Screenshots, Videos, Signatures, AAR and stories

[dantragic]

a quick signature I've made




more to follow when I get my hands back on Photoshop and enough time to play

[sage2]

Feel free to put any sigs, art etc... here.

The font used for the Title Text of the mod is Blackadder ITC; the sub-text is Viner Hand ITC. I liked both of these as they had feel of a rough, blotty inkquill on parchment as a revolutionary scribbles down his demands, or, The Rights of Man, as it may be.

[tomsin]

click to enlarge


the source: http://www.goodbrush.com/

[sage2]

I personally love to read AARs (aka "After Action Reports") of people's campaigns, and I think other people enjoy this as well. Post your experience with TROM here!

Sage

[sage2]

Continuing my Russian campaign narration from the old thread, I'm playing at VH / VH.

When I last wrote, things were going poorly on my southern front, but I had expanded two provinces in the North. There were some very hard decisions to make about how to stabalize my southern front.

I've taken the large risk of removing all but some very small garrisons on my northern front and sent my northern army to protect Tartariya. Norway logically saw this as an opportunity to declare war, and did so immediately. This was a hard decision, but based on the fact that there's not easy land route to Ingria AND neither Sweden nor Norway has a much of a navy in the Baltic right now. I have a navy of exactly one Brig in the baltic, so if they bring an naval invasion in force, I'm screwed. We'll see what happens.

In the south, my first southern army, made up of my Moscovy "home guard" army, allied with a few regiments of Gorodiye and cavalry free up from policing the Crimean, was as able to retake Kiev after a very bloody battle when the defenders, a mixture of half-size substandard line (since the Rebels were broke -- I had been raiding my own farms and mines to keep them that way, in true Russian fashion!), two units of irregular infantry from the original crimean army that had taken the city, and a few units of Urban militia. They were able to do quite a bit of damage to my defending forces, but ultimately routed when I saw them weakening, and I sounded the charge, and my right flank, made of Streltsy charged.

Outside of Tatariya, I beat a small Dagestani army and secured, for the momeny, the city. I've decided to split the Northern army, sending the slow moving demi-cannons and a small defensive force back north to Ingria. The balance is going to head down to Akhaz-whats it region to scout, raid and engage any field armies, and basically try to reduce Dagestani expansionalism a little bit. I doubt they'll be able to take it back.

I've left a small army in the Ukraine to defend against the Turks, who seem to be getting upity in the region, and will be taking the balance of my old Southern army east and south into Vosiko. If the opportunity presents itself, they will join up with the small army I have coming down from Tatariya. Things are very bad, but seem to have stabalized a bit, in the south. The Dagestanis have made themselves a very challenging threat. I see a path forward, but I'm one serious defeat away from catastrophe, and the loss of income from the two southern provinces I lost has not been made up yet.

On the research front, I should have cannister soon. I have rank fire, socket bayonets and carbines so far, but no other industrial or enlightenment technologies. I have been forced to focus on the military techs as I defend on the norther and southern fronts, but I need to find ways to increase my income soon. I'm also going to try and stays an absolute monarchy for the balance of the game. That means carefully controlling research, schools and industrializations, but it allows me to fight more wars less expensively, since both reinformcements and new regiments are much cheaper.

[sage2]

Really nice Tomsin!

[PubliusKhannus]

I have made some signatures for this amazing mod. I can always make changes to the existing ones, or make new ones as per your suggestions. I will more than likely give all of the signatures cool strokes, instead of leaving them so bland.(Note: They are not the right size and I just know noticed the mistake I made of calling some of the signatures Rights of Men instead of Man. Deepest Apologies.)

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Hope these weren't too bad.

[sage2]

I have made some signatures for this amazing mod. I can always make changes to the existing ones, or make new ones as per your suggestions. I will more than likely give all of the signatures cool strokes, instead of leaving them so bland.(Note: They are not the right size and I just know noticed the mistake I made of calling some of the signatures Rights of Men instead of Man. Deepest Apologies.)

Hope these weren't too bad.

Thanks! I appreciate you taking the time to do these!

[PubliusKhannus]

no problem, i will have the updated fixed versions of the signatures done soon.

[sage2]

Phew - so, where were we? It's 1720. I've researched rank fire, bayonets, cannister, and the first enlightenment technologies.

In the North, things have proven stable. I have a very small army in Ingria "just in case", and built a fort between me and Norway to discourage raiding, but Sweden has been spending most of their resources against Copenhagen. The Danes don't have much time left, but I am in no place to assist them.

