Here we go again.. :blush:

Settings:

Random opponents, Warlord modded to a bit more difficult, Normal Aggression, "standard" world.



Chapter One: The Beginning

Many people say that the Zulu empire was the first true civilization, the first point at which cro-magnon man crossed the fine line into intelligence and rational thought. Until recently, not much was known of the Zulu empire or how it came to be. All that was known was that which was found in the ruins of their great cities. But now, a veritable treasure trove of evidence has been discovered. This evidence is in the form of letters of correspondence, maps, plans, and journal entries. I will relate these to you as best I can.

Nobody is sure exactly when the Zulu empire began, but most estimates point to around 4000 B.C. Around this time, the ancient Zulu scripts say, there was a weak city, nothing more than a miniature sprawl of tents and huts, huddled together among a hilly landscape. This city, however weak it was, is the first known sign of true civilization. In this city, people came together and settled down, subsisting on crops instead of following their favorite game around as they had for so many years. This city was named after the man who would soon shape it into a great pillar of civilization. This city was called ZimBobwe, which translates literally into English as "City of the Bob."

http://www.civfanatics.net/uploads9/1-thestart1.JPG

The man who was responsible for the rise to greatness of the Zulu empire is a mysterious figure. Until the Zulu empire began to become a superpower, not much is recorded of this man in terms of...his name. The only times his name is written down, it translates into English text as this: Mbawmb. Various historians and linguists have proposed the pronunciation of this name as um-BAW-UM-be, um-BAW-b, and even UM-ba-WUM-ba. Umbawumba? I don't think so. As a rule, most historians agree use the simplified pronunciation of Bob when discussing this great man.

But enough about his name. Bob brought the Zulu empire to power, and he started this the way these things always start: from the bottom. He was a simple warrior/hunter for his people when they settled on the fertile plain of the Grand River, but soon tales of his bravery and intelligence spread, and when the people decided to stay put for good, he was the natural selection as the "big man" of the city. Bob ended interclan bickering, promoted settlement of the surrounding land, and supervised all expansion of the fledgling city. It is widely accepted that if this man had not risen to be ruler of the Zulu, they probably would have died out like so many other nameless ancient clans.

Soon after the city was founded, Bob began to think to himself about what was going on over the ridges of the surrounding hills. To find out, he sent scouts to inspect the surrounding lands.

http://www.civfanatics.net/uploads9/2-ceremonial.JPG

The scouts stumbled upon good fortune in the form of a small, minor tribe in the neighboring valley. This tribe greeted the scouts and, after exchanging some small talk, bestowed upon the scouts the traditions of ceremonial burial in exchange for some small beads and other trinkets of little value. The scouts raced back to ZimBobwe to inform Cheif Bob of this interesting and alien concept. The Zulu people found the practice of burying their dead wildly preferable to the previous method of tossing bodies in a pit and lighting them on fire.

http://www.civfanatics.net/uploads9/3-wines.JPG

Good luck had shined its happy face upon the Zulu people, and upon Cheif Bob. To the northwest of ZimBobwe, it had been found that the grapes in the hills could be crushed and made into an intoxicating drink called wine. This wine made the people happy because now they didn't have to worry about their problems; they could just drink them away! Clearly they were on to something. But not just the wine, there was more good luck in store for the Zulu people.

But first, a short break for some more serious history. At about this time, it believed that Cheif Bob appointed his High Council. This Council would advise him on six fronts: Military, Science, Trade, Domestic, Foreign, and Cultural. These, of course, were not the names of the divisions, but each advisor had his or her own job to do and was appointed to assist the Cheif in his ruling and to advise him in their area of expertise.

The Northern Scouts had found good things to the north, and reported back to ZimBobwe to tell Cheif Bob of their findings. At this time, there was no cartographer in ZimBobwe, but this is an artist's rendering of what the scouts found:

http://www.civfanatics.net/uploads9/4-goodnorth1.JPG

To the northwest of ZimBobwe, the Great Silk Forest, which still stands today, covered most of the land. In this forest, there resided tiny insects. When they went through their larval stage, they could be cooked and spun into a fine, smooth fabric called silk. Also in these forests there resided animals with fine furs. Both the furs and the silks would make the Zulu people happy, because now they didn't have to deal with their problems, they could just wrap them up in expensive clothes! Or something...

Soon after the scouts discovered this fine forests in the north, they found more good fortune, once again in the form of a friendly minor tribe.

http://www.civfanatics.net/uploads9/5-warriorcode.JPG

This tribe called themselves Bactrians, and they showed the scouts the art of the warrior code. Using this code, the Bactrians disciplined their fighters to the greatest degree, teaching them to fight using teamwork and the honor system. This code would also allow the Bactrians to equip their warriors with a bow and arrow, and through contact with this tribe, the Zulu people now had the ability to do the same.

Next Chapter: Expansion of the Zulu Empire

Chapter Two: The Age of Expansion

As Cheif Bob had suspected,the Zulu people were not the only people on the earth. He didn't know this for sure at the time, but I do, and I'm telling you now. With all these other civilizations around, obviously the Zulu would have to compete for territory and resources. And so they did.

The first recorded splinter settlement of the Zulu empire is the city of Ulundi. ZimBobwe had just risen to a new status, a large, strong city populated by a happy people, when Cheif Bob decided that he would send some of them to the Great silk Forest and set up a second city to bring the forest's treasures to ZimBobwe. The following is the first recorded conversation in the history of the world, copied down by Cheif Bob's scribe. All Zulu tongue will be translated into English for the ease of the reader.

Cheif Bob: Welcome, friend, welcome. Thank you for coming here to speak with me on such short notice.

Trade Advisor: Not a problem, sir. What is it you want to speak with me about?

Cheif Bob: I want to talk to you about the Great Silk Forest, and about our city. It is growing large, swelling with citizens, but they are becoming unruly due to the lack of luxury items. I want to get some to keep them happy.

Trade Advisor: Understanable, sir. But why do you need to talk to me?

Cheif Bob: Because I want you to organize the settlement party. Gather up one thousand volunteers to settle the forest, and send some workers to lay a road to them. Report back to me when it's been done.

Trade Advisor: Yes, sir!

Although this conversation might seem of little importance, keep in mind that it marks the first recorded conversation of the world's history. These are the first words that we know were spoken for certain.

http://www.civfanatics.net/uploads9/6-ulundisilks.JPG

Roughly two weeks after the Cheif spoke with his trade advisor on this subject, he recieved a letter in reply:

http://www.civfanatics.net/uploads9/6-silkletter.jpg

This letter, found in the Cheif's throne room in the ruins of the city of ZimBobwe, has been translated to English and copied down, the first recovered written letter of correspondence in the story of this great nation.

Shortly before the time this letter was written, Cheif Shaka had appointed a man who we would today call a cartographer. This cartographer would draw many, many maps for his Cheif, the first of which I have recovered and will show you here. This is believed to be the first map ever created by man.

http://www.civfanatics.net/uploads9/6-ulundisilksSKETCH.jpg

The map depicts the city of ZimBobwe, to the South, and the newly-formed city of Ulundi, to the North. Connecting the two is the Silk Road, the greatest construction project in the very early history of Zululand.

For a long time, nothing happened that could be said to be of any importance to the plight of the Zulu people. Many people were born, many people died. Many years passed, and the Zulu empire was essentially stagnant. But this was not to last long. Soon, new cities would explode like a rash on the quiet countryside, and new nations would be discovered.

The marker for the beginning of the Zulu rise to power is a strange one indeed. One day, a dusty, weatherbeaten traveller wandered into the city limits of ZimBobwe. After being given food and shelter by a kind policeman, this man requested audience with the Cheif.

Cheif Bob was sitting in his throne room with his fingers massaging his temples, as they so often were these days. Before, everything was simple; herd the cows, cut the wheat, eat, sleep, poop. Now it was so much more. Make sure the serfs don't starve to death, make sure the settlers up north aren't savaged by barbarian scum, work work work. He was just considering getting up to pop a bottle of wine with his trusted military advisor, Shaka, when the doors to his throne room burst open.

Policeman: Cheif Bob, there is a strange man to see you. Says his name is Tacitus.

Cheif Bob: Wierd name....I'm pretty busy, but I guess I have time to speak with this...Tacitus. Let him in.

Tacitus swept in with the policeman in close pursuit.

Tacitus: Cheif Bob, you have made a great people out of what was once nothing. However, you're only mediocre in the big scheme of things...

http://www.civfanatics.net/uploads9/8-powerful.JPG

The traveller plonked a heavy book on Bob's desk, turned on his heel, and dissappeared forever.

Soon after this, Bob began pondering what he should do. He had two options: figure out who these people were that somehow had made something more of themselves than he had, meet them, and learn their ways, or slip away into obscurity. In a historical sense, of course.

"Hmm...." Bob thought to himself, "What to do? Obviously I need more.....more what? More everything, probably. I guess the best thing to do now would be to try and set up a few more settlements."

Of course, that's just speculation, but this must have been what went through the great leader's mind upon reading Tacitus' book, for a few years later this happend:

http://www.civfanatics.net/uploads9/9-bapedi.JPG

This is the second of many maps drafted by Cheif Bob's cartographer. In this map, the newly-founded city of Bapedi is shown far south of ZimBobwe, on the fertile banks of the Gray River. To the east of Bapedi, a minor tribe had been spotted savaging a few of the serfs working the land, but now they had settled and made camp on the grasslands across the river. They would be removed, but at a later time.

With the founding of Bapedi, things began to look up for the Zulu. More money from taxes meant that science was advancing with unprecedented swiftness. Few new sciences had been discovered, but those that had been discovered were of much importance in a historical sense. Writing and a common Alphabet were two of the base concepts of Zulu life, something unique to the Zulu people at that time. Shortly after the founding of Bapedi, the city of Hlobane was founded, expanding the Zulu empire even more. Below is an artist's rendering of the Zulu empire at this time.

http://www.civfanatics.net/uploads9/10-Hlobane.jpg

Once again, Cheif Bob sat alone in his throne room, this time poring over the maps of his empire which his master cartographer had drawn up for him. Difficuly decision were his to make, and these were difficult decisions indeed. He had decided to expand first south, to take the rich lands there, and then expand to the east and north. So far, his plan was working precisely as he had hoped. He was just about to reach a decision on the placement of his next settlement when the doors of his throne room burst open once more.

Master Cartographer: Hey, Bobby boy, my man! How's it goin! I, ah, had a really, really good reason for coming in here, but I forgot it..

Cheif Bob sighed and closed his eyes, resisting the overpowering urge to strangle his cartographer. The man was constantly drunk, which meant he was constantly in a state of bemused confusion and occasionally rabid.

