Glory for Ulm: A Flagland AAR
Table of contents
- Chapter 1: Introduction
- Chapter 2: Upholding grudges
- Chapter 3: The master plan
- Chapter 4: What else is going on? I
- Chapter 5: The Ulm awakening
- Chapter 6: Subjugate thy neighbour
- Chapter 7: Our first real fight
- Chapter 8: Cracks in the paint
- Chapter 9: What else is going on? II
- Chapter 10: A successful failure
- Chapter 11: How to take on Venice
- Chapter 12: A friendship denied
- Chapter 13: What else is going on? III
- Chapter 14: Splitting the swag OR How I learnt to stop worrying and love Venice
- Chapter 15: Kicking Bohemian butts
- Chapter 16: The Greek question OR Eρώτημα
- Chapter 17: Another Greek question
- Chapter 18: Those wacky Austrians
- Chapter 19: What else is going on? IV
- Chapter 20: If you tolerate this, then your Ragusa will be next
- Chapter 21: What about Ferrara?
- Chapter 22: Let's talk about money, baby
- Chapter 23: End of a Palatinate
- Chapter 24: The war with Burgundy: Part I: One against many
- Chapter 25: The war with Burgundy: Part II: The war spreads out
- Chapter 26: The war with Burgundy: Part III: Ferrara
- Chapter 27: The war with Burgundy: Part IV: End of
- Chapter 28: What else is going on? V
- Chapter 29: The infamy is too damn high
- Chapter 30: Two things in life are certain: Venice and taxes
- Chapter 31: Boring management!
- Chapter 32: What else is going on? VI
- Chapter 33: A truer faith?
- Chapter 34: Not everyone has seen the light (financial benefits)
- Chapter 35: Sitting on an Ottoman: Part I: Opening moves
- Chapter 36: Sitting on an Ottoman: Part II: Strait into Turkey
- Chapter 37: The war of the kicking of Milan's ass: Part I: Wherein Milan makes its greatest mistake
- Chapter 38: The war of the kicking of Milan's ass: Part II: Wherein Milan gets its ass handed to itself
- Chapter 39: Sitting on an Ottoman: Part III: Sitting hard
- Chapter 40: What else is going on? VII
- Chapter 41: Vox populi
- Chapter 42: Sic Transylvania gloria mundi: Part I: Biting our time
- Chapter 43: Sic Transylvania gloria mundi: Part II: Biting on light grey
- Chapter 44: Sic Transylvania gloria mundi: Part III: Salt my Bosnia
- Chapter 45: What else is going on? VIII
- Chapter 46: Real development
- Chapter 47: Upgrades!
- Chapter 48: Actual real development
- Chapter 49: Crummy times
- Chapter 50: Loopy times
- Chapter 51: What else is going on? IX: Special Edition
- Chapter 52: Man on a mission
- Chapter 53: Why are there seven letters in 'nouveau'?
- Chapter 54: The hangover
- Chapter 55: Anyway...
- Chapter 56: World Update: Episode 1
- Chapter 57: I was gone?
- Chapter 58: Sore loser
- Chapter 59: It's Greatly to His Credit
- Chapter 60: Getting back into it
- Chapter 61: Preparing for war(s)
- Chapter 62: Wars!
- Chapter 63: Wars over yet?
- Chapter 64: Cause I like you Yeah I like you
- Chapter 65: Siena
Introduction for the common man
This is my AAR (or 'After Action Report') playing as the country 'Ulm' in the game Europa Universalis III: Divine Wind.
For those not familiar with an AAR, allow me to explain briefly. On Paradox Plaza – the main board for Paradox Interactive games – a common tradition by now is to write so called 'After Action Reports', which – as the name implies – is a 'report' on how you did in a recent session of one of their games.
I assume originally, these AARs were pretty bland with basic screenshots and some information about what connected each, then quickly they became more storytelling focused. Either dramatic or comedies. In addition, some even went beyond the original AAR scope and changed parts of their playout for their own storytelling by using modifications or adjusting the save game. Even coming up with nations not originally playable in the games.
So the AAR tradition is a long and endearing one, and you can argue it is pretty much impossible to come up with an original style by now. So many ways have been done; videos, comics, lyrics, hell even songs (though I doubt actually studio recorded). But your medium is one thing, your way of telling it is a complete other.
I do not mean to brag, but I think the interaction with Ulm and the 'narrator' in my AAR is a unique one. Especially the personification of the country I am playing and in addition making him quite silly is not very usual in the AAR business.
That doesn't mean I am saying I am the best. There are way better EU3-players out there than me. There are way better AAR-writers out there as well. The amount of passion some of these guys put in their AARs sometimes boggles the mind.
In addition – I think should be noted out of pure interest – due to the success of these AARs across their games, Paradox Interactive actively promote them, even having the developers write AARs themselves. AARs are also used as a teaser of a new game, instead of just some trailer or a feature list, they tell someone to play the game and write down how they did and take a bunch of screenshots. These AARs are often far more interesting than a preview.
Oh and, the thread for this AAR is available on the forums, where you can comment on the AAR if you have an account.