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Nikephoros just bought Italy. Jesus Christ Batman.

Should we start a betting pool for how long the reign of the insane Thomases will last? I mean, this has to be unsustainable, right?
 
I personally like this Thomas, especially his love of architecture and the passion he is taking to the refurbishment of Konstantinopolis.
He's just a little... overzealous.
 
So I finally caught up again - too much free time on my hands I guess :eek:o Excellent updates, I am looking forward for more Mongol action, someone ought to teach those nomads a lesson they will never forget. I am intrigued about what role will the Mongol warrior princes play in the story (her musical theme is one of the best in this AAR so far). Did you marry some of your characters to a Mongol-culture bride in the game? :D

--

About the EU3 mod. I fully understand why you don't want to add more provinces - too tedious, not really necessary. I am not much of a modder myself, but I'd really recommend to add Dei Gratia. Unlike other mods which just add flavour to the game, this one is a near must-have, since it corrects one of the most unrealistic aspects of vanilla EU3 games - religious conversions. Dei Gratia simulates gradual conversion, religious minorities, the Jews, religious refugees, etc. Converting a province is now much more difficult, especially if the province is occupied by a heathen religion. It also introduces new religions (e.g. Zoroastrianism), syncretic (transitional) religions, religious fervour (you need to really focus on religion through policy changes and national ideas to be able to convert the more resistant heretics and heathens), new events and other nice things.

I think it is designed to be used with other mods, so perhaps if you contact the guy who made it, he will help you to integrate it into your own mod.

Since you're just halfway through the CK part of this AAR, I think there's plenty of time for that :) I am willing to contribute my tiny bit, if you need some help with Bohemia (monarch names, leaders, province histories etc.).
 
Nikephoros bought them both off! And Albrecht was there the entire time!

@Thomas and Frederika - lol.

Sortmark - a Danish Muscowy?
 
Wow, I totally did not see that one coming.

The Mongols won't suspect it, either, unless their spies can bring a report back fast enough!


And poor Thomas, he's bugfuck crazy. Frederica knows well enough to leave him to his drawings now - why waste time on him that could be better spent chasing strapping young Danes? :p

Still, unless her behavior gets her killed for it in a classic Thomas Komnenos Rage, I assure you, once her looks fail her in her age, she will find new things to meddle in...
 
If Gabriel wasn't so obsessed with being the one emperor in charge of everything, he wouldn't be that bad. Too much ambition for his own good, I don't get these guys - if I was in their place, I'd be more than happy to keep my lands and let other people keep theirs :eek:o

Is Thomas asexual, or just totally psychotic (repressed sexuality and stuff)?
 
I am serious :D I've heard there are people who simply have no interest in anything related to sex - you know, people like Sheldon Cooper from The Big Bang Theory ;)

We've had homosexuals, bisexuals, so why not an asexual? I imagine he'd see sex as annoying, unpleasant duty, not as much of a fun. Like Thomas (though in his case, his religion is making it worse since he believes it's not only disgusting, but sinful too).
 
Is Thomas asexual, or just totally psychotic (repressed sexuality and stuff)?

I say he is simply ignorant.
Not a complete asexual.
But something very close to being asexual.
But ignorant might not be the right word, he knows of sex, but also as a religious orthodox, traditional stoic ascetic idealist, he upholds the views of the Bible and redeems sex as a sin.
He would maybe be in a celibate, but as Emperor he knows of his duties and the importance and need of having a heir. Even if he knows he is doing sin, he does it for the greater good.
Would there have been more Emperors like him, the world would be looking quite different. :p
Alas, the lust and greed of men always overcome rationality and goodness.
 
Splitting the Empire is a good idea, as long as they don't start fighting each other.






What am I saying? They're Roman.:(
 
Also the old guy on the left - I hope that isn't Albrecht? Man, if it is, you've certainly AGED him very quick! I was guessing it could be Georgios Donauri, perhaps?

Hey, we've all got to grow up sometime... :p (Georgios Donauri is already Ian Holm.)

