IV. Monthly AAR Competition - Nominations

[Aldgarkalaughskel]

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

"October" from the Très Riches Heures: October is the month for sowing, which is depicted in this painting. The figure in the foreground is rather lazily planting seeds, which the birds find most beneficial I'm sure. The castle in the background is the Palais de l'Institut, which is now the Leuvre. Archaeologists have discovered the foundations of the building depicted here under the more modern structure at the site now. It is interesting to note that the horse plowing the fields, while exquisitely painted, is not painted correctly. The position of the legs is incorrect. Horses never walk by moving the legs on one side of the body, then the other side, as depicted here. They walk with alternating steps (i.e. left front, right rear or right front, left rear).

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Nominate AARs in this thread to qualify for those beauteous medals.
Eligibility: 2 updates in October.

Upon nominating, give the following information:

Title (as link)
Faction:
Difficulty:
Description (keep it short):
Teaser: (optional; a short excerpt in a spoiler with max. 3 big pictures)

Read the rules here.

[Babagitta]

To the Hell and Back - The Desert Knights

Faction: Kingdom of Jerusalem
Campaign: Late Era
Difficulty: H/VH

Forget everything you know about our World. Nothing’s the same anymore. There is no glory or pride but only survival.
Conspiracy, treason felony, collusion and betrayal are only few of our enemies.
This time, we have only one chance…

[LockeCarnelia]

Αιώνια Δόξα - Eternal Glory - A Byzantine AAR

(I am just a simple caveman with making Hyperlink Embeddedness. )
Faction: Byzantine Empire
Campaign: Early Era
Difficulty: VH/VH

Description: Returning once more to the field of battle, the Komnenos Dynasty now changes history, beginning it's long struggle to finally achieve Eternal Glory.

[SeniorBatavianHorse]

A Little Winter Love in a Darke Corner - A Roylist AAR

Faction: Royalist
Campaign: ECW full-length
Difficulty: H/H

Description: An AAR which follows the exploits of Sir Ralph Hopton's Regiment of Foote, and in particular the Companye of Captaine Erasmus Stockton, newly returned from the horrors of the Thirty Years War in Europe . . . God Bless His Majesty . . .

[moosey]

La Couronne de Charlemagne - France AAR

The Kings of France fight to reunite the former caroligian empire of Charlemagne.

Faction - France
Difficulty VH/H

[♔Old Dragoon♔]

Glory, Honor, and Empire - An ERE AAR

Mod: Broken Crescent
Faction: Eastern Roman Empire by Old Dragoon
Difficulty: Hard/Hard

Description:
This AAR is told from the eye's of the Emperors. Occassionaly dialogue, but more of their memoirs. However, there is plenty of tales of Glory, Honor, and Empire as much of "Blood, Broads, and Bastards." Starting from the reign of Vaslikos too whoever gets selected. If they are stupid then the Empire will feel it. If they are brave and bold, then the Empire will expand. If they are just plain "Bastards" then all "Hell" could just break loose. It's up to their traits and ancillaries. Lastly there will be loads of battles, loads of screenshots, and loads of death and mayhem. Come and join in the fun!

Teaser:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Our forces rushed in with bloodlust in their eyes. The veteran Italians rushed in first with their warhammers swinging wildly and with much ferocity.


Not disciplined like our elites, but their ferocity would do. Making quick work of some scattered Turk infantry; Efthymios, who always like to fight on foot, led the regiment of Kontaratoi Pikeman following behind the heavy infantry to mop up the scattered remains of Turkish 'pride.' We would give the a new smile from the edges of our 'kontarion makions.' No mercy would be shown, not one bit


Horses, men, women and children who got in the way of our charge would not be spared. The god's of old said, "Fortune favors the bold..." well we didn't care who said it we were acting on it. Our weapons tore the Turks apart, one Italian used only the spiked end of his hammer, because the Turks had captured his family and had them crucified with nails. Another took to smashing the skulls in of the Turks that fell. The Italians spared no one who fell into their path.

[Saint_jimmyz]

Zalmoxis, A Thracian Crusade
Faction: The Kingdom of Thrace
Difficulty: M/M
Description: The campaign uses an unmodded version of Rome:Total Realism. No navy will be built and I use spies as scouts alone. I will not attack any other nation without due cause, although I may use the massing of armies on my border as an excuse if it fits the storyline. To represent Thracian warfare I will use no warbands or swordsmen, and will mainly use falxmen, basternae and archers, along with some Thracian cavalry and infantry. The story follows Zalmoxis, a young garrison commander suddenly thrust into the realms of politics when Zyraxes the Bloody-Handed, chieftan of Thrace, suddenly dies. Vezina, Zalmoxis' uncle, inherits the throne. After the father of Zalmoxis is killed in action, Zalmoxis becomes heir in a country increasingly contemptuous with its current ruler. Can Zalmoxis charm the Thracian people and end the constant threat of Macedonia?

