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Michalek

Salute to the Armed Forces!





By Changul



href="http://vanguard.tentonhammer.com/modules.php?set_albumName=Salute-to-Soldiers&op=modload&name=Gallery&file=index&include=view_album.php"> alt=""
src="http://media.tentonhammer.com/vanguard/gallery/albums/Salute-to-Soldiers/Matt.thumb.jpg"
style="border: 2px solid ; width: 104px; height: 137px;" align="left">In
this special Ten Ton Hammer feature, we want to recognize and support
all those who serve their country. Men and women all over the world
play many different roles in their country's defense, from every walk
of life. And besides that, our featured Armed Forces Personnel all play
video games! Today's "Salute to the Armed Forces" goes all the way to
Baghdad, Iraq, where we meet Sergeant First Class Matt Michalek. SFC
Michalek is a Platoon Sergeant in the United States Army. I can't post
any location
details because then he would probably have to kill me! And looking at
his picture, I would imagine he could find many ways to do just that,
and using only a dull spoon, too! After correcting my abysmal spelling
for "sergeant", he assured me that Platoon Sergeants are not the same
as Drill sergeants, ( to my vast relief!), and we were able to
proceed..with caution on my part.




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Changul:
style="color: rgb(128, 0, 128); font-weight: bold;">Hail SFC Michalek!
/salute SFC Michalek:
style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Hi there, style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">sorry I am a few minutes late, style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">got caught up in a quest. Changul: style="color: rgb(128, 0, 128); font-weight: bold;">It's quite all
right, you are on leave. style="color: rgb(128, 0, 128); font-weight: bold;">I am looking at
your siggy and I *think* it means you are a Sargeant First Class in the
Army Infantry? And I never can spell seargant..sargeant..correctly. SFC Michalek
style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Yep. Sergeant. style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Infantry Platoon Sergeant is my job. Changul: style="color: rgb(128, 0, 128); font-weight: bold;">You have an uber
looking weapon there, in your photo. SFC Michalek
style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Ya....just the basic stuff most everyone
has. only good against
ranged, though......very bad against melee.
Changul: style="color: rgb(128, 0, 128); font-weight: bold;">What, no bayonets?
*laughs* Anyhow, your letter
says you are a big Ten Ton Hammer and Vanguard fan. SFC Michalek
style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">:D....hehe. Ya.  style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Pre-ordered Vanguard, and have been
playing since launch. TTH is
the best info site that I can find.
Changul: style="color: rgb(128, 0, 128); font-weight: bold;">Thanks! I know the
team works hard to keep it informative. style="color: rgb(128, 0, 128); font-weight: bold;">You are currently
stationed in Baghdad? SFC Michalek
style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Ya, style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">on leave right now, but been in Baghdad
for a little over 6 months. Changul: style="color: rgb(128, 0, 128); font-weight: bold;">Ah sun,
sand..and..sun and sand? SFC Michalek
style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Just got through the rainy season, so
there has been a lot of rain and mud. style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">And being in the big city, there is not
much sand, just lots of trash. style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">But getting into the summer time now, so
lots of sun and over 100 degree weather. Changul: style="color: rgb(128, 0, 128); font-weight: bold;">Do you get to play
Vanguard over there? SFC Michalek
style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">I get to play about once a week style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">for a few hours, if the internet
connection is not too bad. Sometimes
the lag gets horrible
and
I end up dying more than anything else.
style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">There is a wireless internet service set
up that I can subscribe to.
Cell
phones are OK too, lots of people have them. 
style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Internet service is very expensive, and
somewhat flaky, but is better than nothing. Changul: style="color: rgb(128, 0, 128); font-weight: bold;">So how many gamers
would you say are in your platoon? And how many soldiers are in a
platoon? SFC Michalek
style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Well...there are about 2 or 3 other
hardcore gamers, but they are still hooked on WoW.....have not made the
switch to Vanguard. An
infantry platoon has about 40 soldiers total.
Changul: style="color: rgb(128, 0, 128); font-weight: bold;">Well you could
always order them to play Vanguard! SFC Michalek
style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Hah....that I could. Changul: style="color: rgb(128, 0, 128); font-weight: bold;">Does your military
experience come into play at all in game raids? SFC Michalek
style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">I don't do much grouping due to
my horrible lag.  I
cannot keep up with everyone else, so I don't want to be a
burden...mostly solo for me.
But
in the past, the main part of
military experience that has helped is the organazational and
leadership skills.
The
ability to keep a bunch of random people organized and focused is
important in groups and on raids.
Changul
style="color: rgb(128, 0, 128); font-weight: bold;">I guess no one
shows up late for your groups? SFC Michalek
style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Hah, yep. style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Before we left for Baghdad, me and a
number of my soldiers had a guild on WoW. style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">So we did a lot of stuff together. style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Worked out really well. style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">I am slowly trying to convince everyone
to move to Vanguard, which I
like much more than WoW.
Changul
style="color: rgb(128, 0, 128); font-weight: bold;">Good job,
Sergeant! style="color: rgb(128, 0, 128); font-weight: bold;">So what class do
you play in Vanguard? SFC Michalek
style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Psionicist. almost level 13. Changul
style="color: rgb(128, 0, 128); font-weight: bold;">What made you
choose that? SFC Michalek
