The Healthy Man/Physician of Europe - A Turkish AAR

[Tani Coyote]

The Physician/Healthy Man of Europe - A Turkish AAR



With the conclusion of Perfidious Albion, I now embark on another quest: the Healthy Man of Europe. I will preside over the Ottomans from the Stone Age to the Information Age.

All the while, the Sultanate must follow a few house rules:

Spoiler :

1. As a relief, I am not limited in where I can expand a la Perfidious Albion. I will, however, focus on regions historically under Ottoman power.

2. Upon the discovery of Islam, whenever that is, I cannot trade with Europeans anymore or renew deals. After that point, they are infidels and must be defeated. A beeline must be made for Islam once in the Middle Ages.

3. 50 years after the discovery of Islam, Persia will be shunned as well, having become a Shi'ite stronghold, incompatible with a Sunni caliphate.

4. Upon mastering about half the Medieval tech tree, it becomes legal to make alliances with ONE, and only one, Christian power. This is meant to represent the Franco-Ottoman Alliance.

5. Once the Enlightenment hits, all religious restrictions are removed as secularisation is in vogue and religious rhetoric is just that, rhetoric.

---

Changed game concepts:

The base is Rhye's of course.

1. Many resources now possess special improvements that can be built in cities that have that resource within their radii. Every 10 turns, a raw materials unit is produced that can be shipped back home for 25 gold and 10 victory points. These buildings generally have a base cost of 8-9 shields that is multipled by the cost factor.

2. Every civ has 2 victory point locations, the capital and a port city. The exception is the American states, who have none. Panama and Suez are each independent VP locations, and thus a point of dispute. China has three locations.

3. Once one has ~12 of some improvements(such as oil wells, diamond mines, etc.) they can build a "National x monopoly" or "Major x exporter" small wonder, which pays off 5% interest to the treasury, makes people in that city happier, and overall gives production benefits. These buildings can only be built in cities with the needed improvement, and they have a base cost of 5, justified by the fact you've forked over a lot of of time and money developing the infrastructure needed to build them.

4. Religious buildings have been changed to make 3 happy in their city and 1 happy in all other cities.

5. Several improvements, mainly those related to commerce or education, give a small production bonus.

6. Workers are cheaper.

7. Historical cities are in place all over the world.

Starting cities by civilization, from most to least:

Russia - 19
China - 16
Mongols - 16
India - 12
Arabia - 10
Persia - 9
Scandinavia - 9
America - 8
Inca - 8
Britain - 7
Spain - 7
France - 6
Austria - 6
Carthage - 6
Japan - 6
Iroquois - 6
Portugal - 5
Egypt - 5
Greeks - 5
Ethiopia - 5
Aztecs - 5
Germany - 4
Ottomans - 4
Byzantines - 4
Rome - 4
Korea - 3
Maya - 3
Netherlands - 2
Babylon - 2
Israel - 2
Zululand - 2

Out of 201 cities, I will begin with only 4. Joyous.

8. The Seven Wonders, and the Temple Mount, are in their historical positions. This means the Greeks and Egyptians have great power early on, while the Babylonians are a more tempting target with the Gardens.

9. The Silk and Amber roads exist, facilitating trade.

10. Three barbarian empires, the Khazaks, Khmers, and Mali, will be a headache for anyone wishing to settle those regions. The Khazaks will also harass trade routes, having several bases near or on the Silk Road.

11. Military alliances are not available until Feudalism. Similarly, the American nations cannot build settlers until feudalism; they must conquer eachother or twiddle their thumbs idly as the rest of the world nears their shores.

12. Europeans and the Turks, being the Western nations, have three powers rather than just two. China and America also have three powers. Babylon, Israel, Zululand, and the Dutch each get one additional power to compensate for their small size.

13. All Europeans, Turks, and Chinese start with two galleys to give a slight boost to the historical powers.

14. For further VP competition, historical cities outside the starting places have VP locations. Singapore, Cape Town, and Timbuktu have strategic VP locations to alleviate the stresses of collecting VPs.

Alas, the Ottomans' journey will soon begin...

Table of Contents:

Chapter I - All Monuments Begin With A Single Block
Chapter II - The Crowned Republic
Chapter III - The Jihad Against Persia
Chapter IV - The Day the Nile Ran Red
Chapter V - Mad Greek Cafe
Chapter VI - All Roads Lead to Ankara
Chapter VII - Down the Nile Redux
Chapter VIII - Cleanup on Aisle Africa
Chapter IX - The Great War Part I

 

[tubaman]

Sounds like a wonderfully intricate mod. I'll be reading.

 

[GamezRule]

Can't wait for updates!

 

[aukrest]

Subbed

 

[Tani Coyote]

Chapter I: All Monuments Begin With a Single Block (4000 BC - 1650 BC)

Spoiler :

During the early years of the human race, the Turkish nation, stretching from Ankara to Sochi, wasn't unified in the slightest. A collection of villages regularly switched sides between four epicenters - Ankara, Alexandretta, Trabzon, and Sochi. Trabzon and Sochi were both fishing villages, also being well-founded in making use of the land - Trabzon for gold and Sochi for exotic dyes. Alexandretta was a rich trading town, surrounded by wines and dyes. Forests provided timber for vessels, the flood plain could support a massive population, and the natural harbor enabled trading power. Given it would eventually lay along the Silk Road, stretching from Alexandretta to the riches of the Orient, its position as an economic force was solid.

Of course, there was also Ankara. Ankara, surrounded by deserts, plains, and mountains, had little beyond simple minerals and a source of incense. Incense wasn't power, however, and it didn't take a genius to know others would take the city. As such, Ankara was heavily militarised, with the Ankarans adopting the Spartan tradition(though they would boast it was the other way around) of taking disabled children and leaving them to die.

Ankara's military lifestyle and the riches of Alexandretta both allowed them to field armies far greater than what Sochi or Trabzon could possess. And given time, these two would compete for influence.