[Juvenal]

Spite of Severus

Faction: Picts
Difficulty: H/H

Description: In 410AD the Diocese of Britannia had cast off the Roman administration and stood alone. The pretender Constantine III already ruled in Gaul, so there was little chance of intervention by the moribund Empire of the West. Gaels, Picts and Saxons converged on the Romano-British like carrion birds on a corpse.

This is the story of Severus, a man cruelly dispossessed by the new Romano-British nobility, who tied himself to the coat-tails of the barbarians as they swept across the fair land of Britannia in order to seek his own revenge and restore his fortune.

Author's comments: Severus is a practical man, he has the tidy mind of a good administrator, cluttered neither by high emotion nor an excess of scruples. He allows the loud and the self-important to believe they are making the decisions while he quietly arranges their fate.

Teaser:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

I kept Brede and all my retinue with me and called for help from my contacts here in the province of Flavia Caesariensis. Luckily there was now money enough to raise a professional town watch, establish a hospital, give aid to families devastated by the sack of the town, and start a rebuilding programme.

While I was making these arrangements, my agent Niall, who I had placed with Drest McAngus, arrived with news from the north. Drest was a man of action and had found the unsuccessful search for Sennianus almost unbearable. He had now sought and received permission from Angus to destroy the independent Picts so that he could seek out Sennianus unfettered by the need to cover Dal Riada.



Drest had moved suddenly against Cinioc of the Taexali, surprising him before he could retreat to his mountain strongholds. He approached Cinioc through woods so that the enemy would have nowhere to hide after their defeat.

The army of Drest was mostly levy, with only a cadre of experienced warriors. He arranged the levy into a battle line and marched it through the woods straight at the enemy while most of his experienced men swept around to the right.

The Taexali crumbled almost immediately, and Drest swooped down upon Cinioc sitting uselessly behind his army. The fight was bloody but brief and Cinioc died without ever fully comprehending what had gone wrong.

[TheTrueGreek]

Splitting of an Empire

FACTION- Athenians
DIFFICULTY- hard/hard
DESCRIPTION- my fourth aar and my third one i have entered into the competitions. this is a satire that masterfully blends seriousness and humor, making for a very enjoyable story. still working and that last sentence.
TEASER-

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Cleon walked through the Gardens of Athena. It was his place of thought, where he had come for years to hear the great minds debate and form the basis of the world. He had been born to the upper class, and had the privalege of serving under the tutolage of Aristotle. He sat in his familiar spot, recounting the past events, and how they may effect him. Hermocrates had just won a skirmish against the Spartans, nothing major, what upset him was Eudoxias brash and ambitous ways. After fighting for land south of Macedon, he felt that he should own the land, not have a man who came after the battle was over to steal the glory. Now Eudoxias has the arrogance to ride into council, demanding that the land the Cleon had just fought for, was his. He made a long speech of how he charged into the fray of battle, fighting viscous foes, while I, the general, sat behind the lines and watched. Now he has spurred a good chunk of senators and mobs alike to force me, the man who won the battle, to give away the land i just won. Well, this little punk shall get what he deserves, he will just see.


"Men of Athens, it has been brought to my attention that claims to land i have fought for are being made. I fought tooth and nail to win this land and i will fight for it as long as Zues lets me breath life. Now so called general, should you want to call him that, was a backup I requested in case things should go ary, and he didn't even see the glory that comes with battle, he in fact, fainted at the sight of the numerous hacked bodies left in the wake of my men. For any man to follow such a lying scumbag surely deserves Zues himself, to come down and strike you where you stand." Cleon looked at the old fools and men of power, his mark being made. Soon they would break into an uproar and no doubt follow my speech in the condemnation of Eudoxia.

[Theodotos I]

Across the Waters: A Story of the Migration

Faction: The Aedui
Difficulty: M/M
Description: A people driven from their lands, powerful generals vying for power, an enemy at the gates. A young man caught in the middle, striving to endure--and survive the intrigues of the court and the assaults of the foe. There is no middle ground, and one's best will not be good enough. . .

