Irsu the Barbarian AAR

[Kendji]

Irsu the better Barbarian
I did it again ... so I thought at first, let's not do this, an AAR, then I thought why the hell not. I'm writing this stuff down etc. anyways (I like to circle back and review bad decisions or relive good ones), just that this time I decided to do it more properly. I have no clue if this sort of stuff interests anybody. After the last one with Kurunta I felt a need to role-play something less serious and less historically aligned. More fun hopefully this time around. :D

Trivia
Irsu, a nickname given to Iiro-Ilkka Suojalka, an Ugric better-than-other-barbarians-barbarian from a distant place called Siperia. A long way from home. Irsu's father stopped with his migratory tribe in Hanigalbat, married a local princess, descended from some former King there called Sattuara or something. Now then, the Assyrian Great King Assuri-natini-apilia something difficult to pronounce, conducted a coup against his father King Tuku-nirutta something, things where starting to become dangerous for Irsu there. He took his mom's Maryannu, other tribals and what not and went off and now has to find a new homeland. Irsu has prayed to Jumala Aten for guidances, Aten replied back, Canaan is your promised land, go forth my prophet Irsu and take it, the people living there will be happy for your arrival.

Initial Strategic Plan
1. Unify Damascus province
2. Kill this Pei of Tsoori.
3. Scechem or Kadesh province, produce every resource, try Autarky.
4. Unify Kanaanimaa (Canaan), hopefully will take 80-100 turns max.

Goals
-Force Kanaanimaa under the Better barbaric rule of Irsuland & Jumala Aten
-Burn Hattusha and Tarhuntasha, for their crimes against Irsus mother's kin of Mitanni.
-Force Finlandization on 'Egypti', become Pharaoh

Difficulty
Normal/Veteran
*No reloading auto-saves, quick saves, you lose a battle, you lose a battle.

My mod-list
Mod collection + Campaign settings

YouTube
Playlist

Inspiration from
Pharaoh Kurunta's AAR
Sort of ended up doing an AAR by mistake, I asked for help and then just wanted to report progress on said advice. Ended up posting more updates, found it fun to do and it evolved into an improvised AAR. Considered going with Iolos/Sherden and with a Scandinavian (not Nordic or Finnish) theme, naming everybody Ragnar or something. Felt I wanted a bit more fun campaign this time around than just trying to rp a Hittite. :D

An situational update I

Iiro-Ilkka Suojalka's Facebook profile
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3215247749
He proudly present's himself as a Barbarian!

War to Unify Damascus (Sotakaupunki)
Unified Damascus Province on turn 17, had trouble chasing down their army, plus rebels distracting Irsu. Strategic plan point 1. has been fulfilled.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3215248370
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r7cg0wwtHZw

Emar's invasion of Irsuland
Emar declared war on Irsu changing the war plans a bit. Instead of invading Sechem, Emar now gets counter-invaded. War lasted from turn 18 to 30, ended in Total Irsuite victory.The Battles for Emar where a bit interesting, they tried to sally out and break the siege at first, after which I counter attacked and took the city. Though the fall of Emar wasn't clear cut, the last battle where on an knife's edge until the last moment.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4hX8HxxWuyA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sSqTBt-JpjM

Though Emar's province will be a great addition to Irsuland, it gives us stone, food and wood. Though due to the war the city and province was severely damaged. People died. Wonder what's that about, Aten promised the locals would be happy to become better barbarians...

Success at Ambition
So far Irsu hadn't chosen a Kingdom yet, but having finished a unit cap ambition, the reward where 2000 gold. That was enough to pay Irsu's way into a court, the 'Egypti' or Egyptian court at that. Irsu immediately claimed to be the spiritual follower and successor to Akhenaten, the Finno-Ugric supreme god from Siperia. The Supreme General Rölli led an expedition to Alalakh, colonising it, thus putting Irsuland on a path to Autarky, with Bronze being the last resource not produced by Irsu. These things where managed at 35-37. Thus strategic plan point 3. has now, in part, been fulfilled at least.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3216569105
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3216568963
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3216573181
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3216584579

The Future
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3216584440
Sea Peoples... sigh... well I went veteran difficulty so my own damn fault.
As soon as possible Akhetaten needs to be colonized, also some good fancy name for Akhetaten is needed. Progress towards Strategic plan points 2 and 4 needs to be made.

Anyone with ideas are welcome to throw them at me. Totally Pure Evil Yews also claimed Irsu cannot be a peace loving & kind unicorn. Eventually the idea will be to subjugate all of Egypt, note not conquer. Though the goal is Finlandization, so conquest is allowed, though as last resort, rather Egypt needs to be aligned with the master state in some form of alignment.

[Yews]

Finnish Hebrews 1177 BC.

Sips tea.

No further information is needed.

[Iskar]

Originally posted by Yews:

Finnish Hebrews 1177 BC.

Sips tea.

No further information is needed.

This does promise to be good.

