Tiger Platoon / TIGERPLT

The ‘‘Platoon’‘ as Tiger Platoon commonly is referred too was founded on the 11th of april 2009 by Staff Sergeant Andersson. Here is the story behind running a operational group in the Project Reality community for over 3 years.

The Beginning

After having been introduced to Project Reality for a few weeks back in the beginning of 2009, it was clear to the Staff Sergeant there was potential to bring the gameplay up to ‘the next level’. Giving people that have the interest that tad more satisfaction in their game. Using tactics, techniques and procedures from the armed forces and bending them so they fit in a game like Project Reality.

Out of this came the plan to start a selective group (Tiger Platoon) where everyone would under-go the same training and eventually, after a longer period of extensive training and screening aspirants / candidates would become full members recognized by the Platoon.

Coming from a military background himself, still serving on active duty he had a clear vision on what had to be done. Recognizing that everything stands and falls with group bonding eventually leading to a ‘brotherhood’, he set out to find like-minded individuals in the public pool of Project Reality players.
On day one he ran into what was to become the first Platoon member……

On the Roll

Dreydel was the first man to become a member of the Platoon, he had the right mindset, was willing to learn and would over time grow to become the 2IC of the entire Platoon. He took the way of the ‘‘Tigers’‘ to him, taught the new boys the way we rolled and operated and became a experienced squad leader on and off the field. He is still with us today 3 years later.

The next few lads that soon followed after the foundation of the Platoon were men such as Stark, Rundle and Hestad. These men joined in before and throughout the summer of 2009, and can still be found on the memberslist of our website today. Through this entire period focus was put on individual skills ‘n drills and working operationally on squad-level operations.

In the autumn of 2009 there was an increase of aspirants / candidates (recruits in training), yet only few made it in. Men like Korpi, Virta, Smalley and Costello got through the training and selection process and made it in as full members of the Platoon, due to different reasons some of these are no longer with us this day. This entire period stood in the sign of fighting unofficial training matches against Project Reality clans and maintain the way the ‘tigers’ operate on the battlefield. This was achieved through training sessions and spending many nights perfecting squad and fireteam operations.

During the end of the year the Staff Sergeant was on and off on several occasions for several weeks and months at a time, duty called in the military. This period was the first time the Platoon would operate on it’s own without the Commanding Officer present, the NCOs took command during this period and successfully held the group together until Staff Sergeamt Andersson returned again shorty before Christmas 2009.
Tiger Platoon was at this point in time 10-12 man strong including aspirants / candidates. The motto of the Platoon in regards of taking in new aspirants was and will always be ‘quality over quantity’.

2010-11

Throughout the next two years , the Platoon took in several lads of which all had passed the training and selection. Some of these one can still find on the memberslist today. In the year of 2010 men such as Asikainen, Noergaard, Hoogstraten, Edwards and Cramer joined the brotherhood. Some of these men have over time taken key-leadership positions within the Platoon. Others stayed the path of the Enlisted personnel.
On two occasions the Staff Sergeant was to be abroad again for several months, throughout these periods the Platoon proved they could take care of themselves even without it’s Commanding Officer present. This can only be achieved with a group that has a strong sense of camaraderie and evolves esprit de corps.
During this year there were times when the group was less active and times when activity increased again, all members had their personal life to take care of – in the Platoon your life outside always has priority.
All members have families, girlfriends, fiancées, university studies, missions abroad, exercises in foreign countries, business trips, vacations you name it.
This takes it’s toll on activity from each individual from time to time. On three other occasions during this year the NCOIC would be on leave from the Platoon.

Nonetheless our presence on the battlefields of Project Reality throughout 2010 was steady. At this point in time quite a handful of clans the the Platoon used to work or train with had started up and disappeared again.

Realizing Tiger Platoon soon would be on the roll for 2 years, during the Christmas and New Years period of 2010-11 it was celebrated with the largest attendance of members at one time holding entire Platoon Maneuvers in Project Reality, a speech from the Commandant and a video that was put on youtube looking back at the past two years.

The year 2011 the Platoon saw a influx of members. A large group of good candidates / aspirants came in closely after each other, which resulted in a boost of the groups memberslist. Aspirants such as Alfredsson, Ohlsson and Gustafsson made it in in the first couple of months of 2011. Followed up by Michelsen, Olsen, Schwarzwald and Ojanen just before the summer of 2011.

In the first 1.5 month of the year, two months prior to the summer and again two months in the autumn SSG Andersson was abroad again. During these periods the Non-Comissioned Officers and Enlisted personnel of the Platoon stood together and kept things on the right path – successfully.

Some of these times were difficult, yet that is what is the difference between the Platoon and the rest. We continue where others stop, we overcome problems. Improvising, adapting to the situation at hand and overcoming any problems on our path. These are the key reasons to why we still are here today.
Other key factors like esprit de corps, group bonding, brotherhood, discipline, r’ n ‘r and fighting the way of the ‘tigers’ are all part of the bigger picture.

Between autumn 2011 and New Years 2012 the group has again taken in a handful of aspirants. Time will show if they will make it in as full members. Tiger Platoon has also found a great partner in the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit since the end of 2011 – finally a group has been found with similar values as the Platoon, this has resulted in some exciting possibilities in form of training and joint exercises.

We, as the Tiger Platoon are looking towards the horizon, towards the future. Alert and ready for anything in our path. Now running towards our third year of running ‘operationally’ in Project Reality the 11th april 2012, and for years to come !

VICTORY LOVES PREPARATION.
The Platoon Staff.
Non-Comissioned Officer’s and Enlisted Personnel.