PBEM: A Soaring Spirit

[McMonkey]

CORINTHIANS
Orchomenus liberated. Veteran Thessalian Cavalry easily dispatches Anthenian Psiloi raider.

The Island of Zacynthus captured

Spartan Transport Ship with two units on board sunk at 206,106 and another with the same load at 148,88. This war is indeed a costly business!

IONIANS
Empty Spartan transport sunk at 125,107

 

[McMonkey]

What's going on with this game Ingvar?

 

[Northerner]

I simply made a mistake last night after playing Imperialism. Sorry about that.

No news from Sparta.

No news from Carthage.

 

[Prof. Garfield]

No news from the Etruscans.

No World Events.

No News from the Athenians.

 

[McMonkey]

CORINTHIANS
Methone captured. Two Hoplites, 2 or possibly 3 Traders and 1 Pentreconter destroyed. No Corinthian casualties.

Lydian controlled Tarentine Cavalry killed near Taras.

IONIANS
Vergina lost to the Lydians

Athenian Pentreconter sunk at 264,98 in an ongoing naval war of attrition off Euboea.

Etruscan Transport and Pentreconter sunk at 111,57 and another empty Transport sunk at 111,55. Small Etruscan army has just landed south of Irna. Pity I didn't detect these ships at sea last turn!

 

[Northerner]

Samos falls to the Spartans.

Some slaves killed near Sybaris.

No news from Carthage.

 

[Prof. Garfield]

Etruscan Pentreconter defeats Ionian Pentreconter at (111,57).

No World Events.

Athenian Psiloi kills Ionian slave at (299,61).

 

[McMonkey]

CORINTHIANS
Damaged Spartan Psiloi raiders hunted down and killed near Sybaris (134,76).

Tanagra captured.

IONIANS
Etruscan Pentreconter sunk at 110,56 in the ongoing naval battle in the bay of Irna.

The empty city of Samos reoccupied with no losses on either side.

Antissa and Mytilene captured as the Island of Lesbos falls under Ionian control.

 

[Prof. Garfield]

@McMonkey Did you upload the correct file? It says 720 and we are now at 719.

 

[McMonkey]

I must have overwritten the previous save by mistake. I normally delete all of the old saves before I start playing. Just double checked and it is actually 719 BC in the save itself, it just has the wrong date in the save name.

 

[Northerner]

Phlius captured.

Miletus attacked. The fortress was left broken, no other units attacked. Samos re-taken.

No news from Carthage.

 

[Prof. Garfield]

No news from the Etruscans.

No World Events.

Athena proclaimed King of the new Athenian Dual Monarchy!

Athenian Thessalian Cavalry gets bad orders and attacks the fortress at Eleusis.

Ionian Pentreconter defeated at (259,93), Athenian Pentreconter at yellow health.

 

[McMonkey]

CORINTHIANS
I played the Corinthian turn before work this morning and have yet to start the Ionian turn. In light of the message I received from Athens agreeing to my proposal to initiate a general peace negotiation I decided it would be best to halt and post the results from the Corinthian turn before making my mind up on how to play the Ionian turn. Obviously the results of the Corinthian turn were based on no communication with Athens at the time and a refusal to negotiate by Sparta - based on the belief that I was attempting to divide and conquer (not an entirely crazy assumption )

Seeing the city of Phlius was without walls (did you not realise the house rules allow the immediate rebuilding of walls via the CivCity utility?) the Corinthians decide to risk a Thessalian Cavalry unit from Sicyon in a probing attack, on the off chance the city was now defended by a Psiloi. To my surprise the non veteran Thessalians engaged with a Spartan Strategos and (just) managed to kill him, gaining veteran status in the process. Another non-veteran Thessalian Cavalry was dispatched from Sicyon and their attack killed the Spartan Thessalian Cavalry defending the un-walled city and also gaining veteran status. Flush with victory the now veteran Thessalians attack and defeat a Spartan Hoplite to the south of the city. The unfortunate polis has been reduced to size 1 during the battle.

One Athenian Pentreconter is sunk at 222,94 for the cost of one veteran Corinthian Pentreconter.

The Ionian turn & save will follow, but it is worth bearing in mind the circumstances the above turn was plaid under.

 

[McMonkey]

IONIANS
The Island of Lemnos is subdued with the cities of Myrina and Hephaestia conquered.

A large Lydian controlled army of Ilyrian Warriors and Thessalian Cavalry are on the move east towards Therma.

Tenos retaken from the Spartans with no loss of life to either side. The two badly damaged Spartan Pentreconters off Samos won't get very far unless saved by the proposed ceasefire.

An Athenian Pentreconter at 259,93 is sunk.

A huge Ionian army lands at Marathon, just northeast of Athens but holds back from attacking the city. It is hoped that this show of force will encourage the Athenians to deal fairly with Corinth & Ionia in the proposed peace talks. Ionia has ships standing by to take these troops home should they not be required.

Save to follow shortly.

 

[McMonkey]

As we all now appear to be involved in negotiations, presuming Sparta wishes to talk, I thought I would post them here to make it easier to refer back to.

From Athenians:
The Athenians have received peace overtures from the Corinthian-Ionian League, and understand that the Spartans have been contacted as well. Since the Athenians do not intend to make a peace treaty separate from the Spartans, we propose that negotiations be conducted with all three parties represented, rather than have bilateral discussions.

