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Quote from Elite Dangerous Galnet News-Bot

*Pilots' Federation ALERT*
Sirius Corporation has helped provide commodities to sustain the Didio system during the ongoing Thargoid assault.
Pilots transported multiple shipments of basic medicines, evacuation shelters and food cartridges to the megaship Chariot of Rhea in the Leesti system. These were then redirected to Didio and distributed wherever they were most urgently needed.
The campaign was orchestrated by Admiral Nikolas Glass, who announced:
"By replenishing key supplies during this time of great crisis, Sirius Corporation has again shown its dedication to the Alliance's military efforts. This will undoubtedly pave the way for the strategic defence pact to be accepted by the Assembly once the trial period has completed."
Sirius Corporation has confirmed that all pilots who contributed to the initiative can now collect payment from Chariot of Rhea in Leesti.
In related news, the

Quote from Elite Dangerous Galnet News-Bot

Sol Today hosted an interview with the multi-billionaire Zachary Rackham, who is rumoured to be moving into politics.
From his villa at Lake Rackham, overlooking Homeland's famous Singing Geysers, the entrepreneur spoke at length on various topics.
On the rise of his business empire:
"The hard-working folk at Rackham Capital Investments have done me proud in recent years. We're currently holding financial talks to acquire a major starport company, so watch this space!"
On his role with the Beta Hydri Corporation:
"It's a privilege to support my people in Beta Hydri, by helping to run their government. Things are already running smoother after I streamlined a few departments."
On suggestions that he will take part in the Federal presidential election:
"I'm deeply flattered by calls to stand as an independent candidate. But really, an ordinary guy like me as president? I suppose it indicates

Quote from Wing Commander News-Bot

I went back to see how the sprite-less Jalthi was mentioned in the original SNES Wing Commander. You can see it wasn’t mentioned in the US/EU manuals at all! And that as with everything else, the Japanese version is much, much better.The SNES version doesn’t have enough memory for five ships, so it tints the Salthi green and calls it a Jalthi! The US manuals pretend it doesn’t exist while the Japanese one embraces the weird change.They also had to drop the Exeter to include the Venture, so the Gwenhyvar becomes a corvette.

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We have an interesting artifact to share today! Former Origin designer Billy Joe Cain sent along pictures of an awesome little collectible that was apparently made in small numbers for Chris Roberts' Strike Commander. It's a 4.5 inch long F-16 replica with custom Strike Commander decals on the wings. The fighter's currently listed on eBay for a pretty spendy starting price north of $2000, but the proceeds go to benefit the REEF program that combats human trafficking. If there's a wealthy benefactor out there who's also a big Strike Commander fan, now's your chance to do some good! Find the auction page here.

Have you ever seen one of these?

It's being listed on eBay to raise money to end human trafficking through REEF

I think there were only a few of these custom made for the team, but I don't have confirmation yet.

The price is insane, but it's to raise funds for our anti-human trafficking

Quote from Elite Dangerous Galnet News-Bot

The journalist Jade Sanderlyn of Vox Galactica was recently invited to conduct rare public interviews with admirals of the three superpowers.
This excerpt is from a conversation with Admiral Maxton Price of the Federation.
Jade Sanderlyn: My name is Jade Sanderlyn, reporting for Vox Galactica. I'm here with Admiral Maxton Price, onboard the FNS Amphion in the Sosong system. I was very impressed with the tour of the ship prior to our interview, Admiral.
Maxton Price: I can't say I'm surprised, Miss Sanderlyn. Is this your first time on a Farragut-class battle cruiser?
JS: Yes. It's one the reasons I was so excited that my interview request had been granted. The Amphion is just as impressive as I'd hoped.
MP: That's gracious of you to say. Of course, the Farragut-class vessels value performance over aesthetics. It's a lesson our Imperial friends would do well to learn one day.
JS: I take it,

Quote from No Man

Hello everyone,

Thank you to everyone playing the Outlaws Update, especially those taking the time to report any issues they encounter via Zendesk or console crash reporting.

We are listening closely to your feedback, and have identified and resolved a number of issues. These fixes are included in patch 3.89, which will be live on all platforms soon.

Bug fixes

• Fixed an issue that could leave some players unable to construct the first map fragment as part of the Blighted expedition.
• Fixed an issue that could prevent the Liberation milestone from unlocking when declining a freighter acquisition during the Blighted expedition.
• Fixed an issue where Gravitino Balls collected from Sentient Plants would not count towards the Coveted Suns milestone in the Blighted expedition.
• Fixed an issue that could cause a blocker during the Last Piece milestone in the Blighted expedition.
• Fixed an issue that could occur if players opened the

Quote from Elite Dangerous Galnet News-Bot

Voices in the Senate have argued that the Marlinist Colonies should have become an Imperial protectorate to shield them against the Thargoids.
Senator Arturo Durant was quoted by The Imperial Herald:
"The region containing the Marlinist Colonies sits relatively close to what is commonly regarded as Thargoid territory. A strike by the aliens would rapidly overwhelm the paltry security forces of a handful of under-developed systems."
"Naturally we respect Her Majesty's decision to acknowledge their autonomy, but many feel that the Marlinists may regret the decision to sit outside our protective sphere. After all, these were once Imperial citizens. It's our duty to defend them, whether or not they grant us permission."
First Minister Octavia Volkov published a response via The Marlin Standard:
"The proximity of the Thargoids is an ever-present concern, and it's true that we do lack a dedicated

