a. HOPAS is open to all World of Warships players who want to compete and improve while remembering that this is just a game and we are here to have fun.
b. Participation is required. We don’t have any quotas, but you should be in game playing battles multiple times a week at a minimum. Most HOPAS members play every day.
c. Compete. Our goals are competing in Clan Battles and other competitive events, including King of the Sea.
d. Communication is required. You must have a mic. We strongly request that you be in a discord voice channel when you are in game.
e. Tier 10 ships are required. In HOPAS Main you are expected to have a well-equipped port with all competitive ships. You must be diligently working towards acquiring Tier 10s in all HOPAS clans. To play consistently in competitive modes, you will need a minimum of three Tier 10s. Working towards premium Tier 10s available through coal, steel, and research points is also expected. You are also expected to have or be working towards max-point captains in all Tier 10 ships. It is not required that you spend money on the game, but as a practical matter you will need to if you want to play competitively. Buying premium time and other resource buffs is highly recommended. Under the current game, Clan Battles is the best way to get steel!
f. Players with less experience, ship selection, or completed ships and captains are welcome in other HOPAS groups and will be considered for competitive groups in the future.
a. No hate. Racism is not tolerated and you will be immediately kicked from the clan.
b. Respect for military service members. Many of our members are current or former military. This clan honors the commitment and sacrifice of men and women in uniform.
c. Do what officers tell you. Officers are here to help the clan and its members grow and compete. If an officer tells you something, it’s for a reason.
d. Personnel issues. If you have a problem with another member or an officer, you must communicate privately with another officer about it. The best way to do this is to message an officer in discord and ask to speak in a private discord office.
e. You must join the HOPAS discord server. The discord server invite link is permanently pinned at the top of clan chat in game.
f. Keep up to date with clan announcements. Log into the game and check news on the discord server regularly. All official communications and organizational messages are on the discord server. Reminders and alerts are often posted on clan chat in game.
g. No tools, trolls, or bullshit. Check your drama at the door. We are here to have fun and blow off steam. Treat each other with respect, provide and accept constructive criticism, and respect the officers and what they tell you.
h. Officers and promotions. Officers are set and promoted at the discretion of the commander. Officers are members who take on leadership and organizational roles and also have proven themselves in battle. To become an officer you must be active in the clan and demonstrate skill in play, but there are no set criteria for promotion. The commander may promote or demote officers at any time and for any reason, with or without cause.
i. Moving between HOPAS clans. There are several clans in the HOPAS community. HOPAS officers are in constant communication about different players, which players they have synergy with, and in-game improvement–both in terms of resources and abilities. To play in competitive groups, you are expected to be active, have experience in clan battles and division play, display excellent communication, and work well with officers and other players. Movement between clans will be determined by the officers and either offered or, in some cases, requested.
j. Meetings. Clan meetings are announced as far in advance as possible via discord and in-game chat. All members are expected to log into discord on the day and time set for a clan meeting. If you cannot attend a clan meeting, contact an officer.
k. Training. If we are going to compete, we need to meet to go over strats and train. Trainings are announced as far in advance as possible via discord and in-game chat. You are expected to attend all trainings, whether or not you have been selected for the roster of a specific event. If you cannot attend a training, contact an officer.
l. Absences. If you are going to be out of the game for a while (deployment, work, health, just need a break), let an officer know. Members who do not log into the game for long periods of time may be removed to make room for active players.
m. Life comes first. We are adults with jobs, kids, dogs, snakes, etc. IRL stuff has to take priority over this game, and we understand that. We are here to support each other as friends as well as clanmates. If you need something, say something.
a. We strongly ask that you be in a voice channel in discord if you are in game. We understand that sometimes you are playing and can’t talk or don’t want to be bothered while grinding, but being available to div in voice channels with other players in the clan is one of the best ways to enhance team cohesion for competitive play.
b. AFK means AFK, don’t sit in AFK if you are playing.
c. Server nicknames on the HOPAS discord server follow this naming convention for HOPAS members: “[Clan] In-game Name”. Your nickname will be set by an admin if it does not follow this convention. It will be changed if you change it. HOPAS clans are designated by H1 for HOPAS, H2 for H0PA2, etc.