Cheif Bob: You've been drinking again, haven't you? How many times do I have to tell you to lay off the wine?

Master Cartographer: Hey, man....it fuels my artistic talent. And besides, this way I cant just drink away my troubles instead of dealing with them! You should try the stuff. Anyways, I'll just go.

Cheif Bob: No, no, you had something to tell me. What's that scroll you've got there?

Master Cartographer: Oh, this? It's a map, man. That city you ordered up down south is, ah, what's that word.....complete.

Cheif Bob: Let me see...

http://www.civfanatics.net/uploads9/10-HlobaneSKETCH.jpg

After ridding himself of the drunken map-man, Bob sat to think once more. A city in the west was not what he had ordered. Quite clearly he was forgetting things, or maybe just going crazy. He could have sworn that settling party was headed south....but no matter.

In between the settling of these great cites, many things had been happening in the capital and outside the Zulu empire. Firstly, contact with two great tribes, the French and the Russians. The French had traded the art of wheelmaking and masonry for the secret of written text. Although these two contacts are quite significant in the history of the Zulu people, the exact date of contact has been lost due to either "a poorly-kept turn log" or "an angry bear." It's hard to tell which; the two phrases are extremely simliar in Zulu text. Secondly, contact with another great tribe, the Indians, had been established...

Himalaya Mountains, 1910 B.C.

Shaka sweated freely in the heat of the afternoon sun. He had accepted this assignment, scouting in the lands to the far south, to get away from the heat. But the heat of the Zulu lands was much, much different from this. This was a dry, baking heat, like being in a clay oven, and he could practically feel the sweat evaporating off his back as soon as it dripped from his searing pores.

He and his men had been travelling hard and fast for many weeks, living off what animals they could catch and kill, drinking muddy water, and slowly cooking from the inside out. So far all their work had been for nothing. Until now. As he stood atop the mountain crest with his second-in-command, he smiled with satisfaction as he realized that all their hard travelling and suffering had finally payed off. For below them, in a deep, steep valley nestled between two imposing mountain peaks, sat the Indian city of Madras. As soon as the rest of his men, panting and sweating heavily, reach the mountaintop alongside him, Shaka took off at a slow lope towards the city.

http://www.civfanatics.net/uploads9/14-indians.JPG

ZimBobwe, Zululand, 1910 B.C., several months later

Cheif Bob was just beginning to worry about Shaka and his scout troop when he heard the good news. They had spent many years in the south after contacting two other civilizations, and now finally a messenger had been sent to report of yet another great civilization. But the contact was a mixed bag. The Indians, although friendly and accomodating to the scouts, had nothing to trade with the Zulu people, and so were of no vital importance at the time.

To Be Continued....

I like the approach - keep going :goodjob:

How did you make the black-and-white maps? Some kind of high-pass filter?

Looks good. keep up the expansion, more please

How did you make the black-and-white maps? Some kind of high-pass filter?
That is really cool, but the phrase "High-pass filter" reminds me of electronics class...too much evil...

Keep expanding! Keep using the same basic speech format as Handy's AWS Byzantine thread! w00t!

cool story. I hope it goes well

How did you make the black-and-white maps? Some kind of high-pass filter?

There's a graphics modpack in the C&C forum that has those graphics.

I'm using Arsoft Photostudio SE (came with my POS digital acmera) and it has an option under "effect" toolbard. You can choose "sketch" and then "black & white" and select intensity for the cool, real-map effect.

Chapter Three: Age of Science

The Age of Science is possibly the most important time in history for the Zulu story. This period of Zulu history is the first time when all correspondences and conversation began to be meticulously recorded, and therefore is the first truly well-documented period. Passing out of the Age of Expansion, when the major Zulu cities were founded, a great occurance marked the beginning of this new age: the rise of a great scientist by the name of Senzangakhona. This scientist, inspired by his discovery of the art of Philosophy, had risen as the greatest single thinking mind in Zulu history.

Throne Room of Cheif Bob, ZimBobwe, Zululand, 1910 B.C.

Cheif Bob sat with his military advisor, Shaka, discussing Shaka's findings in the far South. Shaka had neglected to mention contact with one other tribe, the Japanese, for this tribe was so pathetically backwards and uncivilized they might as well have stayed in their trees instead of advanced to humanoid form. Cheif Bob was just beginning to wonder how many tribes there might be in the world and what he should do about securing a homeland for his people when there came a hard knock on the heavy double doors of the throne room.

Cheif Bob: Come on in, but make it quick. I'm having a conference.

Two men entered the room. One, a royal Impi guard, a member of the most respected and skillful military force in all of Zululand. The other, a shabbily dressed man, with wildly dishevelled hair and a strange, limping gait that suggested either a chronic joint pain or a very tired man. Cheif Bob feared that perhaps this was another man coming to put a depressingly large book on his desk, but luckily, he was wrong.

Shabby Man: My lord! My name is Senzangakhona. I have been apprenticed to your Science advisor for many years, but I have this super-great idea that I think could revolutionize our expansion!

Cheif Bob: Mmm-hmm....go on. Please forgive my skepticism, but I've heard that all too many times from my crazed cartographer.

Senzangakhona: Ah, yes, your cartographer. I hold great respect for him, although he is a bit of a wino. Anyway, about my idea...

http://www.civfanatics.net/uploads9/15-SGL.JPG

Cheif Bob and Senzangakhona talked for many long hours about the young scientist's great idea, eventually calling upon the cartographer, domestic advisor, and trade advisor to assist with the young man's plan. Eventually, they emerged from the throne room, and Cheif Bob sent runners to gather all the people of Zululand for a grand hearing in ZimBobwe.

ZimBobwe, Zululand, 1910 B.C.

Cheif Bob stood with his Science Advisor and Senzangakhona atop a platform that had been erected in front of the palace. Milling in front of him, as far as the eye could see, were people, packed into the Palace Courtyard like sardines. They muttered quietly to each other, wondering what could be so important as to gather them all here instead of working in the fields liike they were supposed to?

Cheif Bob: People of Zululand! Please, quiet down!

Almost instantly, all was quiet. The people gazed forward to the platform, those in the back of the crowd craning their necks and straining to hear their revered leader.

Cheif Bob: I am certain you are all wondering what you are here for! Well, what I have to tell you is of great importance to all of you! If this idea, proposed by the fine scientist you see before you, goes well, there will be more than enough food for all! New cities will rise, and a new generation will be born! With this idea, the Zulu will rise to power!

At this point, Cheif Bob whipped away a cloth draped over a small scaffold on the platfrom next to himself and Senzangakhona.The cloth dropped to the cobbled floor of the courtyard, and there was a sudden intake of breath from all the people in the courtyard as the young scientist's idea was revealed. Before them, sitting on the platform next to their great leader, was a pyramid, about twelve feet high and glistening in the morning sunlight.

ZimBobwe, Zululand, three months later

http://www.civfanatics.net/uploads9/16-pyramids.JPG

A season had passed, and the Great Pyramid had been built. Now the massive thing sat over ZimBobwe, the brainchild of the greatest mind ever to grace the city. Senzangakhona had been correct. By some miracle, the construction of the Great Pyramid meant that a granary would instantly be formed in any city on the same continent. Don't ask me how, I'm just a historian, but I've been informed it has something to do with quantum physics.

Inspired by the brilliance of his young apprentice, Sid, Cheif Bob's Science advisor, had led his scholars to the discovery of another great science, the Code of Laws. With this knowledge, Courthouses could be constructed, and the people kept ruly by means of set laws instead of a simple beating for anyone who stepped out of line. In turn, the discovery of the Code of Laws lead the scientist quickly along the path of representative government. In addition, the art of the Code was sold to the Russian tribe in exchange for the art of Mysticism in 1790 B.C. This is the first recorded date of trade between the two cultures.

Meanwhile, near the city of Isandhlwanda.....

http://www.civfanatics.net/uploads9/17-horses.JPG

This map, recovered from Cheif Bob's throne room, shows the city of ZimBobwe in the northwest, and the city of Isandhlwana in the southeast. North of Isandhlwana is the source of horses, circled sloppily by Cheif Bob's intoxicated mapmaker. And here, a letter from the Science Advisor himself, addressed to Cheif Bob on the subject:

http://www.civfanatics.net/uploads9/17-horsesletter.jpg

Although these horses were not of much use at the time, later on they would be vital to the Zulu military's stability. But that's a story for later. Right now we're still in the Age of Science.

After the construction of the Great Pyramid was completed, many more cities were founded. The old cities grew quickly and in a less erratic fashion than before due to the prescence of granaries, and the young cities quickly swelled into maturity, with thousands upon thousands populating even the smallest towns.

About this time, the Russians made another historic trade with the Zulu leader. This time, the Russians offered the art of Iron Working and 40 gold pieces for the art of paying people to sit around and think. This trade was extremely good for the Zulu people, as it would allow a new and improved military.

Throne Room of Cheif Bob, ZimBobwe, Zululand, 1450 B.C

Cheif Bob was, as usual, thinking. Sitting at his chair and staring at a map of the Northlands, Bob tried to come to a decision of where to place his next great city. It would be a good idea to settle on the Gray Mountains, certainly; the mountains would make for excellent production returns.

Interrupting his thoughts came the sound of his throne room doors bursting open, as they had a tendency to do. Once again, his Master Cartographer stood before him, and once again, he was blizted out of his mind.

Master Cartographer: Yo, Bobby-O! Oh, man, I was just thinking about you, man...I got something for you, but I forget what it was.

Cheif Bob put his head in his hands and let out a small, quiet sob of frustration, then wiped his eyes and stood to face his drunken colleauge.

Cheif Bob: Could it, possibly, be that map you're holding in your hand?

Master Cartographer: Oh, yeah, that. Hey! This is for you! You're smart, man, I guess that's why you're the Cheif and I'm just your lowly foreign advisor...

Cheif Bob: Good god....you're my mapmaker, you crazy lush. Get it together, man! Now, let's see what you got for me here....

Cheif Bob spread the meticulously detailed map on the table in front of him.

http://www.civfanatics.net/uploads9/20-ironzimbobwe.JPG

Master Cartographer: As you can see.....uh, I think...OK, I'm not really sure what it is because I can't see too good right now. But this should be showing Iron to the hills just northwest of here.

Cheif Bob: Good, good. You can go. And, ah, be careful, OK? You're the only mapmaker I've got.

Master Cartographer: Hey, don't worry, baby! It's all good!

And with that, the mapmaker staggered away from the table and, after nearly breaking his nose on the doorframe, found his way out of the throne room.

