Clyde Montgomery - Head of Security Application
#1
Usual character name: Clyde Montgomery
BYOND username: SirSwagmeyer
Discord username (if you are on our discord): Swagmeyer#8239
Recommended by (if applicable): David Cain (lostroman#6335/KingMorshu552)

Goon servers you play: I flip-flop between Goon 3 and Goon 4. 

Reason for application: 
I'm a Secmain, through and through. I absolutely adore playing Security, and I've always joined up and played with the tip-top goal to give everyone a good time, whether it may be Security Officer, Detective, or Security Assistant. As one of the most impactful departments when it comes to the flow of antagonists and RP, I like to keep a cool head and make sure everyone's having fun with antags, gimmicks, and any experiences in between. Throughout that experience, I'd be lying to say that the Head of Security doesn't shine bright in my eyes as a tremendously impactful way to give people a hell of a show. 

Security is important. It maintains the flow of a round in the face of conflict, and the HoS is essentially the Head Honcho in those regards. They're the leader. They're the mentor. They're the person you can always rely on in the face of uncertainty and deluge - I know from personal experience. They're pretty big boots to fill in a department like Security, but I firmly believe that I could take on that role and show that same compassion and guidance I've been given to others, new and old.  

Do I need to be HoS to give everyone a good time? Of course not! I make an effort no matter what. However, the truth of the matter is that HoS oftentimes has a prodigious impact on how both Security and the crew treat antagonistic situations as a head of staff, and I'd love to play a part in helping both the antagonists and the crew feel a good sense of enjoyment and Security.  

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Security experience (300 word minimum):
God, where to begin?

I got into Goonstation last summer through an extremely obscure Disco Elysium/SS13 crossover meme. With my interest piqued, I threw myself headfirst into a Goon 4 RP round. I vividly remember the first person I ever met was a Security Officer. They guided me around the station, showed me the ropes on some basic controls through RP, shared a cigarette and a Donk Pocket with me, and died in the ring after a friendly boxing session (I had Big Bruiser, he had Puritan). I never saw him again.

After that amicable experience, I decided to try my hand at Security - but I didn't play Security Assistant, oh no; I went straight into it as a Detective. It was certainly an... alternative way to learn the ropes and understand my role as Security. Through copious amounts of wiki research and RPing as a bumbling Detective, I eventually figured out how it all worked out on my own, and after that 15-round threshold, I began to play Security Officer and never looked back. Although I've never really experienced a "Trial HoS" round from another player (which I likely wouldn't have accepted anyway), I've met some amazing players inside and outside of Security, learned from experienced players, and feel like I've come a long way from that Tequila Sunset I used to be.

I'm a fan of every role, and I thoroughly enjoy dabbling in other departments for a new RP perspective, but time and time again, I just couldn't stop coming back to the absolute BLAST that's playing Security. I fell in love with Security - every aspect of it, from the intensely gritty standoffs to slipping and farting on the clown, it's just nothing but loads of fun, and I try my absolute best to make sure everyone else feels the same.  

When it comes to when and how I play in general, I'll admit that I play at extremely odd hours of the night and day. I've experienced a variety of different timezones, different populations, and different players, so I've made some neat friends from all over the globe  bee . Sometimes, there are those "odd hours" where there aren't a lot of experienced Security members around, and I have a huge blast during those times teaching any rookies, keeping the team together and coordinated, building that powerful bond with everyone on the team, and just uplifting people to make sure they're all having a good time whenever any conflicts come up. It really brings a smile to my face whenever I see a new face in the department that I've given pointers to, gone through hell and back with, arrested as an antag, and generally just worked together with become a Security main. Those sorts of moments make all my effort worth it. 

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All this sappy stuff is nice and all, but I'm sure you all would like to know how I actually do my dang job. 

