Great Thebes

My second attempt at King level was originally posted on my blog, Down With Shooters in a shortened form (part 1, part 2, part 3), but I kept more detailed notes and screenshots to more fully tell the story of Great Thebes.

My first attempt at King Level was with Darius of Persia (The Golden King part 1, part 2) and it all was going really well until I realized that you can't defend yourself with no military.

Playing random leader (medium-sized world with random settings), I get Ramasses of the Egyptians. The unique ability is a bonus to wonder production, so my initial strategy is to try play peacefully and focus on wonders. Of course, having learned my lesson from my previous game, I'm going to build up a military for defence and maybe join with others in a mutual war against bothersome neighbours.



My Settler is near marble, cotton and cattle. Move one tile south-west to be closer to the cattle and found Thebes.



I immediately start on a Worker and researching Animal Husbandry so he can improve the cattle tile. While my Worker's building a pasture for the cattle, I'm researching Mining then Masonry for a quarry for the marble. When Masonry is discovered, Thebes starts building the Pyramids. Besides an improvement for my workers, it will start generating early Great Engineer points, allowing me to get even more wonders by rushing with Great Engineers.

Meanwhile my solitary exploring Warrior has cleared out a barbarian encampment and met up with the nearby city states of Stockholm (maritime) and Florence (cultured). I also meet two civilizations, Hiawatha of the Iroquious to the south and Elizabeth of England to the south-east.

I discover Calendar and can build a plantation on the cotton and now the money's coming in quite quickly from my improvements and unimproved river tiles. I've soon accumulated 500g, enough to influence Stockholm to ally with me - this gives a bonus of 4 food a turn to my capital (and 2 food per turn to any new cities I build).

I implement the Aristocracy social policy (in the Tradition tree) for faster wonder building in Thebes. I'm definitely heading down the path of a lot of wonder building in my capital. In 1960 BC, Thebes completes the Pyramids.



I immediately start building another wonder, Stonehenge, and research Writing (for libraries and the Great Library).

I meet Darius of Persia to the east. At the same time, my allies, Stockholm, start sending me spices, boosting my happiness quite nicely and eventually pushing me into a golden age just as Stonehenge is completed. It's not the best timing, as I actually want to expand now, so I spend the first portion of the golden age building a Settler. When the Settle finishes I start building the Great Library, but I'm too late as an unknown civilization beats me to it. I get some financial compensation for my hard work though, and I use the money to renew my alliance with Stockholm.

During the golden age I manage to research Philosophy and The Wheel and implement the social policy of Legalism (Tradition tree) for less unhappiness in my burgeoning capital.

My Settler heads south to gold and plentiful horses near Stockholm and founds Memphis in 1080 BC.



I discover Bronze Working and implement the Oligarchy (Tradition tree) social policy; it helps me defend if I'm attacked but mainly so I can go deeper in the Tradition tree if I want to. I clear out a barbarian encampment near Florence, gaining influence with them and becoming friends. I decide now that I want to try and pursue a somewhat diplomatic game, or at least pursue a strategy of making allies of the city states. To do so is best served by pursuing the Patronage social policy tree which is only available in the Medieval Era. I start researching Theology, the only tech I can research from the era, and start building the Oracle for the free social policy to give me a push down that tree.

In 425 BC, Elizabeth and Darius unite in a war against Hiawatha and I complete the Oracle and for my free social policy implement Patronage. The next turn I've enough culture for another social policy and implement Philanthropy (from the Patronage tree) for greater influence gains from my financial gifts to city states.

The list of most wonderful people is published - of course I'm top with 3 wonders Thebes builds the National Epic (national wonder boosting great people) and then a Great Engineer is born in Thebes. He rushes the Hagia Sophia, which grants me a boost to further production of great people. With Thebes and Memphis looking in good shape, I send out another Settler who founds Heliopolis to my north-east in 75 AD.



Meanwhile Darius and Elizabeth have continued in their war against Hiawatha, with Darius conquering the Iroquois settlement of Osininka. That seems to satisfy Darius and he soon signs a peace treaty with Hiawatha. That does however leave a lot of Persian forces wandering around my lands, making me a bit uncomfortable as I don't have much of a military at this stage.