But back to the settlement.

In the east, the city of Mpondo was built. Founded on the shores of the Sea of Anxiety, this city had an abundant supply of food in the Gray Forest. Large game lived in these forests, and the massive Gray Mountains were hoped to boost production with mines once the city was up and running.

http://www.civfanatics.net/uploads9/19-mpondo.JPG

And in the north, the city of Ngome was built. Nestled among the split crests of the Gray Mountains and the surrounding foothills, this area was also hoped to become extremely productive, and with the game in the forests to the northeast and the cattle on the grasslands to the southeast, Ngome had all the makings of a true powerhouse of a city.

http://www.civfanatics.net/uploads9/21-ngome.JPG

Next Chapter: The Age of Science Continued/Franco-Zulu War

Build a road to that iron right above your capital!!! then mine it lots of sheilds to be made there

Why'd you irrigate the grain grass tile, especially when you're in Despotism?

:lol: Otherwise, good work!

Only irrigating grassland without food bonus is inefficient. Irrigating it with wheat will still give him another food.

Lol Own beat me to it. My next priority will be getting that iron. Be prepared for some violence in the next few chapters.

Chapter Three Continued: The Age of Science

Shortly after the founding of the northern city of Ngome, the Zulu army was for the first time mobilized for war due to false intelligence from the frontlines of Zulu expansion. Messengers had raced back with reports from the Impi Elites in the hills around the southern city of Bapedi. Supposedly, a hostile regiment of Japanese warrior divisions had appeared to the east of the city, and a regiment of French warriors had been spotted to the northwest.

http://www.civfanatics.net/uploads9/22-incoming.JPG

Luckily, these turned out to be false alarms, as the foreign troops were merely inspecting the area for their own expansion purposes. Nevertheless, bitter words were exchanged between the leader of Zululand and the leaders of the other two nations. Tempers flared, and relations swept quickly on a downward spiral of death. The French leader, Saint Joan D'Arc, kept good face and shrouded herself in a facade of goodwill when she spoke with Cheif Bob, but the Japanese leader, Tokugawa, became openly hostile over the entire matter. Many say this is the deep root of hate between the nations of France and Zululand.

Throne Room of Cheif Bob, ZimBobwe, Zululand, 1300 B.C.

Cheif Bob stood in his throne room, nervously pacing. Sid, his Science advisor, had recently sent a messenger bearing a plea for a meeting. And so, two hours later, here he was, and Sid was already twenty minutes late.

Just as Bob was about to send a runner to fetch his loyal advisor, the man himself swept through the doors, bearing a large map of Zululand and escorted by three Impi Elites.

Sid: Good morning, Cheif. Sorry I'm late, sir, but I got caught up in my work and forgot the time.

Cheif Bob: Not a problem, Sid. Now, what is it you have to tell me?

Sid: Ah, great things, sir. At least, the makings of great things. I have here a plan, sir, a plan for a mighty government.

Cheif Bob: What's a government?

Sid: Well, sir, it's like a form of ruling. Like right now, everyone does what you say. It's a form of government that my fellow scholars and I call Despotism.

Cheif Bob: OK....so what's your big plan?

Sid: Well, sir, it's quite simple. Each city and the area around it will have elections for a senator..

Cheif Bob: Elections? Senators? The hell you talkin' bout?

Sid: Ah, an election is where the people decide who will be the ruler. See, each city will have an elected leader, which we call a Senator. One Senator for each city, sir. Then all the Senators meet with you and express the wishes of the people. You have the final say, of course, but the Senators will be your connection to the people.

Cheif Bob: And what advantage does this have over our current form of, um....government?

Sid: Well, sir the people will be happier, which means they'll be more productive, and which therefore means more money for the empire! And, of course, for, um, science. Anyway, think about it, sir, and you can make the decision for yourself whether to put this plan into action or not.

At this point, Cheif Bob fell silent and thought for several long minutes while his Science advisor stood awkwardly next to him.

Cheif Bob: Very well. You may go.

http://www.civfanatics.net/uploads9/23-republic.JPG

Also in the year of 1300 B.C, another new development occured in the history of the Zulu Empire. The source of Iron in the mountains north of ZimBobwe was hooked up to the national trade network, giving the Zulu the ability to equip their warriors with swords and armor. This point was driven home by a visit from General Shaka, Cheif Bob's loyal Military advisor.

http://www.civfanatics.net/uploads9/24-ironhookup.JPG

Cheif Bob still stood by his desk, not having moved a muscle since the visit from Sid, when two figures swept into his throne room. They were both Impi Elites, but they did not speak. He gazed at them questioningly, when one of them nodded his head at the door.

Into the room came a fearsome figure. Short, about a head shorter than the Cheif himself, but apparently coated in a thick bronze skin. The creature had a long, fearsome weapon in its hand and a thick piece of bronze strapped to its left arm. On its head sat a headdress the likes of which Cheif Bob had never seen before. Cheif Bob stared at the two Impi Elites, wondering why they were not doing anything to protect him, when the creature removed its headdress. The thing was none other than General Shaka himself.

General Shaka: Good morning, Bob. Sorry to alarm you, but I really couldn't resist showing this off to you.

Cheif Bob: What is it?

General Shaka: Not entirely sure on that one, sir. You know how the Russians taught is how to work that wierd metal? Well, the boys in the Science department cooked this up for me and gave it to me about ten minutes ago. It's really cool. Here, see this log?

General Shaka hoisted a small tree up in the air, as if it was a hard thing to miss.

Cheif Bob: Sure. I hope there's point to all this....

General Shaka placed the log on Bob's desk and raised his glinting sword. With one clean stroke, he hacked through the log and Cheif Bob's table.

Cheif Bob: Amazing.....can they make more?

General Shaka: I knew you'd like it, sir, so I told the guys in Science to make a bunch more. My lieutenants in Bapedi are training guys to use these weapons as we speak.

Cheif Bob: Most excellent, General. Is that all?

General Shaka was taken aback, surprised that his Cheif did not want to talk any more about the new toys.

General Shaka: Uh, ah, yes sir. Sorry about the desk, sir.

Cheif Bob: Don't worry about it. Sorry to cut you short, but I'm extremely busy. You may go.

With this new development, the Zulu army would rise to a new height of power, striking terror into the hearts of nearby nations with the mere idea of an attack.

Palace Courtyard, ZimBobwe, Zululand, 1250 B.C.

Once again, the courtyard outside the Imperial Palace was filled with uneasy muttering. This time, however, it only had a few men in it, each of them from a different city. They were nervous, wondering if they had done something wrong. As they sat and wondered, Cheif Bob swept into the courtyard.

Cheif Bob: Gentlemen! Welcome, welcome! I'm sure you are all wondering why you are here, and why your fellow citizens chose you, but if you follow me all your questions will be answered.

Cheif Bob turned on his heel and marched straight back into the palace with the visitors in tow. They walked straight past the throne room and into the Conference Room where Cheif Bob held all his council meetings.

Cheif Bob: Please, gentlemen, be seated.

The men nervously took their seats. Cheif Bob walked to the front of the room and leaned forward, resting his palms on the table and looking across at the young men.

Cheif Bob: Gentlemen, Zululand is entering a new age. This young nation is prospering, but the people are ill at ease, and they dislike the current form of managament. Of the country, that is. My Scientific advisor tells me this management is called government, and that our current government is called Despotism.

Cheif Bob broke off and walked aroun the table, taking a seat at the head of the table and looking across at his compatriots with calm eyes.

Cheif Bob: But now there is need for a new type of government. You men have been selected, one each from every city in the empire, by the people. You are here to become my helpers, my ambassadors to the people, if you will. If you choose to take on this position, you will be summoned to my conference room apporximately whenever I feel it is neccesarry. While you are here, we will discuss matters of the state. You will be paid a hefty salary, of course, but the work will be difficult. Of course, it's doubtlessly easier work than tilling the fields......Anyway, if you're in, please mark this paper with your name. If you're out, you may leave. You need fear no repurcussions if you choose to leave now.

Bob watched as, one by one, the men signed the paper on the table in front of them.

Cheif Bob: Very good. Now, it is doubtless that there will be a short period of unrest amongst the people, but I imagine it will pass quickly enough. You shall spend the first few days of your new job in your home cities, helping calm the people. The Impi Elite will escort you and ensure that you are heard. That is all.

The men left the room, one by one, and as they passed through the door, the Zulu nation passed through its weakness and into power. From that point on, the Zulu nation would be a powerful nation, a nation looked up to by others, and a nation respected by all others. The Zulu nation would be the first Republic, the first representative government, in the history of the world.

To Be Continued....

Chapter Three Continued: The Age of Science

Prologue

The transition from a Despotism to a Republic had not been easy. Many people had assumed that the fact that their leader was giving up complete control meant he was becoming weak. Some merely took the opportunity to loot as a gift from god. But all settled down soon enough, and the results of the revolution were wonderful and numerous. Lightened restrictions on trade enhanced economic growth. The economy of Zululand increased fourfold immediately after the return of power to the government. The people were happier with this new, "representative" government, and happy workers meant more productive cities, which meant yet more money. The new Prime Minister scarcely knew what to do with all this money.

Chapter Three Continued

The term "Age of Science" is a general reference to the period in which the Zulu nation gained the larger part of its superiority over the other nations of the world. The beginning of the Age of Science, most historians agree, began with the rising of Senzangakhona, the first truly great mind of Zulu scientific progress, and his grand plan for the expansion and glory of the Zulu nation: the Great Pyramid. However, Senzangakhona was not the only great thinker of early Zulu times. He was merely the first.

The true rise of the Zulu began with another man, another great thinker. This man's name was Dingiswayo. As Senzangakhona before him had been, Dingiswayo was originally apprenticed to Prime Minister Bob's Scientific advisor, Sid, but proved his brilliance with his idea for a new form of education. This idea consisted of educating the masses in the arts of reading and writing; Literature, in a word. And with this grand idea came another, an idea so great that the result of it still stands in the city of ZimBobwe, though its use is peripheral at best in these modern times.

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This idea found its way into being by way of a conference with the Prime Minister and his Senate at the great House of the Senate in ZimBobwe. This building, constructed shortly after the revolution ended, contained all senatorial conferences and therefore would hold this one as well. It seemed of little significance at the time, but the realization of this plan was one of the many things that would slingshot the Zulu Empire to true greatness.

Conference Hall, House of the Senate, ZimBobwe, Zululand. Approximately 1050 B.C.

