Chapter IX: Military Advances and Rebellion
The Celts had long been a militaristic empire with many great military minds, though the common officer would never get a chance to be great. To help find these "hidden" geniuses, the Celts constructed a Military Academy in Entremont. Officially part of the National University of Entremont, it specialized in training the future commanders and captains of the Celtic Army. The academy opened in time for the Fall Semester of the 727 school year.
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Just 3 years after the construction of the Military Academy, the Celtic Engineer Corps competed the world's first railway. The railway was short in modern standards, though it connected two of the largest Celtic cities, Alesia and Entremont. This railway would just be the first of many railroads that the Celts would construct.
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In 752 AD, the Celtic Armies struck the Sumerian city of Sumer. Sumer was a large port city that had been the site of first contact between the Celtic crew of the
CDS Entremont and Sumerian diplomats. But this time, the Celts were not in the city for "pleasantries", but for Sumerian blood.
The first strikes were raids, led by Caractacus's Cavalry forces which successfully destroyed the city's outer barricades. But these were just raids. Orgetorix led the final drive at the city, in which many lives were lost on both sides. Orgetorix's now outdated Heavy Cavalry clashed with Sumerian Pikemen and Warriors trained specifically to kill horsemen. Well over 1500 Celts were killed before the city would finally fall.
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The Celtic people had also been working on another project in addition to their first railroad, the irrigation of the Sahara Desert. Since the founding of Camulodunum, the Celts had been diverting water from the Nile into the desert in hopes of gaining more farmland, finally on September 14, 762 AD the last ditch was dug and the irrigation project was finally complete.
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In 769 AD, years after the fall of Sumer, the people were all very discontent with their new Celtic rulers. And so they searched the countryside, evading Celtic patrols until they found an ancient Sumerian weapons cache. In this cache were pikes, the long spears that Sumerians had used effectively and often against the Celtic cavalry. Soon a rebellion began in the city.
Battles raged for weeks as Orgetorix's outclassed and outnumbered cavalry struggled to maintain control over the city. However, the narrow city streets prevented the Celts to use their horses effectively and the rebels continued to advance slowly. Weapons from the Sumerian government flowed into the city as the rebels took control of the harbor. Next, the city's walls fell to the rebels, who then prevented any aid from Caractacus's men to get into the city. The rebels forced Orgetorix to the city hall where a short battle between the remaining 200 Celts and now over 12000 rebels, would result in Orgetorix's death and the Sumerian reoccupation of the city.
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Just a month later, the city of Cattaraugus also decided to rebel against the Celtic Government. The rebellion of Cattaraugus went much differently, as they only had 2000 Celts to kill and no reinforcements in range of the city. A merchant travelled to Leptis Magna where he purchased a shipload of rifles and 3 Carthaginian-made machine guns. The machine guns would prove vital as the Cavalry stationed in the city stood no challenge against enemies bearing such powerful weapons. Soon the city was secured by the rebels. To the surprise of nearly all Celtic diplomats, the citys citizens handed control over to the Carthaginians. The Celts wished to take control of the city once more, but the absence of a large army in the area prevented that as an option.
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Months after the defection of Sumer, Caractacus led a battle group to avenge the death of his friends in the city. Slaughtering the pathetic, overconfident guards of the city was no problem for the heavily-armed Celts who then torched the city. Several thousand Sumerians were killed in the blaze, and the rest were taken into slavery. The Celts were out for blood once more.
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Vercingetorix also participated in avenging Orgetorixs blood by attacking the Sumerian city of Lagesh. Lagesh was large, but its defenders were overwhelmed by the armored Celts who showed no mercy in capturing the city and executing its leaders. Just 800 Celts died in comparison to well over 5000 dead on the Sumerian side.
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In the midst of the attacks on Sumeria, peace between the Celts and Iroquois was finally achieved as the Iroquois accepted the Celtic terms for peace. Included in these demands were massive war-payments that were meant to pay for all of the Celtic troops killed in the war. The
KBS Entremont ceased firing at the announced hour and began its journey home with the Celtic diplomats and the first gold payment by the Iroquois.
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Meanwhile, the Dutch discovered themselves at odds with the Persians in North America and declared war. Celtic Military Analysts wondered if they would do any better than the Americans had against the Aztecs. Many didnt think so, though the Dutch Swiss Mercenaries would give the Persian Cavalry a decent challenge.
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As the Dutch-Persian War began, the
KBS Lugdunum attacked the Aztecs most powerful privateer warship. The two ships exchanged fire for several hours, though the powerful Celtic guns would prove superior to the smaller Aztec guns. Soon, the pirate vessel was burning and just an hour later, slipped beneath the seas. The Age of Aztec Piracy had begun its decline.
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In 813 AD, the Sumerians and Celts met for the first time in many years without the intent to kill each other. Though the atmosphere of hate still lingered above the table, the two sides finally agreed to end the war with the Celts receiving yearly gold-payments. Though the Celts still wanted more, their armies were exhausted and far from home. Peace was finally upon the Celtic Empire.
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Even though peace had been secured, the Celts met with Carthaginian leaders to discuss a trade of knowledge. This trade would give the Carthaginians knowledge of the worlds southernmost parts and a large amount of gold. But the Celts walked away with a valuable prize, the blueprints for a machine gun. Soon, the 1st Celtic Infantry Division was armed with these powerful weapons. The Celts, satisfied with their trade, continued to mass produce them.
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But peace would not last for the Celts. Just a few years later, an Aztec Cavalry brigade plundered a small Celtic village on the border. The Celts demanded that the Aztecs pay for this offense. Aztec diplomats responded by saying You want Aztec blood? Come and get it! The Aztecs officially declared war one day later. Brennus then ordered the invasion of the Aztec Empire.
The war created ripples in the world diplomacy scene that would surprisingly result in several embargoes being signed by other nations against the Celts.