If you've read the Unit page already, then you understand what this section is for, and what the first four buttons, above, do...

You will notice there are two FORUMS buttons, one in the left menu, and one above.  The left button will take you to the public forum, while the button above will take you to the restricted Enlisted forum.  Enlisted personnel have one forum in which NCOs and Officers cannot enter, a place only you and your friends can go; I ask you to be responsible or the privilege will be removed.

As a first timer you are required to download the OPS MANUAL which is a relatively short guide to the unit, your responsibilities, how rank works, and a bit of fluff on our organization and the uniform.  There is also a Code of Conduct (CoC) to follow within, and instructions are given in certain sections outlining what you need to do to complete your time as a Cadet.  All manuals are 8" x 5" PDF files, and the Command Staff of this unit will do all we can to keep each of them relatively small, although the NCO Manual will, obviously, be larger than the Enlisted Manual, and likewise for the Officer Manual in comparison to the NCO Manual.  Certain sections within each manual give you an opportunity to improve your points-toward-rank and, although these are not mandatory to be completed, they will allow those who are dedicated and looking to move up in the unit the opportunity to do just that.

Completing the academic portions of the Enlisted Ops Manual will gain 1 point per completed section plus the Basic Completion Ribbon, worth an additional point, for a total of up to 4 points.

Completing the Enlisted Kill Ratio Baseline Operations gains 7 points total plus the Advanced Individual Training Ribbon, worth an additional point.  Those who are here only to role-play may earn this award as a boon for particularly good role-playing.

Completing all portions of the NCO Ops Manual, academic and KRB, will gain a total of 11 points plus the Basic NCO Academy Ribbon, worth an additional point, for a total of 12 points.

Being promoted to the rank of Command Sergeant Major gives that individual the right to wear this ribbon, even if they are replaced later, and is worth 1 point.

Completing all portions of the Officer Ops Manual, academic and KRB, will gain a total of 18 points plus the Officer Candidate School ribbon, worth an additional point, for a total of 19 points.

So, you've seen the title "Cadet: Responsibilities" and you have become apprehensive immediately about whether or not this is the right place for you.  After all, this is JUST a game, right?  You're exactly right; however, it goes one step beyond that, because this is a unit, an organization, a gathering, a club if you will, and each club has it's organization, rules, guidelines, and requested responsibilities of each member.

Before you go running off... you need to understand that, yes, this is based around a game, nothing more than a video game that is supposed to help you relax after a long day at work or school, or take away the difficulties of an otherwise stressful life.  We ARE here to have fun, although in an organized fashion.  BattleTech (c. 1985), what the MechWarrior series of games are based on, and MechWarrior on-line since it began in 1995 -MPBT 3025 and Solaris VII were earlier than that- have always centered around the famed units of the game: Wolf's Dragoons, Kell Hounds, Northwind Highlanders, and Grey Death Legion to name a few.  Armageddon Unlimited joined this proud tradition in 1998, and we will keep it going; therefore, playing in our unit has to do with a little bit more than just playing a game.

You are joining a community of gamers -players in this unit, any contracting unit we fight alongside, and any sister unit(s) we are not presently matched against- who will count on you, your discipline and your skill to help win the battle.  If you play the game better than someone else, try to help them raise their skills.  If you go into a battle and are being an ass, and help your team lose, then you are doing a disservice to them and yourself as well as costing this unit in potential new contracts and play opportunity as well as our honor.  No one likes to lose a single-player game, as it makes one feel inadequate to the task, to curse the game for cheating or being designed to be too hard; I've done it, myself, so I know.  It's even more serious when you have a group of comrades, hopefully as good as friends, and they lose on a collective basis; losing brings bad feelings -even for those who claim to be immune to them- and, eventually, enmity for former friends simply because you decided to screw off because, after all, it's only a game, right?

There is more stress to being part of a unit than just playing the game.  For example, you may play the single-player version of any game and destroy it by yourself; however, on-line you're facing live enemies almost all the time, and there is ALWAYS someone bigger, stronger, and faster than you are.  There are also requirements each person must fulfill to remain part of the unit -training and battles-, to advance in the unit -in AU this means academic study and hands-on training-, and to become the very best, both in the unit and among the MechWarrior community at large -winning battles with skill, honor, and grace, treating opponents with decency and respect, helping to keep your fellow unit members in-line on forums and in-game if they get out of hand, and helping to advance the community by recruiting other players to the League should they decide not to join us.  None of these are without reward, whether that is personal satisfaction that you've done something good, or a new ribbon on your uniform, or even an increase in rank.

Those are known as good stressors, since there are good and bad ones.  Playing in the game is also important to AU, and how you conduct yourself on the battlefield -tactics, firing weapons, using your 'mech and the terrain, and how you treat your comrades in arms and the enemy- is equally as important as how you conduct yourself in the AU and League forums, in instant messengers and chat rooms, etc.  With good conduct and a heart willing to commit itself to these few principles, to the idea that you succeed only if you try and work at it, you will go the distance in this unit.

There are a few bad stressors, as well.  Although the Command Staff and I will do all in our power to keep this unit as active as possible, none of us can guarantee the individual next to you will always hold up their end of the bargain.  Real Life (RL) things happen: family members die or become deathly ill, members become ill or fall prey to an accident, fall into depression and/or on hard times, start to work longer hours, or different hours, and this list could go on and on.  Show concern for your fellows and ask them if there's anything you can do to help them out; all they can do is say 'no' and you're on your way.  Worry about yourself, how you're doing within the unit structure, within the game, and how you treat those around you, and you will do better than worrying about everyone else who isn't.  Keep in mind, if you've noticed something is amiss, nine times out of ten the Command Staff will have noticed it as well; therefore, there's no need for you to scrap over it.

NOTE: Two final notes and I'll be done.  1) If you're going to fight in a League battle, try not to lose our 'mechs or other equipment, as what we have will be extremely limited.  2) Get your copy of the Operations Manual, a PDF file, and make sure you read it and follow the instructions inside so we'll know you've read it as well.