A Message from OS
The Inside Scoop with Nem [INS DC]
Well the last month have been busy as usual for the crew of OS. We have been rearranging offices and have pulled streaming out from under SOCOP and made their own division. This will and already has strengthened our streaming opportunities and our brand. Kazumi is leading the streaming division up as DC and as a professional streamer....we look forward to the next chapter.
As many of you know Vanguard is a training ground for new units to launch into a Corp. The most recent graduate is Insurgency. The Insurgency DC, previous Spin Up Leader, sat down with us to discuss more about the game, his experiences and his time in Vanguard.
I am proud to announce that our selection committee has offered FireTAS the Corps Commander position and Arriani the Corps Lieutenant Commander positions and they have accepted. Please welcome them to their new positions
What made you want to play Insurgency? The thing that pulled me in the most was its fast paced realism. They found a great balance between realism and it being a game. Sure it doesn't have the latest and greatest AAA graphics or some ultra realistic physics engine, but, at the heart of what it is, is a game that puts emphasis on what truly matters most, the game play. That and they offer numerous game types to keep your interest, both PvP and Co-op! How did you come into the Spin Up Leader role? When I first joined TAW, and more specifically INS, we only had one Staff officer who ran both NA and EU battalions. Like many eager PFCs, I wanted to do my part to help the group grow into something much better. It came to pass that our SO had some real life things come up and he had to step down from TAW. With INS without a leader, many of the members were worried. Some were worried if we'd fall apart. Other were debating if they should even bother staying. With the growing concerns that's when I saw we needed to rally together! After that last mandatory with our SO was over, I spoke with the remaining members in channel. I told them that regardless of when/if someone comes in to take over, we are gonna continue to have fun with or without them. Keep showing up to these events and we'll do something. Shortly, after that we did get a SUL, but he was new to the game and FPS's in general. So even then I ran the events, both NA and EU, and kept morale up. Within a couple weeks I was made SO and eventually XO to help work with the behind the scenes. After about a month of being XO, our SUL decided to step down as he missed being apart of Sentinel. I was then recommended to be the next SUL.
Everyone keeps asking about 3.0, the next website platform for TAW. We are hearing rumblings out of the hard workers in DEVOP of a 3.0.1 so keep your eyes. Peeled. In the Alpha stages of the site only minimal people will have access to test as we did with 2.0. Once testing is completed, things are fixed, new modules are added....3.0.2 will have more participants to test. In other realms of OS, things continue to chime right along. The three facets of OS: Build, Promote and Success. Cherry [OS SC]
A Letter from the Editors This month has brought many changes to the Newsletter, EaglesStreet transitioned into the Division Commander position and Terephim has joined the team as the Division Officer. We also would like to take some time to thank Havoxa for all of his hard work for the newsletter, and we would not be where we are today without him. We would also like to Thank all the members from 1st Corp who helped us to create the Newsletter this month, we appreciate all the help that you have given us. As we move forward we are starting with a new format, each month will focus on one of our Corps in TAW. We will spend the newsletter learning more about these Corps, their Corp Commanders and the amazing games and community that they have fostered. Make sure to stay tuned to see your Corp highlighted in the Newsletter. EaglesStreet [NEWS DC] Terephim [NEWS DO]
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Digital Combat Stimulator
Counter Strike: Global Offensive Who are we? A Big friendly group of Terrorists (maybe some Counterterrorists) who just like to watch the World Burn, we plant bombs and shoot people in the head, do you like the sound of that, or maybe you just like to unleash 150 bullets of Glory into some poor soul, then CS-GO Division would be a place to be, CS-GO is a competitive First person shooter, that attractive people from all Levels. With it’s in house MatchMaking system to Public and private servers, it’s offers a Game that requires high level of tactics and Teamwork. A good team can go pro and win the full glory of championships in the MLG Scene, the Match-Making system Give a skilled ranks depending on how you perform in game, starting with New players in the Silvers, Average players into the golds and Pro players with
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This month I am glad to inform everyone from Azeroth all the way to Coruscant that our comrades in DCS (Digital Combat Simulator)have relaunched back into its rightful spot in army and has joined 3rd Corp alongside with ArchAge, League of Legends and Planetside 2. This being said next month I will be interviewing the team that pushed DSC skilfully back into army with invaluable
It is 1941 and the beginning of what will become the most brutal conflict of World War II, as Germany launches a full-scale invasion of the frozen tundra of the Soviet Union which would result in over 14 million military casualties. Take command of the Soviet Red Army in brutal frontline warfare to free Mother Russia from the invading Nazis. Your strategic skills and tactical expertise hold the power to tip the very balance of this conflict. Engage in visceral tactical combat that will define you as a military leader and challenge you to wield the might of the Soviet Empire as you smash your way to Berlin.
