Last updated: 24 March, 2004 10:27 AM

Contents

1. Introduction
2. Terms and Definitions
3. The Basic Structure and Management of Sturmgrenadier
4. A Breakdown of SG World War II Online
5. Communications On and Off the Battlefield
6. Awards, Ribbons, and Squad Rank
7. Operations
8. What Does Being in Sturmgrenadier Mean?

 

Greetings and welcome to the world of Sturmgrenadier! You want to be, or are, part of a unique online gaming family- The Sturmgrenadier Online Gaming Syndicate. Your membership within Sturmgrenadier guarantees that you'll find fun and, more importantly, friends fighting alongside you in any of the online gaming universes that the SG Online Gaming Syndicate takes part in.

Okay, so you've received your assignment and you're anxious to start, or you're simply curious; how do you function within SG WWIIOL, what part do you play? This guidebook is intended to offer information that will help you get in tune with the way Sturmgrenadier works, both on the virtual battlefield and off. Much of the information contained within this guide pops up frequently in our forums and having it here will keep you from missing it. This guide will briefly cover general aspects of the Sturmgrenadier Online Gaming Syndicate and focus primarily on the operations of SG World War II Online. Be sure to check back here periodically because new information will be added as needed.

As a new, potential, or old member, you should also review the Code of Conduct and Sturmgrenadier Online Gaming Syndicate's Charter while reading this document.

Let's get started!

 

Most of these terms are interchangeable in general conversation.

Battlefield Terminology:

AO- Area of Operations
ET- Enemy tank
EI- Enemy infantry
EA- Enemy aircraft
HT- Half track
88- Flak 36
P2- Panzer II
P3- Panzer III
P4- Panzer IV
38- 38t Tank
Flak- Flak 30 AA gun
Beddy, bed- Allied Bedford
Matty- British Mathilda
13- British A13
Somua- S35 Somua
Char- Char B1
Blen- Blenheim Bomber
Hurri- Hurricane Fighter
Spit- Spitfire Fighter
Hell, Bus- HE-111 Bomber
Inbd- Inbound
AA- Anti-aircraft
AI- Artificial Intelligence gunnery
CP- Command Point, Choke Point. Commonly a flag building.
Bunker- An AB or AF command bunker.
AB- Army Barracks
AF- Airfield
Sheck- Shell, a term born from Playnet's forum language filter.
AFK- Away from keyboard
ATM- At the moment
FB- Forward base or fire base
RW- Roger Wilco
TS- Teamspeak, our primary voice comms software.
SMG- A sub-machine gun trooper
Sap- A sapper infantry
Rifle- A rifleman infantry
GDI- Independent players/indies

 

1. World War II Online
2. America's Army
3. Planetside
4. Star Wars Galaxies
5. World of Warcraft
 

Additional gaming portals will be added when a particular game draws a lot of attention.

The Sturmgrenadier Online Gaming Syndicate spans two internet portals:

1. www.sghq.com- Sturmgrenadier operational information
2. www.sturmgrenadier.com- Sturmgrenadier's official forums and file libraries.

Sturmgrenadier's overall syndicate operations are commanded by:

Spoon - Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Burnspot - President and Chief Operations Officer
Scorpius - Vice President and Chief Syndicate Officer
Jaruuk - Syndicate Officer
LostLogic - Syndicate Officer
 

TOP

Sturmgrenadier WWIIOL Rank Structure:

A. Command Staff

1. Reichfuhrer - RCHFHR- WWIIOL Portal Commanding Officer
2. Field Marshal- FLDMSHL- WWIIOL Portal Executive Officer
3. General- GEN- Kampfgruppe Commanding Officer
4. Lieutenant General- LG- Kampfgruppe Executive Officer
5. Major General- MG- Undecided (4/2/03)
6. Brigadier General- BG- GHC Liaison Officer
7. Colonel- COL- Assault Group CO
8. Lieutenant Colonel- LTCOL- Assault Group XO

B. Officer Corps

9. Major- MAJ
10. Captain- CPT
11. 1st Lieutenant- 1st LT
12. 2nd Lieutenant- 2nd LT
13. Sergeant Major- SGTMAJ

C. Non-Commissioned Officers

14. Master Sergeant- MSGT
15. Sergeant First Class- SFC
16. Staff Sergeant- SSGT
17. Sergeant- SGT

D. Troops (time in grade applies)

18. Corporal- CPL
19. Lance Corporal- LCPL
20. Private First Class- PFC

It should be noted that Sturmgrenadier WWIIOL ranks have absolutely no bearing on in-game ranks. Complete Sturmgrenadier Rank information can be found here.

