I've known of TIK for roughly 10 years now, he knows me under my personal name, as we played games with eachother beforehand. He's an extremely hard working man and deserves some rest. Rest up my guy
@TheImperatorKnight not enough time to play games for tik? 😥 Manstein wasn't complaining of "burn out" when he was holding down the line on the eastern front now was he
TIK, in my opinion, the reason that your channel doesn’t get as many views as other channels that deal with the same genre is BECAUSE of the quality and depth you provide, not despite it. Most people simply don’t have the attention spans or dedication required to truly absorb the detail you provide and exhaustive research that you do. This is absolutely no reflection on you at all, of all of the WWII history channels that I watch, yours is leagues ahead of the rest. It takes a fair bit of dedication to watch your videos and to truly understand the implications and detail behind every conclusion that you reach. I can only imagine how much time and effort it takes to produce these masterpieces. On top of that, you remain humble and self-effacing, I’m sure I’m not alone in saying that I have an incredible respect and admiration for you and your work. Don’t beat yourself up, you’re the best at what you do and you are genuinely appreciated by those who subscribe to your work. The travesty is that you’re not consulted as an expert source by mainstream documentary and film makers.
Truth! I have to watch his videos two or three times over the course of a week or two, to even begin to soak it all in, they're so information dense and higher in quality (by an order of magnitude) than other content creators in this space. Keep up the excellent work TIK! Don't kill yourself to maintain a frequent upload schedule. I can't process it that fast anyway. 😅
I am 63 years old and owner of hundreds of history books. I have been reading and studying military history since third grade. Your Stalingrad videos are simply amazing. Nothing anywhere compares to this work. In depth battle books and videos are normally not interesting to the majority of people, so I am not surprised that Stalingrad videos are not as popular as your other excellent videos. With that said, I suggest that you continue with Stalingrad and other future topics like it, not just to keep history nerds like myself in bliss watching, but do them knowing that you are producing a product that is far and away above the standard video. A legacy to be proud of when you are 63. The answer is to just not make so many of them and come out with a video, say every quarter. I thank you for all of your hard work and dedication to the topic and to your viewers. If and when my finances improve, I will become a Patreon member. Whatever your income from U-Tube is, it is not enough. You deserve much more. Take care of yourself and God Bless.
Your hard work makes a document of outstanding quality. You really should be proud of that. I' ve been reading about the war on the eastern front for over 35 years now, went to Stalingrad myself in 2017, made for this trip a document by combining historic facts and details of at least 6 books together, but each Battlestorm releases a very lot of new detailed information. It is really a great achievement, for which you, at some later stage, certainly will be very very proud of. I don't know the exact solution to the situation you're discribing, but I sincerely hope the Battlestorm series will bring it to the 2nd of februari 1943 or maybe beyond. Never ever I've seen or read such a detailed document.
I kave to agree, except I'm about 6 years older. If you need a video every week (or so) to keep the tube at bay and money coming in, do enough to acomplish that while you take the time to do your quality content.
@@tsd_ju7084 except in TIKs case it wouldn't be hype. Years ago a builder told me of the building triangle - Quality - Cheap - Fast - you can have any two of those three but trying to have all three will fail. TIK has been providing Quality output for free AND been trying to keep up with YTs demands for more and more. No one wants him to burn out, S O D YT - Thank you to TIK. I would sign up to a new university tube website dedicated to uploaders of his quality. As it UA-cam University sort of exists despite YT.
Tik you are a legend and spearheading a genre here on YT. Thanks for the transparency and give yourself some slack. Happiness and balance is key. Health and energy is key. You need a life too. With this regained you’ll maintain high quality content and nobody would feel offended if there was only a single long form in-depth video per month. Keep it up, look after yourself and reconnect with yourself and the joy you have doing what you do. People sharing your passion will follow you regardless.
I used to work in radio and would struggle sometimes when I couldn’t get a promo done to the level I wanted. I was grumbling to someone there about it and they told me “Don’t let perfect be the enemy of good.” I thought it was excellent advice, and now I’m passing it on to you. Do what you need to be healthy and stay sane. We’ll be here.
I have studied Stalingrad for 40 years by reading most of the same books you have. You have provided the most complete analysis ever. Just like the actual battle, it draws you into such detail,just like the German general staff, the flanks and casualties were ignored to get to the end goal. You have been brilliant. Take your time to keep an even keel, mentally, physically, and emotionally. Your content has been amazing about Stalingrad. Thank you for your efforts. 100 yrs from now historians will use your content to further explore the greatest battle in history, and add to it.
Yes, there's nothing on the internet anywhere that is as detailed and analytical. Absolutely amazing, both Stalingrad and Crusader series. It is weird however how a lot of peole in various ww2 online communities never heard of this channel and once I show them a video or two it's like "where the fck was this guy hiding all this time, it's awesome!".
I have done a world’s worth of research over almost 2 decades on WW2, the socio economics of the time period along with the prevailing ideologies that lay behind it. I have NEVER come across such an intricate, detailed and well put together presentation on any part of it as he has done here. And this is just 1 battle (ok well, given a very long battle). It has given me a much more nuanced understanding of the battle. Which I now wish could be done for the entire war.
Honestly most people (I know I did) see a video about a topic theyve already seen and dont watch it. There just are a massive amount of stalingrad videos already out. Even if it is the best of all of them, I dont really know this channel personally so I assume it is of similar quality and skip it.
I couldn't agree more! The Stalingrad video detail is what makes it all worthwhile. Thank you so much take care of yourself and keep up the great work. You have something special that other sites just do not have
That is TOTALLY acceptable. The only change for us is the space between 2 videos. We lose nothing by waiting a little more! We have tons of ways to keep busy in the meantime. I actually like channels with tons of space between quality videos. It allows me to consume 100% of my favorite creators. I probably favor those who create less often so I can be the completist nature intended me to be. Keep on the awesome work!
Completely agree - but I think Tik said this would count against his channel as 'the algorithm' is looking for weekly videos. That's a shame as I can understand why two weeks is more realistic for the level of work being put into these videos. In any event I will continue to support the channel and look forward to the updates - whether that's with one, two or three weeks intervals! 👍
@@dekyras This is why I hate some aspects of Google/Facecrap. YT just wants more eyes on its wretched adverts, it doesn't care about quality. I DO and TIKs quality is undoubted. One quality video ever quarter, of which one in three is battlestorm type (multi-part in depth analysis) GTs I'll follow him for decades. This particular video does a good job of exposing YES contempt for both its users and providers.
I think you've made a very practical decision. Remember that you set standards and judge yourself more harshly than your audience does. We just like your content. And honestly, if sometimes a video is just you talking to the camera about what you're reading and your thoughts about it, that's cool! It gives the rest of us something to think about.
Indeed, normal people, normal fans, if a "bad" video comes out they watch, they shrug, and they come back next week anyways. They might say "last week wasn't so interesting". Its pathological, "perpetually online" people who get fussy about it. Everyone has an artist, musician, or TV episode that they can say wasn't as good. But its part of the conversation.
You're being very transparent in this video. One thing I don't hear you mention is whether or not you financially need to keep creating. It almost seems as if you're under pressure you because you actually need to keep the channel running at the same level. I don't know. That's your business. But if you're not financially dependent on your channel operating at the level it has, why not just publish with less frequency? I have a background in television production. It takes significant resources to create video content regularly. It's a flaw of youtube's business model to expect their popular content creators to churn out product with such frequency. Suggestions: 1. Maybe you could hire an editor, not a video editor but a content editor who would make the work easier. 2 Hire a co-author. 3. Publish less 4. Create a new commentary series where you just share some simple thoughts about your work. It would be a filler series that doesn't take a lot of effort to create (similar to this video you just posted). Just some thoughts. I love your channel but reclaim your life.
Something to be aware of is that what the UA-cam algorithm wants changes year by year from my basic observations. In 2018-2019 UA-cam loved daily uploads iirc, but in 2021-2022 it seems to have preferred weekly. In general the only constant is that it likes consistency. I totally wouldn't mind if you made your uploads every other week, in fact I might prefer it as to make it easier to stay on top of them all.
Absolutely agree, I'm here for TIK if he goes bi-weekly and surely that would be best for him. With UA-cam, I've noticed that lately they are pushing creators toward the shorts, which I don't see TIK espousing. It's horrible to see my fave UA-camrs, who happen to be maths ones, having to feed this format, which doesn't suit their material at all.
Don’t let the UA-cam algorithm dictate your life, you’re producing exceptional content, some will like it others don’t, that’s how life is. Go with the Flow TIK.
Thing is though, the algorithm does not reward youtubers for being original or trying new things. It wants you to stick with what you're doing already. Or worse, it punishes you for doing long content when it wants to push shorts Which is why many youtubers start additional channels. And art for art's sake becomes pretty dreary once your statistics show that your viewers and subs are declining. If you want to stay motivated you need positive feedback. Seeing your channel do well is positive feedback.
As one of the Patreons, I do not expect videos every week. But I do want military history videos with high quality and you are a master in this area. Once a month is sufficent. Your Battlestorms are the reason I am a Patreon. If you do short military histories as well once a week besides that, that is only a bonus but not necessary. If you take a break one week, just do it man. You gotta live as well. We want the highest quality possible and no one out there are better than you when it comes to WWII-history and your Battlestorms (both the shorter and the longer ones) are awesome. Looking forward when Battle Storm "Schisselsnitt" (Ardennes 1940) are coming out some time in the distant future! Not to be harsh, but libertarians enyoying your libertarian politician work at UA-cam are probably the crowd not giving any money. So stick to bloody tanks TIK!😉 You have a solid fanbase of military historic crowd. So I fully support your decision to draw down, the most "important" crowd - the core - we will still watch your vids even if they are not spred by algorithms. I am spreading the word about you among other who are into military history and especially WWII!
Same goes for me. I don't need a new video every week. I came here because of the quality and the depth about Stalingrad. And I also see that the research about Stalingrad takes a lot of time.
@@gogojoob Absolutely. It's really remarkable to get such a thorough account from an Anglophone source of an iconic battle where no UK or US soldiers fought. For all his idiosyncrasies we're extremely lucky to have TIK.
I further support this post. I personally love the Stalingrad series and am a bit surprised it does so poorly. That said I sometimes dont watch the latest upload for almost a week until Ive set aside a time I can watch and pay attention, not just have it on in the background. I will continue being a patron if only once a month upload no problem! Also I agree, I doubt the libertarian viewers are the ones paying the bills.
Agree 100% with this. The military stuff is really high quality and there are no faults in it. The political and economic stuff has huge holes in it but I understand that the libertarian and maybe even the alt-right audience will cheer them because it supports their narrative.
Your "bad" content is still absolutely amazing and extremely informative. Battlestorm Stalingrad for me is sooooo good and detailed its a legitimate historical work like a large primary source document. Take a break, go outside, touch grass (unironicly), hang out with you friends and get a tan! Cheers mate!
My reply would echo yours dude....I'll stay subscribed, and I'll watch whatever you give us Tik....Scott Ritter recently visited Stalingrad...the Mamaev Kurgan.....
I think reducing the frequency of the Battlestorm Stalingrad videos to maybe one every five or six weeks is a good compromise. That paired with the less puritanically perfect videos every week would ease up the pressure put on you. You’re releasing some of the most detailed, in-depth videos on these topics on the platform. The fact that you still have leeway to reduce the quality and maintain the top spot speaks volumes. So go easy on yourself. Stay motivated, brother.
Are you *still* fighting in Stalingrad?! 😉 But all jokes aside, I think I speak for many of your viewers when I say that initially I came for ‘the tanks’, but stayed for the politics and ideology videos. That said, I completely respect your decision to prioritise the Battlestorm videos if you believe that’s best for your channel. In any case, please pace yourself and take whatever time you need, I would be happy to wait a little longer between videos. Never forget that you are amazing!!
