Join the new world

I start by thanking a good friend of mine in RL, David Brisco, who I've worked with a number of times on producing company promotional and political videos for myself and my family.

As part of a joint initiative with the KnightHawks MU and KHMC, I'm currently working on the storyboard and conducting investigatory work into the history of the KnightHawks Military Unit and Military Council of eRepublik, to create a game-length DVD movie of the origins, the current and the future of the KH.

THE MEDIUM

Those of you familiar with Remedy® 's Alan Wake™ trilogy have already been introduced to the psychological action phenomena meeting the game dimension.

While the DVD is not set to the same medium, many of the developers have built a good reputation working on similar projects experimenting in CGI combined with game theory and the human experience.

THE PLOT

LEGACY SEQUENCE

The story begins with a lit candle and the images of KnightHawks lost to the game, either through life or through real death. Sam Cougar (Shane Miller) features in the prologue of the movie.

It then takes a flash 'in time' to all of the KnightHawks that have been located in network vaults, a 'flick' homage to their current profiles, units and parties and their previous KH profiles and roles. It demonstrates that whatever place they occupy today is regardless - they started off as a KnightHawk and it runs in their blood.

2010: Rebuilding Australia

The KnightHawks was the premier fighting unit. At a time in game history when MUs were not part of the game mechanics, the KH was the largest force in the country, ADF the most well funded due to government handouts, the AI and GGP members having their own bases as well.

Sam Cougar was the epitome of a commander and a recruiter. He was at ease, carefree in the spirit of the game. Stern, but rarely if ever troubled by the events surrounding him, handled every situation with ease and never in rage or panic.

It was a time of great work - the country was on its way to building the society many other e-nations enjoyed.

IT'S ALL POLITICS: The KH led push for unit funding

The KH mission was growing the unit. Often engaging in friendlies overseas with other affiliated international units and active campaigns when needed, this formed a large part of the Hawks budget: fighters for hire. The money was well rationed and spent training new fighters and supplying the unit for battles back home.

The eAustralian Government - Prime Ministers, Ministers and Senators - often criticsed the KnightHawks for this approach. Our argument was and always was that as a private unit we had to obtain the money from somewhere to supply our members. Where else was the money going to come from to fight wars at home?

THE VOICE: The birth of the KnightHawks Military Council

The ADF was an egotistical and demanding establishment promoting rigmarole and demeaned new members with low rank squads and weapons (at that time Tango was getting 2 weapons a day while other units friendly to the ministry of the day were getting up to 4 times that amount). There was no way any self-respecting KnightHawk was going to tolerate such disrespect.

All the animosity the unit faced from the parties and the government combined led to the single-greatest movement that would dominate the political field for the next two years: the KnightHawks Military Council. For the first time, the KH had a standalone voice in the political system. Ronnyjnrjnr didn't hold back in the arena.

RETIREMENT OF A GIANT: Sam Cougar leaves KnightHawks command

This sequence 're creates' the retirement of High Commander Sam Cougar saluting his equal, Sir_C0nstant. Sam's retirement was not only an important part of KH history, it also pin-points the pivotal moment where the tragic and evolutionary set of events began that saw the downfall of the Hawks.

THE BURDEN: The Constant era

It would be the first time since the eAus-eIndo wars that the KnightHawks was without dual high command and Sir_C0nstant had to make the critical decisions single-handed, with many Generals resigning in the wake of the Cougar retirement. Sir_C0nstant was faced with the dilemma of re-organising a fractured corps, balanced with the weight of recruiting and planning for the future.

RISE OF AN UNLIKELY OFFICER: The ascension of Henry the 8th

The symbolism lies in the game genre: the march past of Henry the 8th, a Blue Battalion General, to KnightHawks High Commander. It would be the first time even prior to the Cougar-C0nstant era that a line officer would assume command of the entire military unit.

PASSING OF A LEGEN😨 Sam Cougar passes away in life

A reflection of the day the news came from Shane Miller's (Sam's real name) sister that our friend and former leader had departed not only out of the game life, but his RL battle with cancer was at an end.

It also covers players around the world who had come together to achieve Elite Player status for Shane's game profile, honouring his service and investment in eRepublik.

AUSTRALIA DIVIDE😨 Paths diverge

This follows the various corps and party commands over the 12 months since High Commander Henry the 8th reorganised and grew the unit, the party waned but continued success. It follows the immigration of the American Revolutionaries that formed the early ARP and outgrew KnightHawks political position, scottty leaving the KH to form War Crew and taking a number of the KnightHawks with him. It chronicles the events that pit brother against brother and almost destroyed the KnightHawks.

LEGACY OF THE HAWK: The Next Generation

In a heart-warming way it shows the KnightHawks of corps and party who stayed, those who have risen through the ranks to fill the void and the new players taken under the wing. What's most emotional are the KnightHawks of the previous generations who have returned home to help. With no rancour, it also pays tribute to former KnightHawks who have gone on to different units and parties - celebrating them as "Forever Hawks".

This final chapter will contain personal retrospects by High Commander Henry the 8th, former KHMC President Ronnyjnrjnr and current President Mick Gatto.

EPILOGUE: Paying tribute to the real KnightHawks

We pay tribute to the real "Knighthawks", known as the men and women of Strike Fighter Squadron 136 (VFA-136) - a USN strike fighter squadron based at NAS Oceana, Virginia, United States.


The squadron’s Knighthawk insignia and nickname were approved by USN Chief of Naval Operations on 23 May 1985 and have remained unchanged.

Founded in 1985 and fly today, we celebrate the name we bare in game, paying nothing but an honourable tribute to those who protect America's skies.

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I could not be more prouder to take up this project and celebrate the greatest brand in eRepublik history.


Mick Gatto
KHMC President and Senator