d. Do not go into officer channels or competitive channels like Clan Battles, Clan Brawls, and KoTS unless an officer tells you to. If you try to go into one of these channels and cannot, you likely do not have permission on the server. Talk to an officer if you think you need permission.
e. Push to talk is highly recommended and may be required for some channels. Background noise and hot mics can make communication very difficult. Plus, no one wants to hear your belching and Frito munching.
a. You must be in discord voice comms to play Clan Battles. (You were already in discord because you were in game, right?)
b. Qualifying for Clan Battles
i. All members have the opportunity to play for Clan Battles.
ii. Clan Battle divisions will be assigned by officers.
iii. We do our best to field the best divisions possible for Clan Battles. This means the best players with the best chemistry and team play.
iv. Consistent participation and familiarity with your teammates are essential to success in Clan Battles. Players that participate, communicate on discord, and div with clanmates will be more likely to be assigned to a division.
v. Rental ships are not acceptable for Clan Battles in HOPAS. Pay attention to the tiers for upcoming Clan Battles, be ready with ships of that tier commanded by max-point captains specced for competitive play.
c. Clan Battle Divisions
i. WoWs provides two divisions for Clan Battles, Alpha and Bravo. There can be multiple divisions of each.
ii. When you get the call to play, play in the division you are assigned.
iii. Only officers may invite or assign mercenaries.
iv. You must get officer permission before serving as a mercenary with another clan.
d. Clan Battles Operations
i. On Clan Battle days, all players who want to play in Clan Battles need to join the appropriate Clan Battles Waiting Room channel on discord.
ii. If you are in game, and there are not enough players for Clan Battles, you must go to the Clan Battles Waiting Room and report ready to play if players are requested via in-game chat or announcements, or in discord.
iii. If you are in Clan Battles Waiting Room, be ready to play. We do our best to give one-game warnings for a change in players, but it is not guaranteed. You may be asked to play at any time.
iv. If players are in Clan Battles Waiting Room and division is full, we rotate at least one spot in a Bravo division every three games. No one should be waiting for more than three games if you are ready to play. Officers may override one or more rotations when the division is in the struggle. This rule does not apply to Alpha division.
v. Officers will set the division and assign players from the Clan Battles Waiting Room. Once you are assigned to a division, move to the discord channel for that division.
vi. Each Clan Battles division has a caller. The caller is assigned by the officer. The caller will give the orders to all players in the division, including assigning the ships to be played and the battle strategy.
vii. Listen to the caller. The battle is won or lost on the caller’s strategy and each players’ execution of the strategy. If we don’t work as a team, we will lose. This isn’t randoms. The style of play required for competitive WoWs is different. If you do not follow orders or fail to execute, your opportunities to play in Clan Battles may be limited. An officer will talk to you about it if that is the case. During the battle feel free to make suggestions to the caller or call focus fire, but do not feel bad if the caller says no or overrides what you are asking for. Team play is the rule, not an option.
viii. Communicate. Don’t presume the caller is paying attention to your situation. Report situations that come up, call focus fire, and let the caller know if you are in trouble.
ix. Our expectation is that you know how to play your ship and understand angles, detection bubbles, firing ranges, and other basic game mechanics and ship characteristics. When executing orders you should preserve the health of your ship at all times. If you cannot execute an order without jeopardizing your boat, report to the caller and ask for instructions.
a. The commander decides when and if we play in tournaments such as King of the Sea.
b. The personnel for tournaments, including caller(s), players, and ship assignments will be made ahead of time.
c. Do not feel bad if you are not selected for a tournament. Most have limited roster slots. We will make decisions on tournament rosters based on several factors including experience, team chemistry, available ships, and clan involvement. The more active you are, including in-game, on discord, and helping out, the more likely you will be considered for a tournament roster.
a. You are expected to participate in all competitive modes provided by WoWs. You must play ranked and ranked sprints, participate in Naval Battles (under the clan tab in port), and be available for clan brawls. You don’t need to rank out every season, but participation is expected.
b. Other events and tournaments. From time to time we may participate in other events. You are expected to be reasonably available to participate when asked.
HOPAS members play many other games and we get together and play these games together on discord. There is a HOPAS War Thunder squad and groups in other games as well. While we are organized around World of Warships, we have many members with substantial interests in other games.
Good Luck and Have Fun!