In terms of my actual work with criminals, crimes, and antagonists, I'll always put my hands up and attempt to de-escalate and talk it out. It provides me with a greater scope of the situation on crucial questions for both RP and gameplay. Here's a few example questions that I'd always ask myself as I work through and converse with an antagonist:

Are they just misunderstood, or plain evil? 
Are they willing to make a deal? A full conversation? 
What goals do they have in mind, and how can I play along to make sure they're reached or get thwarted in a fun way?
Do I remember any cool lore about them? How can I integrate it into a fun way to RP? 

Attempting diplomacy is my favorite part of being Security, as it allows me to really get in the muck of a roleplay situation, and I try hard to make sure that they have room to breathe and show off whatever cool gimmick they had in mind, as long as it isn't disruptive of everyone else who's trying to have a good time. 

I strongly consider usage of force to be a last resort, and it should always, always be escalated force if it comes down to it. I will almost never baton or lethally shoot someone without some level of confrontation unless I'm given an order by the HoS or Captain. If I'm forced into a situation where I need to reveal my hand, I'll always flash and engage in CQC first to minimize losses if I'm overpowered, and to give the antag a decent winning chance - nobody likes to get batoned to the ground immediately. If they resist further, I'll pull out the baton and barrier, stun them, and radio a quick sitrep on what just went down. After I cuff them, I usually carry them with me to the station as opposed to sticking them in the portabrig and moving them. I feel like it gives the antag a bit more RP downtime to do whatever funny thing they want to do, like snap the cuffs with a freedom implant or call on one of their Conspirator buddies to jump me as I'm carrying them back. If those little tidbits make that round just a little bit more entertaining for everyone, I'm more than happy to do them. 

I'll admit, I don't like to be strictly "by the book" when it comes to processing an antag. I'll sometimes be a little fast and loose with Space Law if everyone else involved is fine with it to have a little fun, but of course, I will never break the actual server rules. Once the suspect is in custody, I usually call for a Security assistant to help me out with the search and interrogation, giving them little pointers, like to always check the oxygen boxes and liquid containers for cleverly hidden contraband. Of course, I like to ignore minor contraband or contraband that weren't involved in the crime they committed, as to not shut them down completely. 
After the search, I typically begin the interrogation. I either spearhead the interrogation, politely ask another officer nearby to take over if I have other in-game urgencies, or take a backseat and guide a rookie through it if I can. Interrogation is either brief or very deliberate, depending on how the antag wants to RP it out. 
In terms of brig time, I usually like to give them alternatives to brig time, such as apologizing to the victims, handing them a sponge and telling them to clean up their bloody mess, or pay their respects to the victim they killed at their funeral. Little RP opportunities like that are my favorite things to do. Of course, if this was their first offense or if the interrogation was particularly long, I like to let them go with a warning. Not many people want to sit in security for 20 minutes, and then get thrown into the brig for three more minutes. There's a player on the other side of that screen too! 

In terms of what I prioritize in my playstyle, I will always put communication first. There's nothing scarier than walking into Security and seeing a staffie in the brig without having any idea why or how they ended up in there. Frantically scrolling through old radio callouts to figure out what's going on is a nightmare, so I always make sure to update the team on any crucial information in regards to antagonists and crimes. I'll always give latejoiners and newcomers a quick rundown on what's currently going on, and what previously went down if I can. 
Communication is crucial outside of the Security department, too. Checking in with everyone establishes yourself and the department as a dependable and friendly face around the station, and helps set in that sense of Security for the crew.
Communication makes or breaks the RP experience, and it's important to keep in mind the boundaries of other players! 

What I love most of all is working with rookies. Of course, showing them the ropes of their equipment, what every little gadget does, and what protocol they need to follow are all important factors when it comes to having a good time as Security. However, what I REALLY love doing is getting into the gritty muck of it with those rookies. There's nothing more exhilarating than closing in on a suspect with a Security rookie, and taking a bullet for them as they finish off the antag and make the arrest in my stead. Having intense moments like that really just solidifies the powerful bonds and friendships I get to make within the department with players, and it puts on a show for the antag, too. 

