by Caine Constantine

Second Life is – regardless of what sort of economic or social theories you put behind it in your justifications as to otherwise – still at least in part a game. And as a game, it attracts a lot of gamers, especially those interested in first-person shooters.

Combat in Second Life is a popular hobby.

The combat community in Second Life is unarguably one of its most dynamic. Whether it be fighting between individuals armed with freebie AK-47s, or between well-funded military forces armed with the latest weapons of mass destruction, the endless competitiveness of it all has created a community of the finest builders, scripters, managers and fighters on the grid.

But if the new plans Linden Labs has for its abuse reporting system are put into place, this community could soon be under siege from without and within. IntLibber Brautigan, CEO of BNT Financial, said that according to a new line of abuse report categories being formulated for testing on the beta grid, fighting on the battlefield could soon become a punishable offense. Or is this simply being misunderstood?

BnT Industries CEO and “The Red Land Baron,” IntLibber Brautigan.

IntLibber showed me the list of abuse report categories that could soon be standard fare on the grid.

Age > Age play
Age > Adult resident on Teen Second Life
Age > Underage resident on Adult Second Life
Assault > Combat sandbox / unsafe area
Assault > Safe area
Assault > Weapons testing sandbox
Copyright or intellectual property violation
Commerce > Failure to deliver product or service
Disclosure > First life information
Disclosure > Remotely monitoring chat
Disclosure > Second Life information/chat/IMs
Disturbing the peace > Unfair use of region resources
Disturbing the peace > Excessive scripted objects
Disturbing the peace > Object littering
Disturbing the peace > Repetitive spam
Disturbing the peace > Unwanted advert spam
Fraud > L$
Fraud > Land
Fraud > Pyramid scheme or chain letter
Fraud > US$
Harassment > Advert farms / visual spam
Harassment > Defaming individuals or groups
Harassment > Impeding movement
Harassment > Sexual harassment
Harassment > Soliciting/inciting others to violate ToS
Harassment > Verbal abuse
Indecency > Broadly offensive content or conduct
Indecency > Broadly visible mature content
Indecency > Inappropriate avatar name
Indecency > Mature content in PG region
Intolerance
Land > Abuse of sandbox resources
Land > Encroachment > Object/textures
Land > Encroachment > Particles
Land > Encroachment > Trees/plants
Trademark violation
Wagering/gambling

Thanks to IntLibber Brautigan for the following links on the new categories: http://www.sluniverse.com/php/vb/general-sl-discussion/16281-new-ar-categories.html andhttp://15timez.blogspot.com/2008/08/new-beta-abuse-catagories-some-cause.html

Of particular interest to those involved in combat should be these two:

Assault > Combat sandbox / unsafe area
Assault > Weapons testing sandbox

I talked to CEO Brautigan, who serves as “The Red Land Baron” of the Merczateers and has an interest in the combat community, about the impact of these new abuse report categories on the grid – and on the combat community in particular.

intlibber BnT: These new abuse report categories are insane.

Caine Constantine: You mean ones like “Assault > Combat sandbox / unsafe area”
intlibber BnT: Yeah. Commerce > Failure to deliver product or service too. 99% of that is LL’s fault.

Caine Constantine: Very open to interpretation.
intlibber BnT: It’s way open to malicious abuse. I have been warning people for months now that Harry Linden (who, along with Zara Linden, is in charge of the governance team) is a corrupt empire builder who is trying to expand his department.
intlibber BnT: First he was harassing reformed former griefers to try to force them to rejoin the PN.
intlibber BnT: Now he’s doing what RL police do: Invent new forms of crime so you can bust more people and justify more manpower and budget to do so.

Caine Constantine: So he is behind all of these?
intlibber BnT: Yes, and his buddies in the lab.

Caine Constantine: How did you first hear about this by the way?
intlibber BnT: on SL Universe and sl-newspaper.com. Also Prokofy was complaining about it. She’s scared everybody she’s kicked out after taking their rent will AR her.

More troubling though was CEO Brautigan’s prediction for what could happen if a community of people who enjoy keeping their combat within their own communities was shut down by Linden Labs through excessive use of abuse reporting.

intlibber BnT: Here is food for thought for LL.
intlibber BnT: If they think griefing under Harry’s gridwar is bad, just think what will happen when they make it impossible for several thousand young people to engage in combat RP?
intlibber BnT: They don’t know the MEANING of griefing. all those guys will be pissed off and bored out of their skulls

Caine Constantine: Plus, a lot of them are good builders and good scripters and know how to get around Linden Labs’ limits anyway, right?
intlibber BnT: Yes. Military guys are WAY better scripters than those PN yahoos. And if they’re out of business they might at least have a few laughs before they go.
intlibber BnT: Who knows?

intLibber raised an interesting point. The people who build for military and combat purposes know how to push the limits of scripting and know the limits of what Second Life’s simulators can handle. They also spend a lot of money and effort on Second Life, and if abuse reporting becomes something that can quickly shut them down for illegitimate reasons, it would not be unreasonably to assume that at least a few would use their talents for revenge.

Caine Constantine: Do you know if for a fact they’re going to be implemented, and if so, when?
intlibber BnT: They are on the beta client so I presume it will go through RC and Firstlook stages. Everybody in SL needs to organize before that though, and protest. We need more than that – post up a list of all Linden Office hours. People need to go to all office hours events and complain about this BS. Primarily, target the governance team office hours, Jack Linden, Cyn Linden, Robin, Catherine, M Linden, and Glenn Linden. Also Marty Linden, who is chief counsel

Clarification is the most important thing right now. These new categories are so wide open that abuse reporting could throw a lot of wrenches into combat. Can you now report someone or even get them banned for repeatedly whooping up on you in a combat zone?

I talked to Socrates Linden – a member of the governance team – about what these new categories entailed. Some of the comments made at the meeting in Kremer were very revealing about where Linden Labs stands on combat. Grey Nolder started the meeting by voicing the first of many concerns about the new categories of abuse reports.

The Lindens meet with the militia at Kremer.