Quote from Wing Commander News-Bot

GOG really likes having sales, and Wing Commander is no stranger to their special promotions. Their new Timeless Classics Sale is a little bit different than the typical fare because it doesn't reduce the price on the whole series. In this case, only Wing Commanders 1 through 4, Prophecy / Secret Ops and Privateer are marked 75% off. This leaves Academy, Armada and Privateer at full price. It's still a good chance to jump on the 'main' games. If you're trying to save a few credits on the others, we expect the rest of the lineup will probably see a markdown at some point in the next few months.

Quote from Wing Commander News-Bot

After the Intrepid captures Admiral Tolwyn in Wing Commander IV's Peleus series, Blair tells him that he hasn't defected because the Union of Border Worlds isn't officially at war with the Confederation. Tolwyn replies: "We weren’t ‘officially’ at war with the Kilrathi either, but there were two sides. And defection was the only possible movement between them." But… is that true? Let's look at all the references to how the Terran-Kilrathi Wars were 'officially' declared.

What is a Declaration of War?

A declaration of war is a formal statement from the government of a nation that a state of war exists between it and another party. Depending on the government, declarations of war typically give a leadership greater emergency powers, especially dealing with how they are allowed to use their military forces. In the United States, declarations of war must be approved by Congress in order to grant the

Quote from Elite Dangerous Galnet News-Bot

The journalist Jade Sanderlyn of Vox Galactica was recently invited to conduct rare public interviews with admirals of the three superpowers.
This excerpt is from a conversation with Admiral Rachel Ziegler of the Alliance.
Jade Sanderlyn: This is Jade Sanderlyn reporting for Vox Galactica. I am here with Admiral Rachel Ziegler of the Alliance. I'm pleased to have this opportunity to speak with you, Admiral.
Rachel Ziegler: You're welcome.
JS: We're on board the Salote Charm, which is currently stationed in the Didio system. Two days ago, a large Thargoid force arrived here and began attacking human ships and ports. There are reports that Salvation has asked your fleet, and those of the other superpowers, to hold the Thargoid force at bay until the anti-xeno superweapon…
RZ: Let me clarify your question before you finish it. My priority is the safety of the billions who call Didio home. We

Quote from Wing Commander News-Bot

Spacedock has posted a new video about the different types of faster-than-light travel in science fiction. It's a wonderful breakdown of the different ways that different franchises do it. The type of visitors that frequent this site are probably going to be familiar with most of this information, but the organization is thoughtful and fairly comprehensive. Wing Commander, of course, gets a nod for its jump drive system. Check it out below!

Spacedock delves into Science Fiction's many flavors of Faster than Light travel.

Thanks to Rattler for the heads up!

Quote from Elite Dangerous Galnet News-Bot

The journalist Jade Sanderlyn of Vox Galactica was recently invited to conduct rare public interviews with admirals of the three superpowers.
This excerpt is from a conversation with Admiral Henry Paul Atherton of the Empire.
Jade Sanderlyn: This is Jade Sanderlyn reporting for Vox Galactica. I am sitting with Admiral Henry Paul Atherton of the Imperial Navy. Thank you for agreeing to this interview, Admiral.
Henry Paul Atherton: Oh, please. Call me Henry.
JS: I'd be delighted to. This is a very impressive ship, Henry.
HPA: Some might say Majestic. [laughs] Yes, the Succession is a wonderful vessel.
JS: How long have you commanded her?
HPA: Several years now. It has been an honour to have my name listed on the Succession's exemplary service record.
JS: You were promoted to admiral only three years ago. Does that change the personal dynamic with your crew at all?
HPA: Well, they salute a

Quote from Wing Commander News-Bot

Famous British science fiction artist Ian Kennedy passed away earlier this year, and fans were quick to post examples of his great work in tribute. One particular design from around 1983 circa Dan Dare/2000 AD caught our eye. It seems to bear quite a similarity to the remade Rapier II model that appears in Super Wing Commander and Arena. We know that the classic WC1 Rapier was heavily inspired by other media, so it wouldn't be surprising for its fraternal twin to have a similar origin. What do you think?! You can read all about Rapier fighters here.

Quote from Elite Dangerous Galnet News-Bot

The journalist Jade Sanderlyn of Vox Galactica was recently invited to conduct rare public interviews with admirals of the three superpowers.
This excerpt is from a conversation with Admiral Henry Paul Atherton of the Empire.
Jade Sanderlyn: This is Jade Sanderlyn reporting for Vox Galactica. I am sitting with Admiral Henry Paul Atherton of the Imperial Navy. Thank you for agreeing to this interview, Admiral.
Henry Paul Atherton: Oh, please. Call me Henry.
JS: I'd be delighted to. This is a very impressive ship, Henry.
HPA: Some might say Majestic. [laughs] Yes, the Succession is a wonderful vessel.
JS: How long have you commanded her?
HPA: Several years now. It has been an honour to have my name listed on the Succession's exemplary service record.
JS: You were promoted to admiral only three years ago. Does that change the personal dynamic with your crew at all?
HPA: Well, they salute a

Quote from Wing Commander News-Bot

Goofing around with image translators I discovered that the Super Famicom Wing Commander manual has a section where Colonel Halcyon welcomes you aboard. Also how crazy is the future?

