Red Sands - Mongolia's Struggle for Survival!

[agonistes]

Thanks to all who voted (except those who voted for Mongolia)!

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Civ: Mongolia!
Map: Marla's Earth Map
Difficulty: Regent
Civs: 25 (includes Siam and Indonesia, no African/South American/Central American civs

Major Changes:
No corruption
No starting settlers
Colonial powers and island locked civs have sea going vessels or galleys as placed units (no upkeep)
Ships move faster
All ships/artillery have full lethal bombardment; bombard range is increased
Subs have hidden nationality and all subs can carry tactical missiles
Worked Tundra upgraded, Tundra and deserts can't have a cities, mountains can have cities
Water tiles give 2 food, coastal improvements give +1 f/g/s each

Wonder Changes:
Only two wonders become obsolete: Voyage of Discovery (map making, creates an ocean going vessel every 17 turns), and Priory of Sion (small wonder, creates crusaders, requires the Crusades small wonder)
Crusades (small wonder) allows for the building of armies - and doesn't require a victorious army; gives +1 gold per worked tile; halves unit upgrades
Sphinx and Himaji castle allow for the building of armies
Kremlin grants +2 advances, requires communism advance and government - only wonder to give advances
Via Appia places a monument in every city (monument gives 4 culture a turn)
Circus Maximus places a coloseum in every city
Lighthouse, Colossus, Magellans, and East India Company give ship movement bonus (the later two stack onto the earlier two) plus either gold, research, or safe sea travel
Great Library gives research bonus, NOT free advances
Most other wonders give happiness, research, or gold where changed - Pyramids are not altered

Other:
Not going to list, see if you notice

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Few first things off the bat before we get into the actual tale.

1) I am redistributing all resources - and won't look to see what is there! If Mongolia doesn't have a least one wheat though, I will cheat one down.

2) Mongolia's starting position - To my immediate north is Russia, with over 40 starting cities. Mongolia has just one, bordering a desert. Again, a thanks to all who voted for Mongolia (looking at you Quint). To my east and south is the Asian Bloc, with China, Korea, and Siam. I am in a locked alliance with those three nations (as well as Indonesia). To my west is the Tibetan Plateau, with India on the other side. Northwest is Persia (allied with Rome and Germany). So my poential for growth is very limited early game, and my potential early targets are very limited. I also have no coastline, so no settling colonies. I am the smallest civ with the worst starting position.

3) On India and Portugal - there were also two votes for each of these. Portugal would have been far too easy I think. India would have been interesting, and if I die fast I will play as India next. I went with Mongolia because Quint was a reader of one of my German tales, and as I never finished it, I feel I owe him. Believe, I'm not playing this with a death wish. I dislike Mongolia because its hard for me to get into Ghengis' role (but I think I have a work around for that).

Here we go...

 

[CELTICEMPIRE]

I want to see Portugal.

 

[MTB4884]

It looks like you have quite a challenge, agonistes! I'm looking forward to the story (and I suppose if the worst comes to the worst, you can always restart as a civ with a better starting position.) Good luck!

 

[agonistes]

Chapter I: The Red Sands






It is 4000bc, and admist the desert sands a civilization is born! They call themselves the Mongolians!

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Their leader is a mighty warrior: Temujin!

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"I am master of the Four Winds, King of the Great Desert, Lord of All Under the Sun!"

Word of this new civilization quickly spreads, and other civs acknowledge them. The Mongolians are not alone in the world.

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The five civilizations make oaths of alliance.

 

[agonistes]

"Let us see what these poor nations have to offer the mighty Temujin!"

Korea trades us Alphabet for Warrior Code and Pottery.
China gives us Masonry and a worker for Pottery and Alphabet.
Siam gives us a worker for Warrior Code.
Korea then gives us a worker for Masonry.

The Majapahit have nothing to offer, not even a worker.

"This slave labor will let our civilization prosper!"





"Great Temujin, we should invest some resources into discovering new technologies."

"Eh? Why is that? What could we learn that we need? Are we not glorious already?"
"Well... you never know."
"Hmm. Very well. We should put 20% of our resources towards study."
"Excellent, your greatness. That will still give us +4 gold a turn. I shall direct our efforts towards writing."

"Writing?"
"Yes your greatness."
"Not Horseback Riding? I do like horses, you know."
"I know, mighty one. But we don't even know The Wheel yet."
"Ah well. We will research The Wheel then."
"Very well your greatness."





"Lads, put our research efforts into writing, at once! 20%!"

 

[agonistes]

"Great one, where should we direct our workers?"


"Eh? Build some stables at once!"

"We have no horses, mighty one. And stables will never be possible anyway."
"Oh."
"Might I suggest working some terrain?"
*sigh* "If we must."


The workers and slaves are directed to irrigate nearby wheat, and then move on to the mountains. The additional shields are needed badly.



Unworked mountains give 2 shields, 4 when mined with an advanced government, 3 with despotism. 2 if a city is on them.