Grey Nolder: Mr. Socrates Linden, I am here to voice my concerns, as well as the concerns as (I’m sure) a few other individuals in the meeting here, over what I’ve been told is a new Abuse Report category illustrated along the lines of "Assault in a Damage Simulator."
Grey Nolder: First of all, it’d be nice to understand the workings of this report itself. The reasoning is quite simple. Apart from the obvious fact that if you do not wish to die you may simply leave damage land, or turn damage off on your parcel or simulator; it has the potential to be exploited as detrimental to the Second Life Military Community.
Blade Syakumi: Here, here.
Trinity Heckroth: Indeed.
Grey Nolder: And I will not be quiet when it comes to laying down individuals or groups; Militaries such as Sparta, commanded by the infamous "Bruno Ziskey" are notorious for the exploitation of administration powers between assaulting forces within the Second Life Military community.
Grey Nolder: And to allow individuals the power to, in spite, begin the sending of il-legitimate abuse reports onto members of opposing Second Life Militaries is a very real concern.
Socrates Linden: You can assault someone in a combat area that is set to damage. If the assault does not involve combat.
Grey Nolder: Come again?
Socrates Linden: Combat is combat, shooting at each other. We do not allow spamming people or crashing the sim in any areas.
Socrates Linden: Thus the need to file for assault in a combat area remains.
Teagan Linden: Sidenote: the new categories are just that, categories. It doesn’t mean there is a change in policy on how we respond to reports – it’s just a better tool for you to report, and us to prioritize.
Grey Nolder: I can understand if it is strictly covering your damage-enabled simulators (Linden owned) or sandboxes, but private simulators under the command of Second Life Military groups is, I’m sure, a very different story. Griefers can be contained under the power and authority of the ruling party.
Socrates Linden: Please understand that we read these, there is no automation. If someone reports "I was shot in this area" and we see that is a combat area we are not going to take action.

This next exchange was probably the finest example of how Linden Labs thinks of itself in relation to its customers that I have ever seen.

Socrates Linden: The ruling party is me and my ban button. No others.
Socrates Linden: This isn’t a democracy. It’s about enforcement of Terms of Service.
Grey Nolder: The ruling party within a simulator such as Badnarik will be the Merczateers, Mr. Socrates.
Grey Nolder: It’s their simulator and their regulations for combat.
Socrates Linden: I’m afraid not Grey.
Socrates Linden: You cannot have any rules that go above the TOS…period.

Most people have known Second Life is not a democracy since early 2003.

After that, things calmed back down. Nevertheless, it was still left to hammer out exactly what the new categories meant for combat.

Grey Nolder: We’re not addressing a breach of Terms of Service here. The initial concern voiced was how it would affect the structure of Second Life Militaries, if at all.
Socrates Linden: ok then if we are not you are off topic next question please or say done.
Socrates Linden: There is no change in TOS, there will be no change without announcement.
Grey Nolder: So if you will, then, answer this simple question…
Socrates Linden: I’d be happy to.
Grey Nolder: Would Linden Labs take action onto an abuse report filed by members of a SecondLife Military against an aggressor force from another Military?
Socrates Linden: We would absolutely not take any affiliation into context for an abuse report. There is one force. The "residents"
Grey Nolder: Thank you, Mr. Socrates. I’ll allow my other comrades to voice their more ‘fine-tuned’ concerns about the issue, if they still hold any.

After this discussion, Socrates crashed for a few moments. There was a bit of discontent related to his comments on democracy, which I soon felt a need to clarify.

Caine Constantine: This is not a democracy guys. We’re just here to get our marching orders.
Grey Nolder raises an arm into a "Seig Heil" gesture. "Of course, Mr. Constantine!"
Natok Dryke: grey… thats heavily molesting me… im a jew… thank you
Grey Nolder: It was satire on the infrastructure of Linden Labs and the power they hold, Mr. Dryke.
Natok Dryke: its racism… and its violating the feeling of a whole population.
Naorvos Farella: I’m a Jew and I find it funny.
Naorvos Farella: shut it.
Grey Nolder: You over-react to nothing, Mr. Dryke. It was simply a way of portraying that this, is indeed, a fascism we’re under.
Natok Dryke: its not funny at all
Caine Constantine: If you’re that easily offended, Second Life must be hard.

I was then able to put forth my own questions to Socrates, in hopes of clearing up what the new regulations meant vis-à-vis combat on the grid.

Caine Constantine: If I could ask a question with a few parts based on your response, what actually constitutes assault in a combat zone or an unsafe area?
Socrates Linden: Any type of text spam, or trying to hurt an avatar at the viewer or sim level.
Socrates Linden: That is… no spamming the sim with physics (or replicators.)
Caine Constantine: Crashing a sim was something you said counted, right?
Socrates Linden: No spamming someone with text or inventory offers.
Socrates Linden: Anything that hurts a sim violates TOS most of the time (I can’t think of an example where it doesn’t.)
Caine Constantine: But with heavy assaults of dozens of avatars, sims often crash all on their own without malicious activity. And with the guns some people have, sims can lag to death, teleports can break, and things can generally go bad – all with no malicious intent. Is this sort of stuff reportable and could it lead to a ban?
Socrates Linden: If it’s spread out with may people using objects, we are not going to treat that as an intentional attack on a sim.
Socrates Linden: Losing by 4 kills and deciding to fill the sim up with cubes shouting "rape" does count as griefing.
Caine Constantine: But what about what usually happens when it is not that clear? For example, what if one group invades another groups sim, and the place crashes due to normal combat, and then the defending side chooses to report the attackers?
Socrates Linden: Then we will read it. And check the logs.
Socrates Linden: if a sim is crashed by objects that relate to combat, and do not show that they have another purpose such as lagging the sim in whole or in part, no action would be taken
Socrates Linden: It used to happen hourly pre-havok 4 so we are used to filtering for that.
Caine Constantine: Alright, that is good to hear. But just to clarify then, the things you will be counting as assault are related to attacks on the integrity of the sim, or other obvious griefing like the rape cubes you mentioned?
Socrates Linden: If I may add, the new categories are to help clarify what people are reporting, what we find and do about it will remain the same.
Socrates Linden: That is how we approach the issue will not change.
Socrates Linden:We just hope to get a finer point of view from the residents.
Socrates Linden: if that point of view opens up the ideas for changes of policies, those will be announced.
Caine Constantine: Thank you – and one last question. Do you have time to honestly go through each and every abuse report, legitimate or not?
Socrates Linden: As you may have seen on the blog we are sprucing up how we will blog to make sure those changes are known as soon as they happen. We have no plans for any, as soon as the current RC goes live and we get the whole grid rreporting on the new categories, we’ll see what adjustments are needed. but our response will not change at all.
Socrates Linden: As far as what AR’s we go though, we’ve grown to the point where we get about 100% of them. However since we don’t give feedback directly (for privacy reasons) there is still a lot of impression that we "don’t do anything."
Socrates Linden: What some people don’t realize is that what they are reporting is not against TOS.
Socrates Linden: "She was naked in this strip club!"
Caine Constantine: I can appreciate that. I am glad we can both understand there is a disconnect here.
Caine Constantine: Hahaha, right, but see, when you say that it sounds a lot like what some of us are worried about.
Caine Constantine: "I got shot in this damage zone and I didn’t wanna be!"
Caine Constantine: So yeah, if that’s no problem, then we’re good.
Caine Constantine: Thanks for the help Socrates.
Socrates Linden: Thanks Caine, the issue is older than the new categories so should be fine.

