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JDMS

Hypothetical Hegemon
64 Badges
Dec 12, 2009
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This will be my second AAR. It will be a mix of historical and narrative using HT vanilla. All settings are on normal since I'm not that great of a player.

The actual AAR starts on page 4.
 
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I always love a good Ottoman AAR. :)

It is from the perspective of one boy? That could make for a very short AAR as his lifespan isn't nearly as long as the country he's from. Maybe when he gets old he could meet a younger Janissary to carry on the legacy.
 
I always love a good Ottoman AAR. :)

It is from the perspective of one boy? That could make for a very short AAR as his lifespan isn't nearly as long as the country he's from. Maybe when he gets old he could meet a younger Janissary to carry on the legacy.

Actually, that's along the lines of what I was going to do. It was going to be sort of a family business, you might say. :)

blsteen- Thanks. :)

Ok, so I've played a little, and the first update should be up tomorrow or Thursday.
 
After kicking the Ottomans out of Europe I guess I'll show some sympathy for them and follow this AAR ;)

Jokes aside, nice concept you got there with the janissaries, always loved those kind of elite troops.
 
Excellent, a narrative AAR! I look forward to this, JDMS!
 
I very much enjoyed your first AAR, and I'm very much looking forward to this one. Consider me subscribed!
 
i'll follow this, although i'll miss pictures; can't you use photobucket or imageshack? also, no advertising, but MM offers much more challenege and fun for an OE player (Barbary pirates, HRE crusading against you, Administrative burden, the pesky KoSJ), have you given the mod a try?
 
i'll follow this, although i'll miss pictures; can't you use photobucket or imageshack? also, no advertising, but MM offers much more challenege and fun for an OE player (Barbary pirates, HRE crusading against you, Administrative burden, the pesky KoSJ), have you given the mod a try?

Actually yes, I tried it last night. I haven't really decided whether I'll use the mod or not. I've played several years with both, and I had actually considered using MM. I'll probably decide tonight.

As to the pictures, no. I really don't know what's wrong. I've tried photobucket, imageshack, and several other image-hosting sites, and my server just doesn't like them apparently. :(

morningSIDEr, Ashantai, ShiaoPi - Glad to have y'all on board!

First update should be up sometime tomorrow. I'll be away from my computer for too long tonight to post an update.
 
I'm glad to catch this one from the beginning... But no pictures is a crime, if you have one or two per update feel free to send them to me, I've got some spare space and bandwidth in my photobucket account, I'd be happy to host them.
 
Likewise. I could be official picture display...person...thing...if you wanted!
 
I'm glad to catch this one from the beginning... But no pictures is a crime, if you have one or two per update feel free to send them to me, I've got some spare space and bandwidth in my photobucket account, I'd be happy to host them.

Thank you, and you, Ashantai, for the offer, but I have good news. I decided to figure out why I couldn't post pictures. Well I still don't know why, but I do know that by messing around with my server, I must have unlocked something because now I'm able to post pictures. So there will be pictures with this AAR. :)
 
Yay! That's good news!

Of course an AAR is fine without them, but it is nice to have game shots and other pics too...for the look of the thing.
 
Great Choice...and, the narrative would have worked out just fine...but, to some pictures are a big part of an AAR. Photos can add a little favor to an AAR, but, its the written word that carries the day.

Looking forward to your posts.
 
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Prologue

800px-1453panorama11.jpg



29 May 1453

Thick, gray smoke formed a nearly impenetrable haze over the walls of the great city. The roar of canon fire, the crash of exploding ordinance, the clash of steel, and the screams of the dying mingled to create a horrible cacophony that was terrifying but at the same time fascinating to the ten-year-old.

Asticus watched the scene before him, unsure of how to feel. He knew that a Turkish victory would likely bring death, but death didn’t seem real to him. Besides, death would bring him to Jesus, and wasn’t that good thing? Despite this, his mother, and the other women of the city seemed to always be weeping, afraid of the death to come.

