The Alphaville Herald

Task Force Marines and Merczateers Battle for Prize Delta Sim

by Alphaville Herald on 15/06/08 at 10:31 pm

A desperate battle against Merczateers air power – hawt, sexii recruits – Task Force Marine resorts to griefing tactics – destroying the base to save it with suicidal sim-killing missile attacks – a short lived peace broken by musket wielding British Redcoats

by Caine Constantine

Prize Delta

On the night of Wednesday, June 11th 2008, the Task Force Marines received their true baptism of fire. Fellon Mile, a Merczateers S-Enlisted tipped me off on the fight as it began, “Merczateers are going to TFM! This is gonna be good”. The Merczateers invaded the Marines’ sim in force, and the whole area was quickly overrun with bombing and gunfire.

The Marines were recently the subject of an in-depth series of articles detailing this up-and-coming armed force. Since that time, the Marines secured new members, new uniforms and a new sim – Prize Delta.

Barely a week old, their new home in Prize Delta – still showing signs of recent construction, but looking pretty good – was now experiencing its first major assault. The sirens of war wailed in the background high in the mountains of the region.

The main battlefield was imposing. Lava boiled through a ruined town and the only point of entry aside from thin channels of land was a ruined bridge. A dead ZH4 chopper floated where its Marine pilot had last been shot.

When I arrived on scene, the spawn point was under intense fire by the Marines. I was gunned down about ten times and thought getting into the area would be hopeless.

Fellon Miles saw my trouble and brought me to a derelict looking three level compound, due east of the Marines’ main base, that the Merczateers were using to stage their attack.

As I landed in the base, I tried talking to Fellon on how the battle was going, but we were interrupted by Flamethrower Rives, a soldier and founder of the Marines, who was surprised by Fellon’s presence.

Flamethrower Rives: what u doing here
Fellon Miles: Killing you.

Fellon then gruesomely sawed Flamethrower out of the battle. Before he signed off a moment later, Flamethrower left me this message explaining the reason for the chaos, without me asking.

Flamethrower Rives: there killing us because of there air
Flamethrower Rives: we don’t have very good air right now
*Flamethrower Rives is Offline*

Though Kanaki Hornet, a Merczateers pilot, told me the early phases of the battle had employed air-to-air combat, by the time I arrived and found a position free of gunfire, the only things left were abandoned Marine aircraft, floating lifelessly where their pilots had been killed.

After Flamethrower’s death, I talked to Fellon for a minute in between Marine attacks on our position. He told me things were going well and that the Merczateers were ready to help me get information on the scene. I was a neutral observer, though, and I wanted to make sure the Marines knew I was there only to listen and to watch. However, I talked to their Grand Admiral, bennyboy Ball, and he was not interested.

Caine Constantine: Admiral bennyboy, can I take pictures for a report on the battle?
bennyboy Ball: ok
Caine Constantine: Can I get into the base?
bennyboy Ball: lol

Then, one of the Marines cut me down again.

Caine Constantine: I am gonna keep dying here, huh…
*You died and have been teleported to your home location*

I returned back to the compound. 3rd Marine Admiral Mayra Roffo was holding the position. As I tried to question her, I did not have to wonder long as to where the Merczateers had gone.

Caine Constantine: Admiral Roffo, how is the battle going?
Fellon Miles (reappearing from outside the building): Pretty poorly I think.

Fellon gunned Admiral Roffo, and my second battlefield interview in a row, down in a stream of lead. But it was already evident that most of the fighting had switched to the main Marine compound in the highest hill in the area.

Deceptively peaceful, the battle was now deep inside the base. In a lighting strike the Merczateers rushed the base and holed up within its depths waiting for the Marine counterattack. With help from Màrshal Lurdan Huszar, I was brought into the depths of the compound. The men had established a strong defensive perimeter on the lowest level of the Marines’ base.

They even commandeered the Marines’ meeting room for an on-site command hub, and the Màrshal and two of his men briefly took pause for a photograph and a couple questions.