experience that I would like to help them share with our fantastic community. So feel free to go and say congratulations to SMooSHu and his team as they re-join Army and excel in whatever they do best. I am very excited to see them grow as a team and a family. -Havoxa Public Information Officer ArchAge, Digital Combat Simulator, League of legends, Planetside 2 3rd Corp
are the updates that Rydon asked us to share: COH has a new expansion coming out in September involving the British Faction. TAWCOH bought Vidar and Cacoon the expansion coming out for perfect attendance on the EU side, and BigRob and PureElegance of the NA side.
Spacecore after two years of service as DO stepped down and is the reason this division is as strong as it is today. Special thanks to all the memIf that sounds like a good time to you, bers for there hard work and sacrifice. then you need to head up to 1st Corp and -Rydon [CH DC] meet up with the guys from Company of Heroes 2. There you will find some great We in NEWS thank you for the update, people, who enjoy a great fight. Luckily, and will make sure to hop down to play one of them could spare the few minutes some games with you one of these days! to give us a very brief update on what has -Terephim [NEWS DO] been going on in the CH Division, here
A free-roaming, post-apocalyptic survival game... Comes with a free side order of Zombies. At least that’s how the TAW guys describe it, seems fairly selfexplanatory, so rather than go into a whole bunch of detail about the game itself, we decided to pin down the Division Staff and force them to answer some questions for us! Here’s what we got out of them. - Terephim [NEWS DO] What made you want to play DayZ? GunRunner: I’ve always been into open world games since GTA:III. A little while before I started playing DayZ, I was constantly playing Rust and that got me into the “Survival” type games. After watching a few videos of DayZ on Youtube I was already hooked. The game looked amazingly fun and I knew, even though it was only in Alpha, that it had HUGE potential. I noticed there was a spin-up team in TAW and decided to get the game since I would have people to play with. One thing I did not expect was just how fast this game can get your heart racing. There are moments while you play that your hand is literally shaking from adrenaline because everything you do in DayZ is life or death. After playing with the guys in the DZ spin-up team for a little over a month I decided to bite the bullet and request a transfer from War Thunder Division. TuranArek: I enjoy exploring, running around world. After years of playing Lineage 2 I started to miss my old fashion shooter. Started to explore new games, After a long time searching on the internet I found a few video’s and found my game. In less than 5 minutes i got hooked with Dayz. Not knowing where I am nor what I could do, starting eaten rotten fruit and I got sick. I was amazed with the game, “I can get sick, awesome.” I Kept exploring and found more interesting stuff. My first try to hold someone up went totally wrong, but I had fun. Jumped back in TAW and started to play with all these amazing people! How did you come into the Spin Up Leader role? GunRunner: I transferred into DayZ as a DI/SL. After a few days I was asked to take on the XO role which I graciously accepted. About a month after that I was asked to become the CO. In mid December, the spin-up leader at the time, Juvix, transferred back to his original division, Counter Strike, where he became the DO. PWRR stepped into the shoes of SUL for a little while but after a few weeks it was decided that I was ready to take the reins and move up to the SUL position. What is the biggest difference between Vanguard and 1st Corp? GunRunner: The biggest difference between Vanguard and 1st Corp is the chain of command. While in Vanguard as the SUL, we had to report every change to the CoC on a weekly basis and request permission to do certain things that DC’s in a corps would not. The majority of my time as SUL was spent preparing the division for launch into a corps. Getting an officer team in place, getting badge requirements worked out, figuring out the best way for Mandatories to operate to make sure everybody has fun, etc. Now that we are in 1st Corp and those things are in place, there is a little more freedom in the decision making and more time to concentrate on fine tuning the division, rather than building it from the ground up. Oh, and we can request tabs now too! TuranArek: The biggest difference is that you don’t need to ask for every improvements on your divisions and how you run it. As Long you run it fine and your growing all is fine. Besides that the group felt that they accomplished something and give a big moral boost. Is there anything you miss about Vanguard? GunRunner: There was more time to play the game when we were in Vanguard. Even though a lot of my time was spent preparing for launch, I still had more time to enjoy the game. Part of that has to do with my real life schedule, but a lot has to deal with the responsibili-