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The Senators sat in their two rows of bench seats, looking down curiously at the man sitting before them. In the chair below them, also facing this young scientist, was the Prime Minister, stroking his short beard thoughtfully as he listened to this man talk. The conference had only just begun, but already the debate was heated.

Dingiswayo: My idea is perfect. Construction of a Great Library will allow for mass education of the people. Our scholars will have a place to congregate and share ideas, and a place to store the ideas of other cultures. With the construction of this Great Library, our nation will rise to new power!

Senator from Bapedi: But this Great Library you speak of will consume time and valuable production. We can't just throw labor at any old idea. Admittedly, this would do great things for us if your theory is correct, but what if it isn't? All that time and energy, devoted for no reason to a purpose that will collapse far more quickly than it is constructed?

A rash of murmurs and nods of agreement passed through the House like wildfire, and the young man's face grew sad as he watched them. Finally, the Prime Minister rose from his seat and spoke.

Prime Minister Bob: Gentlemen of the Senate. What have we to lose? Already we have a powerful empire. Already we have a powerful military. We have no wars, no projects, nothing to consume our resources, and even if we had, our empire is strong enough now to divert some of that strength into dreams like this.

Senator from Ngome: But that's exactly it! That's all this is, Prime Minister, a dream!

Prime Minister Bob: And what's wrong with that? At the risk of sounding dangerously corny, a young man exactly like this one walked into my throne room many years ago and requested a project of similar size and effort. I allowed it, and look where we are now! On the path to greatness! Is that so bad?

PM Bob broke off and looked around at the men before him. He remembered when he could just say something would be done, and it would be done, but now he had to get agreement from these men.

Prime Minister Bob: Dingiswayo, please rise.

Dingiswayo rose from his seat and faced the Prime Minister.

Prime Minister Bob: I will grant you the labor and time you need to complete this project, under one condition. It will be built here, in ZimBobwe.

He turned to face the men sitting in the benches above him.

Prime Minister Bob: If any of you wishes to object, please speak now.

Surprisingly, none of the Senate spoke.

Prime Minister Bob: Very well. Dingiswayo, be on your way. Gentlemen of the Senate, you may leave now. This conference is over.

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And so it came to be that the Great Library was constructed in ZimBobwe. Scholars from all corners of the Empire flocked to ZimBobwe, gathering and sharing their ideas, and recording the ideas of other nations. At this Great Library, many ideas were taken from ancient Russian and Japanese texts previously indecipherable: Map Making, Polytheism, and Horseback Riding. Additionally, the art of Mathematics was discovered under the scholars' own power.

Next Chapter: The First Franco-Zulu War

Good job with the science. once done with that build impis and swordsmen to take the french down.

die french. Glad this game goes better

Heh...the French will die very soon indeed. Very, very soon. Be prepared for some extreme violence.

***CAUTION***
extreme violence ahead. rated D for domination over the french

blood death and famine will occur Regent and + only... :D

lol, thanks for the ESRB rating there Coolio.

Chapter Four: The First Franco-Zulu War

As discussed earlier in chapter three, the deep dislike between the Zulu and French peoples began quite some time before the events I am about to describe to you occurred. It began with a misunderstanding, as so many of these things do, but it unraveled at an alarming rate into the first full-scale international conflict in the history of the Zulu empire. Until then, the Zulu had been peaceful, warring only with the Northern Barbarian scum and the occasional wild animal. But the French pushed the Zulu to their breaking point just at the bottom of the skyrocketing parabola (stupid metaphor, I know) that was the Zulu military might. As new sciences were being discovered, new military applications for these sciences were being discovered, and so by the time this part of the story takes place the Zulu army was quite formidable indeed.

The First Franco-Zulu war, though its roots went much farther back, was caused mainly by the establishment of embassies in the capitol cities of the other nations of the world. Upon establishing an embassy in Paris, the French capitol, the Zulu ambassador there uncovered many poorly-hidden atrocities against the French people. Apparently, the French had been steadily killing off their own populace for reasons so idiotic as to be sadistic. And, it was discovered shortly after many citizens of Bapedi had been missing for some time, the French army was kidnapping Zulus to work their own lands or be slaves to the hierarchy. Clearly, this outrage could not be tolerated. And so it was that the Zulu Empire declared war on the French Empire.

The First Franco-Zulu war was short relative to the Second, and bloodless relative to al others. Very few lives were lost, although those that were lost were French. The French had drastically underestimated the Zulu army, believing that the Impi Elite were the primary fighting force of the Zulu army when in fact they were merely a quick and highly skilled defensive unit. And so, the French sent hordes of Archers and Spearmen into Zulu lands, only to have them hewn down as quickly as they were sent in. The main reason for this rout was the fact that the Zulu had developed a fearsome new fighting force, the Swordsman. Equipped with armor and a deadly new sort of weapon, these fighters patrolled the French border and quickly destroyed any attacking forces entering Zulu sovereignty.

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Now, after the first wave of attack forces, the French would take some time to gather another strike. Meanwhile, let us take a look at the Zulu empire at the time of the First Franco-Zulu War. Here we see all the lands to the north, as Prime Minister Bob saw them all those years ago.

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And here we see the southern half of the early Zulu empire.

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And now, let me leave you with this; a great leap in the history of the Zulu.

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The Zulu Empire had entered a new age.

Next Chapter: Golden Age

Chapter Five: Golden Age

The Zulu Empire entered the Middle Ages in the year 775 B.C, a year of little significance otherwise. With the construction of the Great Library, it had become the most advanced nation on the planet, and subsequently was the first to enter a new age. Along with entrance into the middle ages, the Zulu nation was about to enter a Golden Age as well, although of course they could not know it at the time.

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It began in 650 B.C, a year of great things in our story. In the southlands, a Great Wall had been built separating the countries of France and Zululand. With the completion of this Great Wall, the people became enthralled with the power and prosperity of their nation, and thus became massively more productive. This lead to an increase in funds, which led to an increase in scientific research, which led to even greater productivity, which led to an increase in funds........A Golden Age had been triggered, and soon the Zulu were on the fast track to the top.

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In the year of 590 B.C, only 310 years (Zulu years are much shorter than lunar yeras) after the declaration of war against France, the two nations signed the Franco-Zulu Peace Accord, the first peace treaty to come of an early war. All others before it had been fought to the eventual destruction of one of the combatants. But this war was not finished; it was merely lying dormant, waiting for the perfect moment to explode. Although the Second Franco-Zulu War would not occur for many hundreds of years, the potential was still there.

And so Zululand carried on its business. Years passed, and a great many things happened, as they tend to do. Zululand continued on its way, constructing a great many libaries, universities, and military facilities. Riches flowed from the treasury (literally; an account from Prime Minister Bob's journal has the treasury vault "bursting at the seams") and the Zulu Army was stronger than ever.

The first major event of the Zulu Golden Age was the discovery of Invention, the Art of War, and the Great Workshop.

Allow me to go more into depth on these subjects.

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The first, the discovery of Invention, was not really so much a discovery as a refinement of an old idea. It was finalized by a proposal from a fellow named Leonardo, an Italian inventor famous for his expertise.

Private Chamber of Prime Minister Bob, ZimBobwe, Zululand, 490 B.C.

Prime Minister Bob sat silently in his chair, listening intently to the wild-haired old man in front of him. The man, whose name was Leonardo, had come to him only a few minutes before, and already he had the Prime Minister completely won over. Leonardo's idea was, in short, to build a workshop where he could more easily make armor and weapons for the troops of Zululand. This was obviously a great idea. Prime Minister Bob, having only recently amended the Constitution to give him slightly more freedom from the Senate, cut into the young man's persuasive speech.

Prime Minister Bob: Wait, wait. You had me at "cheap military upgrades." I love this idea...it's wonderful. And doubtless it will be extremely useful for Zululand in the future. You have five seasons to build this workshop. I will give you whatever you need to make it happen. But build it here.

Leonardo: Thank you, Prime Minister! You won't regret this, I promise you!

Prime Minister Bob: I certainly hope not. Now then, if that's all, you may go. I'm rather busy and I have an appointment with some fella named Sun Tzu in a few minutes.

Leonardo rose and stalked out of the room.

As you have probably guessed, Prime Minister Bob had another conference, this time with a mysterious "chinaman" named Sun Tzu. This man wanted permission to build a War Academy, and of course was granted permission, but with instruction to build it in the great city of Ngome. I will spare you the tedious details of this conference, and instead jump one hundred years into the future.

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Leonardo's Workshop was complete, exactly on schedule. And, to the great joy of military men and priests alike, the warrior code of Chivalry was perfected. With this code, Knights were born, men loyal only to their leader and to their Prime Minister, men who rode their magnificent horses into battle with no fear in their hearts.

While all these great things were happening, relations between Zululand and France were steadily worsening. Tempers flared, angry glares were exchanged. Many heated a discussion took place between Joan D'Arc and Prime Minister Bob in his conference room. The term "pie hole" was used. Feelings were hurt. Obviously, trouble was brewing.....but let's save that for the next installment.

Next Chapter: The Second Franco-Zulu War

Alright, violence as promised coming up next chapter!

lol, thanks for the ESRB rating there Coolio.
anytime... BTW how many troops do you have? get an approx count. i was playing a warlord game and i took out a civ with 15 swordsmen and about 10 ancient cavalry. dont overbuild and waste sheilds.

Uh....total I have something like 40. My stack for France is currently comprise of 8 knights and 8 trebuchets plus some impi, but I want to have at least 10 knights and an equal number of trebs before the initial attack.

Chapter Six: Second Franco-Zulu War

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The Golden Age of the Zulu was over, and war was in the near future. This was made clear early in the year of 90 B.C, when a visit to the French Embassy prompted the Zulu emissiary to France to send a letter to the Prime Minister reporting unbelievable atrocities of the French government and militia. In response to this, the Prime Minister sent a letter in reply, but recieved no answer, for the ambassador had been executed when his letter was found out. Once again, the Zulu Army mobilized for war with France. In the yera of 70 B.C, two things of great significance occured in the city of ZimBobwe. First, a great learning facility was finished, an observatory built by the astronomer Copernicus. This, in effect, doubled the capacity of scientific research in ZimBobwe. Secondly, General Shaka met with Prime Minister Bob and the Senate for a war council.

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Conference Hall, House of the Senate, ZimBobwe, Zululand, 70 B.C.

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The Senators sat in their three tiers of seats around the Prime Minister's table, at which sat General Shaka and Prime Minister Bob himself. They were waiting for someone, but he was very late already, and so the conference began without him. The Prime Minister rose from his seat, folded his arms across his chest, and looked up at his Senate.

