Fallen Heroes Charity Alert: This Memorial Day Weekend

[Carivana]

Few causes can unite the warring factions of Auraxis, but this Memorial Day weekend, we’ve finally found at least one. The Terran Republic’s Black Widow Company and BattleGroup Mattherson present, in cooperation with the Vanu Sovereignty’s Nightmare Battalion, the Fallen Heroes Charity Alert: a 3-day drive for the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund and International Rescue Committee.

Intrepid Fallen Heroes works to provide care for US service members and veterans who suffer from traumatic brain injuries and post-traumatic stress, the invisible wounds of war. The International Rescue Committee charges to the front in emergency efforts, responding to the worst humanitarian crises in the world. BWC and BGM invite all Mattherson soldiers to join us in battle, and online, for this fantastic cause.

The festivities begin for all of BattleGroup Mattherson this Friday, 23MAY. Opening ceremonies begin at 1900 EDT, streamed directly to Twitch and happening inside your PlanetSide 2 client, just a click and a character away. From that point forward, the action won’t stop until near close of day at 2300 EDT on Sunday, 25MAY. And BattleGroup Mattherson promises to be out in force.

If you want to go all in, Nightmare Battalion [NTMR] and Black Widow Company [BWC] are both raising funds for charities directly benefitting those men and women whom Memorial Day honors. Black Widow Company’s official charity, Play To Give Back™, will be collecting funds from TR faction members for Intrepid Fallen Heroes and the International Rescue Committee this weekend. Donation information for PTGB™ will be posted frequently during the event on the BWC Twitch channel, or you can click here for more details. Nightmare Battalion has also created a CrowdRise page for their fundraising effort, which you can find by clicking here.

Help kick off this Memorial Day with a 72 hour gaming marathon in honor of all the sacrifices made by those in uniform. Or, just log in for extra fights at all hours of the day. Either way, we’ll see you on Auraxis.

[Mungo]

I was looking for a new place to game but what I found was much more, dare I say a gaming family. I would not play half the games I enjoy today having not joined BWC and my time here has given me new levels of confidence and experience within the various genres of gaming we participate in, I started out unknown and bumbling through games but it was after my first interactions with the DI cadre that I started to understand how to actually play better and tactics to achieve victory.

It was at this point I knew what I was going to do with my time in BWC and decided I would give back to the community, it was only through the dedication and organisation of others that I got where I am and it was my goal to give back to my new family because without the people that came before me, I wouldn't have gained the game knowledge or leadership skills I have today and through this it gave me the confidence in myself to seek gaming excellence for myself and others.

[TAHU]

Day 1: What have you achieved with BWC that you couldn’t have achieved alone?
Ive become a far better player both in infantry and Armour. I was a decent tank pilot before i joined up with BWC, however running with a high organized force has not only taught me new things but has made me want to better in every aspect. I cannot thank BWC enough for giving me the opportunity for me to both enjoy this game at a relaxed and serious level as well as to further develop myself.
One Team, One Fight!

[Johnde]

The BWC’s camaraderie alone has exceeded any expectations I could ever have had. People are always there to help with an in game problem. Past experience is the people around you didn’t want you to become any better than they were. So I had to learn stuff alone. I’m making new friends in the BWC near and far across the planet and internet. Playing alongside veteran players has given me advance knowledge of several games. They share this information freely. The training from the BWC in PS2 alone has increased my game play dramatically. The knowledge and training may have come after many months of playing, but, without the BWC I couldn’t have done so much in such a short time.

PTGB Website

[dttuner]

First and foremost I'd say level of enjoyment from gameplay has increased dramatically. There's nothing like having an unrelenting horde of like-minded butt-kickers on your side, to help you conquer the hill, beat the boss, and complete your quest. Being a part of the BWC family has raised my skill levels, and fun levels to new heights. Where else could I conquer an entire continent, and laugh all the way to the bank with friends? One Team, One Fight!

[RME]

Not only have I achieved a higher level of professionalism as dictated by our community, but I've made more friends than I could possibly imagine. I would've never guessed how ubiquitous our community is around the globe. I mean, I live within an hour-long distance from a dozen of them. They teach me not only how to be better at gaming, but how to be better as a person. I have learned to be compassionate about everyone I meet, respectful of even the most humiliating enemies, and highly efficient with getting work done.

It gives me a positive mindset to not only tackle challenges on the virtual world, but in the real world as well.

One Team. One Fight.

[Gardanis]

Day 1: What have you achieved with BWC that you couldn’t have achieved alone?

Teamwork.Since I have been with BWC the Teamwork is the best I have ever seen.
In game and out of game.So many members work hard and play hard together.
Members (Friends) are always eager to help other members and non members in
anyway they can.BWC go's the extra mile.So I must say Teamwork and Friendship.

http://ptgb.org/

[Frackenstein]

Family... Our motto in the BWC is One Team One Fight. Joining the BWC team, has given me a sense of accomplishment, and pride that I have never received in any gaming clan, guild, or outfit. They have given me a place to call home and a family to enjoy it with. I have been PC gaming since 1999 and the BWC has given me the achievement of belonging some where, Something I have never achieved anywhere else. Thank you Black Widow Company.

[Firefly]

What have you achieved with BWC that you couldn’t have achieved alone?