I make a plan to build up some forces for a war I'm sure will inevitably come. I have a lot of horse resources, so I start researching towards Chivalry for Knights. In the meantime I build up a couple of basic melee units (Spearmen and Pikemen) and the unique Egyptian unit, the War Chariot, for some mobile ranged attacks. As I get closer to researching Chivalry, I start producing Horsemen and saving up cash to upgrade them.

I adopt the policy of Aesthetics (in the Patronage tree) which gives me an influence headstart with any of the city states. Speaking of which, I discover the militaristic city state of Tyre.

With Horseback Riding still being researched, Darius attacks Stockholm, my city state ally. I'm still 1 tech away from realizing my military build-up and so I'm not ready to take on Darius just yet. I stay out of it and hope Stockholm can hold out against Persia's Immortals.

Fortunately Darius is soon involved in a war against Elizabeth and Stockholm is able to prevail against the vanguard that Darius has left there.

I spend some money to gain Helsinki as an ally. Helsinki's a maritime city state, so more food for all my cities, plus fur, plus another ally in a future war.

Elizabeth signs a peace treaty with Hiawatha and with Darius soon after, leaving the continent in a relative state of peace; only Darius's war against Stockholm continues. I would have like some help in a war against Darius, and right on cue, Hiawatha proposes a war against Darius. I ask for 10 turns to prepare as I've just entered a Golden Age.



During this preparation period, I discover Chivalry and start upgrading my Horsemen to Knights. Other than a Great Scientist born in Thebes (who builds an academy for more science), my focus is on building even more of an army. By the time my 10 turns are up, I have 3 Knights, 2 Pikemen and 3 War Chariots for my invading army (leaving behind some forces for defence, and more units being built). With the last of Darius's attack force defeated by Stockholm, I'm very optimistic about the war. Even better news: Elizabeth joins in the war as well - Darius's days are surely numbered.

I inflict a few early casualties against some stray Persian troops and soon my army and Elizabeth's army have surrounded the former Iroquois settlement of Osininka.



I quickly capture Osininka and keep it as a puppet city; my happiness isn't high enough to take on any captured cities as full members of my kingdom since captured cities generate a very high amount of unhappiness.

Elizabeth and I advance on the Persian city of Pasargadae. During the siege of Pasargadae, a Great General is born who moves to join the war for the combat bonus he provides to nearby units. Pasargadae soon falls and the army rides on to the Persian capital of Persepolis.

I adopt the social policy of Scholasticism (in the Patronage tree) for the extra science it provides.

Darius seems to have absolutely no forces left - Persepolis is soon mine, and soon thereafter Darius's loses his last city of Ecbatana, which I decide to raze.



The conquest of Persepolis has given me silks, granting me enough influence to make Florence an ally and gain some culture every turn from them. I discover Banking, taking me into the Renaissance era and improving the benefits from my allies. I start researching the maritime technologies aiming for Astronomy so I can cross the ocean and meet up with the other civilizations.

My next 1000g is spent on making Brussels (more culture every turn) and Tyre (provides units) my allies and with the dyes they provide, and Ecbatana now razed, I'm at positive happiness again. I adopt the social policy of Cultural Diplomacy (Patronage tree) which increases the value of resources from city states, in particular greater happiness from the luxuries they provide, further helping my happiness. I can now annex Persepolis and, when I discover Astronomy, start building a Caravel there as it is my only coastal city.

Another Great Scientist is born in Thebes - another academy to push my science onwards. As my Burial Tombs (the unique Egyptian building) complete, my happiness rises further and I annex Pasargadae. My cities are building Colosseums to give me even more happiness.

Elizabeth has started a war against Hiawatha. I know Elizabeth has a sizable force and I'm eager to join in the war to get my slice of the Iroquois pie. When I see Elizabeth capturing the Iroquois city of Akwesasme, I know it's time to join the war. With my forces mobilized on my southern border at Memphis, I declare war on Hiawatha and strike out at his nearest cities.

This is immediately followed by Elizabeth declaring war on me! Her forces assault Osininka with my army nowhere near.



I'm now in a war against both remaining civilizations on my continent, with one intrepid ship set sail to try meet some friends across the ocean.

My Caravel meets up with the city states of Lhasa and Genoa on my continent before leaving the coast and looking for new continents. Within two turns of declaring war on me, Elizabeth conquers Osininka. I split my army to try counter both my enemies. A holding force is left by Memphis to pick off what Iroquois forces I can and I direct the rest to the east to try reclaim Osininka.