Prime Minister Bob: Friends, Senators, you are here today for a very important reason. I assume you all have read the letter sent by my ambassador to Paris, and that you have all heard what has been done to him. You are here to make a simple decision. All of you will vote now, yes or no, for or against the proposed war against the evil French. All opposed, raise you right hand.

Three hands raised uncertainly into the air.

Prime Minister Bob: Very well. All for, raise your right hand.

Eight hands rose.

Prime Minister Bob: Very well. I believe you all may go, unless you have something to speak with me about.

As the Senators left the room in single file, the Prime Minister turned to General Shaka.

Prime Minister Bob: Why isn't he here?

General Shaka: I don't know. He was supposed to be here half an hour ag....

Just as he spoke these words, the doors of the conference room swung quietly open. There, standing in the door, was Prime Minister Bob's cartographer, covered in ink and wild-eyed.

Master Cartographer: Uh, heeeeyy.....HEY! I know you guys!

General Shaka: Yes, you hopeless drunk, you do know us. And you have something for us, remember?

M.C: Ahehehe.......not really....

General Shaka: No, no...I believe I promised you a bottle of beer for this perticular item.....remember?

M.C: AH! Yes, yes yes yes I remember now. Er, it's kinda messy cause I passed out on it for a while before I finished, but it should be good enough. Here ya go.

The cartographer handed a scroll to the Prime Minister, who spread the scroll out on his desk.

M.C: We'll have to put roads down so we can attack as quickly as possible once inside French territory. We don't know for sure what they have, but I think it's fairly certain that their military is laughable at best. It should be a rout.

Both the General and the Prime Minister raised eyebrows at the cartographer, wondering where this strange burst of verbal articulation had come from.

Prime Minister Bob: Very good, very good. I guess this has to be done, but I still feel bad about it. General, ready your men. We are going to war.

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And with that, the Second Franco-Zulu War was on the fast track to actually happening.

Chapter Six Continued: The Second Franco-Zulu War

Just before the war broke out between France and Zululand, a great project was completed in the great Zulu city of ZimBobwe: a war academy, built and overseen by the great military mind Sun Tzu. At this war academy, the regiment and battalion leaders of the Zulu Army went to learn the arts of war from the best of the best. They would then return to their men, fully trained and raring to go. This had the effect of a barracks in every city. A free barracks. This, obviously, would be massively useful in the upcoming French Campaign. Damaged units would be able to heal quickly no matter what friendly city they were in; newly captured cities would be strongholds instead of sitting ducks. This war academy streamlined and strengthened the Zulu's iron arm of war. The French, clearly, were in a situation that could be fairly accounted as "deep ****."

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Before we get to the story of the war itself, let us first investigate the other interesting developments that occurred in Zululand just before the conflict. Shortly after the Art of War was perfected, Zulu chemists came upon an interesting substance known now as gunpowder, and known to the Zulu as Saltpeter. This powder, found in the Gray Mountains, the range just west of Mpondo, exploded violently on contact with even the smallest spark. This was discovered surreptitiously by Sid, who we haven't heard much about in a while. This discovery led to a startling leap in military tactics and armament.

Private Chamber of Prime Minister Bob, ZimBobwe, Zululand, 10 B.C.

Prime Minister Bob sat alone, brooding, as he so often did. Now he was brooding about France, about Joan D'Arc, and about his country. He had come so far without any real conflict, without any real problems, except for the First Franco-Zulu war, which was not really that much of a war anyway. And now, when things were going so well, the French refused to be reasonable. If only there was some way to fix it all...

Interrupting his thoughts was a knock on his door. He looked up, gave a grunt of acknowledgement, and put his head in his hands. The door to his chamber swung open, revealing General Shaka and Sid, his head scientist. The two men entered the chamber, trailing behind them a young Impi Elite carrying a long silver stick and a pot of dirt. His interest piqued, the Prime Minister leaned back in his chair and folded his hands behind his head, observing the three men before him with curiosity in his eyes. He was used to Shaka and Sid bringing strange weapons to him, but this was odd indeed. The stick had no edge, and therefore appeared to be entrirely useless. Bob sat motionless, waiting for one of the men speak.

General Shaka: Prime Minister, we have something to show you.

Prime Minister Bob: I sort of assumed. Go ahead, this looks good...

Sid: Oh, it is, Prime Minister. Quite good indeed. This young soldier here carries the weapon of the new millennium, the weapon of a new age. With this weapon, sir, we will fear no man or nation! Now, let me start at the beginning. I was sitting in my studio the other day, toying with some different chemicals, when I accidentally dropped my rock-hammer to the table. It struck a tablet and blew a spark into a tray of a certain mineral powder which has interested me for some time. To my surprise, it, for lack of a better word, exploded, sir, with a massive noise, and propelled the rock-hammer across the room, embedding it in the wall of my studio. Clearly, I thought to myself, this could be very useful....

General Shaka: I had my military engineers fashion a metal tube, and a small spring at the base of it. The spring is connected to a sort of jaw that holds a small shard of flint. When the spring moves, it strikes the flint on a small metal plate. This plate is loaded with Sid's strange powder, and when the spark touches it, it explodes, propelling a small metal ball down the tube. This ball moves too quickly for the eye to see. Allow us to demonstrate.

General Shaka turned and nodded to the soldier behind him, who set the pot of dirt to the ground and pulled a long spike connected the to tube. The spike folded out to a ninety-degree angle, and the soldier set the spike into the potted earth. He then loaded a ball into the tube, sprinkled some white powder from a small tube into the base of the tube, and leaned forward, balancing his weight over the spike.

General Shaka: You may wish to cover your ears, sir.

The General, Sid, and the Prime Minister covered their ears. The Impi soldier pushed small cork plugs into his ears, peered down the length of the tube, and pulled a small pin on the bottom of the tube. With a noise only detectable as a faint pop to the shielded ears of the men in the room, the tube flared and jumped back. The men slowly uncovered their ears and looked at each other, expectantly in the case of Sid and General Shaka, confused in that of the Prime Minister.

Prime Minister Bob: Am I missing something here? What's the big deal?

General Shaka said nothing, merely grinned maniacally at his friend and leader and gestured to the opposite wall of the chamber. As the Prime Minister walked slowly towards the indicated wall, the small, round hole splintering its smooth surface became more and more apparent. For a few moments nobody spoke and the Prime Minister picked out a small, twisted ball of metal from a three-inch deep hole in the wall. He turned to his advisors with a look of incredulity on his face.

Finally, he spoke in a soft, hurt voice.

Prime Minister Bob: That was brand new wall paneling...

The age of Gunpowder weapons had begun.

Some time passed before the official declaration of war between the nations of Zululand and France was made. Up to that time, nothing of particular interest occurred, so let us jump forward once more to get straight to the interesting part. The year: 90 A.D. Relations between Zululand and France were at a breaking point. Finally, in the summer of 90 A.D, Zululand declared war on the Kingdom of France for the second time in a millennium. This time, however, it would be much, much more violent. France, the instigator of the entire fiasco, would be almost utterly destroyed for their abominable actions.

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In the year 100 A.D, Zulu troops began the trek into French territory from the insertion point south of Bapedi. Roughly two-thirds of the assault force headed straight towards Orleans and Paris, while the other third headed west to Rheims.




Forests North of Orleans, France, Summer of 110 A.D.

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The Zulu knights slowed as they drew nearer to the French city of Orleans. They had been moving hard for two days, staying in the valleys and trees to keep their path of attack unknown to the French army. They were tired and hungry, but they knew that they were close to their destination. Their instructions from the General had been clear: take Orleans, then rest and regroup for the assault on Paris.

Soon the walls of Orleans became clearly visible through the trees. Lieutenant Mpande stopped his warhorse with a gentle pull on the reigns and held his fist up, signaling the rest of his men to stop. He dismounted and moved quietly back past his knights to the artillerymen. The Zulu attack would rely heavily on the newly created Trebuchets, great machines that could hurl heavy rocks miles away if used properly. Mpande whispered quietly to the artillerymen to ready their machines and fire at will.

The Trebuchets groaned with the sound of straining wood as the tension was slowly increased on the dozens upon dozens of trigger bars. The noise split the silence, causing a small flock of nesting birds in the trees above the take flight. Instantly, cries came from the French guards patrolling the walls of the city, but it was too late; the trebuchets let fly their frightening load, and the iron balls and rocks soon filled the air over the French city. As the trebuchets hit their mark and reloaded, screams from the French garrison filled the air.

Five minutes later, the Zulu strike force was inside the city. The artillery strike had decimated the French garrison, sparing few and injuring all those that survived. Those that had survived had been massacred as they tried in vain to defend their city. Dead French soldiers littered the filthy streets; many of the less experienced Zulu soldiers vomited at the sight of so many dead bodies. Everywhere, there were dead men, torn in half by the trebuchets' load or brutally slashed by the Zulu knights' swords. The following is an excerpt from the journal of a young Zulu sergeant in the Battle of Orleans:

"Everywhere there were bodies. Lying in the gutters, lying in the middle of the street...[split] open like animals in a butcher shop. With the bodies was blood, spattered on the walls of buildings, running like rainwater in the gutters. Men's armor was split open by rocks [thrown from trebuchets] and the men themselves were shorn in half by the force...[of the rocks.] It was horrible. I never expected it to be like this."
It is unknown as to the exact amount of French casualties, but the estimates are in the low thousands, as opposed to the 212 Zulu soldiers killed in the Battle of Orleans. The battle was horribly mismatched: the French spearmen were no match at all for the well-trained Zulu knights and their fearsome armored warhorses. The French, upon declaration of war, had been confident of their ability to contain the Zulu forces, but they came to realize after Orleans was taken so swiftly that they had practically attracted the wrath of God.

And so it came to be that Orleans was captured and the Second Franco-Zulu War truly began.

To Be Continued...

cool. Can we see a map of the known world?

very good thread so far. this is good writing. if you would like to see an example of BAD writing please look at continental take-over started by me. from now on i do not write i post in others threads.

@rbis4rbb- I'll get one up in the next couple posts.

@cooliovonhoolio- Thanks for the support!

Chapter VI Continued: The Second Franco-Zulu War

After the battle of Orleans, five more battles followed, each more bloody and inhumane than the last. New killing machines were created, including but not limited to boiling tar (poured from city walls,) primitive land mines (a solely Zulu weapon,) and explosive ordinance (used in trebuchet and catapult bombardments.) Despite the best efforts on the part of the French, the battles of Rheims, Paris, Chartres, Tours, and Lyons went very similiarly to the Battle of Orleans, if a hell of a lot more violently. As the French death toll soared into the high hundreds of thousands and the Zulu into the low thousands, the Second Franco-Zulu War quickly gained a reputation as the most blatantly, notoriously bloody war in the history of the world. More people were killed per minute than ever before or ever since; the efficiency of the Zulu military machine was truly frightful and devouring the French at an alarming rate.

