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Storey

StoreytellAAR
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Mar 16, 2001
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The merchant stood, leaning forward, with his hands resting on his counter top.

“Dear sir you can’t be serious? Why in the world do you think I would part with such a precious work of art as this manuscript and for such a paltry sum?”

The customer answered. His voice had a light timber that was barely above a whisper. It had a sweet quality that for most would be reassuring but for the merchant it was simply difficult to hear. He leaned closer to try to hear what his customer was saying.

“I would hazard a guess that it’s because you haven’t had a better offer than mine, perhaps?”

The merchant jerked back as face grew red as if stung by the quietly spoken words. He chewed on what the small man who stood in front of his counter had said. His eyes took on a calculating slant and he mentally took a deep breath as he took another look at what he thought was going to be an easy mark. The man in front on him was small in stature with thick black curly hair cut short and neatly combed with an oily quality that gave it a rich shine and spoke of a meticulous attention to appearance. His teeth where white and beautifully matched top and bottom. His olive colored skin highlighted the effect and it produced a charming appearance. He wore a smart dark suit with grey pinstripes but the cut of the suit looked sightly out of style for 1948. Looking down the merchant noticed that his black shoes were topped with white spats. He grinned to himself as he rubbed his hands together thinking that is was only a matter of time before he reeled this fish in.

But before he could say anything the door opened and a young lady entered the shop. She was around five foot five with a slim athletic body. . Her auburn hair was straight and cut short in a rather boyish style. Her skin had a rich tan that spoke of more hours outside than in. She was plainly dressed in a tight fitting skirt and matching top that exhibited the finer points of her body, her long legs and slim waist. She looked good enough to draw the merchants attention away from his sale, which was much like saying she could make a blind man see. She went straight over to the small man and leaned over and gave him a kiss. He smiled and said.

“Shara you’re back early. Find nothing to amuse you in any of the shops?”

She smiled while leaning forward to look at the manuscript that lay on the counter top. She seemed to lose interest as soon as she looked at it.

“This place is full of frightfully boring knickknacks.”

She paused, her tongue sticking slightly out of her mouth as she played with the manuscript’s cover as she continued.

“Everything here is much like this, second rate.”

The merchant’s eyes widened but before he could say anything.

“My dear I offered a thousand pounds for it. Are you saying it’s too much?”

Shara sniffed and she looked even more bored with the entire conversation.

“Aurturo take me back to the hotel, I’m getting tired.”

The merchant started to panic and raised out his arms in a gesture of supplication.

“I thought we had a deal?”

Aurturo raised an eyebrow and shrugged his shoulders as he ran a white gloved hand along the manuscripts spine.

“Maybe I was being too generous...”

But before he could continue the merchant exclaimed.

“Enough! I can see you’re a man of taste and intelligence so I’ll tell you what I’ll do. I’ll take 900 pounds and...”

Before he cold finish Aurturo said.

“800 not a penny more!”

“SOLD!” Exclaimed the merchant who immediately started wrapping the manuscript up.

It was only afterward as he stood rubbing his chin that he wondered how the sale had slipped out of his control that he found his mind drifting back to the attractive young lady. Could she have been involved...

Meanwhile Shara and Aurturo walked back to their hotel arm in arm. All that passed between them about the sale was a shared wink and smile. It was only when they were sitting in their hotel room that Shara asked.

“Well are you going to tell me or do I have to drag it out of you?”

Aurturo grinned.

“As much fun as a wresting match with you sounds I’m going to have to beg for more time before giving you an answer. I’m sure we will receive a handsome profit from our investment but I have a feeling that this might be worth much more than I think. I’ve sent a telegram to Rowe asking him to meet us back in London. He should be done with his latest dig and with luck my telegram will catch up with him before he leaves Europe.”

Shara wrinkled her nose as she nodded her head in agreement.

“London is going to be so much more fun than here so I’ll give you the extra time you ask for.
Just don’t get use to it.”

Then she laughed as she picked up the manuscript and read the title.





Venice

Settings:
Very difficult
Normal aggression

Goal: Stop the Ottomans. If possible destroy them. But since I’ve never been one to take the game mechanics apart and dissect the beast I tend to make mistake after mistake so we will have to wait and see how this all works out.
 
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Holy snot! A sequel? :eek:

Rowe is back! As are perhaps a few others. ;) Desert Tides indeed, sir. Very nice, Joe. Looking forward to this.

Venice is one I thought of myself, as it appears others have as well. ;) Still, no one wars like you do sir. And you might even have to deal with Crimea. That, alone, is worth it. :D
 
Holy snot! A sequel? :eek:

Rowe is back! As are perhaps a few others. ;) Desert Tides indeed, sir. Very nice, Joe. Looking forward to this.