Caine Constantine: Hey Lurdan, can we get an on-site report on how the battle is going?
Lurdan Huszarl: Okay, go ahead.
Lurdan Huszarl: I think this image speaks for itself Caine.
Lurdan Huszarl: We’ve completely swarmed their interior.

During the brief interview, the battle got truly interesting. Cole Pashinin, an Enlisted man with the Task Force Marines, gave the following order to his soldiers across the region.

Cole Pashinin shouts: MEN..COVER THE WALLS OF THE BASE..SNIPERS GET THE ENTRANCE….AIR DIV GET IN THE DAMN PLANES AND JUST FUCKING SHOOT THESE PEICES OF SHIT
Lurdan Huszarl: Hah, they’re panicking.

Both sides had dark armor, and the structures and terrain were dark as well. Cole wanted to ensure that he and his men would be able to tell one another apart from the enemy.

Cole Pashinin shouts: ALL TFM PUT YOUR FUCKING TAGS ON SO WE KNOW WHO U ARE

The Marines were on the move during the Merczateers’ occupation of the deepest levels of their base. As Marines came down from the top, Merczateers headed up, with sporadic firefights in the middle levels. On one occasion, a Marine – angelneko Magic – briefly broke through Merczateer lines, though not to much effect.

Boggen Johin: Watch the doors
Lurdan Huszarl: Just spread out and hold this general area.
Lurdan Huszarl: They’re up there, they’ve breached!

The request of the oncoming Marine proved she was of little threat, however.

angelneko Magic: i need a gun
angelneko Magic: plz
angelneko Magic: some1
angelneko Magic: I NEED A GUN PLZ

As the battle raged on for the next five to ten minutes, angelneko Magic continued to shout for a weapon. Nobody helped her. I was unarmed through the whole battle, and though it violated the neutrality a battlefield reporter should have, I felt bad seeing her get slaughtered from both sides without so much as the chance to shoot back. I pulled a gun out of my inventory and gave it to her.

Would she help cleanse the base of the invading Merczateers with it? Probably not, but she stopped begging for a gun and I had done my good deed for the day. Apologies in advance to anyone she killed.

The battle was still going strong, as Merczateers were pounding the base from the outside and still making progress from their foothold underground as well. In the face of this two-pronged attack, the Marines had a group holding reinforcements from the outside out of the base. Included were some not only hawt, but sexii Recruit Seamen.

In the meantime, still holding the Merczateers from seizing the middle levels of the base, Admiral Roffo and jeff Lax were standing on guard. They were alone however, and facing superior numbers of Merczateers.

The two were about to be ejected from the area though. Merczateers S-Enlisted Overseer Boggen Johin told me to follow him up the path to where these two were holding position. He and a few other Merczateers gunned them down, and secured the base’s armory as well.

By this point, the Marines – though they were fighting hard – were essentially prisoners in the top level of their base. Sporadic Merczateer raids from the hub aside, they could not move much. It is here, unfortunately, where the battle turned into a more personal affair. Neko Zilz, a Marine in the TFM Air Division, with a fierce hatred of the invaders by this point, was ready to clean them out of Prize Delta by any means necessary.

Neko Zilz: fuck this I’m gonna go down there and grief their asses
Neko Zilz: aw fuck just ban their asses
Neko Zilz: I hope you fucking die Mercz
Neko Zilz: MOTHER FUCKER IF THEY DONT GET OUT OFF OUR BASE AM GUNAN GREIF THE FUCKERS

Unfortunately, she made good on her threat. She went non-phys and immediately began to try and clear out the basement of the Marine compound, by now thick with Merczateer defenders. Sticking the fight out in a Merczateer bunker, I was slowly killed, with my health meter dropping 20 percent a second until I – and Merczateers around me – were killed.

Màrshal Huszar explained what had happened once he brought me back to the bunker. He and some other soldiers had also been killed in Neko’s invisible attack.

Caine Constantine: What happened?
Lurdan Huszarl: One of their people, Neko, used a non-phys movement enhancer to enter the room we were in through the ceiling.
Lurdan Huszarl: I hit her with my rifle butt, but one of my troops, Avil, freaked out and shot her.
Lurdan Huszarl: ..And accidentally shot me.
Lurdan Huszarl: They’re starting to use greifing tactics.
Lurdan Huszarl: Typical of a desperate force.

