Highland Health - a Highland AAR

[Soulitaire]

Introduction
an AAR from the cold, rocky far Northern end of the Isles, where the air is fresh, the weather harsh and men are men (in skirts). It is also concerned with health.

Goals:
- building a university and a cathedral (and therefore having to acquire the provinces where such is possible)
- gain all the Kingdom Advantages (only after attaining the first goal
- keeping kingdom power at 5 (thus spending resources to get it back up after a loss, and therefore avoiding losing those points in the first place)

Mods: Laudan’s mod (INVASIONxxxxFinalxE.zip)

Playing as the Highlands, starting with that one province, on normal difficulty. For now most battles will be resolved automatically (I have no shame…). Updates will be paced… this is my first AAR and it’s sometimes unfortunate that I DO have a life outside of gaming.

Inspired by: Anguille's Merchant of Alexandria AAR (still ongoing) and all those many, many AARs I’ve read over the years, from EU2, Victoria, Crusader Kings, Hearts of Iron to GalCiv2. Thank you for those hours and hours of lost productivity!

* * *

Chapter 1
wherein it drizzles and a dream is spoken of

Brave, brave Sir Walter
grouching by the halter
anything to make a rhyme
in such a rainy, drizzly time…


Sir Walter

Sir Walter sat on his horse in the rain, looking down on the town of Inverness. Clouds hung low and the drizzle was fortunately weak enough not to make any noise as it collected on his iron helmet. His face had frozen into a permanent gloomy expression ages ago.

His young liege lord had shared a vision with him at dinner yesterday. Him and his visions! Pah! Dreams of Highlandish centers of learning to rival the ancients. The Highlandish banner snapping white and blue in the sunny breeze. Sun! Pah! And of course a cathedral to honor the Lord. As if this sodden country could ever gather the resources for such an undertaking. Sir Walter had been to Rome and knew what a cathedral looked like and what it meant. Looking down again on Inverness with its steep-roofed houses huddled around the flimsy fortification he could only shake his head.

Meanwhile there was work to do. Lothian was making threatening noises and it was decided to organize the smithies of Inverness and have a dedicated Swordsmith working full time. With enough weapons on hand, the Highlanders could be mustered in defense of their homeland. Or was it his lord making threatening noises towards Lothian? Not my problem, thought Sir Walter, for the worries of the world were many.


Princesses everywhere!

in other news:
- entered an alliance with Wales. unfortunately they ally with Wessex and Wessex has a province that would support construction of a university...
- prince Olav is sent to Byzantium to trade for gold
- building granary, fishmonger and inn to increase food production and workers
- hired a builder to speed up construction
- hired a merchant to trade for gold in Germany

[Sir Sean]

if you conquer england prepear to feal the full brunt of the teutonic and almoves (or somthing you can unite them as zeata in HR mod some help)


lol nice to see a new AAR

p.s. is there only four people using this place!

[Soulitaire]

Chapter 2
wherein it rains a bit more and love is rebuffed


Prince Olav

The unasked for love ballads of Prince Olav for his adored Princess of Wessex were getting on everyone’s nerves. His father finally had a serious word with him and a formal request was sent to the court of Wessex. The melancholy of his unasked for laments got on everyone’s nerves a week later when Wessex found the Highland family too ugly for consideration. Rainfall increased a notch. Not that anyone would notice. Least of all Sir Walter.

He was more concerned with the slow pace of agricultural improvement. Raising an army would require large reserves of foodstuffs and those were growing too slowly. It really wasn't his job, but he pressed upon Earl Edgar to have a bakery built - not for the sugary pastries of course, which made his teeth feel strange.

Having a working fletchery made Sir Walter sleep better at night. Now at least it was possible to raise an adequate and balanced response to any possible threat. They weren't the envy of army commanders elsewhere, but they'd do in a pinch.



Riding along the border to Lothian, Sir Walter, moody as usual, pondered the motives of his Earl Edgar. That dream of cathedrals and universities... it wouldn't be possible without conquests. And those usually meant war. And war meant exertion. And possibly the loss of life or limb. It was definitely NOT healthy.

also in the news:
- non-agression pact with Wessex
- new merchant for trade with the Fatimids
- Leinster and York at war against Ulster.

[Soulitaire]

Chapter 3
wherein the rain slows a bit but things turn foggy

The next day Lord Edgar called Sir Walter and asked his opinion on Lothian’s forces and defenses. A mercenary by the name of Roving Carl was knighted Sir Randolph and put in charge of Inverness’ defensive force. Sir Walter would be free to begin training his army – and that it truly had become – in preparation for a possible invasion of… sorry, by Lothian.


Sir Randolph

Meanwhile Prince Olav gathered his resolve and asked his father to launch another effort to attain the hand of Helen, Princess of Wessex. Everyone knew that she had her eyes set on the sons of mightier families. Everyone but Prince Olav, that is. This time the rebuffing took only four days.



