Greetings Commanders,
In an effort to add more transparency to AD's activities and in the hopes of convincing wayward and disconnected AD supporters to join us, I'm going to be laying out contextual information with semi-regular posts. Nothing contained here is secret. Our enemies know all of it; rather, it's the average ED player we are working to reach. Consensus among the uninitiated is that Powerplay is dead, static, and boring. Nothing could be further from the truth, and in a game like ED where there is almost zero narrative, Powerplay is the only interesting story in the galaxy.
Ramble Tamble
It might seem like AD's hauling of over one million merits last cycle would be the biggest occurence of the last few weeks. You could look at the huge numbers we put out for 1 measly CC and conclude AD is somewhat mad. You might think that spending almost 12 billion credits rush ordering merits to expand a system that wasn't even seriously opposed was pants-on-head crazy. You may think AD is only showing off her strength - flexing, if you will.
This insanity is not the most important lesson of the last few weeks. It's not even the most important lesson of the last cycle. Impressive and record-breaking though it may be, Aisling's epic expansion haul is merely the output of a powerful and growing machine. To understand this machine, you have to look back to some of the earlier posts I've shared here.
At the beginning of this year, AD's commander pool was dwindling. Despite two successful years of growth and recovery, we were struggling to keep the power afloat. The dual challenge posed by our internal sabotage and flagging weekly consolidation vote were sapping our commanders of valuable time and money. Fighting internal 5th Column sabotage consumed most of our efforts and players were burning out. We sensed this only helped our enemies as AD is unique in the amount of internal sabotage she experiences.
At the same time, a fearsome attack pattern emerged from the Federal Powers. Hudson and Winters, on the defensive since Operation Valentine, appeared to be growing stronger and taking long-term steps to slowly strangle the Empire. Weaponized expansions designed to sap imperial economies were a nearly constant feature of weekly Powerplay cycles. Yuri Grom, a long-time ally of the Empire, was mired in civil war as pro-Federal and ZYADA loyalist factions vied for control of the power. Zemina Torval, the Winters Warden keeping savage Felicia in her cage, saw repeated efforts to throw her into turmoil and remove the systems she uses to effectively blockade Winters. Without destroying Torval, Winters cannot grow. The Empire can simply wait and pummel her with undermining every few months to cut Winters back down to size. Until she escapes, the Federation can only half-function. The Feds know this and, we thought, had a plan to spring Winters free from her cage.
Something had to be done.
Ooby Dooby
Within AD's organized player-base we discussed changes to the way the power operates. These changes became the plan for the machine we see today:
The results, as last cycle illustrates, have been nothing short of astounding. Quite literally hundreds of players have joined Aisling Duval since May of this year. As far as we can tell, this makes us the fastest growing player organization in Elite: Dangerous. As these players gained their ranks and their votes, we began to have more control over our fate - AD now easily out-preps any sabotage and we have much more control over our weekly vote. We end each cycle with a major surplus due to the high levels of precise fortification activity. Few merits are wasted and we can turn on a dime should we decide for a "scrap".
Up Around the Bend
The effects of our greatly increased player base, smooth communication, and precise control have been felt widely. The most obvious example is the sheer volume of merits we can haul - over one million last cycle (more if we add our fortification hauling). The larger player base means we also have a larger distribution of effort. Indeed, some players made as many as 234 trips (Xeno, take a bow!) to the expansion last cycle, hauling more than 100,000 merits. Yet, for every member of the 100k club we also had dozens of players reporting hauls in their Pythons or T6s. These are new commanders with limited funds and experiences, and yet they have step forward when called upon. We smashed our records together. We smashed our records as a power. Each individual doing their part contributed, and even stand out efforts were complimented by the contributions of every-day commanders.
Moreover, we utilized our command and control apparatus to effectively scale our hauling over the course of the cycle. This means AD was not hauling at her maximum capacity. Simply stunning. We've always been a strong hauling power but there's really no comparing our present capabilities to our past performance. Even records set by the Fed AFK Turret Boats inside of Grom are within reach of AD's hauling abilities.
