City of Protis: A Massalian AAR

[Megas Methuselah]

City of Protis

This is new, isn't it? For whatever God-knows reason, EB won't start up right now. I think I'll have to re-install it. Whatever the case may turn out to be, I did my best to scrape things together, though the pictures are there only to help put the image of violence in your mind. I'm pleased to bring you, the City of Protis: A Massalian AAR.



Introduction: A New World

Massalia: a new, savage world of rising Hellenism. Sorrounded by Celts, Etruscans, Romans, and Carthaginians, this unknown city managed to forge a harsh existence through dangerous trade enterprises, true to their Greek heritage. Descendants of the first Greek and Ligurian settlers of the region, the people of Massalia supplied the greedy barbarians to the north with civilized goods from the equally greedy, albeit enlightened people of the south.



In honour of the founders of the Massalia, Protis of Phocaea and his Ligurian wife Gyptis, the Massalians did what they could to maintain independance from their numerous enemies. The Celts, though militarily strong, were divided in a bloody civil war. The Etruscans, although cultivated and civilized, existed as a swarm of independant city states, much like the old motherland of Hellas: it is mainly because of this division that they were able to be absorbed by their former vassal, Roma. Praise be to the Gods that the mighty Carthaginians were so far away and concerned with other pressing matters than a costly war with Massalia.

The Gods. Yea, the Gods play with the fortune of men. How else could this humble, unstable city contain within it such a glorious and celebrated destiny?

King of all the Gauls

It has been 360 years since the first Greeks from Phocaea followed Protis to settle in this new world. Since then, the people have intermingled with Ligurians, Celts, and even more Greeks driven west from the destruction of the Persian Wars. However, less than 50 years have passed since Epeirot exiles of the Makedonian invasion conquered the lands by the sword, and claimed what was theirs by right of conquest. The 4th king of Massalia, a descendant of the famed Molossian Pyrrhos, is an usurper who killed his elder brother for the throne upon the death of their father.



Seeking to take the anger of his horrified subjects elsewhere than himself, the young king quickly drafted together large armies and completed the conquest of Italy started by his father. Furthermore, he drove his troops into Gaul and smashed aside the Celtic hosts. Being declared a military genius and saviour of the Hellenic cause in the west, the young king quickly married an aristocratic descendant of Protis upon his return to Massalia, and cemented his position on the throne of the city.

The people, amazed at the ambassadors sent to the king's court from many exotic countries, decided that their king was a good man. No, a glorious man! His name was Herakleon Aiakides. In a solemn ceremony, followed by a great festival, the young king's conquest of Italy, and especially Gaul, were acknowledged as feets of genius. In his honour, the people bestowed upon the king a new name and title: Herakleon Gallicvs, King of all the Gauls!

[Megas Methuselah]

This may just end up being a ridiculous dissapointment if, following a reinstallation of EB, I'm not able to load my Massalian game and begin the first chapter of the AAR.
"It's in the hands of God now." Lol.

EDIT: I still have to get used to getting the pictures done better.

[QuintusSertorius]

Which faction are you using as the base for your game?

[Chaotix]

Nice start. Hope the save works out.

And Quintus: Looks like KH- only they have the Ekdromoi Hoplitai seen in a few pics.

EDIT: Argh, I didn't read the whole thing. Frodge, what did I bet you, my... KH?? Well, I guess you get a balloon

[Frodge]

I see your KH and raise you Epirus, thats who i think he's playing as

[overweightninja]

I see your KH and raise you Epirus, thats who i think he's playing as

"However, less than 50 years have passed since Epeirot exiles of the Makedonian invasion conquered the lands by the sword, and claimed what was theirs by right of conquest. The 4th king of Massalia, a descendant of the famed Molossian Pyrrhos, is an usurper who killed his elder brother for the throne upon the death of their father."

Seconded ;)

Interesting idea btw, subscribed to this one (not that I'll ever have chance to check but one day I'll catch up :D)
Chrz

[Chaotix]

Look at the views, not the comments, Methuselah. Almost 900 people already had read this AAR when it was still going! I really liked this AAR, by the way. Migration campaigns are always interesting.

[Reverend Joe]

Methuselah, the first thing you need to learn about writing an AAR is that people rarely respond in text. What matters is the number of views; and since you have "nearly 900," I think it's a safe bet that you have produced a good AAR.

Please, keep it up.

[Aaldaemon]

Methuselah, the first thing you need to learn about writing an AAR is that people rarely respond in text. What matters is the number of views; and since you have "nearly 900," I think it's a safe bet that you have produced a good AAR.

Please, keep it up.

I actually believe number of views is a highly misguided way to look at an aar "success". Everytime the author enters his thread or changes the page, edits something etc = view count goes up. There's also quite a lot of people I believe who enter the thread give it a cursory glance and then exit... Other people only look at screenshots, other people just don't have the mental desire to read more than the initial few posts etc... I think the very best way to see if there's enough interest in an aar is through the number of posts adressing your last update... but the community here simply isn't into aars all that much, and they just don't realize that a lot of aar writers need replies to their last updates to get the desire to continue. (I don't deny there's a few authors who don't give a damn about replies and they can drone on on their own forever - but they're very very few) There's nothing worse for a lot of aar writers to put a lot of effort in an aar and then be met by silence. The silence of aar readers kills aars.

[Hax]

IT'S OVER 900!!!

Anyways, I like this AAR a lot. It's a shame that you didn't tell us about your earlier conquests though (in Gaul and Italy)

[Strategos Alexandros]

Great AAR, I'd like to see more migration AARs, at least, judging from this one I would.

[Reverend Joe]

I actually believe number of views is a highly misguided way to look at an aar "success". Everytime the author enters his thread or changes the page, edits something etc = view count goes up. There's also quite a lot of people I believe who enter the thread give it a cursory glance and then exit... Other people only look at screenshots, other people just don't have the mental desire to read more than the initial few posts etc... I think the very best way to see if there's enough interest in an aar is through the number of posts adressing your last update... but the community here simply isn't into aars all that much, and they just don't realize that a lot of aar writers need replies to their last updates to get the desire to continue. (I don't deny there's a few authors who don't give a damn about replies and they can drone on on their own forever - but they're very very few) There's nothing worse for a lot of aar writers to put a lot of effort in an aar and then be met by silence. The silence of aar readers kills aars.

I think the problem around here (it's true with me, at least) is that all we (the fans) can think of to say is "great job!" and we feel like stupid fanboys by not being able to say anything else. So, we remain silent mostly out of embarrassment. It's not that we don't like AARs that much; we're just not used to working with the writers on a literary level.

Edit: also, I think AAR fans around here tend to stick to a few AARS that they like, rather than commenting on them all. So yeah, the fanbase can be small, but it also is usually dedicated.

[Swordmaster]

I think the problem around here (it's true with me, at least) is that all we (the fans) can think of to say is "great job!" and we feel like stupid fanboys by not being able to say anything else. So, we remain silent mostly out of embarrassment. It's not that we don't like AARs that much; we're just not used to working with the writers on a literary level.

Edit: also, I think AAR fans around here tend to stick to a few AARS that they like, rather than commenting on them all. So yeah, the fanbase can be small, but it also is usually dedicated.

Quality is what counts, not quantity.