The 2021 Narrative AAR of the Year is...

[coz1]

Now we get to the Narrative winner and unlike the first three awAARds, this one was not particularly close. At least not for our winner. It did get closer between 2 thru 4. In total, 37 different AARs were given nomination here and once more they crossed the game spectrum. Even the styles differed in that some are purely narrative while others mix genres within the work. Some have long standing work listed, other writAARs are listed multiple times and some have seen a first time work given nomination. In full, these are some truly excellent AARs. So let us get to the reveal:

The 2021 Narrative AAR of the Year is...

A Royal Prerogative - A UK AAR by @Le Jones ​

Not only a solid victory, but also our first repeat winner from the previous year. Certainly well done @Le Jones ! While I'm a long way to catching up, I enjoy it immensely.

Our runner up then belongs to...

Annuntio Vobis: A Papal History of Italy by @slothinator​

Another excellent choice leaving the bronze to go to...

The Wars of the Roses by @coz1​

Certainly appreciated for all the votes as it is always appreciated!

And we have an additional 34 other nominated works presented here in the order of the vote:

Savages of Utah - A White Legs HOI4 Old World Blues Mod AAR by @RustyHunter

The Lions of Olomouc: a CKIII Ironman AAR (Duchy of Moravia, 867) by @Revan86

To The Strongest - A Hellenistic Resurgence AAR by @Eludio

The Secret History of the Bargas by @filcat

Transcendental Spaces (fiction) by @JackGoose

Songs of the Saiiban- A Poetic AAR by @Chilango2

Song of the Karlings: Karloman's Legacy by @LPDK 356

Bastion of the East - A de Bailleul AAR by @RustyHunter

Talking Turkey: Alternate History from 1936 by @Bullfilter

Wings of Faith, Wings of Fury - A Slavic Pagan Revival AAR by @Superstorm

Austria Ascendant: A Babenberg AAR by @bsmithers333

Utsunimiya's War - HoI3(TFH) Japan AAR by @Eurasia

Imperial Cheese: The Improbably Incredible Rise of the Italian Empire by @TheButterflyComposer

Before Plantagenet – A House d’Anjou AAR by @JabberJock14

Postcards From Eternity: a Megacampaign AAR by @Cycle

Odin and Stalin's Secret Committee by @roverS3

One Heart, One Soul, One Mind, One Goal: A Republic of China HPP AAR by @RustyHunter

Tales of a Junktown Trash Mob by @Staehr

Echoes of A New Tomorrow: Life after Revolution in the Commonwealth of Britain by @DensleyBlair

God Willing and the Creek Do Rise by @coz1

The People of the Forest by @Dunaden

Superior Arguments: A Stellaris AAR by @eoncommander

All Our Sins Remembered by @Macavity116

The Crusader Queen- A Kingdom of Jerusalem AAR by @JSB217118

En la sombra de Morazán: A Central American AAR by @Zeogludon

Though the Dust of You Is Gone by @HistoryDude

Die Wacht Im Raum - A Kaiserreich Stellaris AAR by @Side

The Last Days of the Han (Three Kingdoms AAR) by @Zamarak500

The Caliphate of al-Rus: A Kievan AAR by @Cora Giantkiller

Onward, Toward Perfection (Anthology of the Enclave of Eternity) WIP by @Quinzal

Italian Ambitions: A Florence AAR by @JerseyGiants88

The Nadir of our Fortunes - An Imperator Invictus AAR as Adiabene/Assyria by @FiveColor20

Memoirs of an Executor - A Necrophage Nemesis AAR by @Nikolai

The Fall of Empires - AH WW1 AAR by @Lautipus​

Just a veritable treasure of the form here at Pdox and each and every one listed should be proud for finding the work nominated. As someone that found such nomination myself, I am honored to be included among these works and writAARs and proud that narrative (my favorite genre) still thrives in AARland! So congratulations to each and every one, most certainly our winner!

The floor is now open for your own congrats, thanks and discussions of the works should you wish. Back tomorrow with not one, but two categories.

 

[Nikolai]

That is me awAARded in, what, 3 categories so far? Thank you SO MUCH, all! Much appriciated! And a hearty congrats to all who got votes, especially @Le Jones !

 

[jak7139]

Congrats to @Le Jones, @slothinator, @coz1, and everyone else!

 

[coz1]

That is me awAARded in, what, 3 categories so far? Thank you SO MUCH, all! Much appriciated! And a hearty congrats to all who got votes, especially @Le Jones !

We are far from done here @Nikolai so keep watch to the further reveals.

 

[TheButterflyComposer]

Ah, always a good category. Well done everyone!

 

[Macavity116]

Very many congratulations to @Le Jones, @slothinator and @coz1. And the same to everyone who made this list!

 

[DensleyBlair]

Many congrats to all winners and nominees – particularly @Le Jones on a very commendable title defence.

For my money I have to say I’m very happy to see Echoes nominated. Not the most traditional narrative by any means, but I do try to add elements every now and then so thank you to those who thought it worthy of recognition.

 

[Bullfilter]

Hearty congratulations to @Le Jones as the well-deserved category winner, to @slothinator and @coz1 for the podium finishes and to all nominees.

 

[El Pip]

A very strong field in this category, some excellent works scattered on that list. Which makes our winners all the more worth celebrating for triumphing over such competitions Congratulations to all involved and to our most deserving winner @Le Jones .

 

[roverS3]

A well deserved win for @Le Jones , and congratulations to all the nominees. I'm happy to see 'Odin' was nominated here too as I have lately focused on narrative elements just as much as I have on the Great Patriotic War itself.

