The 2019 Yearly AARland Year-end AwAARds

[coz1]

It's that time again!

Time to get yer YA-YA's out! 2019 has been a (nearly) full year and as we run these, it is time to start thinking about whom you wish to reward! The tradition for these does not go back that far, but there is surely a tradition of voting within AARland (whether completed or ongoing) and these past two years of YAYA votes have proved that it is alive and well! The 2017 and 2018 votes seemed very successful by the end and I hope that this year is just as meaningful. A vote here, whether winner or not, hopefully gives one more views and more comments. As well, awarding someone for their hard labor over this past year is no bad thing as every one of us hopes to create something special and a nod here is its own reward.

Thus we embark upon the 2019 Yearly AARland Year-end AwAARds, otherwise known as the YAYA’s. So get yer yaya’s out! (Begging apology from The Rolling Stones and perhaps even the great George Harrison for nicking a bit. )

The goal is to reward every single category as possible from narrative to LP’s...charactAARs all the way to writAAR. I’ve made periodic queries throughout these last 2 years to see if changes are needed and thus far, only some few have come in, so we move from where we were this time last year (or close to it.) Below are 12 categories in which to vote and in each, you may vote for up to 6 AARs. No matter the category, every game is eligible and for writAAR and newcomAAR, you will be voting for a person rather than an AAR (though please feel free to list their further work(s) if so wished.)

Voting for this will be in this thread rather than private because I wish this to remain near the top of the general discussion area. Below I will include a blank ballot and please fill it in as you can over the next couple of months. The period of voting will be from now until February 1, 2020 and the eligible AARs from which to choose are any of those started, finished or worked upon from DECEMBER 1, 2018 through NOVEMBER 30, 2019. Whether ended, started or still in progress, all works within that timeline are fair game (Please be mindful of this when you fill out your ballot.)

[Note that yes – this is started before the end of eligibility, so anything started from now until the end of this month of November 2019 remains a fair vote if worthy.]

As I did last year, I will weight the votes between what is picked for #1 in a category verses what is picked as #6. It is a small weight but proved successful in the accounting. That will cause you to think as you vote and a small hardship so that we avoid ties and reward fully due to merit. There are a lot of great works and tastes may vary. I am always open to recommendations but this seems the fairest way to account for your votes (And please feel free to offer any and all suggestions about the process within this thread.)

After voting for two plus months (which is required as has been learned) I will tabulate all of your nods and present the winners. I will open separate threads for each winner so that you may offer them congratulations and discuss the work if you so wish.

I start the voting now to give us that time to gain a clear picture and knowing well that schedules for all are tight. Two plus months should prove the most dedicated of us will offer their voice (so please start considering it now rather than late January.) I give every voter all of December and January plus a couple of weeks prior to get us the most votes as possible. A project like this does not work unless the members of this forum get involved. While I would not like to see any sort of campaigning, I do hope that you will link to this in your works so we might gain as many eyes as possible. The more votes that we have, the more accurate winners we will see. A fair result for the great works presented within this past year.

(And indeed, if @Wraith11B or anyone else with graphic ability wants to assist in helping to get the word out, please offer it up!) No personal campaigning, but let others know that this is a thing and they should vote. It is fun for one and all.

In the last contest, we found 18 different voters willing to offer up a vote all across every game and in every category (the previous year saw 21.) The number of AARs and writAARs suggested dwarfed that by at least three-fold! Take your time...fill out your ballot over these many weeks...and when done, I hope to see fair and true winners from all across this little place on the internets that we call home.

So, AARland...put on your thinking caps and choose the best of the best for these past 12 months (or at the very least, your favorites over that time.) Your writAARs will thank you and so do I! Now...vote!

EDIT on Dec. 6, 2019 - Many thanks to @Wraith11B (and @El Pip ) for providing us a terrific graphic and link that you may use within your own AARs. Please feel free to add the below to help promote this great yearly tradition.




