Featured CMDR Biggles MK II

What was your first experience with the Elite universe and what keeps you playing it today?

I loved playing the original game on my BBC Micro back in the mid eighties; it was always the cassette I reached for first if I had time on the family TV.

These days I treat it more as a hobby than just a game; there’s always something I want to try, some new lore storyline to investigate or an interesting CG.

Also, the more I’ve become more involved with the workings of the squadron, especially the BGS side, the more things I find to do.

Tell a quick story about your favorite moment in Elite: Dangerous.

So many great moments to choose from; exploration sights, first time bounty hunting in a wing, first AX CZ or first visit to a Guardian site. But, if I had to pick one it would be my Sneaky Sidey experiment.

I proved the Sidewinder has a low enough profile that it could fly up to an outpost at ground level and the turrets wouldn’t be able to shoot low enough to hit me. It’s probably not that exceptional but it felt groundbreaking at the time!

Tell the story of how you earned your callsign.

They still haven’t caught me.

Tell us about your favorite ship in the game.

It would have to be my Krait Phantom, TFS Wanderer. I used it on LS2 and took it to Sag A afterwards.
It was the first ship I engineered for a particular role, which was fun in itself, and has the first paintjob I bought (Predator Blue – my favourite football team’s colours).

Like all my ships it’s named after an aircraft that appeared in the Biggles books.

What drew you to join The Fatherhood?

Easy. Keelback Awareness Week. I was looking for some kind of direction in the game and I had a Keelback, so joining a group that appreciated Lakon’s finest seemed a good move.

I originally joined Alpha, then moved to Pioneers around the time of Lost Souls 2.

Back in the bubble I joined Charlie, then when the squadrons were reorganised I ended back at Alpha before promotion to Wing Command and a move to help run Juliet.

My alt account – Algy Lacey II is in Echo, so I’ve been around.

What’s your day job, and how do you balance your home, work and gaming life (or do you)?

I run my own business so maintaining a healthy balance is theoretically in my hands. It doesn’t always work out that way, but at least the boss doesn’t moan if I spend an hour shipbuilding on Coriolis.

Nowadays I normally play at weekends and early evening (UTC) when the kids are doing homework.

What is one thing most people don’t know about you that you wish they did?

Not ALL my ships have Shock Cannons.

How did you come up with the name of your Commander?

I was, and remain, a huge fan of the Biggles books and it seemed an obvious choice to name myself after a famous pilot.

I just wish my flying ability lived up to the name!

Any fatherly advice for new CMDRs trying to make their way in Elite: Dangerous?

Enjoy the smaller ships and never sell them – they can all have a role no matter how big your fleet becomes.