Weekly AAR Showcase: The Christian Kingdom of Sarir - the Forgotten Persian Principality

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Hey, folks and uhm...thank you, Konrad for that glowing speech. Before I hand the Showcase over, I want to reiterate my gratitude to all my readers or both 'Tannenberg' and 'Resurrection.' I wouldn't be here without you.

Now for this next award I have a bit of a treat...I hope. I actually checked my own guidelines on page 1 to make sure this was a valid entry (albeit unusual) and I think it qualifies.

I'm a sci-fi fan. I always have been, and if you must know I'm a Trekkie: I learned about fiction, storytelling, and a bit about idealism at the hands of Captain Kirk and Mister Spock.

I don't get to indulge in that here very often for obvious reasons, so imagine my pleasure when I found an excellent sci-fi AAR, one with stunning attention to detail and a gripping storyline.

Then again, what else would we expect from this writer?

So, I hope you will join me in congratulating Director for his exploits in the Frontier over in the GalCiv2 AAR boards!
 
Oh, my. Given the example of Konrad von Erlichshausen I think I had better keep this short! That's the finest acceptance speech I've read since Secret Master won an OscAAR these many years ago... not that I would have expected any less from the Grand Master, of course! :p

I accept this in the spirit of getting some publicity for a fine game, Galactic Civilizations II. I was taken with it from the beginning, especially so because the creator (Stardock) has a very Paradox-like attitude: listen to the gamers, give them what they want while providing solid game-play, and provide lots of improvements for free. GCII is a good, solid game with many good features, especially the 'design your own ship' shipyard. Think lego... with warp drive!



The idea for 'Frontier' was to write a science-fictional story of the 'coming of age' of human interstellar civilization. The humans are the youngest and most unruly of the 'great powers' of the galaxy, and the only democratic society. Once humanity goes 'to the stars' a new, frontier-like culture develops, one centered on self-reliance and the rights of man.

Unfortunately, the galactic races cannot afford to let their people see this 'democracy' succeed. Rather as Europe and Asia viewed the United States in the last century, disdain and scorn become envy and fear, with only an occasional ally to help the Earthlings out.

At this point in the story, the Republic has gotten itself into a war that it was not really ready to fight. The Iconian battleships have smashed the Republican cruisers at Hyadea and the fate of humanity hangs in the balance.



Thank you CatKnight for the kind words. I've tried to keep the techo-babble down, but it is fun ( :p ). I've borrowed liberally from many science-fiction authors (and from sceince fact): Heinlein, Anderson, Niven, Pournelle, Weber, et al and et cetera. The problems, errors and mistakes are, however, purely my own.

In closing, I promise the movie will not be directed by George Lucas.

Thank you all! And please feel free to comment in the Frontier thread.
 
Excellent choice, CatKnight, I wholeheartedly agree with you. Congratulations, Director! Yet another feather in your most impressive cap! :)

I'm not a huge fan of science fiction, but I always enjoy Director's stories, because they try to create a believeable world, as a background and explanation for the things that go on in it.

'Frontier' is no different (okay, some of the explanations are a little more far-fetched, but blame the game for that: colony ships carrying 500 million people? Planetary populations booming from millions into billions in mere weeks? That's gonna strain anyone's credulity). It's got all the attention to detail and the carefully crafted world of other Director AARs. Unlike his other AARs (or, more precisely, HistoryPark: Here There Be Dragons'), it's also zipping along at very high speed. ;)

So, if you like believeable sci-fi (more Star Trek than Star Wars), or simply want to read a well-crafted story, or if you ever wanted to catch up on a Director AAR, but were intimidated by the sheer size of 'Here There Be Dragons', 'Frontier' is worth a look.
 
A most excellent AAR, with some great little characters here and there, and entirely deserving. Some excellent interpretations of game-stuff as well.
 
Very nice to see a GalCiv2 AAR as the showcase.
Congratulations Director :)
 
Yes, Frontier is a great read. And nice to see a GalCiv2 AAR getting a nod here as well! Congrats, Director. You certainly deserve a showcase for the work you have been doing on this outstanding sci-fi saga.
 
Congratulations, Director!

And well earned! While I'm still catching up (as I said, my reading of the AAR is something like Director's stutter-drive), I've read a good deal of the early updates, and it's tremendous work!

Very glad to see a Galactic Conquests AAR getting some attention. Perhaps it will stir up more activity over there!

Rensslaer
 
Many congrats, Director!

Like Renss, I'm glad to see a Galactic Conquests AAR gettin' some much deserved attention.
 
I apologize for not handing this off sooner. I got home at 5:00 AM Monday morning and have been dragging around since with sinus & sore throat.

Ladies and Gentlemen, please direct your attention to:

Deo Vindice: A CSA AAR by RossN.

Enjoy!
 
Thanks, Cat. I was just about to do that. :)

Congrats on the showcase, RossN. I've been trying to catch up on some of the longer HoI2 works and yours is definitely one of the ones I am working on. Great work!
 
Congrats to you, irish AAR writing Leprechaun! :p




Or RossN as he`s also known :D
 
Congratulations RossN!!
 
Many congratulations RossN. It is indeed a most excellent AAR you are writing there.
 
Wow, uh thanks Director. :) This is pretty unexpected!

Deo Vindice has been a very experimental AAR for me. I was wary about trying my hand at a HoI2 for several reasons: there is no real equivalent of the feuding royal dynasties and Good, Bad and Weak Kings able to leave a stamp on my nation in any old manner, the timescale is all wrong and the level of detail one has to know about historical leaders is very intimidating. Not many people will criticise you if you write an unhistorical Nerio II of Athens. Huey Long on the other hand...

Still I guess the gamble has paid off in a way. Sure there are things I regret (my own version of Versailles for instance is something I wish I could take back) and some difficulties in pace but by and large it seems to be working. I'm glad people like it!

Doomsday (which I bought just as I was finishing off the backstory) opened up the whole idea of espionage as a major part of the game. I'm just glad people don't hate it!

Well that's all for now... if I think up something later I'll add it but until then watch this space! :)
 
Well done RossN, congratulations :)