ties of the DC. In Vanguard, you always had 4 sets of eyes watching your every move and helping you along the way. Now as a DC, if things aren’t going right it is 100% the Division leaderships problem to handle. Most days I get home from work, answer my emails, meet with our leadership team and handle any issues that may arise. But being able to take care of the issues on our own has helped us grow and develop our strengths to become the 9th largest division in TAW at 101 members strong (Not bad for a game that few people thought could work in TAW). We are looking forward to continuing our success and growing our DayZ family even larger going forward, and our time in Vanguard definitely prepared us for the road ahead. TuranArek: On that point I had all the time of the world to play Dayz. As a DO you lose quite some time, on the other hand you feel more fulfilled. You are doing something back for the community of dayz and I gain more energy every time I accomplished something, like: Writing a recruitment document. We also select the best people for an officer position and see people grown in there TAW Job, hopefully this will add some extra knowledge to their real life from what they can benefit in a real life job. What is your favorite part about becoming Division Commander/ Officer? GunRunner: From the time I first entered the DayZ Division, I always looked up to Juvix. He was my mentor and taught me a TON of lessons on leadership while he was our SUL. He did an excellent job of getting the Spin-up team off the ground and running in the right direction. When I eventually took position of DC, I wanted to take the division to the next level and the next after that. I guess my favorite part of being the DC is seeing all of Juvix’s plans come together in the long run, and being able to expand on the foundation he set. Without his help, I wouldn’t be able to do the job today. I am more motivated than ever to take this division to the top (while making sure the fun never leaves), and that is what I love about being the DC. TuranArek: Promotion day! you get a honor for being selected to do this TAW job. From there on it is GunRunner and I who got all the responsibilities. Our slogan is “as long you have a good time” and from those words we work to make the Dayz Division a better place every day. One more thing I love to do, spam GunRunners e-mail everyday with things to do. At Least he will never be bored of the DO position! What other games do you like to play? GunRunner: I love all open world games. Fallout (FALLOUT 4 WHOOP WHOOP), Skyrim, GTA, Rust, Subnautica. Anything that isn’t linear and allows me to choose my path is a great game in my book. Of course I love FPS as well, particularly the Modern Warfare and Battlefield series’. I’ll even dabble in some RTS games every now and then by playing some Civ or LoTR:Battle for Middle Earth. I’m a gamer at heart and play a little bit of everything, but open world MMO’s have become my favorite. TuranArek: I love the Metal Gear series. There are several stories combines true the whole series. From the main character to politics, for people who enjoys complicated stories and like to put pieces together I would advise the whole series. Then we got the Souls series (Demon's Souls (ps3 only) Dark Souls, Dark Souls 2 and Bloodborne (ps4 only, what I still need to buy one day) soon there will be Dark Souls 3, then I will be on a two weeks holiday from TAW ;) These games got interesting sub stories and the developers don’t give the whole stories. It is your role to understand the surroundings of the game and fit all pieces together. There are several youtubers who put all the stories together, even watching these video’s are interesting by itself.
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Vanguard Update
the eagles.