Alexandretta was known for forming ties with the Jews, acquiring religious arts from them, as well as frequently taking loans to improve ties. They also contacted the Egyptians and Greeks, but neither of them was very friendly. Alexandretta would later obtain the secrets of Pottery from Egypt, but Ankara countered by opening good relations with Greece - gaining regular income from them as well as the secrets of the Wheel.

As time went on, ships sailed west, serving Alexandretta. They suffered damage from occassional assaults by pirates, but soon they sailed past Sicily and Carthage, onward to Spain.

By 3550 BC, the city of Alexandretta was doing well; trades had been made as far west as Portugal, contacts being established all over the Mediterranean. Nearly 300 units of gold lined the walls of the Alexandrettan vault.

...but as they were away from home, events transpired back in the motherland. The Despot of Ankara, knowing Ankara's relative decline would allow Alexandretta to control the Anatolian peoples, soon struck the city of Trabzon. While larger than Ankara, Ankara possessed greater productivity and military discipline, allowing them to defeat the Trabzonites.

Trabzon accepted vassalage to Ankara, paying a regular tribute of gold, while residents of Ankara enjoyed benefits while in Trabzon, such as not having to pay taxes on purchased goods. Many of Trabzon's dependent villages were outright annexed into the beylik of Ankara. Ankara also seized all of Trabzon's shared rights to the horse pastures between the two cities.



The Bey of Ankara said he was the only Bey in any areas under Ankaran power; Trabzon, while declared a Beylik, was ruled by an Effendi, the rank below Beylik.

As time went on, tribute went on to include young boys who would become more-or-less willing slaves, and serve as the Bey of Ankara's loyal guards. They'd also be a force capable of policing Trabzon, with their loyalty to Ankara making them far superior as eyes and ears as the Ankaran despot.



By 3150 BC, the sale of technological advances enriched the treasuries of both Ankara and Alexandretta. The ruler of Alexandretta acquired the secrets of Iron Working and Riding from the foreign rulers, trading them around; Ankara stole the secrets from Alexandretta and sold them to Persia.

2692 BC, upon hearing that Alexandretta and Sochi were going to make a move against him, the Bey of Ankara quickly mobilised his forces - including his new horsemen divisions - and moved against Alexandretta. Bands of warriors moved eastward to conquer Sochi, while the best and brightest were reserved for the gauntlet that would be Alexandretta due to its vast mercenary armies. The mercenaries and the armies of Ankara clashed.

It was a brutal battle, with thousands killed on both sides. But Ankara stood triumphant due to military doctrine, and being able to buy off some of the best mercenaries. Ankara seized Alexandretta and executed, exiled, or imprisoned most of its government. One of the lower-ranking officials in the Alexandretta Republic was elevated to the title of Effendi. The Bey of Ankara now controlled all three other major Turkish settlements, and wealth flowed into the coffers of the Beylik.

But now, the Bey turned his attention to new lands. The Babylonians had a great number of architects who made wonderful use of the lands. The magnificent Babylonian Palace was an example, but the crown jewel of Babylon was the Hanging Gardens that created a bountiful feast of flora in the middle of the city for the King of Babylon's wife.

Orders were given to begin removing citizens from around the Babylonian border; anybody within half a mile was to be pushed deeper into Turkish territory. Tensions with Babylon were cited. In reality, the Bey was planning to poison the river, so that it would flow down into Mesopotamia and weaken the Babylonian positions. By removing citizens from all over the border, suspicion could be downplayed.

As Babylon was weakened on and off via poisoning, embassies were established with major powers in 2050 BC.



When the Babylonians called the Turks barbarians in 1800, it was decided to show them the other side of being "barbaric" - having hordes of loyal troops.



5 Horse Archer forces and 1 Horsemen force were tasked with conquering Babylon, or at least damaging them beyond repair. With no units lost, Basra was conquered, cutting them off from the sea. Meanwhile, 4 Horse Archer forces took up positions around Babylon to starve the city.

As the Babylonian War went on and off over the decades, the Bey ordered the theft of Russian technology by the embassy there. The secrets of an effective legal system were stolen for 3/7 of the price Russia desired for the technology. The Egyptians had the secrets of Republicanism stolen from them shortly after.



1725 BC, even as fires raged in Mesopotamia, the British entered a trade agreement with the Turkish people.



While an elite horse archer force was lost to their bows, Babylon itself was occupied. The Hanging Gardens, a famed site, were immediately commercialised as the King's Palace became the Governor's Palace. All the finest works of art were ordered to be stripped from Babylon where possible and shipped off to Ankara as booty. Two groups of slaves were captured by the victorious Turkish forces.

The Babylonians had gone elsewhere for settlement. As a result, they were not entirely destroyed. Peace was made and the Babylonians long forgotten.

 

[Arexander]

Subscribed!

 

[Tani Coyote]

Chapter II: The Crowned Republic

Spoiler :

1649 BC, the Alexandrettans staged a coup. They believed that, in the new empire, Alexandretta was a much better choice for a capital. They activated secret ties with several other subjugated cities and beyliks to restore power to themselves at Ankara's expense. While Ankara was not wholly defeated, it did make enormous concessions; while formal functions remained in Ankara, much of the regulatory framework was moved to Alexandretta. Only fitting for a trade-based city.

As a result, the Turkish peoples were united under a "Republic" where the Bey was more first among equals than pure despot. This was really just a slightly more liberal Beylik of Ankara, with more power to local notables - in the form of their delegates - so as to secure the national power base.

...and due to the fact Russia dared extort the Beylik, it became apparent more force was necessary. Israel was put on the chopping block.

1552 BC, the Russian mints were robbed in order to divulge the secrets of currency to Ankara. The secrets were then exported all around the Turkish region, the net result being a huge profit. The Egyptians paid 500+ gold for a technology that had cost the Turkish government 300+ to acquire via illegal means. The Persians also forked over 100+ gold and promised centuries worth of iron in exchange for the technology.