If it had been a settler start, I might have founded the capital right on the mountain.

 

[agonistes]

"Mighty one, our military consists of one scout. Where should I direct him?"

"Send our cavalry north!"
"Our cavalry?"
"Aye. At once!"
"With what orders, oh great one?"
"Look for horses!"
"Right away mighty one."




*claps excitedly*
"Weeee!"



"Send the blasted scout north."

The Mongolian scout makes his way north, through the desert. In 2950, he reports back to Karakorum that he has found some gems! And a border!

 

[agonistes]

The scout moves in, and is able to report that there is no foreign city close to the border.






"Donzeg, those gems are precious. We may want to get a settler up there as soon as possible."



"Very well. We will cease work on a warrior, then, and build a settler. I will inform the boss."


"Erhm, no need, no need, I'll tell him myself."

 

[agonistes]

In the year 3850, a strangely garbed rider comes to the court of Temujin. He says he comes on behalf of a people who call themselves the Russians!







"Fabulous, fabulous. Take what gifts they offer, and send him on his way."


It is clear these people live to the north. It must be their border we found.

 

[agonistes]

3750bc


"Mighty one, we can buy Ceremonial Burial from our friends."




"No no, lets not waste the gold."
"Are you sure, mighty one?"
"Save the money for stables."
"%$&*@!"

In 3650, our scout reports back that he has found China's border:



A few turns later, our first settler is finished, and sets out. He was originally going to head for the gems, but it is decided that it would be best to thwart any Chinese plans to build a city near Karakorum. He is sent east.

 

[agonistes]

3250bc


"Great one, we have founded Almarikh near the Chinese. I have also plotted on our maps some suitable locations for future cities."







"Any sign of horses yet?"

"No great one. But we did trade 100 gold and +5 gold/turn to Korea for The Wheel, and then The Wheel to Siam for Bronze Working. China refused to trade Ceremonial Burial to us."
"What of those Russians fellows?"
"We have nothing they want, great one. But they do have writing already."
"Truly? I'm sure we will have it ourselves, soon enough."



"35 turns left on Writing, mighty one."
"See? No worries."

 

[agonistes]

*By the way, the wheat near Karakorum is all natural. I didn't cheat any down.

3150bc


"Great one! Barbarians have been sighted, to the west!"






"Barbarians? Some of ours?"
"Uh, no, mighty one. Most definately not. In fact, we don't have any troops yet."
"Send in the cavalry!"
"Uh, of course, mighty one. I will do so at once."




"Great one, I have ordered the slaves to join the city to increase our production."

 

[agonistes]

3000bc

A traveler to the city of Karakorum brings with him a book:


"Sir, may want to check this out."

"Eh? What? Did this Pliny fellow forget about the mighty Temujin? Why aren't we on the list?"
"Probably hasn't heard of us yet, sir."
"How's that? Why didn't our riders reach him?"
"Sandstorm, sir. Big one."



"Sir, I'm sorry to report our scout was killed by barbarians."

"Very well. Send him north."

 

[agonistes]

In 2900bc, Almarikh has finished work on a monument (+4 culture) and begins work on the Mongolians' first warrior.

Then the next turn our second settler comes across a new people to the south of Karakorum:



They are the Indians!



"See what tribute they have."




"Oh look, they too know Horseback Riding. We can ride together."



Tabriz, our third city, is founded soon after, and our people's first warrior is finished:






"Truly all nations must fear us!"



"Russian warriors to the north, mighty one."





Work in Karakorum is switched from Settler to Spearman.

 

[CELTICEMPIRE]

Glad to see a good tale!

 

[Quintillus]

Nice start! And I like the story! Those sandstorms, they can really get you in greater Mongolia!

I have confidence that you'll catch up to the "Glorious" Russians. You've already tripled your number of cities, and surely they haven't. In no time flat they'll be terrified by your hordes of cavalry!

 

[jiikoo]

You stopped a cliffhanger

 

[agonistes]

2510bc


"Great one, the Russians have moved off."


"Ah, they fear the mighty Temujin."


"Lord, we have settled another city, and found horses!"




"Oooh, goody! Put them in the stables with the others!"
"Uh, of course great one. Right away."



"You do realize those horses aren't in our territory, yes? And we aren't likely to have them in our territory any time soon."


"Yes. Hopefully we can get another settler out there before Ghandi."

 

[agonistes]

2350bc

The Kingdom of Mongolia has grown! But already it is clear our potential expansion is being limited. To the south are Siam and China, and to the north is Russia.



It looks like expansion will be limited to the northwest for the most part. And we need to get those horses under our control.

In 2270bc China interferes with our plans to build a city near the gems to the north.






"I warned you man! I warned you! Now we may lose those gems!"

 

[agonistes]

2230bc


"Lord, the Russians have sent an envoy!"

"Invite him in. Set the table for tea. Prepare to receive gifts."
"Yes mighty one."



"This will not be pretty."