Rational or irrational number checker

I am working on implementing a custom Deque interface. Everything is working (interation included) except the equals methods. Whenever I submit my code to an auto-checker, it fails one of the tests for equality and outputs: "ArrayDeques and LinkedListDeques with the same elements should be equal." I cannot figure out what I have done wrong. These are the equals methods within my LinkedListDeque and ArrayDeque classes, respectively (part of a package that includes my custom deque interface).
LinkedList Deque:

@Override public boolean equals(Object o) { if (o == null) { return false; } if (o == this) { return true; } if (!(o instanceof Deque)) { return false; } if (o instanceof LinkedListDeque) { LinkedListDeque other = (LinkedListDeque) o; if (this.size() != other.size()) { return false; } Iterator dequeIt = this.iterator(); Iterator otherIt = other.iterator(); while (dequeIt.hasNext()) { if (!dequeIt.next().equals(otherIt.next())) { return false; } } return true; } else if (o instanceof ArrayDeque) { ArrayDeque other = (ArrayDeque) o; if (this.size() != other.size()) { return false; } Iterator thisIt = iterator(); Iterator otherIt = other.iterator(); while (thisIt.hasNext()) { if (!thisIt.next().equals(otherIt.next())) { return false; } } return true; } return false; } 

}
ArrayDeque:

 @Override public boolean equals(Object o) { if (o == null) { return false; } if (this == o) { return true; } if (!(o instanceof Deque)) { return false; } if (o instanceof ArrayDeque) { ArrayDeque other = (ArrayDeque) o; if (other.size() != this.size) { return false; } Iterator thisIt = iterator(); Iterator otherIterator = other.iterator(); while (thisIt.hasNext()) { if (!thisIt.next().equals(otherIterator.next())) { return false; } } return true; } else if (o instanceof LinkedListDeque) { LinkedListDeque other = (LinkedListDeque) o; if (other.size() != this.size) { return false; } Iterator thisIt = iterator(); Iterator otherIterator = other.iterator(); while (thisIt.hasNext()) { if (!thisIt.next().equals(otherIterator.next())) { return false; } } return true; } return false; } 

It passes my unit tests for equality:

@Test public void randomizedInsertionAndDeletion(){ ArrayDeque deque = new ArrayDeque<>(); LinkedListDeque deque2 = new LinkedListDeque<>(); int N = 5000; for (int i =0; i ​
 
 @Test public void equals() { ArrayDeque deque = new ArrayDeque<>(); deque.addLast(true); deque.addFirst(false); deque.addFirst(false); deque.addFirst(true); LinkedListDeque deque2 = new LinkedListDeque<>(); deque2.addLast(true); deque2.addFirst(false); deque2.addFirst(false); deque2.addFirst(false); assertEquals(false, deque2.equals(deque)); assertEquals(false, deque.equals(deque2)); } 
 Basically, I'm having a hard time understanding why it passes my tests for equality but not the auto-checker's test... 
 Link to same question on stack overflow
 

Ik yaha max log college mein nahi hai, but still gonna take the chance. respond especially if you know someone who is in IIIT.
IIITs are relatively new institutes with little history. Sure, they have a very neat display of placement data on their sites, but its still hard to rank them. So I'm literally asking all IIITians or people who know iiitians to tell me everything about the institutes.
​
example questions -
how many and what kind of companies come to these colleges?
scope of increase in offers, number of companies etc?
dependency on mentor institutes (for campus)
how is the city in which the IIIT is located (in terms of IT sector mainly)
development of the city in near future so more companies might come.
I'll be adding more to this list.
Thanks to anyone who answers.

