What’s it like to be taken on a hero’s journey – from relative unknowns to gaming royalty? 

In this episode of the ReadyAimFire Podcast, we’re joined by Tom McKay and Luke Dale: the voices and faces behind Henry of Skalitz and Hans Capon in Kingdom Come: Deliverance and its highly anticipated sequel,  Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2.

Together with hosts Tom Stacey and Kezia Burrows, Tom and Luke peel back the curtain on what happens when a passionate studio, a committed fanbase and a host of talented creatives combine to create medieval gaming magic.

You’ll hear:

• How Tom and Luke went from ‘mystery’ workshop auditions to embodying iconic roles, including the anxiety of “signing away your face”
• Stories behind the creation of memorable moments: from precision apple-shooting to not-so-precise hand cannons
• The camaraderie that comes from working almost a decade with a studio that treats everyone like family
• The craft behind KCD2’s evolutionary performance capture – and the comic relief of fighting epic battles with foam swords.

“I've never worked with people for this long… Prague and that studio and obviously this game and these characters genuinely have… a really special place in my heart. And that's not PR speak. That's the truth.” - Tom McKay

Whether you’re already a Kingdom Come: Deliverance fan or just curious about the creative chaos behind a blockbuster game, this episode dives deep into the process – with some good laughs along the way. Enjoy!  

🧭 Timestamps:

00:00:46 – How Tom and Luke landed their first game auditions

00:03:38 – Giving actors creative input on character development

00:07:38 – Being flown to Prague for a game audition

00:11:26 – Why Warhorse’s commitment stands out in the industry

00:18:24 – Favorite day working on Kingdom Come—emotional highs

00:22:55 – Navigating motion capture vs. solitary voiceover

00:27:13 – Upgrading to facial capture for the sequel

00:33:45 – Doing stunts and fight scenes—actors vs. stunt pros

00:34:44 – Who’s real? Playing historical vs. fictional characters

00:37:45 – The “dirt system” and lived-in realism in games

00:41:51 – Fandom’s role: when catchphrases become iconic

00:43:21 – What’s a "roadmap"? Demystifying game development lingo

00:50:49 – Strangest fan encounters—blurring game and real life

00:52:27 – Experiencing global recognition as a game actor

00:54:39 – Why KCD2 could be Game of the Year

00:55:16 – Validation for a hard-working, passionate team

👤 Guest Info:

Tom McKay was born in Solihull, Warwickshire in the UK. He is an actor and writer, known for Imagine Me & You, Kill Command, and for playing Henry of Skalitz in the Kingdom Come: Deliverance games. After graduating from the Guildhall School of Music & Drama, Luke Dale was the recipient of the Alan Bates Award. As well as roles on Genius, Doctors and Holby City, he's played roles in Battlefield V and is Hans Capon in the Kingdom Come: Deliverance games. 

Tom: 🌐IMDb  📸 Instagram

Luke: 🌐 IMDb   📸 Instagram

🔗 Resources & Mentions:

(chronological order of appearance)

• Kingdom Come: Deliverance II
• Warhorse Studios
• Marvel (Studios/Projects)
• Prague
• John Comer (Irish actor, writer and translator) 
• Kutná Hora – St Barbara’s Church
• BBC
• MI5
• Oblivion (The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion)
• Skyrim (The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim)
• Name of the Rose (Film, 1986)
• Brian Blessed
• Final Fantasy
• Jan Žižka
• Dan Vávra

💬 Quotes:

“I didn't do all this stage combat school for nothing. Like, let's use it. And we did and it was great. I kind of messed up my jaw a little bit, but, you know, that's fine.”

– Luke Dale

"The word family gets kicked around so much in our industry and very loosely and, and sentimentally, but it really is that they (Warhorse) are very much like a family.”

– Tom McKay

🎧 Check Out More ReadyAimFire Episodes:

• Episode 1: Devora Wilde on Lae’zel and Performance in Baldur’s Gate 3
• Episode 2: Michael Geary on Warhammer, Magic, and Mushroom Warriors
• Episode 3: Damien Goodwin on directing Returnal, Helldivers 2 and more
• Episode 4: Doug Cockle on D&D love and voicing Geralt in the Witcher 

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