History of the White Eagle - Poland - Megacampaign AAR - part 2 EU3

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gooy - Thank you. Unfortunately, Hungary was bogged down in war with Serbia. On the other hand, Croatia and Moldavia also joined war on my side.

EvilSanta - Well, not exactly. I started game with few troops on the map, and I found it difficult to raise new armies with big costs of stability, and several church based events, where for example I chosen to pay for new monastery, or ignored simony.

I also selected 'Church Attendance Duties (cheaper Stab and Missionary costs)' as my fourth national idea, and I moved Aristocracy/Plutocracy slider max to the left according to my role playing rules (Stanisław I is Diplomatic/Traditional) .

Emperor_krk - This time Mongols are better prepared, but they are also smaller and weaker. I will have to lunch lighting fast strike before they could be reinforced by infinite Timurid hordes.

RGB - Well, so far I like to roleplay like that, even though it makes Poland more backward I might stop liking it if I`ll always get such monarchs.

TheExecuter - Thank you sir, such compliment from such writer like you counts twice. And with that part that you have quoted, I relied on my intuition rather than grammar knowledge - I guess that I was lucky to write it correctly.

gigau, Capibara - Thank you guys =)

Elias Tarfarius - Thank you. Yes and not - Poland is more bakcward than rl counterpart, but it`s also bigger, stronger and Poles as ethnic group are more numerous (Volhynia, Pomerania, Prussia, Galicia, Lausits/Silesia). And yes - such policy as that of Stanisław will make reformation in Poland more likely, though maybe country is to big for Calvinism. But, it`s open book with open ending, and since each monarch would be roleplayed differently, who knows where it will lead.

Legolas - I think that it could be even worse once Herman would be elected Pope - it`s quite possible that he will drag Poland into some troubles.

English Patriot - Polish Cromwell? We`ll see.

Alojzy - I spent hundreds of gold coins to bribe cardinals, but so far current Pope refuses to die. As for secular humanism - impossible as long as Stanisław I lives =)

rcduggan - Thank you sir - I also hope so. =)

LuKo - Yeah, he`s not very likeable.

einfall - Hehe, I introduced hetman much earlier, during reign of Władysław Fair-haired, though I didn`t explained alternative entymology of that title.

M4 Emperior - It might be - we`ll have to wait to see it. =)



Thank you for your comments, I`ll try to post next update, dealing with war of Poland and allies vs tatars/mongols, next weekend. Another good news are that all images are now visible.

 

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The TIM are allied with the GH? Uh uh. I think it will be a needlessly bloody adventure...

 

[unmerged(62343)]

Another adventure against the Golden Horde for Poland. Why do I not think that this is a good idea in this place and time?

 

[unmerged(81390)]

Great update!

 

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RGB, grayghost - Unless I crush GH fast, before reinforcements from Timurids would arrive. But would nobles be hasty enough with answering call to arms?

Ahura Mazda - thanks!



I`m sorry but update would have to wait a bit. I looked at my photobucket account after 2 days, and this is what I saw:

After 2 days! This is insane!

I`m glad about increasing readership, but I`ll have to deal with images, as this AAR is graphical heavy (and you wouldn`t like it without eye candys ). I`ll upload all smaller images to imageshack.com, where there is only one restriction - 100MB per hour per image. Bigger images will go to photobucket. With about 500 images it could take some time to sort them and upload them. Hopefully it will help.

 

[Bluto11]

wow, that is crazy! loved the last update. can't wait for the next one

 

[Elecwaves]

to do my part in conserving this AARs bandwidth and continuity, I shall come to check for new updates but once every 2 days, about half as much as normal. If everyone did this, the bandwidth use would halve. I will be the first

 

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Bluto11 - thanks

Elecwaves - Thank you, but I think there`s no need. Once i`ll split my images at imageshack and photobucket it should be ok.



Alrighty, here`s small preview of next update (I`ll include it there), and my second attempt at narrative. Please, tell me what you think about it - good or bad, boring or interesting, should I use such small narrative bits or not, and any other suggestions.

Tomasz struggled with tiredness. He kept watch at the tent of his master, lord Grzegorz. Huge camp that spread around him was asleep, save for other sentries. There were big pavilions of noble lords, and small tents of lesser knights. In cloudy, moonless night like this, his surroundings were illuminated only by few camp-fires. Whole camp seemed to be like an island lost in the sea of darkness.

"I swear! I saw something in there!" his fellow guardsmen Janusz was always afraid.

"You`re tired, and lack of sleep tricked your eyes" he was annoying at times, but Tomasz liked the man.

"What if tatars sneak at us when the whole camp is asleep?" Janusz was still gaping at the darkness beyond the edge of a camp.

"Oh please, stop it. There are dozens of outriders out there. We`ll know about an attack long before enemy would come here."

They were marching across the steppe for whole weeks now, further and further into the enemy territory. Tatars were in constant retreat, and they didn`t spot any resistance, save for occasional skirmishes, and raids of enemy horse archers. Unfortunately, their once mighty host was growing smaller with each passing day. Some died from tatar arrows during skirmish, some from disease, there were even some idiots who deserted. Tomasz wondered whether any of those fools survived on steppe without food, or water, and with tatars everywhere. Duke Zamoyski, commander of their army told them that all tatars retreated to defend Saraj, and that they`ll reach capital of the Horde in a few days."We shall burn the nest of infidels, just like king Bezprym the Great did!" Duke shouted. Most of the soldiers were looking forward to it, but Tomasz wasn`t sure whether Duke`s words were true, or he just wanted to cheer up his men.

