Like I touched on earlier, during my playing time I have had the pleasure of meeting quite a few people. Some were allies while many were combatants. I'll admit now. One of the factors of the game I like most is Psy Ops. I'd do everything I could to push people's buttons. I find it very easy to get a reaction out of a target by sending messages, posting broadcasts, and doing everything I can to make their blood biol. I still can't figure out why people get so worked up over this FREE GAME. Granted it is great fun when you team up with friends and dominate a server but truth be told being the champion of any round of BattleDawn is like having the bragging rights of being the best dodgeball player on the playground. It really has absolutely no bearing on real life. I guess the social networks some travel in may look down on you if you are not the champion of this game but it don't really mean squat to me.

I've tried to figure out why while some get so worked up about losing a battle or having their castle conquered they still have no isues with being a sub and following behind what is supposed to be the superior group.

Fellas, rise the h3ll up . Give it your best shot, try to WIN at all costs. Don't simply follow and ask permission of others if you can attack, defend , etc... each of you are the masters of your own fate.

If you play this game as a bootlicking follower you will go through life in much the same way. Don't fear defeat or failure, take it like a man and learn from it. At one time or another EVERYONE falls on their azz! That doesn't matter. What does matter is what you take from the experience. Will you learn from it and adjust whatever needs to be adjusted so you do better next time or will you simply accept that you are a follower and will never thrive. That's not life lads!

Ok enough with the philosophy lesson.

I touched on that hoping to give you insight into the method of my madness.

To name a few of the great players I have met in no certain order.......Corflu, Biscuit, Handak, Arif, Pidala, Deepaka Rules, Bone Crusher, Gunshin, Slayer, Spawn of Satan, Eastern of Vikings, Jigsaw, AmoonrA, Syda, Hawkeye, Fatman, Cerulia/Aurelia, Janeks, Little Conqueror, Dani17, Luz.brc, any I have left out please don't feel slighted. The mind of an old man is at times like MUSH!

Now during the many eras I played I have been fortunate to team with some guys that have become lifelong friends. One thing my core guys have always agreed on was that "SUBS" really are for sissies. I always did my best to never have a sub but to be sure to be allies with 1 other group throughout the entire round.

This was a successful strategy for a while until we ran into ARIF and his minions of MGH. I distinctly remember having 8 different groups spamming an jamming us for the main.

Still can't get over how so many did the work while only one group reaped the benefits. That round weighed heavy on the group of guys I teamed with. Most were real life friends that came at my bidding to play. All were adults with careers and most had kids old enough to play the game. After seeing the reality of the game we all agreed. No more serious play from mid May to mid September. Most of the kiddies were out of school then and had 24/7 to spend on the game. Something none of us were available for due to real life responsibilities.

This is when I formulated a plan for the future of La Famiglia. I would recruit like minded guys from around the entire globe. This way I would have a team of people that would share a common train of thought and someone would always be available while others slept. I had guys from the US, UK, Russia, India, Australia, New Zealand, Phillipines, Canada, Brazil, and Ethiopia. There was always somebody available to be on game and raise the alarm if we fell under atack. Eventually we grew in numbers and it afforded us the opportunity to go on hiatus while others filled in. I had used the Trinidad and Tobago flag when I played as MDiver early on and I enbeded up using that as the flag for La Famiglia. I created a website for all of us to communicate through. But something was lacking. I found that though I was fired up from time to time I just didn't have the drive to keep things going full time.

It was during these formative eras that my core guys really came together.
We won a couple rounds as UGTB and SAS after learning from our mistakes as RDOG and POSW. we continued to have a good showing as TEC as well as a few others. When family couldn't be here full time we simply became spammers and jammers on different servers for our brothers. We were always available for any that requested assistance.

W found that we needed to adapt our philosophy to stay in step with the playing environment we were part of. Sadly it diluted us and brought us down to the level of the masses.

