Highlighted Guild
- Weapons of War – Galactic Republic
As many of you know, I love Star Wars, very much like most of you. It was Star Wars that brought me into the MMO genre, with the game Star Wars Galaxies. In fact, June 26th of this year, marked the ten year anniversary of that game’s release date. The reason I bring this game up is because, like me, it brought this week’s GM, Soulcaster, to the MMO genre and also the guild <WAR>. We will learn more about how this guild got its start in SWG, largely into crafting, has transitioned to SWTOR and now makes it a “craft” of killing members of the opposing faction.
Let’s find out more about the Weapons of War after the Jump…
- Guild Q&A
Tell us a little about yourself and how you came to be a part of Weapons of War (WAR)?
Well I am the GM/Guild Leader of the guild. I created it with my brother back in about 2005 after having been in a few other guilds as well as being GM of a few (in another MMO called Star Wars Galaxies). I personally enjoy the challenge of leadership roles and learning and enhancing my own experience with it. This is why I eventually decided to create my own.
The guild was started back in another Star Wars MMO correct? How did that get started and how did those “early years” shape the guild today?
Yes, my brother and I used to play a previous MMO called Star Wars Galaxies. We played on the Bria server, and my notable main character was a Bounty Hunter named: Jinxer. It was the 1st MMO I’ve ever played, and it was a fantastic sandbox game. I played through all 3 incarnations of the game…Pre-CU, CU and the NGE, up until they closed the servers down on me. My brother and I were in several guilds at the start of the game, and even were in a few of our own. I started SWG late, in Oct 2004, and it wasn’t until maybe fall of 2005, that we finally settled on a more serious driven guild rather than the random ‘funny guild names’ and created Weapons of War (tagged: WAR), a name that stuck with us to this day.
The guild through SWG and its waves of changes went through hard times. Through many years of the game, we had as little as 4 or 5 hard core members, and at its peak, as many as 20 logging on each night. So all in all, a very small knit community and guild. The thing that has shaped the guild today however is the friends that we have made along the way in the game. Those friends, over the years from both other guilds and other servers, have now transitioned into joining us in SWTOR as we continue the guild. So, we have grown to be a much larger guild now, than the original 4-5 man WAR team.
What faction and server are associated with the guild? Do you have a presence on the opposing faction?
We play on Prophecy of the Five (Pot5) server in SWTOR. It’s an East Coast PVP Server. Most of us play from the East Coast, USA in guild.
In SWG, we were imperial for the entirety of our existence. However, when we started SWTOR we quickly found out that the Imperial faction was outnumbering the Republic nearly 4:1 at launch, if not more. We enjoy playing the role of the underdogs…at least most of us do. So we decided at launch to go Republic. Our main guild, <WAR> is Republic.
We do however, thanks to several Double XP weekends in SWTOR, have also created an Imperial Guild on the Pot5 server named <Weapons Of War>. Though, we do not recruit for the imperial side. It is simply there for our republic side alternate characters that we enjoy playing on from time to time. So much so infact, that I have made our Friday nights “Imperial Alts” night. Usually half the <WAR> guild will log over to play imperials for a night. It’s just a fun change of pace.
The gameplay most associated with WAR is what? Does SWTOR meet your expectations for this gameplay style?
The Gameplay that we most associate with really is crafting. We have a very large crafting community and fan base in guild. Mostly from SWG, whose crafting system, was one of the best MMO’s have ever seen (as far as I’m concerned anyway). HOWEVER, SWTOR doesn’t have a very in depth crafting system, and therefore we default to our 2nd, equally enjoyed pastime, which is killing other people via the internet…aka: PVPing.
SWTOR again falls short in our expectations of PVPing as it doesn’t have things that we truly miss (mostly from SWG), like player bounties, open world PVP, guild warring, etc. However we make the most of it and queue pre-made groups nightly for PVP Warzones and also have a Rated PVP team (2nd group in the works) and queue for Rated PVP 4-5x a week. For those not familiar with Rated (or Ranked) PVP in SWTOR, its pre-made 8v8 Warzones (typically guild vs guild) and is the highest form of PVP competition SWTOR currently offers.
What steps have you and WAR leadership done to help host events around PVP gameplay? Is this done in Warzones or Open World settings?
Honestly, we mostly keep to ourselves; otherwise you are prone to draw flak from the insatiable internet trolls that run rampant in MMOS. However, I have set up several PUG (pick-up-group) Rated PVP nights for both the Republic and Imperial sides on occasion in SWTOR, to help new players get their feet wet with Rated PVP. I do this both for a fun environment as well as an effort to hopefully promote more teams queuing for rated PVP on the Pot5 Sever.
In fact, though we have nearly 2 Rated PVP Teams in the <WAR> Guild now ourselves, I still continue to host PUG rated nights from time to time for those interested. Since rated PVP is only 8v8 at the moment, many people find themselves unable to obtain a rated PVP slot on even their own guild’s teams. So people often welcome my PUG rated nights and join me for some fun. It also helps to serve as a recruitment tool for our guild, as people often find they enjoy playing with us.
Having come from SWG, what is one aspect you would love to bring to SWTOR and why?
Oh there are SO MANY! This question isn’t fair. Well if you’re only going to make me choose 1, I would say: THE GALACTIC CIVIL WAR and as a result of it: “True Open World PVP”. Lose the companions in open world in SWTOR, and let players get help from grouping with each other. After all it’s an MMO. Companions shouldn’t exist for open world PVP, in my opinion.
