Edit (4/2021): For any readers who accidentally get here in the modern age; this is a very old AAR, and most of the images no longer display properly in modern browsers. This is because they are hosted on an http server instead of a secure https server. I made a start updating them to forum attachments, but it's far from done. Sorry!
Contents
* 15/12/08 Contents & Introduction
* 15/12/08 Part I - Let's Greek Fire it up! (1405-1407)
* 16/12/08 Part II - In which France is repelled, which technically already proves our superpower status (1407-1416)
* 17/12/08 Part III - In which the search for Lake Van continues while I do some educationally sound ranting (1416-1423)
* 17/12/08 Part IV - Visions of Lake Van (1423-1431)
* 19/12/08 Part V section I - The Volatile Era (1430-1440)
* 19/12/08 Part V section II - It's like a reprise (1440-1445)
* 26/12/08 Part VI - Post X-Mas Action (1446-1457)
* 03/01/09 Part VII - Insert your bad joke about 'gobbling' and Turkey here! (1457-1471)
* 11/01/09 Part VIII - Trebizond invents the roundhouse kick (1471-1500)
* 21/01/09 Part IX - Summum Totius Awesomae (1500-1516)
* 31/01/09 Part X - Everywhere but home (1516-1530)
* 09/02/09 Intermission - State of the Awesomeness 1530
* 10/02/09 Part XI - To Africa! (neglecting the North) (1530-1542)
* 13/02/09 Part XII - The dawn of a new age (1542-1553)
* 17/02/09 Part XIII - Emperor and Maharadja (1553-1561)
* 18/02/09 Part XIV - The Great Timurid War and then some (1561-1568)
* 20/02/09 Part XV - Expansion for dummies (1568-1570)
* 06/04/09 Intermission II - 2681 A.D.
* 10/04/09 Part XVI - The Return of the Zebra (1571-1578)
* 31/05/09 Part XVII - The Nth war for liberation of Central Asia (1578-1590)
* 03/06/09 Part XVIII - Hunting the sunrise (1590-1600)
* 28/09/09 Part IX - Getting back on track (1600-1606)
* 28/09/09 Part XX - Titles Schmitles (1606-1615)
* 09/10/09 Part XXI - The triple assault (1615-1618)
* 14/10/09 Part XXII - Cutting the Boot (1618-1630)
* 28/01/10 Part XXIII - Trebizond Dead? What blasphemy! The Empire is Immortal! (1630-1643)
* 27/04/10 Part XXIV - Mopping up and success at last! (1643-1661)
Dates are DD/MM/YY
Introduction
Hi! After reading here for a couple of weeks I think I'd like to try my hand at an AAR myself. My choice has fallen on the magnificent Empire of Trebizond, a long time favorite of mine (in history - not so much in EUIII, yet). I only found one other Trebizond AAR in the LibrAARy, and it broke off rather soonish, so, you know, one more reason, huh?
As you are probably all aware, Trebizond is one of the successor states that emerged after the sack of Constantinople in 1204. By 1399, the Despotate of Epirus and the Empire of Nicaea have already fallen, despite their fantastic names. Quoting wikipedia, "Since [Trebizond] was the last of the Greek successor states to the Byzantine Empire to fall to the Ottomans (1461), it is often known as the last Greek Empire". Of course, this word 'last' could be read as 'definitive' or 'ultimate' as well as 'final', right?
I'm not going to start playing right now. Basically, I'll write this introduction, then I wait for some feedback while I'm studying for an exam I have tomorrow. After that we'll get going. Expect a bit of roleplay in gameplay decisions, but not too much in the reports. I like to immerse in history and my people's mindset, but I won't be conjuring up elaborate soap stories between leaders and advisors and such. I do like maps! And factoids! A lot! Just so you know what to expect.
So, I've picked a start date. In 1405, the Ottomans are suffering a major revolt in Greece and the Timurids just lost their northern lands to the Turkic sheepmen. I think I'm a decent but not a brilliant player, so I probably need this.
So here's Trebizond (aka Τραπεζούντα (Greek), Trapezus (Roman) or Trabzon (Turkish), whatever) and environs.
We're a one province minor, and we are in the Eastern tech group if I'm not mistaken. We have a bunch of tiny neighbours, which is good. Candar, Karaman, Duldakir and Aydin are just begging to be conquered. However, they tend to ally up real soon with our scary big neighbours: the Ottomans, the Mamluks, the Timurids and the Golden Horde.