I was impressed with the honesty of the attacking Merczateers, in addition to how helpful they were to me in my coverage. At risk of sounding like a mouthpiece for he group, they admitted to any mistakes they made, they just didn’t make that many.

At this point, every attempt the Marines made to clear out the Merczateers had failed. There was rumor that some of the Marines were trying to talk to the Alliance Navy about bringing in forces of their own to eject the Merczateers.

Caine Constantine: Do you think there is any chance they will bring in the Alliance Navy, as some have threatened?
Lurdan Huszarl: I doubt they’ll show up.
Lurdan Huszarl: And if they do, a couple of Uriels will keep them out of our way.

When Alliance Navy forces failed to materialize, Marine soldiers began bombing their own base in a seemingly last-ditch attempt to eject the occupiers.

Lurdan Huszarl: Yeah, they’re starting to bomb their own base now, hah.
Lurdan Huszarl: From the sound of it.

The battle was about to end. The Marines pulled out their last trump card – a threat to blow the whole sim and kill everyone in it. The Shoop sirens wailed louder than ever in warning – but something more sinister than lulz was incoming.

jeff Lax shouts: mayra im goign to shot a misiill that wil;lll blow the sim
Boggen Johin shouts: Good job shouting that it will be in the Herald buddy
Bradley Varriale shouts: JEFF A HERALD REPORTER IS HERE
jeff Lax shouts: good 4 u

I knew I had to try to talk to the Marines one last time before they killed us all. I got some final words from the Merczateers.

Caine Constantine: Okay gentlemen, I really appreciate all your help. But I have to get out there and get some words from the TFM. Any last words about the fight before he blows the sim?
Boggen Johin: Ehh not much to say except it’s simple and was fun.
Lurdan Huszarl: It’s probably important to note that we have the same amount of soldiers here that they have here defending.
Boggen Johin: Less at times

Caine Constantine: Really?
Lurdan Huszarl: Roughly 10 vs. 10.
Boggen Johin: Yeah this is a little bit tougher than AN Marines.

Before I could get out, the bombs began to fall.

Caine Constantine: Was that the missile?
Lurdan Huszarl: They’re hitting their base with bombs.
Lurdan Huszarl: Yeah, they’re bombing their own base to kill us.
Lurdan Huszarl: I think you can agree with me that that’s the ultimate sign of defeat right there…
Lurdan Huszarl: And when they start resorting to cheating, we tend to get ready to leave.

Caine Constantine: You guys have all left?
Lurdan Huszarl: Yeah, we pulled out, we did as much damage as we possibly could.

The Merczateers were almost finished pulling out at this point. Faced with non-physical attacks and an enemy army killing everyone still alive by bombing their own base with sim-killing missiles, the Màrshal and the rest of the Merczateers headed back to Badnarik. A few of them still remained to clean up a few more Marines. I headed back to the hub to get some more pictures.

Intlibber Brautigan

Caine Constantine: IntLibber, can we get a picture for the herald?
IntLibber Brautigan: SURE TAKE IT FAST

Then after I got the shot, I ran with him until we met up with Cole Pashinin, the Marine referenced earlier.

Cole Pashinin: can i help u?
Caine Constantine: yes, I am reporting on the war.

IntLibber pulled a headshot and Cole was out. The Merczateers had succeeded in killing every Task Force Marine I tried to talk to before they could finish so much as a sentence. The last Merczateers left soon after.

In the smoking aftermath of the battle, I talked to Cole and Admiral Roffo about how the fight had gone. In what I have tried to maintain as a neutral perspective, it was clear the Merczateers had won this battle. Cole saw it differently.

Caine Constantine: How did the battle go, Cole?
Cole Pashinin: hmm..well as u can see we had the victory…
Cole Pashinin: but mercz put up a fight
Cole Pashinin: most of members that were online during the time were new so we almost lost

Caine Constantine: What do you think about his verdict?
Lurdan Huszarl: . . .
Lurdan Huszarl: He’s obviously new to interpreting SL combat.

