Liberté, Égalité, Hégémonie!

[Takhisis]

Tani's got his French Empire rather well populated, has more cities, more territory and excepting his colonies on Indochina he's got quite a compact base. Enormous havoc can be wreaked if a passage through the MidEast can be acquired or borrowed.

 

[Tani Coyote]

We'll find some way to corral them; I dunno how the British are still staying ahead in technology, but the tetrarchy of powers is Russia-China-Britain-France at the moment, in culture and tech.

China will have Rubber when the time comes, so they'll be a potent power all the way to the end. I'll probably have to end up just dropping a bunch of H-Bombs on them come the late game.

In the meantime, I'll keep soaking up British assaults. Once we have Artillery, we'll be able to do some serious damage. Of course, by then, they'll likely be willing to talk.

Once the Brits are ready to stop being asses and sit down to talk peace, I'll definitely be wiping Rome and Germany off the face of the map. Maybe all at once since Germany's only two cities strong in Europe and more cities never hurts!

Conquering Rome itself on the first turn should be easy enough thanks to Cav but conquering their Greek territories will pose a problem; I'll need to fortify the area.

At the very least, Rome and Russia keep slaughtering eachother, so that's softening them up by keeping them from building a good defensive base.

Once Rome's dealt with we can probably pursue a war against Russia or Britain. If I'm feeling ambitious maybe both at the same time...

No wait. Every leader who's tried that has had their ass handed to them. I'll take a raincheck on that two front war.

 

[Tani Coyote]

Chapter IX: The Peninsular War, Phase Four: The Vanguard of Republicanism

Spoiler :

The Consulate was overseeing a massive buildup in the naval and artillery capabilities of the British, and absorbing their attacks accordingly. They were also seeing the fall of one foreign city after another to French domination. Through peaceful means, at that, and each one was so cheap that it was more of an investment than an expense.

The troops were of course, getting restless. They were just sitting around doing nothing, and while that had its perks, they wanted to go to war. Thus, the Consulate reasoned to give them a quick war: Germany. Removing the Germans from Europe would strengthen the French position and eliminate yet another potential foe. After all, the Germans hated France with a passion and would surely strike if given the chance to reclaim part of their ancestral homeland. The hovels of the Baltics and Tanzania just wouldn't cut it.

Studies showed Danzig to have 13 units, mostly primitive, and Riga to have 7. It would be a quick enough conflict.

890 CE, the sinking of two British Man-O-War fleets was of course a cause celebre for the Danish citizenry.

910 CE, the Germans gave a casus belli to France by signing an embargo against the Republic. Glee.

With 20 units ready to attack, war was declared on the German state. Wiping them from the face of Europe would secure France's position forever more.

With no units lost, the Germans were driven from Danzig. Danzig was integrated into the Polish Republic, which in turn ceded lands to Hungary. Of the 12 German workers who were captured, 7 were sacrificed to create 280 culture.

Five cavalry troops remained, and they were sent ahead to raid Riga.

Riga was conquered with no deaths by 930 CE. The fall of Riga signalled the end of German influence in Europe's affairs; they were now confined to their colony of Tanzania, which would be condemned to civil war between the German settlers and the indigenous Africans.

To set an example, three of the five worker bands that were captured were immediately sacrificed.

930, it was noticed the Brits would sign peace but wanted tribute. The Consulate told them to shove it and gave tribute by attacking their Galleass fleet.

950, Russia signed a trade embargo against the Republic, trying to contain its burgeoning power.

More noticeably, the Russians and Romans signed a peace treaty, causing their pointless conflict to finally end. Nonetheless, their constant destruction of eachother's troops had wreaked havoc on both.

Astronomy's discovery ended the usefulness of the Temple of Baal and Stonehenge, sadly, but now, all the Republic's wealth could be used to tech up and match the British.

The Brits landed two Lancer units outside Riga, hoping to gain a foothold. They were quickly dispatched. Naturally, they were destroyed, and galleasses ordered to target their transporters.

The British lost a Ship of the Line to Denmark's cannon fire.

950 CE, technology imported from Russia and China brought the Republic to bear against the British, by catapulting France into the Industrial Age! Steam Power was bought from the Russians, and that was in turn used to acquire Economics from the Chinese.

By 950 the Brits were finally willing to accept peace. However, the Consuls knew Scandinavia would just drag France back in, and so the alliance would have to expire first.

In the meantime, it was decided that troops be requisitioned from the great Maginot Lines of Northern France and sent south to Italy, where the Consulate had plans to open up yet another front. With Germany dealt with, it was decided Rome'd be a natural next target. The Empire's borders had to terminate at the seas in all directions where possible, to make routes of attack much more difficult.