SUGGESTIONS for "not 100% perfect videos": You can make videos answering Q&A like you used to but also shorter videos on random topics that you find interesting. You also can take bigger topics that would go into a longer video and break them into parts, especially if the video is over 10 minutes long. Then you can post a single video containing all the parts if you want. You also can do book reviews where you go over a book, chapter by chapter (or a couple chapters per video) explaining the main ideas, reading select quotes, and giving context / criticism. I personally would find that an invaluable resource as someone who doesn't get around to reading much. For instance, you have a couple of books (vampire economy etc) that you have referenced often. That would make an interesting read. It would be like a book club / classroom analysis and you can incorporate comments from your viewers into the analysis or give feedback on them as we all explore the topic of the book. Even if you completely agree with a comment, people love when big channels interact with the comments which is a place you can incorporate it into your video. I don't know if you read the Gulag Archipelago but that is a book I would find interesting as well, but I know that in your videos you often refer to a couple books on economics or battle in NZ germany or SVT Russia which is where most of the audience would be probably interested in your expertise. There are a lot of ideas for increasing the number of videos while producing interesting videos without them requiring an amazing amount of research because many of us are not too familiar with what you are much better aquainted. God bless and don't burn yourself out.
Excellent points about breaking up longer videos into multiple parts that can then also be posted as a whole. TIK should also consider making "shorts" from
As a regular viewer of this channel, i have to say that i do like every type of video you publish (economics, non battlestorm military videos, Battlestorm, politics, etc). I think the jewel of this channel is the Stalingrad series and as such, quality should always be the priority, no matter how long it takes to release. Even once a month would be fine, as you said, most of your financial support comes from the Battlestorm viewers. They will keep supporting the channel. You can publish shorter and less demanding videos every week about the other topics (economics, politics, etc.) To keep the regularity of the channel. By the way, i want to say that your health, friends, family and private life comes first, so take all the time you think you need to rest, chill, or do other activities. Very few creators provide the quality you do.
You have pushed quality and details of Battlestorm videos to the next level. There is no competition out there, you have outpaced them by 100 lightyears. It's a niche market, most people don't care or are happy with reading one Beevor book. Disclaimer: I really, really like ALL content published on this channel.
TIK, the quality of your stuff is not only the high quality of the animations, but the quality of the content you bring (the story and the thought process, your opinion) that sets us to think about the history and discuss it (here, and within our own circles). It is your channel and your choice how to present the information. If this mean less frequent of lower quality animations that's more than fine with me. The real content is the story you bring and what you put in to it, that starts the discussion.
Hi TIK, happy to hear you won't abandon the Battlestorm series forever. Take your time with them... the main value of your channel is the both broad and deep insight in history in all its facets. Shorter regular-ish videos on all kinds of topics that cross your mind, sweetened by an odd battlestorm episode every now and then... is, IMHO perfect for all involved :) you don't owe us nothing. we owe you. thanks. PS: Q&A and/or reaction videos were actually really good to watch...
The bright side is that when you are old, you won't look back and say, "I wasted my life doing nothing." Your voice in WWII is as meaningful to your viewers as books written by Glantz and Beevor are to their readers. For many, the education you're providing is the ONLY knowledge about WWII they'll ever know. You're a vital link in the chain of keeping this information alive and passing it down the generations. I think it would help you and the viewers to make your videos more granular. Four to five minutes is enough for each segment. It's enough for you to get the highlights in, and it would allow you to produce videos, not only about Stalingrad, but diversifying into other areas of WWII. We live in an attention deficit disorder age. People prefer snippets with bursts of information in a few minutes to long videos where the information is more detailed, but spread out over more time.
This is critical. It is doubtful anyone anytime soon will make anything close to Battlestorm...Crusader! Nevermind Stalingrad. Decades later, or more, people will cite 'that one documentary series' long after the name of TIK fades. This is immortality.
I am one of your Patrions. What you are doing with the Stalingrad series is just one of a kind. Do NOT let views or anything else distract you. Stalingrad series will have an end after all. You can then take a break and just do political videos (they won't have an end :D) Battlestorm is a monumental work that will stay there forever and will be watched over and over and over again. I will personally tell my son to watch it all when he grows up. HUGE thanks for what you are doing.
Dear TIK, You have become an accomplished digital media historian. I think your push into historiography (meta-history) is really interesting. The review of military history through the lens how different historians present the narrative is a worthwhile endeavor. Whatever you decide keep up your excellent production.
Regardless how much waiting it takes, each Stalingrad video is a celebration. First, I watch the previous episode for refreshing. Then I reserve uninterrupted time, at night or whenever, and beer to watch and thoroughly enjoy the new episode. It is a perfect pleasure for mind, I cannot express in words how much I enjoy this and how grateful I am for these delights.
Hey TIK, You should put up a pole asking if your viewers listen to your videos in the background or watch it through. I think it could possibly determine if putting up flashy animations up is worth the time and effort. Take it easy and get some rest.
I was never really interested in the military aspect of the war. I'm interested in the philosophical as well as the political themes behind the war, of which I've been trying to find unbiased sources for a while. Your channel has been a huge help for me. I'm happy that you're focusing on your health and I think in the long run, you're going to be less burnt out. I will stick around regardless of content quality.
As someone who has been a subscriber since you had between 10k-30k subs: This video is also why I like your channel; you clearly care about your content and your viewers. This shows your passion. Just keep going the way you see fit and remember to rest!
The ending of the video sums it up perfectly: There will be no channel growth until the Stalingrad is finished. Battlestorm Stalingrad is behemoth of a project and kind of magnum opus of yours. I think there's lots of people that do not even watch it right now, but support the whole idea behind this project. That would also explain why majority of patrons are voting for stalingrad. I think you must acknowledge the fact that for time being there is a chunk of your audience that does treat you more as "person behind the stalingrad series" than a youtuber/content creator. After the final video of the Battlestorm stalingrad, the channel propably will gain bigest reach. Why? Because people will post on reddit or create articles with title "Britishman creates the longest war documentary all by himself" and other staff like this. Especially if you'll encourage your audience to do that :) Then will be the time to be a full-blooded youtuber Also be wary about the political videos. They will gain you an audience, but a very polarized one. Especially if you will create a videos about topics that can interfere in current worldviews of some people. Remember the comments and criticisms under the hitler socialism videos? There will be more of that. Much more. Personally i liked the logistics videos the most, then the economical ones like 1946 "depression". I really like the videos about topics that are often skipped and you are great in explaining them in videos. (Sorry for any errors in text - english is my third language :P Cheers!)
I 100% understand what you mean when you say not every video can be a "good" one, but I'd like to point out that a massive part of what makes your videos great is *you*! Even a video that isn't hyper researched, will almost certainly still be a good video.
That would help, but then that would be less visually appealing, and I've created Battlestorm to be my best work on the military stuff. So if it's not the best I can make it, then it's not Battlestorm. And I don't think the animations are good as they are; I actually think they need to be improved, not reduced.
Choosing one of the largest and longest battles in history didn't help. I do enjoy Stalingrad, but now it's reached familiar territory, it's lost some of its novelty. If you're going to do another Battlestorm, perhaps choose a shorter and less well-known battle.
@@TheImperatorKnight Perhaps there are those in the community who have skills to help you with stuff like graphics creation? Also, in general, give a thought to how ChatGPT might be of help as a productivity booster.
You have high standards, that’s why we rate you and the content so highly. But that doesn’t mean every video needs to be top tier. I’d argue that a “B” grade video from you will still be some of the best historic content on UA-cam. Also don’t feel bad for taking time off, everyone needs to take some time to recharge their batteries and rest can actually improve content as you feel refreshed/how time to think of new ideas. I’ve seen many content creators quit due to burn out, see this as a job and make sure you protect your down time. We will still be here if you publish every other week, your friends and family are more important then views/subscriber numbers.
I would love to see a series on the Chinese civil war since it's becoming so relevant today, and you are the ONLY channel I trust to create a series about it to high enough standards. You stand alone on this entire platform, there's no other channels that compare to what you just did with the Stalingrad series, perhaps no other documentary in History. I know the fans ask too much of you, but it's because you're the only one with this level of quality in your body of work, especially your last Stalingrad collection. I only want to watch documentaries that you make..
I am a 'professional historian' in a sense, although I would not be regarded as such by the academics and the 'published historians'. I also come from a far-left background. I found this channel to be at the same time enjoyable, challenging and interesting. In particular, I have greatly appreciated the Stalingrad series.
An animator is definitely saving you time. You sound like you under value them NGL. Or perhaps I underestimate the complexity of the details you must provide them.
I appreciate all the videos you do. Stumbling across your channel was great for the history/political theory nerd in me. I am a supporter and follower for life. Take what time and schedule you need to keep yourself sane and the channel running and growing. I learn something new with each video. Last week’s Stalingrad video cleared up and explained what really happened better than any book or history class ever has. Thank you for all you do and all information you put out
My husband and I are big fans of your videos about Stalingrad. We are of Slavic origin, so this element of the story is very close and important to us and we did not miss a single episode. So we would like to thank you for such a high quality video. And we are very sorry that their production exhausted you so much. By the way, I had an idea about what could help you get more views. Unfortunately, not many Eastern Europeans speak English as well as we do, but the history of the Eastern Front is one of the most popular in our countries. I am sure that if you could find people who would dub your videos into Russian, they would gain millions of views in the countries of the post-Soviet space. We really hope that you will feel better soon and could find some time to relax, burnout is a terrible condition, as a programmer I know this well
Eastern Europeans speak english in higher percentage than Western European. South of Western Europe, Spain, Portugal, Italy and France are quite bad in foreign languages, north and Scandinavia excells. East EU is quite good at English, especially younger generations, in reality it depends on country. Some learned English or German at school, some more on the east Russian.
I think more Eastern Europeans speak English now than Russian, certainly more are willing to learn English (or some other language) than Russian. The trend started with the end of the USSR but Putin's invasion of Ukraine was the final nail in the coffin.
@@sinisatrlin840 I'm from Ukraine, and while many of my friends can speak English, their proficiency level is not sufficient to understand videos like Battlestorm. Before this war, I had quite a lot of friends from Russia, and the situation was similar. Even for those with a decent command of English, watching historical videos like this can be challenging. For instance, my husband, who works as a tech lead and uses English daily, still needs my assistance when watching TIK's videos because his vocabulary isn't broad enough
@@sinisatrlin840 I believe KatzeCat primarily thought about the ex-USSR states and regions, where the percentage of English speaking persons is still quite lower than other Slavic countries (or Baltics or Romania/Moldova...). That is exactly why she pointed to the Russian dub or sub needed (personally I agree fully). A Russian dub would allow the videos a very deep penetration towards a populace of hundreds of millions, with accurate historical data that, to be honest, most of them have no means to get to at all. The ex-Yugoslavs, Czechs, Slovaks, Bulgarians (Batlics, Romanians too), no problem with the language. The Poles I believe are somewhere in the middle, unfortunately, a move into dubbing or subbing into Polish might be a good idea too but I don't see it economically feasible, could be done by crowdhelping though?!?
@@5anjuro Trend started in 50s Yugoslavia. I learned English and French in elementary school, my sister English and German (yep, in communism). All 6 republics had different schooling systems, western ones lenaed more to the western standards, in some parts of eastern Yu, Russian was learned, but was not major lenguage in schools. Also we could travel more easyly to west than to east.