A final issue brought up by Alliance Navy Vice Admiral Trinity Heckroth was related to what Socrates had said about assault meaning doing damage to a sim. What if your attacking force was so large that it lagged the server?

Trinity Heckroth: I have heard, albeit second hand, that Bub Linden stated that more than ten avatars teleporting into a sim can be AR’d as Assault in a Damage Simulator because of stress caused to the servers at LL. Is this true? And if it is true, why not address server issues instead of limiting freedoms of residents?
Socrates Linden: We can’t label any action so directly as a griefing, I think, if anyone said that, it was more to mean if you TP avatars with the direct idea of crashing a sim., that will be addressed
Socrates Linden: And it would have to be 10 belonging to one person. I think 10′s a little low. would take more than that
Trinity Heckroth nods. "Thank you."

So with that the meeting closed, what can be said? Clearly, the new categories do not meant that merely shooting someone in a damage zone can now be considered a reportable offense. But, if your combat activities are harming the integrity of a sim – regardless of if it is yours or not, it would seem – you might want to watch out. You are being closely watched and if your activity is deemed by others to be malicious, you could be in for a warning or a ban.

More likely than not though, combat will continue as it currently does – if the Lindens are to be believed, at least, and there are many indications that this is not always the case.

However, the truth is that when it comes to abuse reports, and problems with them, it is not the Lindens who are solely to blame – it is the people involved in combat who feel that victory is victory regardless of whether it is achieved by shooting the enemy, or by having them banned.

Ultimately though, the amount of reliable money that combat pumps into Linden Lab’s coffers probably means that so long as it has the freedom to fight, everything should continue on just fine in the Second Life combat community.

But the most enlightening part of the whole meeting was the wholly unnecessary insistence by Socrates that he is the judge, jury and executioner, and that we mere residents are the powerless citizens of an avowedly undemocratic grid in which we rely on their good graces for our persistence.  And while you may be thinking “Everyone knows Second Life is not a democracy,” you’re not revealing anything new. Everyone does know this – but that does not mean you have to go out of your way to remind people that regardless of their opinions, they are subject to your “ban button” at all times and for any reason.

If you would like to talk to the Lindens about how you feel with regards to combat, their new abuse report categories, or just about their thoughts on democratic governance, their office hours can be found at this address – http://wiki.secondlife.com/wiki/Office_Hours .

by Caine Constantine

When it comes to armed combat in Second Life, there may beno more recognized military force than the Merczateers.

They are massive, clocking in at 254 members as of thewriting of this article. With fourregions under their direct control – Badnarik, Salamis, Appledore and Amtor – they are the largest military force, in termsof both manpower and land ownership, on the grid today.

With those resources behind them, the Merczateers havecreated a military force that is, at least among the broad and ever-growingSecond Life military community, envied, despised, feared, praised, or admired, dependingon who you talk to.

The group has become one of the centers of the community,and almost everyone in the community has an opinion about the Merczateers. Even when its members leave the group, or areejected from it, they often use their time and experience it to form their ownmilitary forces. 

When I first started writing articles for Herald and coveredthe Task Force Marines, they told me they were no different. Flamethrower Rives, a former Admiral in theMarines, explained.

Flamethrower Rives: i was a mercz

Caine Constantine: What happened with the Merczateers thatmade you leave?

Flamethrower Rives: u don’t wanna know
Flamethrower Rives: wait
Flamethrower Rives: soo boring
Flamethrower Rives: all you do is sit in there base defend

Flamethrower Rives: i base my training offof mercz

A quick searchthrough Second Life’s groups reveals that in addition to the countless officialand unofficial Merczateer groups, there are also a number of spin-off groupswhose main enemy, or even sole purpose, is to fight and kill Merczateers.

The Merczateershave many allies, some of whom are powerful grid-wide militaries in and ofthemselves. Imperator Aryte Vesperia,leader of the Ordo Imperialis and the strongest ally the Merczateers have, putit simply.

Caine Constantine: I wanted to ask you about how the alliance with theMerczateers is working out for you?

Aryte Vesperia: There’s nothing to really complain about. Ouralliance is long lasting and just fine. The Merczateers are a solid group. Theyhave their issues, but so do we.

So with this sortof reach and impact on the community, what is it that makes the group function,and what is it that makes it unique? 

The natural peopleto talk to on this subject were the Merczateers themselves, who I visited firstin Appledore, where they were recently holding up as their main battlegrounds, Salamis and Badnarik, were under redesign.

I first spoke withMàrshal Anthony Lehane about the group, and he told me that there is oneoverriding goal when it comes to the actions of the Merczateers.

Anthony Lehane: There are two types of combat groups.
Anthony Lehane: People who want to have fun.
Anthony Lehane: And people who just want to win.
Anthony Lehane: We celebrate our victories and recognize ourdefeats. But we have fun doing what we do.
Anthony Lehane: And that’s all that matters.

The first questionI had was one that I almost overlooked, but seemed fair to ask. What is a Merczateer anyway – and where didthat name come from? According toMàrshal Lehane, the original founder of the group, William Cruyff, pitched itout of left field.

Anthony Lehane: He just made it up, off the top of his head.
Anthony Lehane: It’s always nice to have an original name, ratherthan one like TACTICAL AWESOME MARINES or SUPER SOLDIER SQUAD.

Word to thewise, Mr. Lehane – watch your back. They may not have an original name, but they plan on ending up "victorius," no matter the cost.

And for a group that provides its soldiers with so much inthe way of uniforms, weapons and training, and for a group that pays for foursims, how do the Merczateers afford their wars? In the true spirit of the military-industrial complex, it comes throughweapons sales by Màrshal Lehane’s company, Operations.

Anthony Lehane: The thing that’s great aboutOperations is that many of the engineers of the Merczateers provide for it. Soessentially we work to sustain ourselves, and it’s great to see people sodedicated.

Anthony Lehane: The Kommissariat all puts in theirfair share, Poon scripts everything up, I do concepts, some building and allthe marketing, etc. It’s really a great thing. I don’t sell anything I don’tuse myself.