ZenAce, Battle, Deadman, Kaustubh, Sawbuck, Wilson, Matheus, Dom, Bill, Octavian, Pink Soda, Cindy, Carlos, and XYZ pretty much became what I consider my core members .

There was one guy I ALWAYS found to be a stand up guy and I really appreciated all the times I had come to count on his input when I had questions.

Sir Skipwith, we talked many times about what we thought would work best for this game. Over those months Raider, Jackel, Elvis, Dutchy all really became intgral parts of our family.

That's when SKIP and I decided that we would play a round as Conquerors or Dictators.

We came up with the idea of "The HORDE", we used my flag (Trinidad & Tobago) since most of our guys always knew that whenever you saw it fly you found a brother.

Our first round as HORD was pretty damned successful and though I had other pressing real life issues as did Skip we took a hiatus. the rest of the lads flew the family's colors and continued our run of victories. Others have been brought into the family and all have been quite successful, truth be told they've been pretty damned DOMINANT. PETE did one h3ll of a job squashing any competition in front of him.

I always sat back and watched, I showed up from time to time to vote but mostly just to remain in touch with others on the game.

I was contacted a few times by senior family members that felt a bit disgruntled by some of the actions and attitudes of a small minority of active members. But I told them to chill because we were not the active members and weren't running things. I said the family was "IN GOOD HANDS"

This may sound a bit strange but now I realize our blood line has become thinned and the core values that were shared by the founders have mutated.

I always prided myself as leading a group from start to finish of the same members. The only way our roster changed was if someone was unable to remain on the game. It didn't even matter if they weren't UBER-ACTIVE as long as they did their best to picth in whenever possible.

That has changed due to the current climate. As much s it left a sour taste in my mouth I realize that adaptations must be made for continued success.

I always refused to even consider moving someone out based on their ranking or even bringing in someone based on their ranking. It was always a matter of if they were of the character that fit the family.

Again adaptations had to be made to remain successful, such is life.
One of my biggest regrets in playing this game happened this round. In the interest of what we thought was best for the family Skip and I decided that Raider and his most recent recrutis had to be moved out and replaced.

I'll be the first to admit. I fyuked up and made a move I never would have in previous rounds. No disrespect towards the new additions but my sincerest apologies to those who departed. Raider YOU have always been woirth your weight in gold and I apologize for wresting the leadership from you. I know the animosity you harbored before the round towards certain members of the family and after talking with the lads I thought it detrimental to the good of the family. That is the sole reason for the shift.

I always preach the good of the family before the good of any individual. That is one principle I shall never compromise.

The situation with Brian is yet another sore spot. I know he wasn't as active as he usually is but kicking a founder in favor of a higher ranmked individual was something I wouldn't have done. But again I am not leading HORD but instead the ELDERZ.

What is done is done for the overall betterment of the family and there should be no hard feelings.

As a Founding Father of HORDE I shall ALWAYS do what is best for the family. I want to take this time to thank and acknowledge all past, current and future members of HORDE for the time they devote to the betterment of the family.

Long Live "The HORDE"

Well said... a very long story bro but worth a read... together we fall, together we rise and together we conquer and rule the world. Different color, different nation, different personality but for the team... for the FAMILY we move as ONE!

RAWR!!!

Dear God you are more long winded than me.

I read first 2 words

Words of a wise man Robb it's an honour to have played with you and the almighty family.

Can't wait till we play alongside the original members again or at least, some of them

~Cindy

Be courteous to all, but intimate with few, and let those few be well tried before you give them your confidence.

I was quite surprised at a lot of things this era. And for 6 eras i had played there, never did i doubt HORD was heartless

Hope to be a part of a bigger family, the entire F4 community. (For survival purposes of course)

Am I not destroying my enemies when I make friends of them?

Beautiful words as always Robb. And it has always been a pleasure being part of this family..... It is the people in this group that keep me coming back, whenever life permits.

Lol , got bored after the first sentence. Scrolled and down to comments.

My 2nd account saving blue tokens for the next battle!

RAWR!!!