Here's our situation. My English vocabulary hardly suffices to describe it, but I suspect measly is the word. No manpower, no income. One infantry unit and one cog. And a half-decent king too. But on the other hand, we are blessed with a rather classy black-and-white flag design. Hurray! \0/
What we've yet to decide on is our long term goal in this game. Here's the ideas. Please, pick a challenge for me!
#I - The Orthodox Cross
The leaders of Trebizond are somehow all entranced by a strange geopolitical shape fetish! They envision our empire as the embodiment of the Orthodox faith, and to assert this they think we should expand in such a fashion as to form a cross on the map of the world. Due south, to the Holy City of Jeruzalem. Due west, to save Constantinople from the Turks, restore the Empire, then on to Rome. Due North, to our Orthodox brethren in Russia. And due east, because we all know that Paradise is located somewhere over there. Of course, it's hardly a surprise that magnificent Trebizond is at the center of this cross.
#II The Byzantine Navy
Our historians recall how the Eastern Empire used to have such a dominating navy that kept our territories secure for centuries. Dromons! Greek Fire! These times should relive, they say. We ought to focus on the navy, using it to capture every single city on the Mediterranean and Black Sea coast. We don't need a single inland province!
#III To Paradise!
Didn't I just say the Paradise is in the East? Surely the Bible says so. But the Great Alexander only found heathens in India and Bactria, and Marco Polo returned from the court of Kublai Khan in Cambaluc, Cathay (why do you say Ming? What's that?). Polo's journal is well known among the Trebizondian nobles. His tales are obviously amazing, but Paradise? No. It must be further still to the east, over the great Ocean. We ought to get there and relocate our nation to this land!
Some additional House Rules:
* Georgia and the Byzantine Empire are our friends. We will never hurt or betray them. No diplo annexing either. We should ally with them as soon as we can and always stand by their sides, no matter how foolish the wars they get themselves in. They should get their share of the spoils of wars. Give them provinces they occupied and such.
* Should the Byzantines fall, it will become top priority to recreate the Empire.
* No cheating, and try not to reload too.
* Maybe some initial restarts if I can't get set up right. But none after the first report.
The Last Greek Empire
Soumela Monastery, near Trebizond
Soumela Monastery, near Trebizond
Contents
* 15/12/08 Contents & Introduction
* 15/12/08 Part I - Let's Greek Fire it up! (1405-1407)
* 16/12/08 Part II - In which France is repelled, which technically already proves our superpower status (1407-1416)
* 17/12/08 Part III - In which the search for Lake Van continues while I do some educationally sound ranting (1416-1423)
* 17/12/08 Part IV - Visions of Lake Van (1423-1431)
* 19/12/08 Part V section I - The Volatile Era (1430-1440)
* 19/12/08 Part V section II - It's like a reprise (1440-1445)
* 26/12/08 Part VI - Post X-Mas Action (1446-1457)
* 03/01/09 Part VII - Insert your bad joke about 'gobbling' and Turkey here! (1457-1471)
* 11/01/09 Part VIII - Trebizond invents the roundhouse kick (1471-1500)
* 21/01/09 Part IX - Summum Totius Awesomae (1500-1516)
* 31/01/09 Part X - Everywhere but home (1516-1530)
* 09/02/09 Intermission - State of the Awesomeness 1530
* 10/02/09 Part XI - To Africa! (neglecting the North) (1530-1542)
* 13/02/09 Part XII - The dawn of a new age (1542-1553)
* 17/02/09 Part XIII - Emperor and Maharadja (1553-1561)
* 18/02/09 Part XIV - The Great Timurid War and then some (1561-1568)
* 20/02/09 Part XV - Expansion for dummies (1568-1570)
* 06/04/09 Intermission II - 2681 A.D.
