Avatar of Gunther

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1 yr ago
Current The dot over a lowercase i and j has a name! It's called a tittle, which is a noun meaning "a tiny amount or part of something". Like the dot over an i or a j.
6 likes
1 yr ago
Cows don't leave the slaughterhouse, steaks do.
1 like
3 yrs ago
Empty your mind. Be formless, shapeless, like water Put water into a cup, becomes the cup Put water into a teapot, becomes the teapot Water can flow or drip or crash Be water, my friend --Bruce Lee
6 likes
3 yrs ago
The ships hung in the sky in much the same way that bricks don’t.
1 like
3 yrs ago
Mr. Clark, your daughter is a very good kisser.
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Bio

I am a veteran of the United States Army and the US Army National Guard. I spent three years on Active Duty serving in the 4th Infantry Division (Mechanized) at Ft. Carson, CO and 3rd Armor Division at Kirch Göns, West Germany. I spent 18 years in the Army National Guard with the 26th Infantry Division "Yankee" and 29th Infantry Division (Light), "The Blue and the Gray". I was deployed to Bosnia-Herzegovina with the 29th ID (L) in 2001 - 2002. I have also been reading military history articles and books for over 48 years. I do prefer Military Role Plays over all other genres, primarily because I have a vast knowledge on the subject to include personal experiences. At the very least, my characters are always veterans.

I have been writing for pleasure for at least 34+ years, but only got into forum-based Role Playing about fourteen years ago. I do enjoy Nation Role Plays and get into minute detail when designing my military. The only reason I enjoy excruciating detail in my militaries is because for me, it is fun. My education and experience on this subject afford me the insight to see the depth of the structure. It is not just a General and a large pile of soldiers. If someone wants assistance in designing an army, navy, or air force, please send me a PM. I will help. Please specify what level (echelon) or depth you would like me to go. When I say echelon, I mean Army, Corps, Division, Brigade/Regiment, Battalion/Squadron, Company/Troop/Battery, Platoon, and Squad/Section.

When I was a student in High School, I used to play Dungeons & Dragons (Edition 1 & 2). Later editions came out after I quit that game. I do have an interest in Tolkien-esque fantasy-styled Role Plays as well. Time travel has always been a fun genre for me, but to do it well, one must have a firm grasp of historical facts. I love doing this form of role play, especially since I have a solid foundation on the past.

There are only a few fanfictions I will participate in; Star Wars and Star Trek are two of them. I want to do an exclusively Klingon RP one of these days. I also avoid Canon characters.

I have real-world martial arts experience. I would love to write an RP about hand-to-hand combat, no fantasy magic chit, just hands elbows, knees, and feet. Maybe the occasional head butt thrown in to mix things up. I trained in Krav Maga for six and a half years. I earned a first-degree black belt in Krav Maga on 3 June 2017.

Krav Maga is an Israeli martial art form that employs practical self-defense techniques drawing forms & techniques from Muay Thai, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and Taekwando. It is very brutal, demanding, and aggressive. During the seven years I trained, I have bruised two ribs, sustained several muscle pulls, and various lacerations and bruises over my body. I have received a sprained ankle and a fractured wrist. Before the first black belt test, I received a bone bruise to my right shin; where my roundhouse kicks impact. Yet, I am stupid enough to continue training. [Regardless of the physical pain, it is more fun than any other physical activity I have engaged in. Fortunately, the bone bruise healed up prior to the third and final test. EDIT: I did leave the sport three years ago. :(]

In July, I completed my first novel, a science fiction set in the 24th century. It focuses on a Private Military Corporation solely employed by the earth government.

Send me a PM for a Role Play.

--Gunther (AKA: Old School)



Gunthers Cast of Hooligans

Most Recent Posts

I replaced Canadian CSOR, Guy Fournier with American Navy, Casey Becket as the squad's medic/AT specialist. I also updated the NPC list in the characters tab to reflect known KIAs and who is replacing the lost leadership. Our acting platoon Commander is a former Australian Commando Warrant Officer 2 Anderson. His rank would be equivalent to a company first sergeant.
Motivation to get a post up! :D
I'll do it.
Baldric II

Fallow Hill, the Riverlands

The conversation with Mr. Rivers left him feeling more confident in the Ranger’s ambush. Lord Edwyn gave the young man a recommendation without reproach. That was enough for Baldric. Robert stated he had a solid group of Rangers he could build his fifty around.