Hello!
So I’ve enrolled into Cyber security (R60)
I’m applying for student finance and when inputting all the answers into the questions, one question asks who will the university be and I select OU and it populates a value of £6,935 I plan to only do 2 modules a year (part time)
Do I amend this number to £1731 for the module that starts in October (2nd module starts in April 2024) or leave it at £6935 and OU only take what I use?
Hope this make sense
Thanks

A Cox technician came to my house last week and informed me that my modem/router combo Wi-Fi 6 unit is no longer supported because Cox switched to MoCA technology. My internet speed is 500 Mbps. The technician installed the Cox Panoramic Wifi-6 Gateway CGM4331COM made by Technicolor. The only difference between theirs and my old one is that Cox's has MoCA technology (Multimedia over Coax for home networking technology), and my old combo used WPA3 and WPA2/WPA3 mixed for security with no MoCA. Cox uses WPA2 for protection, as far as I am aware. Nevertheless, I need a DOCSIS 3.1 with 32 downstream x 8 upstream channels and compatibility with Cox. I want to avoid paying $16 per month. I have searched the internet, and I can find a combo unit, but it is not a DOCSIS 3.1 or needs the proper number of downstream and upstream channels. Does anyone know the best combo routemodem that I should buy? I have no reason ever to increase my speed past 500 Mbps.
Thank you

I have been with my partner for 4 going on 5 months. Before I was with my current partner, I have always found reasons to leave relationships. I have a history of CPTSD and I am terrified of being abused bc my mom was severely abused by my drug addicted father which in turn made my upbringing really difficult.
So I would always ruminate on what my partner said and if they are treating me right. If this is a sign of abuse or not? If these are red flags? Do they actually love me or are they just saying they do for some ulterior motive? I’ve done so much research on abusive relationships & every potential new relationship I am in I will look at these things & try to find correlations between the flags etc.
It’s exhausting lol. I never thought it was ROCD, but my current partner has informed me that they have been experiencing retroactive jealousy. When looking into what this was, I found some consider it a type of OCD.
I have now spent countless hours checking the RJ subreddit. I ruminate constantly over what my partner is thinking about me and about my past. I’m trying to resist asking for reassurance from my partner although I have a lot. In part, the CPTSD makes me feel worthless and undeserving of love. In a lot of ways RJ confirms that, especially the RJ subreddit- I go on there to confirm that I am definitely undeserving of love. I also constantly check red pill videos and other meninist things which reaffirms that feeling. I don’t understand why I do this to myself? I also constantly wonder if his RJ means he will abuse me since so many of the commentators say that’s happened to them.
I can’t go back in time and not have the relationships that I did, but I no longer have sexual relationships. It’s a spiral for me, because there’s nothing else I can do. I have to accept my past, and I guess being with someone who is also having difficulty with my past is really doing a number on me. I think about this all the time :(
Anyway I’m starting to think this is ROCD. Maybe it’s just relationship anxiety? I’m not sure bc it seems a lot of folks struggle with wanting to break up with their partner. I do have that urge to break up with my partner due to his retroactive jealousy, but most of the time I just spiral thinking about what he could be thinking of me. I am honestly kind of paralysed by this every day. Like I routinely have to check the RJ subreddit to see if there’s a new post that will somehow show me that it’s okay and we will be fine and make valid that he does want to be with me and I’m not forcing him to stay. Or validities the opposite lol.
To be clear he hasn’t really said much to me that has hurt me. He has just said a couple things, bc he’s a virgin and has been waiting to have sex until marriage, he said “I’ve been waiting for this for so long I just don’t know if this is what I want.” And he eventually walked back on that but I am having a hard time believing that’s true, so I’m constantly asking are you okay, anything on your mind, are you sure this is what you want? I feel like I’m pressuring him to be in this relationship and he said that’s not the case but I don’t believe him.
Is this ROCD? Or just anxiety due to the situation?

