The Army of Club Penguin celebrated their 17th anniversary a few days back. Being the oldest army in the community, the Clovers are still going strong, and marching on since its inception in 2006.
Designed by Cassie
The Army of Club Penguin was the first army to be created within the army community, founded by Oagalthorp on the 29th of September, 2006. It was one of the dominant armies to exist during the original Club Penguin era and later was revived by Mchappy and Chainpro on the 29th of September, 2019, the army’s 13th anniversary.
After their revival in 2019, the army was quickly able to leave its mark once again on the community, living up to its epochal history. They not only emerged victorious in several wars and tournament battles but also dominated the Top Ten lists multiple times since their comeback. To note some of their triumphs – in January 2020, they won the Holiday Championships tournament after defeating the tournament giants aka the Rebel Penguin Federation in the finals, after which the Clovers went on to battle their then-allies, the Silver Empire in the final showdown of Project: Conquest emerging victorious against the Empire in June 2021.
Project Conquest in June 2021 against Silver Empire
This was followed by their most recent victories in July 2022 at the Beach Brawl, and in August 2023 at the Legends Cup finals once again against the Rebel Penguin Federation.
Legends Cup XIII Finals in August 2023 against Rebel Penguin Federation
Apart from winning Legends Cup XIII, during their 17th year, the Clovers have had many worthwhile moments to remember. At the end of November 2022, they hosted their own community event, Double Deck the Halls which was an attempt to have a friendly battle with other armies, and took home the trophy with the help of their then-allies, the Dark Vikings. Following this, the Clovers once again joined forces with the Dark Vikings and the Templars forming the Circus Alliance, to enter The War of Troubled Allies against the Special Weapons and Tactics. The war eventually ended in a force treaty with the Agents having to surrender.
The Troubled Allies War, December 2022
However, at the end of March 2023, the army declared war on the Dark Vikings due to the latter making several discriminatory and offensive remarks about members of the community, which went against the moral code and values that the Clovers have always stood for. After more than two weeks of warfare, the Army of Club Penguin announced its victory over the Vikings in the Muddy Marathon war, with a score of 8-0-0. This year also witnessed the Clovers dominating the Top Ten charts multiple times as the army aimed to rise and give it its best.
Muddy Marathon War, April 2023
Shortly after Project: Ascent ended for the army, a new Project was introduced at the end of May, going by the name – Project: Domination. This project saw the formation of a triumvirate leadership as Coolguy and AustinFraud joined Calgo in leading as the 50th commanders of the army. Amidst this induction, the army not only triumphed in another war against their age-old rivals Special Weapons and Tactics, but also joined hands with their brother-allies, the Help Force, the Templars, and the Sapphire Concordat to battle against the Blue Sunset Alliance during World War IX. The war led to a strengthening of bonds between the Clovers and the Knights, therefore establishing an alliance, the Crusader Alliance among them.
World War IX, June 2023
With the World War coming to an end, the Army of Club Penguin made its way into yet another war, this time, against the Elite Guardians of Club Penguin. The Clovers not only flourished on the battlefield against their strong opponents but their official newspaper and media hub – Shamrock Bulletin, also crossed 10,000 posts.
Army of Club Penguin vs. Elite Guardians, August 2023
To celebrate and honor their legacy of the past, present, and future, the army held a week-long of fun activities ranging from events to competitions and community submissions. They started off with a division battle between the divisions, Echo and Alpha, and then went on to host a Master Class on XAT, before celebrating their anniversary on the 29th. The Clovers also introduced a new flag for their army, as made by Dino, marking a new era for the army, after hosting a Flag contest for the same. Apart from the Flag-making competition, the army also hosted an Igloo contest and an Emote contest, both of which were ACP-themed. They marked the end of their festivities with a Closing Ceremony that took place on the 30th of September, bringing a conclusion to their birthday week.
Army of Club Penguin’s 17th Anniversary
Club Penguin Armies reached out to Calgo for an interview regarding the Clovers’ 17th year of activity and his thoughts on the same.
How does it feel to celebrate the Army of Club Penguin’s 17th Anniversary?
It’s crazy to think that after all these years ACP is still going strong and even further we are crossing into a new golden age of success! It feels like yesterday when we were still fighting with snowballs in OG Club Penguin and I bet a lot of the ACP vets can say the same. This anniversary is especially important to us because it shows how far we have come in the past year going from a period of hardships and lows to dominating the community. I’m damn proud to call myself an ACP Veteran and we look forward to many more years of success!
Do you think the army has stayed true to its goals as envisioned by its creator?
I think we have in many ways we have honored and respected the goals and values of ACP and while they may not be exactly what Oagal originally envisioned, that isn’t a bad thing either. In many ways, ACP is once again a pillar of the community that fights against the injustices committed by armies who abuse their power. Furthermore, ACP was built on the foundation of having fun and the art of war. I think if anything in the past year we have done so much to return to our roots and continue the tradition of waging war rather than opting for peace. On the other hand, ACP has also done a lot to innovate and adapt over the years to survive, grow, and thrive which is something all armies should prioritize. I have talked with Oagal quite a bit and while I can’t speak for him myself, I do think he is proud of how much ACP has grown and developed as a community and as a family.
What does this army’s legacy mean to you?
ACP’s legacy means everything to me. As someone who grew up in ACP as just a troop in 2009, I have immense respect for our past and our history. Preserving that legacy and our reputation has always been one of my biggest priorities as ACP has and will always be the pillar of the community. Our past is not one of failures but rather one of enduring hardships and rising above impossible challenges. In OG Club Penguin, when you think of armies two armies would come to mind: Army of Club Penguin & the Nachos.
Could you share some of your favorite moments from the army?
Some of my favorite moments from ACP include discovering ACP during their war with the Romans back in OG where I stumbled into their battle. One of my all-time favorite memories though was our battle vs. EGCP in the semi-finals of the Legends Cup. I don’t think I have ever screamed that much in one battle before and the energy and adrenaline rush was absolutely insane with how close that matchup was. A personal memory for me that I also really enjoyed was when we raided IW and WV during their two practice battles for Operation: Dark Water when IW surrendered to our declaration of war within less than 23 minutes denying our strides for war and WV taunting us with the clown outfits. All I’m gonna say is TOPMYPUFFLE tactics and the green puffle outfit are iconic. Lastly, I really miss all the late-night VCs we’d do in ACP in our relaxed VC just hanging out with everyone in the community, playing games, and growing closer.
What can we expect from the Clovers this year?
Set your sights high because the clovers are only aiming higher. I’ll leave the rest for Coolguy and Austin to reveal. Actions speak louder than words.
It is no doubt that this year has gone great for the Army of Club Penguin. They have not only made immense progress in terms of growth and rise but have also surpassed people’s expectations of the army. We can’t wait to see what the future has in store for the Clovers and wish the army, the very best in all of their future endeavors. How do you think this year will go for the Clovers?
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Mchappy is interning at Club Penguin Armies as the Chief Executive Producer. Max held him at gunpoint to finish his biography.