Nibbles on a cucumber sandwich.

I know it is just an object, but I suggest praying to the great Aten-Sampo in the sky. (Also, Ptah-El is a pretty strong combination easily available with Canaan/Sinai possessions.)

[Kendji]

Sampo, the rings from Lotr, those are an poisoned apple. Sampo just gives wealth, but because of it everyone wants it, thus leading to wars. Irsu will eventually calm down and become an peacefull Unicorn, and only burn Hatti. Sampo would be too good, all those Finladizied Nile Barbarians would become too aggressive.

[Iskar]

Then I suggest Yksisarvinen/Uksu-Sarpinnu, the great heavenly unicorn Aten.

[Aluminum Elite Master]

1) Autarky in this is hard to get going right away. I usually find that it takes 4 full provinces to not have to rely on trading for resources. That said, Irsu does fairly well sometimes because you have a range of resources (including gold) in the Damascus province, and you can get bronze from Kadesh and food from taking Bay's lands on the coast

2) I prefer to invade Egypt, not the Hittites, as Irsu. The Hittites have heavier infantry and chariots, which will shrug off the Habiru Slingers (which are far better at ripping apart Egypt's less armor-clad units). So for me, as Irsu, I take the Egyptian court and legacies, head south, and eventually strive to become Pharaoh all while using the Hittites as a Sea Peoples sponge and trading partner. But you could play it the other way... join the Hittite court, then fight Egypt to subjugate (and not conquer/become Pharaoh).

3) If you want to play Irsu as a barbarian, though, wouldn't you take the Path of the Marauder and not even join a court? Honestly, that's my biggest take away... if you want to go full barbarian, there's an option to not join a court at all now.

[Kendji]

1. After a certain point it becomes the players own fault. You keep pushing that economy recruiting more, upgrading your excisting stacks. Like you could only role with 1 fullstack tier 1-2 and be autarkic. I'm more trying to be self-sufficient enough, say produce 80% or more of x resource vs needs. Because then trade becomes cheaper in the sense you don't have to buy as much and if the prices are unfavourable the dmg is minimized. Usually food is the category I struggle most with. If something happens, I can't trade a certain resource, then I can disband some units and be autarkic.

2. Going for Hatti is imo easy as Irsu, Hatti is Geographically close and more prone to the player systematically work yourself towards Hattusha or what not. In Egypt you have the Nile river and deserts, where certain enemies can pass this systemic advance and hit you in a soft spot. I wanted the more difficult option. But I suspect this is subjective to each player.

3. Didn't you read that Irsu is an better-than-other-barbarians-barbarian :D.
Nah, seriously, I honestly dislike horde game play, in all tw. There's just something about holding and naming territory as saying that place is yours. I have a bias in that sense.

[Aluminum Elite Master]

Originally posted by Kendji:

3. Didn't you read that Irsu is an better-than-other-barbarians-barbarian :D.
Nah, seriously, I honestly dislike horde game play, in all tw. There's just something about holding and naming territory as saying that place is yours. I have a bias in that sense.

That's a good point. I agree with that, actually. As much as I love Warriors of Chaos (WoC) in the TW:WH games, the one gripe is that in their original form, they controlled no land at all back in TW:WH1. Same with playing as Attila in TW:Attila.

So I agree with that... going as a horde is not as much fun.

And that is why I am thankful they made the Sea Peoples able to settle... as Walwetes, it's so much better conquering land to own somewhere rather than going as a horde the entire time.

[Kendji]

An situational update II

First Sea People Invasion (Irsu expects more than one invasion)
From turns 37 to 42 Irsu one by one killed each of their stacks. Harvesting food and resources, though these turns where still turns not doing something else too. The maybe worst or best outcome, depending on who's reading this was the early elimination of Christianity in it's crib.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3218225143

Liberating Pei of Tzoori
Pei is trying to prevent what's coming. Pei has been promised to Irsuland by Jumala Aten, so I don't really get the fear my neighbors are displaying.. weird.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3218225741
Turn 47 - doing some training exercises on a neighbor's border.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3218231593
Turn 48 - Blitze.. Liberated Hazor and Sidun. Pei fought the sea peoples for me, he's really brave.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3218256091
Turn 49 - Pei's reward for fighting Sea Peoples. Leading with General Rölli, he leads most of the local collaborationist Canaanites. Irsu employs more higher end troops. When Pei's fiefdom falls, Rölli has to flee the battle field and most his army routs.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3218258750
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JEbqCTeyWGI

The initial strategic plan's point 2 is now achieved. Though the province has had 3 rebellions since it's liberation. It's turn 54 now. In a rebel battle Rölli's own archers accidental shot their own General Rölli... woops.. Ah well, just recruit General Mörkö ('Monster', with a bit more cute connotation) instead, I'm thinking he can at least initially lead the human wave/feed troops of Canaanites, payback for what they did to he's predecessor. He'll be Ramsey Bolton's Lord Karstark to Irsu.
One could maybe work out an causus belli to liberate Gubla from this blame Rölli's death on some Canaanite archer born in Gubla... hmm.. then maybe rename Gubla in Rölli's honor... hmm..