My Caravel finds a new continent to the south-east and meets Augustus Caesar of Rome. Thebes completes the Forbidden Palace, giving a nice boost to happiness. After killing a few of his units, I sign a peace treaty with Hiawatha, even getting some gold and a luxury out of him, but more importantly allows me to focus my efforts on Elizabeth. The remnants of my southern army focus on attacking the former Iroquois city of Akwesasme.

Meanwhile Elizabeth has marched her forces on to the undefended city of Pasargadae. I rush-buy a Swordsman there and send in the eastern army of Knights in to try reclaim Osininka. Elizabeth starts withdrawing her forces to try defend hew new conquest, but the speed and power of the Knights means I quickly recapture Osininka. Elizabeth comes to me asking for a peace treaty. Sorry, old dame, but this one's going to the end. My southern army captures Akwesasme, and a Great General is born. The eastern army first focuses on cleaning up the remnants of the English army, and then marching on the former Persian city of Susa.



My Caravel meets Catherine of Russia, apparently on a different continent to both Rome and myself. Both Caeser and Cathering want me to join against each other - I side with Caesar and agree to go to war with Catherine in 10 turns time. I'm across the sea from both of them and so don't expect to ever be under attack from Catherine as I haven't seen her with Caravels yet.

I've been progressing quite nicely along the tech tree, and I reach Gunpowder. However, I'm quite happy with my mobile Knight army and while I still have so many horse resources left, I'll continue to build them rather than Musketman. Money's been rolling in, and I have enough to buy another alliance, this time with the maritime city state of Lhasa on the north-east of the content. Besides the extra food from the alliance, I hope that Lhasa can exert some pressure on England's north. With Elizabeth's forces around Pasargadae now completely withdrawn or dead, that rush-bought Swordsman advances on England's northern-most city of Coventry.

My Knights gallop on to Susa and capture it to be razed. However Elizabeth has quite a few forces nearby and with her range 3 Longbowmen, I'm expecting to be able to retake it the following turn. A Knight, arriving from the southern front to join this battle attacks those forces from the west. Elizabeth's forces attack and kill this new Knight, but it's sacrifice means I hold on to Susa until it's razed, and then reinforcement make quick work of the Longbowmen. The eastern army then raze Canterbury with no resistance. It seems that Elizabeth's army is finished, and I capture Coventry before sending my eastern army to England's southern cities.

My army's big enough for now. I decide I probably only need one city to focus on building military, and so I pick Memphis and start building the combat unit improving buildings like Barracks and Armory. Caesar comes calling for his war against Russia, and so I declare war on Catherine.

A Great Scientist is born in Thebes who makes another academy there. Thebes is going to be my science city as well as wonder city. My exploring Caravel meets the city states of Kuala Lampur (allies of Russia) and Geneva.

The eastern army advances on York, and although a few spearmen come to York's defence, it too quickly falls and the army continues on to England's captial, London. It too is captured quickly and there's no resistance as the army razes the last two English cities of Hastings and Nottingham. In 1555 AD, 26 turns after she declared war on me, Elizabeth's England is defeated.



My Caravel meets up with Montezuma of the Aztecs and Oda Nobunga of the Japanese on yet another continent, this one to the south-west. I've met all the civs now. I also meet the city state of Belgrade which is under attack by Montezuma, and the city states of Copenhagen and Hanoi also on that continent. I implement the final social policy of the Patronage tree, Educated Elite, giving me Great People from my city state allies.

My army has been redeploying to Memphis, ready to resume the war with Hiawatha. In 1580 AD, I declare war against Hiawatha and advance into Iroquois lands. The Iroquois archers fall quickly and Hiawatha's counter-attacking units are so outdated that they have little effect against my Knights. His northern-most cities of Grand River and Onondago, his capital, are quickly captured. The Knights continue south, razing Brantford and Montreal. I can see only two Iroquois cities remaining, the new capital, Buffalo Creek, and a city named for the previously conquered city of Akwesasme. Hiawatha pleads for peace, but he has no army left, and my Knights are ruthless in razing Akwesasme and capturing Buffalo Creek. This is indeed the final Iroquois city and Hiawatha is defeated in 1615 AD.



The whole continent is mine - even all the city states, except for Geneva, are my allies. Montezuma comes asking for me to join a war against Japan. Looks like my Knight army has some more conquests to make - I ask for 10 turns so I can transport them across to the Aztec and Japanese continent.

