The Australian Empire

[tupaclives]

Circa 1415-1480 – The Battle for Mainland France

John Curtin was eager to cut off the French supplies of rubber which were necessary to equip their Infantry force. So he entrusted the mission to severe their rubber supplies to Major Ponsford, the man who orchestrated the successful siege of Tenotchitlan. He would take the elite 1st Mounted Cavalry Army under his charge, accompanied by three additional companies of Cavalry and would attack the rubber mines. The sabotage mission was successfully carried out in December 1416 but the force found themselves well behind enemy lines. High command radioed them their orders, only only a few Rifle divisions lightly protected the French city of Rheims. The French government didn’t think anyone could strike that far into French held territory and so Ponsford was to hit them there, and then hold the city long enough for reinforcements to arrive. The charge caught the French defenders completely off guard. The 1st Mounted Cavalry Army lead the assault but after defeating three divisions of rifles they were forced to withdraw and allow the 88th Cavalry Company to deal with the remaining defenders.

Orleans was the second city to join the French empire, thousands of years ago. It was the most productive city in France, the first to build factories and power plants. It was the heart of the French industrial powerhouse and without France would be brought to her knees. So Field Marshall Cosgrove began planning how it could be taken, for it was not lightly defended. Luckily there were no major cities between the new French front and the city itself and so Cosgrove’s plan was to deploy the 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th Tank Armies supported by twenty divisions of artillery to attack the city. Around midday January 7th the artillery barrage began and their fire broke up the clustered defenders and blew away tank traps en route to the city. The tank armies reached the city at 23 past 1 in the afternoon and proceeded to roll through the battered defenders seizing control of the city. Australia knew that they could afford to rebuild the city later and so the troops were ordered to destroy the city’s industrial centre, burning down the factories and power plants.

The battle for the coastal stronghold of Lyons was a long affair. Battleships and destroyers had been harassing the city for years and in the lead up to the final assault the bombardment from the ships continued almost with halt for three months. When the first companies of tanks reached the city they found most of the city in ruins and the garrison almost completely wiped out. One of the few significant structures remaining in the city was the legendary Great Lighthouse which had in ancient times guided ships to shore from the sea safely thanks to fires burned at the top which provided a reference point and illuminated dangerous nearby cliffs s that incoming ships could see them. The city had very little of value now after the barrage but Curtin’s orders were that the city was to be held.

With French troops being withdrawn to Paris the rest of France could not withstand the Australian forces. Besancon was the next to fall, assaulted in June 1473 by the 9th Tank Army under the command of General Douglas Swadling. The French defenders surrendered after the destruction of their front line and tank traps. And Swadling was ordered to continue his march onto Marseilles.

However General Ashgrove moving up through Japanese held territories struck first and the seaside paradise fell to his elite Cavalry Army.

Paris was today captured as the French defenders surrendered to our brave men of the armed services.
After five and a half thousand years under brutal rule, Paris can now join the free people of the world under the guidance of Australia.

Last night, the Australian 2nd Armoured Company under Major Philip Arthur was the first Australian force to enter the city, greeted by loud cheers from Parisians after many days of fighting between the ADF and French National Guard.

The new Aus-Paris wireless station reported the French commander of the Paris region, General Philippe Leclare, signed a surrender at Montparnasse station in front of Major Arthur and General Ashgrove, commander of the 3rd Mounted Cavalry Army.

Ashgrove praised the Australian forces that fought the French and opened the way for the main army to enter the French capital. Ashgrove also noted his admiration for many of the French structures in the city such as Leonardo’s Workshop.

Story continued page 4, letters page 17...

Circa 1479 December 13th – The Royal Palace, Paris

Joan d’Arc was extremely worried. She had become edgy, as the years had wound down, recent years had not been good at all to ancient France. Australia had for nearly the last century methodically picked France apart, from the colonies in the south to the great cities of the Empire. And now the combined ADF were at the gates of Paris ready for the final assault. Joan d’Arc glanced down at the bottle of arsenic at the end of the table.