1401 BC, the city of Jerusalem was conquered by the Beylik's forces. The Hebrews, with a strong work ethic and emphasis on education, were willing to provide much free services to the Beylik in exchange for being allowed to worship freely and for the Temple Mount to not be burned like all other structures in the city. Many Jews were lawyers, doctors, bankers, or other upper-class occupations, and this would strengthen the Turkish realm immensely.

With that, forces were ordered to surround Eilat and bring it to its knees.



1302 BC, the religion of Islam was founded by Muhammad of Arabia. However, Muhammad had been driven out by those opposed to his faith; the Beylik welcomed Muhammad however. The Bey intended to use Muhammad and his faith to re-assert Ankara's power some day in the future. In the religious fervor, it was forbidden to trade with Europeans as that would strengthen their economies. Only Islamic states were to be consulted for commercial purposes.



It was also the year the last of Israel was conquered with one Horse Archer band lost. Like Babylon, they escaped destruction by having forces elsewhere to continue their legacy. Regardless, the Turkish realm had doubled in size with the Hebrew and Babylonian Wars.

Peace was swiftly made with the Hebrews, taking whatever belongings they had, and the next target was selected: the heathens in Byzantium.



Of 8 units assembled to crush Byzantium, only 1 perished to seize their precious capital. With a large Muslim presence in Albania, it was reasoned that a push deeper into Europe was necessary, even with the completion of the main goal.



973 BC, as forces harassed Byzantine Albania, the Byzantines agreed to part with their precious capital, the strategic position of Crimea, and a far-flung city of Adrianople in Asia. Byzantium was split into an Albanian and Bulgarian section, dependent on Austria or the Turks to stay connected. Byzantium also agreed to give Muslims preference in all matters in the Albanian half of their empire.

 

[GamezRule]

Don't you know that the Ottomans conquered the land west of Constantinople before the conquered the city itself.

Anyway, do you have plans of keeping it historically correct and moving the Ottoman capitol to Constantinople, and in 1920 or so renaming it to Istanbul? (last part quite optional)

 

[Tani Coyote]

Don't you know that the Ottomans conquered the land west of Constantinople before the conquered the city itself.

Well yes, but Civ 3 sucks when it comes to perfect simulation. Unless people support giving the Ottoman start control of Bulgaria and Albania.

Anyway, do you have plans of keeping it historically correct and moving the Ottoman capitol to Constantinople, and in 1920 or so renaming it to Istanbul? (last part quite optional)

Possibly. Depends on how useful Constantinople shows itself to be.

 

[Tani Coyote]

Chapter III: The Jihad Against Persia

Spoiler :

With the Byzantine Empire halved and its people steadily being deported, resettled, or killed in a variety of ways, the Beylik had bigger fish to fry.

Now in control of Byzantium, the Turkish peoples had much prestige and strategic power, able to block the route between the Black and Mediterranean Seas, much to the chagrin of Italian and Greek merchants. Only Muslim merchants were allowed to pass through. Accordingly, many non-Muslim trading states hunted for Muslims willing to transport their cargo. Many a poor fisherman became well-off to their previous position after entering the merchant fleets of non-Muslim powers.

But the various states of the Confederation were already in debate about their next move.

The Beylik of Jerusalem passively represented Jewish interests(even if the government wasn't Hebrew in the slightest), and thus would argue skirmishes to increase Jerusalem's coastline or actions to improve the welfare of Jews inside and outside the borders of the Confederation.

Alexandretta would frequently rally against the "no trade with non-Muslims" policy, as this hurt its power to acquire valuable resources: the lucrative fur trade from Britain, for example, had been disrupted since Islam came to influence major decisions. Alexandretta also argued for a stronger navy given the hostility of the world towards the Confederacy and therefore its - or Alexandretta's, rather - ships.

The other states were very self-absorbed in general, as was to be expected. The Constantinople Military Governorate wanted more influence for itself, and thus argued for a breaking of the peace with the Byzantines. Trabzon, Eilat and Basra argued along the lines of Alexandretta, being major ports of the Confederacy, while Baghdad demanded a larger military to defend the frontiers.

Ankara, as usual, was responsible for creating enough compromise to get effective policy that favored the states and also favored themselves. The Bey managed to outline Turkish policy for the next decades:

1. A focus on building a powerful navy, one group of vessels for each major port city(Eilat, Basra, Trabzon, Alexandretta, Jerusalem, Kaffa, Sochi, Constantinople). As additional cities were acquired, this policy would adjust the required vessels accordingly.

2. A frontier defense force would be crafted, composed of the finest defensive units. They would protect armies on the move, and also secure newly-captured cities from counterattack. When active combat was over, they'd have the role of keeping a hostile world's armies at bay.

3. Persia was to be struck in a quick war meant to secure valuable iron, as well as weaken the Shi'ite movement which was taking power.

4. States where Sunni Islam was spreading, such as Egypt, Arabia, and the Maghreb, were to be open to trade.

5. The jizya, a special tax on non-Muslims, was to be enforced.

6. Jews and Christians were to be allowed to practice freely without fear of government intimidation.

7. Deported Jews who possessed talents in fields such as medicine, finance, or law were to be allowed into the Turkish realms, while all deported Muslims would be accepted if they could reach the Levant or Asia Minor. This policy was made in reaction to the fact that Muslims were beginning to spread all the way from Afghanistan to southern Spain, and it was feared the Spanish - likely to become Christian - would not be so warm towards either non-Christian group.

The Confederation's members were able to pass this compromise policy.



The eagerness for jihad against non-Muslim governments spread after 947 BC. Men began to train in the thousands for religious combat service. The Bey of Ankara, seeing the potential, pounced on it and made it so Ankara alone funded them into a professional force. They were a counterweight to Ankara's own forces as well as those of the other states - they swore loyalty to the Bey, who was Allah's Representative.

946 BC, the Egyptians, wary of the growing power of militant Islam, tried to extort the Beylik. They were rebuffed.



924 BC, as part of growing Islamisation, the Black Stone was opened to the public in Ankara, as part of an initiative by the Bey's advisors. They stated that even more people would flood to Ankara for the annual Hajj if they could grace such a sacred artifact and hope some of the holiness of Muhammad would rub off on them.