As my Knights start crossing the sea to the west, I spot a Russian Caravel in my territory for the first time. I'm concerned about a potential attack from Catherine while my army is overseas. When she signs a peace treaty with Caesar a few turns later, I'm even more concerned. Unfortunately, Catherine won't sign a peace treaty with me. When the Taj Mahal completes in Thebes triggering a Golden Age, I have to make a choice: bring my troops back to fight Catherine, build more troops during my Golden Age, or take a chance that I'll be able to make peace or hold her off while I build infrastructure. I go with the last option, checking for a possible peace deal as often as I remember,

Meanwhile Belgrade is conquered by the Aztecs and since I don't have an open borders agreement (because he wants me to pay for it), I have to land my army in Copenhagen and Hanoi with whom I make alliances. I also discover Military Science which enables me to build Cavalry. I'll upgrade Knights to Cavalry if I need to, but I'm wanting to spend most of my gold on getting and keeping city state allies. I start researching towards Steam Power and the industrial era. Unfortunately Catherine enters the industrial era ahead of me. Stockholm, my first ally, provides my first great person born outside of my empire: a Great Scientist, who moves to Thebes to raise another academy to help in the science race.

Montezuma comes calling to let me know my time's up - I declare war on Japan as agreed in 1665 AD. My first forces arrive on the western continent at Copenhagen. My first target, Matsuyama, is going to be difficult to get to, so I finally decide to spend some money on getting open borders into the Aztec lands. I'm now ready for this war.



Although my ally, Copenhagen loses a few units to the Japanese, my Knights counterattack the Japanese forces and begin attacking Tokyo. Copenhagen and Hanoi help in the attack against the Japanese and my experienced Knights quickly capture the eastern Japanese cities of Tokyo and Matsuyama. My happiness isn't great at this point (in fact I've just slipped into unhappiness), so I've got to make some decisions on which cities to keep and which to raze. Tokyo's a good harbour city with plentiful farmland and some silver so I keep it as a puppet, while razing Matsuyama. Then my Knights rest to heal up and wait for any Japanese counterattack.

Catherine finally agrees to a peace deal, and although I don't get anything out of the deal, I'm happy that I don't have to worry about fighting two enemy civilizations at the same time. A Great Engineer is born in Thebes who rushes Himeji Castle, which provides a bonus while fighting in my own territory as well as more points towards future Great Engineers. With all the academies near Thebes, it is clearly my primary science city as well as my wonder city, so I finally get round to building a University there. I also have a plan to get the National College built there, but for that all my cities will have to have a Library. As cities finish off their basic structure and some basic happiness buildings (like Burial Tombs), I start on Libraries.

In 1700 AD, the civilizations with the most wonders are announced. As expected, I top it with 11 wonders, some captured, but most built in Thebes.



With most of the nearby Japanese forces eliminated, my army moves west towards Nagasaki and Sapporo. Both cities quickly fall and are razed - the Japanese seem to have no more defence. The Aztec army on the other hand seems quite large. As a result of the war, a Great General is born, and Tyre, a militaristic city state ally, gifts me a Cavalry. These two stay behind in my homeland as my pitiful home defence force. A Longswordman back home clears out a barbarian encampment near Geneva, which is enough to convince them to become my allies. With that, the last city state on my continent is an ally.

My Knights are continuing to advance into Japanese lands, but are now fighting for elbow room with the Aztec army. For the next Japanese city to the west, Kagoshima, I time my attack just after Montezuma has brought the city to half health, ensuring the city is razed so Montezuma can't take it. The rest of the army rides north to the Japanese capital of Kyoto. Oda Nobunga definitely has nothing left, as there aren't even any troops to defend his capital, and it is soon surrounded and captured as a puppet.

My Caravel, still exploring, meets the city state of Budapest. With money still rolling in during the Golden Age, I spend some to start alliances with city states in the Roman and Russian lands, starting with Kuala Lampur. I also discover Steam Power, sending me into the industrial era and improving all the bonuses I get from my city state allies. My Golden Age ends and with my happiness far in the negatives with all the burning and puppet cities under my control, I use that new Great General to start a 12 turn Golden Age while I build more happiness buidlings.