Cole did not like the way I had previously covered the Marines. He felt I needed to cover the group more honestly, and while I feel I have been honest in all of my writing, I was open to his suggestions.

Cole Pashinin: you just blew everything ou of proportion
Cole Pashinin: if you write a article about us…..write about the true TFM…..
Cole Pashinin: the ranks,the base,the armor,the craft,the weapons..every thing
Cole Pashinin: and most of all the respect,and power witch is TFM

Caine Constantine: Could you elaborate on the respect and power? This sounds very interesting.
Cole Pashinin: some of our members,may have slipped at time..may act foolish..but when the time comes the members of tfm show thare feelings,honor,powers,hope,and fear into thare work
Cole Pashinin: thare work..is to become a soldier

Caine Constantine: I think this is very interesting. What is your rank with TFM?
Cole Pashinin: and to be a soldier..is to be a great man (or woman) who will fight for his rights,for his hopes and dreams….and to be a TFM soldier..is the honor only appointed by the hammer of god
Cole Pashinin: i am a former admiral..who resigned to enlisted

Caine Constantine: why did you resign to enlisted?
Cole Pashinin: becouse..its not about being a higher ranking officer
Cole Pashinin: its about fighting along side the man in front..and the man in back
Cole Pashinin: i whanted to be with my troops..and by resigning from my admiral rank..i became to be not ordering my troops or leading them..but fighting with them..as my brothers..and sisters

Cole was certainly a man of character. Resigning his Admiralty to be with his men and fighting not just for his Task Force Marines, but for the hammer of God was certainly heady stuff.

The look of the base was fitting at this point. Destroyed doors and worn walls exemplified the devastating battle that just took place.

There were positive feelings on both sides though. Flamethrower Rives said he really respected the Merczateers, and told me that after the battle Màrshal Huszar gave him some pointers on organization and on more effectively commanding his soldiers. Màrshal Huszar agreed that he Marines had put up a good fight and though some of them resorted to griefing at the end of the day, the majority of them had fought fair.

Cole continued to tell me more about the glory of the Task Force Marines, but there was a grave threat on the horizon. Barely twenty minutes after the Merczateers had pulled out, a new force began gathering in the Marines’ hub.

Mayra Roffo: hub
Mayra Roffo shouts: hub!
Cole Pashinin shouts: INCOMING ATTACK

At first…it seemed like a joke, and a poorly organized one at that.

Intus Infinity shouts: FOR THE QUEEN OF BRITANNIA
Rei Kuhr shouts: FOR QUEEN AND COUNTRY
Ruin Nefarious shouts: BEGIN.
Ruin Nefarious shouts: Wait. NO.
Ruin Nefarious shouts: DON’T BEGIN.
Intus Infinity shouts: FOR THE QUEEEN
Knightblade Fayray shouts: FOR THE CRUMPETS AND THE TEA!
Cole Pashinin: WAIT.

Then, the mysterious…British…appeared to be making overtures of peace.

Ruin Nefarious shouts: We are here to represent the glory of our King. Do not fire upon us! We bring gifts. Beads. Etc.

Cole assumed it was nothing and went on with our interview.

Cole Pashinin: o..lol just rp’rs
Cole Pashinin: so..what else do u need to ask

But the roleplay turned into a massacre, and in the historical spirit, the British claimed they were here in the name of good before gunning us down.

Ruin Nefarious shouts: WE ARE NICE

*Firing ensues*

Cole Pashinin shouts: HOLY SHIT
Caine Constantine shouts: THE BRITISH ARE COMING! THE BRITISH ARE COMING!

*You died and have been teleported to your home location.*

And with that, Prize Delta was sunk again into war. Over 20 musket wielding soldiers of the Crown began to swarm in. Cole was dead and I didn’t see him for the rest of the battle. The Marines were again mobilizing, and the following second phase of the Battle of Prize Delta would rival the Merczateers’ recent occupation of the area in its scope, in its drama, and in its brutality.