, may seem rather over the top. In time and over time, it has become something of a necessity due to the nature of the gaming environment. Our success has been our somewhat conservative attitude- we have learned to look at matters from different points of view, and try not to be too judgmental with situations and other members of the community. While we may not be the most flamboyant, we've earned our place as an honorable and reliable member of the community. It is our intention to carry on this tradition indefinitely.

Direct Info from Founder Ghis (In his words)

Back in the late 80, I was an undergraduate student at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver. In those days I discovered a board game called Star Fleet Battles. It was love at first sight if I may say. The complexity of the game, its connections with the Star Trek universe, its strategic and tactical level, everything in it appealed to the gamer in me. For the next 5 years, I spent way too much time playing SFB and introducing most of my friends to it.

In the summer of 1999 (in June if I remember well), while I was surfing the net, I came upon an advertising of a computer game called Starfleet Command. To my surprise and excitement, this was to be the electronic version of 'my' SFB! I immediately began to read everything I could on SFC and downloaded the demo as soon as it came out. I also found a site where they proposed a SFC campaign based on the game. All you had to do was to register the name of your fleet. The 9th Federation Fleet of Planets was born that day, in August 1999.

Of course, I was the Admiral of the fleet but also its only member . But I wrote some advertisements on different forums, speaking of honor, glory, fairplay, sportsmanship and soon some players asked to join the 9th. Canuck, Kakarot, Steiner, Nannerslug were among the first. Then Sandman, Reprisal, Excalibur, Clarky also joined. I am sure I have forgotten several others.

Already at that time, I was one of the good Federation pilot around. My knowledge of the mechanics and tactics of the board game had allowed me to convert to the electronic version rather easily. The so-called weaknesses of the Federation ships (poor maneuverability, lack of warp engine between others), were more than compensated for (in my opinion) by its fantastic phaser array and the photon torpedo, a weapon that once charged and overloaded (always!), was cheap to hold and packed a very powerful punch. Added to the drones that most late Fed ships carried and to the capacity of federation ships to take some damage and remain able to fight, it made them my favorite ships to fly and, in my eyes, the best ships all around.The 9th rapidly grew into a fierce and powerful fleet. Canuck was an incredible pilot and a very fast learner. He did not know the mechanics of the game as well as I did, but I did not have to repeat something twice for him to learn. He quickly became my right arm and together we started to teach the other and newer members. Sharpe (Reprisal) and Clarky were among those that came to us and did us proud. Others too that are still around: Ace, Excalibur, ReverandJohn (others I'm forgetting?). We would get together and train different set up until late at night. Plasma races were feared by Fed pilot (Clarky had a lot of trouble against them at the beginning if I remember well ) but the 9th teaching program was good and Senior officers of the 9th did not fear them.

We became feared and respected by everyone.

Ladder play was the main thing at that time but campaigns were organizing. We played in at least two of them, and each time our role was a decisive one. Against the Klingon's to the west or against the Romulans to the east, we braced ourselves for the first wave, repelled them as best as we could and then we fought and pushed back. On several occasions, we defeated those races soundly both in fleet and ship to ship action. The klingons feared us and avoided us most of the time. The romulans tried again and again, thinking that their plasma could defeat our slow ships. But in fleet action, our members were unmatched. We played so many training games together that most of our members knew what his teammate was about to do before he did it. We lost very few battles.

But more than anything else, and more importantly, we had a very good reputation as players who put fairplay, fun and sportsmanship above anything else. That is what the 9th was all about (is all about still I hope!) and that is the inheritance that you guys were left with.

9th Fleet Roster of 1999:

Leaders (now known as the CS or Admiralty)
Admiral Ghis (Fleet Founder)

Rear Admiral Canuck

First Squadron:

CO: Commodore Ryakin
XO: Captain Black_Nemesis

Commander Wiley-Glance
Lt.Cmdr Glover
Lt.Cmdr OldCrash
Lt. Hikrill
Lt. roughneck
Lt (jg) Trakon
Lt (jg) Leonidas
Ensign FireBird
Ensign Metadata

Second Squadron:

CO: Commodore Taodow

XO: Captain Kakarot

Cmdr Belsar
Lt. Cmdr DougL
Lt. Cmdr Lithquill
Lt. Cannonkill
Lt. C.H. Thomas
Lt (jg) Suvantar
Ensign Stone
Ensign Excidium

3rd Squadron (later became the BC Squadron)

CO: Commodore Clarky
XO: Captain Paris

Cmdr Chase

Lt. Cmdr FedBattlecruiser
Lt. Cmdr Mays
Lt. XuskriK
Lt (jg) TaggerJack
Lt (jg) Korono
Lt (jg) ReverendJohn
Ensign Starstreak
Ensign crazyedegu

Fleet Admiralty (Circa Fall 2011):

Acting Fleet Admiral Sparky - Commanding Officer, 9th Fleet

Admiral Sharpe

Rear Admiral Clarky - Chief of Staff

Vice Admiral SFHQ - Acting Fleet XO

Rear Admiral Arma358 - Fleet Operations Officer

Commodore E.C. Gadget - Director of Personnel

Fleet Admirality (Circa April 2012):

Admiral Sharpe - CO
Admiral Spark - Acting CO
Vice Admiral SFHQ - Fleet XO
Rear Admiral Arma - Fleet Operations Officer
Rear Admiral Sochin - Chief Of Staff
Rear Admiral Ryker - Advisor
Commodore Gadget - Director of Personnel
Commodore Omdra - Chief Diplomatic Officer