Welcome back to HCOM Life Stories, the column where we catch up with a High Commanding member of an army and dive into their past. This week, Sip is front and centre as we take a look into how it all began for him.
Sip, also known as Sipper, first came across the community in 2020. He was recruited into an army called the Black Jackets, created by Coff in 2007. The army was revived under the leadership of Koloway in November 2020 after 13 years of inactivity. To many people, this army was seen as Koloway’s because not many people knew of the old Black Jackets. The same can be said for Sip.
Despite being new to the community, he was eager to learn and rise. He quickly grew in the army, gaining the trust and respect of the staff. This enabled him to gain the staff role in under a month. During this first month, the Black Jackets gained momentum and were able to reach fourth place on the S/M Top Tens. However, the army soon faded out and eventually shut down.
The only army Sip was a part of was shut down fairly quickly, leaving him in the abyss of the shut-down army. This was until Koloway and CSY approached him and asked him to join the Army of Club Penguin. Despite still being new to the community, his work in the Black Jackets helped him to obtain the role of Brigadier General in ACP. This was a staff rank within the army.
ACP battled the Night Warriors in their History Week.
Joining on the 30th of January, Sip spent five months in the army. During this time, ACP obtained first place on the Top Tens in April for the first time since November 2020. They also declared war on the Doritos in May after hostilities arose between the allies. ACP went on to win this war with a war score of 5-0. Sip also witnessed the change in leadership which saw CSY step down, after 484+ days of leading. This change saw both Max and Cubster step up to become leaders of the army.
However, the month of June would be Sip’s last in the army. On June 27th, Sip stepped away from the army as he slowly grew inactive. Choosing to take a break from armies, Sip wouldn’t return to the community until February 2022. Instead of returning to ACP, Sip opted for a new experience. He joined the Water Vikings on the 6th of February, originally joining for the role of staff-in-training. Sip was no stranger to the Vikings as he knew a lot of people within the army. However, it took him time to adjust and rise up the ranks
A few months after joining, he eventually managed to obtain the role of staff. This fed into his motivation to work harder and aim higher. In his first few months in Water Vikings, he witnessed a new generation of the army form with multiple leadership changes. Whilst this may have been difficult for some, he kept working within the army and strived to gain HCOM. From hosting game nights to working hard to fulfil his duties and even recruiting, he pushed to get the role.
One of Sip’s memorable pictures
He obtained the role of HCOM in October 2022, eight months after joining the army. However, just one month after his promotion, the Water Vikings temporarily closed down. The Vikings saw many changes in the army, like the departure of long-time leader Aaronstone, and these things eventually led to the burnout of the troops within the army. Not only that but the community was starting to shrink, leading to the Vikings’ temporary closure.
Despite this, Sip stayed with the army and was part of its return in January 2023. Their comeback event saw them max 27 penguins. Sip was just one part of the team that helped them to revitalise the army, helping them return in full force. However, later in January, Sip “retired”. He left the army to focus on his life, once more. Although, this time, his leave only saw him away from the army for half a month. He returned to the army in February, resuming his duties once again.
He then went on to help the Water Vikings regain their major army status as well as finish 1st in the top tens for the first time since 2016. Unfortunately, his time in WV was short-lived, despite their achievements. He retired, once again in April and returned just under a month later, in May. While his time in the army has been stop-and-start, he has been a major part of the high-command team. His return allowed him to help the Vikings in World War IX, helping them to prepare and fight in each battle.
Since the end of the World War, Sip has maintained his status in the army and continued to serve them. With that said, how did Sip make it this far and what was his experience truly like? Club Penguin Armies interviewed Sip to find out more.
How did you get recruited into armies and who recruited you?
I got recruited on a discord gaming server and a 2ic called Liam recruited me to Black Jackets I was really unsure If I would join at first.
How would you describe your journey since then?
I would say my journey went pretty slow and smoothly nice since I gained alot more confidence talking to alot of people throughout my journey to ending up in a place I never expected to ever be in.
Do you have any memorable moments from your time in armies, past or present?
One of my most memorable times was when I was just a rank before hicom and I got a double promo after Legends cup for being a major contributer in wv it was a amazing feeling.
What were your aims/goals upon joining WV and how have they changed, if at all?
My goals when I first joined wv is def make some new friends and try to build up my rank to atleast 2ic and i achieved those goals.
How does it feel to be a HCOM in WV after working hard to get to where you are today?
It feels great I never really thought of being this far in the first place.
Has there been anyone who has pushed you or inspired you to get this far, if so who (and how)?
Def former leader aaronstone because he works super hard and tries to make wv a better army which inspired me to try to do the same.
Do you have advice for the people who are working towards getting HCOM?
Just Don’t Give Up lol
Sip certainly has had a turbulent time since joining the community in 2020. Despite that, he has continued to work hard and stay motivated. It seems that he has no plans of slowing down either. It’s also clear that figures like Aaronstone have helped him get to where he is today. What will become of Sip in the future? Will we see him rise up in the army ranks? Will he, one day, lead the Water Vikings? We, at Club Penguin Armies, wish Sip the best of luck in their future endeavours.
More Information
Mchappy is interning at Club Penguin Armies as the Chief Executive Producer. Max held him at gunpoint to finish his biography.