Hi TIK….. I rarely comment on UTBE…. Please know this….. I am a professional person with a passion for history. That said… the work you do to produce your content is appreciated as well as understood…. I know the work you put into everything you do is top notch….. Like me…. No matter what you say or do will not detract from the fact that you will always make your content perfect…. You can’t help yourself, because you’ve become accustomed to delivering the best…. Not only that….. you are good on screen & credible…. Perhaps a tie up with TV production / producers will get your professionalism and passion to the main screen… Variety Is the key…. WW2 is an expansive subject. & with your passion: I can only think that the content from you would be awesome….. We work to live ! We don’t live to work…. Whatever you do going forward I’ve no doubt it will be amazing. Scale it back & give some of that passion back to your family….. You only have one life on this earth Be amazing as always & don’t be scarred to take a risk & go off piste now & again…. Take care you & yours…. David
I'm very happy with this. Stalingrad has been a journey and the way you keep never missing is incredible to me, it's more than good that you take your time and shave off some pressure to keep up that quality without destroying yourself. I actually quite like those minor videos, especially patreon questions, since they often have some suprise ready, maybe some topic I never really considered before, or something else. You don't owe us a stellar video every week, you owe yourself to be good to yourself, take your time🙌🏼
I'm not a paying subscriber, but even if I were I would say you deserve flexibility with your schedule for your health and sanity. All your content, especially Battlestorm, is well ahead of anything else I've ever seen. It would be a shame to see anything go because of an unachievably high standard for release schedules.
The most important thing is your health. You've provided so much knowledge which makes your channel by far one of the best on UA-cam. It deserves much more attention and subs. If posting constantly let's you keep up with a demanded standard and allows you to live somewhat healthy that's totally fine. Hopefully this system will reach much more people who then see your channel, dig deeper & see the quality content. This would compensate for the quality issue. Masterpieces are rare, not inflationary and we all know to appreciate your work.
Yay!!!! I fully support this decision as its exactly what i suggested in the comments on Patreon and youtube. The vast majority of us much prefer for you to work while more well rested, comfortable and having more time to think about "is this really the case?", rather then racing for the unreal selfimposed monday deadlines. All the best!
Family and personal health first, sir. Your videos are amazing, and it would be sad if you stopped doing them because of some critics that say you repeat yourself or because of trying to keep a pace of one video per week. In fact, you just proved that something like that can't be done, which is good for all to consider. Keep at what your doing, but at a pace in which it doesn't put your health and family in danger. You are famous in my chilean family, so stay safe and live forever. Best regards. 🙂👍
1. Discribe what you're talking about in the heading. 2. Make shorter videos about more specific topics (break big topics into series) 3. Don't worry so much about the algorithm. Just do what you like, the way that suits you. It results in better content. We don't watch your stuff because of the algorithm. We watchbit because we are interested in what you're saying, and how you're saying it (well).
This sounds great! Your "bad" videos sound better than 99% of youtube content, and if they are easier for you to make and makes you well rested and so on, it's a win-win!
I am pleased that you are not giving up on Stalingrad. It is an awesome piece of work and I still look forward to watching each new episode! But I understand that you have to make time for yourself too!
We need you mentally and physically well. Do whatever you must. You are a brilliant researcher and I will personally wait for your videos whenever you post them. I respect your integrity and I am sure that even 10 minutes of your opinion will be worth watching. I wish you the best and I will always be looking forward to learn with you. Thanks for all what I have already learnt. Take your time, breath and we who love knowledge will be here for you.
I’m a little late to this but I thought I’d chime in. I’m definitely here for the battlestorm series and I love what you’re doing with Stalingrad. I really think this will go down as the best documentary on the topic of all time. I know that’s a bit much, but name anything else that comes close to this level of detail. With that said, yes I think you should rest. I’m okay with touching on political/economic topics now and again. If it helps, one thing that stood out to me were your comments on management philosophies. The one where you described the difference between top-down and bottom-up management styles. I (not kidding) liked it so much that I transcribed it and sent it to my boss to describe issues in my workplace. He agreed with the point, and it helped that you said it so well. So if “low quality” means more of that, I couldn’t be happier. Overall, you do some of the best content on UA-cam and anything that helps you to sustain it, I’ll fully support. In fact, I just became a supporter of your Patreon (corps level). Thank you for being so honest with us and for the great videos.
Hi Tik, I very much like the direction you are taking. Work-life balance is not over rated. Also I think you are absolutely right in not expanding your team too quickly. Getting used to the current dynamic while keeping your unique brand will make future expansion easier when you feel it is time. You did mention that a few people suggested adding someone to help write the scripts. When you do move in that direction, I think that finding someone who understands writing a UA-cam script (possibly someone who freelances with other UA-camrs) would be more helpful that finding somebody that only knows history. Having somebody that can take your notes and give you a script in a timely manner might be less of a headache than finding someone to debate the finer nuances of history. Best of luck with the future of your channel. Take care. DEP
Yours is by far the best history channel on UA-cam for the areas you cover. I love the level of detail and insight. You're doing a great job and I hope you put your wellbeing first so you don't get burnt out and can continue to give us great insights at a slower pace I actually think a bit more variety in the types of videos you do would be great and allow us to get a wider perspective whilst requiring a bit less time and effort on your part. I wouldn't call book reviews or shorter economic or political videos bad by any stretch of the imagination, they'd be awesome. I think it all ties together to give a better holistic understanding of what was happening and why and what motivated the people involved when you can cover different aspects and perspectives and that would make the step by step battlefield videos more impactful even though there are slightly less of them. Great work! Really hope you get some rest and don't get yourself burnt out.
Hi TIK, I'm not a Patreon, nor am I some sort of privileged subscriber... Nonetheless, I do feel obligated to give you some advice to take your time and produce as high-quality videos and as often as you want to keep this channel afloat. The point here is that your Stalingrad videos are the best ones out there on the internet. The OKH and Stavka hadn't planned the operations with much attention to different sort of details as you do. It is great content you produce and I wouldn't cancel my subscription even if you release new Stalingrad videos even once a month.
Great decision. Was worried Battlestorm would be discontinued when I saw the poll. Your detailed Military History videos especially battlestorm ar unique in detail and the more detail the more interesting. I guess Stalingrad slowly progresses and only military history interested likes to see them when at that detailed level. Crusader and North African videos are absolutely the best ones. I guess more viewers will follow and enjoy battlestorm when you have finished Stalingrad and return to Africa(North and East) and Korsun. Keep healthy and thanks for all great content!
I’m happy to hear you are gonna take a step back and give yourself some breathing room. The Stalingrad content you make is something I’ve wanted to see since I started learning about the subject back in 2002, and genuinely this channel is the only one I’ve seen that dares to reach this insane level of detail and nuance while still being entertaining.
I assume one month is too late to comment, but I feel like to understand a stalingrad episode, you have to have watched and remember the 40 ones that came before, which is not something that a new viewer that stumbles upon the channel because of one of the economics or politics videos is going to do, we are talking about a very significant time investment. Stalingrad appeals to regulars who have been around for years, so it cannot possibly grow the channel, but is beloved by a big portion of already subscribed people.
Thanks TIK for your work and your effort. Because of you i bought the 3 Glantz Stalingrad books. Their a bit dry to read but its really fascinating to get information that well written first hand. i feel you handing out a bachelor thesis about stalingrad every 2 weeks must be rought never the less your videos are as accurate as it can be and really informative. Your contributions are unfathomable.
Thank you for staying! Your research is useful to me to " set the record straight" here in Northern Indiana as I go head to head with revisionista teachers. I'll take ANY videos you make WHEN you make them, because they are accurate, factual and rational. God Bless You for your love of history, and you're willingness to TEACH it! I was supposed to be a teacher myself, but here in America, it's all politics, therefore, this old USAF Sergeant wasn't welcomed. BUT, having kids I the school system forces me to go on the offensive and correct the " history" these charlatans are " teaching". A salute to you, Sir, from this old Master Sergeant.
The politics and theology stuff is so fascinating because it seems like no one else is talking about it! I’ve always wondered about the politics and religion of the national socialists and all of that
I've been watching your Battlestorm videos for a few years now. I have no hesitation in saying that they are by far the most detailed content I have seen in the long list of options from the WW2 period. My father "infected" me with the interest in the second world war, whenever I see your videos I think of him and I regret not being able to share them with him. Whatever you end up doing, I want you to know that I am grateful (I am sure I am not the only one) for all that effort you have been making with so little reward for your channel. Obviously you have to measure your content with statistics but your Battlestorm series, for me at least, represent something that statistics cannot measure. Thanks TIK for the effort! Excuse my english, not my native tongue, and take care of your health, okay? Best wishes!
I felt it picked up because the Stalingrad series is like a book that's halfway through. A series that have a combined runtime greater than 60-90 minutes will push viewers away. Disclaimer, the Korsum pocket is what brought me here and the story of the Reichsbahn made me a fan.
All of your content is of high quality. You make viewers stop and think about common narratives with your insistence to ask "But is this really the case?" I love watching your Battlestorm series on a larger monitor, but I repeatedly listen to your political and economic talk videos. Controversial topics or points take time to talk out, and more time to have them be understood by the audience. Edit: You have set the bar high for quality for length of video, research, and editing, but it is YOU that is the mark of quality. I would be interested in shorter released videos, historical book reviews, or historical/political/economic chats by you because you have previously shown to take care with your content.
Honestly, the whole Stalingrad project is so overwhelmingly huge and ambitious, as well as being so specific, it's a big mountain to climb not only for you but also for any viewer. Personally, I'm most interested in political and economic stuff, since this is where the real historical meat lies. I haven't yet even touched the Stalingrad series since I'm not yet even familiar enough with the historical context of that battle to even understand it's importance, while the more broad-stroked videos regarding war logistics, economic circumstances, etc., really give some deep insight not even about the WWII, but also history in general, including modern times.
Political and economic stuff that TIK does is sometimes interesting, but it is often amateurish. Stalingrad will be the thing they would remember him for, years from now. If I was at @TIKHistory place, I would offer it to Russian Academy of Science, as a major contribution to Russian culture.
Perfect is the death of good. Vids don't have to be perfect, they don't even have to be great. Quite often good is good enough. Setting high standards doesn't require you to meet them everytime, but it does tend to keep you from sliding into bad. All that really matters is that you do the best you can with what you have to work with and that means budgeting your time and energy so you know how much of that you have to work with and not overextending yourself by trying to do too much. Sounds like you have a workable plan. Good luck.
Hello TIK, I just want to let you know that your hard work is greatly appreciated. As a life long WWII history student, your level of detail in your BattleStorm videos has given me greater insight into this piece of history. Thanks for all your hard work. Will continue to watch, and look forward to all your videos whenever they are released Cheers
Tik you are a one man band and I've said before the quality of your shows are phenomenal if a slightly less professional output means you don't burn out and stop the channel then i am very much ok with that. I found you through war content and have learnt a great deal from listening to what you have found rather than the accepted narrative we were brought up on. Keep up the brilliant work Tik but allow yourself a life to mate, take care, Clint.
Look... We have been watching you for how long? Five, six years? You are not some youtuber, you are a family. We like to hear your voice, to know that you are feeling well and that's it. Make whatever video you want - I will watch it. On Sundays, I watch WWII history guy from my country and he is always telling the same things, but I like his voice and it's good to stay in the topic. Trust me, don't be a perfectionist. You have proven your value already.
TIK, listening to you talk and give your opinion about a subject IS high quality video! As a history undergrad student you had lectures but you also had tutorials. Not every talk needs an animated map - look at Perun, who basically gets by with powerpoint style presentations! I'm just happy to accept your output and listen to your views!
I've been watching your channel for some years for free. I've joined your Patreon some months ago. Cannot remember any single video of you that dissapointed me. The worst of your output is always entertaining and interesting. The best is absolutely exhilarating. A 'bad' video every few weeks won't make my monday date with you less eagerly anticipated. You have my full support, whatever you do. Stick to TIK
None of your content is bad content. You release well informed, good content every time you do. I like listening to your videos while falling asleep so the videos where you just talk about a book or something like that would be perfect. I assume im not the only one that does this.
