The point of clans?

I've always been a bit curious over this particular fascination. What drives some of us to create these little fraternities for a game? I have never been in a clan, of any sort as I recall, except Call of Duty (the original on pc) where I became a god with a rifle's iron sights. But there it was about representing a brand name. "Don't mess with the best" sort of thing. But it made sense there, what with the millions of players. With TA:K where there's so few players... I find it interesting that such minor divisions exist. I'm not criticizing, simply observing my viewpoints.

Please, explain why you prefer clans - and what might make yours special.

I would say that clan's are important to online gaming.  I have three simple reasons for clans.  One is that it builds friendships, two, it builds an influx of competitive gaming and lastly, helps solves disputes in the community.  Clans in Total Annihilation; Kingdoms have existed since the game was first released and arrived on the online market in 1999. 

Friendships arose because of being on the battlefield with ally's who raise the same flag.  Clans have been responsible for the training of many a player, thus building a tie with other members of that clan.  Clans also build friendships simply by getting to know each other as how they handle situations and get along with anyone else in the community and not only their own clan-mates. 

Clans also build an influx of competitive gaming.  When there are many clans in a gaming community, an individual who is loyal to their respective clan, will find satisfaction out of having other clans in their community.  When someone new arrives with the interest of a game and see's multiple clans with multiple members they naturally feel obliged to wish to be recruited. 

Clans are known to have their members best interest's in a gaming community.  Often times, disputes come about between individual and individual.  That's when clan's come into the picture.  Clans are very political at times and many times solve disputes between individuals.  Online gaming is very well known to draw the worst out in an individual and display a case of bad behavior.  Clan support for the individual and vise-versa from an opposing clan's interest in correcting that individual many times keeps online gamer's in "check" or otherwise keeps respect in online gaming.  Without clans, a community can easily become a re-enactment of the classic book "Lord of the Flies."  Clans provide a political science and code of conduct enforcement in a gaming community.

I love my clan DB.  DB is special because it is the longest actively running clan in TA:K history, unless RX can prove they have not been absent for a long stretch of time, and if they have not, than these two clans are the virtually the eldest.  DB is also special because of the skill each member beholds as well as their personalities.  Each member of DB has a solid appreciation of this game and many players are very long tenured in this gaming community.