The call of battle draws me back to EB

[Vlad Dracula.]

Its been 1 year since I last played EB. What brought me back was the (I see now very old) news that there was a planned m2tw EB. I have been playing m2tw again for a month after reading a fantastic book called 'Vlad the impaler - Son of the Devil, Hero of the people'. Even before I had finished I found myself desperate to play as wallachia and recreate fending of the mighty ottomans to defend all of Christianity. Sadly I can only play as hungary but after searching for mods in the hope of playing as wallachia I find myself here again. And so I wait to go back to a simpler time. A time before the pretensions and hypocrisy of Christianity and Islam. A time when people could slaughter there fellow man with a bit more honesty and efficiency. Ah the good old days.

Speaking of books may I introduce myself with a rant? Why are there no books on eastern european history in England? I went into waterstones (the biggest bookseller) and not one, NOT ONE single east european history book from any period. Do we really need an entire shelf of Agincourt? The east was were the epic clash of civilizations took place. Its where all the drama was and its great stuff to read. End of rant.

[InsaneApache]

Welcome.

I agree, eastern European history is not well represented in the UK. We have an excellent forum here https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/forum...p?16-Monastery that tackles world history. Well worth a look.

I see a fellow Mancunian. I was born in Crumpsall hospital. :)

[Peasant Phill]

Welcome Vlad.

There is a EB community present at the Org, you could ask there for more info on European history as well as in the monastery.

[Andres]

Welcome Vlad Dracula

[Nowake]

Welcome to the .Org mister.

As to the reasons behind the lack of easily accesible information on eastern european history, do not rant, it’s only natural. Even if we leave aside the fact that your (western) states were the ones to develop the actual european modern era due to the centuries of conflict-caused attrition suffered by the east (and due to the organizational differences between the Catholic and Orthodox church), and thus the eyes of the world (and of most historians) are rightly set upon them, you must indulge your own countrymen’s passion of reliving the glories of their forefathers. I assure you, east-europeans are even more disgustingly jingoistic, you just have to learn to live with it

Plus, there aren’t a great many reasons a historian would concentrate on a reign like Vlad Dracul’s. It was very short and inconsequential, despite becoming infamous. Compared to the rule of quite a few other wallachian and moldavian princes (like Stephen III etc. etc.) his was actually quite unsuccesful even when seen in the context of the struggle against Islam.

You should, anyway, focus on the main actors in the region, Byzantium and the Ottomans
Considering you seem chuffed to bits about east-european warfare, you should definitely get the superb:
The Grand Strategy of the Byzantine Empire by Edward N. Luttwak and complete it with
Byzantium, the Apogee by John Julius Norwich.
Plus, the definitve book on Ottoman statehood from origins to its apex – eventhough it was written by a turk, you will find it complies with occidental scholarly standards in its detached exposition (for the most part):
The Ottoman Empire: The Classical Age 1300-1600 by Halil Inalcik.