Guild Alliance - Prospective.

[vacuum]

We're looking into the idea of an alliance with a couple of other guilds. This is purely to maximise our ability to coordinate large raids on keeps and fortresses (eventually).

So far, the lead runners are:

Black Regiment
Cry Havoc

Both of these guilds seem pretty good, and quite RVR oriented - we've also done some PVE with the Black Regiment.

Firstly, does anyone have any bad experiences with either of these guilds?

Secondly, namewise, we were thinking "The Black Hand" - does anyone have any reason this is inappropriate (e.g. in a specific country it means something VERY inappropriate etc. etc.).

Thanks,

Vac

[Torgal]

They started world war I.

I'm afraid I have nothing constructive to add, I don't know enough about alliance mechanics in WAR. Does it involve making any concessions within our current guild structure?

I don't have any negative experiences with either of those two guilds.

[Mangala]

No concessions no.  I wouldnt enter into one if I thought that.  I'm too much of a personality to be a follower in such situations any way

Prospective names: The Black Hand is if we go with an alliance thats solely with Black Regiment (Do we have a forum for these guys? website links? I'd like to know more about them than what I can glean off of a WHA search: not much; WARDB checkup, not many of them use the tool; ingame is all well and good but I need data!!! I'd love to know the gaming history of its members, do they get around the mmo-verse or did they all purely arena (lol) in world of warcraft...); If others were to come in then I'd be looking at other names (The Long Grudge, Karl's Irregulars - you get the idea, ones that dont highlight any member regiments over another)

As for negative experience none as such.

All I want is people willing to ORVR a good few nights a week, some afternoons and who generally understand that Open world RVR is what the game is about and wont panic at lousy odds or at being slaughtered by the zerg, and can follow DA PLAN!  Willingness to whore scenarios is very very optional.

[Pashur]

I have never seen a <Black Regiment> player. Cry Havoc however I've seen and played with a lot in scenarios and PQs.
If we don't urgently need to commit ourselves let us get to know the other guilds a bit better before hooking up. Suggest ORVR evenings together etc.

[Debaser]

No bad experinces from either guild. Having seen all this alliance stuff in action already I can assure you it will work wonders filling out those RvR runs.. plus alliance chat is pretty cool

The Black Hand, nifty name.

[Nushka]

I think no matter who you go into an alliance with you do need to get some rules sorted out first.

Firstly, what are going to be the rules for alliance chat? Usually full members have read and talk access, but I have seen instances where 2 guilds with different outlooks on what was approriate had difficulties when it came to spamming /as with drivel. So sort out what alliance chat is going to be used for (just information regarding rvr, just sorting out general PvE/PvP groups, or a social channel as well).

Secondly you then need to sort out what happens if people DO abuse /as. Usually they just get the right to talk in it taken away:-) but thats something you need to sort out first. You don;t want people complaining about each other in alliance chat, so get rules regarding problems with other guilds members sorted as well. I know this all sounds very serious, but it will happen, so it is best to get an agreed way of dealing with it.

 You can;t really get the background of all their members (I am looking at YOU Beo :-)) as long as you both know what the alliance is for and what you want to see happen in the common chat channels, you have a good start! I think it is important that the two gms see eye to eye on the above points, and have a good working relationship.

Once you have an alliance up and running, others will see it and then it can start to grow. Having a strong idea from the outset of the type of alliance (pure rvr only, social, PvE etc) will make it easier.

Just my two pence, I used to go to alliance meetings in lieu of my old DAoC guild, so kinda know how these things worked back then, but ofc, things may be different now.(nah its the same hehe)
Edit: Also it is worth sorting out who decides stuff or if it is purely a democatic alliance, eg what if one of the guilds fancies another guild joining.....do all guilds get to vote, what if only one says no? Its really worth thinking about stuff like that.

[Warcold]

What about the Sylvan Blades? Although they might be a bit large with 150-ish ppl.

[Caradir]

id say any problems with any member of an alliance guild, use our guidelines, try to solve it privately between the 2 aggrieved parties, be civil.

if no joys approach an officer and we will try to mediate the problem. We are all adults after all inevitably we will have the occasional misunderstanding, bust up etc. as long as there is no personal attacks in chat (public, private or otherwise) any problem can be dealt with without resorting to the ban stick.


I believe an alliance channel should be used for coordinating efforts getting PVE/RVR parties together the odd bit of cheerful spam etc. but not really intended for 100% social use gets busy and difficult to read god its bad enough with the npc spammage without adding more.