Caine Constantine: And so you really finance thisthrough work, and not just through donations?

Anthony Lehane: Operations covers EVERYTHING. I laughwhen people accuse us of being communist. Some people donate, but 95% is Operations.

The accusations of communism probably relate to the group’sSoviet look, with its red star, themed rankings, and its Cyrillic text. But do the Merczateers really have a settheme?

Caine Constantine: What would you sayƒ your theme isthen? At least Soviet-esque?

Anthony Lehane: Most people would just say"post-modern Ukranian." I really don’t care, I just wanna get out andshoot some shit under the Merczateer name.

The newly built base fits the idea of a Soviet theme. In what looks like an eternal winter, amassive grey fortress dominates the picture, contrasting a large, commandingstatue reminiscent of Soviet imagery. 

The bulk of the base though is located underground in amassive bunker complex that drives deep enough into the earth to raise a lavaflow into the base.

Only a dank black gate reveals the existence of an above anda below – and falls through this steaming gate often lead to a quick death inthe lava flow.

The weapons and devices the group employs are unique aswell. According to Màrshal Lehane, theyare rooted in a goal of making combat fun, and explained it by comparing thegroup to the Alliance Navy.

Anthony Lehane: Lurdan likes to say "They’readaptive, we’re interactive"
Anthony Lehane: I can explain that, if you’d like.

Caine Constantine: Definitely, please do.

Anthony Lehane: Alright, Merczateers have a moreinteractive approach, for example: Our support troops can build things withtheir wrenches, they choose what to build, then have to click to whack theirwrench until the structure is built.
Anthony Lehane: Then our extensive melee system, inwhich our men can attack with rifle butts, or knives (support guys use theirwrench) then, our combat dive/roll we issued the other day. C4, that can bedisarmed by cutting the correct wire.
Anthony Lehane: All of these things make combat veryfun.

Anthony Lehane: Now, the AN, don’t usually think toomuch for fun. They create new tech to adapt to other’s tech. For example, tocounter fast planes, they invented the seeking missile.
Anthony Lehane: Their gear is linear, ours isdynamic.

Caine Constantine: I have read in fact on one SecondLife wiki that the "Merczateers have an irrational attachment to theirmelee weapons, and will often use them instead of guns when possible.”

Anthony Lehane: Well, our troops, if placed in asituation where they may not be able to get a shot off due to rez offset, willsimply hit < + > at the same time to hit with their rifle butt.
Anthony Lehane: Yeah, and our soldiers have a lot offun using it too. Also a good way to show the enemy "Dude, you suck."

Caine Constantine: And how do they get these weapons,like that gun with the saw on it?

Anthony Lehane: We have a merit, the melee merit. Whenthey get it, they’re awarded the Lancer.
Anthony Lehane: That’s the rifle with the chainsaw onit.
Anthony Lehane: A lot of fun kills with that.

Indeed, the Lancer is a fearsome gun – an assault rifle witha chainsaw on the barrel. From adistance it functions like other weapons, but up close, it cuts melee fightersto pieces in a gruesome display.

Caine Constantine: I know a lot of groups – like Sparta,I believe, for example – have a backstory to give the group a roleplaytheme. Is there anything along thoselines here?

Anthony Lehane: We don’t need a silly backstory.We’ve been in SL so long that our actual history is our backstory.

It is definitely an interesting history. The Merczateers were founded back in 2005 andhave died and been reborn a few times since then. The picture below is from about three yearsago, in their lands in Isere.

Perhaps the greatest crisis the Merczateers ever faced wasthe resignation of one of their leading generals, Christoph Naumova, who todayis the Vorhut Fuhrer of the Vanguard Armed Forces and one of the chief enemiesof the Merczateers.

After many in the Merczateers, wishing for better relationswith the Alliance Navy, grew tired of Naumova’s policy of antagonizing thegroup, Spartann Plunkett, another general in the Merczateers, confronted him overit and the argument heated up until Plunkett told Naumova to “do your worst.”

He did. Naumova, whoat that time was a general with full power over most of the group, includingthe capability to abandon group land and eject members from the group, didso. He himself had contributed a lot ofland to the group, though much of it had also been financed and purchased bycurrent Merczateer Màrshal Lurdan Huszar.

All of it was lost as former General Naumova, wanting quickretribution, abandoned all of the land to Governor Linden immediately, not eventrying to sell it.

As members were ejected one by one, Màrshal Huszar, then aGeneral as well, sent a last transmission to what was left of the group that itwould be reborn, before it was finally disbanded completely.

Vorhut Fuhrer Naumova eagerly admits to doing all of this,and believes it was simply his right considering he was leaving the group.

Caine Constantine: As one of the Merczateers put it,you "left them for dead."

Christoph Naumova: Roger.
Christoph Naumova: Yes, I did.

Caine Constantine: Was that the intention?

Christoph Naumova: Not for dead
Christoph Naumova: But they were on their own
Christoph Naumova: I took what I gave to the group.
Christoph Naumova: Which was, basically everything.

Caine Constantine: So you are saying you only tookeverything you brought to the table?

Christoph Naumova: Yeah.

But Màrshal Huszar disagrees with the idea that he took onlywhat he brought in.

Lurdan Huszar: He was paying for a large portion ofthe land tier, but I bought most, if not all of the parcels.
Lurdan Huszar: I spent 30K buying a plot for ourairfield the day before it happened.
Lurdan Huszar: So no, he didn’t take back what washis.
Lurdan Huszar: He wasted a very large portion of mymoney.

Landless and with most of its members ejected, theMerczateers were basically dead – but eventually they grew back to prominenceas new members and new lands were found for the group. By the time the Merczateers had moved intotheir current home in Badnarik, the group had not just cheated death but hadbecome more powerful than ever before.

The Alliance Navy, long one Second Life’s premier military forces,was even allied with the Merczateers during this time period. But conflict broke out between them over thesim Dorien, the current home of the Alliance Navy. It was previously known as “The Woofer” andgiven to the Merczateers to build on. The landowner mysteriously switched sides – supposedly under the adviceof nearby Alliance Navy personnel according to some – and then gave it to theAlliance Navy. 

Though war was not declared over the particular issue, thealliance was off and neutrality was only fleeting. What started the war and the battle is up fordebate, though perhaps the last spark was Merczateer General Jonathan Arnashooting Alliance Navy Admiral Nanao Mahfouz.

But regardless, now the reborn Merczateers faced theirgreatest challenge in the form of a massive assault by the Alliance Navy ontheir new home, which they entitled “Operation: Crucifix.” 