I am Colonel Halcon, commander of the carrier fighter squadron.
Permission to board Tiger's Claw.
As you already know, we are facing a serious crisis.
The war with Killers is getting worse and worse, and it is no longer a moment's notice.
I don't know what to do.
You boarded the aircraft carrier as a replacement for the lost aces.
It is a lot.
However, in this war situation, you will have to experience actual combat immediately.
It's not that easy.
You have information in every room of the ship, you have orders, and you're ready.
Have you sortie immediately. The defeat in this battle is directly related to the destruction of humanity.
It is a critical phase to conclude.
-I want you to struggle for the future of mankind.
I hope you all

Quote from Elite Dangerous Galnet News-Bot

*Pilots' Federation ALERT*
The Alliance, Empire and Federation are offering bounties on Thargoid vessels in the Didio, Novas and Sosong systems.
Commodore Morag Halloran, who coordinates Salvation's military forces, broadcast this message on public channels:
"Salvation has started construction of three anti-xeno superweapons to expunge the latest Thargoid infestation. He estimates two more weeks before these devices become operational. Until that time, it is vital that we keep the Thargoids at bay to minimise civilian casualties."
The anti-xeno taskforces of the Alliance Defence Force, Federal Navy and Imperial Navy are cooperating on a joint operation to buy time for the superweapons to be completed. This includes rewarding independent pilots for defending the Didio, Novas and Sosong systems.
Commanders can hand in combat bonds for Thargoid kills until the 12th of May 3308 at these three

Quote from Elite Dangerous Galnet News-Bot

*Pilots' Federation ALERT*
Sirius Corporation has organised humanitarian support for the Didio system, which is under attack by Thargoid vessels.
The Alliance Defence Fleet is currently combating the Thargoid threat in Didio, under the command of Admiral Rachel Ziegler.
Admiral Nikolas Glass, who acts as a liaison between the megacorp and the Alliance Defence Force, provided details of the campaign:
"With the strategic defence pact yet to be ratified, the Council of Admirals has not approved the deployment of Sirius Navy ships as part of an Allied fleet. However, Sirius Corporation is keen to show its commitment to helping the Alliance, and will do so by supplying vital resources to the Didio system's besieged population."
"Large quantities of basic medicines, evacuation shelters and food cartridges are urgently required. These can be delivered to the megaship Chariot of Rhea in the Leesti

Quote from Wing Commander News-Bot

It's a new week, and we've got a new Lego starfighter by John Nelson! This time he's built the Hornet light fighter. There are some excellent elements here: the vertical stabilizers, large laser cannons and engines are spot on. I think the top-down curve of the wings also shows what a challenge this art is. Sometimes you have to make some compromises given the parts you have at your disposal (or exist at all!). Kudos again to John for making a recognizable and color accurate recreation of this iconic design!

Next off the assembly line is everyone’s first joyride the Hornet

The top of the fuselage I know is more slanted like a ramp on the blueprints but mine has that rounded look. Should I think of a better way with bricks out there I will re-model. Again, going from my best guesses from models and other artwork. Please enjoy.

Pliers (would) say, "For its day the Hornet was a prime light fighter.

Quote from Elite Dangerous Galnet News-Bot

Over two million ex-Imperial citizens who sought sanctuary with the Alliance are now being repatriated to the Marlinist Colonies.
Ambassador Elijah Beck, head of the Alliance Office of Diplomatic Relations, announced:
"Political refugees from Imperial systems have been arriving since late 3306, following the Empire's crackdown on Marlinism. At the time they had no legal status or resources, and relied entirely upon the charity of local factions for their survival."
"Our successful negotiations with the Marlinist Consulate have now led to a solution. The Assembly will fund safe passage to the Marlinist Colonies for all refugees in Allied space. Pending security checks, they will be granted full citizenship."
The decision was welcomed by First Minister Octavia Volkov:
"Thanks to the Alliance's generosity, any Marlinists currently within their territory can now take advantage of free

Quote from Wing Commander News-Bot

Dominus of Exult shared a pretty nifty finding when comparing the Privateer 2 boxes side by side. We've extensively covered how different the North American box art is compared to what countries like the UK, France and Germany saw on shelves. But there's one tiny difference that's gone largely unnoticed: each European version gets a tiny prominent actor highlight: Christopher Walken, Mathilda May or Jürgen Prochnow on the back. I assume that's because each was more popular or well known in the various regions. This carries over to the special editions as well where the image is also on the front. This is the kind of little detail we love!

Privateer 2 - The Darkening by Origin. The European versions differed on the back. The French showed Mathilda May, German Jürgen Prochnow, UK and all other localized boxes showed Christopher Walken.

There were also special versions in France and Germany. AFAIK