IT IV Update 6 - Years 425-430 AD
Non-Military Events:
Several semi-isolated breakthroughs - as well as exchanges of previous advances - initiate a new technological age (Nortugal, Tieh China, Khmeria and Choson pass into the Middle Medieval Age).
Dukunnugeyan Nevasanghism begun to spread out of Nortugal into Gaul, the Punic Empire/Iberia and Wenedia. Elsewhere it secured some following in such diverse countries as Tavytera and Choson.
The Wabanaki fur trade gave a great boost to the Dawn Land's economy (+2 Trade). With Wabanaki trade, Trinitarianism spread as well, and so several Cree tribes - along with most of the remaining Mi'kmaq ones in the east - joined the Dawn Land. Others proved more reluctant, and had to be coerced (see military events). The coastal Algonquians however not just refused to join the Kingdom, but instead moved under the aegis of the Confederation formed by their ethnic brethren. That naturally caused some conflict between the two...
Wabanaki missionary efforts also reached into Nortuguese colonial territories, though meeting more resentment than curiosity or support, if only because of the recent polemics between the Wabanaki envoys in Nortugal and the fanatically-atheistic King Erezius I. Proselytism in the Algonquian territories has been somewhat more succesful.
The Algonquians have been joined by some other related tribes as well.
The Nortuguese again sold some of their colonial gains further south - the Manna-hata island and surroundings went to Algonquia, while a larger portion further south was given to the Wabanaki who had already established a presence there. Lastly, even further to the south, land was sold for an outpost of a new people from the east - the Wenedians. They seem quite different from the Nortuguese; for one thing, although the Wabanaki are yet to make any real contact with them, it would seem that the Wenedians believe in many gods, unlike the atheistic Nortuguese or the imperio-monotheistic Carthaginians.
Face-of-the-Sun secured an agreement with the Khmers; leasing half the Galapagos islands and allowing Khmer merchants in, the Huanc secured technological assistance, although it is not quite as great as had been hoped. Still, great progress has been made already, the Huanc proving themselves to be remarkably good pupils. Meanwhile, an exchange of embassies has been agreed upon with the Khmers. Tragically, the Khmer ambassador to Huancaco died of a local variation of the Carib Plague, but a replacement has been duly dispatched. Trade has also proven itself to be mutually-profitable.
Tavytera was joined by several nearby Guarani tribes, though not by nearly as many as was expected by the Grandfather. Perhaps more importantly, treaties with Dukunnugeya and Phoenicia were signed in Ypacarai and Uruguay respectively. The former treaty had annexed Tavytera's southernmost lands to Dukunnugeya, in exchange for economic compensation, cattle, horses and various specialists that have begun working on speeding up the Guarani progress (not much was achieved thus far, however, apart from in agriculture). The latter merely secured trade, although it also provided a division of spheres of influence, with the Phoenicians recognizing Tavyteran hegemony over their fellow Guarani, in exchange for the Tavyterans not expanding into Tupi lands.
In a supreme feat/fit of mostly-peaceful colonial expansion, the Dukunnugeyans used their compasses, Phoenician maps, fast ships, colonial experience, diplomatic skills and so forth and so forth to conquer the South Atlantic. Firstly, as already mentioned just slightly above, the lands south of the Silver River have been purchased from Tavytera. The city of Nirritinagaraya that was founded in the colony soon after quickly became an important base; into it, people from the great Dukunnugeyan cities arrived in droves, and moved out to settle the wide, sparsely-populated lands fate had sent them. Meanwhile, additional expeditions came by the southern Pacific route. Long story cut short, the Dukunnugeyans traded with the natives, while taking over vast swathes of lands, exporting crops and agricultural experience and erecting small, yet quickly-growing cities. Surprisingly, only the minimal resistance had been encountered, mostly at the hands of the Huarpe and the Araucanians through whose lands a corridor between the two Dukunnugeyan colonies was cut (see military events). Meanwhile, contact was established with Tiwanaku and Huancac. Elsewhere, on African and New World Atlantic coasts alike, several Dukunnugeyan trade outposts had been set up, and some more land claimed, though nothing quite as dramatic as this leap of colonial expansionism in southern Nirritihariya.
The Nortuguese royal family came back to Nord Lisbon, amidst celebrations of triumph (+1 Efficiency, Confidence).
Iceni recovery to pre-war economical state had occured with remarkable speed, to a large extent thanks to the extensive trade with the other Solist nations.