847 BC, the Arabs, angry at the fact they hadn't capitalised on the glories of Islam while Mohammad was theirs, tried to extort the Beylik, and failed.

823 BC, the Indians were contacted. Though Hinduism was the dominant religion, an Islamic faction known as the Mughals had growing power. It was decided to wait on the establishment of an official position toward them.



798 BC, Tabriz was captured by a quick, efficient raid. Walls had recently been erected all over Persia, but a source of valuable Iron had been secured. The city's small size also guaranteed that it would be easy to assimilate. Plans were made to take Esfahan for a backup source and more leverage over the Persians as time went on. Either way, the goal had been achieved, and peace would be made as soon as Persia was receptive.

The Persian Wars, like all others, would slow down, enjoy a few years of brief peace, and then escalate into more bloody conflict. The next main part of the Persian Conflict began in 756 BC, when the Persians sent an army of one Immortal group, two Warrior groups, and one Swordsman group to attack Turkish Mesopotamia.

Around 730 BC, the Persians stationed troops in Egypt and tried to flank the Levant. Fortunately, there were barely enough forces there to cover the flank and prevent the capture of several labor gangs.

In 712 BC, forces marched against more Persian invaders.

693 BC, Scandinavia declared war on the Russians. While it was controversial, it was decided that aid would be given to the Scandinavians. While trading was forbidden, nothing said the Confederation couldn't give support to the enemies of its rivals. The Bey, therefore, was able to convince the other states to vote in favor of supporting Russia's enemy, not even mentioning his growing military power allowing more decrees.

The aid sent to the Vikings was enormous - four free technologies that allowed them to build a navy, mint coins, create a modern legal system, and become better engineers. (Not to mention, put them in the Middle Ages!)

691 BC, Esfahan managed to evade capture but a leader was produced by the battle, giving the Beylik's forces a huge edge.



673 BC, Esfahan was finished off thanks to the Army of Baghdad, which was actually under Ankaran control. Esfahan and Tabriz became military governorates, while peace was signed with Persia - to the tune of all their gold and of course, their dignity. Persia, once a potent rival of the growing Turkish state, had been humbled. The Turkic peoples of Azerbaijan, having been supported as guerrillas during the war, were now given even greater autonomy in Persia. Persia, a state known for being loose, demanding nothing besides loyalty, money, and soldiers from its provinces, became even more loose when Persia, increasingly more feudal, was forced to give special tax exemptions and benefits to the Azeris. Azerbaijan was independent in all but name and defense, given that its isolation from the heart of Persia by Turkish Tabriz kept any riot control at a minimum.



The jihad against Shi'ite Persia was an enormous success. Iron was secured to maintain parity, a rival seriously weakened, and Turkish power overall was strengthened, much to the fear of the surrounding nations.

---

Provinces of the Turkish Confederacy:



Controlling 7% of the population, rivalling the next largest competitor of India(Russia had experienced a serious decline), the Turkish realms weren't of a single nature at all. While the Confederacy had a common foreign policy, currency, government, and a few laws and projects in common, most of the issues were handled at the sub-national level. The national army was very small, composed of only the Armies of Islam, originally sponsored by the Beylik and three groups strong.

Each autonomous province of the Confederacy could have just about any policy or framework it wished. Beyliks were absolute monarchies or just about, ruled by a Bey; due to the Ankaran Regime that was once dominant, the title of Bey was reserved for the ruler of Ankara alone. Republics had no formal monarchy, or at least no hereditary one, and while elections were held, the electorate was typically small and nomination confined to elites. Effendates were basically Beyliks but unable to call themselves such due to historical precedent. The Patriarchates were religiously-dominated states.

Besides autonomous provinces, there were military provinces, which had no autonomy from the central government. There were two types of military provinces - frontiers and governorates.

Military Governorates had their governors appointed by the Confederacy's Executive Council - composed of the heads of state of each autonomous province and wielding judicial and legislative power at the national level - and the military had nearly all power here, apart from the checks and balances the Confederacy could choose to impose upon it. Military Governors had to share legislative power with a legislature appointed by the Executive Council. Governors could not be from the province they ruled over, and they rotated power with new leaders every six months.

Military frontiers were near-dictatorships, with the dictators appointed by the Executive Council. Unlike Governors, these leaders could be from the provinces, but given the weak power base on the frontiers, there would be no threat of them taking more power. Military frontiers were basically run exclusively for defensive purposes, the entire economy geared towards the production and maintenance of security forces and positions. Whereas Governors had to rotate power, frontier commanders ruled until their recall, death, or resignation.

Frontier commanders, however, were frequently audited and generous compensation would be given to anyone who could gain evidence of wrongdoing on the part of a frontier governor. They also possessed bodyguards who escorted the commander everywhere; these bodyguards were also assassins, meant to kill the Commander if he showed any plans of rebellion.

Furthermore, the system of the frontier was inverted from the Governorate: troops were placed in the regions only after national confirmation, and they generally had been bred to be supremely loyal to the central government and Bey. Troops would also rotate in quarters every two months, to prevent any building of loyalty to the Commander overseeing them.

The Confederacy was composed of:

1 Beylik -

Ankara, location of the Bey's Palace and responsible for official statements and functions

8 Republics -

Alexandretta, controller of nearly 1/3 of Turkish trade, and home of the regulatory agencies. Also the seat of the Confederacy's legislature.

Eilat, Beirut, Trabzon, Caucasia, Mosul, Basra, Jordan

1 Patriarchate (theocracy) -

Judea; the Hebrews took advantage of a loophole that didn't require provinces to be solely Muslim, and combined this with tolerance to form a state ruled by a Jewish Patriarch and a council of rabbi-sages. As the Jews were very loyal and they had good legal standing, the Patriarchate would last for some time.

4 Effendates -

Edirne, Abkhazia, Damascus, Baghdad

4 Military Governorates -

Esfahan, Tabriz, Crimea, Constantinople; the latter two were kept military governments due to strategic location.