@ BT: That update was all kinds of awesome.
 
Which makes me wonder, is there any other civilization that had as many civil wars as Rome? (except maybe China)

I mean seriously I think there was a good 20 of those things!!
:eek:

Sadly, they've never come up with a solid mechanism ensuring peaceful succession.

I think the fact that there was so much "social mobility" in the Roman Empire contributed to this - too many people believed they could become emperors if they risked everything. And sometimes they succeeded. Also, the more powerful and rich a country is, the more people want to rule it ;)
 
So, I finally got my boyfriend to start reading this behemoth as well. Maybe from time to time I'll post a Boyfriend Status with some of my replies, just to compare to some of you who are speeding through the whole thing at a breakneck pace.

Boyfriend current status: Page One, second update. Has pronounced the introduction of Demetrios as "Interesting. Sad he lost his dad. Is Emperor Michael a goof?"

The_Archduke - That was an old spoiler map. After the death of Thomas II I posted a newer one, which will also likely change as things go on. As for Nikephoros, imagine if it'd been him and David who had faced the Mongols, etc., and not Thomas II?

armoristan - As many as Rome? China, likely, but only because they have a continuity that is roughly similar in length. Multithousand year periods of existence make excellent ground for tons of civil wars. :) AS for Isfahan, you like the name? I was actually toying with the Komnenids changing it down the line, the question would be, to what? Why do you think it should remain Isfahan?

AlexanderPrimus - Indeed, that would be Albrecht in the future. Keep in mind by 1240 Albrecht is already nearing/past fifty. Considering the next update fast forwards time a bit, he'll be probably mid-fifties from then onwards. He might not get the new face immediately, but it'll be warranted shortly...

English Patriot - When you split the empire, that just makes a new reason to fight-reuniting the empire under your personal banner! :D

Enewald - That's kind of a good summation of what I was aiming for with Thomas. Gabriel explained what sex was to him, it's just for Thomas, married sex is, as St. Paul said, an admittance of failure, of being incapable of achieving the celibate life one should aspire to. So he got just a little angry when he was forced, in his mind, to go against his faith. What are some possibilities for a new name for Isfahan you think?

Winner – And Thomas’ extreme desire to avoid sex has probably rendered him a clinical asexual, so you’re right as well. He’s just not interested… the Asperger’s focus on architecture also helps. As for Gabriel, you’ve hit the nail on the head for the biggest reason why Albrecht turned against his nephew—Gabriel is too ambitious and would start too many wars. After reading up on Dei Gratia, I definitely want to include some of that into the most-CK mod… it sounds like it fixes a lot of the problems I had with the EU3 religious system, as well as adds back in some of the religions I was going to have to create (Eastern Christianity for one, Coptic I’m assuming for another).

Avalanchemike – Thanks—it seemed like the kind of grand masterstroke an ambitious kid would come up with. What remains to be seen is if it doesn’t all come tumbling down on their heads…

Servius Magnus – Thomas III certainly isn’t as malicious as his grandfather, nor as dangerous and bloody as his father. But if you push him, that temper will come out, and it won’t be pleasant…

Fulcrumvale – Yup, bought Italy from a cash strapped cousin for a song. Now, he’s got squatters and vagrants all about the property he has to kick out (Michael, the Latins in Africa), but it was still a steal. As for the insane Thomases… yes, if they keep going at this rate, it will be unsustainable. Thomas II’s insanity was mitigated by Albrecht, and Thomas III really hasn’t been in a position to do too much harm yet, but something’s gotta change in the Konstantinopolis water… fast.

Kirsch27 – Yeah, you’re right. He wasn’t faking it… if he was, that would’ve been the best acting job of all time!

Leviathan07 - I think Thomas would accept the award, but likely be confused as to if 'Nutjob' was an insult or not, then promptly wander off to complain about the architectural inadequacies of the hall the ceremony was held in. ;)

Nehekara - First of all, welcome to the thread! (belatedly :) ) Ah... so someone else remembers that little curse uttered by Frederick von Hohenstaufen way way back (Arch_Duke remembered it first, if I remember correct?)... It's definitely come back to bite the descendants of Thomas hard...

