Many thanks to all those who offered their well wishes. First, as promised (if a bit delayed after a holiday break travelling) here are a few AARs I thought I'd mention as they are either a bit newer, or I think deserve a bit of publicity or have been featuring a fair bit in my recent reading. Apologies in advance to any old favourites I may not have mentioned here: still love yuz, this is just a more selective cross-section.
Rex Germania - A Brandenburg to Prussia Strategy AAR by
@Rensslaer has been going since last October, so well established but not yet hugely long. A nice 'return to the EU world' pseudo-beginners (for a new version) and strategic discussion gameplay AAR.
Jak's Game Guide: An EU4 Tutorial by
@jak7139 is a nice recently starting one to complement it with. A very generous commenter and advisor on the technical aspects of various games 'giving back' with a vehicle to hone the skills as Brittany is marched towards greatness.
Children of Dacia by
@IliciMan is a largely narrative and interesting take on a less-familiar to many corner of the EU4 world, by someone whose second-language English is as good/better than most who have it as a first one! Started mid-last year but only up to page 6, so you could catch up pretty easily.
American Carnage - A United States Kaiserreich AAR by the prolific
@Tommy4ever is a very cleverly blended HOI4 historical narrative/gameplay piece. Only started back at the end of last year but already quite well established with great research and extrapolation of old people and new KR events in the context of the atomisation and recombination of the US in a Second Civil War.
The Lost Saga is a recent complement to the epic and well-presented
Lost Seasons of the Danes - A Viking AAR by
@Chac1. Lost Seasons in particular is a very in-depth narrative exploration of a CK2 old Norse Danish kingdom (and one king in particular) with enormously detailed character development, lots of intrigue and plots and an interesting semi-graphic novel presentation of the considerable and interesting dialogue sequences. Been getting lots of attention recently on the boards, and for good cause!
Wings of Faith, Wings of Fury - A Slavic Pagan Revival AAR by
@Superstorm has been going since August 2021 now and I reckon is a tour de force of the sweeping historical CK2 AAR type, written largely from the viewpoint of a modern scholar or historian reviewing events as if they were broadly familiar to the modern reader (say like an amateur picking up a book on the HRE, knowing a bit about it in general but not in great detail). Really well done with great character exploration from an historical rather than first or second person perspective.
The Dragons Realm, A House Targaryen AAR by
@streaker77 - an AGOT epic of huge narrative sweep.
The Wars of the Roses (
@coz1, EU4),
Road of Queens - CKII India AAR (
@Eurasia),
Avon Las Observes (
@Midnite Duke, CK2, sadly winding up now due to computer problems),
The German Century: A Kaiserreich AAR (
@Basileus2, HOI4),
Tomorrow Belongs To Me - A 'Democratic' Germany AAR (
@TheButterflyComposer, HOI4) are all well-established and awarded AARs that are always worth looking at.
Finally,
my nomination for the next FotW last received this accolade in mid-2023 and well deserves it again. This will be their fifth if I'm reading the summary right. A tireless and really helpful commenter, certainly on a few of my AARs and I'm sure on others. Congratulations to
@jak7139