With the consecutive captures of Rheims, Paris, Chartres, Tours, and Lyons with relatively few Zulu losses, the French soldiers became disheartened. The French generals began to realize that the only way to survive the Zulu juggernaut would be to surrender, and quickly. Joan D'Arc needed little convincing; in 350 A.D, the Marseilles Peace Treatise was signed by the Prime Minister of Zululand and Joan D'Arc. The Marseilles Treatise included the immediate conversion of the French government from a Despotism to a Republic, but otherwise was unconditional. Despite the fact that the Zulu had not gained any real power from this war (the French had no resources or luxuries they required), with an empire almost doubled in size and a bristling, modernized military, the Zulu nation began to command serious respect and fear from neighboring nations. Let us take a glance at the newly-gained lands of the Zulu Empire:

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And the newly-minimized French "Empire."

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With the Second Franco-Zulu War over and decent land gained to the south, the Zulu began to rebuild France. Years of abuse and neglect by Joan D'Arc had left the once-great cities dirty and unkempt. The trade network was decent but scarce, and the land management was horrible at best.

With this new land gained in the south, the northern powerhouse cities began building learning institutions, banks, markets, courthouses, and other badly needed improvements. Population density and total skyrocketed, as did scientific and commercial output, with the acquisition of new territory, and as funding increased, the Zulu scientific reasearch department moved along swiftly and precisely. New major scientific advances were discovered every few weeks by well-paid and dedicated scholars. This cascade of discovery was marked by the construction of a great learning facility, headed in design, construction, and instruction by the great scholar Isaac Newton, in the year 390 A.D.

http://www.civfanatics.net/uploads9/70-newtons.JPG

Also in this year, the ZNS Intrepid, the first truly seaworthy Zulu vessel, had managed to cross the Sea of Anxiety (renamed the Anxious Ocean in light of its size) and make contact with a young nation called Spain. This country, though primitive, proved to be massive, if poorly organized, through exchange of territory maps between the Zulu seamen and the Spanish government. To the south there existed two more nations: Portugal and Mongolia. Of the three, Portugal was by far the most advanced and cordial, and thus a Right of Passage agreement was established between Zululand and Portgual after the establishment of an embassy in Lisbon.

http://www.civfanatics.net/uploads9/65-Spanish.JPG

[Next Chapter: The First Russo-Zulu War[/B]

Chapter VII: The First Russo-Zulu War

With the reluctant but violently swift conquest of France, the Zulu had gained the respect of the other world powers. However, this conquest also attracted the negative attention of the country of Russia. Russian political analysts and government officials looked down upon the Zulu response to the French provocation, stating that the Zulu should have turned the other cheek. Yeah, like that would have worked.

Relations very quickly deteriorated between the two nations. Clearly, if war broke out, it would be a clash of the titans, as the two were the world's superpowers at the time of the French conflict. Evidence was discovered of possible French payoffs for a Russian attack on Zululand. Feelings were, once again, hurt. Amazingly, the Russian leader, Catherine, found it wise to insult and threaten the Zulu Prime Minister in a peaceful meeting at his summer home in Bapedi. As both sides became increasingly hostile, it became very clear that a conflict was about to occur. The only question was: when?

To Be Continued...

Chapter VII Continued: The First Russo-Zulu War


Conference Hall of Prime Minister Bob, The Federal Building, ZimBobwe, Zululand

http://www.culture.gr/2/21/213/21301n/00/mn01n21a.jpg

Prime Minister Bob sat at the head of the long table with his trusted advisors, weighing his options. Obviously, war with Russia was inevitable and imminent. Although the Zulu nation was capable of making war again so soon after the French conflict, Bob would have preferred to avoid it if possible. Therefore, he had called this meeting to assure himself of a plan in case the Russians upscaled the hostilities into a full-fledged war. And so there he sat, being briefed by his advisors on the status of his country and that of Russia. Or, in the case of his Trade advisor, being nagged about luxuries for the bazillionth time that week. (Something about the Zulu cuisine being furry, silky, and spicy, but not sweet. Beats me.)

Prime Minister Bob: All right, all right. I get it: we don't have enough luxuries. God, woman, aren't you ever satisfied? Seriously...OK. I'm better now. Shaka, where are we?

General Shaka: A good place, sir. Our military is stronger than ever. If the Russians start anything, we'll be ready. I've relocated all the troops from the French conflict to Chartres to regroup and re-arm, but of course they will have the added benefit of being right next to the Russian border in case them pigs starts somethin'.

Prime Minister Bob: Good thinking, Shaka, good thinking. Do you have an approximate count?

General Shaka: Um...we're not sure exactly how many we lost in the French conflict, sir, but estimates are at about 26 full regiments of Knights and 11 full squads of Trebuchets, plus any reinforcements we choose to send in.

Prime Minister Bob, a la Monty Burns: Eeeeeexcellent.

Sid: If I may butt in, sir, with the advent of Metallurgy and the Military Tradition we have further extended our advantage over the Russians! They have about the same number of units as us, or so Shaka tells me, but now we'll be able to upgrade our Knights and Trebuchets. The Knights will lose their armor for more accurate, lighter weapons. With less weight they'll move more quickly and be a lot more mobile. The result: a quick, hard-hitting offensive mounted weapon my fellow scholars and I call......Cavalry. The Trebuchets will be scrapped, but the gunners will be re-trained to use Cannons. They can fire big balls, if I may say so without any fifth-grade humor here....

Sid glared accusingly at Handy900, the strangely named fellow who had nothing to do with government but kept showing up at the conferences and cracking crude but uproariously amusing jokes.

Handy900: What?

Sid: ....with unprecedented power. The things will be invaluable in softening up defenses. Trust me, sir, if the Russians start something, we'll definitely be able to, ah, hold our own.

After a small burst of snorting laughter from the other advisors in the room, Sid took his seat.

Prime Minister Bob: Good job, guys. You've obviously done your homework. Now, then.... Jimmy boy, what can you tell me about the Russian military?

The newly appointed Foreign Relations advisor rose uncertainly to his feet. He was competent, but nervous as the responsibility of serving such an important man.

Jimmy the FR Guy: Not so much, sir. Since they aren't permitting my men to check out their cities anymore, what with the heightened tensions and all, I was only able to gather rudimentary info at best.

Prime Minister Bob: Go ahead.

Jimmy the FR Guy: Well, their military is fairly primitive. The best offensive units they have- that we know of- are Medieval Infantry and Knights. Not a problem for our Cavalry, sir. As long as we keep the fight in their territory we'll be fine. And since they lack Saltpeter, no musketmen. Our Cavalry will eat them alive.

Prime Minister Bob: Excellent. Shaka, do we have a plan ready?

General Shaka: Yes, sir...

http://www.civfanatics.net/uploads9/77-russiaplan.JPG

All was ready. The Russians, if they chose to attack the Zulu, would most definitely be regretting it for the rest of their miserable lives.

To Be Continued...

Could you stop using that black and white map thing? It's quite hard to see what's happening.

Could you stop using that black and white map thing? It's quite hard to see what's happening.

agreed defin

Sure. Thanks for the constructive criticism. :)

why didnt you finish off the french?
otherwise good strategy. BTW what technology are you researching? Just so i can get an idea of where you are technolagiacally.

Well....I didn't finish the French because I just felt kinda....merciful. Don't ask me, I honestly can't explain it. :hmm: No need to chastise me, I already feel real dirty and wierd.

Technologically, at this part of the game I am in the middle-middle ages (if you follow me.) I think Banking/Gunpowder were my last discoveries, and with the end of the war I am at Chem/Nav.

LOL @ Handy for the jab.

Good work, take Yaroslavl'!

Chapter VII Continued: The First Russo-Zulu War

Before we plunge right into it, let us first look back and see what was going on in the Zulu Empire before war with Russia broke out. With the advent of Metallurgy, the Great Wall between the homeland and the French Annex was made useless, as cannons could simply blast holes in it. This came at a good time, for the Zulu military was strong enough to hold any attackers out of the homeland even if they managed to take Old France. Thus, the Great Wall was broken down into scrap and used to reinforce the cities on the Russian border.

http://www.civfanatics.net/uploads9/72-Gwalldone.JPG

Additionally, the Statue of Zeus was made obsolete, as the ancient cavalry somehow (?) produced by it were simply too ancient to be of any use. Both these losses were sentimental but not really strategic, for in the age of Cavalry neither was truly needed.

http://www.civfanatics.net/uploads9/73-SoZdone.JPG

Both of these great Wonders were made obsolete in the year 430. In the year 460, a trading company headed by a man named Smith was set up in Ngome. Smith promised to use his profit to pay for all trade-based establishments in the Zulu Empire in exchanged for tax-free business. Naturally, the Senate quickly agreed.

http://www.civfanatics.net/uploads9/74-Smith::s.JPG

Shortly after, in the early 560s, Steam Power was discovered by Sid and his fellow scientists. Rapidly, Zululand's laborers were dispatched to connect rail lines through to all the major cities of the north, then run a rail line joining these to the cities of the south. Just as it occurred in the late 1700s-early 1800s for the world as we know it, the industrialization of the old world as the Zulu knew it occurred in the late 500s-early 600s A.D. This was a giant step forward, and though it was met by some resistance by traditionalists (who protested the use of gunpowder weapons and representational government,) but ultimately led to much greater power for the Zulu.

http://www.civfanatics.net/uploads9/82-steam.JPG

In 580, all hell broke loose. With the Zulu stockpiling troops in Chartres, the Russians felt threatened and sent squads of Medieval Infantry into Zulu territory. When a messenger informed the soldiers that further advancement into Zulu sovereignty would be perceived as an act of war, the Russians responded by sending the messenger's head in a box to the Prime Minister. This, needless to say, did not go down well. On orders from the Prime Minister himself, the troops in Chartres were sent into Russia.

After a mere 190 years of peace, war had again broken out. The Russians, having instigated the conflict, were remorseless, even joyful in this occurrence. Gross overcalculation of their own strength and poor planning and strategy meant the Russian attack was quickly flanked, broken down, and leveled. Constant reinforcements poured in from the Russian core cities, but these would prove no match for the might of the Zulu Army.

Now then. Let us progress to the real fun.


