Our Story
Old friends. Legendary battles. One flag that keeps bringing us back to sea.
Before There Was a Fleet
SIM’s story reaches back to 2001, when ColMustard, Googlebut, Hemah, and Granchile were already gaming together in Star Trek: Starfleet Command on MPlayer. Years later, Hemah went searching for a free multiplayer game and discovered Dogs of the Sea (DOTS). He introduced it to ColMustard and Googlebut, and before long, the old friends had found their next adventure on the high seas.
ColMustard went on to found Southern Independent Merchants (SIM), building an alliance that would become known not just for its battles, but for its loyalty, friendships, and determination to stand together.
- 2000Friendships forged in Starfleet Command
- 2008The DOTS era — a fleet takes shape under ColMustard
- 2026SIM sails again in Rogues of the Sea
Hemah Finds His Sea Legs
Hemah’s first days in DOTS were hardly welcoming. He ran into unfriendly captains and tough alliances, including JDA, and spent some money restoring his ship while learning a game that had no premium ships in those days—just vessels to build up, pearls, critical-hit balls, and a lot of trial and error. When he finally upgraded his internet connection, the glitches eased, everything clicked, and he became a force to be reckoned with.
After tensions within Dv8, Hemah left the alliance. MERC soon began attacking him around his home bay in the upper-left corner of the map, and a rivalry was born. He eventually left Dv8 with 16 fellow members and joined SIM. Along the way, he earned a reputation for doing the seemingly impossible: taking on the seas in a humble sloop while other captains relied on far larger Man-of-Wars.
ColMustard — Our Original Founder
ColMustard was more than SIM’s founder. He was the captain who brought the crew together, led us through hard-fought victories, and made the alliance feel like a brotherhood.
One story says everything about his leadership. When the European alliances MR and NR launched fort attacks around 3:00 a.m., ColMustard picked up the phone and woke the crew. For an entire month, SIM fought to hold that fort. Some opponents suspected we were cheating; the truth was simpler: we showed up, put in the hours, and refused to give in.
ColMustard and Granchile would spend hours preparing for fort battles, planning strategy, and weighing non-aggression pacts (NAPs) before a single shot was fired. Those late nights and hard-won victories became the stories we still tell. ColMustard passed away in 2019, but the fleet he created—and the friendships he helped forge—sail on.
Safe travels across the sea, ColMustard. You are missed.
The Flag Flies Again
Rogues of the Sea brings the spirit of DOTS back to life for a new generation—and gives the old crew a reason to reunite. Many veterans of the original game have returned to sail under SIM’s colors, joined by new captains writing stories of their own.
Today, Aphius4 leads SIM, with Hemah serving as an officer and an unofficial co-leader. Long before the fleet’s return, Hemah kept the community connected through Facebook posts, conversations, and personal messages. Some longtime players believe that persistence helped keep the dream alive and contributed to the momentum behind this new chapter.
Captains may change, games may come and go, but the heart of SIM remains the same: a crew that shows up for one another, stands its ground, and always finds its way back to the sea.