 

[Eurasia]

Congratultions to the winners and all the nominees. That was a long list!

 

[Midnite Duke]

Congratulations to the winners and nominees for making the readers the biggest winners. Congrats to @Le Jones for succeeding with the game (HoI) that may least lend itself to a narrative format.

 

[slothinator]

Congratulations to @Le Jones and @coz1 for their podium placements and to all the other nominees for writing excellent stories.
And thank you to all the voters who helped me get up to second place!

 

[iain_a_wilson]

Congratulations @Le Jones - narrative is often the hardest style to do well, so very well done!

 

[RustyHunter]

Congrats to all the nominees, and thanks to everyone who voted for my work. Fourth was a very nice surprise!

 

[HistoryDude]

Congrats @Le Jones, @slothinator, and @coz1!

Seriously need to continue Though the Dust of You Is Gone.

 

[filcat]

***​

Section 4
The technobar is full, and the crowd does not seem to go away, yet suddenly the lights go out. The smoke is dispersed, the silence ensures. Meanwhile, a new group emerges at the stage. Synthesiser drums begin.

[*]

Spoiler: Congratulations, Le Jones

[*]Appropriated from Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This) of the album with the same name by Eurythmics (1983)

 

[coz1]

The fact that Annie Lenox and Dave Stewart are not in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is a GD travesty (but then again, so is the institution itself so...)

But that's a different award...

 

[Le Jones]

Wow, just, wow.

I'm not going to lie, this is wonderful and thank you to everyone who considered ARP worthy of a vote. I love narrative, both reading and incompetently writing it, so to feature on the list is a privilege. I haven't really been tracking the awards (sorry @coz1 - I will do better next time!) and checking in a couple of days ago (blame the war, I have been mildly and unhealthily obsessed by it) saw of all the kind comments on this thread.

Congrats to @Le Jones, @slothinator, @coz1, and everyone else!

Very many congratulations to @Le Jones, @slothinator and @coz1. And the same to everyone who made this list!

That is me awAARded in, what, 3 categories so far? Thank you SO MUCH, all! Much appriciated! And a hearty congrats to all who got votes, especially @Le Jones !

Congratultions to the winners and all the nominees. That was a long list!

Thank you!

Ah, always a good category. Well done everyone!

Thanks @TheButterflyComposer, for this and for your constant and acidic commentary on the events of the AAR!

Many congrats to all winners and nominees – particularly @Le Jones on a very commendable title defence.

For my money I have to say I’m very happy to see Echoes nominated. Not the most traditional narrative by any means, but I do try to add elements every now and then so thank you to those who thought it worthy of recognition.

Thanks @DensleyBlair - I'm not particularly seized of the 'title defence' thing and will encourage another to take the top spot next year. As you say, I'm happy just to be considered!

Hearty congratulations to @Le Jones as the well-deserved category winner, to @slothinator and @coz1 for the podium finishes and to all nominees.

Thank you @Bullfilter and congratulations on your own, well deserved, successes.

A very strong field in this category, some excellent works scattered on that list. Which makes our winners all the more worth celebrating for triumphing over such competitions Congratulations to all involved and to our most deserving winner @Le Jones .

Ah, @El Pip - I love it, love it, that you win for an AAR about a Lord Halifax that was completed in a year while The Butterfly Effect, well, is older than most of the games on this forum. Thank you for your support to the AAR.

A well deserved win for @Le Jones , and congratulations to all the nominees. I'm happy to see 'Odin' was nominated here too as I have lately focused on narrative elements just as much as I have on the Great Patriotic War itself.

Thank you @roverS3 - for this and for your support.

Congratulations to the winners and nominees for making the readers the biggest winners. Congrats to @Le Jones for succeeding with the game (HoI) that may least lend itself to a narrative format.

So that is very interesting @Midnite Duke (and thank you, btw!); I think I would struggle to write a Stellaris or EUIV (or Vic2, come to think of it) narrative AAR. I also happily (and frequently) expand the in-game universe at the expense of gameplay.

Congratulations to @Le Jones and @coz1 for their podium placements and to all the other nominees for writing excellent stories.
And thank you to all the voters who helped me get up to second place!

Thank you and congratulations @slothinator - having followed your AAR when it started I must catch up with it again.

Congrats to all the nominees, and thanks to everyone who voted for my work. Fourth was a very nice surprise!

Congratulations @RustyHunter

Congratulations @Le Jones - narrative is often the hardest style to do well, so very well done!

Thank you @iain_a_wilson - I agree, but the sense of achievement at getting half right is worth the effort.

Congrats @Le Jones, @slothinator, and @coz1!

Seriously need to continue Though the Dust of You Is Gone.

Thank you!

***​

Section 4
The technobar is full, and the crowd does not seem to go away, yet suddenly the lights go out. The smoke is dispersed, the silence ensures. Meanwhile, a new group emerges at the stage. Synthesiser drums begin.

View attachment 815976	View attachment 815977	View attachment 815978
View attachment 815979	View attachment 815980	View attachment 815981
View attachment 815983	View attachment 815984	View attachment 815985
View attachment 815986	View attachment 815987	View attachment 815988

[*]

Spoiler: Congratulations, Le Jones

[*]Appropriated from Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This) of the album with the same name by Eurythmics (1983)

This
Is
Awesome

- and picking one of my favourite artists and songs too. Thank you @filcat

 

[TheButterflyComposer]

your constant and acidic commentary on the events of the AAR!

Um...thank you?