Hills NNE of Rostov, Russia, approx. 600 A.D.

http://www.civfanatics.net/uploads9/Carcassone.jpg

Heavy cannon fire had been going for days, but still the Russians refused to surrender. They were tough buggers, for sure, but Mpande knew they would eventually give up. No man, no matter what his mental strength, would starve himself and his men to death over one crappy town like Rostov. "Christ," thought Mpande to himself, "the place is a pit." And it was. The city was a depressing sprawl of cobbled streets and rough stone tenements lying like a corpse on the Moscov River. The hills to the north and east held a great deal of natural beauty, but the Russians were more concerned with packing as many taxpaying citizens as possible into the given space than aesthetic appeal, and so the land was blighted by this great heap of stone.

Mpande knew that it had to be done sooner or later. His men were tired after engaging the enemy at the border only a few days before. They needed time to rest, but there was no time for such things. Rostov had to be captured to divert the main Russian assault; hopefully the Russians would split their attack forces, sending many soldiers to Rostov. The Zulu musketmen would easily keep any attackers at bay, giving reinforcements from the homelands time to reach the front. It had to be done, to ensure the safety of the people of Zululand. Mpande leaned close to his first sergeant. "Tell them to stop," Mpande shouted, barely audible over the thunderfall of cannonfire. The sergeant raced off down the line, signalling the artillerymen to hold their fire. One by one, the cannons fell silent; the only sound was the burning of buildings and the hissing crack of flaming tar the Russians had deployed to keep the Zulu charge at bay.

Mpande surveyed the town with his spyglass, peering far into the weakened defenses. He saw no guards at the walls, no one manning the trebuchets. Something was up...it was never this easy. Mpande looked back at his first sergeant and nodded. The sergeant turned to the men and shouted to them to mount their horses. As the 1st and 3rd Cavalries readied their horses and checked their guns, Mpande let out a small sigh. It never ended.

The battle for Rostov was short and pitiful. The Zulu forces, having been disciplined to take no prisoners, massacred the Russian pikemen, sparing no one. The citizens of the city were rounded up and loaded into carts to be transported back to Zululand until the city was rebuilt to the point where it could sustain life again. For hours, gunfire pierced the quiet night air as the Zulu search-and-destroyed Russian military regiments barricaded in houses and fortresses. The Battle of Rostov, however little of a fight it was, had been won, once again demostrating the overwhelming power of the Zulu military.

To Be Continued...

Chapter VII Continued: The First Russo-Zulu War

Hills east of Chartres, former Kingdom of France, Zululand, approx. 610 A.D.

Mpande sighed and rubbed his temples as he sat, resting his head on his horse's massive chest. After the successful battle of Rostov, and against his own wishes, he had been relocated from the front to rest for a while, taking command of a "cleaning crew," a regiment of well-trained but relatively poorly equipped horsemen. These soldiers, armed with swords as opposed to guns due to lack of sufficient funds, most closely resembled the knights of the Franco-Zulu wars. Disciplined and tough, they patrolled the thin border between the Russian city of Krasnoyarsk and Zululand, destroying any Russian troops that made it across the border. It was relatively easy work compared to that of fighting on the front, but Mpande belonged with his men, not with these ancient fighters.

Mpande rose and looked out across the grasslands. The knights always camped in the grassland on the eastern side of the ridge of hills near Chartres. Zulu sharpshooters guarded the western side, hiding in the bushes and tearing into incoming Russian troops. But here, the knights watched for any Russian troops who might try to climb the ridge and take the high path around the sharpshooters. And, just his luck, Mpande had spotted a full-fledged division of Russian spearmen, armed with their primitive weapons and apparently headed for Bapedi.

"Get up, get up! C'mon..." Mpande whispered as he roused his horse and climbed into the saddle. As his men rose blearily around him, he quietly but urgently got them suited up. As they donned their armor and climbed onto their horses, the Russian spearmen were drawing quickly away across the ridge. If the Russians reached low ground the knights would have no trees to cover their attack. Mpande trotted his horse up and down the lines, urging his men into their armor and readying them for engagement.

************************************************** *******
The Russian lieutenant stopped and called to his men. "Stoy! Buistra, buistra, gotolvit!" Or, as you and I would say, "Stop! hurry, hurry, get ready!" The lieutenant glanced around, but all he could see was trees and fog. He could swear he felt something, a kind of deep low thrumming in his chest. It must be nothing, he thought. Just indigestion.

Too late the Russians lieutenant realized that the feeling was not indigestion but the pounding of Zulu warhorses bearing down on their prey. Unfortunately for him, the lieutenant only realized this as the steel of Mpande's sword bit into his flesh. Screaming, the Russians tied to regroup, but they were taken by surprise and horribly outnumbered. The Zulu knights were too heavily armored to be hurt by the pitiful bronze weapons the Russians were using; they circled around and around, plowing into the Russian line over and over again. Within seconds, the Russian men were decimated, killed to a man. Mpande stood on the ridge of the hill, looking out over the city of Krasnoyarsk as the morning sun broke the trees. This was what he did. As he smelled the sickly odor of blood mixed with iron, he knew that this was what he would do for the rest of his life.

To Be Continued...

Alright............a leader, finally! I have had 22 elite battles to this point with no leader, and now, after all that waiting... anyway. I send him to Chartres, where he immdiately forms an army, Shaka's Light Brigade. The army is loaded with 3 cavs and sent to Krasnoyarsk to assist with the attack and give me the Military Academy.

Anyway, I'm quickly becoming the runaway civ in this game, the Sumeria of the game, if you will. There have been numerous wars between the AIs (agression is at higher, not normal as I thought) but cities have very rarely changed hands. The cost factor of 11 as opposed to 12 is making a bigger effect than I had originally anticipated, but that's OK; challenge is good.

My strategy at this point is: Russia-India-Japan. I debated whether to attack Japan first (they're uncomfortably powerful) but I decided on India for the nice city spots. I will power through to Refining at full, secure all sources of oil possible, then build Tanks and rampage. :devil:

lets see a screen on your progress so far.

yes, and good update

@coolio- um....I'll try to dig one up, but I've gone way past this point in the game so I can't go back and get any screens besides those I already have. I'll see what I can do though.

@rbis4rbb- thanks! :)

Chapter VII Continued: The First Russo-Zulu War

Mpande’s emergence as an outstanding military mind changed the Zulu way of fighting forever. Under First General Shaka’s orders, Mpande reported to Chartres, where sixty-five thousand cavalrymen were waiting as promised. For many months these men trained together, but when they emerged as a single unit together as opposed to the many, many battalions of men they once had been, they made up the first efficient mass fighting force to be seen on the battlefield. Joining the prepared assault force at Rostov, Shaka’s Light Brigade headed north to Krasnoyarsk.

http://www.civfanatics.net/uploads9/89-marchnorth.JPG

The effect of this new fighting force startled the Russians. The army was quick, powerful, and incredible powerful. Shaka’s Light Brigade, as it came to be known, packed a massive punch, partly due to its immense size. Never before had an assault force of this magnitude been concentrated on one spot, but now this young army bore down on Krasnoyarsk, a major Russian city roughly fifty miles north-northeast of Rostov. The Russians, not knowing what to do in such a situation and weakened massively by Zulu cannon bombardment, fought admirably but with pathetic mediocrity in comparison with the Zulu. So it came to pass that in 660 A.D. the city of Krasnoyarsk changed hands for the first and last time. As the Zulu army group rested and rearmed in the city, surviving Russian forces retreated under heavy cannon fire to Moscow to reinforce and await the Zulu attack.

Now then. Before we continue on this war story, let us first look at what was happening in the Zulu homelands.

In ZimBobwe, great things were happening. Firstly, construction of a great Iron Works had been completed, by most accounts in the year or a year around 630. This facility made the city vastly more productive. Supposedly, after the construction of the Iron Works ZimBobwe had the productivity of three cities, capable of manufacturing massive amounts of weapons and other goods in a very short period of time.

http://www.civfanatics.net/uploads9/87-ironworks.JPG

With the construction of this facility, the workers of the great city set out building a Military Academy, anxious to test the might of their project. This Military Academy, it was hoped, would have roughly the same effect as the Art of War, perfected so many years before. The only exception was that while the AoW trained officers to lead their battalions better, this academy would be an institution where those officers ranked Major General, Lieutenant General, and 1st, 2nd, or 3rd General would be put in command over larger, consolidated groups of fighting men. This would allow the Zulu army to produce as many Red Armies or Corps Groups as it could support. The beginning of this academy was a great leap forward in the Zulu military history, one that would strengthen the Zulu military machine and feed its ever-growing appetite for devouring weaker nations.

To Be Continued…

Chapter VII Continued: The First Russo-Zulu War

I realize that although I have concentrated much of my story on the exploits of the Zulu army, I have failed to inform you of anything whatsoever about development of the Zulu navy. This, thankfully, is not entirely my fault. The reason for this is that before about 660 A.D, the Zulu navy was not only something to sneeze at, but something to laugh openly at. Comprised of two ships, the ZNS Intrepid and the ZNS Mpondo, this navy was merely an exploration force at first, but with the Russo-Zulu war under way it became clear that a more military-minded navy was in order. And thus it came to be that in the winter of 668 A.D, two warships were constructed in Ulundi. These ships were basically caravels with iron-stayed sides and a full deck of cannon, the first gunships of the sea. In 670 A.D, the Zulu flagship, the ZNS Loyalty, and her sister ship, the ZNS Honor, raised anchor and set out from Ulundi’s sprawling harbor and headed westward, toward the Russian coasts. Their assignment was to bombard the road network around the city of Novgorod to cut off Russian access to wine-producing vineyards. This, it was hoped, would make the Russian people unhappy, possibly causing civil unrest and weakening the Russian defensive capabilities. Additionally, it was hoped that by obliterating the area from which the Russians obtained their horses, the Russians would be unable to train any more mounted Knights. This would unquestionably cripple the Russian military.

Aboard the ZNS Loyalty, four miles off the coast of Novgorod, Russian waters, 670 A.D.

http://www.linesquall.co.uk/Resources/frigate.jpg

Captain Mbane peered through his spyglass at the Russian coastline, then swung around to scan the horizon in all directions. Five hundred yards behind was the ZNS Honor, clinging to the Loyalty’s wash like a child. As the Loyalty came within range of the Russian coast, Mbane turned and told his First Officer to signal the Honor to stop. As he gazed through his spyglass at the easily distinguishable Russian troops moving around on the hills outside Novgorod, Mpande smiled to himself in glee. The idiot Russians thought they were safely out of range. They were so sure, so damn sure, that nobody else could possibly have anything better than they had, even though the Zulu cannon and guns had proved them wrong so many times before. “Well,” thought Mbane to himself, “we’ll just have to change that.”

