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Right, now onto the next award. June and July are always difficult months to award for because of the 6 month Amnesty...but in my case, I usually end up looking through the lists and going 'hang on, they haven't won in how long?'

That being said, @DensleyBlair really should win this more often, especially given their current running and contributions to the afore mentioned Guess the Author, their stellar work in revitalising all kinds of AARland tat and newsletters, their AAR work itself and constantly commentating everywhere and anywhere with their thoughts.
What a lovely start to the week. Thank you Butterfly for the nomination and kind words, and thanks all for the warm wishes. (And I can only apologise for the fact that the love react emoji makes it look like I've just gone through and ogled you all…)

This is my ninth golden fan if I'm not mistaken. Each is as treasured and appreciated as the last – and frankly it's a testament to how high the quality of work on these boards continues to be that I'm still here to collect this. So well done to you all. I'll enjoy thinking about a recommendation post come the weekend. Lots of good stuff out there at the moment.

A good egg, And, most recently apparently, 'The Welsh Jack Grealish'.
Well… we both have luxuriant hair, we both love Aston Villa and, like Jack, I too have been remarkably absent at the highest level of international football. We've also never both been seen in the same room at once. Case closed if you ask me. ;)
 
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Congratulations indeed young DB, may this award prompt you to stop writing so quickly and allow people who have been distracted by small people to catch up.

But more seriously, sincere congratulations for a well deserved award. :)
 
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This is my ninth golden fan if I'm not mistaken.

Alas, you are mistaken, dear @DensleyBlair. Only your 8th, this one is. Unless you can prove I'm the one who's mistaken, naturally. Even a moderator cannot be perfect. It's hard to believe, no doubt, but luckily not the end of the world. :p
 
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I suppose also a small plug for Guess the Author would not go amiss, as a new round of guessing is due to start...today sometime as currently posted. It's not necessarily easy to do, but the contributions from crack expert AAR writers tend to be both endearingly mad and occasionally deliberately trying to drive you insane.
This is true.
 
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Yes - excellent choice and a fitting award for someone who appears to read and comment on everything out there. Very well done @DensleyBlair
Congratulations @DensleyBlair !
Warm congratulations @DensleyBlair :)
Some nice warm toast for @DensleyBlair, and also a toast (the alcohol kind) to him
Congratulations, @DensleyBlair; one of the best.
Warmest congratulations @DensleyBlair very well deserved
Many congratulations, @DensleyBlair!
Congratulations Captain @DensleyBlair of the WayBack Machine! Thank you for your support.
Congratulations, @DensleyBlair!
Congratulations !!
Congratulations indeed young DB, may this award prompt you to stop writing so quickly and allow people who have been distracted by small people to catch up.

But more seriously, sincere congratulations for a well deserved award. :)

My deepest thanks one and all. And Pip – fear not: the long-awaited intermission is nigh. There will be plenty of time to catch up while I am waylaid by trivial things like starting new degrees. :)

Now to the fun bit: recommendations!

Butterfly was good enough to recommend a whole host of things I am currently enjoying, so that frees me up to highlight – as I tend to like to try doing when I win this – a few of the projects that have perhaps gone under the radar.

Starting with my home turf of Vicky 2 – @Qwerty7 's A Nation of Sadness is a cracking piece of work exploring a divergent 20th century in which the Nationalists win the Chinese Civil War. Authoritatively researched and engagingly written – and still in early days, so well worth catching up on. Of comparable quality is @volksmarschall 's Empire For Liberty, now approaching its fifth anniversary and always good value.

In HOI4, TBC covered most of the big beasts but a couple of 'non-standard' favourites include the latest installment of @RedTemplar 's Estonia megacampaign, The Eastern Vikings, Part 4 and also @Alex Kamal 's The DumpstAAR Fire Republic – a well-presented AAR for the infamous TNO mod, if you're into that sort of thing.

@coz1 's two current projects are near enough single-handedly keeping me up to date with EUIV at the moment. Butterfly mentioned God Willing and the Creek Will Rise, but The Wars of the Roses is another cracker and is, I think its fair to say, a real passion project of its author. Has all of the makings of a classic coz narrative!

For CK3, I'm currently working my way through @filcat 's The Secret History of the Bargas, which in my humble opinion is taking the art of the AAR to exciting new places. The first instalment of @tubplunger 's Welsh megacampaign, Haw Dywedyd “Mynydd” Na Myned Drosto has also been good fun – although we're currently waiting to see whether our author can overcome some technical issues. @Gamov_Andrew also deserves a mention for their Russian Path, another megacampaign first parter – this time for the Russo–Finnic peoples – which boasts great graphic work. And I've literally just seen it myself, but I would like to draw your attention to @daird 's I Bless The Reigns Down In Africa, which warrants a follow for the title alone imo. Started on Tuesday. Get in on the ground!