The sight of a young woman riding upon the range from a distance caught his eye. He watched as Ariella Landry made her way towards their firing line. She was able to keep the mount under control. This was not her usual mount. As Master-at-Arms he recognized the horse, but didn’t know its name.

“Lady Ariella,” Baldric called out as he walked over to her horse. Baldric took the horse by the bridle, stroking him along the neck and whispering cooing words into the horse’s ear. “Where is Thunder, m’lady?” Baldric reached into a satchel and pulled out a bit of carrot. He held it out for the horse to eat, which he readily took chomping loudly. “What are you doing out here this lovely afternoon?”

Ariella smiled down at the Master-at-Arms, absently stroking Snap’s mane as he got the older man’s attention. “Thunder and I went out this morning, I figured I’d give him a rest and give Snap here a little practice,” she replied, carefully climbing down from the towering beast and hopping to the ground. She kept ahold of the reins, though Ser Baldric had the horse well under control.

“We had a little unexpected run across the field, and I couldn’t help but come over once I saw your range,” she explained, gesturing to the impromptu range and the men using it. “What’s the occasion? Routine training?”

Baldric looked the horse in the eye, “Hello there, Snap!” He rubbed the horse’s neck scratching him behind the ear; then fed another carrot. “I know I’ve seen you around the stables before.” Baldric loved horses. They were magnificent beasts that never complained about their workload much like some humans he knew. Baldric turned back to lady Ariella, “The Archery range is something I like to put together once a week or every other week. Most of the work can be accomplished less than 25 yards, but some of our more proficient bowmen can reach the 300 yard target. Not many can hit that. My son is currently struggling with 250. Practice makes perfect. I don’t know if many houses work on range and accuracy. I think it helps. I also like putting the more experienced archers, like Mr. Rivers in a position where they can help others to learn to shoot at distance.”

Robert chuckled as he patted Baldric on the shoulder. “You really need to stop throwing me complements or people will start to talk Baldy.” He looked at Ariella with a wide smile and gave her a stealthy wink. Her presence was always welcome as far as Robert was concerned, bringing some semblance of light to what could often be long, boring days.

“M’lady.” Robert tipped an imaginary cap on his head towards the dismounted Lady before approaching her horse. He ran his hand up and down its neck before glancing over to Ariella once more. “From what I’ve seen of the men here is that they are improving week on week. One or two have no hope unfortunately but with most it’s just about slight technical adjustments. There’s always a chance that a couple of them could even end up with the rangers...if Baldric would allow it of course.”

Ariella looked to the archers as Baldric explained, watching them take their positions, nock, shoot and repeat with great interest. She took Robert’s wink and greeting with a warm smile; as uncouth as he could sometimes be, he certainly was a charmer.

“Come now, surely they’re not beyond all hope,” she suggested gently, though she found herself proven wrong as she watched one soldier try and fail three consecutive times to hit the nearest target. “Surely they’re of use somewhere else,” she added, suppressing a laugh.

Tempering herself a touch, she turned back to Baldric and Robert, folding her hands in front of her. “I’m sure my father will be pleased to hear they’re improving,” she assured them. She was quiet for a moment, her face falling a touch as she remembered what her father had told her earlier.

“Is there… something you’re preparing them for?” she asked cautiously, tugging at the hem of one of her sleeves, “There’s been all this talk of bandits, and Father mentioned conflict…” she trailed off rather lamely, admittedly a little afraid to hear the answer.

Robert raised an eyebrow at the question. Even though he wasn’t one for the ways of lords and ladies he knew that sharing such information was never a good idea, even if it was just to make sure Ariella wouldn’t worry. Fortunately Baldric was much more well versed in the affairs of the nobility and so knew how to answer her question without having to force a lie.

“M’lady, it would be true, if I were to tell you we were planning for something,” Baldric mentioned hesitantly. “But I am not telling you that. This range, is something we do two or three weeks per month just to help those archers who need help in hitting targets at long range. House Landry has both an archer battalion and a company of rangers. The archer battalion supports our footmen and the rangers serve multiple purposes including scouting, tracking, archery and raiding. A soldier chosen as a ranger needs to be proficient in both the sword and the bow as well as skilled in tracking.” Baldric felt uncomfortable discussing operational concerns. He knew too much chatter could blow the operation if word got back to the bandits and you never knew who had a connection. It could be someone in your own retinue and never know it.