'Your majesty, Prime Minister John Curtin of Australia has sent you an envoy,' said the servant. Joan was alarmed, but also partly excited. If she could convince Curtin to agree to peace then perhaps France could be saved.
'Yes, yes send him in at once!' replied Joan d’Arc.
The Australian envoy entered.
'Your higness, the Queen of France, Prime Minister John Curtin has for you an offer. He offers to you the chance of peace to your lands. In exchange he requires you to hand over your nations treasury control of Paris, and to give yourself up as a political prisoner,' said the envoy reading from his notes
‘That is not a peace offer!' spat Joan d’Arc.
‘Oh but it is your highness, it is offering peace to your people if you are willing to surrender unconditionally.’
‘Never!’ declared Joan proudly. ‘I will die before I would give up my nation!’
‘Captain show the Queen we are serious.’

As these words left the envoy’s mouth the palace shook and bits of masonry fell from the ceiling.
'What's going on?' cried Joan in despair.
‘It is to show you, your majesty, that we are serious. If you will not surrender than we will give very serious thought to the terms you proposed.’
‘What terms… I didn’t propose anything!’
The envoy smiled.
‘Didn’t you your highness?’

The palace shook again and a loud rumbling. Rushing to the palace balcony, the Queen could see a columns of tanks, cavalry and infantry sweeping through the city. Any resistance put up by either civilians or soldiers was quickly dispatched. In the distance the brand new Australian artillery were blasting massive holes in the ancient capital. People were dying from the shelling and the tanks and cavalry trample over the top of civilians and soldiers alike as they headed straight for the palace. With one last look at her beloved city, Joan d’Arc grabbed the arsenic. Fine then, she would take her own terms…

Map of the World from the Cartography Archives of The Imperial Republic of Australia Circa 1480AD

 

[fe3333au]

Wonderful reporting and a stimilating read

Ave a Bonza 'Stralia Day Mate

 

[tupaclives]

Not sure if anyone is still reading this but for those that are interested I'll be posting the final installment of the story in the next day or so.

 

[Mirc]

^ Never have that attitude. Of course people are reading. It's a great story IMO.

 

[stocktracker]

I would like to see what path in which you end this game. You tactics on this game have been great, I have learned from this.

 

[tupaclives]

Part 7 – A Long Awaited Revenge
Know that our people have not died in honourable and justified battle. I killed them. My pride killed them, and now my pride has consumed me also…

Circa 1500AD – The Imperial Palace of Shogun-President Tokugawa, Kyoto

‘Shogun-President Tokugawa, I bring word from General Hirohito,’ the Samurai bowed so low that his head touched the ground. Shogun-President Tokugawa turned to his subject. Tokugawa was strongly built, lean and much taller than most of his people.
‘What is it Kinawara?’ asked Tokugawa, his brown eyes flashing slightly.
‘Hirohito says that his forces are in position on the former-French border and we can begin our assault at your discretion my lord.’
Tokugawa turned and looked out the window. He was unsure of this move. Could he afford to pit his nation, despite all the industrialization that had taken place, against the greatest and most powerful nation history had ever known? His patriotic pride said he could, and that he would be victorious. Yet in his heart of hearts he did not truly believe Japan could stand next to Australia in any sense.
‘Sir what is your decision?’ asked Kinawara gently. There was a pause, ‘sir if you wish him to strike, the time is now.’
‘Tell him… tell him to attack before sunrise.’
And with those words Shogun-President Tokugawa sealed the fate of his people.