Austria has become a massive empire, and owns Byzantium, all but the Pelponese itself. Poland and Prussia have held against the formidable Austria war machine -- but only barely. The Austrians have declared war on me, but appear to still have their focus on finishing off the weakened Ottomans. If the Austrians turn against me with any force, the Russian position will become impossible.

In the South... soldiers are dying, mine and theirs.

I retook Don Vosiko. The Dagestanis responded in force, moving an almost full-stack out of their castle. So, I retruited from Don Vosiko with the damaged mid-sized army I had there, and let them have it. In the mean-time I launched a lightening raid with my South Eastern army. It had just finished securing Akhaz, and I threw it against the largely undefended Dagestani capital. After a short siege and easily defeated sally, I took it.

Now I was left with a tough situation: my two southern armies, each too weak on its own, separated by a strong Dagestani army. My plan: let the situation stabalize, holding onto my gains, then sue for peace, or find a way to both protect Dagestan and join my armies.

But, it was not to be. Persia declared war on my, and immediately massed a massive army on the southern border. They marched North. I sued for peace, offering them Dagestan (it would, after all be a good buffer), but they refused. I pulled my army out of Dagestan, and marched it around Don Vosiko to the North, and joined with my other Southern army.

My two armies were together, but now I confronted a double threat: two strong enemy armies on my southern border. I must ignore the Persians, but I fear they will jab for the unguarded belly, while I must confront the last Dagestani army in Don Vosiko.

My only consolation: at least the Georgians are at war with both of my Southern enemies as well -- there have been rumors of battles south of the mountains on the border with 'Al Iraqia'.

But my troops are veterans, and are happy to lay down their miserable lives for the Motherland! And, of couse, they look forward to every battle against the apostates.

[sage2]

1725, summer.

I destroyed Dagestan in two pitched and bloody battles outside of Don Vosiko, and have been rebuilding my southern Army for a final push against the Persians and Georgians. Things are finally promising in the South, and hopefully, once the south is stabalized, I can push west against Austria.

The Poles have come alive. In a series of pitched battles with Prussia, the defeated the Prussians, undoing their gains from the beginning of the century. Pomerania and Silesia have eached changed hands multiple times between 1723 and 1725. The Prussians are fighting for their lives. It's great -- it may be the break I needed. The poles have been solid allies since the beginning, and may be the counterweight to Austria's massive expansion south and east.

Sweden has landed troops -- a massive army, in fact -- in Riga. But I've been taking steps to slowly build my Northern army, and have three regiments of Russia's finest Infantry marching North even now, and I have been slowly replacing the old, heavy demi-cannons with lighter, more portable modern 12-pounder guns.

I've taken the risk of upgrading my one school to a 'college' in 1723. It seems like a good plan -- but then one of my ministers died, much loved by the common people, and I've had to raise troops to police formerly stable areas of my empire and lower taxes. It cut my income significantly -- a tough price to pay for the research. But the fruits of the research are undenable -- my farm income is much higher, due to advances in agriculture, and without modern artillery, the speed of my armies on campaign would be severely restricted. But I must stay away from areas of research that might fill the peasants with ideas.

Things are a tipping point -- if I can defeat the armies in the south and hold my Northern borders, I might be able to finally put it end to the Swedish and Norwegian raiding, and perhaps even strike against the Austrians.

[F@32]

Posted it another thread, but here seems more proper.

So far so good... 16 turns in. Started off by gifting France with Don and Astrakhan in exchange for French Guiana - yeah I was very kind. On top of that got very nice buffer between me and Caucasus. Soon took over 4 trading nodes off the coast of Brazil. France hasn't been able to enjoy Don region for long - they rebelled. I'm going to let it sit like that, so that Georgia, Dagestan, Ottomans all stay confused hehe.

Gave Komi away to Mysore in exchange for protectorate so that I could milk some of their diamond mines income. That didn't last long and they turned on me - I had to send peace keeper force for Operation "Komi Freedom". Here's something to chuckle about (click on thumbnail to enlarge):

Yeah, that's elephants (what's left of General's unit) in Komi snow

Fairly early Denmark broke off aliance with me and went to war. Only Poland stood by me. Destroyed one Finnish army, took Ingria and Riga, signed peace. Now Denmark will face them on their own.

Dutch declared war in South America, so now I took off their hands diamond and golden mine plus sugar plantation. Both Guiana's are mine. Precious...

I'd better start building some navy now - there is a lot of competition now for trading nodes. Might take Iceland though - Denmark back-stabbed me...