Ok so I recently moved in with my older sister. My whole family did. My mom and sister get a discounted price for living there.
I don’t get a discount. I don’t expect it either. I’m an adult. I pay $1000 total per month. Which sounds like a fair number to me. I stay in my room most of the time. Anyhow sometimes she makes comments about all the bills she has to pay.
She insinuates that I’m gonna have to help her with those bills. In my opinion I pay my fair share! I looked up what rooms cost around here. The average is $800. $1000 is is on the higher end.
I understand she’s stressed about bills. And she probably regrets offering my family discounted rent. But that’s a problem she has with them NOT me! Im paying my rent.
She even said I can’t use the washer and dryer more than once a week. Like seriously?
Also, I don’t ever turn on the AC or heater. No one does. That’s part of the rules. I also don’t cook much.

I’m an INFP woman and I have very strong defenses. No one can get into my world unless I myself answer the door and invite them in. Many people try and fail, as they assume I am more extroverted than I really am- I have a very particular (feminine) sense of style and I always do my hair and makeup meticulously. Very high standards to say the least.
So, when I fell for an ENFJ man I work with, it hit me like a brick wall. Quite immediately I tried to rationalize it away as superficial infatuation (which it may have started out as), but after much time I’ve realized I cannot deny this.
In the first months of meeting him, surprisingly I felt nothing. I specifically remember being relieved when I was hired there because I didn’t think I would fall in love or be compatible with anyone there (superficial? Maybe, but everyone does it to an extent. Just a quick scan of any room). I actually think it’s hilarious how wrong I was.
Anyway- little by little, I began noticing things I like about him. How attentive he is, how knowledgeable he is, the way he talks, the sound of his voice, when he wears that blue sweater that brings out the different shades of brown in his hair, so many little things. God, and his eyes are glimpses of heaven. Each time I saw him, his face would become more solidified in my mind. What a treat :)
The day it hit me like a brick wall was a day that we had a regular one-on-one meeting. This day was different- I am sure we both sensed it. I don’t even remember what we spoke about because there were so many topics/smooth transitions and I believe I did most of the talking. Yet, we both laughed, he made really funny jokes, and his eye contact was so intense I almost couldn’t handle it. I don’t think anyone has looked at me that way. I felt naked, and it exhilarated me.
The weeks after that meeting, he became somewhat quiet with me and very nervous. He occasionally struggles with getting words out, and it almost looks like he zones out sometimes while looking at me and talking. I’m certain he sees similar nervous behavior coming from myself, but I could be wrong. I think we are kinda stuck in this weird purgatory where we don’t know what to do. I haven’t stopped thinking about him since that meeting and I guess I’m just looking for validation that I’m not going crazy. Am I crazy to think that he might be thinking of me too?

IIITs are relatively new institutes with little history. Sure, they have a very neat display of placement data on their sites, but its still hard to rank them. So I'm literally asking all IIITians or people who know iiitians to tell me everything about the institutes.
​
example questions -
how many and what kind of companies come to these colleges?
scope of increase in offers, number of companies etc?
dependency on mentor institutes (for campus)
how is the city in which the IIIT is located (in terms of IT sector mainly)
development of the city in near future so more companies might come.
I'll be adding more to this list.
Thanks to anyone who answers.
​
​
educational_info: no college

