Update 17: Wheels within Wheels
400-350 BC
For now, things are quiet in
The Hedjaz. Rather than sending settlers to the colony, the king chooses instead to incorporate the existing tribes into his nation peacefully. Although this cuts down significantly on raids (-500 Spearmen), Acenata does not become the thriving hub of expansion its founders had hoped it would be, for now.
So life continues on much as it always has on the mainland. Work on the temple continues slowly, and the citizens of the Hedjaz worship their many gods.
But, ominously, the Arab tribes begin to move south, migrating towards the rich lands of the coast. This puts them into ever closer contact with the Hedjaz, and raiding ensues (-800 Spearmen, -100 Archers).
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Though the merchants of
Funan were powerful, they constantly feuded with each other. Realizing that their government could not operate efficiently with many heads, they decided to establish a puppet ruler. Or at least that was the plan.
But Amara the Buddhist proved to be a much more powerful ruler than the merchants had bargained for when they chose the well-traveled man with the strange, peaceful religion. In his 64 years of rule, he spread Buddhism throughout all Funan, and beyond (+1 culture). Many tribes, converted to Buddhism, joined Funan peacefully, and it prospered. The founding of Kampong Saom on a vital trader route increases the Funanese economy to new heights (+1 size, +1 rural economy).
Srivijaya, too, continues to expand. The city of Lampung is founded in the south, and the city of Melaka is founded in the far north. The king sets massive expansion goals which absolutely must be achieved. Not daring to disobey, all forces are sent to the fronts in the far north (-1000 Spearmen, -200 Archers), the near north (-600 Spearmen, -200 Archers), and the far east (-600 Spearmen, -300 Archers), where almost all of them die. Taking advantage of the absence of forces, the local tribes attack in force, retaking the entire western half of the island (-1 rural economy, -2 confidence, -1 Infrastructure Point, -2 spending points from raids). The king has made an unwise decision, and he is quickly deposed by the remnants of the army--but will a new dynasty be established, or some other form of government found?
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Amidst the ancient empires of India, a new tribe attempts to rise to greatness. The Aryans, a small part of vast India, choose to build their city, Delhi, on the Yamuna river, upriver from the great cultural hub of Indraprashta in the Mahajanapada of Kuru. And Kuru, a republic, is only one of the 16 Mahajanapadas of India, the ancient iron-using city-states that are the established order of the world. Across the river from the Aryans is Kosala, equally ancient. And at the delta looms the mighty beast of Maghada under the Nanda Dynasty, ready, if it gets a strong ruler, to conquer all India...
The Aryans will have quite a challenge ahead of them, especially since they have neither iron nor elephants. But they get off to a decent start, founding the city of Frevoli at the site of an ancient temple (+1 culture, +1 confidence). They expand south into the jungle (-1000 Spearmen), and begin to build actual roads.
Close as the bird flies to Maghada, but incredibly far as a man walks, high in the peaks of the north, is the Kingdom of Kathmandu. Little is known of these mysterious people, but the fact that they manage to survive in this inhospitable landscape is testament enough to their ability.
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In Atyria, the Harbor of Atyrian is converted entirely to domestic use, as the navy is fully based elsewhere. Atyria does some northwards expansion, but its attention is focused southwards. For with the development of Heavy Siege Weapons, the Atyrians are going to war.
Apparently annoyed that the Byzantines did not renew their NAP, the Atyrians declare war on Byzantium, one day after the Byzantine fleet, commanded by Emperor Constans II, has set sail for Sparta. The Byzantines manage to withdraw the populace into the city, and wait. If it had only been the Byzantines they had to fight, the Atyrians would have had an even easier time. But as it is, a moderately sized League fleet is docked in Constantinople, and thus the Atyrians are not able simply to sail through the Bosporus and into the city. Rather, they must fend off naval ambushes (Atyria: -15 Galleys, Byzantium: -5 Galleys) and land the troops north of the city. But this doesn't really matter in the long run. Before the Atyrian Improved Catapults, the walls of Constantinople crumble. Working frantically, the allied navy manages to convoy most of the populace to Troy. The Varangian Guards fight fanatically and cause disproportionate casualties (Byzantium: -150 UU, Atyria: -400 UU, -400 Spearmen), but the Atyrians take the city. However, the League navy, using fire arrows, burns it to the ground to deny it to Atyria (Byzantium: -1 Urban Economy, -1 Culture, -1 confidence, 1 spending point to Atyria).
A second Atyrian force attacks overland, laying siege to Adrianople. The results are equally predictable, although there is actually a battle this time (Byzantium: -500 Axemen, -100 Archers, -100 Spearmen, Atyria: -800 Swordsmen, -600 Spearmen). In a lightning-fast campaign, all of Byzantium has been occupied (Byzantium: -2 Rural Economy, -1 Trade Economy, -1 Culture, -1 Confidence, -1 Infrastructure Level, Atyria: +1 Rural Economy).