When the Duke of Normandy, an aged veteran, asked for trading rights, he picked a bad day and Lord Edgar refused. The wily duke then added his daughter’s hand to the bargain and Lord Edgar reconsidered. Normandy was a small province without riches, but any chance to silence Prince Olav was not to be sneezed at and a marriage was therefore approved immediately. Sir Walter made sure that Prince Olav heard about the French ways and the young noble soon ended his protestations. Inverness celebrated, the mood lifted, and not for the reasons the prince thought.


Princess Agnes of Normandy
(before the wedding)

Darker clouds than usual were spilling over the hills into the valley of Inverness and Sir Walter sensed that the celebrations would be of short duration indeed.

[Soulitaire]

if you conquer england prepear to feal the full brunt of the teutonic and almoves (or somthing you can unite them as zeata in HR mod some help)
lol nice to see a new AAR
p.s. is there only four people using this place!

This KoH board is a good place to practice the craft of AAR writing. Like a small, local stage with friends and neighbours only.

Your Teutonic Order is not at my gates yet. Thank you very much
And I crashed and burned when I conquered too freely in another KoH game... so I'll be a bit more careful this time, making sure that others are (a lot) more hated than myself.

[Lord_Nick]

Very well written ... very wry sense of humour.

[Anguille]

Great story...and good work on the pictures...i like it

ps: thanks for the compliment

[Sir Sean]

no Anguille thank you without you no one would of been making new aars tis looks good it comming along nicely

p.s. you will see about the teutonic empire muhaha

[Soulitaire]

Chapter 4
wherein it begins to rain in Lothian. for good.

Orders came directly from the Earl and Sir Walter set out for Edinburgh with his army. They had barely crossed the border when news of a large rabble of Lothian’s finest under Sir Roger reached Sir Walter. Looking back towards Inverness, Sir Walter noticed a break in the clouds and rays of sunlight glinting of the distant towers. Looking forward to Edinburgh where the defense of Lothian was approaching he sighed heavily. They had to be faced. And a small forest nearby would do just fine.


Sir Walter off to meet Sir Roger

The battle did not go well and although Sir Walter was victorious he had to make a tactical withdrawal in order to fill the many new vacancies in his touring army. Fortunately a lot of recruits were there to jostle for exciting new job opportunities under Sir Walter and his ranks refilled swiftly. They headed out the next day, stepping into the same soggy footprints they had left before and this time made it all the way to the castle of Edinburgh.

Sir Herbert was not an inviting sort of fellow and he and Sir Walter did not get along well. The guest from Inverness left in a huff, pursued by Sir Herbert who had a few more choice words for our traveling marshal.


Sir Herbert coming to Inverness

The rain began to seriously pelt down on Sir Herbert who decided to camp in a monastery close to Inverness, inviting the locals to provide him and his companions some wholesome creature comforts. Inverness is good for you!

Imagine his surprise when he was invited to a fully natural stone suite with ascetic furnishings deep in the bowels of castle Inverness. Sir Walter himself showed him around before leaving to prepare for yet another journey to Edinburgh.


Sir Herbert is shown around


Inverness may have to do something about the rats

Sir Walter sat straight in his saddle and for once raised his voice in order to be heard by the defenders of Edinburgh. Open up. Now. Please! he cried into the growing storm. And yet Edinburgh's gates remained closed. It's for your best, you know! he added, but that too went unanswered. Formalities observed, he had his men storm the castle and before nightfall the Highland flag fluttered from the towers.

One of the sergeants came up to Sir Walter, removed his helmet and shook his hair out. Milord! Sir Walter bowed before his liege. Well done, Walter. Have this flag raised instead. And he handed Sir Walter a blue flag with TWO white stripes. And thus it was done. And it was good.



It's the end of the Highlands as we know it...


...but Earl Edgar is very pleased


Scots News Herald:
- Ulster eliminated by Leinster.
- Vineyard planted in Inverness (sour wine, anyone?)

[Laudan]

The old monk Laudan goes into the tavern. Today was a terrible weather. All folks are happy and never know about the incoming darkness from south. Leinster and York wait only for a mistake.

Good luck for your kingdom. God bless scotland.

[Soulitaire]

The old monk Laudan goes into the tavern. Today was a terrible weather. All folks are happy and never know about the incoming darkness from south. Leinster and York wait only for a mistake.

Good luck for your kingdom. God bless scotland.

How did you know?
Indeed, they've proven to be a constant threat until ... but I'm getting ahead of myself. More to come. Perhaps today.

[Soulitaire]

Chapter 5
wherein rain follows Sir Walter to the mainland


Earl Edgar, ante mortem

A grim faced rider wearing the Norman standard entered the Scottish court with serious tidings. The Duke of Normandy had died and the Scottish Prince Olav had a claim to the throne through his marriage with Agnes of Normandy. Would he please the new Duke or lay claim to what was – unfortunately – rightfully his?