Only if I go brain dead and find the time for it and well I think you have the same feelings about another AAR. :D At least I left myself the option.;) This will be a whole lot slower than my usual AAR.

I'm fiddling around with the size of the snapshots so don't be surprised at many fluctuations in the first few posts.

Joe
 
I start off the game and find I’m at war with Hungary. Not good but at least I have already besieged and captured Dalmatia.





I’ve two armies with a total of 10,000 Calvary and 5,000 Infantry. I’ve low revolt risk
and no allies helping me out in the war. Have to admit I like the improvements in the
interface. More buttons to help find out what’s happening in your country.




I know it’s only a matter of time before the Huns start attacking so I move my army
in Veneto to Istria and a battle soon starts. I send reinforcements from Dalmatia but
Hungary does the same and in the end I lose the battle.
battlebegins-3.jpg

By the time the battle was over I lost close to 5,000 men.






It takes me until July to recover and counterattack. I kick Hungary out of Istria and
attack their reinforcements that are trying to get to Dalmatia.
counterattack-2.jpg





However before any more major battles can take place Hungary sues for peace.
Peaceagreement-2.jpg

This has more to do with starting the war with a +27% peace resolution at the beginning
of the game. I’m thinking that it’s coded for Venice to win Dalmatia because it certainly
wasn’t anything I did to win the war!




Meanwhile historical events start firing away.
historicalevent-2.jpg








So I have some time to look around and find that Mantua is my vassal but is in a
alliance with Milan and Modena. Go Figure.
Mantua-1.jpg






As you might notice I’m jumping around a little as far as the pictures are concerned.
This was an earlier slider move. I actually moved the slider for Aristocracy instead of
Quality. I’m going to try not moving toward land or offensive because... well just
because that’s where I started and that reflects where Venice started and they are
a naval power and well what can I say, I’m an idiot. I’ll move toward Free Subjects,
Quality and Aristocracy to try to compensate. At least until I get my head in a bucket
handed to me.
slidermove-2.jpg





So I’m jumping around trying out various things when I decide to try to find out
who I have a CB on. But all I can find is who has a CB on me.
CasusBelli-1.jpg

At least I think I’m reading that right. Anyone want to help me out on finding
where my CBs have gone?





Other news is I have military access from Athens and no one else. Hungary hates
me and the Ottomans clearly wouldn’t piss on me if I was on fire but other than
that I seem to be on friendly relations with most everyone else. Which is just about
when Savoy, who is my ally (didn’t even know that since I was playing the game as
I looked around and figuring out where everything is located) called for me to join
them in a little dust up.
warwithallies-1.jpg

Savoy, Tuscany and Venice against Burgundy, Cleves. Brabant, Lorrane, France and
Switzerland. This could be fun! I’m going to try to keep my head down on this one.


General first impressions are very positive. Haven’t play long enough to have to worry
about CTDs. Like the additions that have been added to the interface. I’m having to
relearn how EU II handles things instead of EU III. Both have there advantages. Nice
to find out that I still don’t like how EU II handles merchants! Speed on play is very
fast compared to EU III. I was worried that this would simply be just EU II with a few
additions but it feels like much more. Kudos to all involved. Now where the hell did they
hide my CBs!

Finally strategy against the Ottomans? Well they are going to be getting some very
good leaders for quite some time so I’m going to concentrate on growing more powerful
and getting someone big, strong and not too aggressive in my alliance.
 
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That's a good idea, Storey. Wise choice on sliders too, I imagine. You may end up needing that naval superiority just to take advantage of weak spots in the Ottoman shore defense. ;)

Don't know about CBs. Maybe check your relations screen. It used to tell you who has a CB on you and vice-verse. In the log, it was on a separate page, IIRC.

Man, I was surprised too when you got Dalmatia so quickly. :D

And this:
Hungary hates me and the Ottomans clearly wouldn’t piss on me if I was on fire but other than that I seem to be on friendly relations with most everyone else.
Classic Storey. :cool:

Keep it up, man.

EDIT: How could I miss this? How can you set up a Storey story with Rowe and then suggest it might be slight in the AAR? :eek: We demand the story...Storey. Yet another damn cliffhanger. :p
 
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I love your style Storey, very easy going. From what coz1 mentioned, I guess either you did a narrative AAR coz1 loved quite a long time ago, or you did write it together somehow?
 
I love your style Storey, very easy going. From what coz1 mentioned, I guess either you did a narrative AAR coz1 loved quite a long time ago, or you did write it together somehow?
It's a particularly fine AAR: Desert Tides. :cool:
 
If I may, I'd advise plutocracy instead of aristocracy. Sure aristocracy means higher diplo rate and cheaper cavalry but you said that Venice is a naval power so maybe its better to go with the cheaper ships and higher production efficiency.