The 2019 Winners:

Comedy AAR of the Year: Inevitable Defeat - Slovakia '44 by @El Pip

Gameplay AAR of the Year: Blut und Schlacht (Blood and Battle): A Learner’s Saga by @Bullfilter

Historybook AAR of the Year: A Kingdom In the Clouds: A Ü-Tsang AAR by @RossN

Narrative AAR of the Year: Before Plantagenet – A House d’Anjou AAR by @JabberJock14

Megacampaign AAR of the Year: The Hohenzollern Empire 5: Rising Phoenix - A Roman Reich Megacampaign in New World Order by @zenphoenix

MP/Interactive AAR of the Year: Gott mit Uns - A Mildly Interactive Prussian NWO AAR by @SibCDC

Graphics/AARtist of the Year: @Wraith11B

Character of the Year: (A tie!) Cennet in Talking Turkey: Alternate History from 1936 by @Bullfilter and Arthur of Wessex in The Song of Wessex by @coz1

Newcomer of the Year: @mad orc

WritAAR of the Year: @Bullfilter

AAR of the Year: The Song of Wessex by @coz1

 

[coz1]

The Ballot – Below are the 12 categories we will be voting on. You may vote for any of the games within each category. You need not choose 6 slots for every one, but with so much great work done here, it can surely be accomplished. And please remember that these votes will be weighted. What you choose for #1 will gain a greater value in the tabulation than what you choose for #6 (I do so to avoid ties, mainly.) I would love to ask you to lock your vote in once you have given it (for my sanity in the tabulation), but if changes must be made, feel free. The only thing that I would ask is that you not look to the vote and try to “game it” in any way. A tall order here at this forum I know given what we do here, but please keep it honest as I know that you will do.

Just pick your favorites and in the end, we will have our winners for 2019. It was a long year full of great work so put your memory hats on and get to it, AARland!

The Categories:​

- Comedy AAR of the Year:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.


- Gameplay AAR of the Year:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.


- Historybook AAR of the Year:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.


- Narrative AAR of the Year:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.


- Megacampaign AAR of the Year:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.


- Multiplayer/Interactive AAR of the Year:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.


- Let's Play/Video AAR of the Year:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.


- Graphics/AARtist of the Year:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.


- Character of the Year:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.


- Newcomer of the Year:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.


- Writer of the Year:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.


- AAR of the Year
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.


Please feel free to copy and paste this into your own post for ease of voting. If you would, PLEASE offer a link to the work (if it has not already been given by another) with AAR name included, the author’s name, and the game it belongs to. I thank you and...

Happy Voting!

 

[coz1]

As promised when we looked back to the 2018 voting, it was suggested to offer a brief description at what you are looking at for each category. I am happy to do so but wish to keep them brief as everyone likely has a slightly different idea as to what each might mean below. That said...

The Categories:​

- Comedy AAR of the Year:

Obviously, humor is what is being judged. No matter the other style of AAR, if there is an attempt to go for comedy then surely it is eligible. In truth, even if it is not meant to be humorous but is so anyway, I know no reason why it should not be eligible. Pretty straight forward here.


- Gameplay AAR of the Year:

The gameplay style is pretty much what it says it is - an AAR that follows the game decisions closely. This could be from an interactive standpoint, a multiplayer game or just a single player (what we see most.) I imagine that some might see a cross-over of sorts with the category below, but that is why we separate them both in terms and in voting.


- Historybook AAR of the Year:

A history book AAR has traditionally been considered one written as though a general survey book or an in-depth history for a specific time and/or country. While gameplay is considered as part of the work and characters are suggested, it reads not so much as a stage play or work of historical fiction novel and rather more like a textbook detailing the major figures, battles, historical trends, world/country altering events, etc.


- Narrative AAR of the Year:

The 4th of our storytelling styles, this is written more like a stage play or historical fiction novel/story. There are fleshed out characters, dialogue between them and many times the gameplay events are buried underneath the narrative itself.


[Note that the 4 above styles are what has traditionally been considered as our working methods. There are obviously hybrids of them (especially alongside comedy) but this is the easiest way to spread it around and honor each style.]


- Megacampaign AAR of the Year:

What it says it is - an AAR that takes any game from one of our flagship Pdox games to another or more throughout the year. To more specifically list what is eligible here, if the AAR is stated as a megacampaign, then it should be eligible. I would surely like to see movement on that rather than a work started late in the eligibility schedule that barely gets past the first 10 years of the first game, but I will leave that to you as the voter to be honorable. Make sure that your vote is for a worthy work.


- Multiplayer/Interactive AAR of the Year:

These are also pretty self-explanatory but another note on why they are combined. We just don't see as many of either type as much these days (interactive gets a bit more play than MPs.) Both have historically been very popular so they are kept for now as one of the categories.


- Let's Play/Video AAR of the Year:

LPs are pretty easily sussed out but I specifically include "video" as part of the title because sometimes people may add video elements to their work even if not an LP game.


[Note here that there was some consideration of combining the last two categories for this year's vote but I went with the general consensus from the end of the last round and kept them as is for now. If we see an uptick in votes, then great. If not, then we may need to finally consider an alternative manner in which to reward these admittedly important aspects of AARing.]


