Why you get kicked from rated lobbies, whether AI games count for ratings, and what maxrating brackets mean.
Maxrating games enforce a ceiling on player rating to keep matches balanced within a skill bracket. If your rating exceeds the limit, you get removed automatically. This isn't a punishment. The lobby just filters for a specific skill range so everyone gets fair fights. Check the lobby description to see what the maxrating requirement is before joining.
Lower-skill players wondering where they fit after getting kicked from maxrating lobbies should look for unbracketed games. Many community lobbies have no rating restriction. Finding matches at your skill level means less frustration and better learning opportunities.
Playing against AI in multiplayer lobbies does not affect your rating. Rating changes only come from matches against human opponents where both sides commit to the game. AI games are useful for practice, but they don't move you up or down the ladder.
Rating anxiety keeps players from enjoying BAR. When you get kicked from a lobby, there is no shame in that. The right community helps you find appropriate matches without making you feel inadequate.
Before discovering Creed, I was thinking the only thing that separates BAR from the perfect RTS is a friendly and safe social environment for new players to learn and feel included.