Dear comrades, dear friends,
have a merry Christmas. I hope you get to spend it with your friends and loved ones, get some time off work, and get some gifts, too!
It's been a big year of significant progress for the group. The council has been reinstated and all of our technical assets, including Forums, TS, Gameserver, and mod repository, have been rebuilt from the ground up. The group is now more in control of itself than it has been for many years. This was only possible due to the tireless efforts and the generosity of many of our members. You know who you are, thank you!
It's also been a big year of progress for me, personally. I finally managed to complete my professional training. Those were the worst years of my life. Doing 50h of work per week at times, for hardly any pay, and with added studying on top, is not the best situation to be in when you're also the leading member of the group. But I dare say it's been a good run.
This is the third Christmas message I post to the GOL as their leading member. It is also the last.
A new job, a relationship, and too little time with friends and family make it necessary for me to step down as the leading member of the GOL.
I hope to leave the group to my successors Staff Sergeant Pilgrim & Sergeant Chroma in a much better state than I found it. We're tactically much more proficient than we were. We've got a top notch NCO Corps in 1-1. We now have a reserve system that allows casual players and former members to stay in touch. Council saw a much needed revision, and is now back to its former role of representing all members of the group. We have a revised Code of Conduct, finally putting the values of this community into words. We are a tight knit community with members who take an active interest.
The GOL had gone through an unfortunate process of shrinking by almost 50% when I took over. I was unable to halt the further decay of the member base.
The main problem I saw when I took responsibility was that our quality was insufficient. I set out to improve this. I've done what I could in terms of training and procedures. I dare say I've lead by example, and it has had a considerable effect on the conduct of every member of the group today. I've worked hard to improve our organisational structure, with some success. These are my accomplishments.
However, after all this, the group is still shrinking almost on a monthly basis. This is the source of a massive sense of failure for me personally, even though I realise that some of the circumstances that lead to this situation are entirely out of my control. Regardless, in recent past it has become painfully obvious that the group is fighting for its survival. I can not contribute anything other to that fight than what I already have contributed. I would argue therefor, that the time is right for me to step aside.
The continued loss of members, and the absence of new ones, is the biggest problem for the group at this time, and the biggest and most important challenge of my successors.
Former leading figures in the history of this community did their thing until they were burnt out entirely. Former leaders disappeared suddenly and definitively. I would like to try a different approach.
I am not burnt out. Leadership in 1-1 must be one of the masochistically most enjoyable, fun things I've ever done in my life. The creativity Arma 3 allows still gives it a sense of novelty for me, and I still enjoy seeing the gameplay develop over the years. More than ever I appreciate the social aspect, the friendships within the community. GOL is a place I proudly call home.
Because of this, I will remain in active service as an NCO and continue to actively contribute to leadership, tactics, and mission making. I offer my full support to my successors in these and all other matters.
My gratitude goes to all the GOL, former and current, who have made this group what it is. Regardless whether you make big efforts for the group, or just show up to play. Every little contribution is valuable, and will be valuable to sustain us in the future.
In a very weird and surprising way, the GOL have helped me to grow up as a real life person. Develop skills I didn't even know I had. Pursue an interest in military matters. Practice a foreign language in a high stress environment on a regular basis. Meet people from all over the continent and develop lasting friendships. The group is extremely precious to me and I'd hate to see it die. Unfortunately, I'm not blind to the fact that the days of any gaming community are numbered, and so are ours.
I look forward to being part of whatever future we have left, thankful for the times we had.
I wish you all happy holidays and a happy new year 2020. See you on the other side.
Regards
Filth
ALWAYS forgiving.