- Graphics/AARtist of the Year:

This category is one I specifically wanted to include when we started this process. Screenshots have always been an important aspect of AARs and many people go above and beyond in their efforts. More to that, more have included many other graphical aspects to their works whether that be brilliantly altered maps, choice pictures found from the internet or elsewhere and all the way to full on cartoons. Any and all are eligible here and also why I merge graphics with the AARtist themselves. You are voting for a person here rather than an AAR though one should surely list the work if it is just one.


- Character of the Year:

This category is specifically looking at a character within an AAR. It need not be from a narrative or comedy AAR, though that is where you will find the bulk of them. However, a particularly well sketched character from a historybook work can be just as eligible if one thinks so. I would prefer a specific character here rather than "the characters" from a work. Single them out for they abound.


- Newcomer of the Year:

Every year we find new blood entering the ranks and that is awesome, thus we wish to reward them. The qualification here is that they must start their first AAR (or comment often on other AARs) within the previous year of eligibility. They may have been members of the forum prior to that, but finally decided to begin posting on AARs, either as commenters or as an AAR writAAR (or both.)


- Writer of the Year:

This is what it says it is - you are voting for who you think is the finest writAAR of AARs over this past year whether that be for one or multiple works. It is for the person rather than an AAR. It can be a newcomer fresh on the scene who blows it out the water or a longstanding member that continues with excellence. Or anywhere in between. Look to what you read this past year and vote for the one(s) that impressed you the most.


- AAR of the Year

This is our version of the hybrid AAR, but really it is to put all of the above together in one package. Consider it like Best Picture at the Oscars. You look at all the sub-categories and then put it all together for the big one. Every style, method and effort should be considered here and thus far, this has been the largest voting category for these last two years. I'd certainly like to see that continue.



All of the above said, I don't want to tell you/influence how to vote. If you consider something different than the above, then who am I to tell you otherwise? We've seen AARs listed in all 4 styles listed above and sometimes they are. But please do consider it before casting your vote. Is this really one over the other? Which style fits it best? And in the end, we are merely voting for our favorite works. "Best" is not a word I like to use because one person's best is another person's meh. Like a lot of voting, it can be often a popularity thing, but I do hope that some consideration is made to try and be fair and considerate of the many people that write here. These are meant to be democratic and inclusive. Anyone can win (and has!) The only thing keeping it close at times may be due to lower vote turnout. That and sometimes people only vote for one or two rather than the full six. It really does make a difference because the weight remains the same from 1 thru 6. An AAR listed alone counts just as much as the one listed 1st on another ballot. But if that 2nd ballot includes 5 other works, then they cannot compete with another ballot that only lists one or two AARs. Every vote counts so please consider that when you get around to listing yours. (And don't procrastinate!!! )

If you have any questions on the above, please feel free to get clarification within this thread. I hope us all to be on the same page and come Feb 1, 2020 have a great set of votes to give us our winners.

 

[Nikolai]

Better get started then! Glad to have you host this again, @coz1 .

Now, to remember all the AARs of yesterday, the ones that are excellent, but finished months ago.

*an hour? More? Later. I think I will continue at a later date, but I came far.

- Comedy AAR of the Year:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.


- Gameplay AAR of the Year:
1. Lancaster: The King in the North - @TheButterflyComposer (https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/index.php?threads/lancaster-the-king-in-the-north.1186196/) - CK2
2. The World is our Oyster. Story of Portugal - @hjarg (https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/foru...orld-is-our-oyster-story-of-portugal.1120466/) - EU4
3. Rise From the Ashes - A 1.24 Byzantium AAR - @johnmyster (https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/foru...from-the-ashes-—-a-1-24-byzantium-aar.1075494/) - EU4
4.
5.
6.


- Historybook AAR of the Year:
1. The Heavy Crown (the parts that were -excellent - history book material) - @coz1 (https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/foru...book-the-third-on-the-house-of-wessex.1069716) - CK2
2. A Kingdom In the Cliuds: A Ü-Tsang AAR - @RossN (https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/foru...-kingdom-in-the-clouds-a-Ü-tsang-aar.1196142/) - CK2
3. An Empire in the West: A Syracuse AAR - @RossN (https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/index.php?threads/an-empire-in-the-west-a-syracuse-aar.1175204/) - I:R
4. Caravans of Rockets - @vyshan (https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/index.php?threads/caravans-of-rockets.1216873/) - Stellaris
5. Stellaris: Tale of the Sol Dominion - @scpour92 (https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/index.php?threads/stellaris-tale-of-the-sol-dominion.1135746/) - Stellaris
6. WTWSMS - To Rome and the World - @Tiberionus (https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/index.php?threads/wtwsms-to-rome-and-the-world.1118804/) - CK2