My partner and I have been together for 3 years, much of it during Covid. We were pretty isolated for most of the first two years. When we started to live more socially, I started noticing that how my partner treats me in front of others really bothers me.
I’ve noticed that if there is a really attractive person around, my partner will want to engage with that person as if I am not even there. Even if they are holding my hand or maintaining touch, as I have asked them to do if someone approaches us and acts directly interested in ONLY them, the eye contact and smiling between the two of them is intense and invariably the person ends up standing very close to my partner. Although having their arm around my shoulder, the rapport almost always leads to the person brazenly requesting my partners contact info or asking them out right in front of me. I genuinely think these men either assume they are available based on the body and facial language, or they get off on cucking a short guy. Because by this point I usually stalk off, I’ve never seen my partner accept the number or actually act on it.
It’s especially hurtful to me because as a trans man, I’m very petite and many people think I’m a gay guy and either I’m just my partner’s friend, or I’m someone they can “do better than” (since society demeans short men). My partner is non binary but presents as a femme cis woman and is 5’10, meaning many people judge us being together.
This came to a head last week. I pay all of our bills and expenses and spoil my partner constantly. I took them to a charity event that had celebrities in attendance. We met the drummer of a famous band and it was like normal, where the guy ignored me and got close up with my partner asking intense personal questions and my partner replying all starry eyed. They held my arm, but it could easily have been a gay bestie situation. The guy kept asking for my partner’s card or contact info.
Afterward, I felt really hurt. I didn’t bring my partner to this nice event so they could be a groupie. I asked them if they would want to meet up with the drummer and they said they would do it but would stop the second it became inappropriate. They then swore up and down that they would never date this guy with a ten foot pole. For me this was the worst part, since I definitely don’t believe that. My partner is very hierarchical and status oriented and I do not doubt for a second they would LOVE to be dating the drummer for this band; not to mention he is also a drummer for one of the most famous solo artists in my partner’s fav genre (and you absolutely know who they are and many of their songs).
There is also a history of my partner developing crushes on other people and me finding out. It’s made me feel so second choice, because my partner would reach out to these people in at least a friendly way and was rejected. So I don’t even feel like I was the one picked when they stayed with me.
Also, if this is how my partner talks to interested people, with seemingly no clue that others are interested, when I am THERE, I am pretty uncertain what it would look like if I wasn’t.
I am feeling pretty run down. I love my partner but I keep feeling unsafe and not chosen. I am not sure if it’s my insecurities because I used to be an equally beautiful woman as my partner and now they get all the attention I used to. I am not sure how to navigate asking my partner to not flirt because I also want them to meet people and have friends. How do I navigate this? What can i say that is not controlling? I appreciate any advice people can share.

Looking to get a G30 MAX. I’m kinda confused about the differences, and nomenclature of the G30’s. I thought there was just the 1st and 2nd gens but there’s also the G30LP? Is G30lp the name for the 2nd gen or is that a different thing altogether? Or are there different Gens of both the G30 and G30LP? And what is the G30P?
I’m kinda confused and I kinda want whatever one has most range and apparently the LP has much smaller battery? Which is weird cause everyone seems to say the Gen2 is the one to go for so the LP must not be Gen 2???
And then there’s the Global editions?
If I’m looking at used G30’s will the serial number tell me exactly what model it is?

Hi, I’m Jamie. Lovely to meet you! I'm about 6'1, blonde, Welsh, currently living in London and looking for someone to message and hang out with (virtually or irl ). Some quick things about me:

• I love video games but have not been playing as many as I’d like to these days. To remedy this, I’ve recently bought a Steam Deck. I’m traditionally more of an RPG/FPS person but would also like to branch out a bit.
• I’m working hard to try and get the next career goal, which is being able to work from anywhere I want. I already mostly work from home, but for a few reasons my job requires me to be in the UK. I want to be untethered though, so my next career move will focus on that 😎
• Synthwave and cyber punk aesthetics to me are 🤤
• I’m making a big push to improve my health and have been exercising consistently for around a year and a half now (swimming, running etc). For the last 6 months I’ve also been doing weights with a PT. Next up is starting on some flexibility doing yoga and/or pilates.
• I love talking about history and politics. My ideological position is complicated to explain but probably best summarised as left of centre.
• Currently getting into sword fighting. Partly because it’s something I’ve always wanted to do. Partly in case the apocalypse comes – think it’d be a useful skill to have (especially as we don’t really do guns in the UK...)
• I’m moving in with my Mum over summer to give her some help. She’s recently inherited a large and somewhat shabby house in the countryside so I’m going to help redecorate and make it a nice place to live.
• I don’t drink but do 420 (probs a little more than I should – but fixing that is lower on my to do list than other health things haha).
• I'm very interested in Welsh language and history.
• My number one form of therapy is long walks outside in nature. There is nothing more peaceful and restorative when it’s just you, nature and a path to follow :)

What am I looking for? Good question!

