Now, we all know Galu is literally the worst Age of Empires 2 player in the history of humanity, but hear me out.

Last night, four games were played, including new players such as Ahbaku Manar and DevilsDaemon, and old hands such as myself, Dazooe, GrumpyPirate, and Galu.

The first game was a real world diplomacy map, set in Western Europe; with a few sharp attacks in the mid game eliminating BigPollett and Ahbaku Manar, it came down to a close of Eastern Europe (Galu) and Turkey (GrumpyPirate) against North Africa (myself) and Spain(DevilsDaemon). With a fierce conflict in the Mediterranean being decided by overwhelming Turkish and European naval power, a pincered attack by the Spanish and North African managed to press hard upon the flanks of the Turko-European alliance, but as their fleets ravaged our homelands, we were in time defeated and worn down.

A fine game, even if I ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ lost, you Turtle-ship spamming gits.

The second game was perhaps the fiercest conflict, a revised Michi style map with the forest running around the edges aswell as through the center. On our team was Dazooe, as the redoubtable Malians, Galu as the far-reaching Britons, myself as the oddly-siege-focused Celts, and a relatively new player EagleofRome, as the Koreans.

Arrayed against us was Alex3849 as the always hard-hitting Huns, GrumpPirate as the high-cost high-reward Turks, DevilsDaemon as every Turkish ally's godsend the Spanish, and Brasidas as the now-endangered Indians.

The first half of the game was exclusively build-up, with Grumpy's team favouring a long wall along the tree line, and our's going for a more focused defence. With DevilsDaemon cutting into my tree line, I promptly readied my army of Siege Onagers, Heavy Scorpions, and Halberdiers, with EagleofRome supporting ablely. While Brasidas and DevilsDaemon held up for a few minutes, it was quite clear that the colossal number of heavy siege weapons produced by the Celts and the Koreans were simply too vicious. DevilsDaemon resigned a touch prematurely as we moved through his initial base. Brasidas held us up superbly, creating a bastion which we had to flank to maintain the initiative. However, with Eagle's help, my Siege Onagers got into the trade lines and cut Grumpy's invaluable gold supply.

On the opposing side, a second front was opened up. GrumpyPirate and Alex3849 fiercely resisted the attacks of Galu and Dazooe, using their heavily upgraded gunpowder units to carve a complete swathe through the massed infantry of Dazooe. Dazooe's response was calculated and ruthless; hold the line. Combined with Galu's near-constant array of longbows and skirmishers, the Malians unleashed wave after wave of infantry to be mown down by precise janissary and bombard fire. Dazooe receives the award for 'Most Communist Victory'.

Holding Grumpy and Alex, the Celts and Koreans were able to turn and axe off the lifelines of the Turkish army, deciding the game in our favour.

Grumpy had a kill ration of about 4-1, with around 1100 kills and 250 losses. For comparison, I was over the moon about a kill ration of about 8:5 with my Celts. It was a very fun, very pressured game; DevilsDaemon's early resignation highlighted a rule of AoE2 team games. A player never dies, he retreats.

The third and fourth game were scrappier, using essentially variations of Nomad, where a small home island was given, and the player has to eventually move to the mainland. In these two games especially I believe Galu earned his PotN title for one virtue: tenacity. He was harrassed constantly in both games, he was beaten, and stamped on, but he kept trying. As has been shown multiple times, this is perhaps one of the most important characteristics of a strong AoE2 player. In the third game, a triple alliance of myself, Dazooe, and Brasidas easily took victory, in the fourth, a strong pressure by Talent against Dazooe,Ahbaku, and Galu earned our alliance of Alex, Talent, and myself a strong victory.

All in all, two very long, powerful games and two medium but easily won games. I will award Ahbaku Manar the best newcomer award, as he's got a killer instinct, and EagleofRome the most improved award, as he's gone from a new player with many flaws, to a strong support that is a secure hand at the wheel.

But as I said, as much due to sheer bullheaded determination, Galu gets Player of the Night, the useless bugger.

Player of the Knight: Galu

Hello fellow gamers,

Just want to mentions a special thanks to N4G170 for he was having issues which kept on making us have to restart. However he very kind enough for us to continue without him so we could have over an hour with no faults. So again a special thanks to him for allowing us to continue.

Back to business and well what a time that was. This session has really taken a turn in a unusal and interesting way that you can not find in single player.


