Commanding Officer Application - tobias_reaper
What is your BYOND key?
tobias_reaper
What is your Discord ID?
A clockwork gent
What is your timezone in UTC?
GMT +0 currently
Player Name You Use Most?
Vaughn Russel
Ban Appeals, Whitelist and Staff Applications:
Fax responder:
Mentor:
https://forum.cm-ss13.com/t/mentor-application-tobias-reaper/16324/18
Pred- denied due to inproper attitude and story standards:
https://forum.cm-ss13.com/t/tobias-reaper-yautja-application/16606/10
Pred- Accepted:
https://forum.cm-ss13.com/t/tobias-reaper-yautja-application/17394/9
Commanding officer: Denied due to incompetence:
https://forum.cm-ss13.com/t/tobias-reaper-commanding-officer-application/16998/14
Commanding officer: Denied due to Obama
Have you been banned in the last 3 months?
No
If so, why?
Not applicable
Command Knowledge:
How familiar are you with command positions?
Very. It is by far my preferred role, I am by far a CIC main. I have seen pretty much any situation that can happen as a XO, know most common plans, from both sides, and their weaknesses and strengths, and any hard counters, such as hive core in a certain position, and flanks that can bypass a choke being held from my experience in SL.
I am aware of all the smaller technical aspects that go into running an op, beyond loading the OB and brief. Making sure someone is at req roundstart, ensuring medical is staffed, research knows what they are doing, ect.
I am growing progressively more familiar as the months go by
Hours in XO:
- I took a leave of absence from CM after my last denial, to spend more time on other hobbies, so this has not particularly increased from my last application.
Hours in SL:
- See above.
Character Information:
Why did your character decide to become the CO of a ship?
Russel has always been a highly ambitious individual, seeking to distance himself from his families shadow, and secure a future for his niece. Following extensive combat experience as both a Whiteguard solutions employee, and marine, and at the suggestion of some friends in The Company, becoming the CO of his own vessel was the next step in Russel’s-and the company’s- ambitions
How did your character attain the position of CO?
Despite some people in posts of power having strong distastes of The Company, and PMC contractors, Vaughn’s combat record and experience could not be denied. When the time came for his promotion review, it was decided he was potentially highly valuable as a senior officer, and W-Y’s personal recommendation, while itself bearing no weight among those with a distaste for it, indirectly promised greater funding from the company and closer relations, if Vaughn’s promotion was granted. Those who saw potential in him argued for his promotion to be granted, to provide opportunity to shape him into the perfect example of a field hardened, experienced Senior officer, and a great benefit to the marine corps.
Provide a short story of your CO.
Command Actions:
When do you believe it’s appropriate to pardon a prisoner?
- When the prisoners immediate services are urgently required
- Them waiting out their timer would be a dramatic negative for the operation
- They show genuine remorse
- While there is never a 0% chance of a reoffence, I would have to be comfortable in saying the chance was extremely low.
- I genuinely, wholeheartedly think an appeal has been denied in error. Not simply a difference in opinion, but the law has been misapplied, or applied maliciously. A situation where I would as a MP be considering an Ahelp asking for provost to swing by.
Give some examples of when you would or would not use pardon.
When TO pardon:
A doctor may be pardoned if I become aware there are large amounts of hugged coming up, and medical is struggling, and they are currently brigged for tackling a MP for arresting a patient, if they show me they understand they should not interfere with arrests in future.
An engineer has been brigged for DASO, against the CMP, and resisting arrest. It is low pop, and he is one of two engineers awake. I lack confidence in the SLs ability to use their engineering skills, and think the delay in the engineer deploying could mean waiting for their release for comms, or for FOB to be in decent shape. A lack of comms is a severe hindrance, and after a stern talking to, if he showed remorse, he would be pardoned.
