The NS Independent: [Episode II] Regarding Hogwarts

by **The NS Independent** » Wed Jul 01, 2015 5:57 pm

Bringing you good stuff since 7/1/15

Our Mission

The NS Independent (NSI) is managed by an individual intent on bringing quality news, recent event updates, and personal gameplay commentaries
to the NationStates community through detailed articles, short interviews, and the occasional live broadcast.

Episodes:

[Episode I] Regarding EPSA: A Brief Interview with Xoriet
[Episode II] Regarding Hogwarts: A Critique on R/D

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Hope you folks enjoy the read!
Stay tuned for the next episode on the NS Independent!

by **Riftey** » Wed Jul 01, 2015 9:39 pm

Who's it this time?

by **Cormac Stark** » Wed Jul 01, 2015 11:47 pm

I would encourage you to reveal your identity. Your news pieces are going to be overshadowed with speculation about your identity and agenda if you don't, and you're going to lack credibility you would otherwise have if you put a name to your work.

Best of luck, though. Truly independent media is hard to come by and we need more of it.

by **Pollaetorian** » Thu Jul 02, 2015 2:59 am

Or people should smarten up themselves and wait till an article comes out before we rip them to pieces.

But I also don't like it when the make threads like this without an article ready. I screams of bragging without anything to back it up.

by **Solorni** » Thu Jul 02, 2015 6:48 am

Pollaetorian wrote:Or people should smarten up themselves and wait till an article comes out before we rip them to pieces.

But I also don't like it when the make threads like this without an article ready. I screams of bragging without anything to back it up.

Besides, a lot of us look at the thread expecting and excited about content

by **The NS Independent** » Thu Jul 02, 2015 1:59 pm

Sorry about that, folks. I wanted to get the OP out of the way yesterday to focus on the episode today.

In other news, Episode I will be released imminently.

by **The NS Independent** » Thu Jul 02, 2015 3:37 pm

[Episode I] Regarding EPSA: A Brief Interview with Xoriet

This afternoon, the reporters of the NS Independent had the pleasure of sitting down with Xoriet, Erelim General and Overseeing Officer of the Eastern Pacific Sovereign Army, to discuss the model of EPSA, her highs and lows in command of the organization, and her own forthcoming leave of absence.

+First off, thanks for joining me today, Xoriet. I know you have a busy schedule and I am delighted that you made room for this interview. Let's start off with a general question: Many people all around NationStates are hailing the Eastern Pacific Sovereign Army as the model for an excellent GCR military. To what or whom do you most attribute its success under your command to?

X: Those people just want to make me feel better about myself or some such. In all seriousness, though, it comes from my support. Without Ramaeus and Severisen, EPSA would not be what it is today. My command was reinforced by my support, and thus enabled.

+Observing its success under your command's leadership, one must be curious about how you became involved with EPSA. How did you start your career in R/D gameplay?

X: Once upon a time I had a friend in TEP by the name of Old Federalia. He pointed at EPSA and said "Try this!" so I obliged, mostly out of curiosity. I had no idea that it would turn into the centerpiece of my NS life. I was such a noob that I jumped with my main the first time. Talk about awkward memories.

+It happens. xD I presume you were mentored by other EPSA officers as well, or did you have to go about learning everything on your own?

X: Well, I learned the basics from Babiana, who was the General at the time. Unfortunately, the basics were not exactly encompassing of the entirety of R/D. I discovered triggering by reading something, but didn't learn it until Sev taught me out of the kindness of his black hawky heart. Stealth? I had to learn that one the hard way. Commanding skills? Even worse. Everything I've learned that is fine-tuned is either taught by a professional or discovered by trial and error.

+Both of them time-tested, solid ways to learn how to do things!

X: The vast majority that makes me R/D decent? Learned from Sev.

+That's another one too.

So what's the story behind you becoming the Overseeing Officer of EPSA? Any exciting coups or power struggles?

X: Um...yeah, about that. Our former General was destabilized by the Defender Act drama in The East Pacific. He made some choices that led to his departure. You could call it drama, and that wouldn't quite cover the full extent. And so, four months into R/D, I was Overseeing Officer and didn't have the first idea of what I was going to do about it.

+That's definitely something. How long ago was this?

X: I became Overseeing Officer on March 24, 2014. Quite some time?

+Indeed, though you did "seize" the TEP delegacy somewhere in between then and now. Did EPSA function as well as you hoped it would during your tenure as delegate?