5 Military Frontiers -

Byzantine; Egyptian; Arabic; Russian; Persian(wedged between the Tabriz and Esfahan Governorates)

 

[Sparthage]

lurker's comment: Subscription Post

 

[Dumanios]

Subscribed.

 

[Tani Coyote]

(Sorry readers, my Photobucket is acting up and pictures won't show for some reason...)

Chapter IV: The Day the Nile Ran Red

Spoiler :

With Persia humbled, Byzantium crushed, and the Greeks' territory being hostile to a rapid assault, it was decided that Egypt would be the best target. While many were weary to make war on a state where Sunni Islam was spreading, it was obvious that Egypt was a rival to Turkish power, even if they were waning ever since the Library of Alexandria became less and less central to educated matters, thus hindering their technological power.

Control of Egypt would nourish the realms with a vast supply of grain. Huge population centers in the Nile would in time create a market for goods, as well as a natural boundary against invasion. The Nile was valuable of trade, as carvans sailed up the Nile for a good distance before disembarking back onto land, towards the Red Sea, and then continuing toward the Orient. Trade was power, and control of trade was even moreso.

Egypt was also poor industrially-speaking; it lacked iron. Apart from its vast population, the river system wasn't very good for production, making them very weak. This was common knowledge from when the Turks would compete with them for projects; the Turks always had a large margin of victory due to better productivity and resources despite fewer people.

While the Egyptians were waning in power individually, it was hoped that by conquering them, their wealth and population base could be put to much use for the Turkish state.

Furthermore, the Bey intended to use a campaign to distract people from further centralisation.



569 BC saw the establishment of the Turkish intelligence agency, which would be vital to any future war plans. It would also enable agents to harass Russia's empire.

A decade later, the Chinese approached with an offer of Silks in exchange for Turkish wines. As they were not Muslim, however, religious elements blocked any such offer from becoming policy.

534 BC, the Greeks tried to extort Dyes from the Confederation. They were rejected, and promptly called the Turks "barbarians" and said that they "weren't worth exterminating." A point was made to move Greece further up the hit list.



The Army of Islam easily conquered Suez after a brief battle in 529 BC. The small town was strategically located, protecting the gates of Egypt. Now, forces would be able to ravage Alexandria and the Nile Delta. For the time being, however, troops were ordered to keep order in Suez.

The Bey was able to pass war legislation nationalising each province's militias for war. Hidden in the legislation was a protocol that allowed the formation of a standing national army, to be equal in size to all militias combined(the logic being the united provinces could defeat the national forces if there was a legitimate grievance). Of course, the Jihadist forces didn't count towards the standing army...



The fall of Alexandria in 492 BC devastated Egypt, severing them from the Mediterranean and putting their trading network at the mercy of the Turks. The various chieftains of Cyrenaica, vassals of Egypt, began switching allegiances almost overnight. In the meantime, the Egyptians were starved, their grain shipped off to fill Turkish granaries rather than their hungry bellies. Nearly 400,000 people lived in the captured city propers of Suez and Alexandria alone, and countless hundreds of thousands more would also starve.



469 BC, as Crossbowmen spontaneously replaced Archers in Herakleopolis, Leonardo da Vinci set up his workshop in Alexandretta.



Herakleopolis claimed the lives of a band of Horse Archers, but it was conquered, putting the famous Pyramids under Turkish jurisdiction.

433 BC, it was deduced that Thebes would be a tough nut to crack, one that would require far too many resources. As a result, Egypt was called to the table for peace...



The Egyptians were forced to sell their technology at a discount to the victorious Confederation. They also renounced all claims to Sinai and all east of Suez. Cyrenaica was transformed into the Cyrene Republic, which became the newest autonomous province of the Confederation. Egypt formally retained ownership of all the occupied territories along the Nile, but the legal framework - such as the right of the occupying forces to come and go as they pleased within the walls of the cities - was set up so the Turks had the real power in the area.

Over the course of 96 years, on-and-off conflict had ruined the land of the Pharaohs. Egypt's resources now would lie firmly within the Bey's grasp.

As a gesture of goodwill, a right of passage was signed between the former belligerents to guarantee peace.

 

[GamezRule]

Pictures showed fine for me.

EDIT: When can we expect one of your glorious worlds maps? (I mean like the ones from your AoI stories of past)

 

[Tani Coyote]

A world map imposed on an actual png map will be shown once enough of it is revealed to make it worth it.

Until then, .png maps serve mainly to illustrate the Turkish provinces.

 

[Tani Coyote]

Now that I've unlocked the secret movie in Birth By Sleep, I need a new game to play. Back to Civ 3 for me!

Chapter V: Mad Greek Cafe

Spoiler :

430 BC, the Golden Age ends, and the great Beylik's income falls from 300+ per term to 218 per term. While a large contraction, prosperity is still abundant with such a large surplus. The Bey begins preparations to attack Byzantium...

410 BC, the Russians extored camels from the Beylik, so that they could have more leisure pursuits. The Bey caved in, knowing the strength of Russia - it was the strongest nation on Earth!

400 BC had the discovery of Firearms... 7 groups of Crossbowmen were outfitted with the new muskets, and became musketmen. That would deter the Persians a bit.

350 BC, the Greeks declared war on the Beylik. Seeking the strategic city of Suez, they attacked with a humble Hoplite division. All troops headed towards Byzantine Albania were re-routed; it was decided that while peace would be made as soon as possible, the conquest of Halicarnassus would make the war very profitable.

The economy wasn't disrupted; the Bey opened the vast state's treasury to hurry all peacetime infrastructure to completion, so that war production could begin.



Halicarnassus falls easily, having been weakened by previous skirmishes. While there was quite a large amount of wounded, no units were lost. The Greeks were pushed off of Anatolia, which would force them to funnel through Constantinople(which was being reinforced every day). The jewel of the Orthodox world, the Hagia Sophia, was seized, as well. Indeed. Greek Anatolia had three wonders total, including the Colossus of Rhodes just off the coastline and the Temple of Artemis, thus allowing a huge amount of gold - 40 units per term, actually - to be added to the treasury of the Beylik. The small population just made it easier to control.