You might want to secure Austria as an ally against Hungary. Finally, good luck beating the Ottos.
 
I love your style Storey, very easy going. From what coz1 mentioned, I guess either you did a narrative AAR coz1 loved quite a long time ago, or you did write it together somehow?

At the risk of making him embarassed (though I don't why he should be embarrassed, every word I type is true) Storey is one of the most excellent wordsmiths and talespinners ever to post in these fora. Below is a sampling of his output, each one worth every minute.

Desert Tides - Or I learned to swim in quicksand

Who Killed Cologne

A Tall Tale Told on a Cold Night

Three Countries One Goal

I warn you though, be he usually of a pleasant and charming demeanour there is one word that can turn this quintessential gentleman into fits of anger and despair. Read Three Countries to find out :)
 
Last time I played Eu2 it was in 2005, when I still barely understood English. :cool:
Getting FtG probably tomorrow.

Nice AAR!
And one more part of AARland open for me to comment(spam!:D).
Yay!
 
By the time the battle was over I lost close to 5,000 men.

Yow! Makes me glad I ignored that army in my game. ;)

However before any more major battles can take place Hungary sues for peace.

Wow...that was easy. I wish I had that luck in my game...Hungary isn't goin down without a fight.

I’ll move toward Free Subjects, Quality and Aristocracy to try to compensate.

That fire bonus to your commanders just looks so nice...doesn't help much now...but what can I say? I like bigger numbers :D

Finally strategy against the Ottomans? Well they are going to be getting some very good leaders for quite some time so I’m going to concentrate on growing more powerful and getting someone big, strong and not too aggressive in my alliance.

Good call. I'm not looking forward to the mess the ottomans are going to make of my greek possessions.
 
Don't know about CBs. Maybe check your relations screen. It used to tell you who has a CB on you and vice-verse. In the log, it was on a separate page, IIRC.

EDIT: How could I miss this? How can you set up a Storey story with Rowe and then suggest it might be slight in the AAR? :eek: We demand the story...Storey. Yet another damn cliffhanger. :p

I finally found where the CB list is. Looks like the Ottomans really don’t like me. They have a CB on me and I have one on them.:cool:

If time permits I’ll put pen to paper and get out a story but time is a problem and the game is giving me a few tech problems right now.

Qorten said:
I guess either you did a narrative AAR coz1 loved quite a long time ago, or you did write it together somehow?


Glad you like it so far. Coz is referring to a few character driven stories I wrote for EU II. It was fun but it takes a great deal of determination to do one.

bluelotus said:
If I may, I'd advise plutocracy instead of aristocracy.

Well that would be the intelligent thing to do but as anyone who has read one of my AARs intelligence isn't my strong suit.:D

I do agree the smart thing would be to go that route and while I still may go Plutocracy in the end right now and for the short term I’ll take the cheaper Cavalry. I’m really making it an uphill battle not going toward land and offensive but what the heck it should make for a more interesting game.;)


stnylan I think I wrote Who killed Cologne for EU I if I remember correctly. My how times fly. :eek::D

Enewald said:
Last time I played Eu2 it was in 2005, when I still barely understood English.
Getting FtG probably tomorrow.

Well your English is pretty good as far as I can see. Have fun with FTG.:)

Formula51 said:
Wow...that was easy. I wish I had that luck in my game...Hungary isn't goin down without a fight

Funny thing is I started a game as Venice just to look around and see how things worked. In that game I won all the battles against Hungary and they also just offered we Dalmatia in the peace agreement. Go figure. That's why I was wondering if it was one of those situations where it's going to end with Venice getting Dalmatia every time. Especially when in this game Hungary was wining the big battles. Maybe not.

Joe
 
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Cologne was EU2, but early days. June 2002. Time does fly indeed.
 
Ah Venice...

...and no, Storey, you aren't making a mistake staying as a naval power.

Plutocracy and offensive all the way. You won't be able to afford cavalry AND be able to stay an effective trader anyway.

Don't forget, the key to defeating the Ottoman's is to humble them BEFORE they take Constantinople...after that, it gets much harder. You should be able to jump in on them if and when Hungary gets involved in an early smack down...

Rebuilding the greek empire is possible if you act quickly and decisively at the appropriate moment...

Interested to see how the narrative turns out...I wonder if this will connect in any way with Desert Tides? Hmm...

TheExecuter
 
I eagerly await the next update mr. Storey!
 
Well, I started up as Venice in my first FtG AGCEEP game. I didn't get far before I decided to pick a nation with a greater capacity to build armies. The main problem was a alliance of Tyrol and Steiermark that was fielding close to 70K men combined. I hope they don't do the same for your game. I shall be following this closely to learn a thing or two because playing a full game as Venice is something I always intend to do but never get around to.
 