• I’d like to make a new friend or two to chat with. I miss messaging back and forth with someone. It’d primarily though text but also like to hand out on audio and/or video occasionally.
• I'd like to talk to people who share some of my interests. It'd be especially cool to find people who want to play some video games together, keeping each other motivated fitness wise!
• Location isn't a big concern, but I’m primarily looking for people in the UK, Europe, Canada or the US. This is mostly due to cultural and time zone compatibility reasons so no requirement to be in/from those regions, so would be a plus I guess – but not essential

Hi, I’m Jamie. Lovely to meet you! I'm about 6'1, blonde, Welsh, currently living in London and looking for someone to message and hang out with (virtually or irl ). Some quick things about me:

• I love video games but have not been playing as many as I’d like to these days. To remedy this, I’ve recently bought a Steam Deck. I’m traditionally more of an RPG/FPS person but would also like to branch out a bit.
• I’m working hard to try and get the next career goal, which is being able to work from anywhere I want. I already mostly work from home, but for a few reasons my job requires me to be in the UK. I want to be untethered though, so my next career move will focus on that 😎
• Synthwave and cyber punk aesthetics to me are 🤤
• I’m making a big push to improve my health and have been exercising consistently for around a year and a half now (swimming, running etc). For the last 6 months I’ve also been doing weights with a PT. Next up is starting on some flexibility doing yoga and/or pilates.
• I love talking about history and politics. My ideological position is complicated to explain but probably best summarised as left of centre.
• Currently getting into sword fighting. Partly because it’s something I’ve always wanted to do. Partly in case the apocalypse comes – think it’d be a useful skill to have (especially as we don’t really do guns in the UK...)
• I’m moving in with my Mum over summer to give her some help. She’s recently inherited a large and somewhat shabby house in the countryside so I’m going to help redecorate and make it a nice place to live.
• I don’t drink but do 420 (probs a little more than I should – but fixing that is lower on my to do list than other health things haha).
• I'm very interested in Welsh language and history.
• My number one form of therapy is long walks outside in nature. There is nothing more peaceful and restorative when it’s just you, nature and a path to follow :)

What am I looking for? Good question!

• I’d like to make a new friend or two to chat with. I miss messaging back and forth with someone. It’d primarily though text but also like to hand out on audio and/or video occasionally.
• I'd like to talk to people who share some of my interests. It'd be especially cool to find people who want to play some video games together, keeping each other motivated fitness wise!
• Location isn't a big concern, but I’m primarily looking for people in the UK, Europe, Canada or the US. This is mostly due to cultural and time zone compatibility reasons so no requirement to be in/from those regions, so would be a plus I guess – but not essential

I remember that the game has 5 or 6 games in the series (pretty sure it's 5). The screen is split vertically in to 2, each player controlling 1 side (or the computer controls 1 of the side if playing alone). Enemies will appear on the screen constantly and you have to shoot them. It has 2 characters, 1 male and 1 female. In the 3rd game the female character is captured and in the 4th game you have to play solo. In the final game the female character is rescued and at the end there's a button smash where you have to press a button as fast as possible to escape on the plane. I think the name only consists of numbers but im not sure.

So I did the Labcorp and my HSV-2 Type Spec Ab, IgG w/Rflx came back abnormal positive with index value of 4.72, everything else on the STD Panel was negative. Labcorp is supposed to do the HSV supplemental test given that the index value is below 5. Unfortunately, they did not because they do not have re-agents. The internet portal I used for the test then suggested I try the Quest HSV-2 IGG Inhibition, IA for HSV 2 confirmation. I go to Quest the very next day to do this test. The results are now back as HSV positive for inhibition 93.8 H (out of range). And the HSV IGG screening index on the Quest report is 8.13 (in range normal).
​
The more confusing part is that I have no physical symptoms and the one thing I thought was the beginning of mouth cold sores turned out to be inflamed oil glands on my mouth.
I find this all so very confusing. How can my IGG more than double in just two days? Should I just accept that I have HSV-2 from all these tests or wait three months and go do the Western Blot?
I have no idea how conclusive the numbers above are.

