The Last Eagles (Titanium 0.9 Beta)

**Knight of the Blue Rose** · August 19, 2018, 07:14 PM

I've decided to write my first AAR as the Roman Empire, 1100 campaign, using the Stainless Steel submod Titanium.

The specific options I've chosen are as follows:
Savage AI
Courtesan Ladies Redux
Longer Assimilation
Permanent Arrows
Minor Settlements Income (WIP)
Permanent Watchtowers
Watchtowers To Villages

I'll try to use a balance of pictures & writing as I dislike AARs that are too text heavy.
Will update this thread regularly, hope you guys enjoy reading this as much as I'll enjoy playing & writing it.

**Swaeft** · August 19, 2018, 11:48 PM

I was considering doing Titanium myself for my AAR, but I wanted to stick with something familiar. The Roman Empire, eh? Well, you've set yourself up against some serious competition, but maybe it's time a new Emperor arose from the crumbling ruins of the empire. Good luck!

Edit: Just wanted to say, nice AAR title, and have a rep!

**Knight of the Blue Rose** · August 21, 2018, 05:21 PM

The Empire sits on a precipice - Summer 1100:
From the East, the Mohammedans inexorably encroach on Roman lands, while still more provinces fester under the yoke of their many Emirs & Caliphs. The biblical city Nicaea is threatened by an army of Turks, our garrison numbers but hundreds & their forces in the thousands; if the city falls, only Admiral Dionysios' Bosphoran fleet stands between them & Constantinopolis, the very jewel of the world. To the West, the ancient lands of our forefathers lie subject to petty barbarian Lords & Heretics. Even on the Greek mainland we are plagued by ungrateful citizens, the Epirots have risen in rebellion against the Emperor, led by a local Noble with delusions of grandeur - Gavriel Archontopoulos.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Apart from these threats, the Empire must not be allowed to stagnate any further; a program of construction & recruitment shall be implemented throughout the provinces. The colony of Theodosia must be brought to heel, strengthened & utilised for it's rich soil - the masses, not to mention the Army, require ever increasing amounts of grain & foodstuffs. Trebizond & the province of Pontus have been cut off from the rest of our lands thanks to a mutiny in the garrison of Sinop, a Black Sea trading centre sorely needed for the Emperor's future plans.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Individually these concerns would be manageable, but with them combined it's a bleak outlook for the Empire's future. The time has come for the House of Komnenos to carve their name into the annals of history, perhaps restoring Imperial glory & respect in the process? All remains to be seen.

"The lofty pine is oftenest shaken by the winds; high towers fall with a heavier crash; & the lightning strikes the highest mountain."
- Quintus Horatius Flaccus, Poet (8th December, 65BC - 27th November, 8BC)

**Cookiegod** · August 22, 2018, 01:59 AM

A nice start.

To make it a little bit prettier with minimal effort, you should center your images and maybe put them in contentboxes instead of spoilers.

**Turkafinwë** · August 22, 2018, 04:56 AM

A lovely start, and welcome to the AAR forum! Like Cookiegod says there are multiple ways in making your AAR look more clean and professional. Here is a link to a guide for beginning users of TWC.

I'll be following this story with keen eyes! +rep

**isa0005** · August 22, 2018, 05:28 AM

Great start, keep it up!

**Caillagh de Bodemloze** · August 22, 2018, 10:45 AM

I agree, this is a nice start!

I don't remember seeing you post here before, so welcome to the Writers' Study, Knight of the Blue Rose. (Or, of course, welcome back, if I've just missed seeing your previous posts.

)

Please feel free to post on the Writers' Study Chat Thread if you have any questions - or if you just want to chat. The people here are friendly and helpful, in my experience. Alternatively, if you would prefer to, you are welcome to PM any member of Writers' Study staff. (We are: Alwyn (Writers' Study director), me, theSilentKiller, Axis Sunsoar, and Darkan.)