Màrshal Anthony Lehane recalled some of the conditions thatthe Merczateers fought the battle under.

Caine Constantine: This battle with the Alliance Navyseems like it was a major turning point in the development of your group.

Anthony Lehane: Crucifix was probably the largest SLbattle in history.
Anthony Lehane: They attacked for I think 5 daysstraight.
Anthony Lehane: I remember coming home, getting on mycomputer, logging on, and saying "THEY’RE STILL ATTACKING?!"

Anthony Lehane: We had no AD at the time, justinfantry superiority. So their fleet and AD completely crushed us.
Anthony Lehane: We had to teach our guys to shootdown planes with their rifles.
Anthony Lehane: What I used to do was parachute downfrom 700m shooting at the fleetships with my AK, that was the best we could do.

Caine Constantine: Any kills?

Anthony Lehane: Yeah, hahaha

Caine Constantine: So if they kept attacking for fivedays, you must have been defending that long also.

Anthony Lehane: Yeah, near the final days many of thegrunts had given up, and it was just the Merczateer Elite, and High Commandbasically shooting at their AD from the roof of the Kremlin.

Anthony Lehane: Until it blew up.
Anthony Lehane: One of our Generals, Jonathan Arna,had turned on us and sold the Kremlin to one of the AN marines.
Anthony Lehane: The same Jonathan Arna wasresponsible for the war with the AN to begin with.

Caine Constantine: It blew up? How did that happen?

Anthony Lehane: Yes. Phys-delinked.
Anthony Lehane: Lurdan and some Elites were fightingon top of it at the time if I remember correctly.

And so as their Kremlin collapsed, the battle was clearlyover, but the Merczateers set upon learning lessons from their defeat and rebuildinganew. It became the biggest militarydefeat the Merczateers have ever had, and the Kremlin was scrapped, but thegroup gained many new recruits and worked on improving its air forces – perhapsthe most vital tool for staving off a future assault like Crucifix.

In fact, in May of 2008, the rejuvenated Merczateersunleashed their own assault on the Alliance Navy, calling it “Operation:Crucify This” and using a completely different strategy. While the Alliance Navy attack had usedoverwhelming air power to crush the Merczateers, the invading Merczateers usedwhat has been called the “grunt flood” to control the ground and win the day.

Anthony Lehane: Yeah, nobody can beat the Mercz gruntflood.
Anthony Lehane: Nobody.
Anthony Lehane: We have by far the most activemembers at any given time.
Anthony Lehane: Our men are well-equipped andtrained.

Caine Constantine: So you would take pride in thegrunt flood because they aren’t just grunts – they’re trained at what they do?

Anthony Lehane: It’s a long-term inside joke with thewhole group. We’re all grunts at heart.

Caine Constantine: I heard “Operation: Crucify This”was a definitive victory for the Merczateers.

Anthony Lehane: As have pretty much all the assaultswe’ve conducted on the AN since we re-opened interactions with them.
Anthony Lehane: Not to sound like I’m bragging oranything, but they’ve lost the manpower they used to have.
Anthony Lehane: I respect the AN however, they have alot of good people, and the ways they conduct combat are very fair. It’s justtheir strict treaty makes things complicated.

A ten-minute video made by the Merczateers, detailing theconditions as they saw them during the battle, can be found at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQTl2GuHpps.

And so now, at the strongest they have ever been, what is thegoal of the Merczateers for the future?

Caine Constantine: Where do you see the Merczateers ayear from now?

Anthony Lehane: I see us being the hub of wherecombat should be in SL, free from drama, bullshit, strict treaties and unfairgear. I see everyone slowly realizing that the way we do things is the rightway, and more militaries forming around our system.

The Iron Symphony alliance is one tool by which they plan tobring this vision to life. I talked toMàrshal Lurdan Huszar who could be considered the de-facto head man at thealliance to find out more about what it was all about.

Caine Constantine: What is the Iron Symphony? I have heard it described as an alliance andas a group of like minded people following similar rules.

Lurdan Huszar: That’s a good portion of it. We’reformally an alliance, and we do also share similar views as to how combatshould be conducted.
Lurdan Huszar: One of our defining features is thatwe don’t restrict ourselves with a treaty.
Lurdan Huszar: Rather, if one group feels thatanother is using technology or performing conduct which is unbalanced, unfair,or unacceptable, we discuss it.
Lurdan Huszar: Before a group can enter the IronSymphony, I have a brief interview with them to make sure they’re reasonableand understand that combat needs balance.

Lurdan Huszar: Another defining feature is that wemay formally, be an alliance, however we soon are going to begin organizingregular battles with each other.
Lurdan Huszar: This is important, because the IronSymphony is really about facilitating good combat.

Caine Constantine: Who are the current members? It seems like people join – or at least claimthey will be joining – fairly often.

Lurdan Huszar: Currently we have Ordo Imperalis,Merczateers, Militant Collective, U.N.I.T., Iron Eagle Navy, [Dominatium], andTarsus Autocratoria 

Caine Constantine: And how is it governed, if atall? Is it run by the Merczateers? 

Lurdan Huszar: That really hasn’t been clearlyestablished yet, if anything, we’re all equals.
Lurdan Huszar: I manage recruitment though.
Lurdan Huszar: Ordo, MC and the Merczateers kind ofset the standard for regulation and policy however, just passively.

Caine Constantine: But it is also a formal alliancetoo, in which members defend one another against enemy groups? 

Lurdan Huszar: If they request assistance, yes.
Lurdan Huszar: If a threat pops up in an IS sim, wecan’t all just pile in, or it’d become an uneven battle, so we only come toeach other if requested.

Caine Constantine: And do all members make similarpolicies, like boycotting Vanguard, for example? 

Lurdan Huszar: I’ve being considering whether or notI should suggest that be mandatory.
Lurdan Huszar: But it’s not at this time.
Lurdan Huszar: Most of our members have decided to doso, however.

Màrshal Huszar also said he believes that the mindset heldby many – that the object of combat in Second Life should be about destroyingthe enemy group completely – should be ended. Though he previously said Vanguard was guilty of this, he also saidothers held it as well.

Lurdan Huszar: We also need to drop the idea that theenemy group needs to be actually damaged.

Caine Constantine: Do any groups seem to be stickingto that philosophy other than, as you’ve previously said, Vanguard?

Lurdan Huszar: It’s part of the Ascendant Initiativemindset.

Caine Constantine: Including the

Alliance

Navy?