Circa1500 - Canberra

‘Gentlemen, Japan once again dares to threaten our people. For years since the end of the French war we have exported to Japan: Oil, Pig Iron and other valuable resources, which Japan has used to build the weapons, she will now attack us with. While we have built cars and refrigerators our enemies have built tanks and bombs.’ Curtin surveyed Parliament, no one said a word but there was a sense of outrage and determination evident throughout the room. Curtin continued, ‘Field Marshall Peter Cosgrove will now give us a status report on our armed forces that can respond immediately.’
Cosgrove stood and fiddled with his microphone.
‘Ahem… is this thing on… right… Gentlemen the ADF forces in former France number 113 Companies of Tanks of which eighty-eight companies are under the command of various generals. We have twenty-two Tank Armies in the field in former France as well as close to 130 Companies of Infantry, around seventy divisions of artillery and nearly eighty companies of Cavalry. In Australia our strategic reserve numbers seventy-two Companies of Infantry, twenty-seven divisions of artillery and sixty-eight companies of Cavalry. The RAAF, which can be redeployed to whichever front we wish, numbers thirty-six squadrons of Bombers, and twenty-five squadrons of F-15 Fighters. It is my belief that a rapid-response by the strategic Cavalry reserve against the outlying Romano-Japanese Provinces will break the spirit of mainland Japan allowing our Modernized army corps in France to strike at the heart of Japan.’
There was a general murmur of ascent throughout the assembly, after all Cosgrove was the pre-eminent tactician in Australia.
‘Very well Cosgrove, we will follow your suggestions. How long do you estimate this war will last?’
‘I would be very surprised, Mr Prime Minister, if it lasted any more than a few years. Japan is much weaker than ourselves.’
‘Excellent Cosgrove, gentlemen, it was many years ago that Japan first threatened Australia back when we lacked the strength to destroy them, and we had to beg Egypt for protection. Now the table is turned and Japan shall beg others for protection, she shall beg Australia for mercy and we shall give none. Gentlemen the time of our revenge has finally arrived. I, for one, will enjoy seeing Japan fall. Revenge, my friends, is a dish best served cold.’

Circa 1500AD – Veii

The four Japanese Cavalry divisions eyed Veii eagerly, barely two kilometres away was the lightly defended Australian city. Useless to the Australians but its loss would spark unrest in the country, which was openly opposed to war. The Japanese Cavalry moved to within striking distance and as ordered, just before sunrise they struck. The city protected by a solitary company of Infantry was overrun, although they made Japan pay, wiping out two of the divisions outright. However it was not enough and for the first time in her history it was Australian citizens who cowered in the streets as an invading army entered their city.

Australia was shaken by the fall of Veii. Strategically, politically and economically it was nothing. Yet it was the principle of the thing. This was an Australian city, and an Australian army, losing to an ‘inferior’ opponent.
Curtin had no time to waste he ordered the city be immediately recaptured and the Japanese forces in the south destroyed utterly. It took less than three months after the fall of Veii for Japan to feel Australia’s vengeance.

Even Japan's Persian holdings were not safe from the avenging wrath of Australia's armies.

With the southern Japanese provinces totally overrun, Australia ordered its Strategic Cavalry Reserve, the SCR, to strike at the west coast of Japan in a pincer movement. Companies of Cavalry would sweep northwards from former Aztec and Egyptian lands while the Cavalry still operating in France would move southwards along the west coast. The Japanese resistance in these cities was pitiful. A few divisions of hastily conscripted Riflemen and a few Samurai leading them. By 1501 the Japanese West Coast and Southern provinces had been assimilated into the Imperial Republic of Australia and placed under the strict rules of the Salamanca Convention on captured cities.

Circa 1502AD – Northern Japan

Already Tokugawa wished he had never made the order for war. His armies had been annihilated in the field and after the initial success at Veii; the defeats had come thick and fast. Australia’s Tanks lay just a few miles from the northern border of Japan and Tokugawa knew that his people could never hope to hold out. He sat down and began to compose his final words.