The Solist Pact of Invictus was formed: an alliance of Gaul, Iceni and Cimberland. This is further strenghthened by the Iceni Emperor Solpher's marriage with a Gaelic princess, and an Iceni princess' marriage with the Cimbri crown prince.
At home, the Dumnorix practically squeezed money out of the impoverished, not yet recovered Gaelic merchants, thoough promising to repay them later; they weren't much-relieved (-1 Confidence, Trade). In the meantime, Nortuguese and Iceni merchants easily overcame the local competition, establishing themselves well in Aurelaeni.
Doomed, the Punics decided to try and save at least something, and signed yet another humiliating peace treaty (-2 Confidence). The Treaty of Italcart not only formalised the previous conquests of the Empire's enemies, but also ceded even more ground to them, in northern (Gaelic) and eastern (Dacoillyrian; note that they also grabbed the European Pillar of Hercules now) Iberia - and also, at least officially, in the colonies, out of which only Ayti was to remain in Punic hands; although this was not always immediately-enforceable, the victors had quickly negotiated a partition of the colonies: Nortugal annexed all Punic Carribean lands sans Ayti, though selling the lands in the southern continent to Phoenicia; Alantkage was partitioned between Dawn Land and Algonquia; the Magos archipelago[1] mostly went to Nortugal, with a single Gaelic trade outpost. Furthermore, the Punic government promised to give all and any assistance to Solist missionaries in its territory, to pay out a huge tribute, to dismantle its fortresses and to never rebuild its military beyond a pitifully low limit. The Imperial Stormtroopers were also to be disbanded. This enraged many of the Punic fanatics, especially as the Emperor finally died from his many injuries. Several rebellions begun in Iberia; the Stormtroopers in the colonies not only refused to disband, but even took control over the area for themselves in name as well as in fact. And though Vect's government held out in Iberia, it soon enough came under yet another attack (see military events)...
As Tarunia crumbled, Nordrike's Magnus V took for himself the title of the "Holy Emperor of the Western Tarunist Church" (+1 Prestige, Confidence).
Celebrating the victory over the Punics, Alaric V of Cimberland moved the capital of his expanded kingdom to Italcart in a clear nod to the "Roman tradition"; though many feared that the Cimbrian government will fall under undue Punic influence - and slip out of undue Padanian influence - the loyal support of Gaul and the Church of Sol has cancelled out much of the resistance to this act (+1 Prestige). Many of the "Romanists" now ask for the city to be renamed back to Rome and cleansed of Punic temples; some even propose that Alaric V revive the title of Rex Romanum.
The Tarunian Monks had gone mad (see military events).
Irnik, King of Archali, already by far the most powerful and influential Ugrian ruler, had secured the Onoghurian diplomatic support and used it to enforce a bloodless unification of Ugria, with provisions for the autonomy of the northern tribes and cities. This is the second example of Onoghurian "state-building", and it seems to be even more succesful than the first, Alan one (+1 Onoghurian Prestige).
The first Wenedian merchants had appeared in West Africa.
A new cultural renaissance in Sri Dukunnugeya had begun, even as the state itself de-theocratised. African elements were increasingly integrated into the culture. Magnificent palaces and great works of literature have been produced. Influence abroad grew tremendously (+1 Prestige).
Skilled Phoenician diplomacy allowed a quick resolution of all - or most - of Egyptian issues. Luca was allowed to keep its gains. Menes was recognsied as the Pharaoh-Imperator, and was given the Delta, although Sinai and the Sile Canal were firmly annexed to Phoenicia. In exchange for (Phoenician) financial compensation, Egypt recognised the independence of Nubia, and entered the Purple Sea Alliance with Phoenicia alongside with the breakaway province. Genuinely not wishing for a war, Parhae agreed to withdraw from Egypt, though keeping its latest Arabian gains. Phoenicia is clearly emerging as a regional leader, being clearly the superior of both Egypt and Nubia, a position reinforced by economic infiltration of the two. Meanwhile, back at home, Elism grows more widespread than ever before.
Several scandals erupted in Aryavarta over outrageous levels of opium consumption and other decadence by some of the officials (-1 Confidence).
The Khmers had bought Agnihariya from Sri Dukunnugeya, though paying a hefty price and allowing the large Dukunnugeyan population to stay anmd retain all of its rights and property. The Dukunnugeyans had apparently decided not to try and expand into the Pacific, not wanting to antagonise the Khmers in such a vital time, and instead concentrated on the Atlantic, though still using their previous passage agreements and the same old Virupakkha's Breath to travel to the southern parts of New World from two directions (as already mentioned above).