Lurdan Huszar: Yes.
Lurdan Huszar: Well, you know what?
Lurdan Huszar: Not really, now that I think of it.
Lurdan Huszar: Nevermind.
Lurdan Huszar: It’s not the groups.
Lurdan Huszar: It’s just some of their leaders.
Lurdan Huszar: People like Harlequin Salome (AllianceNavy admiral) likely take pleasure in watching an enemy group suffer.

And so where does Màrshal Huszar believe this will lead theMerczateers?

Caine Constantine: And then my last question is,where do you see the Merczateers, and the Iron Symphony, going in the future?

Lurdan Huszar: I think soon we’ll be setting thestandard for how Second Life combat should be. I believe our mindset is thehealthiest and most productive one, and I’m seeing more and more people hoppingon every day.

Caine Constantine: From what I’ve gathered, the mindsetcomes down to fair and fun, drama-free combat?

Lurdan Huszar: Yes.

When it is all said and done, nobody can seriously doubt thestrength the Merczateers currently have on hand. There is also a definite drive among thegroup to succeed, with new weapons, new sim designs and new creations of allkinds coming down the pipe regularly.

Politically, the Merczateers are certainly helping buildingan alliance that represents perhaps the strongest collection of militariestoday, though as the Merczateers themselves have shown, even small groups canrise to – or recover – great prominence relatively quickly on the militaryscene. Perhaps these Guerilla Warlords,who frequently attack the Merczateers, will someday rival their strength?

Nevertheless, as things stand today, they are a true forceto be reckoned with. It would seem thattheir openness about the group, and about the idea of fighting for fun first,rather than for just simple victory, makes them part of a unique idea of how tofight war in an often cutthroat military scene.

Yet, though they are clearly very successful in many ways,there are many people – former Merczateers, staunch enemies, and even some currentallies of the Merczateers – who claim that the picture the Merczateers put onthe surface veils a host of problems with the group that are only becoming moreapparent as time goes on.

In the next part of this series, we will hear from those whosay that the Merczateers are anything but the fair, fun-loving militaryheavyweight they are often described as – and get comment from the Merczateers themselveson their own views of the subject.

By Caine Constantine, Herald War Correspondent

A sting operation conducted just a few days ago caught theleader of the Elite Armed Forces – a marvelously named group allied with the Merczateers up tothis point – personally selling leaked and copybotted weapons designed andbelonging to the Merczateers to an undercover agent from that same military.

Shown here, Commander Br1an Razor, leader of the EAF, wascaught in the act of selling Merczateers equipment to a black market buyer byProteus Hand, the Merczateers Light Operative who first uncovered informationleading to the suspicion that the EAF was selling their ally’s equipment.

During the sting, Proteus, dressed in a suit and sportingthe title of someone working as an “1337 Weapz. Employer,” made contact withCommander Razor while posing as someone not affiliated with the Merczateers, andmanaged to purchase multiple weapons, like the Mac-10, the G36, and the Silhouette.357 – all illustrated below – for L$500.

Proteus gave me a chatlog of the event. Commander Razor does not dispute itsaccuracy, though he feels it was taken out of context. Here is the entirety of it, with minorchanges and omissions in order in the interests of clarity and conciseness.

Proteus Hand: but, they’d be nice to have concepts for.
Proteus Hand: like, if I were to get my own guns built
Proteus Hand: if I had something to work off of.

Br1an Razor: I see that simply that there built up alreadyand need scripts then thats half the battle and people in sl dont give 2 shitsabout armies go out to some getto and they buy them just to look cool

Proteus Hand: yeah.
Br1an Razor: so are we on the same page
Proteus Hand: mmhm.

Br1an Razor: after all mercz and vanguard both fuck eachother over and neither one is really acknologed by the mafia groups or gangs insl
Br1an Razor: so i dont see why you would not want to sellleaked stuff

Proteus Hand: good point.
Proteus Hand: so, how much you want for them?

Br1an Razor: after all i seen people sell freebee whare houseshit in shops
Br1an Razor: ill give you all of them for 500

Proteus Hand: okay

Br1an Razor: you will have to script them
Br1an Razor: unless you want the ones we did
Br1an Razor: let me get them

Proteus Hand: and these are leaked?
Br1an Razor: alot are
Br1an Razor: let me dig them up
Br1an Razor: i want to make sure there full perm
Br1an Razor: ill fix the settings

Proteus Hand: okay
Proteus Hand: that’s good for business, actually.
Proteus Hand: now that I think about it.

Br1an Razor: check them out
Br1an Razor: make sure there full perm

Proteus Hand: congratulations.
Br1an Razor: np
Proteus Hand: Sting operation, complete.
Proteus Hand: check my tag.

Br1an Razor: i had a feeling
Br1an Razor: i see it
Br1an Razor: and i realised
Br1an Razor: that you know
Br1an Razor: that most of sl has these
Br1an Razor: leaked guns are all over

Proteus Hand: unfortunately, you SOLD them to me.
Proteus Hand: which is a violation of ToS, and is a bannableoffense
Proteus Hand: not to mention, you just broke the Mercz EAFalliance.
Proteus Hand: Kommissariat will be pleased.
Proteus Hand: one step closer to killing the leaking ring.

And with that, Proteus left. He told me that there was no violence and the Commander Razor was ratherambivalent about the whole thing. Beingcaught selling leaked weapons by his most powerful ally in a sting operationsure to engender military retaliation didn’t phase the Commander – was theresomething else to the story?

I went to Appledore, the new Merczateers sim where the groupwas training and defending as their main sims,

Salamis

and Badnarik, underwent extensive remodeling, to talk to the Merczateers aboutthe EAF incident.

Merczateers Màrshal Anthony Lehane told me about how thealliance between the Merczateers and the EAF began – and how it ended.

Caine Constantine: So what happened with the EAF incident, MàrshalLehane?

Anthony Lehane: Alright. So I believe around the time EAFwas formed their leadership requested an alliance with the Mercz, and a spot inthe Iron Symphony. So naturally, theyseemed a reasonable force at the time and we agreed.

Anthony Lehane: Now, along our alliance we helped the EAF -

ALOT

-.They would call us for backup when like, one guy was attacking their sim. Everytime, we’d send a small squad or some ADto clean it up.

Anthony Lehane: That’s how things have been going for theentire alliance. But recently, one of mymen heard a rumour that their leader, Br1an Razor, was selling and distributingleaked/copybotted Mercz gear.

Anthony Lehane: Now, we don’t usually just sit around and donothing when we hear about that, so I turned to the Merczateer Light Ops squad(Which is our combat, intel and foreign policy special forces) and set up asting operation on Br1an.

