Starfleet Intelligence
- For historical SB118 references, please visit Black Tower/Intel. This was compiled after learning various simmers across four sim ships have been utilizing SFI.
Introduction
After the closure of the USS Albion, Intelligence operations within the SB118 Fleet were regulated to the individual ships within the Fleet without a centralized Division. SFI as it exists today lies within the discretion of the ship’s CO, and not as a centralized body.
Commanding Officers hold the guidelines of how Intelligence interfaces with their respective UFOP ships, and not often with a governing guideline that allows for uniformity between ship sims. Every CO is different in their approach and view/experience, but as it has become apparent over three different ship sims within the Fleet, simmers need to understand the rules, regulations and guidelines on how Intel operates.
The Historical Aspect
There was a time when we did actively allow simmers to sim as actual Intelligence officers. Through the course of the mid to late 1990s into the early 2000s, several incidents in the abuse of OOC vs IC information and how it used in respective sims lent a specific kind of simming that is destructive to group participation as well as drive plots to premature closure.
Following the closure of both Intel sims and some revamping, decisions were made to remove Intel as an option for PC simmers. Usually what you will see today is references to the SFI within the capacity of updates from posts made from various COs and XOs… occasionally, very occasionally, from simmers who have obtained permission.
Reasoning Behind the Removal
The primary reason is most cannot distinguish the power/cowboy sim style of a certain type of Intel officer that inevitably finds its way in, despite the best attempts from the simmer (seasoned or otherwise). There has never been a simmer in history who has not succumb to the James Bond effect.
With that reason, the most important reason is when the power/cowboy style comes into play, it influences every single player within the ship sim. COs and XOs know this, which is why SFI is limited to reports only. Your fellow members, from LtCmdr downward to Ensigns, especially, can and will act similarly on the principle that we show the example of what the sim environment is, and take that singular, individualist element and apply it to their sims.
The end result: Abuse of both authority, the chain of command, and unaccountability.
Principles of the Intelligence Community
First and formost, understand the difference between the Intelligence Officer and the Intelligence Agent:
- Intelligence Officer: a person employed to collect, compile and analyze information (aka intelligence)
- Intelligence Agent: a field officer who actively collects intelligence from the source, usually through his/her network of resources that was assembled over the years (*note: years)
As an Starfleet Intelligence Officer, you would not actively be in the field acquiring the information yourself. In sim, you would actually be compiling what was already collected from other verified (and unverified) sources and analyzing the information, which is the core of what Intelligence is.
In the capacity of the Intelligence Agent (or as the UFOP tends to call Undercover Operations Specialists), that is mandated by the CO of the ship one serves on. In reality, they are rare and have undergone specialized training that allows them to work alone or with one, maximum two other agents. SFI Undercover Operation Specialists (which includes Black Ops) are not characters that generally work as team players.
Referencing the historical aspect of SFI, the problem is clearly defined. Too many simmers act as UOS agents instead of actual intelligence officers and do not have the training or the experience to differentiate the two. Plus, acting as a field agent influences others who also cannot differentiate and will be more likely to run off with that particular style without realizing the concequence.
The Role & Responsibility of the Intelligence Officer
The actual Intelligence officer would be resourcing what information is acquired by his fellow crewmembers for a number of goals/objectives, such as determining the identity, intention, capability and activity of hostile bodies/ships as well as developing/planning the necessary outline to prevent a hostile force to submit to the CO and XO.
In this role, the Intelligence Officer is a team player, rather than striking out. A PC cannot simply access another PC’s thoughts and interpretations at whim through the ship’s computer network. The Intelligence Officer must interact with every single character on ship at a daily basis, which makes the Duty Post one of the hardest to play to be successful. There are no short cuts. You cannot, at any time, simply make up a means of how you acquired said information (as in every case, determines the actions of another PC).
There are no excuses. As an Intelligence Officer, you cannot, at any time, sim in such a manner that would encourage similar behavior from your fellow simmers. Your sims have to be free from any signifiers that would damage the proper sim. In some cases, an Intelligence Officer faces an upward battle (which is why long-time COs are usually the only ones who work with them) because as a player, you are in effect setting the example.
Query Procedures
- Under no circumstance is any simmer to act in the capacity of Intelligence without acquiring permission from your CO.
- Obtain permission from your CO. Depending on the CO, you may or may not be required to participate in Academy Training first.
- One must have attained the rank of Lt. and held it for at least six (6) months.
Rules & Regulations
- If permission is obtained, until the Executive Council (EC) remits a verdict, the Intelligence Officer is not a duty post. It will always be secondary.
- At no time can a simmer utilize OOC information in IC
- Despite what has been established in Canon, Sect. 31 is simply Undercover Operations within SFI Branch. There is no separation between the two, and nor should there be reference in sim that alleges Section 31 is a separate entity.
- Do not act in the capacity of an undercover operations specialist. If an opportunity comes up for you to engage in intelligence gathering missions, your CO will let you know.
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