Greece was to be pacified as soon as possible, so the economy could be focused on. Or that was the plan, until the Bey's advisors assured him that the Greeks would surely form an alliance against them.

In that regard, the Arabs were contacted and their armies given access to Turkish lands. Arabia was given Dyes and Incense to fight the Greeks, and they agreed after some gold was given to sweeten the pot.

The Bey was quick to fortify the borders of his realm by calling for jihad against the Greeks, by merit of his dual post as Caliph. The Islamic states of Carthage and Egypt were reviewed.

Carthage agreed to fight Greece, but only if they were given horses to combat them with, not to mention reach them in the first place. Egypt agreed in exchange for some wines and some moderate amounts of gold.

240 BC, an invasion force en route to Athens was forced to retreat due to the Byzantine's insistence. As they were heathens, no right of passage could be signed. Thus, if they were going to block the invasion route, they would join the Greeks in Hades. The order was given to invade Albania!

With 12 units in Albania and 4 in Bulgaria, the Byzies are ripe for the picking!

By 210 BC, the Mongols were the only other state at war with the Beylik, meaning they could threaten the tiny Siberian territory, but other than that the Bey's lands were secure.



In the meantime, an English Muslim established a theater in Syria, and it became a center of glory for the Beylik.

A protracted siege of Albania brought the population down to more than half its original number in just two decades.



Tirana was taken, eliminating the majority of the Byzantine Army. The countless injured recuperated inside the confines of Albania, which was due to become a colonisation site due to how little Byzantine citizens were left after such an extensive siege and the battles.

150 BC, the first Sipahi was created in Albania, crafted from battle-hardened Horse Archers. This elite unit would subjugate enemies outside the empire, and after the war, would subjugate the enemies within - the nobility.

The Dutch and Scandinavians declared war on the Beylik over time due to Greece's machinations, but thankfully, they were both at war with Russia.

Germany soon entered the war against Russia, entering the complicated web of alliances. France was at war with Austria, Greece was at war with God knows who in Europe, and overall, all of Europe was caving in on itself. Given that they were all heathens, this was good. Given that Russia needed a solid bloc of nations to oppose its domination, this was bad. Especially since the Russians had taken it upon themselves to launch a Crusade, and elite Christian soldiers were being trained for this purpose.

But, at the moment, containment and conquest of Greece was the issue.

132 BC, Kaffa was at last linked by road to the rest of the empire.



128 BC, the Byzantines were finally subjugated. Troops were ordered to recuperate and prepare for an invasion of Athens and Sparta. If the Greek homeland fell, the Greeks would be finished for good.

114 BC, Keshiks arrived in Turkish Persia, but thankfully muskets could hold the barbarians off.

After killing all Mongols in Turkish territory as a warning as well as a story for bragging rights, peace was made with the barbarians. They were given 8 gold per term in exchange for going back to their hovels in the Steppes.

The planting of spies in Athens allowed an infiltration of the entire Greek Empire. Athens had merely 6 units and Sparta a humble 3.

By 90 BC, the Carthaginians were at war with Spain and the Ethiopians had declared war on Persia. Furthermore, Germany and Austria went to war. The European conflict was a mess; any peace treaty would last barely a year before hostilities were renewed by the tangled web of alliances.

Also by that time, the Pikemen of the Empire were reformed into the Janissaries. The forsaken troops of the Empire had quickly become the most loyal, most well-equipped. The Bey was increasingly more dominant.

70 BC, the Dutch turned on the Greeks, but in turn, the French replaced them as foes of the Turks. Britain ended up joining the parade, but fortunately they were located on an island.



The Greeks' source of Iron was severed, thus impoverishing their nation and ruining their capability to build Knights and Pikemen to impede Turkish assaults. Meanwhile, a group of Sipahi rode south and blocked the Isthmus, also severing the valuable cattle needed to feed Greece's population.

In the meantime, the Bey decided he needed an ally. He went against his advisors' judgement and chose Austria, inking a Right of Passage with them and opening full trading relations. Their central location and pivotal role against France would serve the Beylik's interests enormously. They also would serve as a buffer against every European power besides Russia. To show goodwill, Dyes were given as a gift.



The Bey's forces triumphantly conquered Athens, although a Sipahi unit was lost due to a sneak attack by a Greek knight unit. But they were promptly slaughtered in their own capital. Sparta was a lost cause, hence the Greek government's retreat to Crete.



Sparta was seized in 35 BC, ending Greece's power over its own homeland. The Greek government was in disarray, humiliated. It was now regretting ever starting hostilities with the Turks so many generations ago, as each generation made the situation worse!

Greece could now evade conquest due to its scattered territories, and the fact a fleet would be needed to strike at anything close by. The plan was to hold onto the captured territories and make peace when possible. In the meantime, forces would prepare for an invasion of France. Colonising France, or at least part of it, would open the doors of power in Europe. Barring that, just tearing them a new one would be worthwhile in itself. Those heathens had to be put in their place - except the Austrians of course.

1 CE, the Dutch celebrated the new millennium by begging for peace, and the Sultan accepted. Now, forces could focus on France and Britain.

Forces were amassing near French Strasbourg by 30 CE, and the city's defenses were probed - 14 defenders total, with possible reinforcements. Fortunately, the city was small and the units were primarily inferior swordsmen and spearmen, up against modern cavalry! They did have an advantage, however - any quick attack would have to go across a river.

47 CE, the Vikings finally declared peace with the Turkish Beylik.



Strasbourg fell in 71 CE, after countless injuries. Fortunately, there were minimal deaths. The city was soon fortified.



Peace was made, and overtime, the Beylik would extort 162 gold from France as a result. With only 23 units to guard their remaining cities, they'd be in for a heck of a time protecting them against Austria, which had already seized the southern countryside and its ports.



Crete joined the list of the Beylik's provinces come 109 CE. One of the new Colonial Infantry divisions was lost, but their effectiveness at seizing islands was readily apparent.