Màrshal Lehane reviewed the chatlog with me and explainedagain how the operation had worked, saying that Commander Razor had left thealliance after he was exposed, and that attacking forces from the Merczateerswere immediately inbound for retaliation.

Anthony Lehane: With that, and the log, Br1an silentlyresigned from the Iron Symphony, and our alliance.

Anthony Lehane: The very same day we issued a large scaleattack on EAF. It was to the point where Br1an was av-flying around trying totake out our swarm, but AD easily picked him off.

Anthony Lehane: Later that day, they attacked the MilitantCollective, which we provided support, and immediately tore them to pieces.When they left, we then joint-op’d them with MC and crushed them once again.

Anthony Lehane: At that attack, however, Christoph and VGwere backing them up.

And so as quickly as he left the side of the Merczateers,Commander Br1an Razor immediately found new and willing allies in the VanguardArmed Forces – who showed up to defend him in force. The Merczateers eventually claimed victorynonetheless.

Anthony Lehane: Nevertheless we still had a very successfulassault – the EAF alliance was one our officers urged us to end, anyways, as itwas causing problems.

In fact, for most of the duration of the ill-fated alliance,both officers and rank-and-file soldiers in the Merczateers were tiring of whatthey called their “noob ally.” TheMerczateers seemed happy to be rid of the Elite Armed Forces – but was EAFfeeling the same way? I decided to go toSouthwest Seaport, their home, to find out.

The base had a destroyed city fraught with a nexus of sewersand ruined buildings, which seemed doubly fitting considering it had sorecently been subject to a massive attack from their vengeful formerallies. It was still under attack byother forces when I arrived on the scene, but the battle had died down to thepoint where I made it into the base and received an audience with CommanderBr1an Razor.

I wanted to start by getting some information on the EAF forreaders who may not know much about the group, as it is fairly new to theSecond Life military community.

Caine Constantine: What is the EAF all about?
Br1an Razor: well we are allied with Vanguard and TFM welike to keep allies down to have plenty to fight we are a group of friends thatformed a army group so we are all good friends

Caine Constantine: So how old is your group?
Br1an Razor: we are about 3 months old

Caine Constantine: And how many members do you have?
Br1an Razor: last time I checked it was I believe 70

Caine Constantine: So what is the EAF working on currently -any projects or plans for the future?
Br1an Razor: yes aircraft and weapons we are looking to workon the divisions as well

Caine Constantine: How so?
Br1an Razor: I have unlike many other groups allowed mygroup to be more active in the decisions I dont want to be a person who says dothis and that I would rather have the team bring Ideas to the table

Caine Constantine: You are trying to create a moredemocratic group?
Br1an Razor: I want the people to feel its there army notmine I would rather provide and let them run with it and look back at what theybuilt not just me

Caine Constantine: So how successful have you been in combatso far?
Br1an Razor: well we have made a name for our selfs prettyquick for the short time we have been a group, mainly because we all enjoyhitting one location to the next but keeping a respectful out look tword ourfoes

While I was tempted to ask him if a respectful outlookincluded selling the other group’s leaked weaponry, I chose not to in favor ofkeeping a peaceful air to the interview. He was quick to condemn the Merczateers as a social club, and deniedbeing at fault for any of the problems with the leaked weapons.

Caine Constantine: I heard you used to be allied with theMerczateers.

Br1an Razor: We were with the Iron Symphony but felt thatdoing that did not allow us to have many to attack so we broke alliances toonly have a few
Br1an Razor: there a good group but not that active theremore of a social group where we like to attack more

Caine Constantine: I see. I talked to Màrshal Lehane, whotold me you left the Iron Symphony because of your allegedly selling leakingMerczateers equipment.

Br1an Razor: This is not true, yes like many other groups onhere I was given open source Mercz gear which there own people with in theregroup had leaked and given to Christoph the leader of Vangaurd, bad bloodbetween those to groups caused the leak of all there weapons

It would do well to explain a clear a fact Br1an pointedout, one that every party to this incident – EAF, Merczateers, and Vanguard –freely acknowledges. These weapons havea bitter history behind them.

Tangent Eponym, a former Merczateer General, resigned fromthe group in frustration and gave a multitude of its latest weapons designs toVanguard Führer Christoph Naumova. FührerNaumova then gave the weapons out freely to anyone he felt like giving them to,dispensing them into groups and to individuals who would do well to havethem. He openly admits to it too as amatter of normal conduct in response to Merczateer provocation – a topic thatwill be discussed in more depth in the future.

Christoph Naumova: I seriously gave them to people I knewwould leak them all over.

Eventually, these weapons reached Commander Razor, who soldthem back to their creators and sparked a new war. But as he continued on with the interview, justthen, an invading visitor broke into the compound.

Aryte Vesperia: Hi Caine!

And just then, in a stream of lead and a puff of smoke,Commander Razor was dead.  Seemingly onhis own, Ordo Imperator Aryte Vesperia had taken control of the base. He was quick to ask the EAF back into thebattle after gunning a few more down.

Aryte Vesperia shouts: That’s fifteen.
Aryte Vesperia shouts: Who’s next?

Eventually after another wave of EAF troops broke into theunderground area where I had been conducting an interview and was now watchinga lone gunman hold his own in hostile territory, Ordo Imperator Vesperia wasshot and out of the area. Or was he?

In fact, he had been ejected from the land and had neveractually been killed. This is a pictureof him stranded at the edge of the sim, at which time he sent me the copy ofthe phrase he received ejecting him from the land. It was a rather unorthodox way for EAF to winthe battle against the lone invader – using land powers to do so and all – butit was effective.

The interview now continued, with Br1an talking to me nowabout his new alliance with Vanguard, and his complaints about his old one withthe Merczateers.

Caine Consantine: So you’re now allies with Vanguard – whoapproached who for the alliance?
Br1an Razor: Christoph – he tped the Task Force Marines andthe Elite Armed Forces for a meeting

Caine Constantine: So he came to you with the alliance idea?
Br1an Razor: yes, a few weeks back, but we took him up onhis offer 3 days ago

Caine Constantine: So he originally wanted you to split withthe Merczateers and the Iron Symphony?
Br1an Razor: yes he explained how they break STABLE
Br1an Razor: Im here to fight not talk
Br1an Razor: The mercz said to me that they were not in SLto fight, that they were a Social group. this made me leave them
Br1an Razor: we never got any back up from them while in theIS

Caine Constantine: Really? Never?
Br1an Razor: they treated us and meny other allies in adistant way
Br1an Razor: out of the whole time with us they helped us 2times

Commander Razor was quick to account for how fast he could "call on" Vanguard troops to save him from any trouble he might encounter.