Military Events:
Having upgraded their colonial infrastructure and consolidated their gains, the Nihonese pushed forward in the Kayiawa, gradually subjugating most of the Hokan and Nootka tribes and taking their lands. The resistance was, most of the times, haphazard and weak
(-2 Nihonese thousands)
Answering the call of the Nortuguese colonists in the Tuniit Island - which seems to continue to benefit from Erezius I's brief stay there - the Nortuguese had deployed an army to combat the various Tuniit, Cree and Naskapi tribes threatening their colonies. Though the operations have been somewhat complicated by climate, the Nortuguese "death march" strategy had paid off once more: all the territorial goals had been reached, and several dangerous tribes have been eliminated or crippled, the others fleeing. The Tuniit have been virtually wiped out, and colonisation of their former lands had already begun.
(-5 Nortuguese thousands)
The Wabanaki wage a series of quick campaigns against resistant neighbouring tribes. Not much of note there; most were easily defeated and then coerced into joining, their old leaders executed. The most serious issue came when the Wabanaki fought a drawn-out war with a minor Algonquian tribe, which was supported by volunteers from the Confederation. Ultimately the tribe retreated into the Confederation's lands, joining its brethren and leaving only burnt settlements and scorched earth to the Wabanaki, the latter being a cause of particular consternation.
(-2 Wabanaki thousands)
Encountering only token resistance from the demoralised, leaderless Olmecs in Lower Adena, the Adenan armies easily annexed this last outpost of the Olmec Empire, incidentally speeding up the state's technologic development thanks to the Olmec specialists that were brought to Nanih Waiya by the conquerors. The first northwards campaign was expansion was also succesful; the locals were perhaps more organised, but they were inferior to the invaders in most other regards, and also suffered from defections as the Pinnacle Chief had prepared well for this invasion, winning many allies in the northern cities. It would seem that Upper Adena had awakened (+1 Confidence).
(-2 Upper Adenan thousands, -1 Upper Adenan Riverine thousand)
While the Khmers and the Hong Kees consolidated their gains, both Nihon and Nortugal went on the offensive in Olmecia Proper. Without going into much detail, the Nihonese overcame pretty strong resistance in the western and southern areas; the Nortuguese, meanwhile, went for the historic Olmec heartland and Yucatan. The latter was particularily difficult to conquer; while the pro-Punic states of the coastal areas were all easily crushed, local warlords made good use of the lack of Nortuguese experience of drawn-out jungle warfare. Still, ultimately the key targets have been secured. There were also some clashes between the Nortuguese and the Nihonese in the eastern territories... Lastly, there are rumours of a new visionary Olmec leader arising and gaining support in the inland areas, though not much is known for certain. In any case, resistance is stiffening.
(-8 Nortuguese thousands, -3 Nihonese thousands, -2 Nihonese Samurai thousands)
Stubborness (especially that shown by the Stormtroopers), miscommunication and general social breakdown in the Punic Carib colonies prevented - or, rather, hindered - the turnover of the colonies to Nortugal and Phoenicia, though everything has already been formalised by then. Unperturbed, the Nortuguese continued their offensive operations against the Stormtroopers and the "loyal" regulars. In the northern mainland, reinforcements had arrived to the Nortuguese/native army to north from Calusa; these reinforcements basically repeated the previous march, recrutiing natives (+10 levy thousands) as they went and covering a fairly wide western area. While this army advanced into the hinterlands of the area under the increasingly-shaky "Punic" control, while the force that had fortified on the "border" now went into the offensive again. Outnumbered, the Stormtroopers fought to the last, but many regulars deserted or surrendered. The largest force of Stormtroopers was wiped out at the former native settlement of Ocali, already as the Nortuguese advanced into Calusa. After that, it was simply mopping up. Meanwhile, avoiding Ayti, the Nortuguese force from Khuba moved to secure most other Punic Carib islands, where things went similarily, only far more easily as only a few disease-ridden, starving Stormtroopers remained by the time of the Nortuguese arrival. Despite ferocious resistance encountered at times, things went quite smoothly on a strategic level, with only the casualty-raising diseases to rain on the Nortuguese island-hopping parade. The Phoenicians had by then also arrived, and moved to claim the colonies on the southern continent, where they received the assistance of local governors and colonists, only having to fight a few surviving Stormtroopers and the rampaging, revanchist natives. The former were slaughtered, the latter were kept at bay. And lastly, Ayti itself collapsed into complete chaos, with only some of the coastal areas remaining under the semi-nominal authority of the elderly island governor.
