[SS AAR] Emerald Empire

[Gwyllion]

This is my first AAR ever, so if you have any advice, please give it.

The setup is simple: SS6.1 with SSTC+RAJ, RR, Garrison script and the 2TPY mod, modified to hopefully prevent general revolts. The setting is Hard/Very Hard, I have chosen Ireland as an interesting option.

Basic goals are dominating the British Isles, and the channel, after that we will see.
Original post scrapped, rewritten/reloaded one below

[Gwyn ap Nud]

Are the pictures supposed to be of random places?

[Gwyllion]

Removed the original pictures, since most of them did not have any significance.

Restarted the AAR, the current and final one is below:

Greetings, gentle reader, I am Colmán of Inisfallen Abbey, and I have been granted the privilage to chronicle the deeds of king Brian O'Neill, the Mauler. This history begans in the 1080th year of the Lord, when the king has recently united Galway and Cork, but Dublin still holds out against his rule. We are isolated on our fair Isle, but the land is fertile and the people are hardworking.

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Since the lines of succession are not yet secure with the Prince still unmarried, and our armies small, the primary goal of the king was building up an army, improving the land and trade could wait until we have secured Dublin.

In three years we have enough troops to start the campaign, and I, because of my youth and calligraphy skills, was requested to accompany the king to preserve the account of the siege. On the road we received bad news: Jerusalem has been captured by the infidels.

But after a long track, Dublin was finally in sight:

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Our king has assembled a large force, risking his coffers, but we hope it will be enough. Luckily, Dublin is only protected by a palisade and some local warriors.

The weather favors us, and our troops begin the assault:

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Soon, the walls are breached and our warriors enter the town:

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The enemy Galloglaich make a final stand in the towncenter, but even this does not help alter the outcome:

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Our king is victorious:

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The next few years our King spends his time at Dublin, while rebuilding the army and improving the economy. Three years after Dublin's capture, the Pope calls for a crusade against Cairo. It seems strange that we are not trying to liberate Jerusalem, but if this is the will of God, then it will be. Our King has decided to postpone the decision to enter the Crusade, and is trying to decide which opponent to attack: the English or the Scots. The English seem to be more tempting, especially with the seat of Wales just across the channel and their war with the French, but we are lacking in ships to carry our armies over the sea. We wait and build. I almost forgot, while liberating Dublin, our King recovered the stolen Book of Kells, which recovery has bolstered the church all over Ireland.

[platinumkiller]

this looks awsome i would like to join

[Gwyllion]

Thank you, if I have time, I will post another few years today. Also, any advice is appreciated.

[Gwyllion]

It is four years after the fall of Dublin, and King Brian decides to take a gamble. Since no mercenary ships are around, and we do not have the facilities to build new ones, we cannot leave the island. He decides to go on a crusade, hoping that some mercenary ships will answer the call. We will not attack any Christian kingdom on the way, but any rebel settlements will be considered.

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The gamble has paid off, in Flanders we found a rebel settlement, and began the siege.

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The original plan was to quickly overwhelm the defenders, even with large losses, as we must not delay too much, but soon we received great news:
The city of Cairo, the goal of the crusade is in Christian hands.
Our king decided that instead of a risky assault, we will try to starve the defenders into surrendering.

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At the end, the enemy sallied out, and despite the toll starvation and disease took upon their troops, made us pay for their castle:

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We lost most of our cavalry, and the troops are in need of rest. Our king, to strengthen the home provinces, allowed the adoption of Finian of Derry, a young knight, who will take over the governing of Dublin, while the king leads the army.
Our diplomats managed to since a treaty with the English (we might have to break it sometime, but it is better to avoid that war now) and managed to get the Holy Roman Empire to sign a treaty with us.

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The world as it looks now:

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[marxist]

The images are rather large.. Maybe just crop to what you want to show (paint will do this easily)?

Overall a very good start, I like the point of view of the story, I expect him to be a William of Poitiers type of character and I doubt that a bad word will be said about King Brian the Just Loyal and Mighty.

Plus rep Gwyllion.

[Gwyllion]

Thanks for the advice on the pictures, I will crop the excess from them.

[Aldgarkalaughskel]

Good start, Gwyllion.

Well, since you asked for advices, I'll give you mine:
- try to focus on some of your characters and develop them
- you might consider defining who is the narrator, who is the "we" talking (f.e. picking out a general or a family member)
- your pictures are nice, maybe a little editing (cropping) wouldn't hurt, and I'd recommend to switch off the UI during the battles, it can be somewhat distracting to view
- try to set some campaign goals and stick to them during your AAR, that will frame the story, and also add some challenge to your game
- don't blitz, get your ass whooped by the English, then avenge their outrageous act with a bloody massacre

[stormer]

Good AAR, you could put the pics in links.

[Gwyllion]

Greetings again gentle reader, as you might know, I am Colmán of Inisfallen Abbey, and the chronicler of King Brian. It has been several years since I had the luxury to continue the chronicle, as the last few years were a continous campaign. As I mentioned in the first part of the chronicle, King Brian captured the castle of Antwerp, far from reinforcments.

Here I could see a different side of the brilliant King, as he convinced the English to trade the castle at Caernarvon for the castle at Antwerp. He had to permit them to move their troops across Irish land, but it was a small price to pay for a much better equipped castle.

The spies notified us that the Scots also declared war on the French and we received a message from Rome that the French were excommunicated, and as we sailed back towards Ireland, the King saw an opportunity:

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The French were busy on the coast, and with the excommunication King Brian decided to try to capture the celtic part of France, Brittany. With some reinforcements arriving from home (especially some cavalry which our nobles have raised as a gift for successful diplomatic efforts), he managed to catch the French army outside of Rennes:

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This was not a battle, more of a massacre, as the French attacked without waiting for the reinforcements, and we could put the full might of our army against half of theirs:

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The town of Rennes was captured since all of its defenders were left, and the cowardly French accepted a treaty, where they will pay 2000 florins over 5 years to King Brian, and confirmed our right to the town of Rennes.

After the capture of Rennes we received word that the Norwegian King died without an heir, and his kingdom has been divided by the newly independent nobles.

King Brian is waiting for an almost unavoidable English-Scots war, or the weakening of English positions to capture the southern coast of England.

The world as we know it:

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[Belphegor]

Another Irish AAR, glad to see it Good start mate, continue on. Try to hold on to your lands in Europe, it may be difficult to fight the french early on. Also try to ally with Scotland in the war against England and then try to take Wales, which is a great start for further expansion.

All the best. Cheers