[Mangala]

What about the Sylvan Blades? Although they might be a bit large with 150-ish ppl.

Timer's a tit. I'd kibosh that on him alone. Otherwise a sound group of people in the main.

[Mangala]

All great points Nushka.

Firstly, what are going to be the rules for alliance chat? Usually full members have read and talk access, but I have seen instances where 2 guilds with different outlooks on what was approriate had difficulties when it came to spamming /as with drivel. So sort out what alliance chat is going to be used for (just information regarding rvr, just sorting out general PvE/PvP groups, or a social channel as well).

I'd prefer Alliance chat is kept clean of crap and useless stuff, some social stuff is ok, but not when you have people calling for reinforcements or organising a pve/scenario group and getting spammed out of the channel by people talking about their dinner or how leet they are and such.

Secondly you then need to sort out what happens if people DO abuse /as. Usually they just get the right to talk in it taken away:-) but thats something you need to sort out first. You don;t want people complaining about each other in alliance chat, so get rules regarding problems with other guilds members sorted as well. I know this all sounds very serious, but it will happen, so it is best to get an agreed way of dealing with it.

Abuse - anything on our members end, I'd firstly as you say remove the right to chat in that channel - after all we do have an image to think about (not sure what image, but we have one!), if it was severe enough invoke the community charter and remove them from the regiment if it came down to it. As for complaining that alliance members suck in that channel: Immediate loss of access, I may even remove /g from them too (without kicking them) for a while... Any issues someone does have with an alliance member, raise with myself, or caradir, keggi, vac etc and we'll raise it with their leadership (Unless the leadership is the issue!)

You can;t really get the background of all their members (I am looking at YOU Beo :-)) as long as you both know what the alliance is for and what you want to see happen in the common chat channels, you have a good start! I think it is important that the two gms see eye to eye on the above points, and have a good working relationship.

I know I cant know everything, but I dont feel comfortable when I cant see a community's web presence and stomp into it wearing hobnail boots! Vac is our diplomat at the moment, but once he has the groundwork settled, I'll be speaking with Clericia from the Black Regiment and sorting some some of these basics out, I'm thinking of running a couple of things with their guys and a ours see how well they perform outdoors and how well we play together in proper rvr

Edit: Also it is worth sorting out who decides stuff or if it is purely a democatic alliance, eg what if one of the guilds fancies another guild joining.....do all guilds get to vote, what if only one says no? Its really worth thinking about stuff like that.

I'd prefer all member regiments decide on new joiners, rather than it be a free for all. The regiments themselves can then decide within their own internal framework and advice their leadership on support or rejection of new guilds joining. I'd obviously stick with using you all (well the forum using minority) as a vote based advice group

(Forgive me if the answers aint that great, its early and I have like 5 things to do at once!)

(PS: I'll be reworking the regiment ranks later. Proper officer levels and such)

[Jarkko]

I have no experiences (that I remember of) with Black Regiment. Doesn't ring a bell at all. Have they taken part in open RvR?

With Cry Havoc people I have quested, seen them in scenarios and they have members practically always present in the bigger ORvR encounters. Nothing bad to say about them, and I give them a high-five for effort

[vacuum]

Good feedback everyone - we will try to move the conversations with Orisha and 'Cry Havoc' forward as well.
Whilst we're keen to move forward with this to allow us to take the step forward in coordination, we want this to be a successful alliance and as such are in no rush.

We should also approach the Sylvan blades - who is their GM?

[Warcold]

Jalandariel

[vacuum]

Thanks, once the servers are back up, I'll send them an in-game mail.

[Rubino]

Remembering the issues from Eve - a second game channel is handy for alliance social chat.  Keep the primary for call-to-arms, etc.

Do they use TS also? There's nothing more annoying than having multiple chat apps running and switching between them - it not only slows down forming groups but ends up with people relaying instructions.  If you decide to merge TS servers - create separate sections for each guild and then sub-channels beneath for tasks/tiers.  We should also have a DNS entry for our TS (rather than IP address) - a sub-domain such as ts.handsofjustice.co.uk is easier to remember than IP addresses.

It would also be handy to setup a separate forum for the alliance - it helps keep things clean should down the road things go pear shaped (thinking of accounts, rights, etc).

When setting up the alliance - treat it like a business - create a bunch of shares and split it how you want between the guild leads.
Treat these as voting rights.  I know it sounds a little convoluted but it helps down the road as things expand and change.