Thanks to much needed reforms, AD now has the most fearsome hauling abilities in Powerplay. Our enemies will have an impossible time in a stand-up contest against this machine and will likely have to rely on unfavorable triggers, weapons, and increased sabotage to continue to be relevant. Even then, they may not have the capacity. I am proud to be part of a Power that may finally neutralize the advantage held by exploitative and dishonorable gameplay.
Run Through the Jungle
Simyr may be the longest running BGS conflict in AD's history. We're at something like 8-9 months in that sphere working hard to keep those triggers flipped. In fact, the heroic and exhaustive efforts of AD's BGS team, especially commanders in CEVI, ADNC, and others, have saved this power's haulers over 400,000 merits so far - that's more 4 billion credits worth of merits saved.
Throughout this operation, AD's BGS leadership has been in contact with a large Player Group in that region of space: the Brazilian League of Pilots - squadron code BLOP. Their faction in game is beneficial to Aisling's fortification triggers but, traditionally, BLOP emerged from the Federation's ranks and many of her players still felt allegiance to the Feds. We therefore maintained a careful balance with BLOP. We worked to minimize our BGS impact on their systems and not use their faction for our own ends. Meanwhile their ostensible allies within the Federation worked against any factions that could benefit AD, including BLOP.
Over time, BLOP began recognizing the difference in attitude that separates Imperial and Federal players. The Federation will run roughshod over any playergroup, large or small. They care only for their own objectives and negotiation isn't usually on the table. Over at AD, we've always started from a diplomatic stance and only escalate to conflict when we are forced into it. When BLOP requested to remain formally and effectively neutral in the Simyr BGS conflict, we agreed. But, after months of Federal interference with BLOP's affairs just to strike out at AD's BGS efforts, BLOP has grown to love our fair Princess.
Therefore, and on behalf of the AD BGS team, I am formally announcing Aisling's partnership with the Brazilian League of Pilots in the Symir sphere. The essence of this partnership is mutually beneficial actions within AD space. We will support BLOP and BLOP will support AD within the Simyr sphere.
BLOP has already announced this partnership in their own epic way.
This is all a product of AD's continued outreach and diplomatic efforts and would not have been possible without the extreme and admirable dedication of AD's BGS team. They have not just worked tirelessly to maintain the Simyr sphere but have also functioned as BGS Diplomats proving with their actions that AD's players respect player groups and defend their interests.
Who'll Stop the Rain?
Commanders, things looked dire this spring. We felt like AD was on the ropes. Yet, somehow, the Federation utterly failed to seize the initiative this summer. Winters fumbled her undermining of Patreus. A cycle later, the Fed Turmoil attempts of Torval missed the mark and helped Torval regain 90CC, strengthening her economy and reinforcing Winters' cage. Amazingly, that same cycle saw Winters expand a damaging weaponized system against another of her own weapons costing only Winters. As CMDR Oraki puts it: "Winters is yeeting her economy off a cliff."
If I'm being honest, the folks over here at AD are quite puzzled by the continued failure within the ranks of the Federation. Our analysis expected a competitive and resurgent enemy but we're seeing amateur level planning and execution. Even after emergency elections to replace incompetent leadership, the same basic errors occurred. Our current conclusion is that nobody at the Federal United Command understands the deep mechanics of Powerplay. Any Fed old-timers who see this, would you go check on your friends? They need some help.
Long as I can see the Light
This post is long, perhaps overly so, but it's important to understand just how dramatic AD's rebirth has been. We have more active players than ever. We have a community that is not just large, but supportive and collaborative. Truly, and more so than ever before, AD has something to offer every kind of player.
Join us and help make the galaxy a brighter, better place.
In an effort to add more transparency to AD's activities and in the hopes of convincing wayward and disconnected AD supporters to join us, I'm going to be laying out contextual information with semi-regular posts. Nothing contained here is secret. Our enemies know all of it; rather, it's the average ED player we are working to reach. Consensus among the uninitiated is that Powerplay is dead, static, and boring. Nothing could be further from the truth, and in a game like ED where there is almost zero narrative, Powerplay is the only interesting story in the galaxy.