Montezuma's army marches on west to Nara and a few of my Knights accompany him, while the rest head east to Izumo which has been under pressure from Hanoi but has so far held firm. Nara is under attack by Montezuma but doesn't fall - a fast riding Knight moves in to pick up the pieces and raze the city. Meanwhile Izumo's defence is resolute and holds out for a full two turns before falling to the norhern force. Oda Nobunaga now wants a peace treaty - sorry my Japanese colleague, but when I start a war, I mean to not leave anyone alive.

I see Montezuma now marching on the captured city state of Monaco in the south-western coner of the crumbling Japanese empire. I really want to conquer this city to gain another alliance partner, but Montezuma's got it surrounded. Montezuma begins attacking Monaco but doesn't seem to be having much impact. I send some Knights by sea to try grab the last few open spots near the captured city state. Meanwhile my northern force has continued on to Yokohoma, capturing it for razing, and then on to the other northern Japanese cities.

I've got a Knight now with 4 promotions and I decide to give him the reward of an upgrade to Cavalry. This elite Cavalry then single-handedly captures Nagoya while the rest of the northern force captures Shmonoseki. I have a close call there with a Knight going down to 1 health, but I still haven't lost a unit since that sacrificial Knight in the war against England. My Cavalry heads south to help with Monaco, if he can get some space, while the rest try to finish off the last two northern Japanese cities of Satsuma and a new Nagasaki.

Another Great Scientist is born and establishes yet another academy near Thebes. I discover Biology which reveals the oil on the map. I'm shocked to find that, despite my empire's size, there isn't a single drop of oil in it. Should be easily rectified in the near futrue by settling some hellhole in the desert. My elite cavalry liberates Monaco who pledge their allegiance to me and I spend some more to get Venice as an ally. I now have 13 city state allies; the only free city state that's not an ally is Budapest.

The northern force quickly takes Satsuma, but the new Nagasaki, built on a frozen hill in the north, holds out for a few turns until my reinforcements are enough to capture this last Japanese city in 1785 AD.

With the Egyptian Empire having grown much larger than I initially anticipated, I adopt the Order social policy, ideal for larger empires. I'm hoping to just consolidate what I've got and push on to a diplomatic victory as I continue my research down the tech tree towards Globalization. Venice provides me with a Great Engineer; however with Venice deep in Russian territory, it's going to take a while to ship it back to Thebes. My Golden Age ends and once again, I'm losing money that I can't afford to if I want to keep my city state allies. Thebes completes the Louvre, giving me two free Great Artists and I use one to start a new Golden Age, keeping the other in reserve.

Meanwhile Montezuma has been building settlements in former Japanese lands and has enraged the city states that he seems to be at permanent war with all 4 of them on the Aztec continent. He has an army attacking Hanoi and Monaco. Now his dialogue is confusing, but he seems to present an ultimatum to me; open borders or he'll declare war, or it's just a bug because I never see an official declaration of war from him, but in 1812 AD I find myself at war with Montezuma, and Catherine follows that up by joining in against me as well. Most of my Knights have crossed over to the homeland, and so two Knights and a Musketman are going to have to do what they can to hold off Montezuma's relatively outdated forces while my army again crosses the channel between our continents.



Things are looking bad as Catherine kills that Great Engineer from Venice, Hanoi falls, and Kuala Lampur, Venice and Copenhagen looking they'll fall soon as well. Only Monaco has put up a stern defence. But with my Knights landing near and liberating the Aztec-held city of Belgrade, I prepare to counter-attack. Even as my units are picking off as many stray Aztec units as possible, I misdirect a Musketman into the heart of Montezuma's forces. Despite a valiant defence, the Musketman becomes my first military unit lost for a long while.

Thebes completes the National College (national wonder for libraries), freeing me up to settle another city. With it looking like I'll possibly be at war for the rest of the game, I settle Elephantine in the desert near multiple oil sources to ensure I can build the modern era units. Also, with plentiful extra resources, I bribe Caesar to join the war against Russia, to keep Catherine off my back and hopefully provide a distraction away from my city state allies. Despite this, Catherine conquers the city state of Kuala Lampur.



Montezuma is sending wave after wave of attackers against Tokyo, but my experienced Knights continue to defend. As money comes in (and I don't need it to renew alliances), I start upgrading the more experienced Knights to Cavalry. With the line west of Tokyo well held, I send a Knight and a Cavalry to liberate Hanoi which they do without any problems.

Despite continued pressure by Catherine, Venice continues to hold out. Roman ships on her coastline provide some distraction, and eventually Caesar establishes a beachhead in Russian territory by capturing the Russian city of Smolensk.