“Captain! We’re ready to go,” came the shout of the gunner lieutenant through the deck grating. Mbane looked down through the grate and gave a quick nod.

The thundering explosions of the guns reported one after another, their ringing echoes sounding back from the hills of the Russian coast. The boat rocked heavily and shook violently as all thirty-two guns on the left side of the ship fired together. Smoke and the ringing of metal hung in the air as the guns of the Honor opened up from behind. Mbane remained standing at the prow of the ship, surveying like a hawk through his spyglass as small plumes of fire and smoke broke out on the Russian coast like a rash. Mbane allowed himself a small, determined grin. “By the time this is over,” he thought to himself, “those hills will be leveled by our guns.”

http://www.civfanatics.net/uploads9/90-bombardnovgorod.JPG



To Be Continued…

Chapter VII Continued: The First Russo-Zulu War

The ZNS Loyalty and the ZNS Honor returned to friendly waters shortly after, in the year 690 A.D. Having completed their mission and successfully engaged three Russian landing craft threatening Krasnoyarsk, these powerful frigates had risen to Elite status, the finest (and only) warships in the Zulu fleet.

But this was not the only important event in 690 A.D. Also in this year, many other things happened that would have great impact on the future of the Zulu nation…

Conference Hall, Federal Building, ZimBobwe, Zululand

http://www.culture.gr/2/21/213/21301n/00/mn01n21a.jpg

Prime Minister Bob stood with his personal tailor, struggling with all his being against the tailor’s measurements and ideas.

Prime Minister Bob: Look, I’m telling you, this is a bad idea. I mean, I let you make me some new threads for the start of the last era, and look at this! You’ve got me in a freaking clownsuit, for chrissake!

Tailor: Well, then, don’t you think it’s time for a change, sir? I’m thinking gray suit, gray bowler hat, everyone’s doing it, sir! Ooh, and maybe a little stud earring! You’d be totally pimped out, sir!

Prime Minister Bob: Hmmm…..Maybe you’ve got a point there. I’ve always thought I’d look sexy with a stud. Maybe right here….

Prime Minister Bob’s advisors filed into the room, all holding clipboards.

General Shaka: Are we interrupting something here?

Prime Minister Bob: No, it’s fine. You’re early.

Sid: “Punctual”, sir. And actually, we’re a few minutes late. Now then, shall we get down to business?

Shooing his tailor away, the Prime Minister took a seat.

Prime Minister Bob: Sure. Fire away.

Nameless Trade Advisor: I guess I’ll start off, sir. I have a proposal for you. We have the knowledge, the resources, and the labor needed to begin a Transcontinental Railroad, sir, but so far we’ve failed to begin one. What do you think?

Prime Minister Bob: Meh. We’re running short on, uh, time.

Trade Advisor: Time? Wow, you really are running out of excuses. Sir, I realize you’re trying to dedicate all your efforts on the war, but our workers aren’t really doing anything anyways…

Prime Minister Bob: Meh…

Trade Advisor: And we’d be able to get our troops to the front much more quickly…

Prime Minister Bob: I’m sold. Start immediately. Shaka?

General Shaka: Everything’s going smoothly, sir. Krasnoyarsk was taken with heavy losses for the Russians, sir. We destroyed their entire garrison in the city, plus some; apparently, a small Russian attack force was coming through Krasnoyarsk, because we nailed 3 battalions of Knights and a couple battalions of Longbowmen. We only lost 2 units, sir, both Knights. Our cannon are working wonders.

Prime Minister Bob: Excellent. Sid?

Sid: Everything’s going very well, sir, due to generous funding on your part. Currently we’re going further into this whole steam power thing. Once we figure out how to industrialize, we should be able to build a mini-Iron Works in every city, sir, which, needless to say, will drastically improve production.

Prime Minister Bob: Good, good. That’s very good to hear. You all may go, unless there is something more you have to tell.

To Be Continued…

Chapter VII Continued: The First Russo-Zulu War

Let’s pick up where we left off.

In the year 690 A.D, many other things of great significance to the Zulu happened. Of course, as already mentioned, the Trans-Continental Railroad was started in ZimBobwe. This railroad would run through to all the cities of the Southlands and through all captured Russian cities, enabling quick movement of troops to the front line. With the bombardment of the vineyards on the Russian coast at Novgorod, the ZNS Loyalty and the ZNS Honor had also achieved a far more important victory: the bombardment had severed the paved road from Moscow and the northern Russian cities of Kazakhstan (the general term for northern Russia) to the vicinity of Krasnoyarsk, inhibiting Russian ability to put troops to the front lines quickly. This meant that the Russians were forced to attack the Zulu forces while they were safely garrisoned inside captured Russian cities. This gave massive advantage to the Zulu, who, with the discovery of Nationalism and the subsequent development of rifled guns, had become vastly more powerful on the defensive. With no possibility of victory against fortified Zulu riflemen, the Russians were forced to wait until the Zulu cavalry left the cities where the cavalrymen were far too fast and well organized for the Russian forces to deal any noteworthy damage.

With Krasnoyarsk taken, the Zulu armies bore down on Moscow. At this point, the Russians realized that they would surely be destroyed. Fight as they might, they had virtually no chance of stopping the Zulu juggernaut.

Hills SE of Moscow, Republic of Russia, 690 A.D.

http://www.6th-ohio-cavalry.org/PhotoAlbum/morgansraid/Cannon%20Haul%20Uphill.jpg

Mpande sat atop his horse and surveyed the carnage before him. This battle was quickly unfolding into a massacre as the Zulu cannon cut through the Russian defensive line like hot iron through butter. The city, situated on the join of three hill ridges, was burning. Everywhere there were massive, towering columns of black, acrid smoke rising up into the thin air. The stench of burning corpses and dead horses was unbearable. Though they had tactics and technology on their side, the Russians had gotten lucky enough hit several Zulu cavalry platoons with trebuchet bombardment. Nevertheless, most of the men were still standing, and most importantly of all, the Light Brigade was intact. No matter what luck the Russians had, it was inconceivable that they would be able to stop sixty-five thousand charging cavalrymen. Mpande turned to his First Sergeant, hesitated, and nodded his head. The First Sergeant swung up onto his steed and shouted an order that echoed down the line as the other officers told their men to saddle up.

http://www.civfanatics.net/uploads9/93-moscow.JPG

Mpande was disgusted at the sight of the city. After twenty long minutes of hard, brutal fighting, Moscow was taken, but the death toll was high. The Light Brigade was yellow-lined taking the city, leaving one-third of the men incapacitated and the rest with minor injuries. Nevertheless, the city was theirs, every revolting inch of it. Bodies were everywhere, littering the streets like trash overflowing from a dumpster, limp and battered. The only noise was that of the last Russian troops shouting as they were searched out and killed, the burning of buildings, and the harsh slap of horseshoes on cobblestone. As the Light Brigade dismounted and began setting up camp to heal their wounded, Mpande let out a bitter sigh. It was a brutal business, the life of a soldier.

To Be Continued…

Alright, I have now played WAAAAY into this game.... do NOT click below unless you really, really want to know what happens. I will update soon for anyone who's actually reading.

Really, really don't read this unless you really, really want to knowReally. Don't- unless you REALLY want to knowI kick the crap out of the Russians, then the Indians, then the Japs, then the Portuguese...and that's as far as I've gotten. Basically let's just say I"m whomping the poo out of everyone

YOU LUCKY!!!! im never able to get iron works. good job taking down the russians. didnt look like it was too hard considering your fighting with riflemen and their using medInf. and wow! how'd u get to the industrial ages in 610AD? im there at around 1000-1500 AD what level are you playing at

Warlord with AI cost factor at 11 instead of 12, so almost Regent. This is easily the best game tech-wise and power-wise I've ever had. Usually I also enter the IA around 1000 AD, but this time I got my GA placed just right plus the Glib and Cop's Obs.

EDIT: It gets even worse (for the AI). WARNING: SPOILER!!! I enter the Modern Ages in 1355 and therefore am fighting AIs using Rifles and Muskets with my Mech Infs and Modern Armor.

Sorry I haven't posted, i just haven't checked this forum for a while. Please continue

It's been a while since I've been so captivated by such a story...keep it up! :)

Mwahhrrrr..it's been, what, 2 weeks and some change since our last Story Time, but if yall homeskillets gather round I do believe I can retrieve a tidbit from the deep dark recesses of my el POS computadora. Sorry for the massive delay, those who are following, but a particularly nasty girl problem kicked me pretty hard in the testes. Not to worry though, it's all sorted. So without further ado, heeeere we go.

Chapter VII Continued: The First Russo-Zulu War

Have patience, for as I said before, 690 A.D. was a year of many great things. The capture of Moscow was a huge blow to the Russians, simultaneously removing a major productive city and much of their military. Five battalions of Pikemen, four of Trebuchets, and two of Knights had been killed with the taking of Moscow, with the Zulu losses limited to those of the Light Brigade; even those killed or incapacitated from the Light Brigade would be easily replaced or treated.

A few days after the taking of Moscow, a landing craft coming from the Russian-claimed island north of the Zulu homelands deposited a screaming horde of Russian longbowmen at Krasnoyarsk. Foolishly, the Russians failed to land their troops in the hills nearby, missing a possible defensive bonus and effectively making the longbowmen into cannon fodder for the Zulu troops. A battalion of Elite Zulu cavalry was dispatched from Krasnoyarsk, disposing of the Russian troops easily and proving the ability of yet another great military man, Zwelithini. This potential leader was put in command of the 1st Mountain Division, the toughest, roughest cavalrymen in the Zulu army, in order to let his potential be realized. Needless to say, it was realized very well indeed, and soon the 1st Mountain was known for its ability to take on any foe.

At the same time as the 1st Mountain’s leader was being discovered, big things were happening in ZimBobwe. The discovery of the Military Tradition many years before, combined with the victory of the Light Brigade at Krasnoyarsk, had given the Zulu generals the idea of building an academy at which men like Lieutenant General Zwelithini and 3rd General Mpande would have the opportunity to hone their skills. This academy had begun construction immediately with the OK from the Prime Minister, switching the resources being used to train a battalion of riflemen in ZimBobwe to the higher purpose of building the great academy. This academy was finished a few weeks after the Battle of Moscow, and as soon as it was built, officers who had proven themselves in battle were sent to train at this academy. The 2nd Mountain Division was formed and began training immediately after the academy was built.

http://www.civfanatics.net/uploads9/92-milacad.JPG

To Be Continued…

How much culture do you have in ZimBObwe?
And can you please post a minimap?