As a community we take pride in helping others get better at the game, We are happy to say we have successfully over the last 2 months improved all of our division members out of Silvers ranks and into the upper gold, but we will not stop just there, With the New addition to our TS (training specialist) Yukiio & Hateshot they have been working tirelessly together to create a working regime to keep the members in our division interested in honing their skills in CS-GO, With the New badge system to allow you to collect all your shines, We are Always look for new members to fill our ranks, SL/TI/DI are always needed with our ever growing population, We regularly run competitions with prizes such as Case keys/Beta Codes and CD-Keys, so if you're Looking to show off your skills then get over here and join us in our Division only Competitions. -Yukiio [CS 2TS]
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This month in Vanguard we unfortunately had to close down Evolve as it was unable to grow despite the enthusiasm of MMOHealer and his team who soldiered on to the end, despite many setbacks along the way. This month, I am pleased to announce Heros of the Storm under Jernstolpe and Project Cars under DoctorKajita have entered Vanguard. This marks the first time a racing simulator has entered Vanguard, and we are excited to see how it goes. -Newo [VG PIO] GTA V The GTA V Vanguard unit has now moved up from Tier 4 to Tier 3. The Ill-Gotten Gains Part 2 content update was released on the 8th of July 2015 adding even more weapons, vehicles and more features to satisfy your darker desires. If you own GTA V and want to have fun with other members hop into our teamspeak channels whenever you feel like it. Our event times are Tuesday and Saturdays 20:00-21:00 CET or 15:00-16:00 EST. -Glengis [GTA SUL] Guild Wars 2 Our Guild Wars guild has been progressing nicely over the last month, with more incoming recruits and improving attendance rates every week. Plus, we're on the brink of unlocking the final upgrade to our in-game guild, Guild Puzzle missions! We also had a huge game update hit in the past month, introducing a rebuilt city of Lion's Arch, as well as a new use for Dragonite Ore, a near-total rework of the way conditions/debuffs work, and laying the groundwork for the class specialization system coming in the new expansion. This is a very exciting time to be playing Guild Wars 2, and we look forward to recruiting and expanding our division even more as we draw closer to the release of Heart of Thorns. -Armony [GW SUL] Heroes of the Storm Hello TAW members! As quite a few of you already know, Heroes of the Storm has made it into Vanguard. Just in case you haven't heard about this game before, it is a MOBA made by the company Blizzard with heroes/ villains from the Warcraft, Starcraft and Diablo universes. There are currently 8 different maps with different objectives that will help you win the game. For example collecting coins and then you give them to a pirate and he will shoot his canons from his ship on your opponents turrets and forts. There was recently a major patch released where we got a new playable character, a new map, some updated graphics, some UI updates, a new quest among other things. The new character is the Butcher from the Diablo franchise. The new map is called Battlefield of Eternity. Every once in a while there will be two legendary mercenaries in the middle of the map. One for each team and you have to help yours to defeat the opponents mercenary. Mercenaries is minions stationed around different camps around the map that you can kill and then they will help you destroy turrets/forts. Since we just launched into Vanguard we are still a small unit. As we start recruiting we will be looking for staff for the Oceanic region so if you are interested then send me an email at Jernstolpe@taw.net. -Jernstolpe [HOTS SUL] Payday 2 This month Payday 2 has received 2 new dlc packs. The Payday 2 Sokol Character Pack contains a new character Sokol the Russian, the grinder perk deck, Sokol's mask, Sokol's hockey stick melee weapon and the Valkyrie rifle. The Payday 2 Golden Grin Casino Heist contains A new mission from the Dentist, the Golden Grin Casino in Las Vegas which is the last contract from the dentist. Feel free to join us for trainings on Saturday and Wednesday 2000 GMT. -Himscar [PD SUL] Star Citizen We are pleased to announce that TAW is the #1 Racing Organization Worldwide for Old Vanderval Raceway, and in the Top 5 World for the other two tracks. Great job to our racing team for all their hard work and perseverance. We are coming to the end of our 2-month long racing tournament, our first extended campaign. Thanks to everyone that participated and a special thanks to FS Hook for organizing it. We'll launch another tournament soon, as we wait for the First Person Shooter module, which continues to be delayed. We have promoted a few new wonderful junior staff members! Xaust, our newest Training Instructor, is already working on guides to help new pilots get up to speed. Javino is our brand new Security Squad Leader, the point man for all things combat. Our new Platoon Leaders, Kavarin (NA), and Spokig (EU) have solidified and organized two weekly optionals: Wednesday 8pm CET and Thursday 10pm EDT in addition to our Mandatory on Sundays 3pm EDT / 9pm CET. In Star Citizen, there was a new concept sale and design post regarding the Genesis Starliner , which is a passenger transport ship. If you've ever wanted to be an airline pilot or a flight attendant, here's your chance! There's tons to do in Star Citizen for a wide range of interests - come see what it's all about! -Zoloft [SCZ SUL]
