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[Re-posted from the S3 Forum]
All good things must come to an end. And so it is with the original Squad Select Series in WarBirds. Twenty years of war! Countless Sundays reliving the past, being our Heros.
It started with seven squads and seventy-five players back in 1998. The iconic Battle of Britain in the very first S3, "3 Days in August". So many squads and so many names over the years. We had the very best going in the early days of online games. Blood, money and tears each Sunday for ten months of the year. Year in and Year out.
The Hardcores. The Diehards. The best, most sportsmanlike and professional bunch of gamers on the internet came together after supper on Sunday or early in the morning on Monday, from all over the world. From Brazil to Britain to Japan, we lived for this "game". Some guys never missed a frame for years, they were the one constant in our lives as the world changed around us all. We played to win but we played by the rules. We played with respect, honor and humor. We were human and we apologized for our lack of grace. We took pride in our victories but were humble and enjoyed the contest on its own merits with the result often secondary to the play. We helped each other out, volunteered to keep our passion alive during the week, long before our Sunday game day. Our families knew when we had "war", not a game, WAR!
We were lucky to be in on the explosive growth of internet gaming from the beginning. We made our sandbox represent us as established WarBird players, historians and enthusiasts. All we demanded was to play with fairness, sportsmanship and professionalism. And we sustained ourselves for so long. Games and events came and went and we flourished. Nineteen years watching each other grow as friends and players. The sadness as we began to pass from this world. Real friendships and respect for what each of us brought to our event. Years playing together exposed our innate morality. Many I would trust with my life based upon how well they played, planned and enjoyed the S3s.
It is impossible to re-live our time in the sun. There are many brilliant games or simulations out there, some even with decent communities but we had The Best. That to me is the hardest thing to retire from. You all are characters to me, offering something unique and prized. We took the time to learn about each other as opponents, friends and gawds. I will always be the Donkey and the PC you gave me years ago still has that name. I smile every time I log in.
I wish you all the best in life. You deserve it for putting up with my arbitary, irrational Greek "Gawdom". So many of you gave me honest, helpful advice and feedback. That was what made this event strong and vibrant enough to change and adapt over the years. To keep you coming back to an often difficult and unfair matchup. The challenge in the face of adversity made you great players, more than the sum of your stats.
Wild Bill has always been our greatest supporter and will continue on the Squad Select Series in a different format with a different crew. But the Donkey is done now and walks off into the sunset, not too stubborn, just happy to have been a part of it all. My deepest thanks to you all for making my life so much more fulfilling than any game, simulation or event could provide alone.
<SALUTE>
Jeff "Jabo" Barlow
S3 Janitor
1998 to 2018
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