Br1an Razor: I can call on Vanguard and they will help atthe drop of a dime
Br1an Razor: thats what I call Alliances

Caine Constantine: So then you think they’re better allies?
Br1an Razor: I feel Mercz gives Vangaurd a bad name out ofjealousy

Caine Constantine: Really? How so?
Br1an Razor: well its all in numbers Caine
Br1an Razor: more of a fight for power
Br1an Razor: pluse Chris did leak there guns lol

These claims flew in the face of those made by CommanderRazor’s former ally Màrshal Lehane, who – in addition to many other Merczateers- was emphatic about the amount of assistance the group had given to thefledgling EAF before the ending of the alliance.

The interview by this point had mostly been finished, butsomeone else was going to end it for me. Commander Razor had me under heavy guard to prevent future attacks fromtaking out either party of the interview.

But Imperator Vesperia returned in a jet, landed aboveCommander Razor’s compound, and killed all of his guards. He stood facing the entrance to theunderground bunker, again killing anyone who tried retaking the position.

Meanwhile, EAF soldiers were busy guarding the interior ofthe base – still held by the Imperator – from other invaders.

Eventually, Imperator Vesperia left, and with CommanderRazor finished, I went on to talk to the third party in this incident. In this later interview with Führer Naumova,he denied that there was any sort of orchestrated plan to lure the EAF out ofthe alliance with the Merczateers.

Caine Constantine: Br1an Razor told me that you had beentalking with him for a few weeks prior to the alliance, trying to get him toswitch sides. Was there any previous contact?

Christoph Naumova: Naw, more like three days
Christoph Naumova: Random IM like a week ago
Christoph Naumova: He just randomly IM’d me and asked aboutan alliance

Caine Constantine: To your knowledge, was this before theincident that ended the alliance?

Christoph Naumova: Pretty much, it came down to theMerczateers never helping them
Christoph Naumova: Or doing anything like allies should
Christoph Naumova: It’s just sad Vanguard helped more in oneday then the Merczateers did in an entire month.

Caine Constantine: So what did you tell him at the time?

Christoph Naumova: Well, he and bennyboy (TFM leader) askedabout joining the Sovereign Regime
Christoph Naumova: And, honestly, there was no globalconspiracy or anything
Christoph Naumova: I was truly just like "Sure, whatthe hell, I’ll give it a chance’

Caine Constantine: Yes, I wanted to ask because peopleclaimed that it was an attempt by you to pry them away from the Merczateers.

Christoph Naumova: I’d never even talked to the guy beforethat.

So then the question was simple – who was telling thetruth? Commander Razor’s own statementswere directly against those of both of his benefactors, past and present. He presented a picture of Vanguardencouraging him to break the alliance with the Merczateers.

But why would Vanguard – unquestionably, a very capable andpowerful military force, once very proud of the fact that it had no allies –worry about a group like the EAF? MerczateersMàrshal Lehane had some ideas as to why this could be the case.

Anthony Lehane: First, I’m sure Christoph would love anoutlet to have his men shoot at Mercz, because right now we’re in a combatblockade with them. We don’t go to Supox, they don’t come to our…3 sims.

Anthony Lehane: For Br1an, he needs another big group tomooch off of when things get tough for him. That’s why he gave Christoph landrights to his sim.

Anthony Lehane: So he was doing all the banning while Br1anav-flew around screaming.

Caine Constantine: Wait – how extensive are these landrights?

Anthony Lehane: I’m not sure, but Christoph DID ban people,so. I’m guessing Christoph requested full control.

Caine Constantine: So he’s looking for a fight, but you guysare still blockading him.

Anthony Lehane: Yeah. We’re not gonna let VG presence duringour assaults stop us, however. We plowed through them.

Caine Constantine: Do you think there are any other motives?

Anthony Lehane: I think Christoph just needs to get histroops killing stuff. A lot are leaving right now due to either boredom,racism, or excess lulz and stupidity. Looking at his documents and charters Ican see he’s starting to really try to crack down on those problems.

Führer Naumova saw things quite differently in a follow-upresponse to the Merczateer claims about the state of Vanguard.

Christoph Naumova: The whole reason I allied with EAF andTFM is because they came and asked me. Although now that I think about it, itdoes give me a chance to further limit the people they have to attack, causingboredom and drama on their part.

Christoph Naumova: As far as people leaving VG and mydocuments goes?  Nope, we’ve still gotall the people I care about and we’ve gained 20 more in this week – So really,it’s unfounded.

Christoph Naumova: Not to mention after handing Mercz’ assesto them after having them caught on tape sithacking in Cheerful Rising duringan assault, I’m sure he’s just annoyed over that.

Christoph Naumova: Haner needs to grow a pair and stopliving in ignorance, and see the full light of things.

The Elite Armed Forces are in fact a group that, in itsshort history, has already found itself wedged between two of the titans ofSecond Life’s military scene. It is amilitary whose leader at this point has thrown his lot completely in with thatof Vanguard – and has no qualms about admitting that they are perhaps hisbiggest asset. I asked him about what hethought of the Merczateer invasions of the EAF sim, Southwest Seaport.

Caine Constantine: So you won each battle?
Br1an Razor: we did not I feel the credit should go toVanguard and TFM they were a big help

Caine Constantine: Oh okay, that’s very fair of you.
Br1an Razor: well its the truth

Caine Constantine: So do you see yourself and the EAFsticking with Vanguard into the future?
Br1an Razor: yes we would have it no other way

Caine Constantine: And do you feel like they treat you asequal partners?
Br1an Razor: I feel they do unlike the Mercz did, the merczseemed condescending

Caine Constantine: Do you plan on any more allies then? Or are you sticking with the TFM and Vanguardforever?
Br1an Razor: I want to keep it with just them I feel we needno others we like to fight

Caine Constantine: So you stand with the Sovereign Regimeuntil the bitter end?
Br1an Razor: yes

Caine Constantine: Thank you for your time, Br1an.
Br1an Razor: thank you

This incident with a comparatively new military digs up anold and continuing story – that of the war between the Merczateers and Vanguard– of bitter foes, with a history, membership and even leadership that are tiedinextricably to one another.

The story behind the war between these two groups – on andoff the battlefield – and the personal vendettas among many in the groups isthe next part in this series about two of Second Life’s most powerful militaryforces, and those caught in the crossfire between them.