- Narrative AAR of the Year:
1. The Song of Wessex - @coz1 (https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/index.php?threads/the-song-of-wessex.1147547/) - CK2
2. The Heavy Crown - @coz1 (https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/foru...book-the-third-on-the-house-of-wessex.1069716) - CK2
3. The King Once and Future - A Tale of Arthur AAR - @LudoOttavio (https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/foru...once-and-future-a-tale-of-arthur-aar.1064002/) - CK2
4. The Last Goth - @AlexanderPrimus (https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/index.php?threads/the-last-goth.1125891/) - CK2
5. A New Round Table: A Crusader Kings AAR - @General_BT (https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/foru...new-round-table-a-crusader-kings-aar.1113024/) - CK2
6. The Empress and I - A Tale from Rome - @KaiserWilhelml (https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/index.php?threads/the-empress-and-i-a-tale-from-rome.1144355/) - EU4


- Megacampaign AAR of the Year:
1. The Eastern Vikings - @RedTemplar (https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/foru...n-vikings-part-2-baltic-megacampaign.1122759/)
2. Song of a Century - @dragoon9105 (https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/foru...pt-3-khitan-image-heavy-megacampaign.1124964/)
3.
4.
5.
6.


- Multiplayer/Interactive AAR of the Year:
1. We Three Kings II - An Imperator: Rome Multiplayer Beta AAR - @Peter Ebbesen @Swuul @Wyvern (https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/foru...-imperator-rome-multiplayer-beta-aar.1169892/) - I:R
2. The Patrian Republic - A Semi-Interactive AAR [Resurgence] - @magnum2016 (https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/foru...ic-a-semi-interactive-aar-resurgence.1190430/) - Stellaris
3.
4.
5.
6.


- Let's Play/Video AAR of the Year:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.


- Graphics/AARtist of the Year:
1. @defensedefumer
2. @hjarg
3.
4.
5.
6.


- Character of the Year:
1. King/Emperor Arthur in @coz1 's The Song of Wessex
2. King Arthur in @General_BT 's A New Round Table
3. Empress Sophia in @KaiserWilhelmI 's The Empress and I
4. Amedee in @coz1 's The Song of Wessex
5. Gyelmo Purgyal Pelmo 'the Scholar' in @RossN 's A Kingdom In the Clouds
6.


- Newcomer of the Year:
1. @scpour92
2. @journalisticRoman
3. @writermattperrett
4. @ApatheticExcuse
5. @Jiben
6.


- Writer of the Year:
1. @coz1
2. @RossN
3. @KaiserWilhelmI
4. @General_BT
5. @RedTemplar
6. @scpour92


- AAR of the Year
1. The Song of Wessex - @coz1 - CK2
2. A Kingdom In the Cliuds: A Ü-Tsang AAR - @RossN - CK2
3. An Empire in the West: A Syracuse AAR - @RossN - I:R
4. The Last Goth - @AlexanderPrimus - CK2
5. Caravans of Rockets - @vyshan - Stellaris
6. Stellaris: Tale of the Sol Dominion - @scpour92 - Stellaris

 

[Wraith11B]

My ballot initially shall be much Placeholder and filled in as I go... >.<

- Comedy AAR of the Year:
1. Inevitable Defeat - Slovakia '44 by @El Pip
2. Praise the Rats: A Georgia AAR (936 A.D.) by @Big Byzantine Blob
3.
4.
5.
6.

Honorable mention to For King Haakon and the Fjords! by El Pip for getting an "update" by way of Inevitable Defeat... and as always the chorus of Therefore it is my opinion that King Haakon and the Fjords should continue grows!

- Gameplay AAR of the Year:
1. Blut und Schlacht (Blood and Battle): A Learner’s Saga by @Bullfilter (CK2)
2. American AAR : AI Experiments In HoI3 by @Eurasia (HoI3)
3.
4.
5.
6.