All ranks, starting from the bottom, report to and/or take orders from the ranks above. Some of our members hold GHC-appointed ranks and may, at times, guide on-field operations despite higher-ranking SG officers being present- this is usually in an advisory role. Upper ranking officers may, at any time, delegate on-field command duties to lower ranking members. If no Command Staff is around and SG has members in number in-game, the highest ranking member is obligated to take command and direct our forces. All SG members are encouraged to ask for a chance "in the driver's seat" during non-official operations, upper ranking officers will always give assistance.

See the section entitled, "Awards, Ribbons, and Squad Rank" for more information.

The Sturmgrenadier WWIIOL Command Staff:

The SG WWIIOL Command Staff consists of those members holding the SG rank of Executive Officer or higher and all command staff positions are appointed by either SGOGS management, the SG WWIIOL CO, or KG/LW CO, dependent upon the position to be filled. The SG WWIIOL Command Staff performs a multitude of functions within SG WWIIOL, both in-game and out. The SG Commanding Officer oversees all operational aspects of SG WWIIOL and reports to SGOGS management. The SG Executive Officer assists the Commanding Officer in whatever is required. The KG/LW Commanding Officers manage their respective units with assistance from their Executive Officers and all report to the SG CO and XO and, ultimately, SGOGS management.

Pgregory - Commanding Officer
Diddy - Executive Officer

Imbrutus - GHC Liaison Officer
Redleg69 - Schnellentruppen Commanding Officer

Maxell - Commanding Officer, KG1
Aldman - Executive Officer, KG1

Thundera(ce) - Commanding Officer, Luftwaffe
Vacant - Executive Officer, Luftwaffe

SG WWIIOL's squad structure:

SG WWIIOL is made up of one Kampfgruppe (KG's), one Luftwaffe (LW):

1. Kampfgruppe I (KG1) Stahlregen
     Assault Group I (AG1) Donner
     Assault Group II (AG2) Eisenfaust

2. Luftwaffe (LW)
     Fighter Geschwader
     Stuka Geschwader
     Destroyer Geschwader- not operational yet.
     Bomber Geschwader- not operational yet.
 

TOP

The Official Sturmgrenadier Forums and Email:

Out of game, our main means of communication is through our official forums, which offer members a full-time communication resource. Our forums are extremely active and all members are obligated to check them as much as possible since all official operational information is posted there. Members who fail to regularly check the forums will be removed from Sturmgrenadier (a month or more of no visits). You MUST post at least once a month in our forums. Feel free to discuss just about anything in the forums, within the limits of good taste; however, any information that contains sensitive squad-related information MUST remain within the Members Only forum or the individual KG/LW forums.

Access to individual forums is based upon your unit assignment; all SG members have access to the Members Only forum by default. Access to other, non WWIIOL-related forums, such as MOH:AA and America's Army, is handled by the commanders of those respective units.

Sturmgrenadier also utilizes email for communication, although to a somewhat lesser extent. Playnet email addresses are not acceptable under any circumstances. SG uses email for occasional updates and urgent messages; commanders utilize email for private communications to individual members. A member with an unchecked email box or a bad address may not receive critical information from SG, so it is incumbent upon ALL members to check their email regularly and to keep all Command Staff members updated with current email information.

World War II Online In-Game Text Chat:

We generally run squad operations with ONLY the squad channel turned on for the first critical moments of an operation; however, we DO utilize local channels if and when the need arises. The Field Commander will notify members when there is a need for comms security (using Squad Channel only, detuning all other channels). We also use our GHC-assigned channels, 41 (KG1) and 42 (KG2) for in-game text chat. Channel 39 is the 4th Division's Command Channel and can be used to inform GHC command of movement and needs; usually Command Staff/GHC officers only use this channel. The Luftwaffe commonly uses the same channels plus the official channel for whatever sector they are flying in (usually 38 for our normal northern AO).

The text chat system is to be used to communicate essential contact information, spawn orders, and general information- keep it clear and concise. Information not related to the game or our operations should be kept to an absolute minimum; we do not tolerate "spamming the channel" by any of our members.