The court of Earl Edgar convened and studied the map. Normandy had done well in a war against Italy.


Normandy

A claim would gain valuable land, but also put a serious strain on their relationship. These however had been limited to trade and the silencing of a mooning Prince Olav and were therefore not too important. Yes, the Earl decided, we do press our claim, and then promptly choked on an artichoke.


The new Earl of Scotland and his (still) lovely wife Agnes

The new Earl Olav of Scotland may have been initially confused in matters of the heart, but his military discipline enabled him to focus on the tasks at hand: A stately funeral for his father and immediate integration of the newly inherited land. The provinces of Normandy, Champagne and Orléans thus become Scottish France and Sirs Walter and Randolph were dispatched with their armies to the mainland to deal with bandits, rebels and any Normans unwilling to learn Scots.


Yes, sure... and now say that in Scots!

The New Scots Herald:
- Inverness closed last weaponsmithy and training grounds to make space for valuable goods of commerce
- Merchant's Guild opened in Inverness
- Non-Agression Pact with Germany.
- Urbanisation achieved by trading for salt from Muscovy

[Gul Brown]

Introduction
an AAR from the cold, rocky far Northern end of the Isles, where the air is fresh, the weather harsh and men are men (in skirts). It is also concerned with health.

Kilts they are called Kilts!






Nice to see a Scotland AAR, good luck

[LDOG42]

how do i put pictures on my aars?

[Soulitaire]

New Scots Herald

- biographer of Scottish Ascendance in Europe is kept from work by minor injury and excessive real life work.
- coming up tonight or perhaps Sunday: How York and Leinster became a real pain in... a real pain. And how they were dealt with. Muahahaha!

[Soulitaire]

Kilts they are called Kilts!


Nice to see a Scotland AAR, good luck

Intermezzo
Wherein we - for a moment - do not consider damp meteorological phenomena

The new Earl Olav was still checking accounts on the three new provinces when beautiful Agnes came to check on her husband. You know they're making fun of you, don't you? she asked. They do? Why? he wondered. Queen Agnes (Editor: Queen? She's the wife of an Earl... that'd make her an Earless, or something) pointed at his skirt, then at her own. The Normans think our men are wearing skirts, she explained. Well of course they do! Olav was indignant. Yes, mon amour, but we find skirts on men to be very strange, to say the least. it makes your men look weak and girlish.

Earl Olav jumped up. Girlish?! My brave Highlanders are... he stopped himself, for her look made it clear that he was heading onto 'thin ice' as she always told him. Well, he added, they are men and know their way with a sword. These Normans! he growled. You know, she suggested, we could call them something else than skirts...

He marveled at her cunning and they decided to rename the Highland skirts to 'kilts'. He figured it got the word 'kill' in it, and that is always good on a warrior. Let them Normans laugh at THAT! he chuckled.



It's a Kilt, not a Skirt!

[Anguille]

Nice picture you found...

[Soulitaire]

Nice picture you found...

We all love Wikipedia...
Of course those are 18th century outfits and thus totally inappropriate for a serious AAR or any halfway decent historic discourse.

[Sir Sean]

now i know where and when the word kilts come hmmm they still look like skirts those french and germans will be laughing next lol

[Soulitaire]

Chapter 6
wherein the wholesome nature of rain is revealed

Earl Olav, Master of Scotland and Normandy (for the remaining province of Normandy, somewhere in central France, was soon invaded by some fiefdom on the Mediterranean, where rain is sparse)... where was I? Yes, Earl Olav, Master of Scotland and Normandy saw the new map of Scotland and was pleased. With these rich provinces, his father's dreams could become reality... well, almost. For Scotland still did not administer a province where a university or a cathedral could be built.


Scotland!

The seasons were blessed with peace and Earl Olav made good use of that time: opening a silver mine in Orléans, increasing wool production in Champagne, manufacturing columns, trading for ebony and more allowed Scotland many accomplishents:


Scotland!!!

Scots walked even prouder than before, bowing to none but the Lord. And yet to keep it so, Sir Walter was already visiting the new weaponsmiths and armourers to improve Scottish forces significantly. Where kilted highlanders, simple archers and swordsmen won Scottish victories before, Sir Walter made sure that heavily armed men-at-arms (Sir Randolph suggested the term 'men-at-feet', but he was overruled by both Earl Olav and Sir Walter), feudal knights, crossbow men and more were raised.


New boots on the ground


Sir Gilbert

A Norman knight, Sir Gilbert, was charged with raising a third Scottish army. Earl Olav might see peace and prosperity, but Sir Walter knew better. York was refused a trade agreement and grumbled ominously ever since. And a merchant that was honorably discharged ran off with half the treasury.... yes, indeed, Sir Walter was sure that bad times lie ahead.

New Scots Herald:
- Election for Emperor of Europe a farce! Germany and Byzantium in the finals. No goals scored!