- Historybook AAR of the Year:
1. Talking Turkey: Alternate History from 1936 by @Bullfilter (HoI3)
2. The Butterfly Effect: A British AAR by @El Pip (HoI2)
3. Echoes of A New Tomorrow: Life after Revolution in the Commonwealth of Britain by @DensleyBlair (Vicky2)
4. Patria, Justicia, y Libertad -- Synarchist Mexico AAR by @RedTemplar (HoI4)
5. The Yellow Rose - A Texas AAR by @PresidentStorm (Vicky2)
6. Civis Romanus Sum (An EU-Rome Vae Victis AAR) by @Bullfilter (EU:Rome VV)


- Narrative AAR of the Year:
1. 'Odin' and Stalin's Secret Committee by @roverS3 (HoI3)
2. Civis Romanus Sum (An EU-Rome Vae Victis AAR) by @Bullfilter (EU:Rome VV)
3.
4.
5.
6.


- Megacampaign AAR of the Year:
1. The Hohenzollern Empire 5: Rising Phoenix - A Roman Reich Megacampaign in New World Order by @zenphoenix
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.


- Multiplayer/Interactive AAR of the Year:
1. Utsunimiya's War - HoI3(TFH) Japan AAR by @Eurasia
2. Gott mit Uns - A Mildly Interactive Prussian NWO AAR by @SibCDC
3.
4.
5.
6.


- Let's Play/Video AAR of the Year:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.


- Graphics/AARtist of the Year:
1. North Korea AAR - Adventures of Kim Il-Sung and the PRK by @Heroes&Weirdos
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.


- Character of the Year:
1. The Cast of Talking Turkey, by @Bullfilter
2. The Cast of Inevitable Defeat, by @El Pip
3.
4.
5.
6.


- Newcomer of the Year:
1. @Big Byzantine Blob
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.


- Writer of the Year:
1. @Bullfilter
2. @El Pip
3. @roverS3
4. @Eurasia
5. @coz1
6.


- AAR of the Year
1. Talking Turkey: Alternate History from 1936 by @Bullfilter (HoI3)
2. 'Odin' and Stalin's Secret Committee by @roverS3 (HoI3)
3.
4.
5.
6.

 

[Tom D.]

I'm very happy to see this resurface again although I won't be casting a ballot as I have barely been reading AARs the past year and I think it would do injustice to all the good AARs which I didn't read and thus can't nominate. I do want to wish those who do vote luck in their search for the best ballot .

 

[DensleyBlair]

I'm coming out of my autumn dormancy to put my place down in this thread. It's been a long time since I've been able to vote in the year-enders, and it makes me immensely happy to be in a position this year to be able to fill out a ballot. Looking forward to the challenge ahead sifting through all of the fantastic AARs we've seen over the year!

 

[Wraith11B]

I'm coming out of my autumn dormancy to put my place down in this thread. It's been a long time since I've been able to vote in the year-enders, and it makes me immensely happy to be in a position this year to be able to fill out a ballot. Looking forward to the challenge ahead sifting through all of the fantastic AARs we've seen over the year!

Just make sure you actually fill out the ballot!

 

[DensleyBlair]

Just make sure you actually fill out the ballot!

Oh I’ll be back with my choices before too long, don’t worry.

 

[coz1]

Great to see some interest...and already some votes!

And @Tom D. - I understand your position, but I hope you will still consider offering up at least some of the few that you have read in this last year. Every vote counts. A little or a lot...but it counts.

And again to all - please consider putting this forward in your own works. The more eyes, the more votes.

 

[TheButterflyComposer]

Oo interesting. Must try to fill out a bigger ballot this time...

 

[Wraith11B]

Not only a shameless plugbump, but also for the authAARs to post in their stories!

 

[coz1]

It's Dec 1, 2018 thru Nov 30, 2019 for eligibility (or to assist the European daters, 01 December 2018 to 30 November 2019), but otherwise - AWESOME! Thanks so much for working on that graphic, @Wraith11B and when corrected for dates, I will post this at the start so everyone sees it when they look at the thread. Great work!

EDIT - also as a repeat request to all, please make sure to include the game it belongs to when you mention a certain AAR (And always a link to the thread.)

 

[Wraith11B]

Updated!

 

[Nikolai]

Updated!

 

[coz1]

Updated!

And first post updated with graphic. Great work again, @Wraith11B and thanks for the help in getting more eyes to the thread!

 

[coz1]

Not only a shameless plugbump, but also for the authAARs to post in their stories!

It occurs to me that there should also be a link right to the thread. Not sure how one would do that within a graphic, but if you add it to your AAR, please include a link to this thread.

P.S. - Anyone else wanting to jump into vote? Early on in the process, but get going now. It does take awhile.

 

[Wraith11B]

I sorta spammed it into some of the AARs I'm more actively following, but I can't integrate a link (it's just an image, unfortunately).

 

[El Pip]

The image below should be a clickable link which take you to this thread;

 

[Wraith11B]

Thanks, Pip!