Vesimir – Yeah, I’m avoiding using Magna Mundi as the basis for anything, mostly because I’ve heard stories that adding things to it modwise quickly makes it buggy, among other problems. There’ll be enough provinces to fix… I’ll leave adding extra provinces to some enterprising soul down the line after its been released. :) I’d like to incorporate some of the ideas of MM though, pick and choose as opposed to take the whole convoluted thing. As for Albrecht, the central empire does have one place it can expand… back across the Black Sea. Representatives of Sortmark in Konstantinopolis as a coincidence? I think not…

Plushie – That wouldn’t be disturbing. What’d be disturbing is if he had a thing for stuffed teddy bears and lullabys. o_O

Ksim3000 – Nikephoros has some Manuel in him, but a lot of confidence/overconfidence in his own abilities. He’s also a showman, as evidenced by the ‘duel of throwing legs over chairs.’ He wants you to know he’s calm, cool, collected, even smug while he’s talking to you. Is it youthful arrogance, or a mark of genius? So far it’s been working…

Mcy1000 – A magnificent bastard indeed! And I love the TV Tropes website :)

Deamon – He’s definitely been win right now, but we’ve had people be extremely successful in their youth and flame out before. Is he burning too bright for his own good?

humancalculator – He is trying to stop Hulagu, one of the most dangerous commanders in history. Gabriel bested him once, but that was mostly because the Mongols didn’t know the Romans had their version of the rocket carts. Now that the Mongols know and are coming in full force, he’d better have something else up his sleeve…

Qorten – Third Triumvirate? Well, I suppose, since the Triple Monarchy was never really an agreement between adults to share the empire. Nikephoros so far has been Crassus, Gabriel has been Pompey the successful general, but Thomas is definitely no Julius Caesar…

asd21593 – All of your plans end with Constantinople sacked! Gloomy much? :)

4th Dimension - As he said, “A thief knows his mark.” Nikephoros just happens to be in a position to provide both cash and soldiers to the warrior and building funds to the builder. Albrecht’s been boxed it, what remains to be seen is if he can weasel his way out of the prison his nephews and their cousin have built for him.

Hannibal X – Two Patriarchates apiece! Well, Gabriel might get four… hint for something down the line. ;)

Next update hasn’t been started yet, but I have an idea for the graphics. On my day off tomorrow I’ll be working on it full-bore and we’ll see how much gets finished. Another note about the EU3 conversion—if anyone has any ideas on things that should get included, shout them out to me as the story goes on. I won’t promise every idea (or even most, depending on the size of the mod) gets included, but I’ll look at each and every one.
 
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Hannibal X – Two Patriarchates apiece! Well, Gabriel might get four… hint for something down the line. ;)

Patriarchates of Bagdhad and Ifashan/Mazandaran

calling it right now
 
So, I finally got my boyfriend to start reading this behemoth as well. Maybe from time to time I'll post a Boyfriend Status with some of my replies, just to compare to some of you who are speeding through the whole thing at a breakneck pace.

Boyfriend current status: Page One, second update. Has pronounced the introduction of Demetrios as "Interesting. Sad he lost his dad. Is Emperor Michael a goof?"

He'll have to read fast to catch up to the rest of us.
Qorten – Third Triumvirate? Well, I suppose, since the Triple Monarchy was never really an agreement between adults to share the empire. Nikephoros so far has been Crassus, Gabriel has been Pompey the successful general, but Thomas is definitely no Julius Caesar…
It would definently be more like the second Triumvirate. Nik I guess would be Octavian, Gabriel Mark Antony and Thomas is Lepidus, poor Lepidus....
 
(on isfahan) i just like the sound of the name plus the city has special place in my heart since that is where my family came from before the came to the U.S

but for this glorious aar...it matter little over a name of a city ;)