[Sulla's Dog]

the source: http://www.goodbrush.com/

I've gone to that website but can't find the pictures you reference, only a sampling of 24 other ones. They are really spectacular, could you point me to where I could find the originals?

Thanks!

[tomsin]

I've gone to that website but can't find the pictures you reference, only a sampling of 24 other ones. They are really spectacular, could you point me to where I could find the originals?

It seems that the painter (Craig Mullins) removed them from this site. But I hope you can search for them in other places by the name of the painter or like the artwork for Age of Empires III because they were made for this game.

[sage2]

Summer, 1728

One of my advisors, Fatthirtytwoski, has suggested creating some sort of buffer to the south. I figure that I will start by retaking Chechneya, taken by the Persians about 5 years ago. I march south with my powerful Southern army, but as I do so I hear, in disbelieve as Georgia conquers both Persian and Ottoman provinces in the same summer. They are clearly far more dangerous than the perfidious Persians, so I strike against Tblisi.

They are prepared, but their mountain highlanders, dangerous when skirmishing, cannot hold the line against my determined Veterans, I rout them with almost 6 to 1 casualties, and take their capital. The Georgians do not appear to want the Peter as their Tsar, so I begin immediately offering the province to other European powers. Perhaps even Sweden will accept a trade for Riga-Estonia?

That would buy me a little more breathing room in the North. This is needed, as my Northern army, smaller than the Southern force has been almost totally anhilated on a foray into Riga-Estonia. My general expected that he would be able to hold the line, despite being out-numbered -- but the Swedish artillery proved accurate, and the Swedish Line determined and effectivey.

The general and a handful of his men survived; the general was executed, of course, but the regiments will be brought to full strength. It was not their fault.

The Norwegians have built a powerful Navy in the Atlantic. I hope they do not turn it into the Baltic.

In Central Europe, Poland and Prussia continue to trade provinces every few months, first one ascendent, than the other. Rumors come from the West of vicious and bloody battles. I wish I could support the Poles -- I am afraid that, I the Austrians tire of toying with the broken Ottomans, they may turn their armies North, destroy the fine balance of power between Poland and Prussia, and leave me with no allies.

[F@32]

It's 1711 - 44 turns in. Well, in my H/H Russian campaign I have decided enough is enough with the old regime (plus I got sick of measly 6-10 economic growth in the regions) - it's time for a change. Using temporary calm period in European front (1.14 version BTW), I've sent emissaries to Moscow factories to talk to labor representatives, to sort of test out the ground for my new fresh ideas. Secret police was not very excited about these meetings so they had to be held under cover of darkness. At the same time I bribed governors of all gubernias to stop paying federal taxes and convinced my Treasury minister to max out taxes on workers, while dropping them for elite. The masses in Moscow got quickly pissed at Royal family, and after three turns I had revolution on my hands. Reassuring his majesty that I would swiftly deal with this revolt and restore order shortly, I went behind his back and took command of the rebel army, which was not too shabby: 6 battalions of conscripts, 1 mounted militia and a bodyguard unit. Moscow loyal garrison was only 3 battalions of streltsy and fell fairly quickly once I took out their commander.

Now I have republic on my hands, elites are gone, middle class is a bit unhappy, army 50% down since I was bankrupt for three turns and could not pay them, but oh my gosh... Economic growth in the regions is in double digits, I have interim president. Ministers are kind of wimpy and have strong opposition. Dropped taxes for middle class, jacked it up for lower and I'm on the roll. Technology research is fast as heck now.

Pirates in the Caribbean have only last stronghold standing and its days are over. My tactics is to split my navy in two battlegroups: one will transport my colonial army, another will occupy pirate port to draw out their impressive force from the region capital. Then I will deal with armed populace and they are going down! I almost filled all the trade nodes off the coast of Brazil - time to expand!

[F@32]

To help and spread TROM among ETW fans feel free to add this code to your sig:

[url="http://www.twcenter.net/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=1186"]
[img]http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a397/reieev/TROMsig.jpg[/img][/url]

End result with link



I cropped tomsin picture to 600x200px - will crop it a bit more, but keep the same pic name and link. Keep in mind that TWcenter allocates a bit smaller section to sig area, so if you insert any additional text that picture will get cropped more.

Image is 43Kb and hosted at photobucket, so should be OK bandwidth wise.

[tomsin]

F@32,

Great!

