Well, this is my first post on the Paradox forums, after a lot of lurking, my first AAR ever, after admiring several other AARs, and my first, no make that second, game of CK. Any advice on any of the three counts would therefore be appreciated (with me being a noob and everything)
My first thoughts after playing CK for the first time (a Norwegian conquering spree ending in rebellion) was how different it appears to be, compared to HoI2 and EU2. So, any advice to help me shake my old habits and avoid another crazy rollercoaster like my previous game would be very nice indeed!
As for the AAR itself, I'm playing Castille, obviously, beginning in 1066. Any lack of screenies would be due to me being quite inexperienced at this and forgetting to take screenshots for the first part of the game.
So, without further ado:
Part I: 1066 - Introduction
Behind a mask of calm, Sancho, the second of his name and king of Castille was seething. He had played the polite host for his brother, Alfonso IV of Leon who had surprisingly travelled to personally announce his marriage to Aldonza de Castille. Sancho saw the message clearly, though. His brother’s coming wife held no titles or land, but Sancho saw a message in that, too; her role would be to secure an heir to the Leonese throne. Sancho, the oldest son of Ferdinand the Great had no wife and no heir. Alfonso must have taken great delight in reminding Sancho of this. And the fact that should something befall him, all his lands would fall in Alfonso’s eager hands.
He would have to act.
Following the death of Ferdinand I in 1065, his kingdom was divided between his three sons, with Sancho receiving Castille, Alfonso inheriting Leon and the youngest of the brothers, Garcia inheriting Galicia. Ever since, There was little love between the brothers, especially between Sancho and Alfonso who were quite different in personality and rivalled each other in power.
As it approaches the year of our Lord 1067, Sancho II is, as mentioned, king of Castille. A man of the sword first and foremost, he was quite different from his brother Alfonso, a clever diplomat, often preferring less overt means. With Sancho disliking the courtly games and intrigues of his brother, quickly came to dislike him, even more so after the partitioning of their father’s kingdom. Seen by most people as a wise and honest man, Sancho encouraged others to honesty as well, and disliked trickery and subversion, habits he especially attributed to his brother.
Alfonso was, for his part, certain that the pen was as mighty as the sword, and enjoyed his “courtly follies”, as his brother called it. He rarely passed up an opportunity to show off his talents if it meant annoying his misguided brother.
Their younger brother, Garcia was more of a mild-mannered disposition, and happy with his lot in life wisely did his best to stay out of his siblings’ rivalries. Although a decent fighter, he was even less adept at deception than his oldest brother.
Ferdinand also had two daughters, Urraca and Elvira, both older than their brothers. After the partitioning, they had been awarded a city each, leaving them in the domain of Alfonso. Urraca, as countess of Zamora was an accomplished conniver, even more so than her brother Alfonso, though Sancho saw his brother as the most devious plotter in Christendom. Elvira had been given the town of Toro and thus became a vassal of her older sister, and more competent, sister (although it can be said that Elvira’s milder disposition certainly made her a better negotiator than her vengeful sister)
The situation of the Iberian Peninsula was at the time far from stable. With sibling rivalry between the sons of Ferdinand, conflict between Sancho of Navarra and Sancho of Aragon as well as the considerable power of various Muslim emirates and sheikdoms the land was a proverbial powder keg.
(and, yes, i spelled Sheikdoms incorrectly
)
My first thoughts after playing CK for the first time (a Norwegian conquering spree ending in rebellion) was how different it appears to be, compared to HoI2 and EU2. So, any advice to help me shake my old habits and avoid another crazy rollercoaster like my previous game would be very nice indeed!
As for the AAR itself, I'm playing Castille, obviously, beginning in 1066. Any lack of screenies would be due to me being quite inexperienced at this and forgetting to take screenshots for the first part of the game.
So, without further ado:
Part I: 1066 - Introduction
Behind a mask of calm, Sancho, the second of his name and king of Castille was seething. He had played the polite host for his brother, Alfonso IV of Leon who had surprisingly travelled to personally announce his marriage to Aldonza de Castille. Sancho saw the message clearly, though. His brother’s coming wife held no titles or land, but Sancho saw a message in that, too; her role would be to secure an heir to the Leonese throne. Sancho, the oldest son of Ferdinand the Great had no wife and no heir. Alfonso must have taken great delight in reminding Sancho of this. And the fact that should something befall him, all his lands would fall in Alfonso’s eager hands.
He would have to act.
Following the death of Ferdinand I in 1065, his kingdom was divided between his three sons, with Sancho receiving Castille, Alfonso inheriting Leon and the youngest of the brothers, Garcia inheriting Galicia. Ever since, There was little love between the brothers, especially between Sancho and Alfonso who were quite different in personality and rivalled each other in power.
As it approaches the year of our Lord 1067, Sancho II is, as mentioned, king of Castille. A man of the sword first and foremost, he was quite different from his brother Alfonso, a clever diplomat, often preferring less overt means. With Sancho disliking the courtly games and intrigues of his brother, quickly came to dislike him, even more so after the partitioning of their father’s kingdom. Seen by most people as a wise and honest man, Sancho encouraged others to honesty as well, and disliked trickery and subversion, habits he especially attributed to his brother.
Alfonso was, for his part, certain that the pen was as mighty as the sword, and enjoyed his “courtly follies”, as his brother called it. He rarely passed up an opportunity to show off his talents if it meant annoying his misguided brother.
Their younger brother, Garcia was more of a mild-mannered disposition, and happy with his lot in life wisely did his best to stay out of his siblings’ rivalries. Although a decent fighter, he was even less adept at deception than his oldest brother.
Ferdinand also had two daughters, Urraca and Elvira, both older than their brothers. After the partitioning, they had been awarded a city each, leaving them in the domain of Alfonso. Urraca, as countess of Zamora was an accomplished conniver, even more so than her brother Alfonso, though Sancho saw his brother as the most devious plotter in Christendom. Elvira had been given the town of Toro and thus became a vassal of her older sister, and more competent, sister (although it can be said that Elvira’s milder disposition certainly made her a better negotiator than her vengeful sister)
The situation of the Iberian Peninsula was at the time far from stable. With sibling rivalry between the sons of Ferdinand, conflict between Sancho of Navarra and Sancho of Aragon as well as the considerable power of various Muslim emirates and sheikdoms the land was a proverbial powder keg.
(and, yes, i spelled Sheikdoms incorrectly
)