I enjoy the Stalingrad Battlestorms. However, I don't want you to ruin your health and livelihood doing them. I also enjoy the videos that cover things such as Hitlers Gnosticism and the political and economic videos. I look forward each Monday to your latest video. To close, I will watch whatever you decide to upload as I am sure that you will do a great job on any video that you provide. Thanks again for all your videos!
Im and my friends who love your channel from USA so time difference might be why look lower. I hope your decision well help with channel and your health keep up good work and your self Tik much love ❤❤❤
Hey man take your time. First off stalingrad is a beast of a battle to cover. At times it can be in my opinion, slow and repetitive and honestly it's just hard to make interesting. Is it a pivotal battle in world war II hell yes but it is a tough one to cover in the detail that you like to cover things. ( which isn't a slight by the way I appreciate the amount of work you do) Once Stalingrad is done take a break and maybe next time, pick a battle that's not quite as intensive as Stalingrad. Hell take a break from WWII and read up on other battles from other wars. Maybe something like the first Indochina war or Korea or Vietnam or basically any war from the Cold War period.
I think this is the best decision probably. Personally I mostly watch for Battlestorm but I also watch most of the extra stuff as well. While I love Battlestorm Stalingrad it must be said that yes, there is some fatigue just due to the lack of a scene change. With Battlestorm Crusader or Battlestorm Market Garden you can skip an hour in any direction and the battlefield is totally different. In Stalingrad the offensives are much slower with hundreds more units which I think contributes to this slow down. Not to say any of it’s been “boring” but the big flashy movements are much rarer and take a lot longer.
I think this is the correct decision TIK; It strikes a good compromise between viewers who want different types of content, appeases the WuTube overlords, and lowers (even if only by a small amount) your workload and stress burden. What I would say is this: Please don’t feel guilty about uploading what you perceive as ‘low-effort’ content- I guarantee most of us don’t see it that way. Your videos have become something I genuinely look forward to every week; I hope I can speak for many in saying that, regardless of what you post, we will always enjoy your content!
Yeah I realise now that a lot of the negative comments I've received have come from these two groups rather than my own viewers. I need to ignore them.
Your outstanding Stalingrad videos are a contribution to the historic record. You’ve examined a watershed moment so a break wouldn’t be a tragedy. I’ll be following in all events, but hope to see as many Stalingrad videos as you can manage. Meanwhile, take care of your well being. I’ll be upping my Patreon.
I didn’t vote in the poll. I found your channel recently. Your military videos are great but I think what really sets you apart for me is your deep breakdown of politics, economics, and the ideologies that surround them. How you break down these down in detail from definitions and throughout different time periods and cultures is incredible. Your public vs private, incredible. Your inflation of Germany’s [currency], and the explanations of the pressures of other large banking systems around the world applying similar pressures to move to paper, Incredible. Your breakdown of ancap recently another great example of how you can learn, think out loud, critique, and ask thoughtful questions is amazing. Every time you build out your definitions, your underlying logic, and apply to the situation adding further context throughout. I have never seen any video style like it in real time, and it is the thing that makes you different. It’s no that your other videos aren’t great, but no one has your style in the regards to those other videos. I think that is you addressing a niche. Hope that helps, and your content is incredible.
The indubitable fact is that Battlestorm is a massive work of art. A lot of people love all the little details you worked tirelessly researching and include in your masterpiece. The sad reality is that people nowadays can’t sit still long enough to finish an episode. That’s why tiktok is so popular with the younger crowd. Short form videos, and the fact that it’s a CCP psyop that the targeted can’t refuse. Whatever format this channel takes moving forward, please know that many of us who have been here for a while are very proud of your channel and your work. We are also proud of you as a person and appreciate your struggles. Be well, my friend. We support you.
I like the Battlestorm content, but I tend to put off watching them "later" because they are so long, detailed, and well-made that I know that I need to be focused for them. Not only that, but since it's a series, I need to invest more time into catching up. So I end up mostly watching the "one-off" videos on other subjects, whether it's economics, Q&A, other events of WW2, or politics. Also, long series of videos tend to do worse than short ones or one-off videos since there's a drop-off in viewers with every video. PS: I'm really grateful for your work. It's been really eye-opening for me to see how wrong the main narrative about WW2 was.
TIK, I find you a brilliant scholar who delivers knowledge and critical thinking to your audience. I doubt any publication you make for this channel would be lacking. Reasonable people will understand that like all of us, you must balance work, life, and other. Do the best you can and your audience will be there.
I saw another comment from a supporter on your earlier video about "being done". I can't remember the exact comment but it goes along the line of: "We're here not because you do what we like. We're here because we like what you do." I actually enjoy the variety of topics you cover around the core subject matter of WWII. Don't be so hard on yourself. Just surprise us!
Thank you TIK. The thing that first attracted me to your channel was the fact that it wasn't the "same-old-same-old". You videos on logistics etc are just great. That said, your health, (and sanity), are what is most important. Take whatever break you need.
I am okay with shorter videos, and I think you will find that keeping them short will train your mind into focusing on the salient issues and filter those topics that can be set aside for future videos. You also are great at answering the fools that constantly ping and challenge you. Part of the intent is to keep you in a spin cycle for the purpose of burning you out, so that you will give up. You will never change their mind. Shorter videos will reach out and help people that might sit on the fence.
I think you should finish your project Battle Storm Stalingrad There is nothing worse that unfinished projects. Please don't allow politics distort your historical presentations. Thank you for your hard work.
The Stalingrad series is always super impressive, and could be considered a flagship for any channel But compared to your National Socialism was Socialism videos (especially the 5 hours one), it somehow pales in comparison, lol. When I introduced your channel to a friend, that's actually what I mentionned first.
First of all...Thank you so much for everything that you do, this part of history is soooo important to learn from and taking on ANY historical analysis of the either world war in the way that you do is truly an act of selflessness. I am not one of your Patreon supporters only because money for my family the last couple years has been very tight and I can't give to the people that I want to. I'm sure you (and maybe other supporters have mentioned this) can see the ironic parallels between the slog which all of the people fighting in the Stalingrad campaign and your campaign to present a comprehensive history of the battle. Don't let the Stalingrad series become YOUR Stalingrad! Without being critical, I have noticed a very apparent change in your demeanor over especially the last few months. You look like a weight has been laid upon you, and you are just tired. Your voice has changed a bit, and even your face. DO NOT LET THIS KILL YOU! Personally I've been literally worried about you for awhile. I am one of your minority viewers who watches the Stalingrad videos the second you drop onto UTube (I think I've watched each video at least a half dozen times, if not more), and though your decision will leave me and others possibly wanting a bit....you are making the right decision here! I can't wait to see what else you give us. Thank you again Tik, keep it up, and always remember that you are loved.
I fully support your decision, and I hope it allows you to devote more time to taking care of yourself. Keep doing your amazing work, but always keep in mind that perfect is the enemy of good!
New schedule sounds good to me. Do what you can without stressing yourself. Your content is always great, and more importantly, unique. I never miss one of your videos and as long as I can afford it, I will gladly continue to support you on Patreon. Best of luck to you.
So TIK's Minecraft Let's Plays when? Jokes aside, I've always seen the quality of your videos based not only on the research you do, but also on the way you are able to put things into words and the way you reason on stuff. So I would say that books reviews and opinion pieces are not necessarily low quality videos, they're just a different thing where you can still show your skill but don't have to read a million sources
TIK playing games inspired by or taking place in WWII and commenting on the historical accuracy of them might actually be pretty good content with less effort invested and with an appeal to a wider audience..
Long time subscriber, never commented. I can say I chose that option in the poll, however for me personally I like seeing the politics inside the werhmacht and red army . That's the most interesting part of the battlestorms and anything else I have seen on your channel. Don't worry about letting people down - that can be mitigated with posts and such in the community section.
politics and economics are my main attraction to your work. Your archiving of your scripts have been helpful, please keep doing this great service i never knew i wanted from an uploader.
TIK, we all care about your wellbeing and appreciate your work. In the course of taking care of yourself, you’ll get your passion and enthusiasm back and that will always reflect into your work. It’s laudable that you set high standards, but you must find a balance. I’m encouraged by the changes that you are planning on making and wish you the very best. Cheers.
All the videos from you I’ve ever watched have been fantastic!! Even just hearing you give your answers to patreon questions is entertaining to me. We enjoy your content and i for one think you should have the time and energy to appreciate your content as well. If you need to post a short form video a few mondays I’ll still happily watch, if you miss a Monday due to taking a break I’ll rewatch some old videos until there’s a new one. I think most of us want you to relax and enjoy yourself the way we get to when you post a video for us, last thing I’ll say is thank you for the amazing content you’ve given us thus far!!
Tik, I absolutely love your 'Bad' content, especially if it relieves you from that intensity of 'Perfection' - You must be flexible in this position, for you're no good to anyone, especially to yourself, sleep-deprived, demotivated, and despising a tank every time you hear the mention of its name. You must pace yourself well, sometimes that does mean you fall short of your expectations that time but there'll be a tomorrow thereafter to come back stronger to your expectations. Sometimes also, it takes one to take a step back to realize what was good in their mode of working and contrast it with the seemingly meeker content. But do take a day every now and again for Friends And Family; My faith in your audience that truly matter will certainly understand that.
As difficult as it is for you to accept, you are a perfectionist and that comes at a cost. Dont seek permission as this will only confuse your current conflict. You create outstanding video content and I believe that people will continue to watch view your work regardless of the rating you give yourself on it. THIS IS YOU R CHANNEL.... You decide, and go with what works for you financially and also having a work life balance. You have given immesurably MORE than many will in a lifetime. THANK YOU!
I've known of TIK for roughly 10 years now, he knows me under my personal name, as we played games with eachother beforehand. He's an extremely hard working man and deserves some rest. Rest up my guy
Good to see you still around 👍 I miss the gaming days. Close Combat, Panzer Corps... Simpler times.
@TheImperatorKnight not enough time to play games for tik? 😥 Manstein wasn't complaining of "burn out" when he was holding down the line on the eastern front now was he
Absolutely! I love his work!
Do short videos comparing todays politics with mid century politics. Your channel will rocket like a V2 over Dover
Are you telling us that Rodmorg is *not* your Christian name???
TIK, in my opinion, the reason that your channel doesn’t get as many views as other channels that deal with the same genre is BECAUSE of the quality and depth you provide, not despite it.
Most people simply don’t have the attention spans or dedication required to truly absorb the detail you provide and exhaustive research that you do.
This is absolutely no reflection on you at all, of all of the WWII history channels that I watch, yours is leagues ahead of the rest. It takes a fair bit of dedication to watch your videos and to truly understand the implications and detail behind every conclusion that you reach. I can only imagine how much time and effort it takes to produce these masterpieces. On top of that, you remain humble and self-effacing, I’m sure I’m not alone in saying that I have an incredible respect and admiration for you and your work.
Don’t beat yourself up, you’re the best at what you do and you are genuinely appreciated by those who subscribe to your work. The travesty is that you’re not consulted as an expert source by mainstream documentary and film makers.
Quite true. I'll actually delay watching a Tik video if I'm feeling tired, because I want to be fully alert to take it all on board.
True but better performance is better reach and got someone onboard like me recently 🤷♂️
Personally I usually watch every video twice and I put time aside both times to get all details. They are a heavy drug, not to be taken lightly.
Truth! I have to watch his videos two or three times over the course of a week or two, to even begin to soak it all in, they're so information dense and higher in quality (by an order of magnitude) than other content creators in this space.
