We're full at ten. Hatchet just took the last spot. But people move, people go to college, people's wives find out how much they play. So we keep a list. If you want on it, read this page and mail me anyway.

We could use one more light-armor guy who can ski and doesn't mind playing defense. Nobody ever wants to play defense. If you want to play defense, you're halfway in already.

• You can ski. You don't have to be Riprap. You have to not walk.
• You can make most Friday matches at 10 Eastern and at least one practice a week (Tuesday or Sunday).
• You'll play the job we need, not just the one you like.
• You don't cheat. You don't whine. You don't talk trash about people's mothers. Ours or anybody's.
• You're 15 or older. Not because kids are bad. Because Friday matches run late.

We don't care what your connection is. Eight of us are on 56K. Tribes plays fine on a modem as long as you're not on the far side of the country from the server.

1. Mail me. Your handle, what state you're in, your connection, what nights you can play, and what job you want. Tell me what clans you've been in before, if any, and why you left. I'll find out anyway.

2. Come to a practice. I'll tell you which one. Just show up and play. Nobody's grading you yet. We're seeing if you're fun to have around.

3. The two weeks. If that goes fine, you start your trial. For two weeks you wear Pup- in front of your name instead of GH-. Pup-Hatchet. Pup-Whoever. You come to practices, and you play at least one Friday match. Somebody will put you on a job and watch how you do it. You'll probably get put on base defense at least once. That's on purpose.

4. The vote. At the end of the two weeks the ten of us vote. It's by e-mail to me. You need seven yes votes. Not ten, not six. Seven. If you get them, you're GH- from then on and your name goes up on the roster. If you don't, I'll tell you why, honestly, and you can try again in a month if you want.

Nobody has ever been voted down for being bad. People get voted down for not showing up, for team-killing, for whining in the chat, and once for flying the scout into our own generator room on purpose. (That was before Wingnut. It's how Wingnut got the job.)

Can I fly the scout? No.

What if I'm in another clan? Pick one. We don't do double tags.

What if I miss a match during my two weeks? Tell somebody ahead of time and it's fine. Don't tell anybody and it's not.

Do I have to use a ski script? No. Riprap doesn't. He has very fast thumbs.

Why "Gravel Hounds"? I named it at six in the morning after a shift, standing next to a gravel lot. It was that or "the Forklifts." You're welcome.