The in-game text chat also offers a private messaging function. Simply type ".m membername message you want to send"; it will be delivered privately to the target member. You can also "tune" members by typing their names into the channel selector. Be advised, it is possible to communicate with players on the enemy side via private message, so use the .m function with due caution. We DO NOT permit SG members to communicate with the other side, unless authorized for official functions.

Teamspeak Communications:

Sturmgrenadier maintains private Teamspeak (TS) servers (a primary and a backup) for all our members and they are our main means of communication during all SG gaming operations (WWIIOL, MOH, or others). Having Teamspeak up and running IS MANDATORY!! IP address and password information, as well as setup instructions, are available in the Members Only section of this website. Setting up the Teamspeak application is fairly painless; however, if you have trouble, don't hesitate to ask in the forums or visit the Members Only section of this site; the communications officer will help you also.

Sturmgrenadier Teamspeak IP and password information is top-secret. If you are found to be distributing connection information to non-SG members, you will be removed from Sturmgrenadier without delay. Never relay information of this nature in-game or in any other place than our secure forums.

For your Teamspeak callsign, use the following number/letter format:

Syndicate Command does not use any special designations (Pan, Spoon, Burnspot).
WWIIOL Command Staff use- 0 Player name Unit
For KG1 AG1 use- 11 Player name SG rank (if any)
For KG1 AG2 use- 12 Player name SG rank (if any)
For the Luftwaffe use- LW Player name SG rank (if any)

Here's an example, using the above information- 12 Joeplayer CPL. This tells your commanders that "Joeplayer" is a member of KG1 AG2.

Basic Teamspeak Rules:

1. All members shall use "Breaks" and continue only when they're given permission to transmit by the field commander or other designated TS moderator. Command Staff, while not strictly held to this rule, should use good judgment when transmitting.

2. "Contact" calls can be immediately transmitted so long as no other member is currently transmitting and the contact poses immediate danger to a fellow member or the team as a whole. If you have an emergency and someone else is transmitting, use "Break" or "Emergency Break/Contact". Use good judgment when classifying the contact's threat level.

3. Be clear, quick, and to the point.

4. When giving contact/location information about position, whether it be you or an enemy, use the common compass points and/or a landmark as a reference. Do not use "At my tag" unless everyone can see you, which is rare. Contact/location information can be given in reference to a vehicle's layout, i.e. "Char, your 1 o'clock Dhugal!"

5. Play by play or off-topic TS transmissions will not be tolerated during SG operations.

6. If "SG, LIVE MIC" is called, key your xmit button to make sure you're not the one with the stuck microphone.

7. If someone says you're low on transmit, check your transmit volume and adjust.

8. SG Teamspeak use is reserved for participating SG members only. If you're lone wolfing or not following spawn orders, you are not permitted to use TS, you will be kicked off the server.

9. Use of TS by a non-member via a member's account/machine is grounds for immediate removal of that member from Sturmgrenadier for violating security protocols.

10. Members who fail to follow the above Teamspeak guidelines will be banned from TS transmitting and must go "receive only" until ordered otherwise. Continued violations of Teamspeak protocols is grounds for removal from Sturmgrenadier. Members are here to fight, not to listen to incessant, irrelevant chatter.
 

TOP

All new SG WWIIOL members rate the European Theater Ribbon, the Pre-War Ribbon, and the Operating System Ribbon upon their enlistment with Sturmgrenadier. Ribbons pertaining to game stats may be worn if your stats truly reflect the achievement. All other ribbons are earned through hard work and awarded by Command Staff members either on-the-spot or a few days after the action. Squad-wide operational ribbons are distributed usually after squad vs. squad battles or other operational exercises. Sturmgrenadier rank ribbons are reserved solely for denoting SG rank and have no bearing on in-game rank whatsoever. SG rank was discussed in Section 4 and is also available here.

Applying images to your forum signatures:

Once you've earned some ribbons and rank, you'll want to show off your achievements in your forum signature. Feel free to add your ribbons to your signatures for all the WWIIOL-related forums you're a member of; however, consider the nature of your posts in public forums when using SG-related images in your signature. Using SG images while posting derogatory or otherwise inflammatory material is grounds for removal from Sturmgrenadier.