(-3 Nortuguese thousands, -1 Nortuguese levy thousand, -1 Nortuguese ship, -1 Phoenician Tyrian Sea Guard thousand, -4 Punic Carib thousands, -6 Punic Carib Imperial Stormtroopers)
The Huanc army, armed with some newly-acquired Khmer weapons, made short work of the main Guangalan rebel army and recaptured the second valley. Many of the rebels, however, continued fighting in the mountains, hiding there from the Huanc force.
(-2 Huanc thousands)
Having tricked the Huanc into launching a flank attack on their coastal army's positions, the Tiwanakans launched an attack that might well have been the end of Huancac. Rushing out from the hiding and from several nearby mountain valleys, the Tiwanakans attacked the Huanc army in its mountain camp, just as it set out to march west. The Huancs nearly broke, but thanks to newly-acquired Khmer weapons they managed to inflict major casualties upon the Tiwanakans, causing them to fall back. Nevertheless, with the reinforcements from the coastal army, the Huanc were attacked yet again and had to fall back further north to preserve their army, the Tiwanakans somewhat hesitant to advance due to the unexpected losses and delays. Meanwhile, rumours had spread of the Face-of-the-Sun's strange lack of activity; such a development could be most dangerous for Huancac even in a time of peace and prosperity (-1 Confidence)...
(-14 Huanc thousands, -26 Tiwanakan thousands)
Meanwhile, with Tiwanakan assistance, the pro-Tiwanakan Mojos had turned the tables. Some there already speak of founding a Mojo state, though naturally a one vassal to Tiwanaku.
(-1 Tiwanakan thousand)
Enraged that so many of the Guarani tribes had rejected his call for unity, Grandfather Rich-Harvest of Tavytera ordered the remarkably-efficient Tavyteran army to make these tribes unite whether they want it or not. The first, eastern campaign was the most difficult, if only for the lack of actual experience of such operations, but as the Tavyterans defeated - and enslaved (+1 Tavyteran banked eco. - plunder) - most of the independent tribes in detail (using their very disunity and lack of organisation against them), the surviving ones decided to surrender without a fight and join Tavytera after all. Their example was followed in greater numbers and more quickly during the western campaigns, and so within a mere five years the Tavyterans had conquered themselves a very large territory - perhaps larger than they could hold on to, as many of the tribes had only surrendered in name and in fact continued their plotting, only waiting for Tavytera to make some mistake or let its guard down...
(-2 Tavyteran thousands, -9 Tavyteran Guarini thousands, -1 Tavyteran ship)
The Dukunnugeyans had some trouble with paranoid Araucanians and irritated Huarpe as they built their New World colonial empire, but the Dukunnugeyans actually deployed some troops that had easily beaten the rather primitive natives into friendliness and amiable commerce. Some resentment remains, however...
(-1 Dukunnugeyan thousand)
In a completely unexpected move, the Nortuguese attacked the Gaelic fleet assembled at Gaul's new trade outpost on the Magos Archipelago[1], outmaneuvered it and, long story cut short, sunk it all, capturing the outpost as well after a brief pitched battle. This is the second time this century that the Nortuguese sink the entire Gaelic fleet. No war had been declared, but the Nortuguese government did announce that "this had to happen" because of "Gaelic aggression".