CK2 is notable at the moment as the home to two fairly eccentric, though very different AARs. @Midnite Duke 's Avon Las Observes is… well, frankly it defies summary – but it's great fun and has a good community around it. @GangsterSynod 's Empire of the Bear TBC already pointed out, but it's always fun checking in with our post-apocalyptic Californian warlords so I'll give it another push.

Despite the fact that I have literally never got past its main menu, I do read a few Stellaris AARs. @Chilango2 's Songs of the Saiiban is an admirable injection of poetry to AARland and continues to entertain me with its innovative framing of the game events. I'm behind with @Cora Giantkiller 's You Would Have A Queen, but what I've read so far is great and tells a timely story of catastrophe and rebirth.

Finally, in the prestigious 'Other' category, it looks like @Argead33 's Alexander's Funeral Games is back, which is great news. One to be enjoyed by anyone who wants to see an expanded Alexandrine Empire in action.

Also, I cannot let slip an opportunity to plug Guess the Author. Come along and join the fun guessing and critiquing!

Oh, and vote in the ACA's!

All that remains to say is: Happy reading all! (Nomination post incoming…)
 
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I had my mind made up for me over who to pass the awAARd onto when, earlier this week, a long-time lurker made their dramatic and long-awaited entry to my own AAR thread. The amount of effort they put into a post whose purpose was simply to let me know they were reading was, frankly, astounding – and if it's in any way indicative of the effort they put into reading and commenting on AARs generally, then more power to them.

Also, I'm fairly certain they've never won this before. So here's to new company!

AARlanders, please join me in giving your warmest congratulations to our latest laureate: @filcat ! May your time in AARland be long and enjoyable! :)
 
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@filcat, congratulations! It is so nice to meet someone who played Civilization before it had numbers and was loaded through DOS. The era where bugs was not allowed as you were playing from a disc and not a platform. Reading your comments and your work is often like a novice playing chess in three dimensions with a grandmaster. Your work reminds me of @stnylan's Kanem Bornu EU4 trip. Good Luck in your AAR.
 
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Well done
 
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[Sincere apologies for the extreme-meme reaction, with banal-to-low quality images due to excitement. Will not be repeated again in this thread]

Wait whaaaaaa-

(Best viewed while listening to Peer Gynt Suite No. 1, "In the Hall of the Mountain King" by Edvard Grieg (1875))
1627345532427.jpeg

1627345589692.jpeg

Depiction of filcat (in reality and unreality), incredibly excited after seeing the notification for reception of the award Fan of the Week.​

[-or actually
[1] image from pdxforums, origin unknown
[2] Mongolian yurts, miniature from Jami al-Tawarikh - Compendium of Chronicles by Rashid al-Din Hamadani (1247-1318)
[3] George Constanza, still images from Seinfeld, S.8, Ep.1, a: Jason Alexander (1996)
[4] 'Khan', but not Khan Noonien Singh, still image from, Star Trek Into Darkness, a: Benedict Cumberbatch (2013)
[5] Jean-Luc Picard, image from blooper-reel, Star Trek: The Next Generation, a: Sir Patrick Stewart, unknown date (1987-1994)
[6] J.T. Kirk, still image from Star Trek, S.1, Ep.5, a: William Shatner (1966)
[7] William Moreland and James McNulty, still image from The Wire, a: Wendell Pierce and Dominic West (2002-2008)
[8] sigh. Anakin Skywalker, still image from Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith, a: Hayden Christensen (2005)
[9] Twins, still image from The Matrix Reloaded, a: Neil and Adrian Rayment (2003)
[10] Gloria Burgle, still images from Fargo, S.3, Ep.1, a: Carrie Coon (2017)
[11] Poster, from Stalker, a: Alexander Kaidonovsky, Anatoly Solonitsyn, Nikolai Grinko (1979)
[12] Rory and Lorelai, still image from Gilmore Girls, S.4, Ep.1, a: Alexis Bledel and Lauren Graham (2003) -]



Sincerely grateful for the kind words @DensleyBlair and @Midnite Duke !
Sincerely thankful for the acclaim @37th Armoured div , @TheButterflyComposer , and @Le Jones !
 
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Having barely completed college, I must commend you on your excellent citations of your sources
It is indeed very professional, and probably something we should all do ... now that being said, I won't be doing it
 
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Congrats @filcat , I've enjoyed your posts I've seen.
 
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