stJNES5.2: From the Beginning
Update 12, 1400 B.C.E.
What do you mean land? Invasion? Marching? the sailor was confused. What was this all about, he wondered. The lands of Carthage, a magical and prosperous place, long time a friend and trader of Antigot, lay directly south. And yet, the admiral gave the order for the fleet to assemble landing parties and begin an invasion.
And yet it happened. Tens of thousands of men land on the shores of Carthage, unopposed at first as the Carthaginian king stood in his hall in utter shock. The Antigotians, taking a Carthaginian warning as a direct threat, planned a whole invasion force that outnumbered anything the Carthaginians could muster.
Or so they thought. All across the lands the Carthaginian army gathered. A force much larger and much stronger then the King of Carthage had ever commanded was at his disposal. He was fully prepared to put a stop to Antigotian imperialism here in Carthage.
The Antigotians attacked in three places. The huge fleet, after defeating the small Carthaginian cluster of ships near Sicily, preceded to drop an army off at both Tripoli and Leptis Major, just south of Carthage. Furthermore, sizable land invasions came from both Egypt and Fez. Cathage, stretched too thin, evacuated all of its forces back to the capital city to save it. And save it they did.
The Antigotians, intent on many other goals with capturing Carthage being one of many, made it impossible for themselves in conquering all that they set out to do. A Carthaginian army, outnumbering the Antigotian one at Leptis Major, destroyed an Antigotian attempt at securing the port of Carthage, and rather sent the army back to Leptis. The disgrace of a loss has led the Antigotian general to commit suicide, and has left the army without real leadership.
Nevertheless, Carthage was defeated on numerous fronts. In Tripoli, where the farmland is the richest, the small Carthaginian garrison was quickly overthrown with just a show of naval force off of the coast. In Numidia, with help from local tribes and rebels, the Antigotians routed the garrison there. In Cyrene, where a well-fortified garrison guarded the Carthaginian port and interests in the Eastern Mediterranean, the Egypto-Antigotian force toppled the walls and forced the soldiers to run south into the desert.
And lets not even get to the economic implications of the war. Being each others major trading partner did not help the engagement. Carthages economy was utterly hampered. In Enitot, sister city to Antigot, half of the population was out of work, or looking to a major life change. Antigot itself has seen a fifty percent loss of activity within its ports and marketplaces. But the spoils of war are offsetting the balance, as resources and gold fall in the hands of Antigotian merchants and soldiers.
Antigot: -2,000 Faalim, -1,000 Archers, -5 Galleys
Carthage: -1,500 Spearmen, -2,000 Swordsmen, -300 Archers, -20 Galleys
Thousands of miles away, the other half of the Antigotian army pushes on against the stubborn Assyrians and Nabatians. The final word is said on the Nabatian war as the capital falls. But the king of the Nabats narrowly escapes captivity and flees to the north, into Assyria, where he continues to rule from the city of Nineveh. While he is still alive, there will still be a Nabatan army bent on re-acquiring the homeland.
Victorious in the southern deserts, the Antigotians march north against the Assyrians, and they take much ground against the peasantry fighters of the Holy Guard, which has assembled to fight for the Assyrian King. Palmyra, long a city of prosperity and struggle, is captured by the Antigotians, who secure themselves another site for supplies.
The Hittites, faced with the exhausting invasion of the Assyrians and civil disorder caused by the Sionists within the country, are forced to pull back, retreating from every battle until they are able to set up a line outside the insurgency and constant attacks from behind. As a result, little to no casualties are taken on this front.
Antigot: -3,000 Faalim, -1,000 Archers
Nabatia: -500 Swordsmen, -500 Archers, -500 Camel Riders
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As a lonely fur trapper followed a group of beavers (were they in the old world?) into a cave, he stumbled upon one of the greatest finds in Finnish history. The cave, which was one of many along the coast of the Baltic, was lined with sparkling, clean, and extractable gold ore. Immediately a rush to the small village of Rauma has transformed the small trading town into a major port.
The economic factors have been astounding. The gold has been, for the most part, reinvested back into Finland with the founding of many businesses, which has propelled the fur trade into neighboring Moskva and Sweden.
The Great Light House of Cornwall has been completely by the Islanders, who have proceeded to, because of the great courage the lighthouse gives, to explore even further south, coming into contact with the Saharan peoples and as far east as the Hittites. Meanwhile, a trade route is established with the Swedes, where the people exchange and barter goods in the nations well-built and maintained marketplaces and ports.
In Southern Ireland, in the lands of Erie and of the last stronghold of the Irish Picts, the Tribal King, the inspiration of Picts everywhere, was slain in battle. King Prancer, as he was commonly called, died violently alongside his men fighting the encroaching Islanders. This, including the rape and pillage of all the peaceful Pict families across the lines, has greatly affected the moral of the troops. Many lay down their weapons and flee across the land to their individual boats and head to Antigot in the south. Others flee to Iceland. Those that remain, though, remain with stalwart hearts. A message at the end of this post is posted to the King of the United Kingdom.
Picts: -2,000 Woad Warriors, -3,000 Spearmen, -1,000 Archers
UK: -1,000 Swordsmen
Meanwhile, development on Iceland is incredible. The industrious Picts, intent on once again prospering, are finding remarkable ways to make life on Iceland profitable. Canals are dug out of solid rock and ice, so that the limited fresh water can spread across the island. Villages spring up along the coast, where they trade with each other. Crops are grown half the year, stored during the winter and fall, and then grown once again.
