Following a prolonged leave of absence, Water Vikings main leader Dino announced he is to retire effective immediately from his position. Dino, who was a strong candidate to become a legend in 2023, leaves behind a strong legacy in the army.
Designed by Gabgeirl
Over the years, Dino‘s reputation has proceeded him thanks to his large resume. He first joined armies in 2015 as a Dark Warriors member. However, it would be in the private server era where Dino truly made his mark. Dino would go on to lead many small-medium armies ranging from Lime Green Army, Pizza Federation, Romans, and even Underground Mafias Army.
In particular, Dino has been leading the Water Vikings since September 13 when he became their 85th Commander. He originally joined the army in May 2022. Additionally, he was promoted alongside Mabel, following the departures of Viking legends Adden and Buddy. For the many highs Dino has achieved, it is because he has been able to adapt when he was at his lows. For example, following his rise to leadership, the Vikings announced their hiatus as they pulled away from the community.
Recently, the Vikings were involved in two wars: one with Templars, ending in a loss, but bouncing right back in a victory against Army of Club Penguin. Other notable events under Dino’s leadership include World War IX and tournament wins such as Christmas Chaos XIII and March Madness IX. Dino has been at the forefront of the new Black Ocean Alliance, a brother alliance with the Rebel Penguin Federation.
Christmas Chaos XIII Grand Finals
Aside from his experience leading armies, Dino served as a Top Ten Committee Head for Club Penguin Armies. Also, he has served as a Head of Branding. Dino’s contributions to the organization landed him a spot on the league’s Hall of Fame known as a Memorable Member.
Rather than a traditional retirement post, Dino left an announcement in the Water Vikings server. The message served as a notice for his intention to retire, starting effective immediately. Now the army is to be led by Cabin, Claire, and Meilisa.
We wish Dino all the best
Club Penguin Armies managed to get an exclusive interview with Dino, in order to learn more about the circumstances surrounding his retirement.
Dino, you have been the face of the Water Vikings for twenty-two months. Undoubtedly, your success is remarkable. What drove you to lead the army for so much time?
Probably the fact that I have admittedly never been satisfied with myself. From the very beginning towards the last time I was really active, I always wanted to change the community for the better for innovating. Whether it be proposing the reforms to the map that we use today, crafty diplomatic ideas (to mixed success, usually failing but sometimes succeeding like the TCP force treaty in Jan 2022 which I wrote the preceding treaty as an advisor or putting together an unlikely alliance between RPF, WV, and EGCP for 32 unprecedented straight wins), a concept for a new Top Ten (seen in the Top Ten of 2023), greater care for history, and most of all having my army succeed.
WV has always been ridiculed for being a small and insignificant major, and while 2015-16 and even 2020 were great for WV, I do get peoples’ points. That’s why I wanted to pave a legacy and complete Aaron’s vision. Under me, WV not only broke its curse once, but also twice! It made it to AA’s finals too even when we basically had no active AUSIA prior to that (and achieved our authentic AUSIA peak). To me, you just have to keep going. My first go at WV leading flopped in late 2022 like all the other armies I have led, and that really got to me. I had to make sure that **never** happened again. So I went out there and achieved arguably WV’s peak in terms of raw accomplishment and one of its best moments relevancy wise. I don’t think too fondly of myself as I am very self-depreciating, but I have to give myself some pat on the back.
Considering your extensive story in the Water Vikings full of ups and downs, and, most importantly, notable accomplishments, is it possible to point out your favorite memories and achievements?
The greatest accomplishments would obv be the WW9 streak and winning two “major” tournaments back-to-back along with the time WV at one point had like a 4 or 5 stay at the top of the TT in 2023, but *my* favorite accomplishment or memory is the aforementioned AA run. As mentioned, we really didn’t have an AUSIA. We held an AUSIA maybe like idk 3 or 4 times since returning from lockdown and they were usually just EU/US people attending. By AA, we went on a massive tear—improving size wise every single battle and finally developing a native AUSIA core (a lot of people who would attend future WV AUSIA events would actually be from AUSIA).
Everyone talks about how WV went on a Cinderella run in CC and MM and that’s true too but I liked our AA run a lot more even if we eventually lost in the finals. I remember a judge in the post-finals interview heavily praising our creativity (since I’m **very** big on tournament battle strategizing which is probably why WV did so well in tournaments under me).
Do you believe your successors (Cabin, Claire, and Mei) will be able to keep up with your legacy? In other words, what are your expectations for the future of WV?
Cabin absolutely will. Cabin is a more capable leader than me, just needs a little bit pushing. Throughout those two wars though he’s finally getting seasoned in that regard. If WV wins another war or tournament, it’s because of him. Mei and Claire are both good leaders too so long as there is a main figure (Cabin), otherwise they are role players. The three together though will do amazing things *as* a collective together. Just as much as they need Cabin, Cabin also needs them since God forbid Cabin has to micromanage like I did later in my tenure (only because outside of Jojo and eventually Cabin late 2023 WV leadership was very lacking and required me to take a bigger role which meant unfortunately overshadowing against my will). As long as they work as a team, they will keep up my legacy. I mean they basically won the ACP war without me doing too much other than leading like two battles and doing some diplomacy. I don’t know their vision but I know Cabin is like me (never satisfied) so they will crave LC and finally break that curse too hopefully.
Moving on from your accomplishments and expectations, let’s talk about your departure. Your sudden leave and subsequent retirement – although expected – took all of us by shock. What led you to believe it was the time to go?
I believed it was time to go because I became Vedant (i.e. literally useless and bringing the army down)
Prior to your departure from the community, Dino, you were also known for having several other roles, such as a Bureaucrat for the Wiki, TT Committee Head, and Designer. In particular, what position will you miss the most?
Well I’m still bureaucrat of the Wiki (as I don’t need to rlly be involved with the wider community to be an editor) so I don’t think that’s a worry. I will miss designing though. Originally when I came back in April 2022, I really didn’t want to get involved with the wider community outside of WV including diplomacy or talking in CPA, but I was a part of a team of Kolo, me, and Zamb that did the designs for the new org and actually one of the first people to join the server before going live. Kolo started the minimal style we are known for but I’d say I helped prevent it from disappearing and innovated it. I really loved designing and wish I didn’t give HoB last year. It’s all good, though. I still do graphic design for IRL projects for my school and other internet communities, so I will still have that crutch but I will defo miss being a regular designer for CPA.
Lastly, would you like to say any final words or advice that you would like to give to WV or the community as a whole?
More Information
Mchappy is interning at Club Penguin Armies as the Chief Executive Producer. Max held him at gunpoint to finish his biography.