(-2 Nortuguese thousands, -4 Nortuguese ships, -1 Gaelic thousand, -20 Gaelic ships)
That was probably a refference to the "Iberian Soliade" or the "Third Gaelo-Punic War". There is no single opinion as to how that war should be called, especially as some claim it to be the continuation of the Sixth Transpoenic/Atlantic War. Even more confusing are the war's causes, though all of them have something to do with Punic violation of the Treaty of Italcart. Specifically, the Punics didn't pay any tribute to anyone, and instead of decreasing their army only increased it by levying around fifty thousand more men. Some could also allege that there were only two real differences between the old Imperial Stormtroopers and the new "Imperial" Guards: firstly, the former were dead and the latter were alive, secondly, they had slightly different names. That too was a blatant violation of Italcart. Yet Dumnorix Caethaldius declared war for a different cause, and a different violation; his causs belli was a rather dubious allegation of the Punic failure to ensure complete safety for the Solist missionaries, who still were often killed in various gruesome ways by the people. Admittedly, many government officials were unwilling to interrupt, both out of hatred and out of fear that they might be branded as Solists themselves. As word of this spread, many Solists - both the hierarchs and the commoners - grew outraged. Caethaldius at first encouraged this, but at some point may well have lost control of the situation. Not only did he gain an excuse to declare the war, but now he also couldn't avoid it without antagonising his people. So the Lord-Pontiff proclaimed a Soliade, and Alban, Cimbrian, Gaelic and even some Frankish and Jute volunteers rallied to the banners, united by the war-cry "Sol Invictus Vult" (+20 levy thousands). These were immediately sent to augment the two main Gaelo-Cimbrian armies gathered on the border. Early on, many had feared that the fortresses - which, in another treaty violation, have not yet been dismantled - will hold off the attackers. Yet in an early mistake that ultimately cost them everything, the Punics (who had apparently learned of the Gaelic plan beforehand via espionage) decided to abandon the fortifications and retreat further inland, hoping to overstretch their enemies. This resulted in disaster in the east, where a cavalry-based Soliader army was located. What was to be a fake, controlled retreat turned into a disastrous rout and then into an examplary equestrian massacre as a small Punic army was routed at Salduba[2]; encouraged by the success, the Soliaders proceeded further inland and engaged another retreating Punic army on the shores of the Durius River[3], slaughtering it as well. Already this campaign was enough to throw the Punics off their balance; it also happened to be one of the most famous examples of what military historians would often call the "Equestrian Golden Age", alongside with the operations of Icenia's Sons of Sol. In the meantime, the Soliader infantry army to the west wasn't doing quite as well, having come under a sudden flank attack from a massive Punic force. Fortunately, its size limited its capacity for actually surprising an opponent, and the far higher-quality Gaelo-Cimbrian infantry fought back the ill-trained, undisciplinned, only barely numerically-superior Punics. Still, the damage was done, while with the best of Gaelo-Cimbrian cavalry in the east pursuing the Punics westwards proved impossible. At this point, also, an Imperial Punic rebellion begun in the lands that were ceded to Gaul by the Treaty of Italcart. The Solist militias and the reinforcements quickly detached from the invasion force halted the rebellion, though still losing some of the western areas. As the situation fell apart, the Punics decided upon a final, desperate gambit, striking towards the Pyreneans. Taking the defenders by surprise they captured Bialbo and inspired further rebellions, but the Gaelo-Cimbrians eventually turned around to trap the Punic army in the western Pyreneans. In a brutal, lengthy, bitterly-contested mountain pass melee, the Punics were eventually massacred, though the Soliaders also took many casualties, and to make things worse had by now utterly fallen behind schedule, ruining the initial plan as the cavalry army arrived at Didalia with only the minimal infantry support, much less any siege engines. Upon realising this, Gisco Hasdrubal Vect levied troops from all over Central Iberia, and attempted to encircle and slaughter the Gaelo-Cimbrian Equestrians. In a series of skirmishes, the Equestrians fought their way out of this predicament; though basically forced to retreat, they bled the new Punic army white in the process. And that was the end of it; rebellions led by various compromisers and war-weary merchants started to break out, Vect had to flee for Alisubbia, and Didalia surrendered to the main Soliader army in exchange for no slaughter; the Soliaders still did force the city council to hand over (some of) the "martyrers" who had once started the whole crisis and were now being martyred themselves. Then it was simple mopping up. Alisubbia held out the longest, Vect and his loyalists having established an iron grip on the city, but eventually the walls were sapped and the Soliaders fought their way through the city, slaughtering everyone in sight (that included random Dukunnugeyan merchants, for the sake of provoking another international crisis) and razing Punicdom's last citadel for its defiance. After three years of bloody, intensive fighting - and after six epic wars and nearly a milennium of bloodshed and hatred - the Punic Empire was finally and utterly destroyed. Verily, this is a century of ends and culminations, at least in the West (+1 Gaelic Confidence, +1 Gaelic, Cimbrian banked eco.).
(-Punic Empire as a nation, -17 Gaelic thousands, -8 Gaelic Equites Invictii thousands, -17 Gaelic levy thousands, -6 Cimbrian thousands, -8 Cimbrian Royal Guard thousands)
The Punic fleet did do quite well however, thanks to the elimination of its Gaelic counterpart, and even after the rest of the Empire fell for good the remnants of that fleet continued to plague the Gaelic Sea and all of Gaul's efforts to restart its maritime commerce.