Originally posted by Iskar:

Then I suggest Yksisarvinen/Uksu-Sarpinnu, the great heavenly unicorn Aten.

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3218225323
He's now leading the garrison of Irsunlinna (Old Akhetaten). Employing lot's of locals in the defenses.

Unicorn work to please the spirit Yews
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3218292261
Irsu promises to eventually become a peaceful unicorn! Don't fear, the Canaanites just need to see the light of a better barbarian tomorrow first.

Second Sea People Invasion
More sea peoples, now at 19-stacks, almost fullstacks. Been chasing them through Irsuland, without them causing damage or my forces catching them, annoying as hell, wasting turns on these schmucks.

Originally posted by Aluminum Elite Master:

That's a good point. I agree with that, actually. As much as I love Warriors of Chaos (WoC) in the TW:WH games, the one gripe is that in their original form, they controlled no land at all back in TW:WH1. Same with playing as Attila in TW:Attila.

So I agree with that... going as a horde is not as much fun.

And that is why I am thankful they made the Sea Peoples able to settle... as Walwetes, it's so much better conquering land to own somewhere rather than going as a horde the entire time.

yeah, I find playing as a hord pretty boring and repetative, like these AI ones just running around looking for the best target, but being more systematic in the destroying vs the AI. Ideal if one really likes battles vs building an empire.

The Future
-Kill that Second Sea peoples invasion stack
-Figure out a path to Gubla
-Focus on the economy, maybe realize the last half of Strategic point 3 and take Kadesh or Scechem.

[Iskar]

Originally posted by Kendji:

An situational update II

First Sea People Invasion (Irsu expects more than one invasion)
From turns 37 to 42 Irsu one by one killed each of their stacks. Harvesting food and resources, though these turns where still turns not doing something else too. The maybe worst or best outcome, depending on who's reading this was the early elimination of Christianity in it's crib.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3218225143

You realise he respawns in three days' time? :P

[Kendji]

What!? How can I get this General back in 3 turns? He got chased down, not killed on the battlefield, and his stack destroyed. I would really like him back if I can have him bck, had funny plans for him that got trashed. :D

[Iskar]

Nah, that was an Easter joke.

[Kendji]

Ah snap, I forgot to pray for his return..

[Kendji]

An situational update III
Second Sea People Invasion
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oj2j7TUImVc
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3221509948
King David got his first taste of battle here. He single-handedly stopped the invasion.

Liberation of Amurru
Timeline: Turn 57-62
Amurru fell but not without bloodshed. They had decent garrisons, but only small armies. I where using a bit of wasteful tactics but then again the aim was to have fun rather than finesse :D
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHu7I6IF0Jw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wXrbc5RXIaU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1a2TwFeVW8

The province of Kadesh is going to be valuable once developed.

Yeshua Kristos Legacy
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3221288283

Irsu really really regretted having forgotten to pray for Yeshua's return. Irsu thus prayed to Yahweh, 'Pls my lord, give back my cool dawg Yeshua!" Repeat like a 30x prayers. Until an annoyed Yahweh replied, 'your a heathen, go away you ugly fly'. Irsu thought, 'with proper Sisu I shall prevail!'. Thus Irsu consulted some war-booty priests on how to speak pleasingly to Yahweh, Irsu thus went; 'For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of Yahweh', 'but Yahweh demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Kristos died for us', 'for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Kristos will be saved"'. This persistence god-hacking cracked Yahweh. He now replied that 'sorry, homie, Yeshua is doomed to stay in limbo for eternity for your sin of forgotten prayers.' However, in Limbo Yeshua met my mother who's from Indo-Iranian and Hurrian stock, they had a baby, Buddha-Yeshua Kristos. This profound experience Irsu had while praying outside, where he experienced a shaking burning bush, from behind of which the new Kristos emerged!

... a few turns later...

Ah Sh*t!
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3221440899
GG Kristos junior :D, he got dragged into Megiddo's assault on one of the Sea Peoples stack. Thought ofc he can help out with this and boom. Megiddo AI made a pretty piecemiele charge against a line of Sea peoples and got wrecked pretty early, leaving mr. Kristos to fend for himself.

Third Sea People's Invasion
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3221510210
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3221509948
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oj2j7TUImVc
I feel frustration.. again.. not fun..
King David too fell in battle too...
And more Sea People's are coming...
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3221531326

I know Irsu can overcome these challenges, though this is not the last wave by them. In the Kurunta campaign I had several of these moments. :D

[Alwyn]

Cool AAR! I wonder if your experience from the Kurunta campaign of dealing with similar moments will be useful for Irsu.

[Kendji]

Thnx! Yeah they'll definitely come in-handy, the volume of Sea Peoples are the problem, I can't be everywhere at once, it's frustrating :D