Keep up the excellent work TIK! Don't kill yourself to maintain a frequent upload schedule. I can't process it that fast anyway. 😅
Yeah. This is some of the most high quality history content I've ever seen. Most people can't handle it.
I am 63 years old and owner of hundreds of history books. I have been reading and studying military history since third grade. Your Stalingrad videos are simply amazing. Nothing anywhere compares to this work. In depth battle books and videos are normally not interesting to the majority of people, so I am not surprised that Stalingrad videos are not as popular as your other excellent videos. With that said, I suggest that you continue with Stalingrad and other future topics like it, not just to keep history nerds like myself in bliss watching, but do them knowing that you are producing a product that is far and away above the standard video. A legacy to be proud of when you are 63. The answer is to just not make so many of them and come out with a video, say every quarter. I thank you for all of your hard work and dedication to the topic and to your viewers. If and when my finances improve, I will become a Patreon member. Whatever your income from U-Tube is, it is not enough. You deserve much more. Take care of yourself and God Bless.
One "every quarter"...
in other words, create a shortage to build hype and _'sell'_ the product to a more anticipating audience. 😄
Your hard work makes a document of outstanding quality. You really should be proud of that.
I' ve been reading about the war on the eastern front for over 35 years now, went to Stalingrad myself in 2017, made for this trip a document by combining historic facts and details of at least 6 books together, but each Battlestorm releases a very lot of new detailed information.
It is really a great achievement, for which you, at some later stage, certainly will be very very proud of.
I don't know the exact solution to the situation you're discribing, but I sincerely hope the Battlestorm series will bring it to the 2nd of februari 1943 or maybe beyond.
Never ever I've seen or read such a detailed document.
I kave to agree, except I'm about 6 years older. If you need a video every week (or so) to keep the tube at bay and money coming in, do enough to acomplish that while you take the time to do your quality content.
@@tsd_ju7084 except in TIKs case it wouldn't be hype.
Years ago a builder told me of the building triangle - Quality - Cheap - Fast - you can have any two of those three but trying to have all three will fail. TIK has been providing Quality output for free AND been trying to keep up with YTs demands for more and more. No one wants him to burn out, S O D YT - Thank you to TIK. I would sign up to a new university tube website dedicated to uploaders of his quality. As it UA-cam University sort of exists despite YT.
I became a Patreon member and said to hell with my budget. Get her done.
Tik you are a legend and spearheading a genre here on YT. Thanks for the transparency and give yourself some slack. Happiness and balance is key. Health and energy is key. You need a life too. With this regained you’ll maintain high quality content and nobody would feel offended if there was only a single long form in-depth video per month. Keep it up, look after yourself and reconnect with yourself and the joy you have doing what you do. People sharing your passion will follow you regardless.
No thats dr F. He has the most unbiased historical videos
I used to work in radio and would struggle sometimes when I couldn’t get a promo done to the level I wanted. I was grumbling to someone there about it and they told me “Don’t let perfect be the enemy of good.” I thought it was excellent advice, and now I’m passing it on to you. Do what you need to be healthy and stay sane. We’ll be here.
Great, great advice given here to TIK, Sir! I thank you for that!!
😳 Indeed 👏👏🙏
I have studied Stalingrad for 40 years by reading most of the same books you have. You have provided the most complete analysis ever. Just like the actual battle, it draws you into such detail,just like the German general staff, the flanks and casualties were ignored to get to the end goal. You have been brilliant. Take your time to keep an even keel, mentally, physically, and emotionally. Your content has been amazing about Stalingrad. Thank you for your efforts. 100 yrs from now historians will use your content to further explore the greatest battle in history, and add to it.
Yes, there's nothing on the internet anywhere that is as detailed and analytical. Absolutely amazing, both Stalingrad and Crusader series. It is weird however how a lot of peole in various ww2 online communities never heard of this channel and once I show them a video or two it's like "where the fck was this guy hiding all this time, it's awesome!".
I have done a world’s worth of research over almost 2 decades on WW2, the socio economics of the time period along with the prevailing ideologies that lay behind it.
I have NEVER come across such an intricate, detailed and well put together presentation on any part of it as he has done here. And this is just 1 battle (ok well, given a very long battle).
It has given me a much more nuanced understanding of the battle. Which I now wish could be done for the entire war.
Honestly most people (I know I did) see a video about a topic theyve already seen and dont watch it. There just are a massive amount of stalingrad videos already out. Even if it is the best of all of them, I dont really know this channel personally so I assume it is of similar quality and skip it.
I couldn't agree more! The Stalingrad video detail is what makes it all worthwhile. Thank you so much take care of yourself and keep up the great work. You have something special that other sites just do not have
@@FidelisRaven
It would be good if UA-cam promoted him more.
It's unfortunate that they're so capricious and arbitrary.
That is TOTALLY acceptable. The only change for us is the space between 2 videos. We lose nothing by waiting a little more! We have tons of ways to keep busy in the meantime.
I actually like channels with tons of space between quality videos. It allows me to consume 100% of my favorite creators. I probably favor those who create less often so I can be the completist nature intended me to be.
Keep on the awesome work!
@Bobby Luo I agree with you
Completely agree - but I think Tik said this would count against his channel as 'the algorithm' is looking for weekly videos. That's a shame as I can understand why two weeks is more realistic for the level of work being put into these videos. In any event I will continue to support the channel and look forward to the updates - whether that's with one, two or three weeks intervals! 👍
@@dekyras This is why I hate some aspects of Google/Facecrap. YT just wants more eyes on its wretched adverts, it doesn't care about quality. I DO and TIKs quality is undoubted.
One quality video ever quarter, of which one in three is battlestorm type (multi-part in depth analysis) GTs I'll follow him for decades.
This particular video does a good job of exposing YES contempt for both its users and providers.
I think you've made a very practical decision. Remember that you set standards and judge yourself more harshly than your audience does. We just like your content. And honestly, if sometimes a video is just you talking to the camera about what you're reading and your thoughts about it, that's cool! It gives the rest of us something to think about.
My response was deleted by UA-cam.
Indeed, normal people, normal fans, if a "bad" video comes out they watch, they shrug, and they come back next week anyways. They might say "last week wasn't so interesting". Its pathological, "perpetually online" people who get fussy about it. Everyone has an artist, musician, or TV episode that they can say wasn't as good. But its part of the conversation.
You're being very transparent in this video. One thing I don't hear you mention is whether or not you financially need to keep creating. It almost seems as if you're under pressure you because you actually need to keep the channel running at the same level. I don't know. That's your business. But if you're not financially dependent on your channel operating at the level it has, why not just publish with less frequency? I have a background in television production. It takes significant resources to create video content regularly. It's a flaw of youtube's business model to expect their popular content creators to churn out product with such frequency. Suggestions: 1. Maybe you could hire an editor, not a video editor but a content editor who would make the work easier. 2 Hire a co-author. 3. Publish less 4. Create a new commentary series where you just share some simple thoughts about your work. It would be a filler series that doesn't take a lot of effort to create (similar to this video you just posted). Just some thoughts. I love your channel but reclaim your life.
Something to be aware of is that what the UA-cam algorithm wants changes year by year from my basic observations. In 2018-2019 UA-cam loved daily uploads iirc, but in 2021-2022 it seems to have preferred weekly. In general the only constant is that it likes consistency. I totally wouldn't mind if you made your uploads every other week, in fact I might prefer it as to make it easier to stay on top of them all.
The UA-cam algorithm literally has a mind of its own. Not even UA-cam can predict this shit.
Absolutely agree, I'm here for TIK if he goes bi-weekly and surely that would be best for him. With UA-cam, I've noticed that lately they are pushing creators toward the shorts, which I don't see TIK espousing. It's horrible to see my fave UA-camrs, who happen to be maths ones, having to feed this format, which doesn't suit their material at all.
Don’t let the UA-cam algorithm dictate your life, you’re producing exceptional content, some will like it others don’t, that’s how life is. Go with the Flow TIK.
Thing is though, the algorithm does not reward youtubers for being original or trying new things. It wants you to stick with what you're doing already. Or worse, it punishes you for doing long content when it wants to push shorts Which is why many youtubers start additional channels. And art for art's sake becomes pretty dreary once your statistics show that your viewers and subs are declining. If you want to stay motivated you need positive feedback. Seeing your channel do well is positive feedback.
As one of the Patreons, I do not expect videos every week. But I do want military history videos with high quality and you are a master in this area. Once a month is sufficent. Your Battlestorms are the reason I am a Patreon. If you do short military histories as well once a week besides that, that is only a bonus but not necessary. If you take a break one week, just do it man. You gotta live as well. We want the highest quality possible and no one out there are better than you when it comes to WWII-history and your Battlestorms (both the shorter and the longer ones) are awesome.
Looking forward when Battle Storm "Schisselsnitt" (Ardennes 1940) are coming out some time in the distant future!
Not to be harsh, but libertarians enyoying your libertarian politician work at UA-cam are probably the crowd not giving any money. So stick to bloody tanks TIK!😉
You have a solid fanbase of military historic crowd. So I fully support your decision to draw down, the most "important" crowd - the core - we will still watch your vids even if they are not spred by algorithms. I am spreading the word about you among other who are into military history and especially WWII!
I agree with this post.
The battlestorm series is of a depth you don't usually see on UA-cam.
I don't know anything else like it.
Same goes for me. I don't need a new video every week. I came here because of the quality and the depth about Stalingrad. And I also see that the research about Stalingrad takes a lot of time.
@@gogojoob
Absolutely.
It's really remarkable to get such a thorough account from an Anglophone source of an iconic battle where no UK or US soldiers fought.
For all his idiosyncrasies we're extremely lucky to have TIK.
I further support this post.
I personally love the Stalingrad series and am a bit surprised it does so poorly.
That said I sometimes dont watch the latest upload for almost a week until Ive set aside a time I can watch and pay attention, not just have it on in the background.
I will continue being a patron if only once a month upload no problem!
Also I agree, I doubt the libertarian viewers are the ones paying the bills.
Agree 100% with this. The military stuff is really high quality and there are no faults in it.
The political and economic stuff has huge holes in it but I understand that the libertarian and maybe even the alt-right audience will cheer them because it supports their narrative.
Your "bad" content is still absolutely amazing and extremely informative. Battlestorm Stalingrad for me is sooooo good and detailed its a legitimate historical work like a large primary source document.
Take a break, go outside, touch grass (unironicly), hang out with you friends and get a tan! Cheers mate!
My reply would echo yours dude....I'll stay subscribed, and I'll watch whatever you give us Tik....Scott Ritter recently visited Stalingrad...the Mamaev Kurgan.....
I think reducing the frequency of the Battlestorm Stalingrad videos to maybe one every five or six weeks is a good compromise. That paired with the less puritanically perfect videos every week would ease up the pressure put on you.
You’re releasing some of the most detailed, in-depth videos on these topics on the platform. The fact that you still have leeway to reduce the quality and maintain the top spot speaks volumes. So go easy on yourself.
Stay motivated, brother.
Are you *still* fighting in Stalingrad?! 😉
But all jokes aside, I think I speak for many of your viewers when I say that initially I came for ‘the tanks’, but stayed for the politics and ideology videos. That said, I completely respect your decision to prioritise the Battlestorm videos if you believe that’s best for your channel. In any case, please pace yourself and take whatever time you need, I would be happy to wait a little longer between videos. Never forget that you are amazing!!
SUGGESTIONS for "not 100% perfect videos":
You can make videos answering Q&A like you used to but also shorter videos on random topics that you find interesting.
You also can take bigger topics that would go into a longer video and break them into parts, especially if the video is over 10 minutes long.
Then you can post a single video containing all the parts if you want.
