Gentlebeings, congratulations.  We have all come together to write what is - by any measure - one of the most successful run-ons in the history of the Vast Empire's Navy division.  Every single one of you should be immensely proud.

Just a few statistics and observations for you to consider:

• Counterpunch: War was composed of 118 individual posts to the story thread, making it the 3rd most-posted-to story in division history.  If you visit the Naval Story Board's statistics page, VEN: Counterpunch: War is in third place on the list of "Hottest Topics All-Time."

• Many of those posts featured more than one scene and more than one POV, and members experimented more freely with NPC perspectives than ever before.

• As a result, these posts were longer, and told more complete stories, than did most of the posts in previous Navy tales: the average word count per post is 1,332.

• Every active member of the division contributed, for a total of 23 participants.  And that means that, even with people dropping out for various reasons and even with some single-posters, we averaged about 6,834 words per contributing member.  That's astounding.

I congratulate each and every one of you on a job well done, and I am very grateful to be writing/playing with you all.  But since congratulations and gratitude aren't quite as fulfilling when they aren't quantified, it's time to hand out some shinies! 


List of promotions and medals for Counterpunch: War

By order of posting, here are the participants in the story, and their rewards:

Trykon –
    • Counterpunch Campaign Award for participation in Counterpunch: War
    • Victory Cross (x1) for story leadership
    • x1 promotion (to Vice Captain)

Dunny (SCO of [*CO*]-winning squadron) –
    • Counterpunch Campaign Award for participation in Counterpunch: War
    • Victory Cross (x1) in recognition of NPC invention and successfully-integrated plot ideas
    • x2 promotion (to Warrant Officer Second Class), recognizing outstanding squadron leadership and a two-month period of extraordinary personal activity, including VENA development work
    • Noble Service Medal for VENA Skill/Certs reboot proposal

Serpent ([*AO*] winner) –
    • Counterpunch Campaign Award for participation in Counterpunch: War
    • Combat Achievement Ribbon for the action against the ID's Howling Hydra
    • x1 promotion (to full Lt.) for quality of posts in both Fleet and VENI branches

DeepSix ([*IG*] winner) –
    • Counterpunch Campaign Award for participation in Counterpunch: War
    • Victory Cross (x1) for VENI plot additions and NPCs and for Vornskyr posts
    • x1 promotion (to full Lt.) for quality of posts in both Fleet and VENI

Fyston –
    • Counterpunch Campaign Award for participation in Counterpunch: War
    • Mentioned in Dispatches, for NPC development in collaboration with starfighter corps personnel

Joamer –
    • Counterpunch Campaign Award for participation in Counterpunch: War
    • Naval 'E' Ribbon in recognition of leadership and perseverance in the creation of a new starfighter squadron

Maroy –
    • Counterpunch Campaign Award for participation in Counterpunch: War
    • Merit Cross 1st Class for leadership within the Starfighter Corps
    • Naval 'E' Ribbon for exemplary leadership within Chlovi Squadron in particular, especially at the beginning of this story, and in recognition of perseverance through RL difficulties

Grey –
    • Counterpunch Campaign Award for participation in Counterpunch: War
    • Navy Defense Medal (if/when a new Grey is named and or Captain Grey's "secret identity" is revealed, this award may be freely transferred to Grey's primary account PC, at his/her discretion.)

Bacredi –
    • Counterpunch Campaign Award for participation in Counterpunch: War

DarianRogue –
    • Counterpunch Campaign Award for participation in Counterpunch: War

Xanin –
    • Counterpunch Campaign Award for participation in Counterpunch: War
    • Merit Cross Second Class, in recognition of the creation of an online squadron roster as well as story contributions
    • x1 promo (to Senior Crewman)

Echelon –
    • Counterpunch Campaign Award for participation in Counterpunch: War

Dawn –
    • Counterpunch Campaign Award for participation in Counterpunch: War

Avalar –
    • Counterpunch Campaign Award for participation in Counterpunch: War
    • Merit Cross 1st Class, in recognition of Starfighter Corps leadership, deescalation of personality conflicts, and story contributions
    • x1 promotion (to Petty Officer Second Class)

Scooter –
    • Counterpunch Campaign Award for participation in Counterpunch: War

Cabby –
    • Counterpunch Campaign Award for participation in Counterpunch: War,
    • Merit Cross 2nd Class, in recognition of teamwork and strong prose
    • x1 promotion (to Petty Officer Second Class)

Rikky –
    • Counterpunch Campaign Award for participation in Counterpunch: War
    • Merit Cross 1st Class, in recognition of outstanding story contributions and OOC leadership
    • x1 promotion (to Senior Crewman)

Twitch –
    • Counterpunch Campaign Award for participation in Counterpunch: War
    • Mentioned in Dispatches AND Star of Valor, in recognition of teamwork and strong prose and professionalism, despite ample real-life issues and distractions
    • x2 promotion (to Petty Officer Second Class)

Hades –
    • Counterpunch Campaign Award for participation in Counterpunch: War
    • Victory Cross (x1) for VENI subplot contributions
    • Mentioned in Dispatches, in recognition of selflessness demonstrated throughout the run of the story

Honeydew –
    • Counterpunch Campaign Award for participation in Counterpunch: War
    • Mentioned in Dispatches, for quality prose
    • x1 promotion (to Petty Officer Second Class)

Brightstar –
    • Counterpunch Campaign Award for participation in Counterpunch: War

Cervidae –
    • Counterpunch Campaign Award for participation in Counterpunch: War
    • Merit Cross 1st Class AND Mentioned in Dispatches, in recognition of exemplary teamwork and coordination in-story, graphical contributions, and perseverance through difficult real-life circumstances
    • x1 promotion (to Petty Officer Second Class)

Ellesmere –
    • Counterpunch Campaign Award for participation in Counterpunch: War

Oh, I won't have a chance to put these changes into the roster for at least 5 hours or so.  Don't worry, they will be put in.  But even I have RL stuff, sometimes. 

Thank you for the shinies and promotion, sir!  And very well done to everyone who participated.  The 3rd biggest story ever!  That's outstanding!

Also, just to note, that the unique third Counterpunch Ribbon is now up.  Only two people have got all three so far, and so are in with a chance of getting the complete set of four.  Hades and Trick, go for it guys!

Right, now to update my ID Line....

Not bad for being a newbie. Lol. I do think I will stay on, despite rl distractions. I will update my I'd line when I get home.

Okay, all promotions should be in the system, now.    Congrats again, everyone.

Squadron Commanders, if you could PM me any necessary changes to the roster now (retirees, absentees, requested transfers, etc.), that would be much appreciated.

One other note: DeepSix and myself both completed FOCEs, but they've gone ungraded for a spell.  StOrMz passed us both, so our ranks get an extra little boost.  Sorry for any confusion, and apologies to Deep for the delay.

I was hoping to present this award in person at the meeting tomorrow, however I will be leaving to go out of town early.

Commander Trykon- you've shown, time and again, amazing leadership skills, activity, creativity, and motivational skills far that surpass your predecessors.

It is a combination of these skills, which allow me the pleasure to be the first member in VE history to bestow upon the first recipient in the Vast Empire, the Meritorious Service Medal.

Wear this award proud, Tryk! You have certainly earned it, my good friend!

Vice Admiral Stormz
Naval Commanded in Chief

Hey, nice one Trick!  Congratulations my friend, you have certainly earned it!

Well done Tryk. Congrats.