Ramble Tamble
It might seem like AD's hauling of over one million merits last cycle would be the biggest occurence of the last few weeks. You could look at the huge numbers we put out for 1 measly CC and conclude AD is somewhat mad. You might think that spending almost 12 billion credits rush ordering merits to expand a system that wasn't even seriously opposed was pants-on-head crazy. You may think AD is only showing off her strength - flexing, if you will.
This insanity is not the most important lesson of the last few weeks. It's not even the most important lesson of the last cycle. Impressive and record-breaking though it may be, Aisling's epic expansion haul is merely the output of a powerful and growing machine. To understand this machine, you have to look back to some of the earlier posts I've shared here.
At the beginning of this year, AD's commander pool was dwindling. Despite two successful years of growth and recovery, we were struggling to keep the power afloat. The dual challenge posed by our internal sabotage and flagging weekly consolidation vote were sapping our commanders of valuable time and money. Fighting internal 5th Column sabotage consumed most of our efforts and players were burning out. We sensed this only helped our enemies as AD is unique in the amount of internal sabotage she experiences.
At the same time, a fearsome attack pattern emerged from the Federal Powers. Hudson and Winters, on the defensive since Operation Valentine, appeared to be growing stronger and taking long-term steps to slowly strangle the Empire. Weaponized expansions designed to sap imperial economies were a nearly constant feature of weekly Powerplay cycles. Yuri Grom, a long-time ally of the Empire, was mired in civil war as pro-Federal and ZYADA loyalist factions vied for control of the power. Zemina Torval, the Winters Warden keeping savage Felicia in her cage, saw repeated efforts to throw her into turmoil and remove the systems she uses to effectively blockade Winters. Without destroying Torval, Winters cannot grow. The Empire can simply wait and pummel her with undermining every few months to cut Winters back down to size. Until she escapes, the Federation can only half-function. The Feds know this and, we thought, had a plan to spring Winters free from her cage.
Something had to be done.
Ooby Dooby
Within AD's organized player-base we discussed changes to the way the power operates. These changes became the plan for the machine we see today:
- Transparent Action - Everything from our votes to how and why we picked systems could no longer stay hidden within our aging Slack infrastructure. This had to change.
- Recruitable Presence - Player flows favor AD but we did almost nothing to reach and recruit these players. This had to change.
- Unity of Communication - AD Slack, beloved though it may be, was a barrier to entry and led to us having to communicate across numerous player group Discords. This had to change.
- Command and Control - The shrinking player numbers combined with a lengthy communications process meant we struggled to have fine-tuned control over our operations. This had to change.
The results, as last cycle illustrates, have been nothing short of astounding. Quite literally hundreds of players have joined Aisling Duval since May of this year. As far as we can tell, this makes us the fastest growing player organization in Elite: Dangerous. As these players gained their ranks and their votes, we began to have more control over our fate - AD now easily out-preps any sabotage and we have much more control over our weekly vote. We end each cycle with a major surplus due to the high levels of precise fortification activity. Few merits are wasted and we can turn on a dime should we decide for a "scrap".
Up Around the Bend
The effects of our greatly increased player base, smooth communication, and precise control have been felt widely. The most obvious example is the sheer volume of merits we can haul - over one million last cycle (more if we add our fortification hauling). The larger player base means we also have a larger distribution of effort. Indeed, some players made as many as 234 trips (Xeno, take a bow!) to the expansion last cycle, hauling more than 100,000 merits. Yet, for every member of the 100k club we also had dozens of players reporting hauls in their Pythons or T6s. These are new commanders with limited funds and experiences, and yet they have step forward when called upon. We smashed our records together. We smashed our records as a power. Each individual doing their part contributed, and even stand out efforts were complimented by the contributions of every-day commanders.