Greece held onto Cyprus as their capital, but plans were made to take that with time.



Alas, the Bey desired peace, so he arranged for Greece to become a tributary state. The fall of Greek Apulia to the Beylik as a result of the treaty gave the Bey a base in Italy, that could split the Roman "Empire" in two. As soon as a route was built over the Alps, all the armies of Allah would pour down the peninsula and exterminate the Romans.

He also arranged for peace with the British, at the cost of all their gold and their world map, which revealed Russia colonies far to the west, across the Ocean!

 

[CELTICEMPIRE]

huh, I thought this was dead

 

[Tani Coyote]

The best time to strike back is when your enemies think you're dead.

 

[GamezRule]

Good to see you writing again.

 

[Tani Coyote]

Good to be writing again.

Chapter VI: All Roads Lead to Ankara

Spoiler :

Within a decade of the Greek War's end, the Bey made his move. He declared himself Sultan, while ordering Janissaries to execute or imprison several rival power brokers. The Consul of Alexandretta, a long time competitor of the Bey for influence, received his comeuppance. Most elected leaders in the Republics were forced to resign, but spared(albeit under close watch). Some even would work their way into the Sultan's graces.

The Effendis of the Beylik were all raised to the rank of Bey now that the Sultan himself was no longer one. Increasing power was vested in the Sultan as head of state and head of government, the provinces losing power.

The Patriarchs of Byzantium and Judea were not forced to retire, but the law was re-written so that the positions were appointed by the Sultan alone and could be dismissed as well, by merit of his role as Caliph of Allah. Centralisation had begun.

While Republics traditionally elected a unitary Executive either from a direct election or via a legislature(a la what the Westerners called a "Parliamentary system"), they were now forced to have two leaders - the head of government, elected by the locals, and the Governor, a head of state for that province, appointed by the Sultan. The Governor, in turn, had to appoint the head of government, making democracy hostage to Ankara.

Military Governors and Frontiermen, once voted for by the leaders of each constituent Patriarchate, Republic, and Effendate alongside the Bey of Ankara, now were appointed exclusively by the Sultan.

All important political figures from the Sultan's Vizier and the national legislators to the provincial Governors, Chancellors, and Legislators were to be guarded by the Janissaries, to ensure their loyalty.

Nationally, the Republic's means of governance changed. Claiming he was giving the provinces a voice, he replaced the experienced heads of each province(who had formerly composed a Council that ruled alongside the Sultan) with legislators who would serve one term. There was one per each province to represent its interests in Ankara, and they could only serve one term by law to limit their ability to gain experience and influence. These legislators were all guarded by Janissaries, and their weak wills made them all the more susceptible to the Sultan.

Every leader, from local to national, was now under the Sultan's power. Any who defied him would disappear. More importantly, the concept was made that there was no such thing as private property; all land was leased from the Sultan, and payment came in the form of taxes and public duty.

While the Sultan did not abolish the Republic in favor of the Absolute Monarchy becoming popular elsewhere, he may as well have, as he had turned the Republic into a crowned one.

---

That in mind, the Sultan wanted to flex his newfound power. The Sipahi were the finest offensive forces and the Janissaries the finest defensive. The Sultan knew his state could shine if he took advantage of the opportunities. As such, he planned a full-scale assault on the Roman Republic, a mere two cities. It wasn't even a Republic in reality; it was actually a Despotate, having never advanced out of its dark ages.

---

Come 129 CE, the Sultan was forced to give the secrets of Firearms to the Mongoloid barbarians. The Sultanate had to grow stronger to deter them.

Imagine the Babylonian Despot's fear when Turkish envoys arrived at his sole city of Nineveh in central Asia. Babylon had existed as a dying island in the desert ever since the Turks took their homeland, and it was only natural to fear the worst. Fortunately, the envoys merely asked for a world map. Forking over 80 units of gold, much of China was revealed. The envoys departed, but they hated to tell the Sultan the fact that no info was gathered on routes to the isolated outpost of Adrianople, wedged between the Russian and Mongolian Empires. The Sultan had hoped to find a route that led back home, to ensure that the troops could be upgraded and thus put the Mongols in their place.

Then the Sultan remembered; his religion only forbade him from treating heathens as equals, not interacting with them. He demanded a world map from the Germans.

The Germans revealed some Mongoloid lands, but not enough. The Sultan changed his plan again; a world map was to be stolen from the Mongols, or failing that, as many cities as possible investigated to find a route. Disguised as a mission of goodwill, embassies were set up around the world and aid given to every society's poorest out of Islam's mandated charity, but in reality, the Sultan was trying to set up a spy ring in Mongolia.

Come 147 CE, the German Empire was wiped from the map by the ever-expanding Russian Empire. It was feared Russia would occupy the Netherlands soon.

171 CE, a Military Academy was completed in Ankara. Generals that previously had to be acquired in the heat of battle could now be trained in the comfort of Ankara during peacetime.



Between the years 172 CE and 176 CE, the Romans were conquered, easily smashed by Sipahi in the North and Colonial Infantry in the South. Many tacticians had feared the capability to quickly finish off Rome due to lack of effective infrastructure. But, quick thinking on the Sultan's part had enabled the Romans to be torn apart. A band of Sipahi was now poisoned by a Black Plague that was ravaging Rome, but the Romans were gone, and two cities added to the Sultanate. That was one less weak point to the Austrians, which in turn strengthened them as a buffer state.

Italy was formally organised, Greek Apulia now rejoined with its long lost sister cities, Rome and Sicilia.

223 CE, the Indians attacked the Sultanate, seeking Alexandretta. They failed, though they soon pillaged a source of iron in Persia. Fortunately, there were backups. All the forces of Allah were rallied to repel the fools.

---

As the Indians were a moderate power, a meeting had to be held to discuss changes in foreign policy. A new policy was announced: while trade and friendship with heathens was forbidden, there was nothing against using their own sins of greed and wrath to turn them on eachother. As such, heathens could be recruited to Allah's cause, provided they were marked for destruction as soon as they completed their usefulness.