Looking to get a G30 MAX. I’m kinda confused about the differences, and nomenclature of the G30’s. I thought there was just the 1st and 2nd gens but there’s also the G30LP? Is G30lp the name for the 2nd gen or is that a different thing altogether? Or are there different Gens of both the G30 and G30LP? And what is the G30P?
I’m kinda confused and I kinda want whatever one has most range and apparently the LP has much smaller battery? Which is weird cause everyone seems to say the Gen2 is the one to go for so the LP must not be Gen 2???
And then there’s the Global editions?
If I’m looking at used G30’s will the serial number tell me exactly what model it is?

I already know I'm going to apply to Princeton, Columbia, and Yale, even if it's unrealistic, simply because I'll regret never knowing if I could have gotten into my dream school. That being said, I'm still waffling about what other colleges I want to submit an application to, especially since the fees are so high.
Desired Major: Art, and currently interested in language for a minor
GPA: 3.95, both weighted and unweighted. And no, I didn't take any AP courses, which is by far the weakest point of my application and freaking me out badly. I had specific reasons for this, but still.
Highest SAT: 1580 (haven't taken the ACT yet, or any subject tests)
Ext. Activities: Won an international art competition (lengthy interview, work featured in magazine and NY exhibit), currently working as a concept artist for a highly recognizable company, won top prizes at state fair, founded a non-profit (fairly large number of participants / raised 20K+), Vice President of the National Honor Society, 100+ hours of volunteer work for the TNR feral cat program, and a member of Art/German clubs at school. There's some more stuff, but this is pretty much the gist.
Edit: I'm also working on getting some pieces into the Guggenheim. Nothing's guaranteed at the moment, but that would probably look good if it did happen.
LOR and Essays: So my essay is only a draft right now, but I'm confident I can make it memorable (partially because I kind of have to, if I want any chance of getting in). I've always been really close with a lot of my teachers, too, so I'm not worried about the letters of recommendation. The letter from my counselor probably won't be as strong, but I certainly don't think she would write anything unflattering.
Optional Arts Supplement: Will be submitting one, and I'm hoping it'll work in my favor, not against me.
Current In-State Options: UNC of Chapel Hill, Davidson, and Lenior-Rhyne. Also, I have no problem with going out-of-state, but would preferably like to stay near the East Coast (especially somewhere North, since I just moved from the South in September and don't want to go back lol).
- - - - - - -
Thank you in advance, and apologies for this being so long by the way.

Hi all,
Next to my day job, I own a SaaS company focused on selling software in the United States.
For this (established) venture, I'm looking for an additional Belgian-based Javascript developer who would be interested in working somewhere around 10-15 hours a month on this SaaS project.
I'm mostly looking for junior profiles for whom this may be a good opportunity to start dabbling into the freelance world, but more experienced profiles with a few years of experience are also wanted.
Do note that this is not a full-time gig and is more of a way to get some money on the side, given the limited monthly hours.
Content-wise, your main focus would be to write code that interacts with web APIs through a Chrome extension (hence why the language is Javascript).
Added bonus if you are also proficient in .NET + something like Vue.js and Angular.js, as that could yield additional work in the future.
Practically, the only requirements I have is that you are Belgian + have a VAT number or are willing to get one.
If interested, you can DM me and we can discuss rates.
Mods, if this post is not allowed, let me know.
​

