2008 proved to be a year of changing winds, with the spring and summer seeing the axis side in a lot of trouble, but also a slow but steady comeback as fall became winter. KGW didn't go untouched by this, and I'm left with the feeling that member retention during these months was at a record low for the squad. This mirrored the general trend of the rest of the playerbase, but on the other hand I think we came through this "dark era" a lot better than many of our fellow axis squads.
Certainly, there was always a core of grunts and officers showing up on squadnites and fighting the increasingly hard battles, and though our success on the battlefield took a dip I still saw you guys focusing on the important part: having fun with your fellow Wikings.
Times are looking up again now on the battlefield, we have many old Wikings returning, and we have an exciting year ahead of us with the KGW 9th Anniversary Real Life Meeting coming up and the game being released in China. I have no doubt that we will enjoy many fun, hard, frustrating, educating and first class battles together in the new year, and I could not think of a finer bunch of people to do this with than all of you Wikings!
Now, when you raise your glass of Champagne tonite for the toast, send a special S! to Wilhelm and Beam for doing a stellar job maintaining and providing the KGW forum and TS server and the admin functions that go with it. I know I will.
See you all on the other side, and take care with the explosives and booze. You are no good to anyone in the lazaret!
S!