X: I dropped the Delegacy like a hot potato the second I was no longer in office. Weeping tears of joy. As for that question...well, it functioned. I wouldn't say it was my ideal, but I have incredibly weird standards and had trouble with any other way than I had run it for eight months. My General was active, kept the military going, and made sure that it did not return to its previous lull. I can't really ask for more than that.

+That's good to hear. I also understand that you will be taking a leave of absence within the next couple of days after TEP delegate elections end. Are you confident that EPSA will continue to prosper and sustain itself number-wise?

X: Well, as happened before, it will likely be different. But I trust the people I have recommended to my Field Marshal to do their best for EPSA. We have several new additions whom I believe will enable EPSA to continue on.

+That's excellent to hear. So what's next for Xoriet? More cou- erm, I mean... Will we ever see her return to EPSA as the Overseeing Officer?

X: Maybe? Honestly, I'm excited to see some new blood in the seat. There is only so long you can run a military without feeling like it is beginning to stagnate. It may not seem that way, but the feeling remains. I think EPSA could use a few changes to keep it on its toes.

+Oh, that sounds interesting. Would you be willing to give us a couple hints on what those changes might be?

X: No, because I won't be the one making them. And that may be another exciting part. I do expect that the two people I entrusted with EPSA will work together. As long as I don't see tag-raiding, I don't need to rise from my retirement couch in horror and outrage.

+Now that we're being all nostalgic and sentimental about everything, are there any past moments in EPSA you would like to share? Some of them that make you feel warm, others that still make you cringe to this very day?

X: Oh lord God. I will always die when I remember two of the three first triggers I tried. Christmas was a nightmare. The entire raider world was there, and I didn't know how to watch the trigger properly. I was ashamed for days after. The second was for a NPA-EPSA operation. I panicked and freaked out, and it went so very south. That was in front of Blue Wolf. My first reaction was to run away and hide. I did not get over mistakes easily back then... Always felt like every mistake was a black mark on EPSA's record. My early days were a train of shame and trying too hard. The summer of 2014 though was probably the best time I've ever had in EPSA. It was absolutely wonderful. We actually had nine updaters at that point. We mostly did defending, but hey, that is what I enjoyed most at the time and EPSA had a lot of defenders. I always tried to include raids for Tano and to make sure that we didn't become a defender military I never wanted to choose one side. It doesn't fit EPSA. I was careful not to impose my ideological preference on the newcomers. I had Unibot do that to me. I probably would have been a defender anyways, but it was more impressed than chosen. Still, I enjoyed it a lot, so I don't regret it. I loved updating with FTMS and BT. We hunted Doom Squad for weeks. Talk about <3 factor.

+Sounds like a lot of fun. On a slightly different topic, day one of RaiderCon on the topic of raiding in GCR's has just finished, and one of the things Todd McCloud has expressed is what he believes to be the goals of every GCR military. In your opinion, what is the primary purpose of a GCR military and how should that objective be carried out?

X: A GCR military depends on the GCR. My ideal GCR military is one that represents the region's spirit and has fun. Taking part in whatever the region permits, working with allies and friends, keeping part of the region active in the doing. A GCR military's purpose is to keep the region active and to bring a new splash of FA into the factor. AMOM founded EPSA in 2012 specifically to revive the region. And in the long run, it worked. It keeps people active and interested in the region, which is ideal.

+Aye, it does. Seeing as we're running low on time, do you have any final thoughts on EPSA or GCR militaries in general?

X: I'm going to miss EPSA, and I'm also going to miss my overlordship insofar as making jokes about overlordship. But I also don't want it to be reliant on me. That doesn't achieve enduring success. All GCR militaries are the same, really. Once you're relying on one person completely, you are in serious trouble. One person can't run a military alone. That one I learned. Building up a strong support group is the best way to keep an active and successful military. And to keep from burning out after months of shouldering it all alone. I may have done that my first term... xD

+Excellent advice. Thank you for your time Xoriet and we wish you a safe, well-deserved leave of absence.

Hope you folks enjoy the read!
Stay tuned for the next episode on the NS Independent!

by **Benevolent Thomas** » Thu Jul 02, 2015 4:57 pm

The NS Independent wrote:Still, I enjoyed it a lot, so I don't regret it. I loved updating with FTMS and BT. We hunted Doom Squad for weeks. Talk about <3 factor.

This period of time was the happiest in my entire NS experience. If possible, I'd like to return there some day. FTMS was filled with my closest friends on NS and we worked with our good pals in the EPSA nearly every update. There was never a dull moment and we got shit done. There was also a supreme lack of negativity within our little sphere of fun which grew to include several more defenders before we fell inactive in December.