So the start was very slow due to tech issues however some interesting things did happen. Unfortunatly someone in the north lost there leader very quickly as they used them to go for a head on charge against the enemy, only for them to die with an axe to head on that first charge. So unfortunatly he was put in regency for almost the whole session.

The Byzantine empire was launched strait into a civil war, because they say I had too much authority over them. Well I went on to tell them who was their Emperor and they do what I say and spent a lot of the start just defeating them.

Spain took a turn for the worse in the eyes of the Muslims as their new subjects started to cause issues for them. And so they caused a civil war for idependence, but were beaten back.

Europe was also interesting both for the player and the AI as Italy and Lothariane combined due to inherency of the Karling family. However Hirtol thought he out do them as he got some lords, who were not happy with this and started his own revolt. Also The Duke of Fruili thought he would take advantage of this rebellion, and declared war on his liege just for a province he owned.


So looking up to the north in Scandinavia and Novgorod, the Kingdom of Norway was founded and conquered the releam of Denmark. Making him quick a power house to the north. As Kiev started expand the Hungarians or Magyars thought they deserved the land more, and declared a war on him for it.

Europe ended some what ok. The revolt against Lothariane did not go well had to be bailed out by a few nations, inorder to pay his ransom for his failure for freedom. Fruili won somehow against them for just a province, which many lives were lost for such a small thing. Venice also started to take land down of the Croatian coast.

However the biggest turn of events was that of Muslim Spain and the Byzantine Empire (which got renamed Eastern Roman Empire). For Spain was getting none stop holy wars against West Francia and other Christian nations. As he had been servely weaken by the revolts, independent nations of his and diesease. However once he finally got peace he got an offer from someone unlikely he would accept.

The deal he was given was to be vassalied by ERE. For if he was not a independent ruler no one could declare holy wars against him. So with an infirm, diesease ridden ruler, batten by the wars of faith he accepted. Suddenly 3/4 of spain became the lands of the ERE, their task no further in restoring the Roman Empire due to him needing to take the lands of Antioch, Alexandria and Jerusaleum. However Spain is now secure for the Empire who will rise from the ashes and be even greater than before...

(To be continued)

Players

- Aoffroad: Basileus Basileios of the Byzantine Empire
- Warrior Jesus In Space: Count Eudes of Bourbon
- Thorn-Lord Arthyn: Count Giselbert of Hainaut
- Hirtol: Duke of Fruili
- White Bishop: Dyre the Stranger of Konugardr (Kiev)
- Lucius Junius Aemilianus: Serene Doge of Venice
- Arveduim: Evil Byzantine Henchman
- LordMartel: Harald Yngling of Norway
- Juselius: Count of Thüringen
- Brasidas: Muslim guys of Spain

Good evening everyone!

We have concluded our offspirng game as Hir's game was too full, and boy was it a blast.

It started off with all of us on tiny islands among a network of rivers and lakes, ''Brasidas'' and I were in one team. Representing the Teutons and Slavs respectively. Fighting against Saracens with ''Aoffroad'' in command, Celts with a newcomer, ''Alexander the Third'' and finally the Persians with ''Matszz'' as their honourable Shah.

The dark ages were over swiftly with Alexander feudalling up quickly with a weaker economy. Followed quickly by me and Matszz with Bras and Aoff coming last in the age up. Overall the feudal age was mostly uneventful, with everyone building up economy, Armoured league that was Bras and I starting to take the lead in advancing to another economy based age. With me finally getting to imperial and the units starting to come out.

By now Headmaster Brasidas of the Teutonic Order was attacking Matszz mercilessly and the sudden realisation we were blocked off by walls. After a good conversation between my scout and Aoff's I decided to not go over land, but by sea. Soon the cannon galleons got constructed and Aoffs castle fell. With the boyars swiftly sweeping over his base. This shook up the game and suddenly everyone saw a navy as a good option.

With aoff retreating to secretly build a majestic army of skirmishers to fight the men who usurped his base, the game went on. My tide ofboyars and champions halted by the celtic catapults and a stalemate erupted.

A stalemate that was broken with Matstzz great move in destroying mine and Brasidas' ports, only to resign shortly after due to lack of time and resources.

Siwfltly after Bras and I claimed victory by doubleteaming Alexander, finally avenging the 300 champions murdered by his celtic siege engines.