1010 CE, the Consulate decided, war with Axum be damned, Britain was going to be taught a lesson. 3 Ships of the Line and 1 Galleass were sunk with no losses, while ships in Britanny hammered the English coastline, destroying a road system built into the Hills. That would slow their infrastructure immensely.

Peace was made with the Germans in exchange for all their gold and their world map. They weren't willing to part with cities. Alas, the war had served its purpose.

1010 CE, 12 Cavalry were ready to strike at Rome while 7 were ready to strike at Albania. The order was given to attack! Rome had only 7 defenders, of which only one was a Musketman; Tirana had 4.

The Musketmen of Rome were dispatched easily enough with no losses. Grand Batteries wounded the elite Pikemen, and before long, three groups of Rome's once-famous Legions were butchered by the mighty muskets of French cavalry.

Corsica was at last unified under French rule with the fall of Rome itself. The Bonapartes, a Corsican family that had been instrumental in the victory in the Spanish War, could now enjoy their homeland without fear of reprisal. The Bonapartes' attempt to become monarchs had failed, but they still retained powerful provincial governor seats, making them a de facto dynasty.

Immediately after Rome's fall, the two groups of Roman Knights en route to their homeland found themselves besieged. The group in the Alps was destroyed almost entirely by artillery barrages, and French Crusaders soon slaughtered them, enslaving those who they did not kill. In Hungary, Cavalry made quick work of the resident Knights.

Albania fell, and in the aftermath, 1 Roman Knight and 1 Legionary were purged, bringing Roman losses to 13 units, while France retained none. This was sure to antagonise the Roman government in Athens.

1030, Russia formed the "Continental System" with Austria, thus making almost all of France's neighbors embargo it. However, these sanctions were hardly groundbreaking and didn't hurt France's economy at all.

The fleet pillaged England's dyes, so as to make the realities of war ever more apparent to the British people. The "Wooden Wall" of the British Isles had quite some weaknesses.

2 Ships of the Line were sunk in Denmark, bringing the Brits down to 10 total Ships of the Line.

Marrakech was cheaply acquired from the Axumites with successful propaganda. This evicted the Axumites from their Maghrebi Empire that they had constructed via war with Spain and Portugal.

With the Maghreb neutralised and funds poured into it to fortify it against Roman Carthage, the Brits increasingly finding their naval supremacy less potent(seriously, are these guys idiots? They've only destroyed two tiles so far...), and Rome on the retreat, the Republic's goal of freeing Europeans from the chains of monarchy was ever more real.

 

[Takhisis]

What's the range of those grand batteries?

 

[Tani Coyote]

Only 1, but they are much better than their adversaries and can also treat all terrain like a road. Therefore, they would thwart an invasion of Northern France fairly well.

Which may happen. While bombing the British near Land's end, we saw a huge stack of musketmen next to a stack of some transport vessels... due to the low odds of victory however, we skipped them.

I'm planning suicide missions to hit British iron/saltpeter sources to send them into the Stone Age.

 

[Takhisis]

Can't you just bomb them with your fleet?

 

[Tani Coyote]

Can't you just bomb them with your fleet?

That's exactly what a suicide mission entails. A one-way trip to destroy their strategic resources, as the chances are high the British Man-O-War and Ships of the Line will sink them.

Especially bad if the former does it due to the Enslave capability.

 

[Takhisis]

Then bomb the crap out of 'em and sink the ships yourself so that they're not captured.

 

[Tani Coyote]

...that could work.

I hereby nominate you Minister of War!

In fact, last I checked, Scotland was a historical ally of the French. We must make good on this alliance!

 

[jiikoo]

Then bomb the crap out of 'em and sink the ships yourself so that they're not captured.

Yeah, with true French fashion...

 

[Takhisis]

We're all for historical realism here. Will you be alright if Tani invades Finland?

 

[jiikoo]

hahahahaa.

 

[Takhisis]

You do know that having hundreds of names for snow isn't defense enough, right?

 

[Tani Coyote]

Objective X: Take Over Europe(Evil Genius Ref FTW)

Spoiler :

1050 CE, the British Iron sources were pillaged. Their Horse stables were destroyed shortly afterward. Chaos reigned in the British military with its lack of cavalry and in the economy with a lack of railway materials. Three Ships of the Line were ordered to head north and destroy British saltpeter sources as well.

11 Ships of the Line were had by each side, so the 6 off the coast of Britain would probably be able to hold their own as several were off the coast of Africa.