The sole researcher has been brigged for producing illegal drugs, and giving them out as “party pills” to the medics, something he did at the start of the op while they were requesting their IA and such. He is currently working on vital stims, which may be the difference between breaking a choke and front collapsing. The CMP finds out about the drugs and arrests him. Provided the charge was contraband, and not sedation, which there is an argument for, the researcher recognises that giving certain drugs to marines can actively hinder the operation, and they accept their actions violated both ML and good sense, he would be pardoned.
A private has been brigged, for “assault with deadly weapon” for smacking someone with the butt of his rifle, a FTFP shoved on for not wearing his uniform. Is a private needed VITALLY to the operation? No, will his delay leave a MASSIVE impact on the OP? No. But the guy is clearly new, and probably did not understand what he was doing. Get a SEA in and ready to receive him on release, to instruct him on how to function as a marine, and pardon him. If there is no SEA, I would look for another experienced marine to teach him. There is a certain amount of linancy I think new players need, and in this exact example I would argue that the intent clause of ML ought to have been applied and an appeal granted. He highly likely did not mean to assault a marine, and the crime specifically requires ill intent. One of the easiest ways to spot extremely new players is a naked marine wandering the halls, and the MP have been a bit heavy handed. (Though I do appreciate the slim chance it’s a smurf account of a more experienced player, up to no good, I think the benefit of doubt should be given.)
When NOT To pardon:
SADAR has hurled insults to the MP, including CMP, tackled a MP, stripped him, thrown his clothes in the disposal, and resisted arrest. He is asking for a pardon on grounds of being SADAR. Says it is standard brief mischief, and lacking SADAR will cripple the marines. I do not grant the pardon. You are not “soft immune” to ML just because you are an important role. The marines will have to handle themselves without SADAR till the time is up. You are not at all regretful of your actions, you do not understand what you did was wrong, you simply want a get out of jail free chance card.
The CMO has been brigged for NOD for not realising the researchers were making greenos without auth. He claims this is a gross overstep of the MP, and he cannot be responsible for babysitting researchers 24/7 ensuring they do nothing wrong. When his appeal fails, he uses comms and asks the CO to come to the brig, then repeats this and asks for a pardon. It is in fact your role, to babysit medical, and be aware of what is happening. You again, are not at all regretful of your actions, and are simply trying to get a free pardon. Being an officer comes with responsibilities. It does not grant you any higher level of immunity to the law. I am additionally dubious of anyone specifically requesting a pardon.
A doctor has managed to incinerate a live human being at the crem, has been sentenced with murder. His appeal, denied. He has called for a pardon, and is correctly stating to be an exceptional doctor that greatly aids the marines. He claims mistake, and says he is sorry and wishes to return to his duties, medical is overwhelmed with hugged. I cannot grant this pardon, it is both, moronic, borderline LRP he got into such a situation, but even with that excused - I cannot pardon capital crimes, regardless of my own opinion.
Im including this under the pardon section because its an extension of the power:
When would I cancel an arrest?
Any situation that can be easily handled with a cancel of an arrest, that would likely be appealed, if the arrest did occur, and if not, pardoned, such as MP swarming over a manslaughter charge for SADAR accidentally gibbing a marine. Assuming I’m on the same field as SADAR, I cancel the arrest. It puts a very definite close to the situation and lets the SADAR focus on his job, free of guilt, and makes it clear to the MP to focus on other matters.
Used correctly, a cancel of an arrest can put an end to any arguments over if someone should or should not be arrested and allow people to focus on their other duties.
When do you believe it’s appropriate to use a Battlefield Execution?
While I appreciate the IC thematics of a BE, I think it is an event hard to justify. The following would have to be true.
There is no way of talking out the issue.
There is no action to be taken other than removing the marine.
There is no MP.
There is no one I would trust to deputise.
OR an immediate, real threat to mine, or a marine life. Even then I err on the side of gunning them down, cuffing and letting the medics defib them, so they may be brigged, if possible, and not unduly complex for marines to transport to MP.