You also can do book reviews where you go over a book, chapter by chapter (or a couple chapters per video) explaining the main ideas, reading select quotes, and giving context / criticism.
I personally would find that an invaluable resource as someone who doesn't get around to reading much.
For instance, you have a couple of books (vampire economy etc) that you have referenced often. That would make an interesting read.
It would be like a book club / classroom analysis and you can incorporate comments from your viewers into the analysis or give feedback on them as we all explore the topic of the book.
Even if you completely agree with a comment, people love when big channels interact with the comments which is a place you can incorporate it into your video.
I don't know if you read the Gulag Archipelago but that is a book I would find interesting as well, but I know that in your videos you often refer to a couple books on economics or battle in NZ germany or SVT Russia which is where most of the audience would be probably interested in your expertise.
There are a lot of ideas for increasing the number of videos while producing interesting videos without them requiring an amazing amount of research because many of us are not too familiar with what you are much better aquainted.
God bless and don't burn yourself out.
If it can't be perfect, why try 😂😊
Go tik
He has made his point :D
Excellent points about breaking up longer videos into multiple parts that can then also be posted as a whole. TIK should also consider making "shorts" from
As a regular viewer of this channel, i have to say that i do like every type of video you publish (economics, non battlestorm military videos, Battlestorm, politics, etc). I think the jewel of this channel is the Stalingrad series and as such, quality should always be the priority, no matter how long it takes to release. Even once a month would be fine, as you said, most of your financial support comes from the Battlestorm viewers. They will keep supporting the channel. You can publish shorter and less demanding videos every week about the other topics (economics, politics, etc.) To keep the regularity of the channel.
By the way, i want to say that your health, friends, family and private life comes first, so take all the time you think you need to rest, chill, or do other activities. Very few creators provide the quality you do.
You have pushed quality and details of Battlestorm videos to the next level. There is no competition out there, you have outpaced them by 100 lightyears.
It's a niche market, most people don't care or are happy with reading one Beevor book.
Disclaimer: I really, really like ALL content published on this channel.
Lol. Most people think Stalingrad is the name of a German heavy metal band.
Say no more.
How about OKW will make you a Field-Marchal if you don't give up in Stalingrad? It's pretty much very close to the end anyway. 🙂👍
TIK, the quality of your stuff is not only the high quality of the animations, but the quality of the content you bring (the story and the thought process, your opinion) that sets us to think about the history and discuss it (here, and within our own circles). It is your channel and your choice how to present the information. If this mean less frequent of lower quality animations that's more than fine with me. The real content is the story you bring and what you put in to it, that starts the discussion.
Hi TIK, happy to hear you won't abandon the Battlestorm series forever. Take your time with them... the main value of your channel is the both broad and deep insight in history in all its facets. Shorter regular-ish videos on all kinds of topics that cross your mind, sweetened by an odd battlestorm episode every now and then... is, IMHO perfect for all involved :)
you don't owe us nothing. we owe you. thanks.
PS: Q&A and/or reaction videos were actually really good to watch...
The bright side is that when you are old, you won't look back and say, "I wasted my life doing nothing." Your voice in WWII is as meaningful to your viewers as books written by Glantz and Beevor are to their readers. For many, the education you're providing is the ONLY knowledge about WWII they'll ever know. You're a vital link in the chain of keeping this information alive and passing it down the generations. I think it would help you and the viewers to make your videos more granular. Four to five minutes is enough for each segment. It's enough for you to get the highlights in, and it would allow you to produce videos, not only about Stalingrad, but diversifying into other areas of WWII. We live in an attention deficit disorder age. People prefer snippets with bursts of information in a few minutes to long videos where the information is more detailed, but spread out over more time.
This is critical. It is doubtful anyone anytime soon will make anything close to Battlestorm...Crusader! Nevermind Stalingrad. Decades later, or more, people will cite 'that one documentary series' long after the name of TIK fades. This is immortality.
Perfect ❤
I am one of your Patrions. What you are doing with the Stalingrad series is just one of a kind. Do NOT let views or anything else distract you. Stalingrad series will have an end after all. You can then take a break and just do political videos (they won't have an end :D) Battlestorm is a monumental work that will stay there forever and will be watched over and over and over again. I will personally tell my son to watch it all when he grows up. HUGE thanks for what you are doing.
Dear TIK, You have become an accomplished digital media historian. I think your push into historiography (meta-history) is really interesting. The review of military history through the lens how different historians present the narrative is a worthwhile endeavor. Whatever you decide keep up your excellent production.
Regardless how much waiting it takes, each Stalingrad video is a celebration. First, I watch the previous episode for refreshing. Then I reserve uninterrupted time, at night or whenever, and beer to watch and thoroughly enjoy the new episode. It is a perfect pleasure for mind, I cannot express in words how much I enjoy this and how grateful I am for these delights.
Hey TIK, You should put up a pole asking if your viewers listen to your videos in the background or watch it through. I think it could possibly determine if putting up flashy animations up is worth the time and effort. Take it easy and get some rest.
I was never really interested in the military aspect of the war. I'm interested in the philosophical as well as the political themes behind the war, of which I've been trying to find unbiased sources for a while. Your channel has been a huge help for me. I'm happy that you're focusing on your health and I think in the long run, you're going to be less burnt out. I will stick around regardless of content quality.
Came for the excellent historical analysis, stayed for the awesome political and economics videos. Keep it up, TIK! 💯
Same
Ditto.
Same.
As someone who has been a subscriber since you had between 10k-30k subs: This video is also why I like your channel; you clearly care about your content and your viewers. This shows your passion. Just keep going the way you see fit and remember to rest!
The ending of the video sums it up perfectly: There will be no channel growth until the Stalingrad is finished.
Battlestorm Stalingrad is behemoth of a project and kind of magnum opus of yours. I think there's lots of people that do not even watch it right now, but support the whole idea behind this project. That would also explain why majority of patrons are voting for stalingrad.
I think you must acknowledge the fact that for time being there is a chunk of your audience that does treat you more as "person behind the stalingrad series" than a youtuber/content creator.
After the final video of the Battlestorm stalingrad, the channel propably will gain bigest reach. Why? Because people will post on reddit or create articles with title "Britishman creates the longest war documentary all by himself" and other staff like this. Especially if you'll encourage your audience to do that :) Then will be the time to be a full-blooded youtuber
Also be wary about the political videos. They will gain you an audience, but a very polarized one. Especially if you will create a videos about topics that can interfere in current worldviews of some people. Remember the comments and criticisms under the hitler socialism videos? There will be more of that. Much more.
Personally i liked the logistics videos the most, then the economical ones like 1946 "depression". I really like the videos about topics that are often skipped and you are great in explaining them in videos.
(Sorry for any errors in text - english is my third language :P Cheers!)
I 100% understand what you mean when you say not every video can be a "good" one, but I'd like to point out that a massive part of what makes your videos great is *you*! Even a video that isn't hyper researched, will almost certainly still be a good video.
Fewer animated maps, more static maps, might help with the time crunch. As far as which content to produce, make what you want to make.
That would help, but then that would be less visually appealing, and I've created Battlestorm to be my best work on the military stuff. So if it's not the best I can make it, then it's not Battlestorm. And I don't think the animations are good as they are; I actually think they need to be improved, not reduced.
@@TheImperatorKnightThe animations are amazing.
Choosing one of the largest and longest battles in history didn't help. I do enjoy Stalingrad, but now it's reached familiar territory, it's lost some of its novelty. If you're going to do another Battlestorm, perhaps choose a shorter and less well-known battle.
Gazala will be after Stalingrad
@@TheImperatorKnight Perhaps there are those in the community who have skills to help you with stuff like graphics creation? Also, in general, give a thought to how ChatGPT might be of help as a productivity booster.
You have high standards, that’s why we rate you and the content so highly. But that doesn’t mean every video needs to be top tier. I’d argue that a “B” grade video from you will still be some of the best historic content on UA-cam. Also don’t feel bad for taking time off, everyone needs to take some time to recharge their batteries and rest can actually improve content as you feel refreshed/how time to think of new ideas. I’ve seen many content creators quit due to burn out, see this as a job and make sure you protect your down time. We will still be here if you publish every other week, your friends and family are more important then views/subscriber numbers.
I would love to see a series on the Chinese civil war since it's becoming so relevant today, and you are the ONLY channel I trust to create a series about it to high enough standards. You stand alone on this entire platform, there's no other channels that compare to what you just did with the Stalingrad series, perhaps no other documentary in History. I know the fans ask too much of you, but it's because you're the only one with this level of quality in your body of work, especially your last Stalingrad collection. I only want to watch documentaries that you make..
That's why I wonder if he has other periods or interests. WW2 is super important, but I can't help but feeling the TIK touch can be applied elsewhere.
I am a 'professional historian' in a sense, although I would not be regarded as such by the academics and the 'published historians'. I also come from a far-left background. I found this channel to be at the same time enjoyable, challenging and interesting. In particular, I have greatly appreciated the Stalingrad series.
An animator is definitely saving you time. You sound like you under value them NGL. Or perhaps I underestimate the complexity of the details you must provide them.
I appreciate all the videos you do. Stumbling across your channel was great for the history/political theory nerd in me. I am a supporter and follower for life. Take what time and schedule you need to keep yourself sane and the channel running and growing. I learn something new with each video. Last week’s Stalingrad video cleared up and explained what really happened better than any book or history class ever has. Thank you for all you do and all information you put out
My husband and I are big fans of your videos about Stalingrad. We are of Slavic origin, so this element of the story is very close and important to us and we did not miss a single episode. So we would like to thank you for such a high quality video. And we are very sorry that their production exhausted you so much. By the way, I had an idea about what could help you get more views. Unfortunately, not many Eastern Europeans speak English as well as we do, but the history of the Eastern Front is one of the most popular in our countries. I am sure that if you could find people who would dub your videos into Russian, they would gain millions of views in the countries of the post-Soviet space. We really hope that you will feel better soon and could find some time to relax, burnout is a terrible condition, as a programmer I know this well
Eastern Europeans speak english in higher percentage than Western European.
South of Western Europe, Spain, Portugal, Italy and France are quite bad in foreign languages, north and Scandinavia excells. East EU is quite good at English, especially younger generations, in reality it depends on country. Some learned English or German at school, some more on the east Russian.
I think more Eastern Europeans speak English now than Russian, certainly more are willing to learn English (or some other language) than Russian. The trend started with the end of the USSR but Putin's invasion of Ukraine was the final nail in the coffin.
@@sinisatrlin840 I'm from Ukraine, and while many of my friends can speak English, their proficiency level is not sufficient to understand videos like Battlestorm. Before this war, I had quite a lot of friends from Russia, and the situation was similar. Even for those with a decent command of English, watching historical videos like this can be challenging. For instance, my husband, who works as a tech lead and uses English daily, still needs my assistance when watching TIK's videos because his vocabulary isn't broad enough
@@sinisatrlin840 I believe KatzeCat primarily thought about the ex-USSR states and regions, where the percentage of English speaking persons is still quite lower than other Slavic countries (or Baltics or Romania/Moldova...). That is exactly why she pointed to the Russian dub or sub needed (personally I agree fully). A Russian dub would allow the videos a very deep penetration towards a populace of hundreds of millions, with accurate historical data that, to be honest, most of them have no means to get to at all.
The ex-Yugoslavs, Czechs, Slovaks, Bulgarians (Batlics, Romanians too), no problem with the language. The Poles I believe are somewhere in the middle, unfortunately, a move into dubbing or subbing into Polish might be a good idea too but I don't see it economically feasible, could be done by crowdhelping though?!?
@@5anjuro Trend started in 50s Yugoslavia. I learned English and French in elementary school, my sister English and German (yep, in communism). All 6 republics had different schooling systems, western ones lenaed more to the western standards, in some parts of eastern Yu, Russian was learned, but was not major lenguage in schools.
