Slow Game Blog...A Long Alternate History of Ireland...

Abstract:
I’d done something like this for my own amusement some time ago. Each day, I play between one and five turns (usually just one) and spin a story to go along with what happened that turn. I know that, in and of itself, there is nothing necessarily innovative there save the pacing. By stretching it out, one can immerse one’s self in the story and get a sense of history and time unfolding. I also try to behave as I might if I were actually a ruler at that time and disregard (as much as I can) my knowledge of upcoming timed events and whatnot. My purpose is to develop an alternate history, not win the game in the fewest turns or by a particular method.

The Scenario:

This will be my own scenario of RFC Irish set on marathon. The latest version is available here:
http://forums.civfanatics.com/showpost.php?p=9053159&postcount=1

TURN 14
The day dawns on Good Friday of what is known to the many in the world as the year 660. Up until now, Ireland has been a fractured and tribal society, as have the Celtic settlements of Britain. Prone to invasion and civil war, Ireland is no exception to the chaos of post-Roman Europe. But, perhaps because it had never been part of the Western Empire, Ireland is in a unique position to produce a remarkable leader to impose a remarkable order. Out of the mists of history comes Antaine Ó hÓgáin, Chief of Crioch Cian in northern Munster...a man reputed to have a caldron of mystical water from Tír na nÓg, ensuring everlasting youth.

He is acclaimed Árd Rí Éireann at Teamhair, and establishes a capital there, but can he enforce his claim over the whole island? The citizens of Teamhair seek to raise a monument in his honor, but Rí Antaine orders the building of a barracks instead, as he knows hard times are coming via conflicts with the Picts and possibly the Welsh and Cornish as well. For now, the Vikings there have been behaving themselves.

He has many loyal soldiers, including two bands of warriors in Britain. They report that the Picts in Alba intend to refuse to submit to the rule of a Gaelic king. Rí Antaine begins making preparations for an invasion of Britain while he sends loyal citizens into Ulster to establish a settlement around the ancient ecclesiastical center of Ard Macha. Emissaries have been sent to Gailimh and Corcaigh to inform the kings of Connacht and Munster of Antaine’s claim. Will they submit?

TURN 15
Fish begin coming in from the boats on the Irish Sea. Messengers from Árd Macha report that work has begun on a monastery complex in honor of St. Patrick. No word has yet been received from the emissaries sent to Gaillimh and Corcaigh. Rí Antaine begins to worry, but trusts that prayers offered up at the Easter Vigil later that night will help produce the desired effect. He begins sending warriors to Britain and order that scholars begin to recalculate the old Roman calendar and fix the current year with certainty.

Rí Antaine, a Christian king, issues edicts that indicate his rule will be one that relies on hereditary claims, vassalage, a system of serf labor and an extensive system of organized religion. While he knows that this is the best way to rule for the time being, even positive changes are frequently received with trepidation and so Irish society under Rí Antaine’s authority finds itself in revolt. Councils are being held to assuage everyone’s fears.

Ouch, 5 moves of anarchy. I would have probably forgone the OR and vassalage and stuck with slavery, since Ireland doesn't have that many tiles to improve...

I thought of that, but my cities will all be too small to use slavery for a long time anyway, my most pressing need will be to get workshops and quarries built...and I definitely want a boost to building speed in cities with the state religion.

I once didn't realize I forgot to change them and made it to 1700 with all the base civics settings...

Is that on epic or marathon speed? No way you'll get 5 turns of anarchy on normal.
If it's marathon and you're only going to be playing 1-5 turns per day it's going to be like months for this game to end!
Good luck on that.

Marathon. And yes, this is a long term project. Not that I'm not playing other games (and doing other things...like "life") at the same time, but this blog/project will indeed be going on for awhile.

TURN 16
Shortly after the Easter morning Mass, Rí Antaine emerged from the clearing which housed the altar to find emissaries and tribute had been sent from the kingdoms of Connachta and Muma. For the first time, the major kingdoms of Laighean, Muma, Connachta and Ulaidh are united under the leadership of a high king. Several hundred more warriors have been landed at a friendly village in Alba.

