The 2022 Gameplay AAR of the Year is...

[coz1]

Here we are with the reason many of us came here in the first place - gameplay. The old tried and true classic form of AAR even if at times spruced up and given plenty of flavor. 16 of our voters nominated quite a few AARs in this category and there was some stiff competition at the top. So let us get to the reveal! Our 2022 Gameplay AAR of the Year is...

Poles Apart – an HOI4 Ahistory by @Bullfilter in HoI4​

A fairly convincing victory by the end, it was hotly contested throughout the voting by the runner up and last year's winner...

Talking Turkey: Alternate History from 1936 by @Bullfilter in HoI3​

Certainly congratulations to both as we let @Bullfilter fight it out with @Bullfilter for true bragging rights. Especially because our third place winner was very close...

Blut und Schlacht (Blood and Battle): A Learner’s Saga by @Bullfilter in CK2​

Looks like it will be a three way scrum now! In its last year, @Bullfilter's twice winning AAR still shows a place.

An additional 26 AARs were given nomination and they are in order of the vote:

Avon Las Observes by @Midnite Duke (CK2)

Stellaris Wars: A Nemesis Ironman Saga II - Rebellion: The Imperium at War by @Arithmetician (Stellaris)

Der Adler, der Wolf, und die Sonne: Die Geschichte des Stahlpakts by @Wraith11B (HoI3)

'Odin' and Stalin's Secret Committee by @roverS3 (HoI3)

Road of Queens - CKII India AAR by @Eurasia (CK2)

Songs of the Saiiban- A Poetic AAR by @Chilango2 (Stellaris)

Boring but Practical: A German Logistics and Encirclement Mini-AAR by @Secret Master (HoI4)

King of Kings - An Iran HPP AAR by @RustyHunter (HoI3)

This is where it ends by @filcat (EU4)

Stellaris 42,000: The Imperium Reformatus - As Ever in the Grim Dark Future, There is Only War by @Arithmetician (Stellaris)

AAR: The Empire of Capital, United States of America- A Tale of Capitalist Tyranny by @liberty90 (Vic 3)

Wings of Faith, Wings of Fury - A Slavic Pagan Revival AAR by @Superstorm (CK2)

Quick and Dirty 2: A Soviet Resurgence and WW3 (HOI3 - March 1944 start) by @Bullfilter (HoI3)

Song of the Karlings: Karloman's Legacy by @LPDK 356 (CK2)

So Help Me Prussia - Nik's Third Game of Victoria 3 (Has He Learned Anything?) by @Nikolai (Vic 3)

Two idiots discover America - A multiplayer Castile AAR by @SibCDC and @Tom D. (EU4)

An Empire Where the Sun Always Rises- A Japan V3 AAR by @hjarg (Vic 3)

Days of Infamy - Japan BICE 11.2 by @Jorath13 (HoI3)

The Legacy of Uhtred (A Bamburgh AAR) by @Dunaden (CK3)

To Iberia and Back Again: A Northern Lords + Fate of Iberia AAR by @JerseyGiants88 (CK3)

Oirat Spreads Buddhism Around the World! - 1.31.0 Buddhist 1 Faith Run by @firezatswill9 (EU4)

A Gentleman's War : The Middle-East Command (HoI3 TFH - UK AAR) by @Eurasia (HoI3)

Roman Resurgence - Eastern Rome Rises by @Nikolai (CK3)

Make Italy Roman Again! by @defensedefumer (HoI4)

A Settled Steppe - The War Saint's Legacy (Gothic megacampaign, part II) by @alscon (EU4)

Swedes Ahoy! The Story of My First Victoria 3 Campaign by @Nikolai (Vic 3)​

Phew! Let it not be said that we did not spread the love around. And this list is relatively short compared to some other categories. Congratulations to each and every one that gained nomination as it was certainly deserved. And definitely congrats to our top three! Well done @Bullfilter, and also to @Bullfilter and finally last but not least @Bullfilter. You three definitely earned your victories.

Back tomorrow with our next category, Historybook. Until then, this thread is now open for your own congratulations, your thanks and any discussion of the work(s) if so desired. Well done, AARland!

[ETA - I lied. Have some time before Max's dinner so look for Historybook a bit later. Stay tuned.]

 

[TheButterflyComposer]

I congratulate the triumvirate formerly known a Bullfilter

 

[Nikolai]

Congratulations to both @Bullfilter , @Bullfilter and @Bullfilter ! A hearty congratulations to all winnAARs, and a big thank you to all who voted in no less than three of my AARs in this category!

 

[Bullfilter]

Well, I wasn’t quite expecting that! Thank you so much to all who voted for my works, congratulations to all the other nominees and heartfelt thanks to @coz1 for running the awards once more.

 

[Side]

Well, congratulations to the winners. @Bullfilter had a real tough fight with @Bullfilter for the top spot. And congratulations to @Bullfilter on taking third. Well earned.