In the meantime, Marrakech would have to fend off an invasion.

Of course when a human uses a weak defender the AI tramples it.

For 300 gold, it was re-flipped.

As vengeance, the British lost three tiles to bombardment from the Eastern attack fleet - which hadn't even been confronted out of fear! Near Denmark a British fleet was sunk.

While the British were hammered by ever more vessels - now including the far more potent Ironclads - it was decided to attack Roman Apulia.

The city fell with ease after some bombardment. The British, meanwhile, lost their sole source of Coal to bombardment. The British industrial complex was about to rapidly grind to a halt.

With Encyclopedia due to be complete come next turn, Industrialisation was bought from the Chinese, thus allowing further advancement.

Electricity and Steel were taken as the free techs.

The French troll was successful, as Britain lost its Furs and Gold luxuries all at once. In addition, as units guarded the saltpeter in Britannia proper, it was decided to instead go around it and destroy all connecting to it. Thus, the British lost their central road network entirely.

4 more roads were pillaged, severing Britain's last source of Furs.

The toll was being seen; the British were down to 10 Ships of the Line, 2 galleys, 3 Caravels, 1 Privateer, and 1 Man-O-War.

Lightly-guarded Sicily was conquered in 1090 CE. The Romans had lost their homeland in its entirety, and this prompted the subjugated Greeks and Carthaginians to rise up in revolt. The Greco-Phoenician Confederation was formed out of the rubble of the Roman Kingdom.

Of course, Carthage soon had its own issues - French agents prompted the Tripolitanians to reject the Monarchy for the much freer French Republic.

The Egyptian people were soon met on the outskirts of Tripoli. Egypt was at war with Rome, and for good reason given how crumbling the state was before its destruction by its own subordinates.

The colony of California's founding was met with joy.

Al Burayqah was easily taken via propaganda. The Arabs and Persians were met thanks to Egypt.

With Greco-Phoenicia no longer allied with the British, peace was made, at the cost of Malta so the Libyan colonies could link up with the continent.

Peace was soon made with the Habsburg Remnant.

A few hundred gold convinced the Hawai'ians to throw off the chains of China.

 

[Takhisis]

Looks like you're doing alright. Why post the Encyclopedia twice?

 

[Tani Coyote]

... Fixed.

 

[tubaman]

Could we maybe get a world map, or at least a map of Europe to see your progress in dominating the continent?

 

[Sparthage]

Could we maybe get a world map, or at least a map of Europe to see your progress in dominating the continent?

lurker's comment: I second this.

Great job so far!

 

[Tani Coyote]

State of the Republic

France proper is centered on the integral cities of the Republic: Paris, Dusseldorf, Antwerp, Amsterdam, Strasbourg, Marseilles, Lyons La Rochelle, and Brest. Dusseldorf has been admitted to the Republic's Provinces relatively recently.

Each of the Provinces of France nominates a Consul to the Consulate, and likewise, they are responsible for the Legislature. The Senate is nominated by the Consuls themselves as an advisory body and judiciary.

Outside France(denoted by the gray border), there are autonomous Republics in the French Confederation(not to be confused with THE French Republic). These states have home rule for the most part, but must pay taxes and troops to the central government in Strasbourg. (Note: real power derives from Paris but Strasbourg makes the empire seem less French)

Autonomous Republics do not have representation at the federal level.

In Iberia, there are 8 Republics: Castile, Portugal, Catalonia, Andalucia, Aragon, Navarre, Cantabria, and Galicia.

In Italy, four - Lombardia, Latium, Naples, and Sicilia.

In Germany, six - Prussia, Bavaria, Bohemia, Austria, Poland, and Riga.

In the Balkans, four - Hungary, Serbia, Balkan Republic, and Macedonia.

Maghreb was an autonomous Republic as well. Military occupation zones encompassed Morocco, Malta, and Libya, while the Canaries, Azores, Hawai'i, Hamhung, and California all were territories that had no home rule.

Three colonies exist in Southeast Asia: North Vietnam, South Vietnam, and Cambodia. Each one was endowed with some elements of home rule, and also could send delegates to the Consulate and the Assembly. However, they were ultimately at the mercy of their local Governor and the Consulate's mandates.

France's closest rival is China: France has 8% of the world's land to China's 6%, and 21% of its population to China's 10%.

Despite constant war, Republican fervor - that and the many luxuries and improvements - keep the citizenry mostly happy.

In a Golden Age, France enjoys +794 gold per turn even while researching the most it can without losing money on techs.

 

[tupaclives]

Update?