The Golden Age ends and is resumed by the Great Artist held in reserve. A Great Engineer is born in Thebes and rushes the Statue of Liberty - even that's not enough to finish it, but with an ongoing Golden Age, the statue is soon finished to provide even more production across the empire. I've been building a few Infantry in the former English peninsula, and they prepare to embark for Russia, escorted by a small navy that is being built.

As the Aztec units dry up, mounted units disperse across the former Japanese lands to raze the new Aztec cities. Tula, Tzintzuntzen and Malinalco all fall quickly with only Atzcapotzalco providing some resistance as there is only one land tile adjacent it, but eventually even it falls. With no cities remaining north of the Aztec-Japanese isthmus, the Cavalry leads the way into the heart of Aztec territory. Here I encounter a few, slightly more modern units, with a few Cannons and Musketmen providing a meagre defence against my Cavalry - Tlaxcala and Osaka are quickly captured to be razed. And as I begin research on the last tech I need, Globalization and my mounted army marches on Tlatelolco, my Infantry army starts landing near Kuala Lampur.



My Golden Age ends, Venice is finally captured by Catherine, and Rome and Russia make peace, but despite that, it's still looking very good. I capture Tlatelolco, which I keep as a puppet for its oil, and liberate Kuala Lampur. And my financial situation is not too bad as I've been building many Markets and Banks. The Aztec army is finished, and my Cavalry and Knights quickly raze Teotihuacan and capture the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan. The final three Aztec cities, Texcoco, Xochicalco and Calixtlahuaca, are mopped up by 1860 AD even as the list of most wondrous civilizations are announced. Unsurprisingly I'm still top with about half of the world's wonders having been built in Thebes alone. At the same time, Globalization research is completed and when Thebes completes the Brandenburg Gate, the great city starts on the United Nations. A Great scientist born in Pasargadae starts another Golden Age to push on production. I've got sufficient funds to make an alliance with Budapest, and with that, all free city states are now my allies.

My Infantry in Russia are too few to really threaten any Russian cities and so are really just on the lookout for weaknesses to attack while they wait for reinforcements. A Cavalry, trying to join them is killed by the Russians, but most of the mounted army from the Aztec campaign are embarked on the long sea voyage to Russia. The Cavalry has not been lost in vain, as Infantry capture the small western-most Russian city of Orenburg. As Cavalry reinforcements start arriving, and with a growing navy to bombard from the coast, my army is able to move on St Petersburg, capture it and keep it as a puppet for its access to incense.

With the diminishing returns from Great Person-triggered Golden Ages, my Golden Ages are getting annoyingly short, but I continue to trigger Golden Ages; the next is with a Great Artist gifted by Genoa.

The army splits up, with most of the army heading eastward to Moscow and Yekaterinburg and the rest heading to the most southerly city of Vladivostok, which is soon captured and razed. However, the Russian forces that captured Venice and were fighting Caesar start returning to the western front, making my progress difficult; the bombardment from Cannons is most annoying. And as my Cavalry begin the attack on Moscow, Thebes completes the United Nations. Elections will be in a few turns time.



With an ever-increasing number of Russian units nearby, I throw everything that I can at Moscow, and eventually capture it. The Russians try to reclaim it with all they can, but just fall short. Despite this, they're almost certain to get their capital back next turn and so, with further Russian units on their way, I make a peace deal with Catherine in 1894 AD. Finally there is peace again. A Great Engineer is born in Thebes to complete the Pentagon, now a mere symbol of Egypt's historically successful military. This is Thebe's 13th wonder (to go with 2 national wonders).



In 1903 AD elections for a world leader are held and, with 14 city states as allies, I'm almost unanimously elected giving me a diplomatic victory.



So ... a first victory on King level. The win was almost entirely due to my Knight army. I went for the Chivalry tech quickly at a time when Knights were far superior, but they were the dominant force in conquering four civilizations, and even in the 1800's as they were steadily being upgraded to Cavalry, their promotions made them strong against the Musketmen and Cannons they had to fight. I was honestly expecting to try and play a relatively peaceful game, only fighting wars when I needed to, but the dominance of my Knights was just too tempting to let go to waste. Anyway, on to the next difficulty level...

Very well done. Thanks for sharing.

I second the above poster. I look forward to your next story

Oda looks like a devil in that one screen.