Introducing: The Lord Clan for Dummies, a guide for Pvt-Gen.

Introduction

This guide is meant as a reference for all official Lord Clan members, from Private to General, for when they're unsure of how they should behave or what the rules allow them to do. It will be updated as new rules and policies are added, and it is expected that all members read it and re-read it on a regular basis to remind themselves of what they need to, and ought to, know.

Before going off into details, however, it's vital to realise the most important aspect of being a Lord: Respect.

For your fellow clan members. For your superiors (and lower ranks). For non-Lords. For those that you like, and, even more so, for those that you dislike. Remember to always respect everyone you come into contact with, and they will respect you too.

This knowledge will help you through every possible problem you could come across in the clan, and is the single most important thing to realise on the way to becoming a great Lord. It doesn't take much to say "Salute", but the effect it has on clan morale can be incredible. When we pay eachother all the same amount of respect, we act not as individuals but as a clan - which is what makes Lord greater than any other clan out there.

Lord can be described as many things - a clan, a brotherhood, a home. My favourite, however, is as a single organism made up of many cells.

You are a cell in the body of Lord.

Privates and the Corporals, you are the hands of Lord - you get all the dirty work done and take the fight to the enemy.

Sergeants, you are the backbone of Lord - you take the weight of heavier loads and you make the link between the body and the brain.

Officers, you are the brain of Lord - you co-ordinate the body and think of new ways of improving it.

Missing one of these components, the body of Lord would die. My advice to you then, is this: respect each other, realise your dependency on each other, and move as one organism to greatness.

Lord~Col.IGNGN

with thanks to:
Lord~DjDarkness - for giving me the idea.
Lord~Saviour - for helping me to edit the guide.
Lord~Jani - for being an inspiration and for saving Lord from certain death.
All Lords, past and present - for being an incredible bunch of people.

First steps: Private to Corporal

It's a well known fact that the majority of Lords that leave the clan do so before reaching the rank of Sergeant. The first few ranks are a proving ground, before you become a core member of the clan, and although most can rise through these ranks quickly, they're crucial in determining how far you'll reach in the clan later on. Remember, first impressions are extremely important when considering promotions, and if you don't make an effort to show your potential immediately then it could have a negative impact later. So the most important thing to remember as a new Lord is that you're being judged - be polite, be helpful, and work your butt off. You'll be a Sergeant in no time.

The clan's backbone - Sergeant to Sergeant Major of the Army

So, you've proved your worth as a hard working, effective Lord, and now you have a shiny new uniform and access to the Sergeant Barracks. You are now no longer without responsibilities, however. The majority of Lord members (those which stick around, anyway) are Sergeants, and they form the backbone of the clan, as a link between the troops and the officers. They are therefore masters of communication, and can balance strong leadership skills with the ability to effectively carry out orders. They also have the important role of recommending others for promotion, and so know the rules and promotion guidelines inside out. Those with a rank of First Sergeant and above can award field promotions to Cadets, which is a big responsibility, and from the rank of Sergeant you are eligible to be a Server Commander.

In order to rise through the Sergeant ranks, the most important thing to do is communicate. Sergeants must organise events, invite others to the xfire lobby (for which they are moderators, another important responsibility), contribute to discussion on the forum and frequently recommend fellow Lords for promotion, so good communication skills and a great sense of clan spirit are a must.

Remember that as a Sergeant, you're still being watched... but this time your leadership skills are being assessed. If you have what it takes to lead by example, then you'll make a fine officer in no time.

Lord Clan for Dummies

Leading by example: Lieutenant to General of the Army

Congratulations, you made it! Now get to your desk and get to work... there's a lot to do.

As the Sergeant ranks are the backbone of the clan, it follows that the Officer ranks are the brain. The officers look after everything that keeps the clan going - from forum moderation and voting on promotions to engaging in diplomacy or co-ordinating a war effort. If you've made it this far, you're as good a Lord as any.

However, that's no reason to slack off.

Being an officer is damn hard work. You will have to come to terms with the fact that sometimes you will need to use up some of your free time doing forum tasks rather than playing games. You will have to visit the forums regularly to keep up to date with current affairs, to vote in promotion polls and to discuss policy changes. Once you reach the rank of Major, you'll be a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff... which gives you the responsibility of forum administration on top of all this. Don't worry if you're not experienced with this sort of thing, however - other officers are always happy to help you learn, and you'll pick things up pretty quickly.

On top of all the forum duties, officers are expected to lead by example in the games they play - they will always act politely to Lords and non-Lords, and they will co-ordinate the efforts of other Lords to achieve the greatest effect. Lord Clan officers do not accept defeat easily, and will strive to better the clan to the best of their ability.

If you are not an officer and reading this, and it scares you a little, don't worry. When it's time for you to be promoted to an officer rank, your experiences in the clan will have prepared you for it. Just don't underestimate your responsibilities.

In summary, the best officers will be highly active in xfire and on the forum, will contribute to discussions on clan policy and bring in new ideas, and will be valued ingame by friends and feared by foes. They are then, in short, exactly what great Lords should be.