* 10/04/09 Part XVI - The Return of the Zebra (1571-1578)
* 31/05/09 Part XVII - The Nth war for liberation of Central Asia (1578-1590)
* 03/06/09 Part XVIII - Hunting the sunrise (1590-1600)
* 28/09/09 Part IX - Getting back on track (1600-1606)
* 28/09/09 Part XX - Titles Schmitles (1606-1615)
* 09/10/09 Part XXI - The triple assault (1615-1618)
* 14/10/09 Part XXII - Cutting the Boot (1618-1630)
* 28/01/10 Part XXIII - Trebizond Dead? What blasphemy! The Empire is Immortal! (1630-1643)
* 27/04/10 Part XXIV - Mopping up and success at last! (1643-1661)
Dates are DD/MM/YY
Introduction
Hi! After reading here for a couple of weeks I think I'd like to try my hand at an AAR myself. My choice has fallen on the magnificent Empire of Trebizond, a long time favorite of mine (in history - not so much in EUIII, yet). I only found one other Trebizond AAR in the LibrAARy, and it broke off rather soonish, so, you know, one more reason, huh?
As you are probably all aware, Trebizond is one of the successor states that emerged after the sack of Constantinople in 1204. By 1399, the Despotate of Epirus and the Empire of Nicaea have already fallen, despite their fantastic names. Quoting wikipedia, "Since [Trebizond] was the last of the Greek successor states to the Byzantine Empire to fall to the Ottomans (1461), it is often known as the last Greek Empire". Of course, this word 'last' could be read as 'definitive' or 'ultimate' as well as 'final', right?
I'm not going to start playing right now. Basically, I'll write this introduction, then I wait for some feedback while I'm studying for an exam I have tomorrow. After that we'll get going. Expect a bit of roleplay in gameplay decisions, but not too much in the reports. I like to immerse in history and my people's mindset, but I won't be conjuring up elaborate soap stories between leaders and advisors and such. I do like maps! And factoids! A lot! Just so you know what to expect.
So, I've picked a start date. In 1405, the Ottomans are suffering a major revolt in Greece and the Timurids just lost their northern lands to the Turkic sheepmen. I think I'm a decent but not a brilliant player, so I probably need this.
So here's Trebizond (aka Τραπεζούντα (Greek), Trapezus (Roman) or Trabzon (Turkish), whatever) and environs.
We're a one province minor, and we are in the Eastern tech group if I'm not mistaken. We have a bunch of tiny neighbours, which is good. Candar, Karaman, Duldakir and Aydin are just begging to be conquered. However, they tend to ally up real soon with our scary big neighbours: the Ottomans, the Mamluks, the Timurids and the Golden Horde.
Here's our situation. My English vocabulary hardly suffices to describe it, but I suspect measly is the word. No manpower, no income. One infantry unit and one cog. And a half-decent king too. But on the other hand, we are blessed with a rather classy black-and-white flag design. Hurray! \0/
What we've yet to decide on is our long term goal in this game. Here's the ideas. Please, pick a challenge for me!
#I - The Orthodox Cross
The leaders of Trebizond are somehow all entranced by a strange geopolitical shape fetish! They envision our empire as the embodiment of the Orthodox faith, and to assert this they think we should expand in such a fashion as to form a cross on the map of the world. Due south, to the Holy City of Jeruzalem. Due west, to save Constantinople from the Turks, restore the Empire, then on to Rome. Due North, to our Orthodox brethren in Russia. And due east, because we all know that Paradise is located somewhere over there. Of course, it's hardly a surprise that magnificent Trebizond is at the center of this cross.
#II The Byzantine Navy
Our historians recall how the Eastern Empire used to have such a dominating navy that kept our territories secure for centuries. Dromons! Greek Fire! These times should relive, they say. We ought to focus on the navy, using it to capture every single city on the Mediterranean and Black Sea coast. We don't need a single inland province!
#III To Paradise!
Didn't I just say the Paradise is in the East? Surely the Bible says so. But the Great Alexander only found heathens in India and Bactria, and Marco Polo returned from the court of Kublai Khan in Cambaluc, Cathay (why do you say Ming? What's that?). Polo's journal is well known among the Trebizondian nobles. His tales are obviously amazing, but Paradise? No. It must be further still to the east, over the great Ocean. We ought to get there and relocate our nation to this land!
Some additional House Rules:
* Georgia and the Byzantine Empire are our friends. We will never hurt or betray them. No diplo annexing either. We should ally with them as soon as we can and always stand by their sides, no matter how foolish the wars they get themselves in. They should get their share of the spoils of wars. Give them provinces they occupied and such.
* Should the Byzantines fall, it will become top priority to recreate the Empire.
* No cheating, and try not to reload too.
* Maybe some initial restarts if I can't get set up right. But none after the first report.
Last edited:
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