Dearest Sadako, by the time you read this news of my death will have reached you. Know that the weapons I believed we could tame are untameable, and the forces I believed we could destroy have proven far stronger than we anticipated. But whatever you may hear about what happens on the field of battle, know that our people have not died in honourable and justified battle. I killed them. My pride killed them, and now my pride has consumed me also. You will never see me again my love for tomorrow I will lead our armies from the front against an army we cannot hope to defeat.
Tokugawa

The battle referred to in the final letter by Tokugawa (see appendix 383.1G) is not known. It could have been anyone of the numerous field battles that took place in northern Japan. The biggest problem in deciphering what battle it was lies in that Tokugawa’s location at the time was not known. Although the Australian’s did not recover his body there is no doubt he died on the field of battle as many PoW’s claimed to have seen him die standing alongside them. However none could recall where the battle took place. What is known for sure is that following the date of the letter Tokugawa was no longer in control of Japan and control of the nation had in fact fallen jointly to a number of his most trusted generals who ran the country until the end of the war.

Circa 1502AD – Canberra

Field Marshall Cosgrove readied himself to present his report to Parliament on the state of the armed forces. He took a deep breath, adjusted his microphone, and spoke.
‘Gentlemen, the war with Japan has stretched our military capabilities to only a small degree. Our forces have, in the last two years, seized total control of the southern provinces, and of the west coast. Thanks to the promotion of careers in the armed forces, and substantial government funding the numbers of soldiers and personnel has actually increased. The Japanese army also appears to be using fewer and fewer troops in combat which suggests to me that their military power is dwindling, or as the troops like to say, they are gassed. My recommendation to Parliament is to make full use of the RAAF to encourage Japan to surrender unconditionally.’
John Curtin spoke up. ‘Yes Field Marshall thank you for your recommendations however Parliament has already reached its own decision.’
‘What is that Mr Prime Minister?’
‘We have decided that Parliament will not continue to spend billions of dollars on an army that never operates. The Army Corps in France will form ‘Operation Retribution’. Japan has never been made to pay for exploiting and bullying us while we were weak. Now is that time, Operation Retribution will be a campaign to seize control of all Japanese territories. The Franco-Australian Army Corps will move southward, systematically seizing all territories. Operation Retribution will continue until Japan as a whole is under the control of the Imperial Republic of Australia.’
Cosgrove was stunned. This seemed almost… excessive. The complete destruction of a nation… it seemed completely unlike the John Curtin that he knew, they were old friends and he was clearly losing his grip on reality, but what choice did he have? He was a soldier and he had to follow orders from his superiors.
‘Very well sir, Operation Retribution will commence as ordered.’
He could only hope that at some point before the end Curtin would regain his sanity.

Author's Notes Will post the conclusion of Operation Retribution, and the final fate of the world shortly

 

[Mirc]

An update... Great! I really like your story!

 

[tupaclives]

Circa 1502AD – Japanese/French border

Operation Retribution had begun in full swing. The first target in the systematic sweep of Japanese territory was the northern city of Satsuma. Situated less than thirty miles from Kyoto, its capture was key in allowing for and advance on the capital. Curtin had demanded that nothing be taken for granted in this war and so had dispatched a number of companies of cavalry from the SCR deep into Japanese territory to destroy their saltpetre and iron mines, their coal fields and to burn their horse ranches. Curtin wanted no strategic resource available to Japan. He wanted to make sure they were the weakest people on Earth when he attacked. The 7th Australian Army corps, operating from Avignon, lead the assault on Satsuma. Japanese riflemen and cannons, lead by a force of dedicated and powerful Samurai marshalled the defences of the city. But no amount of courage or bravery or determination could ever allow a sword or an ancient gun to successfully defend against a column of tanks ten abreast and a hundred deep. The city, the first target of Operation Retribution, was captured without a hitch.