Vanguard Update– Cont. World of Warships World of Warships is coming along well, both as a growing unit in TAW and as a game. There was recently a wipe, which the developers claim will be the last, and now open beta is upon us. With new players able to join the game, thus new members are being recruited into TAW. The European Battalion has recently been recruiting additional members, and two of those have just made PFC. The North American Battalion has been growing as well, with new recruits coming in and two members being reinstated. The NA practice times have changed to Saturday, 9PM Eastern time. The Oceanic region has been challenging so far, but our members in the 3rd Battalion are still trying to recruit. Everyone is welcome to download the game for free, and join us for fun and recruiting in the WWS section of Vanguard Horizon Division. -ShmeeCow [VG SUL] HALO HALO has transitioned well from OS to Vanguard. Matarbuckle has taken up the roles as Staff Officer to take lead on recruitment efforts. We have recently rounded 9 members, and are steadily progressing in recruitment. For those interested, we now have our first mandatory set up and ready. http://taw.net/event/45144.aspx?d=2015-07-15 -Eifer [CC VC] Project Cars TAW is excited to announce the official spin-up of Project CARS, a multiplatform racing simulation from Slightly Mad Studios. This will be the first ever racing game to be introduced to TAW and will open the doors to a very popular genre with a huge, dedicated following. The potential for TAW is exponential. Recruiting has officially commenced; we will only recruit PC players to start, but will be open to consoles, depending on our success. Why Project CARS? iRacing, rFactor 2, Assetto Corsa, DiRT Rally and RaceRoom Racing Experience were all considered before deciding on Project CARS. Some of these titles have been around a while and have a dedicated, hardcore fan base. All of these titles are more “sim” than Project CARS. But, Project CARS, to me, is the most accessible racing game due to its price (onetime buy at US $49.99), UI, track selection and growing community / leagues. The last bit is important, because it’s who we’ll measure up and, from time to time, compete against. The ultimate goal is to create a successful division that will inspire others to spin-up other racing titles, such as iRacing. Perhaps one day there will be a corps within TAW that is dedicated to sports and racing games. Some Tidbits About Sim Racing PC gamers take their hardware seriously, as you know. Sim racers take this to the next level with dedicated racing rigs that have thousands and thousands of dollars invested. We won't expect anyone to break the bank to play, but at the very least, what we recommend is for members to have a wheel and pedal set. It not only makes the experience that much more authentic, it will probably help them become better drivers. For more information on the CARS division, contact doctorkajita@taw.net. -DoctorKajita [CARS SUL]
In the Scope MGN FireTas [CC SOC] As the new CC of Social Operations we thought it only appropriate to sit down with our CC to get to know more about his experiences in TAW. If you had to describe yourself in five words, what would they be? Friendly, Fair, Loyal, Laid back and NO DRAMA Give us a brief overview of your history in TAW. I joined TAW on May 3, 2007 in the Call of Duty 2 division. Shortly after that I transferred to Vanguard that had just been formed. I was part of the Team Fortress Division the was launched from Vanguard on Dec. 1, 2007. I worked through the ranks of Team Fortress until I became the DC. In October 2008 I became Corp Commander for 3rd Corp. I had to step down from CC due to real life. I helped in different positions and had taken a honorable discharge for a while. In Oct 2013 I was playing World of Tanks when I decided to come back to TAW. After I was here for several weeks I told Steel Ranger that if he needed help with anything to let me know. He asked me to help out as SO. I took the position and began helping. In Jan 2014 I was asked by Subrat to help out as DO so I accepted and began working closely with Steel Ranger.
In March 2013 I was asked by Central Command to help out as 3rd Corp Lieutenant Commander. I accepted and about a week later I was asked to take the 5th Corp Commander spot. I was there until May 2015 when I stepped down due to some real life issues. I transferred to World of Tanks again until I put in for the SOC CC position. I was offered the position and I accepted. I am looking forward to help making SOCOP even better. What was your initial impression of TAW? I thought that it was a good and decent place to be. I liked the idea that it was a clean and friendly place. What division are you in currently, and what do you do there? I am the Corp Commander of Support Operations Corp and I oversee the entire corp which includes TSO (Taw Streaming Operations), NEWS (Newsletter) and (SOCOP) Social Operations. What would you tell someone who is just now considering joining TAW? I would tell them to come join us because we are a friendly group that accepts all types of experiences. If you could change one thing about TAW, what would it be? Due to human nature there is sometimes drama between members. I always try to keep drama out and I make sure to help others do the same.