Some of the Irish noble chieftains persist in refusing the social changes instituted at Teamhair. Efforts are continued to compel them to comply with the new edicts both through demonstration of their wisdom as well as threat of force of arms. It is likely to be some time before they are all brought to heel.

TURN 17
Preparations continue for the assault on Dún Éideann. The Irish warriors have instructions to move into the hills above the city in the dark before dawn. The assault will come the following night. In the meantime, Rí Antaine has gained a commitment of allegiance from Conn Óg, a chieftain in Tír Chonaill.

TURN 18
The final bands of warriors have been landed in Alba and the ships have returned to Ireland. The warriors already there had moved into the hills earlier that morning, causing a state of open war between the Picts and the Irish. For their part, the Picts sent Fiachra Mac Annadh, the general of the army camped in the hills, the carcass of a headless boar, an animal sacred to him. This insult has caused him to swear that by the end of the next day he would be standing on the rubble of the city. Efforts to quarry the stone of the Burren proceeds ever-so-slowly.

TURN 19
In the dawn hours, before his final reinforcements arrived, Fiachra Mac Annadh and his men charged down Scald Law and assaulted Dún Éideann. They were able to breach the walls with ease. Once inside, they laid waste to the city, putting every man of military age to the sword, toppling the walls and burning every structure to the ground. Objects of value, though few, have been sent back to Teamhair.

At Teamhair, Rí Antaine has reached an agreement with the Uí Niall rulers of Ulaidh. The island will see its first day of internal peace and unity on the morrow.

TURN 20-21
Fiachra Mac Annadh begins making his way southward. The citizens of Eabhrac have expressed outrage over the sacking of Dún Éideann. One of their leading citizens, Aurelius, has played on a deep mistrust of the Irish going back to their days as a Roman city. They have mustered a defense and refuse to submit.

The Irish forces slip through the nearby forest for cover and quickly overrun the city’s defenses.

TURN 22
A small band of Celtic warriors which had slipped south of Eabhrac attacked Fiachra Mac Annadh’s rear guard in the woods. It was difficult to see the fighting through the foliage, but the Irish warriors won the skirmish and routed the Britons. An ultimatum has been sent to the citizens of Caerdydd, Tamais and Pen an Wlas: géilligí anois nó fáighigí bás (submit or die).

Back in Ireland, work continues with roads through the fertile areas of Munster and the pasturelands of Connacht.

how the hell can u only play 1 turn at a time?

meh...I kinda like it...it stretches things out. A war can last a few weeks of plotting and suspense instead of ten minutes.

TURN 23-25
The Irish force heads southward to Cornwall, which had abused the Irish emissary and refused Rí Antaine’s terms. The citizens of Caerdydd and Tamais have yet to respond. Fiachra’s nephew was killed in the recent skirmish and is eager for revenge.

TURN 26
As the sun sets, the Irish forces arrive outside the walled city of Pen an Wlas. The attack will come at daybreak.

I wouldn't worry so much about Cornwall but Cardiff really needs to be razed to avoid flipping to the English. Also, if roads are not pillaged, they can easily send settlers to found new cities.
And I presume you know that you need to evacuate all of England the turn before the English show up, since they'll all flip to them. (Of course you know since you wrote it)

cardiff flips with culture, i intend to use all the units I can to garrison inverness later. with york gone, the english tend to found liverpool, if york is still there, they go for inverness.

It's actually more critical than you think, the "reality checks" for england don't flip human players' cities, but they do mess around with culture on the tiles of Ireland, so you could lose resources to 100% english tiles at random places on the island even though you haven't lost a city to them.

TURN 27
Fiachra sacks Pen An Wlas and is recalled to Teamhair for his ruthlessness. Rí Antaine was unhappy he went so far, but must allow him to retain his hero status due to his popularity with the people. The citizens of Caerdydd are still deliberating a counter-proposal. Since the evacuation of the Legions, they have been under near-constant assault from Vikings and Germanic barbarians alike. There is a strong contingent in the council that is pressing for evacuation and resettlement in the peaceful kingdom to the west. With the recall of Fiachra, those settled along the banks of the Tamais are now under no pressure to answer swiftly.