Looking for some Bronzong redeems with video or a-button proof. Would also be open to trading for some Jiseok Garganacl.
Code for bronzong: 22SENIORCHAMP
Regarding proof, I would like at a-button or video proof with these details visible:
both our reddit usernames
date of redemption
name of the event visible
summary screens for the redeemed pokemon (OT/ID, nature, characteristics, etc)
number of each redeem if multiple redeems (redeem #1, #2, etc)
___________________________________________________________________
Gen 8 shinies: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1MDeTkM43GG1uXJL07D0soQl9-joG8TaWq8Sew-VuKCs/edit
Gen 9 shinies: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1SZ89-WXyfDnRVXoklLC6iX4qCrqCo5K7mrkl\_N5iIh8/edit
Shiny Eggs: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1AUE\_ijpRCbz-w4kD5M4SotwsdXhDTArWHUZ0I9wLZJ4/edit
___________________________________________________________________
Wolfe's Coalossal with video/WC proof
obtained on pokemontrades, MochiPori -> me
disclaimer: proof is not perfect; original trade for which the video redemption was made did not go through but I have WC proof stating this
___________________________________________________________________
Leonardo's Charizard with video proof
obtained here: www.reddit.com/pokemontrades/comments/qk1gw2/comment/hitsvf9/
___________________________________________________________________
Marco Silva Dracovish with video proof
Obtained here: www.reddit.com/pokemontrades/comments/ua2aos/comment/i5vijtm/
___________________________________________________________________
Jirawiwat's Shiny Clefairy with video proof
obtained here: www.reddit.com/pokemontrades/comments/ve4ee0/comment/ictiavm/
___________________________________________________________________
WCS 2022 Victory Victini with video proof
obtained here: www.reddit.com/pokemontrades/comments/wtq5se/comment/il6gm6n/
___________________________________________________________________
Wishmaker Jirachi obtained here: www.reddit.com/pokemontrades/comments/wbhfoq/comment/ii70yxv
disclosure: obtained by bwo0 on emulators (Dolphin/mGBA)
___________________________________________________________________
Gavin's Palafin with WC proof
obtained here: www.reddit.com/pokemontrades/comments/1323z6a/comment/

