RTS-League: Clan Leagues for Strategy Gamers

As the foremost clan league in the "Age of" community, RTSL strives to offer all of our participants leagues of professional quality in an informal and friendly setting.  Our leagues provide players with the best way to show off their team-playing skills and, at the same time, determine which clan is the top in the game.

To encourage a fair and fun experience for all participants, we have established a set of rules governing various aspects of the competition.  Following these rules is crucial to the basic purpose of our League - to have competitive fun in a friendly and fair manner.

Recently, it has been brought to our attention that some players and clans participating in the Age of Mythology: The Titans Clan League have been seriously breaching not only the rules, but also the trust of their fellow competitors and the League staff, undermining basic purpose of RTS-League.

Because our aim is to provide you, the participating clans, with the best clan competition in the game, we take allegations of players using a false identity, or "smurfing," very seriously.  Our staff has conducted a thorough investigation.  Unfortunately, all of the evidence confirms the initial allegations of smurfing.

More particularly, we have confirmed that members of both clan GDM and clan tHx have smurfed on multiple occasions during the course of this season.

Teams A and B of clan GDM used the same players in their matches, disguised under different nicknames.  This clearlyconstitutes smurfing and is forbidden under Rule 3.5. Specifically, the players involved are Faraon, who also competed under the nickname Basic, and Geigerfet, who also played under the nickname IamXhipi.  To make matters even worse, Faraon also playes matches for clan tHx under the nickname Extrem.

The two players in question have played in every game for both the GDM | A and GDM | B teams this season.  Faraon is also the Clan Operator for both teams, making the whole situation that more serious. Clan GDM is therefore removed from the League immediately, and is banned from further participation for a period of 1 year.

Likewise, the circumstances surrounding clan tHx are more serious in view of their close ties with clan GDM, and the fact that the smurfed games were played with players who only recently "left" clan GDM.  Clan tHx is also removed from the League immediately, and is banned from further participation for a period of 1 year.

The individual players Faraon, as the main perpetrator, and Geigerfet are banned from participating in RTS League for life.

We believe removal of these cheaters will improve the quality of the competition for all of you and allow you to have fun games and matches with worthy opponents - opponents who are who they say they are.

Clan Operators, please take this also as a call for assistance.  Our staff takes allegations of cheating -- in all forms -- very seriously.  But we cannot begin an investigation unless we know there is a problem.  If you or your players believe rules are being broken, either by smurfing or in some other way, do not hesitate to contact your division staffer and voice the issue.  Be assured that the staff will investigate all credible allegations of cheating.

From a different angle, Clan Operators are responsible for knowing who is playing for their team.  Take this responsibility seriously, and it will help prevent this kind of situation in the future.  The first step to eliminating smurfs is to stop them from playing in the first place.

To all the fair clans remaining in the League and looking forward to some great clan wars - gl&hf!