Today sees a huge sign that the community is unified once more – the launch of the community-wide server map. The long-awaited unification of Club Penguin Army Headquarters and Club Penguin Army Network has already introduced a series of benefits, with more still to arrive.
Confidence from the Whole Community
With the split into multiple organisations following the downfall of the CP Army Hub in January 2021, armies within the community faced a dilemma: which leagues or maps they would place themselves in. While many took the decision to participate in the leagues of both Club Penguin Army Headquarters and Club Penguin Army Network, some, particularly key armies in the community, opted to remain in just one. The Rebel Penguin Federation, for example, maintained throughout CPAHQ’s lifespan that it would only engage in events held by CPAN.
Now, though, that changes. The unification that has led to the new “CPA” organisation has the confidence of all the existing big-hitters in the community and is now the obvious landing spot for newly created or relaunched armies. No longer is the community split down the middle. This, really, is the starting point for all other advantages that the process of unification brings the community as a whole.
Community-Wide Tournaments and Events
With the community split across multiple organisations, community-wide competitions relied on an external group of army leaders running a series of four classic tournament-style events, along with a shared pool of reporting staff from CPAHQ and CPAN reporting on the events of the tournaments.
The community still saw innovative alternate formats, though. They still did, however, have reduced participation as they were held by CPAHQ, which continuously failed to have the support of several key players in the community. While this didn’t remove the tension and competition between participating armies, it definitely devalued the win of the army in the top spot at the conclusion of the events, at no fault of their own – had they really “won” when they hadn’t faced everyone in the community?
With the Beach Brawl and Legends Cup on the horizon, the community can once more look forward to both the traditional tournament format as well as new and innovative events that are open to and involve all in the community, all thanks to long-awaited successful unification talks.
Pooled Media Talent
The unification of CPAHQ and CPAN also means that the community is now served once again by the strongest in the community working on the same team.
This means less time and effort have to be devoted to producing two similar articles on the same story or two weekly top tens. The productivity, innovation and skill of some of the strongest in army media can be pooled together to produce what is hopefully some of the best content the community has seen.
This also works two ways, meaning that the whole pool of reporting staff finally gets their work appreciated by all corners of the army community as Club Penguin Armies becomes the key centrepiece of media coverage of army news.
Server Map
Another example of the split in the community has been the continuous two server maps run by CPAHQ and CPAN. Following unification, the community once more has a central server map that all in the community can feel welcome participating in.
This also centralises conflict and competition – wars declared between armies will now see armies vie for land on one server map – there is no need to fight across multiple maps or, as became common throughout 2021, no map at all.
Having one map, as a result of unification, also makes it easier to take a snapshot of the community in its current state; all armies are fighting over the same landscape, with the same rules, making their wins and losses all the more comparable for those unfamiliar to the community.
And those are just some of the benefits the community is already starting to see following the successful conclusion of unification talks between CPAHQ and CPAN. No doubt, more are already at play and more will soon become clear.