Update for 1851 (Turn 1)
Not much happened lol, but here goes:
Regular News
The world increases its industrial power, with Germany (due a huge increase in production), Aztlan (recent sacrifices of natives made the people happy), China (the huge human powerhouse of the world managed to increase production), Greece (the Spartans of Greece preparing for war means a large increase in morale) and Zululand (the Impis going to war always makes the civilians work hard, and now being under attack is really making them determined to help) being the economic powerhouses of the world at the moment.
Remember upgrading 5,000 men costs ALL 3 points, not just 1 lol.
There was a lot of expansion worldwide.
Oh, and new techs are available, see the end of the post, just after the map.
COMBAT REPORTS
There was only one major war this turn, and a few scuffles with natives:
Native Defence
The most bloodthirsty expansion was in Aztlan, which made a few western South American tribes surrender, and one Amazonian one, but then they encountered the fearsome female tribe, known only as the Amazonians.
The fighting was fierce, with the Aztecs losing nearly 4,000 men, but they eventually overcame the five thousand strong tribe, killed all those who fought and seperated the rest out like so, as ordered by the ruler:
"All men between 16-36 will be held as slaves. Any man not fit to serve as slaves will also be sent to the SHA.
All Men between 0-5 will be adopted by the Army and will be trained as soldiers.
All men between 6-15 will be sent to the SHA to be sacrificed to the gods.
All men aged 37 and above will be executed, and their bodies used to fertilize the fields of Aztlan.
All women aged 15-25 will be held as slaves.
All women between 0-5 will be adopted by goverment approved families in Aztlan.
All women above 25 will be executed and their bodies used to fertilize the fields of Aztlan"
After this fearsome display, many tribes surrendered, but some fought to the last person, causing another 1,000 losses for the Aztecs.
***
Britain is now at war with the Aborigines, who opposed their expansion into Australia. Britain lost 50 artillery when they were captured by Aborigine troops. The British Army managed to kill many natives using their cavalry, which the Aborigines have never seen before, but the 50 artillery have been spirited off somewhere, and military analysts predict that the natives will try to fire them using the supplies they stole, and maybe use them against anyone colonising Australia.
This incident has sent out a clear message to those colonising Australia - watch out for the Aborigines!
***
Egypt invades Zululand!
General Mpondo watched the Egyptians crossing the border, and felt fury in his warrior heart.
This was not supposed to be the way that war was declared.
He had ten thousand Zulu under his command, 10 Impi, and another 10,000 within one day's march.
As for the warriors on horses - he would never call them cavalry, he considered it an insult to their warrior spirit - he had 15,000 under his command, or 15 Impi, and the remaining 10 Impi were within a day or two - some even less.
And he had all of the Zulu's 250 artillery and 26 of the Zulu's ships under his command.
He considered artillery a pathetic weapon - not worthy of a warrior, but against this number of Egyptians and with their technology, he would have to use it.
And use it well.
At least defence is always easier than attack... he thought as he studied the land. The Zulu were better at attack than defence, but while counter-attacking and holding at forts counted as defence in his book, they mostly used the Zulu's strongpoints.
He looked again.
50,000 Egyptian soldiers, 5,000 cavalry (he had no problems calling them cavalry), and 350 of their infidel artillery. Not to mention the Egyptian fleet, most of which he guessed would be somewhere nearby.
This battle would be epic...
***
5 Impi of warriors and 15 Impi of warriors on horses were having to be left behind as the Zulu were forced to retreat, and abandoning most of their artillery.
The warriors had held the forts while the horses roamed around the enemy, striking whenever they got the opportunity. The Egyptian cavalry had been led in a foolish charge by a general who thought his forces were so superior to the Zulu, and they had been totally wiped out. The general's name was Custer, and it would forever be known as Custer's Last Stand.
Apparently he was quite a celebrity in Egypt, and Mpondo hoped they would find his last stand chilling enough to leave Zululand. For he no longer seemed to have the strength to do so.
The Zulu had fought far beyond their ability, and what their technology should have restricted them to, inflicting 15,000 casualties on the Egyptian army, and of course the famous killing of the Egyptian cavalry, but they had only lost 50 artillery compared to the Zulu's 200.
All in all, Mpondo thought, he could say the Zulus had won a tactical victory here, even if they were withdrawing to fight another day. But they hadn't won the strategic victory - they had lost too many men, and now Egypt had the strength to crush the rest of Zululand...
The only comforting news was from the sea, and from his pre-battlefield reports. The Egyptian navy had received no orders it seemed, and so had continued as usual. When war had been declared, the Zulu navy struck north as Mpondo had ordered, catching 20 Egyptian ships off guard. The numerical advantage (26 against 20) and surprise had paid off against the tech advantage, and they had managed to destroy three quarters of the enemy fleet, for the loss of just under half of their own.
The pre-battle reports had said that Egyptians had tried to infiltrate the Zulu positions, but most of them didn't have the same colouring or warrior traditions of the Zulu, and were spotted easily and executed in terrible ways. But they had also said that the infantry would be concentrating on the horse warriors, and they were right - Zulu cavalry losses were terrible.
We live to fight another day, Mpondo thought,
but how many more days do we have?
***
Techs:
NAVAL TECHS:
We are currently still stuck with wooden ships and sailships, but next turn I will unveil these techs:
Iron ships - Requires Middle Industrial Age tech level. Costs 7 points. Makes your ships a lot hardier and more heavily armoured.
Steamships - Requires Early Industrial Age tech level. Costs 5 points. Makes your ships a lot more reliable, no longer having to rely on the wind, but unless you have the Iron Ships tech, this tech can make your wooden ships a lot more hazardous due to the obvious - the burning of coal. This will improve your economy, and make your navy stronger.
Breech-loading guns - Requires Early Industrial Age tech level. Costs 5 points. Makes your ships much more deadly, but with the obvious risks involved unless your ships are made of iron. Lethal against wooden ships, and the only decent weapon against iron ships.
LAND TECHS:
Breech loading rifles Suddenly your troops are a lot more deadly in attack and defence - able to fire quicker at the enemy and reload under fire. You must have the Early Industrial Age tech, and this costs 5 gold.
Early Gatling Gun Requires the Middle Industrial Age tech level, and this costs 7 gold. The early Gatling guns are unreliable, and go through ammo like it is going out of fashion, but they are deadly in defence - although they are too cumbersome to attack with.
Railways Requires the Early Industrial Age tech level. Has a huge effect on your economy, but costs 10 gold.
Thanks, and good luck!
Nemesis
PS:
http://www.civfanatics.net/uploads3/purenes1.gif
haraoh Ahmed ben Yussuf of Egypt