The last remnants of Byzantium are its sizable fleet and army, led by the emperor. Unaware of the doom that is still in the future, they sail off to finish off Sparta once and for all. Sparta, meanwhile, tried to build a fleet, but was only able to build 20 ships, as very little timber remains in southern Greece. Most of the money, therefore, is transferred into creating Spartan Hoplites, the culmination of the Spartan military tradition, who are far superior to normal spearmen. Hoplites, of course, do not help when the Byzantine fleet comes (Sparta: -20 Galleys, -1000 Spearmen, Byzantium: -40 Galleys). The Byzantines are able to raid at will, and Spartan trade comes to a halt (Sparta: -1 trade economy from blockade, 1 spending point from Sparta to Byzantium).
But the main conflict is at the Isthmus of Corinth. The Byzantines fortify the area extensively--but the Spartan use catapults to destroy the fortifications. In a grinding campaign, the Spartans take control of the Isthmus (Byzantium: -1500 Spearmen, -800 Axemen, -400 Archers, Sparta: -1500 UU, -2000 Swordsmen, -800 Spearmen), but are unable to advance onto open ground, where their catapults would be ineffective and the long spears of the Byzantine spearmen would take full effect. For now, the Byzantines are an army without a nation.
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Though massive in its own right, the aforementioned conflict pales compared to the epic battle about to unfold--the battle for Troy. As the armies of Egypt and Sumer advance, the Sea Peoples retreat, apparently preparing for a siege at Troy. They don't retreat fast enough, though. The League army in Tarsus takes too long evacuating the city, and has to flee with an Egyptian army on its heels, not having time to burn the crops before it. Unfortunately, the Sumerians have beat it there.
Unfortunately for the Egyptians, that is. When the Sea Peoples reach the city, their Horsemen and Horse Archers wheel and plunge into the Egyptian rear, as the Sumerian army joins the League army and assault the Egyptians. The Egyptians never have a chance. On the plain in front of Ilium, an alliance is broken, and a new one formed (Egypt: -1200 UU, 2500 Spearmen, 8000 Swordsmen, 1000 archers, -2 Confidence, Sumer: -2500 swordsmen, 2500 UU, -1000 Archers, -1000 Horsemen, Sea Peoples: -1000 Swordsmen, -1000 Archers, -1200 Horsemen, -300 Horse Archers, +1 Confidence, +1 Culture). The Egyptian commander, Tutmose, is captured, though not before sending a message by carrier pigeon.
Once again, though, the Egyptians have been betrayed. An army three times the size of their pillaging army is waiting for them as they move towards Sumer, and again the Egyptians never have a chance (Egypt: -2500 Spearmen, -2500 Swordsmen, -500 Archers, Sumer: -1500 Swordsmen, -1500 UU, -1500 Archers, -1000 Horsemen, +1 Confidence). The Sumerians then advance into Egypt. First they capture Anatolia and defeat the last Egyptian resistance at Tarsus (Egypt: -4800 Swordsmen, -1500 Spearmen, -900 Archers, -1300 UU, -1 Confidence, Sumer: -2000 Swordsmen, -3500 UU, -2000 Archers, -1500 Horsemen), then advance into Syria, Phoenicia, and the Sinai (Egypt: -1 Confidence). The people of Egypt themselves, however, rise up to defend their homeland, and the Sumerians can advance no further--yet.
As is often the case in the Middle East, the tides of war have reversed. On the brink of destruction, the Sea Peoples have yet again triumphed to live another day, and slowly rebuild (+1 rural economy).
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Iberia continues the process of reconstruction, purchasing the rights to the interior of Spain from Eirehann, to the delight of its citizens (+1 confidence). Much of its original land is reincorporated easily, as the inhabitants still identified themselves as Iberian (+1 rural economy). Now, they clamor for Madrid to be rebuilt. In Zaragoza, the Legions of the Holy Cross are formed, elite heavy infantry who worship the solar cross. Even as they are forming, the other Iberian armies are marching--south along the coast (-400 Swordsmen, -400 Spearmen, -100 Axemen, -100 Archers), and, more importantly, north across the Ebro River, in violation of the First Treaty of Caer Troia (-500 Swordsmen, -500 Spearmen, -100 Axemen, -100 Archers).