The Cartel sends its regards to Doom Squad

by **Funkadelia** » Thu Jul 02, 2015 5:28 pm

Benevolent Thomas wrote:
The NS Independent wrote:Still, I enjoyed it a lot, so I don't regret it. I loved updating with FTMS and BT. We hunted Doom Squad for weeks. Talk about <3 factor.

This period of time was the happiest in my entire NS experience. If possible, I'd like to return there some day. FTMS was filled with my closest friends on NS and we worked with our good pals in the EPSA nearly every update. There was never a dull moment and we got shit done. There was also a supreme lack of negativity within our little sphere of fun which grew to include several more defenders before we fell inactive in December.

The Cartel sends its regards to Doom Squad

That was pretty great! :hug:

by **Ever-Wandering Souls** » Thu Jul 02, 2015 5:29 pm

TBH <3 EPSA

Except when you're defending against us. Then it's that stare like "I'm trying to dislike you but I just can't."

by **The NS Independent** » Fri Aug 28, 2015 9:45 pm

[Episode II] Regarding Hogwarts: A Critique on R/D

An Opinion Piece by Anonymous

Hogwarts, a longtime colony of Lone Wolves United, has fallen in the hands of numerous defender organizations including, but not limited to, Ten Thousand Island Treaty Organization, the Lazarene Liberation Army, and the Spiritus Defense Force. Despite a great effort by numerous LWU allies, including military organizations that respect regional sovereignty such as the EPSA, the defense of Hogwarts was unsuccessful due to the sheer number of invader pilers. The founder will cease-to-exist within the next update.

For those who have not stayed up-to-date with GP news and/or are new to NationStates, Hogwarts was refounded by LWU last year - this means the region has been under an invader founder control.

Where does one draw the exact line between invading and defending? For all intents and purposes, invading can be defined as "moving into a foreign region and endorsing a foreign* nation with the intention of having that nation become the World Assembly delegate".

But what exactly is different from the actions of both military sides? The answer is nothing. A commonly-held opinion is that the goal of the invader side is to destroy whatever region they raid, and that the goal of the defender side is to save such regions from utter destruction. In this regard, the line between raiding and defending is subtle; some may call it non-existent.

TITO is absolutely allowed to mobilize to take the region from LWU, since the two have been in a state of war for many years. Other "defender" groups, such as the LLA and SDF, are the poetic irony of the fable. In the Constitution of Lazarus, Article VII Clause 10, it states that "[t]he Lazarene Liberation Army may not raid outside of Warzone regions or regions involved in an ongoing war with Lazarus." It further goes on in Clause 9 to state that "Lazarus shall enter a state of war with a foreign region or organization following a simply majority vote in the Grand Assembly or a declaration of war being received by the Sovereign." In exact parallelism, the Constitution of Spiritus, Section 24(b), it states that "absent a declaration of war, the Spiritus Defense Force shall not invade any region, excluding Warzones, with the purpose of seizing power over the region by taking its Delegacy from a native Delegate or taking an unoccupied Delegacy without native consent."

Ladies and gentlemen, the natives are LWU themselves this time around.

There are two groups of defenders that raiders associate with: the ones who defend to help natives and the ones who pretend to. Despite ideological differences, only the former group holds their respect. People like Kazmr, the General of the Lazarene Liberation Army, are among the people who pretend to be of assistance to natives while working behind a mask of ulterior motives. Even amidst his crusade of "moralist defenderism", Kazmr was the first one to provide an endorsement on the TITO lead in Hogwarts.

When they read through this article, defenders will "defend" their action of invading Hogwarts as an act of liberating the region from LWU control. Are they trying to save natives this time in this "liberation"? Since the ultimate plan of the so-called defenders (pseudo-invaders) is to destroy Hogwarts by ejecting all nations, passwording, and refounding, one can absolutely argue that the military actions in Hogwarts mimic an invasion, and that defending is very much like invading.

At the end of the day, we can conclude that invaders are bad at defending, and that "defenders" are good at invading.

* A "foreign nation" refers to a nation under foreign control. The nation may be a "native", but in fact, is merely a puppet in the ever-entwined invasion game.

Hope you folks enjoy the read!
Stay tuned for the next episode on the NS Independent!

by **Guy** » Fri Aug 28, 2015 9:54 pm

Very *yawn* worthy. Forgetting the mistakes and mischaracterisations there, the basic premise is simply incorrect. Reversing the outcome of invasions, even years after the fact, has been well and truly within the defender consensus for as long as organised defending has been around (so what, 10+ years?). Territory obtained illegitimately is no territory at all.

by **The Shadow Guardian** » Fri Aug 28, 2015 9:55 pm

1/10. Would not read again. You forgot several organizations that are involved including the UDL. >:(

by **Kazmr** » Fri Aug 28, 2015 10:01 pm

Lol.