 

[DensleyBlair]

Congratulations @Bullfilter on an incredible hat trick. Well deserved, each and every medal.

Very many congratulations also to our other nominees!

 

[Midnite Duke]

Congratulations to @Bullfilter, who is no longer square but rather cubic. Also congratulations to the emu, platypus and kangaroo scribes, but the Tasmanian devil typing Quick and Dirty needs to spend more time typing and less chasing Bugs Bunny. Thank you to @coz1 for his massive effort and to everyone who made Avon the winner of the non-Bull subcategory.

 

[Von Acturus]

That's an impressive display, and certainly proof of great writing skill! Many congratulations to the triplets of @Bullfilter, @Bullfilter and @Bullfilter !!

And congratulations to all the other nominees too, keep up the good work!

 

[Macavity116]

It was tense battle between @Bullfilter, @Bullfilter, and @Bullfilter. This will be the stuff of legends someday. Many congrats to the @Bullfilter who claimed victory!

And to the many, many nominees, you all made this list for good reason! Pat yourself on the back!

Also...

Let it not be said that we did not spread the love around. And this list is relatively short compared to some other categories.

What the hell happened in the other categories!? Did we really have that many voters?

 

[coz1]

It was tense battle between @Bullfilter, @Bullfilter, and @Bullfilter. This will be the stuff of legends someday. Many congrats to the @Bullfilter who claimed victory!

And to the many, many nominees, you all made this list for good reason! Pat yourself on the back!

Also...

What the hell happened in the other categories!? Did we really have that many voters?

Just wait. I'm actually going to post Historybook tonight since I have some time and it is just as long. Two things I have noticed as I started running these. Some people coalesce around a few AARs which often proves the winner. And then many pick widely in their choices (possibly down ballot) and that also gives us our winners. Both are perfectly normal, expected and encouraged to be sure. But it does give us a lot of AARs and that makes sense. We write a lot of them here.

 

[Wraith11B]

Congratulations to @Bullfilter and his Triple Crown! Great show, mate!

Good job also to everyone else who contributed. While sad that my effort has degraded to be a gameplay AAR, I can see why.

 

[jak7139]

A great accomplishment by @Bullfilter (all three of them)! Very well done!

And a nice variety of games and winners for the other spots as well. Great job everyone!

 

[Eurasia]

So I suggest we throw @Bullfilter, @Bullfilter, and the other @Bullfilter in a pit and let them fight to the death!

 

[HistoryDude]

Congrats @Bullfilter!

 

[Superstorm]

Congrats to @Bullfilter! And to all the others who recieved votes - a thanks to those who voted for Wings of Faith!

 

[El Pip]

Congratulations to the Antipodean Emu Collective and their owner/prisoner/nom de plume @Bullfilter

 

[filcat]

***​

Section 2

<the concert stage is set after the film-presentation of the previous show>
<the audience gets impatient>
<a concerned filcat enters the stage>​

- Uh. Good evening. About the winners of this category. We have checked if it was the show's mistake but there seems to be a confusion about who actually -

<the crowds start to boo, the loud noise completely eradicates the meek voice of filcat>

<the winners rush to the stage>​

<the audience is baffled but the noise turns into a mixture of awe and laughter>

<filcat wriggles through to the backstage, whereas the winners remain>​

Bullfilter, Bullfilter
Writes whatever a bullfilter can
Creates a tale, any size
Catches dreams like stars at night
Look out
Here comes the Bullfilter

Is Bullfilter cool?
Listen bud
Bull's got D&D in the blood
Can Bullfilter swing through multi-threads?
Take a look overhead
Hey, there
There writes the Bullfilter

Spoiler: Congratsx3 Bullfilter!

In the chill of night
At the scene of a forum
Like a streak of light
Bullfilter arrives just in time

Bullfilter, Bullfilter
Congratulations to Bullfilter
Wealth and fame
Bull’s ignored
Comments are the reward
To Bullfilter, life is a great big AAR-up
Wherever there's a tale-up
You'll find the Bullfilter!​

[*] No need of a reference for the images. But for the fourth image:
The original is a scene from the Episode 19 of Season 1 of Spider-Man 1967; it gained its notorious fame as the multi-spidey-meme during 2000s. original has the two Spider-Man; here a recreated version after the film No Way Home (2021).
Maddeningly cheesy intro theme is from the same series, by Paul Francis Webster and Bob Harris.
Of course, even if the theme retains its archaic charm, the ultimate theme is the one of Spider-Man: The Animated Series of 1994-98, by Shuki Levy, and performed by Joe Perry of Aerosmith. It does not have much lyrics, though.

 

[Bullfilter]

Many thanks for that, @filcat - always appreciate the effort you go to.

Comments are the reward

True dat.