Briton, of course, is not pleased by this development, and says so in the strongest terms. Elsewhere, the king reverses the foolish decision of his predecessor and reincorporates the Kingdom of La Rioja, essentially having to reconquer it in the process (-1000 Swordsmen, -800 Axemen, -200 Archers). The Britons also connect the Aunis settlement to their Iberian territory (-1000 Swordsmen). Most importantly, however, they purchase all of Eirehann's Iberian settlements (Eirehann: -2 Urban Economy, -1 Trade Economy, Briton: +1 Urban Economy, +1 Trade Economy, +1 Confidence), gaining much land in the process, which of course must be protected from raids (-1000 Swordsmen, -1000 Axemen).
Eirehann, meanwhile, grows increasingly isolationist, as seen by the sale of its land. There is widespread belief that Dagda's will can only be found by looking inward (+1 culture), and so the Eireans forsake all possessions outside Eire. The great system of monasteries is completed, and with the economical and social underpinnings necessary for full-time contemplation, philosophers begin to emerge in Eirehann...
Tartessos, meanwhile, becomes increasingly xenophobic. The Roman garrison is dismissed, and heavy tariffs are leveled on trade through Gibraltar (-1 Trade Economy Britannia, Rome, Trade Union, Tartessos: +1 Trade Economy, +1 spending point from tariffs). To enforce this, the city of Calpe is founded on the southern part of the strait, ending any hope of taking the Strait by taking the southern coast. The rebellious breakaway colony of Syracuse (see below) foolishly requests annexation by Tartessos. Their response is astounding. The Syracusan city is burned as "unclean", and the inhabitants are condemned to servitude beneath their rightful overlords, the Tartessans (+1 Confidence, +1 Culture).
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On the steppes northwest of the Indus River, a charismatic leader, Gauguz, leads his people to glory, and becomes first Sultan of the Turks, centered around a settlement in Samarkand. At the same time as mining and farming are encouraged in settled territories (+1 rural economy), the Turkish horse archers expand south, lured by the rumors of rich kingdoms on the Indus.
And indeed there are. Though more isolated than the Ganges river, two Mahajanapadas are on the Indus: Kamboja, based in Rajapura in the far northwest of India, and the richer Gandhara, where philosophy flourishes its second city, Taxila.
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The colonial empire of Syracuse collapses entirely, as its small navy is unable to put down the rebellions abroad while it is busy at home. Masilla, Ibiza (in the Balearics), and Cagliari(on Sardinia) band together for protection and form the Trade Union, a unique nation with three capitals and a threefold government, with one ruler elected by each city. The Union immediately moves to ally itself with Rome, and, like Rome, is effected by the Tartessan tariffs.
Meanwhile, most of the navy defects and flees to Malta, the only part of Syracuse that has stayed relatively peaceful. The admiral of the navy, Dion, a part-time philosopher extremely popular amongst the people, become s tyrant, and soon begins introducing his ideas about the nature of government...
In Syracuse proper, the aristocracy, panicking, enlist Gelo, the highest-ranking general of Syracuse, to protect them. This turns out to be a grave mistake. Gelo allies with the people, expels the aristocrats, and proceeds to become a populist tyrant. When the aristocrats flee to Rome, Gelo's suspicions are confirmed. It is the Romans, he says, who were to blame for Syracuse's recent troubles. They treated Syracuse as a useful tool and an excuse for entering the wars they wanted, while ignoring Syracuse as an ally and only protecting it when it suited them. Most dastardly of all, they sent a garrison to Tartessos, Syracuse's ancient enemy, but none to Syracuse!
Of course, such talk can only lead to war. And it turns out unusually well for the Syracusans. The Romans are taken by surprise, as their entire fleet is away from Italy, and their home army concentrated mostly in the north. In any case, Gelo lands near Scylacium, a region which was once Syracusan and still thinks of itself as such to some degree, especially once it is bombarded with Gelo's propaganda. The Syracusans invade, and succeed in capturing all former Syracusan regions, though the Romans don't seem to take as many casualties as expected, perhaps because of their mysterious Xavier... (Rome: -1000 Swordsmen, -200 Spearmen, -200 Axemen, -1 Confidence, Syracuse: -800 Swordsmen, -800 Spearmen, +1 Culture, 1 urban economy from Rome to Syracuse).
Meanwhile, Rome is preparing for what it hopes will be the final assault on Carthage. Carthage spends most of its money on building fortifications to surround its cities on all sides, abandoning the countryside to the rampaging Berbers (-2 rural economy, -4 infrastructure points). It then settles in for the inevitable assault.
The Romans attack in two separate assaults. One force crosses towards Secronia from the former Carthaginian colonies, leaving just enough of a garrison to defeat the Carthaginian revolts (-500 Swordsmen, 150 Spearmen, -100 Archers). The Carthaginians are determined to make this siege harder for the Romans. However, they once again do not have long-range forces, and so the Roman catapults slowly destroy the fortifications bit by bit, finally breaking through at a heavy cost. After that, the city falls fairly easily, the catapults and siege towers doing their job (Carthage: -1500 Spearmen, -1 Size, Rome: -1300 Swordsmen, -150 Spearmen, -500 Archers, -100 Horsemen).