Even if people may not pay much notice to it, building up all those minor efforts for those little fun moments are what truly brings me joy as a Security player. 

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Answer two or more of the following:

What advice would you give to other sec players?

When it doubt, LOOC it out. I can't stress this enough. If there's absolutely ANYTHING that might confuse you about what to do as a Security member, there is absolutely nothing wrong with asking for clarification in LOOC. Asking yourself will not only help YOU know how to get a proper grasp of things, but also may help others who may be too anxious to ask. 

Always keep communication. There's no such thing as overcommunication. I'm sure that a significant amount of Security mains will agree with me here when I say this - I'd much rather hear a nonstop flow of information on a suspect than zero information at all. Little details make the case! Please, keep on talking! smile

Keep your tools by your side! Whether you're a Detective with their gun, or an officer with their taser, you should always try and keep that thing holstered until it's necessary to use it. Keep it holstered, or you're one Clown with a banana peel away from losing one of your most powerful tools. 

Never be afraid to ask for help. This includes both IC and OOC help. You aren't "unrobust" for needing to ask for backup as you're fighting against an antag, and you aren't a bad officer for needing a few reminders on protocol here and there. We're all humans, and we aren't all perfect, which is something I've personally grappled with in the past, so I feel that it should be strongly clarified. 

What was one of your favorite security moments? (Either playing as a sec officer or interacting with one)

Funny enough, my favorite Security moments have always been through the perspective of myself as the antagonist, working against the crew, and testing the limits of Security and just how well they can rally together to work against my antagonistic antics always brings a goofy smile to my face. I am sure that a some of you may remember my elusive rounds as The Highwayman, and the grandiose gimmicks I used to run as him. From being an arms distributor to a cluwne outbreak to conducting drive-by attacks on random Command members to spread paranoia, I would oftentimes try and paint myself as "Public Enemy Number One", and see just how much I could get the crew to work together to take me down.

I remember a particular round as him, where I was a detective Traitor, and decided to fake my own death in front of all of Security. I remember wanting to utilize my "death" to immediately escalate my arrest status to "Kill on Sight" as The Highwayman, to see just how much I could escalate the fun and games from a starting point of being killed on sight. I recorded myself and my "stage persona" through an audio log, and dressed up a body double in my outfit, which I threw into Security, and let the fun begin as I announced my murder on the radio announcements. 

I remember the round like it was yesterday, as I went from making the AI go rogue, sneaking INSIDE Security, ambushing the Head of Security, breaking into the armory, escaping by setting off crowd-control grenades, conducting a drive-by "I AM THE LAW" bombing against the Captain and CE as they were trying to take the AI down, and then promptly getting gunned down by the NTSC, all whilst reciting Shakespeare's Hamlet, wearing nothing but a bedsheet cape and a Tricorn Hat. Imagine my surprise when my acts of valiant violence attracted the admiration of a fellow Traitor, who actually managed to CLONE ME and stall for enough time for me to gather my gear, and wreak havoc once more. I killed an officer, was almost arrested thrice by a Security Assistant, out for revenge for his fellow dead officers, and was ultimately forced to flee the station as the shuttle arrived. 

The round marked its conclusion with myself concluding my own life - by ramming a pod into the shuttle via the Syndicate SEED. The HoP, a Staffie, and the only intact Security Officer wrestled with my dying body in the vacuum of space as the shuttle departed for Central Command.  

It was truly one of my best rounds against Security, and I was ecstatic when the reception was strongly positive. I had succeeded in escalating against Security to the point where they to rallied the entire station against me, and strived to work together to ensure that the station was secure and safe against my theatric villainy. 
 
What game improvements or changes do you think would benefit security players?