“M’lady, does the family have any plans later this evening?” Baldric asked Ariella.

Ariella shook her head, somewhat relieved at Baldric’s reassurance, but not yet entirely at ease. However, she would play along, and allowed the Master-at-Arms to change the subject. “Not that I know of, but it wouldn’t surprise me if Father called everyone to eat together this evening.” Her father may have been hard, sometimes even chilly, but she expected that he missed his kin more than he let on.

“Aye,” Baldric acknowledged. “Knowing your lord father he may want the entire family, plus at dinner this evening. It may take some time to break down the range before then.”

“This talk of dinner is making me hungry.” Robert rubbed at his stomach as it let out a soft groan. He had been so engrossed in training that he’d forgotten to eat. “Baldy would you mind getting this lot to clean up so I can get to the tavern and have something to eat?” The request was cheeky, as Robert often was. The chances of him being allowed to disappear was slim but he firmly believed that if you don’t ask, then you don’t get. He soon saw an opportunity however. “I could escort the lady back to the castle on the way so that she isn’t unaccompanied?”

“It would be appreciated,” Ariella added. It was no secret that she often rode alone, but nonetheless she was eager to get a chance to speak with Robert privately.

Baldric frowned at Robert. His request was disquieting to the older man. He did not appreciate those who desired to shirk their duties in favor of more pleasurable pursuits. This was one of those times colorful language bubbled to the surface. With the lady present, he stifled that notion allowing for a more civil version of himself to emanate, “Robert, I believe the bowmen can help me break the range down. Get yourself a meal at the tavern and see to the young lady here.” Baldric was annoyed at the ranger who would pay for his indiscretion later.

@CaptainSully@Obscene Symphony
From the first time I saw it, the movie, Ready Player One has moved up on my all time classic movie list.
@Danelaw looks like we continuing the archery range with another collaboration. This one includes Ariella.
@BleedingLover Excellent job conveying Priscilla's feelings. I could feel the tension between her and Edwyn.

@Danelaw Baldric will be late for dinner. Hard day preparing the raiding party for the upcoming strike.
Every-so-often, I will pretend that I know that hell I'm doing when it comes to auto repair, just to prove that I can do something. So, I decided I would change the oil in my car. How hard could it be, right?

Drain the old stuff into a container, replace the filter, pour the new stuff in. Sure. Great.

Well, what sucks is when you forget to screw the drain pan plug back in before adding new oil, and you've already removed the container under your car...
I have changed my own oil several times and can honestly say, I have never done this. I have however heard how an employee at Jiffy Lube forgot to put the drain plug back in prior to a customer driving his car off the company's property. That did not end well.

Baldric I

ꜰᴀʟʟᴏᴡ ʜɪʟʟ, ᴛʜᴇ ʀɪᴠᴇʀʟᴀɴᴅs


Any and all who train with the bow are invited to a special range time experience just outside the walls at Fallow Hill. Targets are set up in a field at varying ranges; twenty-five yards, fifty yards, a hundred, a hundred fifty. Two hundred and three hundred yards. Only a handful of people present are able to hit the three-hundred-yard target.

“Try to replicate your stance, posture, string pull and aim point every time. That is the key to bow accuracy,” Baldric told his son, Mace.

Roughly thirty people were in attendance with bows. Baldric and Royce Deddings laid down the rules so that no one was shooting while people retrieved arrows down range. When it was time to retrieve arrows, Deddings would call a halt. Every man would walk the distance to the targets to secure their arrows and then return to the firing line. Mace nocked an arrow, angling his bow up about twenty degrees trying to hit the two-hundred-yard target. He pulled back on the string, so his right thumb stopped at the right corner of his mouth. He lined up a notch on his bow with the target down range establishing a twenty-degree lift. When he felt he had the weapon lined up properly, he released the string watching the arrow fly down range. Father and son tracked it all the way to where it hit with a thud! Into the ground right in front of the target he was aiming at.

“I am lined up properly. Might need to raise the angle a little. I’ll try again.” Mace was more of a swordsman fighting up close and personal. His size gave him a decisive advantage in hand to hand combat; something he excelled in. Practicing this skill was more for his father. The Master-at-arms wanted his son skilled in every weapon, not just a few.