Thanks for dropping by aldriq. I am definitely having to learn the ropes again. I have an odd thing going on with alliances. I can’t seem to ask anyone to join my alliance. I have diplomats and I’m the leader on my alliance , which only has Tuscany in it but the request to join my alliance is grayed out with every country I select. I have no doubt that I’m doing something quite silly and the answer is right before my nose but look how long it took me to find who I had a CB on! :D But I’m quite confident that eventually I’ll to figure out what’s going on with my alliance problem…Maybe;)

TheExecuter Yea I agree about offensive and plutocracy but I’m a stubborn cus and plan to try to stay defensive anyway. What can I say I’m a glutton for punishment. I’d love to get in an alliance with Byzantium but they are a vassal and in an alliance with the Ottomans. Much of the Balkans is involved in vassals and alliances changing from one country to another in a constant and rapid manner. I’m going to have to wait for the dust to settle. I’d love to get on the good side of Hungary but that doesn’t look likely anytime soon and Austria is too weak right now to be of much use. Still I have a half baked plan rambling around the back of my head but it is still a few years away from birth but it will if nothing else astound those reading in a “WTF” is he thinking kind of way. ;)


To all: Having video problems that are complicating the situation. Tried to start up the game and found it wouldn’t let me because of a video problem. Changed my monitor to 16 bits color and that kind of fixed the problem, which is related to the game for some unknown reason trying to boot up in window instead of full screen mode. Switched back to full screen and 32 bits color and some of the sprites are not looking too good. I’ll play with it some more tonight and see if I can get the game running on all cylinders.

Joe
 
Oh no...good luck with the new game teething problems...

And I'm not suggesting ALLYING with those losers in Hungary or Byzantium (you should probably annex byzantium if you can find a window when they are not protected by the Turks)...just look for a time when the Turks are 'fully engaged' in a war by Hungary and the catholics, Byzantium and the Chrusaders, or the Mamlukes...and waltz in and seize some provinces. Attempting a straight fight against the Turks with your sliders and pitiful manpower is asking for a bloody nose...

Of course, if that is what the story requires...
:cool:

TheExecuter
 
As I expected Savoy has become the battleground in the current war.
testone-1.jpg



Even if I wanted to there is no way that I can march my army to help them. I’m not keen on trying to get military access since there isn’t anything that I want from this war so I’m going to sit back and watch what happens. They hold off the Swiss in the first couple of battles but before long they lose and the siege starts.

In the meantime I notice that Naples decided they were no longer going to be a vassal to Papal States. Now that could be interesting. They are the same culture (Italian) as I am and although they are still allied with the Papal States, ( I guess no hard feelings toward their old vassal)Genoa and Provence this isn’t alliance to make me shake in my boots but... To make a long story short is would cost me 4 stability points to declare war and since I’m already in one war I decide that I don’t have to conquer all of Italy by 1421so I let them go their merry way. Besides I think Aragon might have something to same about Naples in the future.





Finally the end is in sight as Burgundy heads for Savoy.
Burgundyattacks1-1.jpg





Savoy can’t hope to win the war especially with Tuscany and Venice looking on from the sidelines. Savoy ends up with almost 50,000 besieging their two provinces. I’m looking like a genius for not getting involved.
Savoysieged-1.jpg





So since I have nothing to do I go ahead and build Bailiffs in all my provinces. I throw a marriage at Morea and other exciting things while I wait for Savoy to go down when I notice some strange things happening in France. It starts off with England winning Picardie, Normande and Caux in a war with France. Then France breaks the news that they are no longer going to be a vassal of Burgundy. (Don’t know how that happened) Then France becomes a vassal to England.





And just when I thought it couldn’t get any more complicated I get the message that England declared war on Dauphine and Burgundy became a vassal of England.
SingleprovinceFrance-1.jpg

It might be hard to see but the lighter red is England.




This is followed by England annexing France in 1422. Which is at the same time as Burgundy decides that it no longer wants to be a vassal of England. Me thinks there’s been a slew of events over there.


Finally in 1421 Savoy goes down for the count but I’m still at war with Burgundy and their allies. Savoy is reduced to a one province country and becomes a vassal to Burgundy. Burgunday of course refuses any offers for a white peace that I offer so by October 1423 I say the hell with it and give Burgundy 25 ducats to take a hike. I’m finally at peace.

During this time I’m still looking for opportunities relating to the Turks and although I see Bosnia and Wallachia cancel agreement to be a vassal to the ottomans they stay in the ottomans alliance. Nothing else is happening.



In 1423 I get the Prophetic Doge event.
combolast-1.jpg

I went with Pursue Cautious Foreign Policy. I want, I need good relations with either or both Austria and Hungary Time will tell if that happens.


This is as far as I've play so now I'm going to see about resolving the technical issues that are popping up all over.

Joe