Call me extremely ambitious, but I feel like more specialization within the Security Officer role would be something that could be looked into to add a bit more sugar and spice to the niceties of Security gameplay. Much like how the Detective is a "Forensic Specialist" within the Security department, an Officer more inclined toward chases or another inclined toward breach-and-clear arrests, with clear weaknesses and strengths within each role would be something that would be really cool to see. I believe it could foster a more teamwork oriented environment within Security, as each officer would have to pick their specialty, work with other members of the crew to make up for their vulnerabilities, and generally play as a coordinated group. I truly believe it could diversify the roleplay environment within Security, and even give Antagonists more things to work, as they have more weaknesses to manipulate and strengths to learn to avoid for each officer. Even a little tweaking of the current Security Loadouts with little buffs and debuffs for each loadout would make me extremely happy. 

Describe any differences in your playstyle when part of a full security team and when being the only security officer.

There are, of course, different factors that you need to prioritize when you're running with a team as opposed to running solo. I've played on both high populations and low populations throughout my time as Security, and I've learned to enjoy the merits of both experiences.

As a member of the Security team, I like to ensure that communication is my top priority, as I have teammates that need to be in the know of whatever arrests I make, which suspects we currently have, and any ongoing cases that are being worked on. As long as good communication is maintained, everything else is golden for me. I fill in where I'm needed here and there, I make arrests when they come up, and I'll take charge on a case and bring a rookie with me if I'm up to the task at hand. 

When I'm running solo, I'm always more careful about how I operate, and I'm not afraid to ask for help outside of my department when taking care of a threat. I'm not the Terminator, and I don't have another officer to bail me out, so the next best thing is to make sure the rest of the crew know what's going down, whether I'm dying or not, and what threats to be aware of on the station in the case of my unfortunate demise. 

When you're running solo, you're also inevitably going to be cornered into a situation where it get very lethal. It wouldn't be a far cry to say that antags want to capitalize on the fact that there's pretty much one person officially defending the whole station. I stay prepared. I bring a medkit, get some extra robust donuts, and make sure that I can at least stay alive long enough to let the crew know of what's going on in case more Security members join after my demise. 

Vampire on the loose? I'll deputize a Chaplain and carefully inform them of the threat at arm's length before facing off against the danger. Changelings around? Prepare the smelling salts, Medbay! Is a plain old Traitor getting out of hand? You're an Outlaw now, feller. Watch out for bounty hunters after I die. 

Of course, jokes aside, if you screw up as a solo officer, the consequences are amplified significantly toward the rest of the station. Don't get ambushed, and keep the AI and Captain on speed-dial!

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Answer one or more of the following fun questions (because it's important for the HoS to be fun):

[b]What's a security gimmick that you've ran or wanted to run?[/b]


I've always wanted to do a "Hold my beer." moment against a Syndicate agent where we both toss our gear aside, roll up our sleeves, and duke it out in a fistfight. I'd imagine getting a drink afterwards at the bar with them, with a newfound respect for one another. I just think it'd be super funny to do in front of everyone. 

Write a poem to convey your thoughts on security/NanoTrasen/space/bees/anything related to SS13.

Ah, my specialty! I was planning on a simple Haiku, but I thought I'd go all-out with a sonnet. Enjoy. 

The Security Sentinel's Sonnet

Amidst the stars and cosmic voids of space,
I stand vigilant, my duty clear and grand,
A security officer with grace,
My watchful eyes surveyin' the land.

On Space Station 13, a bustlin' hive,
With crew and visitor from far and wide,
Threats lurk in shadows, deceit alive,
But I, the sentinel, won't let 'em slide

I don my uniform, a badge of might,
A symbol of order, justice my creed,
With Baton and SecHud, I take my flight,
To keep the station safe in dire need

Through sabotage, theft, and alien dread,
I stand unwaverin', my mission led

So, let the chaos rage, the traitors flee,
For I, the sentinel, shall never yield,
My duty bound, my loyalty firm and free,
In this spessman realm, I wield like my shield


Previous bans (while this will not affect your application lying about it will): Yeah, I screwed up once. Got involved in a lethal conflict as a non-antag Chaplain. I learned my lesson on what not to do. Never again.
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Clyde Montgomery - Head of Security Application - by SirSwagmeyer - 04-17-2023, 01:06 AM

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