That's all the response this deserves but since this calls me out personally I'll give it a bit more: see Guy. LWU aren't in any way 'natives', not after breaking up any community that once callez Hogwarts home, not after just keeping it as a trophy to gawk at.

Especially hilarious that you're saying TITO is 'allowed' to mobilize. I don't think anyone has ever listened to an anonymous puppet on what they're 'allowed' to do.

9/10 that this is Ivo, both because of how its written and because it just happened to be posted mere minutes from when you gave the orsers to withdraw

Edit: And just a correction, I wasnt one of the first, I was the first to endo, and proudly so. Hail TITO o7

by **Slytherin House** » Fri Aug 28, 2015 10:09 pm

Those cunning folk use any means,
To achieve their ends.

by **Ever-Wandering Souls** » Fri Aug 28, 2015 10:21 pm

Hogwarts has already been refounded twice under LWU. I helped both times

Once under malice, after piling, as my first operation under an officially raider org, and again, under Sicarius, when Lestrange went as well.

by **Tim-Opolis** » Fri Aug 28, 2015 11:03 pm

It's amusing that after years of laughing us at complaining and simply telling us to defender better, which was definitely fun given how much of it came from the script-abusing TBR/DEN group, the raiders are now... complaining that one of their trophies is potentially set to be taken away from them. I thought that, according to your rhetoric, complaining is our job?

I concur with all the others that have quite plainly stated that, even if it's years later, we are stilll acting in reclamation of the region away from LWU. A refounding is, by my interpretation, simply a more secure way of ensuring your subjugation of the region, not a tool that you can then use to claim the region is sovereignly yours. Therefore, I hope to see Hogwarts soon liberated out of the hands of LWU.

by **Evil Wolf** » Sat Aug 29, 2015 1:39 am

"Liberated" and given to whom, my dear friend Tim?

We've been down this road before. LWU are the natives of Hogwarts, any other natives from years ago CTE'd quite some time ago and are not coming back. So who are these Fendas "liberating" this region for?

It seems to be that the Fendas are arguing that no one who calls themselves an invader can hold any region as a native, even if it's their own region.

by **Land filled with People** » Sat Aug 29, 2015 4:02 am

Why would you want to be a native anyway? Being ignored by admin and getting raided can't be that fun

by **Pauline Bonaparte** » Sat Aug 29, 2015 6:52 am

Why don't the puny natives just get their founder to come back? Or start a new region? It's not my fault the natives can't defend themselves.

by **Valrifell** » Sat Aug 29, 2015 7:10 am

Land filled with People wrote:Why would you want to be a native anyway? Being ignored by admin and getting raided can't be that fun

Don't feel special, admins ignore everyone in Gameplay.

by **Woonsocket** » Sat Aug 29, 2015 8:57 am

Pauline Bonaparte wrote:Why don't the puny natives just get their founder to come back? Or start a new region? It's not my fault the natives can't defend themselves.

That's the same exact justification used by spousal abusers. "Look what you made me do! It's not my fault you can't defend yourself."

It certainly demonstrates the invader mindset with crystal clarity, doesn't it?

by **Valrifell** » Sat Aug 29, 2015 9:40 am

Woonsocket wrote:
Pauline Bonaparte wrote:Why don't the puny natives just get their founder to come back? Or start a new region? It's not my fault the natives can't defend themselves.

That's the same exact justification used by spousal abusers. "Look what you made me do! It's not my fault you can't defend yourself."

It certainly demonstrates the invader mindset with crystal clarity, doesn't it?

Except, well, you know, one's a game involving 0's and 1's, and the other one involves real life.
But no, you're totally right! All raiders totally beat their significant others.

by **United RussoAsia** » Sat Aug 29, 2015 9:41 am

Woonsocket wrote:
Pauline Bonaparte wrote:Why don't the puny natives just get their founder to come back? Or start a new region? It's not my fault the natives can't defend themselves.

That's the same exact justification used by spousal abusers. "Look what you made me do! It's not my fault you can't defend yourself."

It certainly demonstrates the invader mindset with crystal clarity, doesn't it?

Yeah, totally. Equating raiders to molesters is over the line.

by **Mallorea and Riva** » Sat Aug 29, 2015 9:44 am

The real question is who will snipe the refound.