Part 1 - Cannor Part 2 - Escann and Deepwoods Part 3 - Aelantir Part 4 - West Serpentspine and Gerudia Part 5 - Bulwar Part 6: The Forbidden Plains Part 7: East Serpentspine
I'm nearly at the end of these series of reviews. After Haless it's Yanshen and then that's about it. The whole continent has some of my favourite mission trees in the entire mod so I'm excited to talk about it.
Azkare -> Sunrise Empire ★★★★★
Azkare is someone staring down the multiple genocidal campaigns across Anbennar, and indeed across regular human history, and asking themselves how they would design a campaign where you are the Good Guy. One where the end goal is to create a truly equal state that values all its citizens. It’s an interesting design issue since empire-building has certain inherent traits that are really hard to present as being a “good” option. Gee Hiderion, what are you going to do when one of your internal states votes for independence huh? Just going to march in an army to crush the rebels? How many millions must die for you to achieve your “dream” Hiderion? You can answer these questions during your questioning at The Hague! Or wherever they try war criminals in Anbennar.
Playing it though, it’s great fun. Sure it’s another Haless state that is simply based around conquering everything, but the mechanic on how you integrate them all into this single parliament is pretty neat. It feels like messy internal politics, which I enjoyed from a role-playing perspective. It’s wild that this much effort went into a single nation’s mission tree too, and one you absolutely never see created in-game by the AI. I have some nitpicky problems. While the writing is generally good, I think the author tried to write a short piece of romantic fiction at one point that felt so out of place it bordered on comedic. Also the end of the mission tree has such silly requirements that I didn’t even bother trying. But it’s overall one of the most complete trees in the entire game and would be one of the first ones I’d point a new player towards.
Plus, so long as you embrace the roleplay of being Hiderion, the guy with the biggest Elf Savior complex in the entire world, it is neat to imagine yourself crushing the previous horrid regimes across Haless and rebuild them in your vision of equality and tolerance. Bhuvari are slavers, Verkal Ozovar want to mind control the whole continent into subservience, and do you really think everyone would be better off under The Command? If Haless had to be united, Sunrise Empire would probably be the best option. Just don’t ask the Oni that question.
Fengwuzhe -> One Xia ★★★★☆
I know a lot of people play EU4 because they love to watch numbers go up. Stack modifiers on top of modifiers and watch as your god soldiers destroy armies 3 times their size. I am not that sort of player. I legitimately have no idea what army tradition does. The only number that matters to me is the size of the army. If I have more soldiers, I should win the battle. If I don’t, it’s probably a bug and should be patched. That all said, there was something about marching around as this death squad of militant harpy combat monks as One Xia that tickled a little part of my brain, giggling as I watched The Command flee in terror despite outnumbering me.
What made it all the more satisfying is the challenge it was to get there. As Xia, you are one of the first ports of call against the might of The Command. That’s another part I love about Anbennar that other people seem not to: I love fighting The Command. It’s a race against time as they gobble their neighbours, as you frantically build up a force capable of taking them on. Once they do turn on you, there might as well be that “Objective: Survive” popup. It’s interesting to play a game of EU4 and actually lose a war and have to figure out how to rebuild so you’ll be able to take on those hobgobbos if they attack again.
The actual story of the nation was a bit lost on me. I liked the design of the mission tree and how it forced you to really drill your troops to progress, which was a neat change of pace for me. But what their nation actually fought for and believed in wasn’t terribly well portrayed. Maybe because I don’t have a lot of experience with the genre of fiction they’re based off. Also man is the Blue Scarf Rebellion such a weird disaster. Only pops at a point where you’ve basically already won the game. A huge amount of effort into a very forgettable disaster that I very nearly didn’t see because I had reached the standard boring EU4 end-game by that point.
Verkal Ozovar ★★★★★
One of the coolest things in Anbennar is how they’ll take specific mechanics from the base EU4 game, warp it into something new, then re-contextualise what that new mechanic represents. Escann is the best example of this when it comes to the design of an entire region with how they repackage the native migration mechanics. What Verkal Ozovar does for vassal gameplay is so utterly wild and creative and I had a truly fantastic time with it.
The whole conceit is that you remain as this single province hold for the entire game, but through a series of vassals, and a very heavy focus on vassal loyalty increases, gain control over all of Haless. Early on you’re playing what seems like a fairly standard game, albeit heavily vassal-focused. But as your vassals start to dwarf (heh) your single province, it becomes a game unto itself of how does one maintain loyalty while progressing through the mission tree.
I’ll give you a few examples of the stuff I would do to maintain loyalty. I would declare war and then never move my troops from the capital because keeping them alive was more important for loyalty purposes than using them for the war. I would declare wars entirely for the purpose of draining my own vassal’s armies and manpower so they couldn’t build up a large enough force to want to rebel against me. It’s evil in a whole other way than how EU4 and Anbennar usually enforces it through “click the genocide button”, and it really fed into the themes of the story. These totalitarian, mind-control dwarfs, who seek to subjugate the people around them so they swear absolute loyalty, all while never having the capacity to ever resist you.
I literally had a notebook next to me of my vassal’s dev sizes so I could keep track of how large they were getting and dole out new provinces accordingly so none would get too large. The final end reward of having the capability to ensure total vassal loyalty is the best end-game reward in the whole game, because suddenly I was free to grow however much I wanted. I declared on the Lake Fed then just left the game on x5 speed and watched as my combined vassals experienced 3 million deaths in attrition and still won the war. My computer may have hated me for it. The end game of Ozovar is the slowest I’ve ever seen EU4 run. But I loved the campaign and it’s a top 3 all time favourite nations to play in Anbennar.