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The Inside Scoop with Nem [INS DC] cont. Continued from page 2 What is the biggest difference between Vanguard and 1st Corp? From the member's perspective, not much. We still meet twice a week to blow stuff up and have fun! From the officer's perspective, its a huge relief! In Vanguard, you wear many hats to make sure it all gets done. You stress about the events and rack your brain trying to figure out how you are going to get the division off the ground. As you develop, it gets easier as you share the workload, but it also introduces new challenges. By then you stress to meet all the requirements to get you to launch. Once we launched, there was a huge sigh of relief from everyone. We finally did it! It's a lot more laid back as you don't have to worry much about filling roles and cross checking their work to make sure things are done correctly. At this point, everyone is trained and knows what to do. However, we are introduced to one last challenge: To keep on, keeping on! Is there anything you miss about Vanguard? YES! First, I miss the leaders of Vanguard and working closely with them. They are, after all, your mentors and friends! Second, as mentioned in the last question, being in Vanguard can be stressful at times. That I don't miss. However, I do miss the challenge. Watching the division grow from nothing to something and teaching the various positions to the new recruits who, eventually, become your fellow leaders. There is nothing like that challenge and reward. What is your favorite part about becoming Division Commander? Reaping the rewards of launching. That is to say you can relax a bit more as the day to day things are taken care of. Though that doesn't mean you fall asleep behind the wheel. What other games do you like to play? I enjoy playing GTA V, Killing Floor 2, and have recently been trying out Dirty Bomb.
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Tell us about some of the people who you have met in TAW? I have met many people here in TAW. Some of those people have gone on to do other things and some are still here. It is always nice to be able to meet some of them in real life. Tell us about some of the people who you have met in TAW? I have met many people here in TAW. Some of those people have gone on to do other things and some are still here. It is always nice to be able to meet some of them in real life. What is your favorite thing about TAW? My favorite thing is how friendly people in TAW are and how people work to help others. How does TAW effect your offline life? I try very hard not to left TAW affect my offline life. What sort of hobbies/activities do you enjoy?
I enjoy reading, building computers and playing games with friends. I like PC games but I am not on console games much even though I have four different consoles at home. What is your favorite retro video game? Why? Fury which was a Windows 95 game. I tried to load it on my new PC and it was not compatible. Do you admire any celebrities? Why or why not? I like Clint Eastwood and John Wayne because they always told it like it was. What might our readers be surprised to know about you? That I used to live in Costa Rica and that I speak Spanish fluently. Finally... If you could choose one TAW member to be stranded on a desert island with, who would it be? And why? Too many to pick just one...
Promotions Notifications To further our efforts in reaching out to the community we have come up with a new way to congratulate and honor all the members in our community. We are implementing Promotion Notifications, that means that when you get promoted you can see your promotion here in the Newsletter. Make sure to stay tuned each month to see who was promoted and be sure to pass on your congratulations. League of Legends: VonKarma has been promoted to Private First Class Arglex has been promoted to Private First Class vatsk has been promoted to Sergeant Eandrik has been promoted to Corporal Star Citizen: Javino has been promoted to Sergeant Xaust has been promoted to Corporal World of Warcraft: Camphor has been promoted to Staff Sergeant Sheodred has been promoted to Private First Class
Don’t Forget to Tune in to The Other Side of Gaming Podcast! Make sure to tune in July 28 and August 8 for The Other Side of Gaming. This Podcast focuses on the viewpoints of women in a mostly male gaming community as well as learning more about our podcasters each week. This past week the group which included EaglesStreet, Tichtach, Redsword and a special guest Feliksa from League of Legends, discussed childhood, the topics ranged from gaming as a child to some of the favorite childhood memories. Make sure to tune in to learn more about the podcasters and enjoy the comradery of gamers talking about life, gaming and the amazing community of TAW. -EaglesStreet [NEWS DC]