Also we could travel more easyly to west than to east.
Hi TIK….. I rarely comment on UTBE…. Please know this…..
I am a professional person with a passion for history. That said… the work you do to produce your content is appreciated as well as understood…. I know the work you put into everything you do is top notch…..
Like me…. No matter what you say or do will not detract from the fact that you will always make your content perfect…. You can’t help yourself, because you’ve become accustomed to delivering the best….
Not only that….. you are good on screen & credible…. Perhaps a tie up with TV production / producers will get your professionalism and passion to the main screen…
Variety Is the key…. WW2 is an expansive subject. & with your passion: I can only think that the content from you would be awesome…..
We work to live ! We don’t live to work….
Whatever you do going forward I’ve no doubt it will be amazing.
Scale it back & give some of that passion back to your family…..
You only have one life on this earth
Be amazing as always & don’t be scarred to take a risk & go off piste now & again…. Take care you & yours….
David
I'm very happy with this.
Stalingrad has been a journey and the way you keep never missing is incredible to me, it's more than good that you take your time and shave off some pressure to keep up that quality without destroying yourself.
I actually quite like those minor videos, especially patreon questions, since they often have some suprise ready, maybe some topic I never really considered before, or something else.
You don't owe us a stellar video every week, you owe yourself to be good to yourself, take your time🙌🏼
I'm not a paying subscriber, but even if I were I would say you deserve flexibility with your schedule for your health and sanity. All your content, especially Battlestorm, is well ahead of anything else I've ever seen. It would be a shame to see anything go because of an unachievably high standard for release schedules.
Or, in my opinion, an unnecessary, forced schedule. Love some of the uploaders on YT but loath YT/Google.
The most important thing is your health. You've provided so much knowledge which makes your channel by far one of the best on UA-cam. It deserves much more attention and subs. If posting constantly let's you keep up with a demanded standard and allows you to live somewhat healthy that's totally fine. Hopefully this system will reach much more people who then see your channel, dig deeper & see the quality content. This would compensate for the quality issue. Masterpieces are rare, not inflationary and we all know to appreciate your work.
My suggestion is to open UA-cam member section. It is much easier to subscribe to.
Yay!!!! I fully support this decision as its exactly what i suggested in the comments on Patreon and youtube.
The vast majority of us much prefer for you to work while more well rested, comfortable and having more time to think about "is this really the case?", rather then racing for the unreal selfimposed monday deadlines.
All the best!
Family and personal health first, sir. Your videos are amazing, and it would be sad if you stopped doing them because of some critics that say you repeat yourself or because of trying to keep a pace of one video per week. In fact, you just proved that something like that can't be done, which is good for all to consider. Keep at what your doing, but at a pace in which it doesn't put your health and family in danger. You are famous in my chilean family, so stay safe and live forever. Best regards. 🙂👍
Great people feel as if they are not doing their best every day.
Normal people just call them mondays.
Content is superb, keep up the good job.
1. Discribe what you're talking about in the heading.
2. Make shorter videos about more specific topics (break big topics into series)
3. Don't worry so much about the algorithm. Just do what you like, the way that suits you. It results in better content.
We don't watch your stuff because of the algorithm. We watchbit because we are interested in what you're saying, and how you're saying it (well).
This sounds great! Your "bad" videos sound better than 99% of youtube content, and if they are easier for you to make and makes you well rested and so on, it's a win-win!
I am pleased that you are not giving up on Stalingrad. It is an awesome piece of work and I still look forward to watching each new episode! But I understand that you have to make time for yourself too!
We need you mentally and physically well. Do whatever you must. You are a brilliant researcher and I will personally wait for your videos whenever you post them. I respect your integrity and I am sure that even 10 minutes of your opinion will be worth watching. I wish you the best and I will always be looking forward to learn with you. Thanks for all what I have already learnt. Take your time, breath and we who love knowledge will be here for you.
I’m a little late to this but I thought I’d chime in. I’m definitely here for the battlestorm series and I love what you’re doing with Stalingrad. I really think this will go down as the best documentary on the topic of all time. I know that’s a bit much, but name anything else that comes close to this level of detail.
With that said, yes I think you should rest. I’m okay with touching on political/economic topics now and again.
If it helps, one thing that stood out to me were your comments on management philosophies. The one where you described the difference between top-down and bottom-up management styles. I (not kidding) liked it so much that I transcribed it and sent it to my boss to describe issues in my workplace. He agreed with the point, and it helped that you said it so well.
So if “low quality” means more of that, I couldn’t be happier. Overall, you do some of the best content on UA-cam and anything that helps you to sustain it, I’ll fully support.
In fact, I just became a supporter of your Patreon (corps level). Thank you for being so honest with us and for the great videos.
Hi Tik, I very much like the direction you are taking. Work-life balance is not over rated. Also I think you are absolutely right in not expanding your team too quickly. Getting used to the current dynamic while keeping your unique brand will make future expansion easier when you feel it is time. You did mention that a few people suggested adding someone to help write the scripts. When you do move in that direction, I think that finding someone who understands writing a UA-cam script (possibly someone who freelances with other UA-camrs) would be more helpful that finding somebody that only knows history. Having somebody that can take your notes and give you a script in a timely manner might be less of a headache than finding someone to debate the finer nuances of history. Best of luck with the future of your channel. Take care. DEP
Yours is by far the best history channel on UA-cam for the areas you cover. I love the level of detail and insight. You're doing a great job and I hope you put your wellbeing first so you don't get burnt out and can continue to give us great insights at a slower pace
I actually think a bit more variety in the types of videos you do would be great and allow us to get a wider perspective whilst requiring a bit less time and effort on your part. I wouldn't call book reviews or shorter economic or political videos bad by any stretch of the imagination, they'd be awesome.
I think it all ties together to give a better holistic understanding of what was happening and why and what motivated the people involved when you can cover different aspects and perspectives and that would make the step by step battlefield videos more impactful even though there are slightly less of them.
Great work! Really hope you get some rest and don't get yourself burnt out.
Hi TIK,
I'm not a Patreon, nor am I some sort of privileged subscriber...
Nonetheless, I do feel obligated to give you some advice to take your time and produce as high-quality videos and as often as you want to keep this channel afloat.
The point here is that your Stalingrad videos are the best ones out there on the internet.
The OKH and Stavka hadn't planned the operations with much attention to different sort of details as you do.
It is great content you produce and I wouldn't cancel my subscription even if you release new Stalingrad videos even once a month.
Great decision. Was worried Battlestorm would be discontinued when I saw the poll. Your detailed Military History videos especially battlestorm ar unique in detail and the more detail the more interesting. I guess Stalingrad slowly progresses and only military history interested likes to see them when at that detailed level. Crusader and North African videos are absolutely the best ones. I guess more viewers will follow and enjoy battlestorm when you have finished Stalingrad and return to Africa(North and East) and Korsun. Keep healthy and thanks for all great content!
I’m happy to hear you are gonna take a step back and give yourself some breathing room. The Stalingrad content you make is something I’ve wanted to see since I started learning about the subject back in 2002, and genuinely this channel is the only one I’ve seen that dares to reach this insane level of detail and nuance while still being entertaining.
I assume one month is too late to comment, but I feel like to understand a stalingrad episode, you have to have watched and remember the 40 ones that came before, which is not something that a new viewer that stumbles upon the channel because of one of the economics or politics videos is going to do, we are talking about a very significant time investment.
Stalingrad appeals to regulars who have been around for years, so it cannot possibly grow the channel, but is beloved by a big portion of already subscribed people.
Chiming in to say "thank you," for everything that you've put out and will completely appreciate whatever it is you will publish in the future.
Thanks TIK for your work and your effort. Because of you i bought the 3 Glantz Stalingrad books. Their a bit dry to read but its really fascinating to get information that well written first hand.
i feel you handing out a bachelor thesis about stalingrad every 2 weeks must be rought never the less your videos are as accurate as it can be and really informative. Your contributions are unfathomable.
Thank you for staying! Your research is useful to me to " set the record straight" here in Northern Indiana as I go head to head with revisionista teachers. I'll take ANY videos you make WHEN you make them, because they are accurate, factual and rational. God Bless You for your love of history, and you're willingness to TEACH it! I was supposed to be a teacher myself, but here in America, it's all politics, therefore, this old USAF Sergeant wasn't welcomed. BUT, having kids I the school system forces me to go on the offensive and correct the " history" these charlatans are " teaching". A salute to you, Sir, from this old Master Sergeant.
The politics and theology stuff is so fascinating because it seems like no one else is talking about it! I’ve always wondered about the politics and religion of the national socialists and all of that
Same.
I've been watching your Battlestorm videos for a few years now. I have no hesitation in saying that they are by far the most detailed content I have seen in the long list of options from the WW2 period. My father "infected" me with the interest in the second world war, whenever I see your videos I think of him and I regret not being able to share them with him. Whatever you end up doing, I want you to know that I am grateful (I am sure I am not the only one) for all that effort you have been making with so little reward for your channel. Obviously you have to measure your content with statistics but your Battlestorm series, for me at least, represent something that statistics cannot measure. Thanks TIK for the effort! Excuse my english, not my native tongue, and take care of your health, okay? Best wishes!
I felt it picked up because the Stalingrad series is like a book that's halfway through. A series that have a combined runtime greater than 60-90 minutes will push viewers away.
Disclaimer, the Korsum pocket is what brought me here and the story of the Reichsbahn made me a fan.
All of your content is of high quality. You make viewers stop and think about common narratives with your insistence to ask "But is this really the case?"
I love watching your Battlestorm series on a larger monitor, but I repeatedly listen to your political and economic talk videos. Controversial topics or points take time to talk out, and more time to have them be understood by the audience.
Edit: You have set the bar high for quality for length of video, research, and editing, but it is YOU that is the mark of quality. I would be interested in shorter released videos, historical book reviews, or historical/political/economic chats by you because you have previously shown to take care with your content.
Honestly, the whole Stalingrad project is so overwhelmingly huge and ambitious, as well as being so specific, it's a big mountain to climb not only for you but also for any viewer. Personally, I'm most interested in political and economic stuff, since this is where the real historical meat lies. I haven't yet even touched the Stalingrad series since I'm not yet even familiar enough with the historical context of that battle to even understand it's importance, while the more broad-stroked videos regarding war logistics, economic circumstances, etc., really give some deep insight not even about the WWII, but also history in general, including modern times.
If you watch the series, you're gonna get all the context and circumstance you'll ever need.
Political and economic stuff that TIK does is sometimes interesting, but it is often amateurish. Stalingrad will be the thing they would remember him for, years from now. If I was at @TIKHistory place, I would offer it to Russian Academy of Science, as a major contribution to Russian culture.
The Stalingrad series is good as TIK explains the background / context beginning in episode 1. You certainly won't get lost watching it.
Perfect is the death of good. Vids don't have to be perfect, they don't even have to be great. Quite often good is good enough. Setting high standards doesn't require you to meet them everytime, but it does tend to keep you from sliding into bad. All that really matters is that you do the best you can with what you have to work with and that means budgeting your time and energy so you know how much of that you have to work with and not overextending yourself by trying to do too much. Sounds like you have a workable plan. Good luck.
Hello TIK, I just want to let you know that your hard work is greatly appreciated. As a life long WWII history student, your level of detail in your BattleStorm videos has given me greater insight into this piece of history.
Thanks for all your hard work. Will continue to watch, and look forward to all your videos whenever they are released
Cheers
Learnt so much from watching your videos, its a privilege to watch them, you do what you need to do to stay health.