Moreover, we utilized our command and control apparatus to effectively scale our hauling over the course of the cycle. This means AD was not hauling at her maximum capacity. Simply stunning. We've always been a strong hauling power but there's really no comparing our present capabilities to our past performance. Even records set by the Fed AFK Turret Boats inside of Grom are within reach of AD's hauling abilities.
Thanks to much needed reforms, AD now has the most fearsome hauling abilities in Powerplay. Our enemies will have an impossible time in a stand-up contest against this machine and will likely have to rely on unfavorable triggers, weapons, and increased sabotage to continue to be relevant. Even then, they may not have the capacity. I am proud to be part of a Power that may finally neutralize the advantage held by exploitative and dishonorable gameplay.
Run Through the Jungle
Simyr may be the longest running BGS conflict in AD's history. We're at something like 8-9 months in that sphere working hard to keep those triggers flipped. In fact, the heroic and exhaustive efforts of AD's BGS team, especially commanders in CEVI, ADNC, and others, have saved this power's haulers over 400,000 merits so far - that's more 4 billion credits worth of merits saved.
Throughout this operation, AD's BGS leadership has been in contact with a large Player Group in that region of space: the Brazilian League of Pilots - squadron code BLOP. Their faction in game is beneficial to Aisling's fortification triggers but, traditionally, BLOP emerged from the Federation's ranks and many of her players still felt allegiance to the Feds. We therefore maintained a careful balance with BLOP. We worked to minimize our BGS impact on their systems and not use their faction for our own ends. Meanwhile their ostensible allies within the Federation worked against any factions that could benefit AD, including BLOP.
Over time, BLOP began recognizing the difference in attitude that separates Imperial and Federal players. The Federation will run roughshod over any playergroup, large or small. They care only for their own objectives and negotiation isn't usually on the table. Over at AD, we've always started from a diplomatic stance and only escalate to conflict when we are forced into it. When BLOP requested to remain formally and effectively neutral in the Simyr BGS conflict, we agreed. But, after months of Federal interference with BLOP's affairs just to strike out at AD's BGS efforts, BLOP has grown to love our fair Princess.
Therefore, and on behalf of the AD BGS team, I am formally announcing Aisling's partnership with the Brazilian League of Pilots in the Symir sphere. The essence of this partnership is mutually beneficial actions within AD space. We will support BLOP and BLOP will support AD within the Simyr sphere.
BLOP has already announced this partnership in their own epic way.
This is all a product of AD's continued outreach and diplomatic efforts and would not have been possible without the extreme and admirable dedication of AD's BGS team. They have not just worked tirelessly to maintain the Simyr sphere but have also functioned as BGS Diplomats proving with their actions that AD's players respect player groups and defend their interests.
Who'll Stop the Rain?
Commanders, things looked dire this spring. We felt like AD was on the ropes. Yet, somehow, the Federation utterly failed to seize the initiative this summer. Winters fumbled her undermining of Patreus. A cycle later, the Fed Turmoil attempts of Torval missed the mark and helped Torval regain 90CC, strengthening her economy and reinforcing Winters' cage. Amazingly, that same cycle saw Winters expand a damaging weaponized system against another of her own weapons costing only Winters. As CMDR Oraki puts it: "Winters is yeeting her economy off a cliff."
If I'm being honest, the folks over here at AD are quite puzzled by the continued failure within the ranks of the Federation. Our analysis expected a competitive and resurgent enemy but we're seeing amateur level planning and execution. Even after emergency elections to replace incompetent leadership, the same basic errors occurred. Our current conclusion is that nobody at the Federal United Command understands the deep mechanics of Powerplay. Any Fed old-timers who see this, would you go check on your friends? They need some help.
Long as I can see the Light
This post is long, perhaps overly so, but it's important to understand just how dramatic AD's rebirth has been. We have more active players than ever. We have a community that is not just large, but supportive and collaborative. Truly, and more so than ever before, AD has something to offer every kind of player.
Join us and help make the galaxy a brighter, better place.
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