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An outrage! A disaster! An abomination! These were the cries of the Muscovite people when they found out about the crown prince of Muscovy who married a Scythian peasant. Outraged, the citizens marched against the dynasty that has ruled Muscovy since its founding. In Moscow, the army prepared their defense, but even they doubted the legitimacy of the current regime still in power. The guard was soon breached, the most momentous time in Muscovite history hence began.
The Palace Kremlin, as it was called, was completely engulfed in angry noblemen and their peasantry. The King was soon cornered in his room and put under house arrest. The Prince and his wife were killed.
When new of this reached the Scythian lands of the Ukraine, all hell broke loose. Unable to hold out against the Scythian insurgency, the Muscovite guard has retreated to Tula, the halfway mark between the Ukraine and Moscow. Unsure of what to do, most of the Muscovite army form around the second Prince, Prince Alec Rurik.
Thus, Muscovy is fully engulfed in a three-way civil war, with the peasantry in the homeland, wishing for a new dynasty, the old royal dynasty in the west, with support of the army, and the Scythian insurgents in the south who cry for revenge against the murderers in the homelands.
DESERTERS: -1,000 Rurik Riders, -2,000 Archers
Meanwhile, the Germans continue their civil war as they try to install themselves within the Teutonic Land. The native Teutons, forced to the west, continue their struggle to reassert their dominance in the region. The two forces are quite evenly matched, but when a surprise comes from the south, the Teutons are forced to relocate some soldiers, which spells doom to the Teutonic State.
The Helvetians, fresh from peacetime, march from the south and into native Teutonic land. Here they rape and pillage, burn and loot everything they can as they strive for economic bonuses. The Germans push in another offensive, and soon the Teutonic lines folds, and as they struggle to form another they retreat further and further north, until they are but a few hundred miles thick. The Teutonic state is in a dire situation.
Teutonic: -3,000 Swordsmen, -2,000 Spearmen
Helvetia: -1,000 Swordsmen, -500 Spearmen
Within the cities of Helvetia, nation of the mountains, culture begins to form with the construction of many shrines and universities, based off of the Antigotican religion and science. Many flock to the city as jobs become readily available, and many come to worship the gods of Antigotica. Still the King relocates more to the northern reaches, where the army conquered Teutonic land. The people of this land, very ancient indeed, are displaced into small concentration camps as the new Helvetian settlers arrive. Thousands of innocents die.
Trade is also beginning to emerge as a possible profession for many Helvetians. With the southern ports open, trade is beginning to take hold of the markets. Most travel to Angitot and Rome, but still more travel even to Entitot or Carthage (before the war).
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
The great wall of forts in northern Magadha is breached once more! Aryan hordes pour into the unsuspecting and peaceful valleys of the Magadhans. Immediately Harimitra responds with an army of the most powerful Magadhans in existence. Near the city of Lothal, the battle is fought, and the Aryans are easily repulsed. Unfortunately Harimitra dies in the battle, and his predecessor, Zavimitra, ascends to the throne.
Magadha: -500 Swordsmen, -500 Kaliyashans
But this time, the Aryans left something other then destruction and mayham in their wake. This time they left the people they conquered with a new religion. Buddhism (much like OTL Buddhism, but with twists to make it not so peaceful) has been introduced to the people of Magadha. While Hindus are naturally welcoming of other religions, Buddhism does threaten the very balance of the feudal society developing in this country.
So far, the Buddhists only exist in the non-urbanized pastures north of Lothal. But it is spreading, spreading much faster then Hinduism, and is very common among the poor peasantry, not the aristocratic elite.
Other then that, the cities and culture of Magadha continue to flourish. The civilization is unmatched in cultural achievements and scientific advancement, and ranks close to having the mightiest army as well. It seems at this point, nothing could even dent the behemoth that is Magadha.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
The war in Dalmatia continues, with the Thracians leading in the victorious battle tally. Taking their enlarged army, the Thracians dive into the lightly defended south, taking key points such as iron mines and trading ports, and then continue on their way north.
While the Thracian army was busy in the south, the Dalmatians launched a counter attack from the north, aimed at regaining their capital. However, this was not to be successful, as the city was well garrisoned by Thracian troops, and the siege turned out to take too long, and soon the Dalmatians were forced to retreat within eye sight of the marching Thracian army.
Dalmatia: -2,000 Swordsmen
Thrace: -3,000 Swordsmen, 500 Archers
Meanwhile, back in Thrace itself, philosophy is born. One of the first of its kind, this Eastern European philosophy stresses the important of gods in the everyday lives of the Thracian individual. These Philosophers also teach the importance of self sacrifice and self accountable. The city of Pella is one of many cities to see the construction of large Schools of Thought or so they are called.
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NPC NOTICES
To UK
From Pict Resistors
We will surrender and leave Ireland and Britain altogether without hostilities if you agree to leave us Iceland and not harm the remaining Pict families.
NOTES FROM THE MOD:
Here is your long awaited update. Non-battle-NPC stats will be done in the morning.
And you thought I had forgotten about you guys.
Oh, and one note to Kamilian, only the Scythian faction has access to the farmland. The homeland muscovy peasants and nobles and so forth have 2 econ to spend, the royalists have 1, the scythians have 3 (from the farms). You may choose whatever one you wish to play as.