Tik you are a one man band and I've said before the quality of your shows are phenomenal if a slightly less professional output means you don't burn out and stop the channel then i am very much ok with that. I found you through war content and have learnt a great deal from listening to what you have found rather than the accepted narrative we were brought up on. Keep up the brilliant work Tik but allow yourself a life to mate, take care, Clint.
Bro, don’t be so hard on yourself! We all appreciate the hard work you are doing.
Look... We have been watching you for how long? Five, six years? You are not some youtuber, you are a family. We like to hear your voice, to know that you are feeling well and that's it. Make whatever video you want - I will watch it.
On Sundays, I watch WWII history guy from my country and he is always telling the same things, but I like his voice and it's good to stay in the topic.
Trust me, don't be a perfectionist. You have proven your value already.
TIK, listening to you talk and give your opinion about a subject IS high quality video!
As a history undergrad student you had lectures but you also had tutorials.
Not every talk needs an animated map - look at Perun, who basically gets by with powerpoint style presentations!
I'm just happy to accept your output and listen to your views!
I've been watching your channel for some years for free. I've joined your Patreon some months ago. Cannot remember any single video of you that dissapointed me. The worst of your output is always entertaining and interesting. The best is absolutely exhilarating. A 'bad' video every few weeks won't make my monday date with you less eagerly anticipated. You have my full support, whatever you do. Stick to TIK
None of your content is bad content. You release well informed, good content every time you do. I like listening to your videos while falling asleep so the videos where you just talk about a book or something like that would be perfect. I assume im not the only one that does this.
I enjoy the Stalingrad Battlestorms. However, I don't want you to ruin your health and livelihood doing them.
I also enjoy the videos that cover things such as Hitlers Gnosticism and the political and economic videos. I look forward each Monday to your latest video. To close, I will watch whatever you decide to upload as I am sure that you will do a great job on any video that you provide. Thanks again for all your videos!
Im and my friends who love your channel from USA so time difference might be why look lower. I hope your decision well help with channel and your health keep up good work and your self Tik much love ❤❤❤
Hey man take your time. First off stalingrad is a beast of a battle to cover. At times it can be in my opinion, slow and repetitive and honestly it's just hard to make interesting. Is it a pivotal battle in world war II hell yes but it is a tough one to cover in the detail that you like to cover things. ( which isn't a slight by the way I appreciate the amount of work you do)
Once Stalingrad is done take a break and maybe next time, pick a battle that's not quite as intensive as Stalingrad. Hell take a break from WWII and read up on other battles from other wars. Maybe something like the first Indochina war or Korea or Vietnam or basically any war from the Cold War period.
I think this is the best decision probably. Personally I mostly watch for Battlestorm but I also watch most of the extra stuff as well. While I love Battlestorm Stalingrad it must be said that yes, there is some fatigue just due to the lack of a scene change. With Battlestorm Crusader or Battlestorm Market Garden you can skip an hour in any direction and the battlefield is totally different. In Stalingrad the offensives are much slower with hundreds more units which I think contributes to this slow down. Not to say any of it’s been “boring” but the big flashy movements are much rarer and take a lot longer.
I think this is the correct decision TIK; It strikes a good compromise between viewers who want different types of content, appeases the WuTube overlords, and lowers (even if only by a small amount) your workload and stress burden. What I would say is this: Please don’t feel guilty about uploading what you perceive as ‘low-effort’ content- I guarantee most of us don’t see it that way. Your videos have become something I genuinely look forward to every week; I hope I can speak for many in saying that, regardless of what you post, we will always enjoy your content!
Whatever you do man I’ll still watch your channel. Good job on owning the Marxists and revisionists throughout the years.
Yeah I realise now that a lot of the negative comments I've received have come from these two groups rather than my own viewers. I need to ignore them.
Do what you want to do / what you would like to see - I will follow you.
@@TheImperatorKnight the most active people are the people with something negative to say.
Maybe they are the ones subscribing and watching 😂
@@tropics8407 Nah, it never is, they are very active though.
Your outstanding Stalingrad videos are a contribution to the historic record. You’ve examined a watershed moment so a break wouldn’t be a tragedy. I’ll be following in all events, but hope to see as many Stalingrad videos as you can manage. Meanwhile, take care of your well being. I’ll be upping my Patreon.
I didn’t vote in the poll. I found your channel recently. Your military videos are great but I think what really sets you apart for me is your deep breakdown of politics, economics, and the ideologies that surround them. How you break down these down in detail from definitions and throughout different time periods and cultures is incredible. Your public vs private, incredible. Your inflation of Germany’s [currency], and the explanations of the pressures of other large banking systems around the world applying similar pressures to move to paper, Incredible. Your breakdown of ancap recently another great example of how you can learn, think out loud, critique, and ask thoughtful questions is amazing. Every time you build out your definitions, your underlying logic, and apply to the situation adding further context throughout. I have never seen any video style like it in real time, and it is the thing that makes you different. It’s no that your other videos aren’t great, but no one has your style in the regards to those other videos. I think that is you addressing a niche. Hope that helps, and your content is incredible.
The indubitable fact is that Battlestorm is a massive work of art. A lot of people love all the little details you worked tirelessly researching and include in your masterpiece. The sad reality is that people nowadays can’t sit still long enough to finish an episode. That’s why tiktok is so popular with the younger crowd. Short form videos, and the fact that it’s a CCP psyop that the targeted can’t refuse.
Whatever format this channel takes moving forward, please know that many of us who have been here for a while are very proud of your channel and your work. We are also proud of you as a person and appreciate your struggles. Be well, my friend. We support you.
I like the Battlestorm content, but I tend to put off watching them "later" because they are so long, detailed, and well-made that I know that I need to be focused for them. Not only that, but since it's a series, I need to invest more time into catching up. So I end up mostly watching the "one-off" videos on other subjects, whether it's economics, Q&A, other events of WW2, or politics.
Also, long series of videos tend to do worse than short ones or one-off videos since there's a drop-off in viewers with every video.
PS: I'm really grateful for your work. It's been really eye-opening for me to see how wrong the main narrative about WW2 was.
This encapsulates it perfectly.
TIK, I find you a brilliant scholar who delivers knowledge and critical thinking to your audience. I doubt any publication you make for this channel would be lacking. Reasonable people will understand that like all of us, you must balance work, life, and other. Do the best you can and your audience will be there.
I saw another comment from a supporter on your earlier video about "being done".
I can't remember the exact comment but it goes along the line of: "We're here not because you do what we like. We're here because we like what you do."
I actually enjoy the variety of topics you cover around the core subject matter of WWII.
Don't be so hard on yourself. Just surprise us!
Thank you TIK. The thing that first attracted me to your channel was the fact that it wasn't the "same-old-same-old". You videos on logistics etc are just great. That said, your health, (and sanity), are what is most important. Take whatever break you need.
I am okay with shorter videos, and I think you will find that keeping them short will train your mind into focusing on the salient issues and filter those topics that can be set aside for future videos. You also are great at answering the fools that constantly ping and challenge you. Part of the intent is to keep you in a spin cycle for the purpose of burning you out, so that you will give up. You will never change their mind. Shorter videos will reach out and help people that might sit on the fence.
Second this!
I think you should finish your project Battle Storm Stalingrad There is nothing worse that unfinished projects. Please don't allow politics distort your historical presentations. Thank you for your hard work.
The Stalingrad series is always super impressive, and could be considered a flagship for any channel
But compared to your National Socialism was Socialism videos (especially the 5 hours one), it somehow pales in comparison, lol. When I introduced your channel to a friend, that's actually what I mentionned first.
First of all...Thank you so much for everything that you do, this part of history is soooo important to learn from and taking on ANY historical analysis of the either world war in the way that you do is truly an act of selflessness.
I am not one of your Patreon supporters only because money for my family the last couple years has been very tight and I can't give to the people that I want to. I'm sure you (and maybe other supporters have mentioned this) can see the ironic parallels between the slog which all of the people fighting in the Stalingrad campaign and your campaign to present a comprehensive history of the battle. Don't let the Stalingrad series become YOUR Stalingrad! Without being critical, I have noticed a very apparent change in your demeanor over especially the last few months. You look like a weight has been laid upon you, and you are just tired. Your voice has changed a bit, and even your face. DO NOT LET THIS KILL YOU! Personally I've been literally worried about you for awhile.
I am one of your minority viewers who watches the Stalingrad videos the second you drop onto UTube (I think I've watched each video at least a half dozen times, if not more), and though your decision will leave me and others possibly wanting a bit....you are making the right decision here! I can't wait to see what else you give us. Thank you again Tik, keep it up, and always remember that you are loved.
I fully support your decision, and I hope it allows you to devote more time to taking care of yourself. Keep doing your amazing work, but always keep in mind that perfect is the enemy of good!
New schedule sounds good to me. Do what you can without stressing yourself. Your content is always great, and more importantly, unique. I never miss one of your videos and as long as I can afford it, I will gladly continue to support you on Patreon. Best of luck to you.
So TIK's Minecraft Let's Plays when? Jokes aside, I've always seen the quality of your videos based not only on the research you do, but also on the way you are able to put things into words and the way you reason on stuff. So I would say that books reviews and opinion pieces are not necessarily low quality videos, they're just a different thing where you can still show your skill but don't have to read a million sources
Spot on!
TIK playing games inspired by or taking place in WWII and commenting on the historical accuracy of them might actually be pretty good content with less effort invested and with an appeal to a wider audience..
How did nobody mentions Podcast ?
Long time subscriber, never commented. I can say I chose that option in the poll, however for me personally I like seeing the politics inside the werhmacht and red army . That's the most interesting part of the battlestorms and anything else I have seen on your channel. Don't worry about letting people down - that can be mitigated with posts and such in the community section.
politics and economics are my main attraction to your work. Your archiving of your scripts have been helpful, please keep doing this great service i never knew i wanted from an uploader.
TIK, we all care about your wellbeing and appreciate your work. In the course of taking care of yourself, you’ll get your passion and enthusiasm back and that will always reflect into your work. It’s laudable that you set high standards, but you must find a balance. I’m encouraged by the changes that you are planning on making and wish you the very best. Cheers.
All the videos from you I’ve ever watched have been fantastic!! Even just hearing you give your answers to patreon questions is entertaining to me. We enjoy your content and i for one think you should have the time and energy to appreciate your content as well. If you need to post a short form video a few mondays I’ll still happily watch, if you miss a Monday due to taking a break I’ll rewatch some old videos until there’s a new one. I think most of us want you to relax and enjoy yourself the way we get to when you post a video for us, last thing I’ll say is thank you for the amazing content you’ve given us thus far!!
You could do three minecraft let’s play videos every month…. And one Stalingrad. So long as the Minecraft is set in a city by the Volga. 😀
Tik, I absolutely love your 'Bad' content, especially if it relieves you from that intensity of 'Perfection' - You must be flexible in this position, for you're no good to anyone, especially to yourself, sleep-deprived, demotivated, and despising a tank every time you hear the mention of its name.
You must pace yourself well, sometimes that does mean you fall short of your expectations that time but there'll be a tomorrow thereafter to come back stronger to your expectations.
Sometimes also, it takes one to take a step back to realize what was good in their mode of working and contrast it with the seemingly meeker content.
But do take a day every now and again for Friends And Family;
My faith in your audience that truly matter will certainly understand that.
I deeply appreciate your honesty, integrity and transparency! Looking forward to what is to come!😄
As difficult as it is for you to accept, you are a perfectionist and that comes at a cost. Dont seek permission as this will only confuse your current conflict. You create outstanding video content and I believe that people will continue to watch view your work regardless of the rating you give yourself on it. THIS IS YOU R CHANNEL.... You decide, and go with what works for you financially and also having a work life balance. You have given immesurably MORE than many will in a lifetime. THANK YOU!