“Can you feel it, boy?” Maurice’s voice interrupted Asticus’s musings. The old man squinted at the boy with his one eye. “It’s that feelin’, right before a city gets sacked. Have you ever seen a city bein’ sacked? Ever smelled it?” He breathed in strongly, as if trying to catch a hint of the smell from his memories. “Ain’t nothin’ like it in the world.” He cackled wildly at that, opening a mouth that was mostly devoid of teeth; those that remained were blackened and rotting. His breath washed over Asticus in seemingly impermeable cloud, making turn aside in distaste.

In the midst of his laughing, Maurice unstoppered a flask, taking a swill that ended with wine spilling down his chin, adding to the filth that already matted his scraggly beard. “It’s comin’ boy,” he said after wiping his lips with the back of his hand. “Any second now.”

“Asticus! Come away from there!” Asticus turned as his mother called to him. He stopped abruptly as screams erupted farther down the street. A soldier, unarmed and in the process of doffing his armor, ran towards them.

“They’re coming!” he cried. “The gates are breached, the walls have fallen! They’re coming!” Asticus’s mother rushed into the young man’s path, grabbing his shoulders and shaking him.

“Get a hold of yourself! You must stand and fight! We must not give up that easily!” He shoved her away roughly, continuing on past Asticus and resuming his cries. A crowd of people came running down the street, screaming in fear. Asticus could see armed men behind them. He recognized them as Turks from sketches Maurice had made months before. “Asticus!” his mother yelled.

He found himself unable to get to her, separated from her by the stampeding mass of frightened citizens. And then, as abruptly as it had come, the crowd was gone. But by then, the Turks were upon them.

Maurice opened his arms wide, saying to the first soldier, “ Welcome, friend, to my humble abo-” he was silenced suddenly as the Turk struck his head from his shoulders. Asticus’s mother screamed, and the Turk turned towards her with a nasty grin, pushing Asticus aside.

He knocked Asticus’s mother to the street, crouching over her. Shouting, “Mother!” Asticus rushed at the man, punching him in the side of the head. The blow did nothing more than knock the man’s head to the side, but he stood with a roar and backhanded Asticus, sending him reeling to the ground.

vasilika4lb1.jpg


The Turk raised his scimitar, but his hand was stayed by shouted order. He looked up, and was confronted by a mounted Turk, richly dressed and frowning. The mounted man said something else and the would-be killer grudgingly stepped away, turning back to Asticus’s mother, vying for possession with several other soldiers who had arrived.

Asticus, still stunned by the blow, was unable to resist as he was lifted from the cobblestones and thrown across the saddle of the mounted man. The last glimpse he had of his mother was as he was riding away. She was fighting savagely against her half dozen assailants, clawing in vain. With that image still burned in his mind, Asticus collapsed into darkness.

___ ___ ___ ___​

Heyreddin Çavus, aga of the Janissary corps, rode through the streets of the burning city, seeking his men. He found them a few blocks from where he had been, and immediately went to Nasuh.

Nasuh, çorbaci of the first orta, saluted his commander. Heyreddin lifted the child from the saddle, and passed him to Nasuh. “I’ve found for you a new recruit. He no longer has any family. Keep him safe during this,” he glanced about at the killing, the looting, and the raping, “affair.”

Nasuh saluted again, and Heyreddin nodded in response, turning, and riding away.
 
Range - Thanks, glad to have you following.
 
Range - Thanks, glad to have you following.

Great Start...super images to back up the tale...if I could write as well as you do...I'd be able to sell a book.

Writing is a craft...your words makes the reader see the action...well done my friend.

You posted quicker than I expected...I almost missed your opening...which would have been a shame.
 
Good first update! :D

Very vivid scenes and nicely done narrative.
 
I have to echo the sentiments of everyone else, amazing start. You've outdone yourself, with such a gripping and dramatic beginning. I'm awed quite frankly, and looking forward to the next update all the more keenly.