From a short distance Robert watched as the group in front of him sent arrows down range. The standard of skill stretched from pretty decent, right down to absolutely terrible. It frustrated the young man because some of those in front of him had been practising for months with little to no improvement.

“Fenwick! How many times do I have to tell you? Don’t be so rigid! I dread to think of how many blisters your cock has if you hold the bow that hard!” There were a few chuckles as Robert put down the spotted redhead with his words. In truth he liked the boy and he did show promise, he just liked to keep him in his place.

As the group continued to fire their shots Robert strolled across the line. He would occasionally stop to adjust the posture of people while at least one person needed to be shown how to get the best leverage on his string. Using his own bow he showed the short lad the best way to draw the string back. He did it several times until the shorter of the two could mimic the motion almost in unison.

“The trick is to keep doing it until your body just does it naturally.” With his tip he patted the boy and moved on.

He had soon reached Baldric and his son, both better suited for the front line than bowmen. However, a good soldier was able to fight with any and all weaponry and that was what Baldric drilled into the soldiers of House Landry. Looking at the pair working together Robert just watched on, listening to the sons critique of his own shot.

Baldric noticed Robert Rivers. He watched the young man helping the other soldiers with their bow work. Rivers had a reputation across Westeros as one of the best archers on the continent. Baldric stepped back off the line as Mace continued sending arrow shafts down range. “Mr. Rivers, may I have a word?” Baldric called the bastard to him. “Lord Edwyn intends to strike at these raiders who have been plundering our caravans. The bloody wankers are giving our lord a pain in the arse. His son, Lord Ashton has developed a plan involving a ruse to draw the raiders out to attack. Instead of wagons filled with food stores, they will be filled with soldiers. I’ll be in one of the wagons with my son and several others. Ser Edmund will lead a detachment of mounted men-at-arms to reinforce our position once the attack begins. We expect the raiders to withdraw in the direction of their base camp, which we believe is not too far away. I can show you on a map when we get back to the keep. Lord Edwyn would like you to lead an element of roughly fifty Rangers to establish an ambush along the expected route the raiders would be moving along. I want you to pick the best Rangers we have. You should not be alone in the fight for very long as Ser Edmund and I will be chasing them in your direction. The plan is to sandwich the raiders between our heavier force and your lighter more mobile one.” Baldric paid attention to Robert Rivers’ face to get a clue has to how he felt about the task being assigned him. “I know you are an outstanding archer. I’ve seen your work. I’d wager a night at the brothel you could knock a tick off a goat at a hundred yards without harming the goat. My concern is, how are you with leading troops? Do you have any experience in this realm? I guess this raid will give me the answers I am looking for. If you need any help in assembling your force, please let me know. Myself and Lord Edwyn will render whatever assistance you may require.”

A grin crossed Robert’s face as Baldric spoke. He was usually a man of few words so whenever he spoke it meant people listened. The fact was that he knew what he was talking about and it provided Robert with some semblance of acceptance that the big man was willing to share his expertise and even offer his help.

“I do love setting a good trap, so it shouldn’t be an issue to set something up. As for the rangers, leave it to me. I have a good core of twenty that I would bet my life on, the rest I’ll make up with a mixture of experience and new blood.” Scratching at the small beard on his chin Robert glanced back out over the range, taking his gaze away from Baldric. “As for me, Baldy you don’t need to worry. I might not have the experience like yourself but I can get fifty men to fight as hard as even you can. Just don’t expect me to be commanding thousands. That’s a bit too grand for my tastes. Besides, I like to be where the action is.”

Robert stretched his arms out wide and felt the satisfying stretch of his muscles throughout his body. He looked over to Mace and gestured with is head. “Are you bringing your boy along? I’d love to see if he is anywhere near the monster on the battlefield that his old man is.”

“Aye, Mace will be in one of the wagons,” Baldric responded to the question. “Knowing the boy’s desire to get killed in battle, he may be one of the first you see chasing the raiders into your ambush.” Baldric allowed a half smile at the notion. He didn’t like Mace’s reckless behavior. It meant, he had to work harder to be available in case he needed help.

I play 8-ball pool on my phone. I have won 4,581 of 9,158 games for a 50% win percentage. I am currently at level 109.
I am watching Tron Legacy (2010) with my daughter right now.
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