style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">It is something different. style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">I have always been a healer/tank kind of
guy......you know, pally or shaman....that sort of thing. style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">I wanted a change of pace, more of
a real caster and the
Psionicist was new and cool.
Changul
style="color: rgb(128, 0, 128); font-weight: bold;">What do you like
best
about Psionicist? SFC Michalek
style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">I like the solo abilities. style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Root, nuke nuke nuke, slap with big
stick. It seems to be a
pretty good class to solo with, but I am still getting used to all the
nuances.
It would
probably be pretty good in a group for crowd control.
style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">I have to learn that aspect, because I am
used to being a healer in a group, style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">and unfortunately, that is one thing a
Psionicist does not have. Changul
style="color: rgb(128, 0, 128); font-weight: bold;">I have heard that
Psionicists have a seperate channel just for them, so they can
"communicate" with other psionicists? Is that true and/or useful? SFC Michalek
style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Yep, style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">at first, there was not much traffic, but
I have seen more and more conversations lately. style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">It seems good for asking advice, etc., style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">plus, when active, it gives you a boost
to energy rejuvenation. Not
much, but everything helps.
Changul
style="color: rgb(128, 0, 128); font-weight: bold;">Now that I did not
know! Any
bugs you really want to see fixed with your class?
SFC Michalek
Well,
nothing really stands out right now. Like I said, I am still
getting used to the nuances and details of the Psionicist, and have not
really explored the grouping aspects of the class yet. Changul
style="color: rgb(128, 0, 128); font-weight: bold;">Yes, and once you
hit 20, the whole game changes, it seems. For the better! SFC Michalek
style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Really? How so? Changul
style="color: rgb(128, 0, 128); font-weight: bold;">Stronger, more
powerful spells and abilities, less aggro from annoying mobs. style="color: rgb(128, 0, 128); font-weight: bold;">Plus I think this
is a game that takes real skill and not just macros to excel at it. SFC Michalek
style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Ya, that is one thing I really like. WoW
was all about the macro. I
look forward to getting there.
style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Once we get back to civilization, I think
I will be more active in getting a guild together with my guys. style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">I will prob make 20 in a few weeks, style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">unless I get on a crafting binge again. Changul
style="color: rgb(128, 0, 128); font-weight: bold;">So is Vanguard
your overall favorite game of all time? SFC Michalek
style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Hah, well, so far... I have played pretty
much all of them. I am quite an addict. Been playing online games of
some sort or another since the beginning of the genre. Changul
style="color: rgb(128, 0, 128); font-weight: bold;">What was your
first? SFC Michalek
style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Text muds with a 2400 baud modem, hehe,
long time ago. The first real MMORPG was Neverwinter Nights on AOL,
moved on to UO, but the first electronic crack , of course, was EQ. Changul
style="color: rgb(128, 0, 128); font-weight: bold;">Well the graphics
these days are so awesome, how do you like Vanguard's? SFC Michalek
style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Vanguard is pretty cool. Huge world, so
lots of new stuff to explore. Also, I like the more complex crafting
system, and a lot more fun than WoW. Changul
style="color: rgb(128, 0, 128); font-weight: bold;">If you had one
wish for Vanguard, what would it be? SFC Michalek
style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Hmmm....one wish. style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Well...I just want them to continue the
fine tuning. There have been
a lot of improvements since launch, and so far, everything looks like
it is going in a great direction. But
style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> I wish my client would stop crashing. Changul
style="color: rgb(128, 0, 128); font-weight: bold;">I think we all
want the crashing to end. style="color: rgb(128, 0, 128); font-weight: bold;">Now we just need
to get your whole platoon to play! SFC Michalek
style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Yep, of course, that would probably bring
down the internet in my building. Changul
style="color: rgb(128, 0, 128); font-weight: bold;">So is there a Mrs.
SFC you want to give a shout out to?  SFC Michalek
style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Nope, swinging single guy, hehe. style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Which, I suppose is good, since all I
have done since being back is go to Cubs games and play Vanguard. Changul
style="color: rgb(128, 0, 128); font-weight: bold;"> style="color: rgb(128, 0, 128); font-weight: bold;">Anything you want
to say to our readers? SFC Michalek
style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Time
to be wise and thoughful, huh? 
style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Well...don't get mad
at someone who is totally lagged out and causing group wipes, since he
just may be in Baghdad dodging rockets while playing (which has
happened before). Changul
style="color: rgb(128, 0, 128); font-weight: bold;">*laughs* In
combat, carrying a 50 lb. pack and a laptop...do the headphones fit
over
the helmet? SFC Michalek
style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Ya, crazy.



That sure did sound crazy! But ya gotta do what ya gotta do!


A Big Ten Ton Hammer Salute
to SFC Michalek!


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Last Updated: Mar 29, 2016

About The Author

Karen is H.D.i.C. (Head Druid in Charge) at EQHammer. She likes chocolate chip pancakes, warm hugs, gaming so late that it's early, and rooting things and covering them with bees. Don't read her Ten Ton Hammer column every Tuesday. Or the EQHammer one every Thursday, either.

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