The other force comes by sea. After destroying Carthage's remaining navy, (Carthage: -15 Galleys, Rome: -10 Galleys, -500 Swordsmen, -150 Spearmen, -100 Archers, -50 Horsemen), the army, led by Scipio the Younger, the son of the former consul Scipio, lands south of Carthage and attempts to draw the Carthaginian army out to do battle. But the Carthaginians are having none of it, and the Romans must attack the fortifications. But finally, longbowmen are present, and, using fire arrows, they destroy siege engines as fast as they can be build (the Romans try to cover them with wet hides, but the arid climate quickly dries them) (-10 Catapults). In the end, the Scipio orders the Romans to simply assault the fortifications, unwilling to wait for reinforcements because he wants all the glory for himself. The attack, of course, is a disaster--the Romans are mowed down despite their superior armor (Rome: -3500 Swordsmen, -1350 Spearmen, -700 Archers, -450 Horsemen, -1 confidence, Carthage: -2800 Swordsmen, -150 Longbowmen, -150 Spearmen, +1 confidence). It is rumored that when word of the battle reached Rome, the large monument to Scipio the Elder collapsed; whether or not that is true, the name of Scipio is ever after associated with overeagerness and foolhardiness. Carthage, barely, lives to fight another day.
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With their homeland destroyed, Sweeden ceases to become a nation, and is integrated with the rest of the Scandinavian tribes (who now have iron). Scattered raids continue on Prussia's forces in Stockholm (-500 Archers, -200 Spearmen), but the garrison holds.
Meanwhile, Prussia attempts to put down the rebellions on its borders. A large force invades East Prussia by sea, sieging and capturing Mermel (-1200 UU, -800 Archers, -300 Spearmen, -100 Axemen from Noricum). The rebellion, however, always strongest in the neglected countryside, continues.
At the same time, Prussia is attacking Denmark. All attack on land fail, as Denmark has fortified its border with Prussia (-725 UU, -500 Archers, -275 Spearmen). However, a far larger amphibious attack succeeds, smashing through the undisciplined peasant militia and attacking the fortifications for the back (-3000 UU, -800 Archers, -400 Axemen from Noricum). Except for Fyn island, which has devolved into a haven for pirates, Denmark is conquered (+1 confidence).
However, a new threat looms. Frankish attack increase to new heights, and they, too, have acquired iron. With the army distracted fighting in Denmark, they overrun the local garrison (-500 Archers, -500 UU), and sack Hamburg (-2 spending points next turn)! The citizens of Prussia are outraged... (-2 confidence)
Meanwhile, the other nations of Eastern Europe expand, Noricum the most, and Pest, which stagnates, the least.
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NPC Diplo
From: Briton
To: Iberia
Are you insane? Know that we can crush you at any moment. Remove your troops from the land north of the Ebro River immediately!
From: Briton
To: Eirehann
In the event of war, we call upon you to help us destroy the Iberians.
From: Trade Union
To: Rome
Shall we sign a mutual protection pact?
From: Syracuse
To: Rome
We should destroy you for your crimes against the Syracusan race. However, we will be merciful and let you survive if you pay us 2 EP in reparations, give us all rightful Syracusan land (which, conveniently, we already occupy), and make no deals with the rebel scum.
Rants from the Mod (OOC)
Yes, I did decide to change updates to 50 years. j_eps, your second story will be counted for next turn, providing I remember or you remind me in your orders.
adherence, cities only cost 1 point to found. I put the extra 2 points into your project.
I need people to join in India (Das, want to be Chandragupta Maurya? 
)!
I added a research section to the front page. Also, check the agreements post: lots of things expired this turn.
Kal'thzar, I said last update that you can only build 20 ships/turn until you gain more land. I put the extra money into UU.
LittleBoots, you can't start and finish a project on the same turn, so I banked the EC.
Malta does, in theory, have a city on it, but it isn't shown due to space constraints. Just use your imagination.
I don't think I ever gave the southernmost Roman city a name. Henceforth, it shall be Scylacium.
Alex, you don't need to implement a technology you've researched yourself. I banked one of the points, and spent the other on logistics/bribes.
Farow, remember to take size into account when calculating the number of troops you'll get. And 4+3+1=8, not 7. 
Pest will be NPCed next turn if Stick Figure doesn't claim it.
I'll do something with China and Japan over the weekend. Not now.
Sorry about the Prussia section.
Scapegoat-for-the-turn: Carmen520, for making me create lots of NPCs.
Best orders: Andis, probably, based on how they turned out.
Deadline is Friday-Saturday 11/24-5 midnight.