[sage2]

Summer, 1732

I have been slowly industrializing, when and where I can -- primarily in Mosovy and the Ukraine. As a result, my income has finally begun to climb, and I can afford a full-size Northern army even while continuing slow investment in my infrastructure. I begin to build up a quality army in the North -- with the goal of striking against Riga, and then the Swedes and Norwegians. The Danes and Poles have both proven to be reliable allies, and I would like to do what I can to help them. My reseach lags behind that of the rest of Europe -- they call us backward, peasants in Sweden and Austria -- but the time is coming for my enemies in Central Europe: they will feel the fist of Mother Russia!

In Central Europe, my two friends can't seem to get along. Poland and Prussia have continued to fight a bloody war. Some of the provinces have changed hands 10 or more times. They are like two cocks in a muddy ring, bloodied and blinded but both unable to stop hacking at each other with their bloody spurs.

In the South, the Austrian giant slumbers. The have large armies in Constantinople and Moldavia, and more on other borders. While we are at war, they have made no move against them, and I think I will send some peace overatures. My Southern army is engaged South of the Caucases, and I can't afford to pull it out to defend against an Austrian incursion into my lands.

In the South, I struck against Georgia in 1729, and, in a lighting flash, immediately took Armenia, the last Georgian province, consigning them to the history books as a stubbon and forgotten people. I had to tear down a massive and fully developed Georgian school on the coast, and execute its scholars -- they would providing unfortunate 'ideas' about certain 'rights'. Bah -- they have the rights I say they have, and no more! I replaced it with a sea-side resort for summers on the coast. In Armenia, much the same -- I destroyed a well developed and ancient metal-working shop and the income was making people feel 'independent'. Still, I had to put down several revolts.

Persia was getting antsy, raiding into Dos Vosiko from Chechnya, and needed to be put in their place. I gathered my Southern army in George to strike against Azerbaijan. The Persian answer was a quick strike from Iraq against the lightly defended Armenia -- which they took. This force me to split my Southern army to strike against the Persian Azerbaijan and retake Armenia.

The persians have not proven to be particularly strong enemies. While their Kurdish and Afgani hillmen make superb light infantry, they have trouble standing agaist the disciplined fire and bayonet that my hardened Russian Veterans bring. Still, their armies are large, their men plentiful, and their conquest of Chechneya some 15 years ago has gone unaswered. For now.

I must find a way to secure my Southern front from the heathens. I must find a way to strike back against the Norwegians and Swedes and end this interminable raids. I must find a way to destroy the Austrian threat.

[sage2]

Summer, 1743.

A lot has changed, not all for the better.

In Central Europe, nothing has change. Poland and Prussia still fight bloody battles accross the backs of the poor. It is a new Thirty-Years War, or will be, in a few more years. In India, the Mughal empire was reduced to a single province, but has slowly fought its way back from brink. Austria lost Hungary to Poland, but seems unable to muster a response, as if their empire, won so quickly, teeters under its great mass.

In the South, I've been able to break the back of the Persian resistance -- capturing the rich provinces of Azerbaijan and Armenia, and recapturing the poorer, but strategical necessary, Dagestan. My battles against the Persians are many, and occasionally even bloody -- but for the most part, they prove unequal to my old veterans. Some of the veteran regiments are perhaps a little too worn out, at time, and show less morale they might have had they not seen so much nor fought so long. My southern army is also slowly piecemieled away in garrison duties -- important jobs, but making it challenging to concentrate my forces. Still, my Southern victory is undoubted.

Poland-Lithuania delcares war on me. I offer them the almost worthless province of Komi for peace -- I figure this will buy me a time to deal with a new crisis in the North: little Courland declares war on me, and has captured Riga. I hurry a portion of my Southern army north, filling in the ranks of the new southern forces with Colonial Foot and some hastily raised, poorly trained regiments of foot. It should be enough to hold the line, and maybe even capture Persia itself -- the Persians are suffering from their crushing economic losses.

I beat the Courlander's paltry field army with no difficulty, and few casualties, but before I can recapture Riga itself two more crisis emerge.

First, Sweden final concentrates enough forces to final capture Finland.

Second, the trecherous Polish dogs -- no friends at all -- strike against me, capturing Kiev, and sending their raiding forces deep into Moscovy. In a space of a year, I have loss Riga, the Ukraine and Finland; even Komi, as little value as it is, is a strike against our national pride. I have no defensive forces at all in Moscow.

My income has plumeted. The only spot of hope is that my Northern army has turned south, abandoning the recapture of Riga, and is within sight of the undefended gates of Lithuania.

These are dark days -- perhaps even darker then those at the beginning of the century. But the true depth of the crisis is unclear: can it be stabalized, or will Moscow be lost?