"And what if they kill our outriders?" Janusz didn`t want to give up easily.

"Damn it! Shut your..." Janusz raised his finger and pointed at darkness behind Tomasz`s back, horror painted on his face.

He turned back, and saw a horseman riding into the camp. In fact it was a horse carrying dead rider, three arrows pointing out from his back. One of the outriders.

"Holy mother of God" he muttered for himself.

Then everything seemed to happen at once. Someone blown a horn to wake up the camp, but it was already too late. Arrows began to pour from the sky, hitting mercilessly at the sleeping men. He heard screams, terrible screams of pain. Lord Grzegorz came out of his tent, an arrow stuck in his arm. He simply pulled it out with a sharp move.

"What are you staring at, you son of a dog? MY ARMOUR!" he shouted.

"My lord, there`s no time for that!" Tomasz replied. He already spotted horsemen, galloping at camp with torches in hands. There were so many of them, that they looked like swarm of fireflies in the dark.

"You, fetch me my armour" Lord Grzegorz commanded Janusz."And you, stand at guard. I`ll see you flailed for your disobedience" Tomasz didn`t care, they all could be dead at any time.

Tatar riders swarmed into the camp, throwing spears, slashing with sabres, or trampling those who stood on their way. They began to put fire on the tents, and in a matter of seconds the sky above them was ablaze from fire. He heard clash of steel - finally Poles began to put some resistance. Suddenly two horsemen where upon them, throwing javelins. One struck at fat belly of Lord Grzegorz, while he struggled nervously to put on his helmet - he fell dead on the ground. Tomasz stabbed at one of tatars with spear, throwing him from the saddle. Second enemy was at his fellow, Janusz.

"Please don`t kill me, Please don`t kill me, Ple..." this were his last words, before he died trampled under hoofs of tatar mount.

Tomasz felt anger at sight of his killed friend. He rushed at his enemy, slashing his sword in frenzy. Tatar horsemen, surprised by his ferocity managed to parry only two blows, third left deep wound in his chest, and he fell dead, soaked in his own blood. Then Tomasz looked at the middle of the camp, where many polish soldiers, commanded by Duke Zamoyski, stood their ground against enemy.

"Rally to me men!" Duke shouted. Tomasz began to run at him, when tatar rider crossed his path. This one was fully armoured, armed with shield and mace. Tomasz stared with terror into his face, covered by hideous metal mask that reflected roaring flames. 'Is the devil himself came for me from the pits of hell?' he wondered.

Khan`s guardsman jumped at him in an instant, and split his skull open with a powerful blow of his mace..

 

[Emperor_krk]

Wow... A very vivid picture of the night battle. I, personally, liked it a lot TM! It's much better than the first one, which still wasn't bad at all .
I'd certainly opt for you including more narrative parts into the White Eagle.

And congratulations on your AwAARd!



Just a small nitpick - you seem to use 'men' where you should 'man' (horsemen, guardsman etc) - and vice-versa. You might want to look at these and correct them .

 

[gooy]

i think this narrative is pretty damn good i like narratives every now and then, but when an AAR consists mostle of narratives i tend to skip them.

 

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any particular reason for the addition of narratives? I like them, I was just curious.

 

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I like it. It is different from the style we are used to with your AAR, but it was well done. And congrats on another graphics award.

 

[Elecwaves]

Elecwaves - Thank you, but I think there`s no need. Once i`ll split my images at imageshack and photobucket it should be ok.

Well if you say so

 

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Emperor_krk - Thank you sir. Thanks for pointing out those mistakes, I`ll fix them.

gooy - Cheers mate. Don`t worry, core of this AAR would remain in history-book style with lot of graphics.

rcduggan - Thanks. I`m adding them just for flavour, such small addiction. It`s also training for XVIII,XIX,XX centuries, where I would have to write more narrative bits (because tempo would slow down in Vicky and HoI2 from years to months or even weeks per update).

grayghost - Thank you sir!

Elecwaves - Should be allright from now on.

 

[Emperor_krk]

I hope there's nothing bad in my pointing out these mistakes?

BTW, you have a PM from me, please check it out .

 

[Enewald]

I just LOVE this aar.

 

[Nikolai]

I read both story book and narrative aars, although I definitely prefer story book aars. I believe the addition of narratives in this aar can be a nice addition though, just don't loose focus. Your aar has done very well so far, it'd be a shame if it got off track as some aars have done when changing focus.

 

[Bad Santa]

I like the narrative, i can't wait for the next update

 

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I know what a kingdom has to do to become a kingdom and an empire to become an empire (3 king titles), but what must a country do to become an archduchy lol?

 

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Emperor_krk - Not at all, i`m thankful for that.

Enewald - Thank you sir o

Nikolai - I see your point, but no worries - it won`t turn into novel or something. I`ll keep current pace (1-3 updates per king).

Bad Santa - Cheers mate - working on an update right now.

Delex - i`m not sure what you mean. If you mean game mechanics, there`s no such thing in EU3 - you can become an emperor if you have 3 royal titles in CK: Deus Vult. If you mean historical context, it wasn`t so easy as royal 3 titles = imperial title. As for Archduke, this is how Austrian Hapsburgs styled themselves to rise their rank among other German dukes.