Moving from the rapidly established bases in Satsuma twelve companies of tanks were diverted from the Kyoto drive to attack Osaka. Osaka was a well-developed, ancient Japanese fortress. Situated on the hills overlooking the river Oskato, it was a picturesque area. Children played in the fields the morning that the Australian tanks arrived, and they could only stare in amazement as the mighty steel demons powered their way across the land. The citizens of Osaka put up more of a fight then the pitifully trained division of riflemen who were the only defenders of the city. The resistance in the city would cause Australian troops trouble for nearly five years but for the time being, suffice to say that the city was captured and Australia became more convinced of their ‘victory right.’

General Hammond was the CO of the 18th Australian Tank Army. While the main body of the 7th Australian Army Corps had driven on to Kyoto from Satsuma a small force had been dispatched to Osaka and his own army had been deployed to Nara along with the 44th, 77th and 78th Tank Companies and the 113th Cavalry Company. The city was well defended. Half a dozen divisions of riflemen defended the city stoutly and the initial charge of the 113th Cavalry Company was forced to retreat. However the later attack by the tank regiments broke through the lines and captured the city, seizing with it almost two hundred cannons, enough for a whole division.

Circa 1502AD – Kyoto

Kyoto was a lovely city, site of the League of Nations and capital of the Japanese Republic it could stand alongside any major city in Australia save Canberra or Melbourne. The Japanese had marshalled the better part of a dozen rifleman divisions within the city to protect it against the Australian invaders. However the forces that moved toward the city number several thousand tanks. Thirty-eight divisions of tanks approached the walls of the ancient city. Before the defenders could prepare themselves to face the metal monsters of Australia’s army they were alarmed by a loud roaring noise from the sky. As Japanese soldiers looked up Australian bomber pilots unleashed their payloads on the unprepared Japanese defenders. Eleven squadrons of bombers were involved in the strike and it severly maimed the Japanese defenders, those that survived were in no fit state to resist the Australian army and the tanks rolled through the gates without opposition.

Nagasaki was the capital and the largest city of Nagasaki Prefecture. It was located on the eastern coast of Kyushu, one of the main provinces of mainland Japan. It was a center of European influence in medieval Japan from first contact through the isolationist era until the opening of Japan and the resultant modernization of Japan during the Meiji Restoration.

Nagasaki lay at the head of a long bay which forms the best natural harbor in the province of Kyushu. The main commercial and residential area of the city lay on a small plain near the end of the bay. A river divided by a mountain spur form the main valley in which the city lies. On the morning of April 3rd 1502 Australian tanks rolled down the hills into the valley in which the city was situated. Most of the Japanese forces had been withdrawn for the defence of Kyoto and had left Nagasaki relatively undefended. The 68th and 69t Tank Companies had little problem overrunning the defenders that remained.

Circa 1502 – Canberra

‘You sent for me Sir?’ asked Peter Cosgrove standing at attention in the Prime Minister’s office.
‘Yes Field Marshall, I have some good news for you,’ smiled John Curtin.
‘What news is that sir?’ asked Cosgrove interestedly.
‘These!’ Curtin declared triumphantly pointing at a picture in the folder.
‘What is that sir?’
‘Only the most powerful land based vehicle ever developed.’
‘Sir?’
‘Field Marshall the tech boys have been working hard for some time now trying to improve the tank design. It took a considerable amount of time to get everything right but I think you are going to enjoy using these new toys. They are faster more dangerous and better armoured than the older models. This will form the backbone of the Australian Modern Armoured Brigade.’
‘I see sir, when will I have access to these?’
‘Straight away, the standard tank can be easily refitted to make use of the new technologies, I’ve already taken the liberty of ordering the entire of ht 7th Army Corps receive the upgrades for the Japanese war. I hope you enjoy these new babies, they are your toy now Field Marshall.’

Circa 1502-1504AD – The Business End of Operation Retribution

Tokyo. The new capital of Japan. The centre of Japanese Economics. The greatest city in the Japanese Empire was the next target of Operation Retribution. Though the city was well defended against ground assaults it was ill-equipped to deal with the relentless bombing runs by the RAAF. The city was badly damaged and the defenders disheartened by the time the assault actually began. When the new Modern Armoured Divisions rolled into the battle it was all over, untouchable by the Japanese rifles they devastated every opponent they encountered en route and in the end the hand over of control to Australia was inevitable.