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Chapter XXXIX: Son of Malac

I stiffed instinctively at the mention of our foe’s name, my hammer held more tightly in my grasp. Aneirin straightened perceptibly at my side, fire flickering in his dark eyes.
“Where are you bound?” I demanded, the first of our party to recover his voice. The youth looked at me sharply, apparently surprised at the hostility in my tones.
“I know not who you pretend to be, but I am on my way south, to join the army of Tancogeistla oi Neamha.” He pronounced the name with audible pride, as though he expected its utterance to open all doors for him. A strange attitude for a son of Malac.
Aneirin stepped in front of me, his sword still unsheathed in his hand. “Tancogeistla is dead,” he announced flatly. “Fallen in the taking of Ictis.”
Prasutagos’ face changed in a moment, genuine sorrow in those youthful eyes. It shocked me, I must admit. He swung down from his horse to stand before Aneirin.
“Then who leads the Aeduan state?” he asked, looking from one to another of us with the air of expectation.
Aneirin nodded slowly. “I do. I, Aneirin moc Cunobelin, have succeeded my father as Vergobret.”
Prasutagos turned, staring into our leader’s face for a moment. Then he extended his hand. “Then it is to you that I must offer the use of my sword. I have heard many things of you.”
“All bad, I assume,” Aneirin stated, his voice full of suspicion. I could scarcely blame him. Malac had been a shadow over all our lives. And this young man’s older brother and brother-in-law had usurped Aneirin’s authority in Erain.
Prasutagos flushed red-hot, looking down at the ground. “You do me an injustice, my lord. I come to you, as I would have come before Tancogeistla oi Neamha, as a beggar, with nothing to my name save these men who have sworn their loyalty to me. And is not loyalty the greatest treasure of all?”
“What would a son of Malac know of loyalty?” Aneirin hissed, bent on provoking the young man.
“Were you to ask that of my brother,” Prasutagos replied calmly, “I know not how he would answer you with honesty. It is because of his lust for power that I find myself before you today. I fled Erain pursued by his Brihentin. Only these companions follow my banner.”
My eyebrows shot up instinctively. If what he said was true. . .
“Why does Praesutagos fear you?” Aneirin asked, still skeptical.
“He swore a false allegiance to Tancogeistla out of nothing more than fear. He knew he could do nothing against the charisma and power of oi Neamha. He dreams of nothing more than reestablishing the line of my father. He feared that I might become a rival. I knew I could find refuge with Tancogeistla’s army. That is why I was riding south.”
Aneirin seemed to consider his words for a moment, his eyes searching the young man’s face for any signs of duplicity.
“We were on our way back to Attuaca,” he said finally. “You are welcome in our camp.”
Prasutagos nodded respectfully. “It is an honor, my lord.”

We rode north the next few nights, now in the company of the young Carnute and his companions.


He was a remarkably unselfish young man, willing to endure without complaint the same lot as his companions, despite his noble birth. He was nothing like his father. Indeed, there were times when I found myself wondering about the faithfulness of Malac’s wife.
The snow continued to fall as we moved into the highlands. Aneirin seemed impatient at the delay. I found out why as we huddled together near the small fire one night.
“It has been over a year, Cadwalador,” Aneirin said, rubbing his arms to restore their circulation. He went on before I could ask his meaning. “Over a year since I have seen Margeria, since I’ve held her in my arms.” He blushed. “I’m prattling on like a stripling. You must find it amusing.”
“No, my lord,” I replied, gazing into the fire as the sparks pranced into the dusk-dark sky. I knew exactly how he felt, the yearning which seemed to come from deep inside a man, from the depths of his very soul. A yearning for nothing more than the sight of one’s wife, one’s love. Aneirin’s marriage to Margeria had been a fruitful one. She had born him two fine sons, future heirs to the throne of the Aedui, perhaps. And he seemed to truly love her. Remembering her glance at the marriage-feast, and rumors I had heard since, I wondered if his love was completely reciprocated. But that was none of my affair, and I was glad of it.
Prasutagos seemed to sink lower into the depths of despondency at Aneirin’s words. The spirit seemed to have been taken out of him at the news of Tancogeistla’s death and he had grown increasingly gloomy as the journey continued.
“I too, have a wife in Attuaca,” he said soberly. Both Aneirin and I glanced his way in astonishment. He was young. . .
“That is yet another part of the reason for my flight. My brother wished her for his own.”
I looked over at Aneirin, watching as the light dawned in his eyes. Perhaps we were getting at the truth at long last.
Aneirin forced a smile to his face. “Well, then. We have a double reason for haste. Let us ride.”

Two weeks of hard riding later, we neared Attuaca. We rode single file through dark forest paths made slippery with snow. But something was wrong. I could feel it in my bones, as though the long years of campaign I had spent with Tancogeistla had given me another sense, a warning of danger.
Taking Prasutagos and three hand-picked Brihentin with me, I gained permission of Aneirin to ride forward and reconnoiter the ground ahead of us. Clear the road to Attuaca.
A feeling of danger gripped my chest as we rode forward, toward a narrow bluff which I knew offered a good view of the town. Below us, in the gathering twilight, between us and Attuaca, was an encampment of the Casse.

