The 2018 Gameplay AAR of the Year is...

[coz1]

As I did with Comedy of the Year, I will reveal a little differently than I did last year. And the time has come to announce the 2nd of our first 4 categories with the Gameplay AAR. The following list shows the varied styles used across AARland and includes works from every one of our active subforums. 14 different voters picked a huge total of 34 different AARs to name as one of their six favorites which obviously scattered the vote all over. With that said, we do have a clear winner.

Your 2018 Gameplay AAR of the Year is...

Blut und Schlacht (Blood and Battle): A Learner’s Saga
by @Bullfilter in CK2​

With a mix of styles used, it was singled out here in the gameplay category and rightly deserves this honor. Following very close behind, however, is a tie for the silver medal. With only a 0.6 difference in the vote, 2nd place is awarded to:

Trek Wars: The Final Frontier Strikes Back
by @diskoerekto in Vic2

and

A Game for Lisan: Belgium
by @stnylan in EUIV​

Already we see the diversity included here with three different games highlighted. And this merely scratches the surface. Below are the 31 other works listed in descending vote order:

Balance of Power - Austria 1.25 AAR by @mackwolfe (EUIV)

One Empire to rule them all - A Brandenburg into Prussia into German Empire AAR by @Tom D. (EUIV)

Blessed Sithrandir Confederacy - Arise! (Or Not) by @Nikolai (Stellaris)

American AAR: AI Experiments in HoI3 by @Eurasia (HoI3)

Pax Americana or Guarantor of Peace as USA(England 1.26 on VH) by @mackwolfe (EUIV)

Uranium for Uruguay by @stnylan (HoI4)

Road of Queens - CKII India AAR by @Eurasia (CK2)

France: A Quick and Dirty HOI3 AAR by @Bullfilter (HoI3)

'Odin' and Stalin's Secret Committee by @roverS3 (HoI3)

"Bitter Fruit" a TFH-AAR by @markkur (HoI3)

OPM to Great Power without war? a N.A.P experiment by @mackwolfe (EUIV)

The Most Sublime Porte - An Ottoman AAR by @Riotkiller (Vic2)

Talking Turkey: Alternate History from 1936 by @Bullfilter (HoI3)

Albania or Iberia failed attemps by @Laurent1944 (EUIV)

Ming/Manchu Non-Abrahamic One Faith by @mackwolfe (EUIV)

Custom Achievements: Alphabet Pasta (AAR) by @Bellyfish (EUIV)

The Young Wolf - A Stark AGOT AAR by @XavierPeanut1 (CK2)

Der Adler, der Wolf, und die Sonne: Die Geschichte des Stahlpakts by @Wraith11B (HoI 3)

Peace in a Violent Galaxy: Pacifist Snail Scientists by @GregoryTheGreat (Stellaris)

One Catholic and Apostolic Church ( Papal States with blob restriction) by @mackwolfe (EUIV)

A Galaxy Awakes: An Only Primitives AAR by @Mob_Cleaner (Stellaris)

Omnious? The Omni Council Into The Great Unknown by @Nikolai (Stellaris)

Hopping around, or how to destroy your previous work by @Sfan (EUIV)

The Purge – End Game Start Date 2250, 5x Crisis Strength, Grand Admiral by @Kvinfojoj (Stellaris)

Dan Kukati and the rebirth of Qesani by @Zamarak500 (CK2)

La Porti un bacione a firenze, a Florence into italy into ? AAR by @Dirkfelpy89 (EUIV)

A Never Ending Struggle - A Human Stellaris AAR by @crisrko (Stellaris)

African Power: Kongo 1.26 VH mini-AAR by @mackwolfe (EUIV)

The First Century: A United Nations Stellaris AAR by @cookfl (Stellaris)

Tip the Scales - a Volunteers-only Japan AAR by @Total Peace (HoI4)

World Conquest for Dummies by @SKOTy (EUIV)​

A number of people have multiple works listed here most notably @mackwolfe which may have caused quite a few split votes. I suppose that is what happens when one works on a number of excellent quality works within a year. As well, some of you may not consider your work strictly gameplay but someone did or at least enjoyed that aspect of your work and thus gave you a nomination.

I congratulate each and every one of you for your efforts during 2018 and beyond and I am sure you will join me when I say a huge thank you to all that gave over their vote for this category! Most especially, many congratulations to our winner @Bullfilter (who also scored 2 other nods here as well)!

Well done everyone! Look ahead soon for the Historybook reveal. Until then, come forward and congratulate our awesome AARs and their writAARs!

 

[Eurasia]

Congrats to all the winners and to those who also voted!

 

[Idhrendur]

Congratulations, @Bullfilter! And to everyone else who was nominated!

 

[roverS3]

Congratulations to @Bullfilter and all the other winners. Your juggling of three AARs, in three different games, is impressive. Just as welcome is your active readership of many works on this forum (including my own). While I haven't followed the latest developments, from what I've read, Blut & Schlacht is certainly up there where CK2 gameplay is concerned, and I don't even own the game...

 

[Bullfilter]

Why thank you everyone - it is an honour to ‘squeak home’ in such a crowded field of excellent nominations. I’ve read many of them and any would have made worthy winners. Great to see my friends @diskoerekto and @stnylan recognised so highly for their works in joint second place and of course to all other nominees.

Blut & Schlacht, while it does contain other styles, is ultimately indeed dedicated to gameplay, with the aim of helping readers (along with me, as it is my first CK2 game, and I desperately need the help ) either learn the game or to share their hard-earned knowledge with the hive mind. While still telling a story along the way. I’m glad some people have thought that works as an AAR.

Thanks to all who voted for it and also my two HOI3 AARs. Thanks of course to @coz1 without whom none of this would be possible. Huzzah to you, sir!

 

[stnylan]

Congratulations to @Bullfilter and all who were nominated, and thanks to all who voted.

 

[diskoerekto]

Congrats my dear friend @Bullfilter for winning, and for all the great moments he makes us live with his AARs.

Congrats everybody who wrote an AAR, or comments, this is a great community here.

And thanks for all who have nominated my name even though my AAR has been dusting for quite some time. Maybe this (and my laptop coming back from repairs) is a sign for me to resume it with a slightly different style. I have been lazy and not worthy of your praise, I'm sorry for that.

But I'm also sorry for something else, I never realized it was time to vote for this, and I never checked the main forums so until now I didn't know there was voting which has been over 4 days ago. So I missed the chance to nominate the AARs I like so much. Sorry guys, this year I forgot to vote but next year I'll remember to do so, you're all in my heart

 

[Tom D.]

My congratulations to all the winners and thanks to all those who voted, also for my own AAR.

 

[AtlanticFriend]

*Grumbles because it's not a Vicky2/Hearts of Iron AAR which won*
*Rejoices it is still one of @Bullfilter 's*

 

[El Pip]

*Grumbles because it's not a Vicky2/Hearts of Iron AAR which won*
*Rejoices it is still one of @Bullfilter 's*

Wise words.

Congratulations @Bullfilter

 

[Nikolai]

Congratulations to all the winners, and thanks to all who voted for me! For some reason the tag didn't come up in my notification as they tend to, so I'm a bit late to the party. (I think it has to do with editing in tags not "working")