There is a general format in the order that you show your rank and awards in your forum signatures. Rank should ALWAYS come just after your name in text form (your assigned rank is set by the forum admin), followed by ribbons and awards, then lastly, 1 image of choice, SG-related or not. We limit the number of images you may have in your signature in SG's forums in order to decrease load times and ease bandwidth usage.

Here is an example of the format for SG forum signatures:
 

TOP

Sturmgrenadier also holds squad-wide, KG/LW-wide, or AG/Wing-wide practices from time to time. These practice periods are usually designed to foster teamwork and build coordination within our fighting units. Most of the time, these practices are held behind our front lines, allowing us peace and quiet in order to focus on the objectives without independent or enemy interference. While no kills are gained during most practices, the experience and knowledge gained becomes very useful in the face of real fighting. Members are expected to participate as much as possible and do their level best at ignoring the current state of the map while engaged in practice sessions.

Apart from the normal, everyday operations and practice sessions that Sturmgrenadier conducts, we also hold special squad activities. Perhaps the most popular of all special activities that SG participates in, are those activities in which we go head to head against another squad, Axis or Allied. Popular Allied squads, such as Kelly's Heroes (KH) and The Black Knight Brigade (BKB) challenge Sturmgrenadier to squad versus squad battles from time to time. Sturmgrenadier almost always accepts the challenge and thus far, we haven't lost one. The SG Command Staff sets up these battles and information is always posted well in advance to ensure that every SG member has the opportunity to make plans to participate. We also hold in-squad competitions, usually KG vs. KG, or AG vs. SG, etc. These in-squad battles prove the mettle of our members and are a great way to build friends and learn new tricks, not to mention a chance to whack fellow teammates, heh heh. Members seemed to love the SG vs. the command staff battles we've had in the past, hmm... Look for more!

Finding your unit and getting engaged:

When spawning into the game, finding your friends can be hard; not so with Sturmgrenadier. As a general rule, Sturmgrenadier will always be in our assigned Area of Operations (currently the far north, as mentioned earlier). If you are without Teamspeak (and you shouldn't be), simply enter the game, tune your radio to the squad channel and type "SG spawn check", you should receive multiple responses quickly. It pays to be familiar with your teammate's names and those of your Chain of Command; recognizing a correct response is key. Failing a general spawn check call, you may also attempt to .m any of the command staff for a spawn location. When spawning into a location, check to see what you need to be spawning in as- the field commander will almost always have something in mind for you.

Running with the team or lone wolfing:

You joined Sturmgrenadier for a reason; to be a part of the best and to participate in all that we do. In doing so, Sturmgrenadier requires that all members respond to orders given by the command staff, or those placed in command, quickly and without delay. There are many times when utmost speed is required to achieve a given objective and if members are too slow in their response, it can endanger the entire operation. Many times members will be ordered to one location only to be quickly relocated to another, this is to be expected. Pay close attention to all you see and hear and you'll succeed; if you fail in that endeavor, you'll quickly be left behind.

Everyone takes a break from the team from time to time in order to work on a skill or to try out the other side's equipment. If you decide to take a break from Sturmgrenadier operations, ensure that you are not using SG's Teamspeak server as it is reserved solely for the use of our members during SG-wide general operations. This rule does not apply if you are dispatched on a special operation with the approval of the field commander.

Honor and integrity in battle:

Sturmgrenadier prides itself on being an honorable fighting force with a high degree of integrity. Sturmgrenadier and its members have worked very hard to earn the respect of fellow players and squads game-wide. We DO NOT condone, nor allow any of our members to cheat, exploit, or otherwise compromise the game in any way; violators will be shown the door. Sturmgrenadier expects all of its members to treat non-members in a respectful and courteous fashion both in the game and out.

Leaving Sturmgrenadier:

If there is ever a time when you decide to leave Sturmgrenadier, whether it be from the desire to move on or real-life issues interfering, as a courtesy, please email your commander and let them know so that we may keep our rosters updated for the benefit of your fellow members.

If you are removed from Sturmgrenadier due to policy violations such as lack of participation, you will have to fill out an application to regain entry. If you are removed through disciplinary actions; you are barred from rejoining Sturmgrenadier.

Full details of our member and administrative policies can be found in our Charter.

TOP

You haven't joined yet? What are you waiting for! Get moving soldier! Current members- thanks for your support!