Healing.

I will say this to all of you who read this, whether you are my brother in BWC or just a brother in arms or just a brother in need -- I will always be here for you. I will never leave you behind. If you ever need to talk, I will be here whether it's morning, night, or noon. All you need to do is reach out. Many of my brothers have my phone number -- if you don't have it, and you need to talk, PM me either here or preferably on the BWC forums. Ask for it. Reference this post. Give me a number. I will call you immediately. No one should ever be left behind, even survivors.

I ETS'd from the US Army in 2004 and then served as a private military contractor, continuing to deploy overseas on contract. I have served in Bosnia, Kosovo, Afghanistan, and Iraq. I have seen firsthand the horrors of war and the toll it takes on civilians and troops.

This is something I have never ever mentioned to anyone. I am choosing to come forth today, ten years after I ETS'd. I am a survivor.

I was an alcoholic. I self-medicated. It shows in my post history on numerous forums. I was a horrible, miserable, angry drunk and it cost me my family, it nearly cost me my military career, and it nearly ruined my life. This was before PTSD, survivor's guilt, and invisible wounds were buzzwords, before they were recognised, when they were still a stigma. I suffered night terrors. I woke in cold sweats, screaming. I tried to strangle my ex-wife when she made the mistake of waking me up. I lost my temper and put a hole in the wall. My ex-wife eventually got fed up with my bullshit, refused to back down, and we began exchanging bitter and hateful words. I became something I despised and didn't recognise. I shamed myself with my actions and my addiction. She gave up on us, and that was the end. She took my kid with her, and I did not see him again for six years.

Without my brothers in BWC, many of whom are comrades in arms, some of whom stood with me on real battlefields in far-flung third-world shitholes, I would not be here today. I would have either drank myself to death or I would have eaten the barrel of a gun. Without my brothers, I would be a statistic.

Through their compassion, grace, love, camaraderie, and understanding, I learned to cope. I learned to cut the bullshit. I learned to let go of my hatred and anger. I learned to struggle it out with the rest of my brothers. For some of them, I was their mentor on a path to military service. For some of them, I was their rock when they came home. For many of our members, I helped create a place, helped maintain that place, where they could play video games among fellow brothers in arms. And when my turn came, they were there for me.

Thank you, BWC. Thank you to all who have served, whether in the US Armed Forces or foreign services. And thank you to all the people who supported their brothers, serving or civilian. And for those of you who know someone that never came home, I share your grief and I will always honour their sacrifice.

Respectfully,
Firefly, Black Widow Company
Commanding Officer // HMFIC

United States Army
1994-2004

[Avaleon]

"The whole is great than the sum of its parts"
Never has that been more true than with my experience gaming with my brothers and sisters here at The Black Widow Company. The coordination and leadership that you will change your experience of PlanetSide 2. I guarantee this will seem like a totally different game. If you want to play with a great group of people who will help you raise your game to the next level, look no further than The Black Widow Company. So this weekend, take advantage of the 2x XP, roll at toon on Matherson, and join us. You will not regret it! Good luck everybody and I'll see you in game!

[ReactionShot]

When I first started playing PlanetSide 2, I had no idea how team-based the game was. Without a large group or significant amount of people, there was no way I was going to be able to take any bases unless I was attempting to ghost cap. BWC not only offered trainings and experience, but they showed a strong sense of camaraderie. I joined up and started taking bases, having fun, and most importantly, I built friendships. Without BWC, I feel that I would have put down PlanetSide 2 as a whole and I wouldn't have learned how to step up and lead large groups of members or have the current friendships I have.

[CitizenGeronimo]

PlanetSide 2 is a brutal game if you are trying to go it alone, but there is hope! Certainly, you may have heard of the Black Widow Company (BWC)? Since joining BWC I went from a Zerg Pugging Newbie to a member of a highly effective and recognized organization. Without BWCs command and training climate, I would still be skull capped in 1.1 seconds. Now, I run with a squad that plays with precision, covering each other, and effectively taken the fight to the enemy. Life in PlanetSide 2 is so much more enjoyable, and I am constantly learning from real pros and friends from BWC.

[Carivana]

I never realized what I could accomplish with a large, organized group until I joined BWC. When I joined, I was pretty much completely new to the game, and BWC buckled down and taught me how to play. A lot of the trainings teach you how to play on your own, but a lot more of the trainings teach you how to work effectively with a group, and now that I know what it’s like, I have more fun playing in squads than I do playing alone. This event is just one of the many examples of the ways we can mobilize lots of people for great things.

[Johnde]

WOULD YOU LIKE TO KNOW MORE ?

PTGB Website link

[dttuner]

Without my BWC brothers and sisters watching my back, planning our next assault, organizing our forces into one cohesive unit, I'm sure my experiences in PS2 would be much different. I'd be limited to running around the battlefield, blindly following the mass of disorganized "pugs" into a pit of death.
Winning territory in PS2 is all about coordinated strikes, timing, and using sound tactics to defeat the enemy forces. Alone, I would be completely lost, forcign myself to play in order to try and earn more certs to unlock the next mod/item/weapon. I'd be lost, and bored.
With my BWC bretheren at my side, crushing the enemy beneath our boots and taking continents has become an EPIC experience. One Team, One Fight!