The Athenian goal is that a rough parity be established between the three alliances in the Mediterranean. This can be achieved either by making cities independent or by making territorial concessions to Sparta and Athens. We fear that if the Corinthians and Ionians can develop their empires in peace, they will become too powerful to stop later. We are particularly concerned about the massive increase in efficiency once the Corinthians establish a Dual Monarchy.

The Athenians recognize that we have other advantages, and so are willing to leave negotiations in possession fewer cities than Sparta or Corinth. However, cities do mean power in the long run, which is why we are fighting now.

The Athenians are willing to return Corinth to the Corinthians. If parity is to be achieved through concessions to Athens, we are, naturally, most interested in Thebes, Tanagra, Chalcis, Eretria, and Cyme. The Athenians are not against offering monetary compensation for territories acquired as part of a general peace agreement.

[In slightly plainer terms, I think McMonkey has an advantage at the moment that could snowball if left unchallenged. I want a peace agreement where we all think we have a decent chance of success without having to go to war again too quickly. If the Spartans get territorial concessions, then the Athenians must have some too to make sure that Sparta doesn't take the place of Corinth in a few turns. Returning cities to the Barbarians is also acceptable to me as a way of achieving parity.]

 

[McMonkey]

This sounds promising and I'm sure we can reach an agreement. I'm taking a detailed look at the map, which areas I feel are vital to our interests and which areas I feel we can compromise on. I will take into account the future needs of Sparta and Athens as well as the Phoenicians and Etruscans. We accept that our territorial acquisitions went too far and too fast and contributed to this current war, but at the same time we were not the aggressors and were given no warning or opportunity to negotiate.

Corinth and Ionia may have larger territorial holdings, but other nations have advantages too. Athens has its wonders, Phoenicia has its mastery of the seas, the Etruscans are far from any threats and have vast territories to expand into and Sparta are renowned for their warriors. The Oracle also tells of a time when the east will rise against the land of the Ionians and sweep down into Greece. Corinth would be the first to stand in their way!

Given the choice between continuing this brutal war of annihilation or making a peace deal that all Hellenes can live with, Corinth-Ionia will strive for peace. We are willing to negotiate, but not from a position of weakness. We propose a temporary ceasefire (halt in play) whilst we negotiate the settlement.

CURRENT EXISTING CITIES:

Corinth-Ionia
59 Cities

Athens-Etruscan
24 Cities

Sparta-Phoenicia
35 Cities

 

[McMonkey]

I think it would make sense to break this down into regions so we can tick each one off as we come to an agreement. I will begin with my proposal for Sicily.

SICILY

The Corinthian cities of Petra, Enna and Morgantia to be handed over to either Sparta or Phoenicia.

Mylae (118,102) colony site in Athenian sphere.

The island of Cossyra (65,129) to the Phonecian sphere.

The colony sites at 108,132 101,127 91,123 79,117, 73,113, 88,104, 96,108, 105,105 and the island at 114,94 all to be outside of the Corinthian-Ionian sphere (IE to Sparta/Phoenicia unless they agree to allow Athenian settlement on any sites).

In exchange we wish to claim the colony sites at 115,131 & 113,123 closest to Syracusae for Corinth and 115,117 Catania for Ionia.

We also wish to claim the right to settle on the Island of Melite 105,151.

Corinth-Ionia
-3 cities
+4 colony sites

Athens-Etruscan
+1 colony site (possibly more depending on agreements with Phoenicians)

Sparta-Phoenicia
+3 cities
+10 colony sites

This confines Corinthian and Ionian colonisation to the east coast and secures a trade route to Carthage without the Island threatening any closeby territories.

It would appear to be a poor deal for Athens, but they stand to gain more in other regions.

 

[McMonkey]

NORTH AFRICA
Clearly a Phoenician sphere with seven existing cities and one minor city.

CURRENT PROPOSED TOTALS INC. EXISTING CITIES:

Corinth-Ionia
60 Cities

Athens-Etruscan
25 Cities

Sparta-Phoenicia
49 Cities

 

[McMonkey]

CORSICA & SARDINIA
The future of these islands is not certain, but presuming that Phoenicia were to take Sardinia and the Etruscans take Corsica plus the island of Aethalia that would be five cities each.

CURRENT PROPOSED TOTALS INC. EXISTING CITIES:

Corinth-Ionia
60 Cities

Athens-Etruscan
30 Cities

Sparta-Phoenicia
54 Cities

 

[McMonkey]

ITALY
There are 13 cities and 13 colony sites in Italy. Here is my proposal for division of spheres:

127,105 opposite Zancle to Athens
139,61 & 142,58 near Taras to Sparta
129,95 & 133,87 near Scylacium/Locri to Corinth-Ionia
123,65 Pyxus to Ionia as a link with Capri
The remaining 13 cities and 7 colony sites to be considered the Etruscan-Athenian zone (unless they make arrangements with Phoenicia/Sparta)

CURRENT PROPOSED TOTALS INC. EXISTING CITIES:

Corinth-Ionia
63 Cities

Athens-Etruscan
50 Cities

Sparta-Phoenicia
56 Cities