Once you�re clan is getting a bit organized you will need to practice.. a lot. However, a clan that merely practices, doesn�t get very far. At a certain moment you�ll want to play matches and see how good you really are. This will lead you to playing regularly, which will lead you to needing regular opponents. Furthermore, you may wish to add some competitive element to your matches (which is beneficial in a psychological sense for your clan members).

That is the moment you search and contact a League and ask whether you can join it.

Leagues come in different sizes and just joining any league will only lead to frustration, and your new and shining clan at the bottom of the ladder.

Get information on a League and its members. Look at the website of the League you are interested in and try to find out the following things:- Which clans play there?- What are the rules?- When do they play?- What is their ranking system?- What kind of �seasons� do they have? And most importantly: where is it based?

The importance of the clans playing there is obvious, when it is your first league, you don�t want to join one where the old and venerable clans are sitting on the laurels. It might end up with you being slapped around a bit and left for dead at the bottom of the stairs. Maybe your good, and maybe you are truly the best since sliced bread, but don�t count on it. As the saying goes: many have tried, many have failed miserably. The rules that a league follows are equally important: you have leagues where the rules sort of vaguely touch upon what�s allowed and what�s not: chances are that at the first sign of discussion you�ll be in a huge fight on whether what you or somebody else did was allowed or not. The better worked out the rules are, the easier it will be for you to concentrate on the fighting. No, I am not a sucker for rules, but it is evident that the more delineated �subversive� activities are, the less people are inclined to openly do them. If using a verbal communication system is forbidden it is obviously clearer to all players then a statement that the league �doesn�t like it�. To use the famous adagium from Law: �If it is not expressly forbidden, then it is allowed�. Some leagues also have fixed playing times which can work to your advantage, and disadvantage. The advantage is that it will be clear to all of your clan members when they need to be present. However, it does not take into account unfortunate incidents that may prevent you or clan members to be there when you need to play. However, try to fix a day when you will play: the advantage of more easily planning a match will outweigh the inconvenience. The ranking system is another item of interest. Nothing is more frustrating then losing a game on technicalities, and believe me, some opponents will gladly resort to this when they need this. The same goes for the �seasons�. When does it start? And when does it end?

Most importantly: where is your league based? If you are from Italy and you want to join a League from the States, be very aware that the playing times might not always be �sensible� to you. Check the time differences!

2. After having gathered this information assign your intelligence officer to gather information on the clans playing in the league. Ask your allies as well for information. If necessary play some friendly matches to size up the competition. As stated before: you do not want to end up in a league of supermen and demi-gods with the assigned part of �mere mortal�. Having a chance at winning also means that you know who you pick a fight with. Taking into consideration the actions of Montgomery: Never start a fight or a war if you are not absolutely certain that you will win.

3. Based on the information you have collected call a �clan-gathering� and put it to your clan members. Some people might have problems with certain clans or leagues. Other may not be able to promise that they are always there (Now having a bigger clan becomes vital). You have to take this into account. When everybody agrees to it you can send an official request on joining the league.