On July 25, 2025, CEO Harrat announced that Pict1on was officially promoted to Fleet Commander. The post drew 38 reactions, one of the highest counts the announcements channel has ever seen.
Harrat credited him with "leadership qualities, tactical acumen, and unwavering dedication," shown through "countless hours of strategic operations, home defense fleets, and alliance activities with Sigma Grindset." The role: lead corp strategic operations and home defence, coordinate and mentor TNF pilots, and work toward becoming an alliance FC.
So we sat him down. Sort of.
On getting the job
You were away for a bit right before the promotion. How was that?
"3 more days, I am suffering from eve withdrawal. Seeing the fun/content the guys have been cooking in my absence makes me all giddy."
And the first thing you did with the new title?
"YES! I even got to abuse my newly gotten @ everyone powers!"
Any wider ambitions?
"got my NCO tags - Hoping to get keys/fc tags sooner rather than later"
On fights that go wrong
A corpmate took a solo fight that did not go to plan. Plenty of FCs would have told him off. You did not.
"This was a perfect "valhalla" engagement. If boosters where in order and no mistakes made we would be discussing this engagement in omgwtfbbq terms (to quote the old texts of the internet) he saw a opertunity, took it albeit a bit under prepared. I just curse the fact I was not there along with him."
What should people say to an FC after a rough night?
"So much this! always keep it positive and just thank them for taking dude out to have fun"
And to pilots who just got flattened?
"Its all part of the process, get bomed, get stomped, do the stomp."
On telling the story afterwards
Three days after the promotion you posted a battle report with a famous caption.
"When I tell the story of this fight to my grand kids, we where only missing like half a Omen and we would have killed them all."
Another one, from a fleet that came home clean?
"Not a single loss, kind of feels wrong calling it a funeral service ❤️"
His scheduled fleets, it should be said, are billed as Viking funeral services. Expectations are managed.
Do you ever pass on a fight?
"Never not take the bait ❤️"
On teaching
New pilots ask you a lot of "which ship should I fly" questions. What is the honest answer?
"because that is a very complex question.. the short answer is ~depends~.. but I could write a essay on the difference between the engagement profiles"
One rule you want everyone to learn?
"Self preservation over a single killmail zerging in with no follow up is no bueno ❤️"
And to the newest pilot in the corp?
"Hello new friend 🙂 if there is anything at all you always ping me"
On being a veteran
When TNF members started planning for Fanfest 2026, he mentioned it would be roughly his 13th. He has typed on, in his words, "this exact keyboard type for 23 years." He has seen almost everything New Eden can throw at a pilot, and he still turns up giddy.
What came after
In October 2025 he was promoted to Director as well, with the announcement calling him "a great leader, FC, and Icelandic herd wrangler" and promising corp-sponsored PvP content. You can read what that turned into in the Shadow Talon after-action report.
Harrat's announcement closed with a line that has become something of a house rule. It seems the right place to end.
Praise publicly, critique privately. This is how we lift up our family!
