HoS application: Ishmael Belmont (attempt 2)

[SomeOlFellow]

Characters: Ishmael Belmont, Athena Europa, HZ-931 Kingfisher, Anna Wager
BYOND Username: SomeOlFellow
Discord username (if you are on our discord): SomeOlFellow
Recommended by (if applicable): 
Goon servers you play: Both RP servers


Reason for application: I am looking to be a Head of Security to help train officers, gain more experience in a new role, and be able to help struggling security teams. I also feel it’d open up new opportunities for me in roleplay and teach me things I couldn’t learn as a regular secoff.


Security experience (300-word minimum): I play almost exclusively security, with some command play here and there as Athena, who often helps security if a HoS isn’t present. I have always found security to be the most enjoyable department to work in, as it allows me to engage with antags in a way that no other job can, except perhaps the captain. I’ve won plenty of fights and lost just as many, learning the best I can whenever I can. As a secoff, I try to be a bit of an anchor. Trying to keep radio chatter going, making sure an officer is alright if they aren’t responding on the radio, and following hunches if we lack evidence to set us on the right track. Being reliable is what I aim for: someone you can look to for solid advice, someone who will back you up if you call for them, and someone who will try to help things escalate at a reasonable pace, taking things slow and rationally early round while becoming more aggressive and distrustful later on. Although I always take it on a case-by-case basis, if someone seems like a new antag, I’ll generally point this out subtly to the team and suggest we be a bit easier on them, and ask in OOC if they’re confused on anything and assure them that the first arrest isn’t an immediate execution.


I’ve taught a fair number of people not only the department's fundamentals, such as secmate and how the barrier works, but also various combat tips, including how to flip someone over or block a grab to help them survive against some of the challenges we may face. Many of these skills took me a long time to learn, so teaching how blocking works and some hotkeys, such as C, V, and Z, is something I enjoy doing. People appreciate it, as it makes the game much easier to play.


I’d also add that I’ve fought every threat a station can face besides a werewolf and a flock mind, but as I play exclusively on RP, I don’t think this is a big concern. I also gained a decent amount of experience as an antag and know how they work, allowing me to adjust my approach to them accordingly.


Answer two or more of the following:

• What advice would you give to other sec players?
  

The biggest skill in security isn’t necessarily your ability to fight; it’s the ability to communicate that matters most. Listen to the radio, talk to people, and ask for something to do if you’re lost or confused. Good communication is the key to winning most situations, or at least making the round fun and giving people the opportunity to get involved.

• What was one of your favorite security moments?
  

One of my characters has a mental issue that manifests as a traitor, where they act to appease an entity. I love roleplaying the madness aspect of it. During one of these rounds, people noticed that my character was not mentally well, although they were challenging to aid due to their hostility. At one point, they ended up cornered, C-saber in hand, in an enclosed room. It was a stalemate: nowhere to run, panicking, and afraid. The security team noticed this, so instead of trying to disarm me, they attempted to discuss the situation and resolve it peacefully, hoping to convince me to surrender. Someone came to my character’s defense upon realizing that they were just scared and mentally unwell. Eventually, another antagonist entered the scene, causing chaos and sparking a massive fight. Security eventually subdued us both, and I ended up being taken to CentCom in cuffs,  with my character regretting their actions and dreading the consequences.

• What improvements or changes do you think would benefit security players?
  

I’d like the security pod bay improved. Big pods struggle in podfights, there’s only enough mats in the fabricator to make two locks, and we don’t even get a smelter to add more materials to our fabricator. It would also be nice to be able to print new security communications for pods, so that any new pods we build can have access to security’s hangar. Perhaps we could make it so that you need security access to print one of these, or install it. I also think security pods could benefit from a unique paint job to distinguish them from other pods with heavy armor, thereby preventing misidentification. 

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

With a whole team, I like to contrast the general atmosphere of the team. If everyone is all serious, by-the-book tough guys, I’ll be more outgoing and prone to being aggravated; that way, antagonists still have someone to escalate to verbally and get into a fistfight with. Vice versa is also true, if everyone is a bit uppity, I’ll be more reserved and calm so that I can be the “reasonable officer” of the team that can reign in the others if they get out of hand (provided we lack an HoS). When I run solo, which is rare as I play on high-pop, I often end up having to rush through things. Get people processed quickly and make all the tough decisions myself, depending on whether the captain has even made an effort to help. I’ll generally allow the crew to arm themselves to a degree with microphasers and improvised weapons to defend themselves, as I can’t be everywhere at once, and I could die without them knowing. They also often assist when dealing with louder antagonists, a help I greatly appreciate, as most guns can kill a lone officer extremely quickly. I’ll play it cautious, taking in the general pacing of the round to determine how much talk I can do. While some antags will take things easier so as not to overwhelm me, just as many are willing to jump at the opportunity that there is only one officer and all they have to do is kill me, take my equipment, then they’re basically unstoppable unless the captain is really good with an egun and doesn’t get jumped (or the crew happens to be robust). It only gets worse if they team up with other antagonists, but at that point, the whole station gets riled up to help me. It's a lot about knowing what to prioritize, keeping my eyes glued to the radio every free second, and trying not to die. This doesn't happen often enough for me to have a set-in-stone playstyle, though.


What is a security gimmick you’ve wanted to run?
I think it’d be fun to have everyone go undercover. Wear the clothes of other jobs, fake IDs, all that stuff to catch antagonists off-guard and confuse the crew. This is bound to backfire spectacularly, but it’d be fun to play out and see what happens.