Bravo Fleet
The beginning of 2016 saw Task Force 9 launch with a record start, scoring a three-digit post count. Emerging as the trend-setter of the Task Force is none other than the USS Nogura, a Sovereign-class starship under the command of Kai, known in-character as Captain Nathan Hunter.
With nine writers aboard the Nogura, Kai has fearlessly led the Nogura through the Bajoran wormhole and plunged the ship right into the Task Force Canon to deal directly with the devious Consortium. This unique plot required a different approach for the Nogura as she is something few other sims in Bravo Fleet are not: a transfer.
“There were a number of reasons why I chose to bring the Nogura to Bravo Fleet,” says Kai, who just a few months before was the Commanding Officer of Task Force 93, overseeing operations in the Beta Quadrant. He relinquished the role to focus on what he loves most, simming. Kai cites the fantastic Bravo Fleet Community among the reasons he ported the Nogura over. But above all, Kai says, “I had wanted to partake in TF9’s storyline for a while and when my crew seemed open to the possibility of transferring, I jumped at the chance to speak to greenfelt22 and Jelim_Mar and look into the chance of transferring.”
The transfer was solidified quickly, just in time for the sim’s first birthday in November 2015. “It was the best decision I have made.”
But Captain Hunter was not the in-character Captain when the Nogura arrived. That honor belonged to the now Lieutenant-Commander Azulas. After arriving in the Gamma Quadrant and stopping a rogue Klingon vessel, she was rewarded with a multi-level demotion to make room for Hunter’s arrival. And, the Nogura doesn’t get far before she’s confronted (more like ambushed) by four Starfleet vessels. Three words are transmitted, “Pity is Treason,” and suddenly the crew of the Nogura bears witness to betrayal, insurrection and more as they are officially hazed into the Task Force Canon.
And even as February treads along, the crew of the Nogura continue to write away, fighting to regain control of their starship. If they’re successful, more danger awaits. Kai has far worse things planned for the crew, including a deadly contagion, discover new threats and rogue Romulan agents, and even encounter the Jem’Hadar.
But all of this wouldn’t have been possible without a strong writing base. “I’d like to think that we have become an integral part of TF9. We have achieved some fantastic levels of activity, received two Sim of the Month Awards and one of our players has twice been Player of the Month. Nothing that we have achieved would be possible without my fantastic crew.” Kai goes on, “I have been a CO for many years and commanded many sims, but in that time, I don’t think I have had a crew quite like this. I love writing with them and for once in my life, I feel able to pass on a bit of the control to them (very hard for me as I am a control freak!) I hope each of them remains aboard for ages to come.”
Every Commanding Officer has experienced struggle trying to launch or keep a sim going. Kai’s final word is an excellent piece of advice for COs, no matter if they are green or seasoned veterans: “Without my crew, me and my command are nothing. More people, more CO’s should take notice of this. No sim can exist without the players and more should be done to reward them and keep them interested. If a CO can motivate and reward his or her crew, they can achieve anything as a group.”
Anyone needing to see this advice in action only needs to look at the Nogura and its writers. It’s safe to say the Nogura is here to stay. Congratulations on Sim of the Month!