While the main body of the 7th Army Corps headed east toward the last major cities of Japan a small force of freshly produced Modern Armoured Divisions along with General Martyn of the 12th Australian Tank Army and a number of companies from the SCR moved toward the twin cities of Nagoya and Yokohoma. The two cities were cut off from the main Japanese territory and were easily dealt with. Japanese forces surrendered and there was nearly two dozen work groups formed from the prisoners of war taken in those two battles.

The only province in the south that had so far resisted Australia’s forces was Antium. As it offered nothing to Australia it had been overlooked for now however with the main war reaching an end Parliament felt comfortable ordering several companies of Modern Armour to the province to bring it into the fold. For the first time however riflemen proved that with clever use of traps, potholes and barricades, the new modern tanks were just as susceptible as the older models. The defenders thanks to their clever use of tank traps in fact destroyed the 91st Modern Armoured Division however General Hussey commander of the 3rd Australian Modern Armoured Army was able to circumvent the traps and defeated the defenders in several key battles to claim control of the province.

 

[tupaclives]

Circa 1505AD – The Province of Shimonoseki

Shimonoseki was located at the northeastern tip of Honshu, and was known for being the city of Fugu, or blow-fish..

The Kamon Strait was the site of a major battle of Operation Retribution and an the residents of Shimonoseki would in the future be more interested in the history of the battle than in any other place in Japan. Because so many died in the battle here, it became thought to be haunted. There was even a species of crab here which appeared to have the faces of warriors on their backs. When the Australian forces attacked the city the Japanese had marshalled all that remained of their army. Several Divisions of riflemen and the 1st Samurai Army under the command of General Hirohito fought valiantly against impossible odds as the Modern Armoured Divisions of the 7th Australian Army Corps battered against the walls of the city unceasingly for a day and a night. When the dust finally settled no warrior was left alive, none surrendered. The fought until they were all dead and earned their honourable death in combat. With the conclusions of this battle Japan had been completely conquered by Australia.

Circa 1505AD – The final hours of the Council of the Samurai

Hirohito paced up and down anxiously, the other samurai – there were twelve of them – watched him. Finally after a long silence one of them spoke.
‘For pity’s sake Hirohito tell us what is on your mind, do not leave us in the dark like this. How can we help you if we do no not know what you are thinking?’
‘I… I am deeply worried my friends,’ Said Hirohito. ‘You must have realised now that we cannot win this fight.’
‘Of course Hirohito but we shall die gloriously in battle!’
‘Yes I know old friend, yet when the time comes it is strange… I do not wish to die. There are so many things I wish I had done, wish I had said. So many goals left unfulfilled… we failed the Shogun, we failed Japan. What can we do?’
‘We will sell our lives dearly. That is what we will do,’ said another speaking up.
‘Yes Kinawara, we will die serving Japan til the end, if we must die that is our destiny!’ declared another.
Hirohito turned sadly to them.
‘But we will fail, our duty was to serve the Shogun and he died because we could not save him… our duty is to protect Japan and she will fall because we are helpless to stop the forces that rampage across our land. We will die with honour but we will have failed none the less.’
The room was silent again.
It was a long time before anyone spoke but finally Kinawara spoke once more.
‘Hirohito if Japan must fail it is her destiny, if we must die it is our fate. We cannot control what the heavens have set in motion. I do not speak for anyone else on this council but I will die not regretting my failure, I will die making sure that what I do in battle is as much as is possible.’
Kinawara rose and left the room. The others watched him as he left. Hirohito sat down, ‘My friends, Kinawara is right. We cannot control what the heavens have set in motion but we will do our damn best…’
Hirohito leapt to his feet and moved to the door.
‘My friends I will not return to this room, battle and death awaits me. I will die today, alongside our brave warriors fighting an enemy greater and more terrible then any demon of the underworld, but perhaps I can send a few there before I go…’ and with that he turned on his heel and left the room for the field of battle.