I’d like to see open world PVP exist and help shape the factions more. Be it a type of buff for obtaining certain faction ranks, a faction kill counter, or something to promote a true Republic vs. Imperial feeling in game that you just don’t see currently (Aside from 8v8 Warzones).
image via starwars.wikia.com
So I’d like to see maybe some factional bases like the SWG Talus, Naboo and Corellia base fights. Where there was 1 base per planet there, and factions could fight over control of the base. The longer the factions held the base, the better buffs and stims they would acquire from there. I think if SWTOR implemented something like this, in 2 or 3 locations across the galaxy, it could promote some CONSTANT fun open world PVP. They could easily do this with ILUM or a new planet. BioWare just needs to create the incentive for open world PVP to be there. Galactic Civil War points, perks, and faction ranks could be that reason, for example.
<WAR> has been an established guild for several years, do you have an elaborate ranking system? What is your ranking system and what are the roles for each position?
Actually we don’t have an elaborate ranking system. It’s pretty straight forward. All members that join start at “Window Licker” status. This basically means you joined us, but I don’t know you apart from anyone else in the game. Once they register on our forums and join our Teamspeak with us, they are upgraded to the true initial rank in the guild, known as RECRUIT. From there, members stay recruit often for several months, until I feel they have truly contributed and blended in with the online gaming community and friends that we have. They are then promoted to MEMBER. After that it’s officer rank and then guild leadership, for those who have invested extensive time with guild. To be in guild leadership they need to show an extreme interest in promoting and leading the guild in certain aspects.
We have a few funny guild ranks that people are promoted or demoted to from time to time for fun and our own entertainment, like GUILD MASCOT and DERPTASTIC NOOB. However, the other mentioned ranks are really the only legitimate ones.
What is the underlying theme behind the guild’s name? Why do you feel it is important for each member to keep improving?
Well the guild name was created back in SWG, like I’ve said, and its main theme was that each person strives to be the best player they can be, so that they become a formidable weapon of PVP, and the guild as a whole are then the ‘Weapons of War’.
It’s important for our members, including myself, to understand there likely is always someone better than you, be it PVE or PVP, whatever. So long as you are constantly learning from your mistakes and experiences, you will eventually become better, until you meet your next formidable opponent or obstacle. And the cycle repeats.
Those who can’t accept this often don’t fit in well with us. And instead are often the kinds of elitists that fall under the Dunning-Kruger Effect.
Although PVP is the main focus, what other accomplishments has WAR added to their resume since playing SWTOR?
Well we’ve recently tackled some of the non-PVP aspects of the game. Including completing Terror From Beyond and Scum and Villainy Operations!
Aside from that, we have added over 100 active members to our guild forums and online gaming community. Some of which aren’t even in guild. We have enemy faction members and even non-SWTOR players joining in to converse and socialize with us on our forums daily. Our forums are quite active, feel free to join them!
Is the guild currently recruiting? If so, what is the process that potential recruits need to do in order to apply? What types of qualities and/or gamers is WAR looking for to add to their membership?
We are always actively recruiting. We are looking for any players that enjoy PVP as their primary focus in SWTOR. Players that strictly or mainly enjoy doing PVE and operations won’t fit in well with us. Even our casual players are competitive. We like to win. That said we do have 2 groups within the guild itself. Some strictly enjoy the casual nightly PVP with pre-made groups and friends, and those of us that want to be on a rated PVP team and compete at the highest levels the game offers.
Players looking to join us need to register and apply on our forums and use our Teamspeak as often as they can with us. We do not like players that log in and strictly play and chat in game. We pay for our Teamspeak server and forums, and we expect members to use both. We are social online gaming community more than just another PVP guild. Players that log in and don’t talk much or won’t use the forums to engage in discussions or won’t join Teamspeak when grouped in Warzones often don’t fit in. It just doesn’t work out, especially since communication is key playing Warzones in SWTOR.
We also however, don’t particularly care for the elitist that thinks he/she is god’s gift to PVP. We like our members to win and be competitive, but not at the cost of disrupting our already long established gaming community. I have had to kick a few people out of guild in the past for this reason. I don’t care how good you are, if you’re not willing to be a team player and/or help out others (or in some cases follow directions and be respectful) you simply won’t fit in well with us.
How is the best way for players seeking more information or guilds looking to join one of your server events to contact you or the guild?
The absolute best way to contact us is through our forums, located at our website. First, you will need to register with the website, and then make a post about why you are interested, or even better, use our ‘Shout Box’ on the front page of our website for quick messages to us.
Any final thoughts about SWTOR, relating to your guild or anything you wish to express to the community about WAR?
I just hope the maybe some SWTOR developers out there read this and show the PVP community some more love with more frequent PVP updates. Most of our guild has been around since pre-launch. We are die-hard star wars fans, and have a lot to contribute to the discussions of PVP development in both the game and on the Pot5 server.
Also for those looking for some SWTOR PVP tips on how I play certain classes in SWTOR (I have 10 maxed level characters), feel free to check out my Twitch stream, or you can visit my YouTube channel, where I have guides and helpful hints to players of all kinds.
That’s it for this week’s Community Checkpoint. I want to thank their guildmaster, Soulcaster, for all his help and I hope that some of the ideas he mentioned in the article do find their way into SWTOR. Also thanks to the members of the guild, Weapons of War, I wish them all the very best. If you are on the Prophecy of The Five server with a Republic character and looking to be a part of some PVPing with a close knit group, why not contact the Weapons of War <WAR> guild.
If you would like to possibly have your guild, like <WAR>, highlighted on Community Checkpoint…all you need to do is submit your guild/group’s website and some basic information in an email to me at, jason@corellianrun.com. We love to highlight members in the SWTOR community, from guilds to the many people working to plan events, contest, etc. We look forward to hearing from you and see you next week!