People have already offered you advice about formatting your AAR. My advice is to make it look the way you want it to look - everybody else will have a different opinion, and you can't please all of us!

(Shankbot's thread (which has already been linked to) is a great resource if you're looking for ways to use BB code. So is the BB code page.)

I'm looking forward to seeing your next chapter.

**Alwyn** · August 26, 2018, 03:30 AM

Welcome, Knight of the Blue Rose, this is an auspicious beginning. I like the way that you show us the threats and challenges which these last Romans face and the way that you explain why some cities are in rebellion - the description of Gavriel Archontopoulos is nicely done.

**Caesar16** · August 27, 2018, 02:09 PM

Another Byz.... ah Roman Empire AAR!! I am excited! I would love to see how your story unfolds. I hope you will give a cool name to the program of construction and recruitment. I much like others like the way you have described the threats that the Empire faces. The Komnenoi shall prevail!! Not related to this but I am actually reading Alexiad (Biography of Alexius Komenus) and it's super interesting.

**Knight of the Blue Rose** · August 27, 2018, 02:50 PM

Thanks for all your kind words guys, I'll be posting another update tonight or tomorrow.
Lost my phone over the weekend, so I've been stressed & had my mind on other things.

Having looked at the other AAR's floating around, I'm gonna backtrack & edit/polish the earlier posts once I hit the 25 post threshold.

**Swaeft** · August 30, 2018, 12:34 AM

This is a rather interesting start. The Byzantines have more territory in this mod than I expected, but I guess that's because I'm used to playing the Byzantines in the late era SS 6.4 campaign, where they start without Constantinople! Lovely quote at the end there, let's see how this plays out.

**Knight of the Blue Rose** · September 03, 2018, 04:14 PM

Chapter 1 - 1100AD

The Emperor Alexios has sent messengers to his loyal Captains & Generals, all non-essential garrison troops are to be recalled to the Capital - with the Turks so close to the Queen of cities, an Army must be formed & properly equipped for the coming campaign. Pushing back against fate shall not be an easy task; but it is a task that will be undertaken all the same. The House of Komnenos refuses to allow the legacy of the ancients to crumble like a neglected statue. As part of these plans, our greatest general - Alexios Batatzes - has recruited a company of experienced Germanic warriors from the far north to serve the Empire. The Varangian contingents of this growing Army shall be among the most ferocious, truly a cornerstone in battle.

New Varangian Recruits

The building of logging camps throughout the provinces has commenced by Imperial edict, this will allow fleet expansion & clear fresh land for farming initiatives - the Empire at large relies too heavily on centralised grain shipments. In his wisdom, the Emperor Alexios wishes each province to become more self sufficient.

Logging Edict

The Bishop of Thessaloniki, Nikolaos Grammatikos, is leading a religious mission into Central Bulgaria in an attempt to convert some of the Bulgars. Once they are subservient to the true church, it follows that they shall more easily come into subservience to the Empire.

A Religious Mission

Ioannes Lampenos, the Emperor's own Spymaster & brother to the Cypriot General, heads north from Thrace along the Black Sea coast towards Constantia. His mission is to gather intelligence for the reclamation of Eastern Bulgaria.

Gathering Knowledge

Eustathios Lampenos

**Swaeft** · September 03, 2018, 11:05 PM

Early days for the empire, but so far so good. Keep it up! That treasury though

**Turkafinwë** · September 04, 2018, 03:02 AM

So much to do and so little time to do it in. The Komnenoi dynasty will have alot of work with restoring the Empire to its former glory. Seems like the great reconstruction is already underway.

A good chapter!

**Alwyn** · September 16, 2018, 02:07 AM

Those Varangian mercenaries look handy in a fight, but can the treasury afford their upkeep? I hope that the wise leadership of Emperor Alexios will enable the Empire to prevail. Good update! Don't forget to keep commenting on AARs by other writers, if you'd like other writers to comment on yours.