 

[tupaclives]

Circa 1542AD

Cosgrove was worried about Curtin. Curtin had not regained his sanity in the slightest since the defeat of Japan, now his eyes were fixed on Indian. He wanted them destroyed as well, yet Cosgrove could see no justification for such a thing. India and Australia had been friends and allies and trading partners for centuries. Cosgrove however had a plan, Cosgrove was not the first soldier who was sick of war but he had seen more than most. He had seen Australia rise from infancy, always as its commander, and now he wanted to see peace brought to Australia’s lands and so he did what he had to. He went to India…

Circa 1542AD - Delhi

‘Ahh my friend please sit down, would you like a nice vegetarian curry?’ Gandhi was just as warm and hospitable as he had heard, thought Cosgrove smiling.
‘No think you Mahatma, I bring you unhappy news.’
‘Oh what could that be I wonder?’ asked Gandhi kindly.
‘My leader, Prime Minister John Curtin wishes to declare war on India…’
Gandhi looked dumbstruck.
‘And I suppose you are here to deliver this declaration?’ asked Gandhi.
‘No sir, I am here of my own free will, to warn you. I am sick of war, I am sick of all the pain and destruction. I want peace brought to Australia.’
‘That is an admirable thing to wish for, but how do you propose to do it?’
‘Mahatma, I know this is unprecedented, but I… I hear you have a lovely daughter. My idea… well… it was that perhaps if she were to marry Prime Minister Curtin then he would not attack India. He has lost his grip on things and I believe he needs something like that to… well to settle him down, calm his spirit.’
‘I see Mr Cosgrove,’ said Gandhi slowly. ‘But how do you know that he would take any sort of interest in my daughter?’
‘I don’t Mahatma, I am hoping. I thought long and hard and it occurred to me that a marriage between to ruling personages of different countries could cement a relationship between the two nations permanently, as was done between nation-states in Ancient times.’
‘I will give serious thought to your proposal,’ said Gandhi. ‘And thank you for coming here to tell me of this, it is most unusual yet I believe you have done the right thing by yourself and your country as well as by us. The world has seen enough of war.’
‘When will I know your answer to my proposal?’ asked Cosgrove.
‘Go back to your home Mr Cosgrove. Back to Australia, whatever happens, you will know my decision soon enough.’


And so Cosgrove returned home to Australia and waited. But months past and no word came from Gandhi and then, one day while sitting in Parliament Foreign Minister Alexander Downer announced that Australia was receiving a new ambassador from India to act as High Commisioner. Several MP’s jaws dropped open as in walked a stunningly beautiful Indian woman. She bowed to John Curtin as she passed and Cosgrove saw a pleasant smile drift across Curtin’s face.
She approached the Speaker and said
‘Hello Members of Parliament, my name is Anahita Gandhi, I am the daughter of Mohandas Gandhi…’ Cosgrove’s heart gave a delighted jump when he heard that, ‘…of India and I am here acting on his behalf.’
Curtin spoke ‘Thank you very much Anahita, please talk a seat with the other foreign diplomats.’

After the sitting of parliament that day there were drinks at a Parliamentary reception to welcome the new ambassador and Cosgrove went to great pains to make sure that Curtin and Anahita were able to spend plenty of time together at the reception…

