The Grim Reapers Story

2016 — The Beginning

GR began with Cap playing DCS multiplayer, meeting other players and learning the game together. The group started recording their sessions, with the first channel video published on 9 August 2016—a DCS F-15C combat air patrol and aerial refuelling mission. As people discovered the videos, more players joined, and Grim Reapers grew from there.

2017 — The Community Finds Its Home

GR’s community grew beyond YouTube in 2017. The first Discord server and Twitter account began in May, with the Facebook page created on 16 May. Ali set up the website, publishing its first post on 13 July. In October, the current official Discord server was established, giving the growing community a lasting home.

2017 — Trying Arma

Some GR members encouraged Cap to try Arma, and he enjoyed it. Ground operations joined DCS flying as another way for the group to play together. Arma remained part of GR for several years before it became unsustainable to continue.

2018 — Our First Big Dynamic Campaign

On 30 April 2018, GR launched the Coffee Campaign, its first big dynamic DCS campaign. Its scale and ambition helped show viewers what the sim could offer, becoming an important part of the channel’s early story.

2018 — The Community Rallies Around Cap

Cap went to hospital in late July 2018 and shared news of his cancer with fans on 2 August. As he continued posting updates, the GR community rallied around him and organised a GoFundMe to help cover lost earnings during his illness. It became an important chapter in GR’s story, showing the support behind the videos.

2018 — The Training Server Begins

In August 2018, Auntystatic set up GR’s training server, giving players a place to practise and learn together. It became a lasting part of the community and remains in use eight years later.

On 1 June 2019, GR published its first IL-2 video, bringing World War II air combat to the channel. Regular channel coverage ended in 2023, but IL-2 remains very much part of GR, with its own server and players meeting through our Discord on Thursday nights.

On 22 June 2019, Cap published GR’s first hardware review, adding flight simulation equipment to the channel’s growing range of videos. Today, GR has a dedicated team of hardware reviewers, continuing what Cap began.

On 30 July 2019, Cap began GR’s DCS module reviews and buyer’s guides, starting with the AV-8B Harrier. The series explored modules in detail to help viewers decide what to fly. Cap later stopped producing the reviews when free trial access allowed players to try modules for themselves.

On 29 September 2019, Cap published GR’s first interview, speaking with an engineer about aircraft fatigue and maintenance. The series grew to include engineers, maintainers and pilots sharing their experience. As interview requests increased alongside GR’s other activities, Cap eventually brought the series to a close to make time for other work.

On 18 February 2020, GR announced its first merchandise store, giving fans a new way to show their support and take a little of Grim Reapers into everyday life.

On 10 May 2020, GR celebrated 100,000 YouTube subscribers with a suitably ambitious challenge: sink 100 submarines in 100 minutes. It continued the GR tradition of marking subscriber milestones with a mission to match.

In June 2020, GR expanded its multiplayer servers with a new UK server and more public PvP and battleground activities. As the community grew, the expansion created more opportunities for players to fly together and take part in larger missions.

In March 2021, GR2 was created as a home for Cap’s car restoration videos. It later hosted Arma, Sunday Funday and donator campaigns, giving GR’s expanding range of videos more room to grow.

On Friday 2 April 2021, GR held its first Donators’ Night, giving supporters an opportunity to fly together in a shared mission. It became a regular part of GR’s community activities, with donator campaigns following over the years.

On 23 October 2024, GR published its first Sea Power video, opening a new chapter in naval warfare simulation. Its editable scenarios gave Cap room to explore ambitious battles and historical what-ifs. Sea Power went on to become a major part of the main channel.

On 19 July 2025, GR published its first War on the Sea video on the main channel, pitting South Dakota against Ise. Its World War II naval battles proved popular, and the growing series later moved to GR2.

On 4 March 2026, GR3 was created to give full-length DCS member missions their own home. Moving these videos to a dedicated channel made room for GR’s growing output and gave viewers a place to follow complete missions from briefing to debriefing.

On 5 March 2026, GR2 became dedicated to War on the Sea, giving GR’s World War II naval battles their own home. The channel that began with Cap’s car restoration videos had grown into a distinct part of Grim Reapers, focused on fleets, naval campaigns and historical what-ifs.