Victory was ours!

Thank you everyone for the great game, The MVP has to go to Brasidas for showing his skill with infantry and his skill at not throwing away units like some people I know (me). Honourable mentions to Aoff for being so sportsmanlike and his majestic army of skirmishers, and to Alexander for his great onager micro!

-Arveduim (Bow)

Game: Age of Empires 2 HD

We played a few games in the afternoon of Saturday and it was a blast! Trying out the custom map 'Michi'. What a strange set up but an interesting match up nonetheless. In our first game the sheer number of SHotel Warriors, Genitours and Bombard Canons was too much for the massed knights, Woad Raiders and Onagers of our opponent and Grumpy, PearJuice and I won the day.

We then played an open game called 'capricious' and the map starved us all. With some quick rushing tactics, Brasidas and Melvalan managed to get a castle and town center up in range of my starting base and quickly removed me from the game. My allies moved in to support and berated me for resigning so early but having just made castle age and then to lose all but 2 villagers, I thought my goose was well and trully cooked. With the numerical advantage our opposition went on to win the day despite Grumpy and Kryptik's attempts to take out the two early rushers.

Finally we played Michi once more but this time Grumpy and I knew what to expect and were on opposite sides fo teh 'River of Trees'. The long wait for battle began and finally I pushed through the trees with Onagers and Longbowmen ready only to be met by 60 Janissaries supported by well over 30 bombard canons. However, the high cost of Grumpy's force compared to my own allowed me to keep him back. I was steadily losing ground but at a small rate. Meanwhile, Kryptik and Brasidas attacked in the south and were met by a huge army of Conquistadors and Paladins and Kryptik's army of Onagers was destroyed. Jagd seized his advantage and pressed through the trees back on Kryptik and took him down. Brasidas and I were now holding a member of each but at this moment, I cleared the trees in the north for Alex and the horde of Hunnic raiders poured into the only unprotected base on their side. BigPollett was swiftly removed and with me keeping Grumpy busy and Brasidas keeping Jagd, Alex was able to raid unchecked through their base. The resignations came thick and fast and victory was ours!

In regards to Player of the Night, I think it has to go to Grumpy. He endured 2 defeats but gave a damn good showing of himself before he went down.

Player of the Night: GrumpyPirate

Game: Age of Empires 2 HD

Our second evening of two games running at once and what a great evening it was!

Knight of the North along with Aoffroad have both become Officers of the Brotherhood and whilst Aof has begun our first non Age of Empires game in Crusader Kings II, Knight hosted a great game for some of our newcomers. I don't know too much of their exlpoits but I have been told that depsite being a member of the vanquished, Alex(8369?), did splendidly and fought tooth and nail to help those allied with him.

Over in our games we played two for the night and sadly in the first we had to use an AI and the aggressive bloodthirsty AI of the HD version got the better of BigDaddy and forced him to retreat behind my line of Berbers. Whilst I kept the Mayans and Spanish at bay with my Camel archers and Genitours, the Incas, governed by GrumpyPirate, were double teamed by the Teutons and Mongols and saldy his force was forced to abandon the field. With enemies on all sided I called BigPollett and BigDaddy to go on one last charge and with a cry of FORTH EORLINGAS our combined cavalry armies made a break for Melvalan's city centre. We took a castle down and killed plenty of Plumed archers but the numbers were too great and we fell.

The second game was a slog. 3v3 for an hour until Bigpollett left us in the lurch without so much as a goodbye. Grump and I held on for an hour and 45 more minutes until my section of the 'Great Wall' fell and the enemy poured into our farming fields and ruined our economy. Crippled and out of gold to pay for my mighty Boyars, I resigned. Grump held on still longer untill 3v1 was too much.

Tonight I offer two awards. First the Player of the Night goes to Alex(8369?) for holding up his teams and gaing the praise of Knight of the North. However I shall also offer an award for the Most Improved Player and the first recipient of this award goes to Melvalan Uircalen. He started out as an absolute beginner but he has practice, watched, listened and learned and he is now a savage force on the field. His plumed archers are suported by well controlled lines of Halberds. Congratulations to you both! Finally, an honourable mention is to be had for GrumpyPirate whose resilience to the bitter end is to be commended.

Player of the Night:
Alex(8469?)

Most Improved Player:
Melvalan Uircalen