Circa 1545AD – The wedding reception of John Curtin and Anahita Gandhi

‘Attention, attention please!’ yelled Cosgrove tapping his wine glass furiously with his fork, he had had more than enough to drink.
‘I would like to proplosh a toasht to the bride n groom!’
There was thunderous applause.
‘QUIET!’ yelled Cosgrove. ‘I haven’t finished yet… John…John… John… I love you man, for a long time. We are like brothers you and me… but what is time? Time is everything and I love you all the time… I wish you many dappy hays together you too!’
Cosgrove steadied himself.
‘To the bride and groom! And to the future relations between Australia and India!’
The gathered guests clapped enthusiastically.
As Cosgrove took his seat he couldn’t help but smile, he had taken a risk going to India in the first place but now that risk had paid off. Peace was brought to Australia and Gandhi’s wedding present for the couple had been to hand control of India over peacefully to the Australian Republic. Other significant diplomatic events in recent weeks including the signing of a unification agreemet between Persia and the Iroquois that had unified the north and the new nation had declared itself to be the eternal friend of Australia.
‘It took thousands of years of fighting and death, but now there will be peace on Earth for ever more.’

 

[tupaclives]

Well it took several months to be finished by everything comes to an end.

Included in the following are some pictures so you can have a look at how I went.

Well actually Tokugawa they were already dead you just got hammered

As you can see once the war with the Aztecs started my score just went up and up without stopping.
This happens a lot on all difficulties, once you start the oscilating war strategy your score just rises and rises. Some things I should have done during this period include mobilizing as both my cores were up and running fully and any cities lost to culture flips (in the end none) could have been easily recaptured thanks to the vast quantities of troops I would have been able to produce, I went back and checked and I could have over thirty cities producing a tank a turn if I had mobilized, something I'll have to remember for the future.

Very much the same as the score graph, once the war with the Aztecs started my core just kept producing offencive troops and as my territory and toop numbers rose, so did the power graph.

Culture is interesting in the way you can rapidly overtake a higher culture opponent. I was behind in culture most of the game but by the end I had so many cities and so much territory I was producing nearly 1000 culture a turn and India (the big culture player for most of the game) fell behind.

As you can see from the demographics top in everything that counts: Land area, Annual Income, GNP, Manufactured goods and productivity. Also you can see how despite India having more high culture cities the fact that I had so many cities with culture made that irrelevant.

And history will remember me as

John Curtin the magnificent!

All in all it was a fun game that I dominated from start to finish. I think the terrific start (4 turn settler factory was very easy to set up and required no micromanagement) and getting the settler out of the goody hut really made the game like a regent game - ridiculously easy. Also it shows the strength of the American trait combo. Industrious means that you can rapidly develop, and get the most out of, your territory while expansionist proved its power with the settler and the numerous techs, as well as the fact taht it makes it impossible to pop barbs out of goody huts.

Well now that its all done and dusted anyone who has read this story could you please give me your feedback. What you liked, what you didnt like, what i could have done better etc.

Cheers, and remember

Tupac Lives on!!

 

[stocktracker]

I enjoyed how you wrapped up your story with a possible real-world ending, instead of just saying you won. You had a very strong start, which led to a much easier game. You played great too, and made the game very exciting by being in war constantly.

Are you planning to do any other stories?

 

[Sima Qian]

Crikey, a very well-played game! Congrats!

 

[tupaclives]

Thank you both very much

@stocktracker - yes that took me a long time to think of, I sat there looking at MS Word for ages wondering what the real-life equivelant of a Domination Victory would be. I was just glad it wasn't a culture victory
I was considering starting a new story soon, in the vein of you're own 'Japan on Regent' which btw I loved. Something like 'Rome on Deity' was what I was thinking of, but I have no plans to immediately start any new stories as i have a lot of school work that needs doing over the next few weeks.

 

[carmen510]

Loved dis!!!!

 

[Mirc]

Please don't bump old threads, especially stories and tales.

Usually in this forum there are some active stories and the others are on the front page just because the only replies are in active threads, and there aren't enough of them to occupy the whole front page.

 

[tupaclives]

I don't mind

Seriously though, Mirc is right stories that are on the 2nd page (as this was) are not usually considered 'appropriate' to post in. OTOH thank you very much for letting me now what you thought! Good to see that the story is still being read by some even after it was finished