The town was under siege. . .

[Lysimachos]

The Legacy of Megas Alexandros

Faction: Seleucid Empire
Difficulty: Medium/Medium
Description:

An immersive and detailed portrayal of the Seleucid King's and his heir's campaign in Asia, as they try to step into the place of Alexander.

This AAR tries to describe episodes from the protagonists' lives in a colourful way. While these episodes initially seem separate, I'm aiming at creating a coherent story along the struggle of Seleukos' descendants, involving several developing characters.

Teaser:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Excerpt from Chapter 15: Iudaia

"They take the bait." Two handful of men are standing above the cliff, unmounted, the horses by the reins. In the distance an extended cloud of dust can be seen where an army is making its way through the rough mountains.
"Courier! Tell Phanias to move into position! We don't want them to get away." - "Yes, Sire!"
The messenger turns around and departs in a hurry, leaving behind the Basileus and his confidants.
One of the older Hetairoi rises to speak. "These men are no Satrap's army. They are lead by the Klerouchikon Agema. Probably they just come all the way from Aigyptos, send by the Pharao to reinforce Aristippos Berenikeios."
Antiochos grunts. "The better for us! It would certainly leave them exhausted and now they are running into our trap. What could we pray for more?"
The Hetairos nods. "Perhaps their leaders don't know of Aristippos' death, yet. That could explain how confident they proceed, without any real reconnaissance. They may think we are a mere raiding party or even in retreat before Aristippos, who has cut off the way north."
The Hetairos shrugs. "A lot of coulds and woulds in this, though. Let's hope we really are the ones that build the trap."
The king laughs out loud and with a smirk faces the senior. "Trust me, I'm quite sure of that. That is why I bring my light horse with me."
Antiochos' fingers move through the mane of his steed, an exaggerated contemplating look on his face. He mumbles: "I remember someone saying I had a reputation for this."
His eyes move on to Perdikkas, the Hetairos, a serious look again. "Overestimating an enemy can be as dangerous as underestimating him. You know that, my friend."[...]

Excerpt from Chapter 16: Philosophizing

[...]A man strides through the long and wide corridors. His long dark hair falls in smooth waves, only a hint of silver at his temples and in his well trimmed beard. His appealing face is dominated by dark brown eyes. Subtle wrinkles around them betray a certain waggishness.
His prime is near an end, but he has tasted from the fruit of life and certainly knows the art of otiosity.
Soon he reaches the spacious accommodation of the co-regent, where Sarpedon awaits him.
"Ah, i am pleased to see you had time for a visit, today." - "Oh, yes. Rest assured, i am equally pleased."
Sarpedon lays an arm around his guest's shoulder and leads him to his marmoreal desk. "You see, Ikadion, after we signed that favorable treaty with the Hellenes - which has been one of the rare occasions that saw my brother blessed with a good idea, this is for sure - anyway, after we signed this treaty I saw the chance to take up correspondence with Hermarchos of Mytilene, who - as you most certainly know - now is the highly praised patron of the garden of Epikouros."
While his host proceeded with his sermon, Ikadion Anthemusias Babyloniakes, the appointed regent of the city of Babylon, freed himself of the embracement and walked over to the patio.
The voice is getting quieter, as Ikadion leaves the room and steps between the palm trees beyond the archway. He is fumbling with some papers, that he stored in his garments, while Sarpedon catches up.
"... so I decided to write him a letter to articulate my deepest admiration for his achievements and that of the late Epikouros and to express my interest in a discussion about his approach especially to Aristoteles and to the Stoa - as you are certainly aware I have made some considerations based on Epikouros' work - and luckily i received his answer from Athinai recently, in which he..."
Antiochos Soter's youngest son stops his speech.
"What are you doing? Are you even listening to me?"[...]

[Aldgarkalaughskel]

The Pontic Expedition

New updates can be located here

Author: Austen Bin
Faction: Rome

Description: This AAR tells the story of Rome's Epic conquest of Pontus and Asia Minor, of their struggles against the mighty Seleucid Empire, of Pontus's spirited defence, and of the brave men who fought and died on both sides in what proves to definitely not be a one-sided conflict.

[rogergargantua]

THE KINGDOM OF EPIRUS

Mod: XGM-Diadochi ( submod of Extended Greek Mod for Rome:Total War)
Faction: The Kingdom of Epirus
Difficulty: H/H
Description:This AAR follows king Pyyrhus and the big battles he fights against the numerous Romans.
I focused my AAR heavily on screenshots.

Teaser:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Picture 1



Picture 2



Picture 3