During hijack, I would be more willing to BE. My reasons are as follows. Hijack, though OOC we may view it with some reluctance, or as part of due process, is an IC exceptional, horrific situation. Akin to a major military base being stormed by terrorists. The loss of control in such a situation is inherent. It is the duty of a commander to attempt to keep order in such a situation, to allow either a well executed evacuation, or a counter attack to clear the hijackers. Any threat to this, from his own men, must be handled with extreme prejudice, so at to quell any further loss of authority. Sending a man to the brig is reasonably impossible, and restraining a marine during hijack, is in itself, a loss of control and a death sentence for that marine.
There is RP opportunity in being brigged, or disciplined. while it may IC make sense to BE in certain circumstances, it is a OOC round removal, where someone IRL can no longer engage and have fun. It should be an absolute, last resort, and be a notable event when you are forced to resort to it.
I will briefly also talk about the other round removal potential COs get. Discretionaries.
I would use a discretionary in the following cases:
A marine has maneuvered his way around being charged for something that clearly is not ok, and the MP are not comfortable to stretch the law, or cannot find anything whatsoever.
They have broken the law in such an exceptional, wild way, that I feel extending a sentence is warranted.
A situation has occurred where a BE could be used, but I feel it is excessive considering the circumstance. E.G, a CAS pilot has accidentally struck the FOB. Discretionary him, explain the issue, let him sit a while then release him. This I feel is a good alternative to manslaughter charges.
Rarely would any of my discretionaries be permanent charges
Give some examples of when you would or would not use Battlefield Execution.
Would not:
Nearly any shipside situation. I can likely just talk down the issue, if that fails or is not possible, call the MP, if that fails, deputise an officer. Then make it clear if they continue doing whatever behaviour they are doing, it will “end badly.” and allow fellow marines to suggest they stand down. It would be a blue moon circumstance where ALL of these methods fail.
Bad FF accident gets me killed, I am defibbed, and the guy who did the deed says something along the line of “Whoops. My plan to assassinate the commander, foiled” or other ridiculous, ill thought out comment. While I could on paper justify the BE, its highly likely an accident, and poor choice of words. Id handle it IC with something along the lines of “You nearly killed me, do not joke about it or I will end you.” Yeah, I would seem a bit dramatic over what’s a joke, but it IC is moronic to say, and needs a reasonable IC response, while bearing in mind, a BE is OOC round removal.
Would:
A marine actively opens fire on me groundside, over me cancelling his order to fall back. BE.
While I am trying to rally the men groundside, a SL is saying I will get them killed, and urging people to fall back. I ask them to stop, make it clear what will happen if they continue, starting from SL being reassigned. If they continue after SL is reassigned, or at any point get threatening, I make it clear the next step is BE, and urge people to listen to the new aSL, who is likely listening more. They continue. I tried. BE
While ordering a fallback, a SL is countermanding me, calling me a coward, and urging marines to charge, people are, and are getting killed. I wait a second to see if xenos handle it for me. If not, I ask they stop if I can, and reassign SL- if they still continue, BE.
During hijack, a marine suggests joining a CLF ert, and assisting CLF in exchange for safe passage BE. You are only missing a few minutes. You said something very stupid.
During hijack, I do not arm evac. I believe we can kill the hijackers. A SL threatens to gun me down if I do not. I believe this is a credible threat and not just emotive language. BE.
I am deployed inside FOB- it is a siege with a soon to be born king. I order the men to prep for evac. A SL insists his men are the greatest and can push out, and orders them to do so. I believe this is certainly suicide and belay the order. He insists he believes he can take the comms tower, and once again asks his men to muster on him and prepare to push. I again, tell him my choice is final and he is evacuating. He continues trying to muster his men. BE, and reassign the SL.
It is my responsibility to make the calls on when a push is not viable as a commander, and if we are in a siege, I cannot afford to lose more men to glory hounds trying pointless charges. I trust my own understanding of what is not viable enough to trust I am correct in my call, and I am willing to bare the responsibility of potentially being wrong.