A grand alliance was built, with all the major players invited to open hostilities with India. The Mongols, Arabs, and Persians were all brought against them. Even Chinawas brought against them. By God, they would pay for declaring open war on the Sultan's dominion. Their entire northern and eastern borders would be the site of battles with the Chinese realm, weakening their own ability to strike at the West.

All states that knew both the Turks and Indians had sided with the Turks. The Indians were isolated, and plans were made to acquire prime real estate at the mouth of the Indus.

247 CE, the Dutch were destroyed by the Russians like their German cousins.

263 CE, the Arabs traded a world map that finally revealed a route to Adrianople in Siberia. Finally, the units could be upgraded to ones worthy of the Ottomans' name.



274 CE, the city of Karachi was taken. If all of India's cities would be that easy to seize, the Indians would be in for some real trouble.



Multan fell in 291 CE, but it cost 2 Sipahi units as well as the near-elimination of the Horse Archer Army. With muskets and a river, the Indians were stronger the second time around. At the very least, the geography of Karachi - marshland - prevented any attacks on it, meaning all efforts could be focused on holding Multan. From Multan, conquest of more of India could be slowly planned.



Delhi's fall in 331 CE was a huge blow to the Indians, as their very capital had been taken. The populace was marked for reduction, and the city fortified. The plan was made to hold onto these territories, fortify them, and hold out for the while; the Coalition would wear India down. Not to mention more Sipahi were needed at the rate that they were dying.

349 CE, the Austrians were given the secrets of the crossbow so they could build better defenses.

The fall of Allahabad happened in 368 CE, and the city yielded five resources - Ivory, Silk, Spices, Dyes, and Sugar. Allahabad would be quite wealthy with Turkish investments. One Sipahi unit was killed in the process of capturing it, but what a prize it was! And so low-populated, as well, meaning work could begin immediately on colonising it with loyal Turkish citizens. In the meantime, plans were made to attack Dacca and from there, work southward. The Indians were running out of rivers to use as a barrier.

Thanks to the Chinese Riders, half the defenses of Dacca were weakened, and so forces easily piled through the two musketmen and their demoralised Elephant Archer companions. The city's conquest sealed India off from the rest of the world by land. The Silks, Spices, and other valuable materials of India would all soon belong to the Sultanate! Dacca also had India's sole source of saltpeter, forcing them to once again use pikes in the age of muskets!



397 CE, what would later be called the Industrial Era began in the Ottoman Empire. New technologies would be unlocked, and they would pave the road - or railroad, rather! - to greatness.

An assault was ordered on Nagpur, a city in the heart of India. Conquering it would open up new opportunities and allow multiple choices of a next target.



Nagpur's fall took India's sole source of Iron based on all that was known to the Turkish Intelligence Agency. They'd appreciate the pikes now that they'd be forced to downgrade to bow and arrow.

A dynastic dispute erupted in 421 CE, when the Mongols convinced the Spanish that they should take the throne of Austria from their cousins.

422 CE had a new military agency established that centralised the functions of war quite nicely. As a result, the "Pentagon" enabled armies to be larger and better informed.

441 CE, China inked a formal peace agreement with the Indians! Backstabbers. But maybe they understood that with northern India occupied, there was nothing left for them to take. At the very least, the money that was paid to the Chinese was reclaimed.



Bombay was seized in 472 CE. The Indians' new capital since the fall of Delhi, it too had fallen to the arms of Turkey. Pessimism in India could be felt immediately; the people of Bombay didn't even resist occupation unlike countless before them, and the Indian government moved to the island of Ceylon, believing the continent to be a lost cause.



At the start of the 6th century, the city of Vishakhapatnam was seized. This was one of the three major centers of commerce(VP Locations) in the Indian Empire, and the last one they possessed as well. Calicut was all that remained of the Indian homeland, and with time, that would fall too!

531 CE, Privateers commissioned by the Ottoman Sultan attacked and sunk a fleet of Russian galleys in the Black Sea. It was part of a Cold War against the Russians.

547 CE, Portugal signed an alliance against Spain. The Sultan sent them his condolences for their premature deaths.

562 CE, the Turkish fleet in the Indian Ocean opened fire on Calicut, weakening its defenses considerably.



With no losses, by 563 CE, Calicut was occupied. India had been evicted from its homeland, and Janissaries were tasked with killing off any stragglers. Peace could be sought with the Indians when politically viable.

579 CE, the Russians extorted contact with the Aksumites, which was given to avert war.

By the 600s, it was apparent that foreign policy was in need of revamping. The Sultan could see how states like Russia and Mongolia, despite their many differences, worked together to makle Europe and Asia closer, and as such, both enjoyed prominence. They also tended to align with eachother, as seen in Persia, where the north was rapidly falling to their combined forces - Tehran had become a Russian occupation zone by the turn of the century.

It was decided, therefore, that, true to the ideals of the new Enlightenment that was spreading around the developed nations, religion would no longer factor into foreign policy. It would merely be used to peddle it to the masses.

The Chinese were soon convinced to sell the secrets of Electricity, but it did come at a secret cost: the Turks paid in regular installments of cash, meaning the Chinese wouldn't dare attack the Sultanate lest they lose their money.

634 CE, with the world against the Persians, it was decided to take their southern countryside to counter Russian growth as well as connect India to the homeland.



652 CE, Ceylon was conquered. The Indians retreated to the Maldives, who in turn declared independence in a giant revolt, while ruling the ex-Indian territories in personal union.

The Maldives were forced to give up all of India's gold and their world map. Now the focus would shift to Persia, which had to lose its southern territories to Turkey and no one else!

655 CE, war was declared on the declining Persian Empire. All their cities had barely enough people to function(hence near-perfect employment rates), their army was weak, and they had foes coming down on them from all sides. It was only natural that Turkey would join the fray. Never mind that, as members of the heretical Shi'ite faith, they were even more worthy of destruction.



A giant army was assembled when Persepolis proved too much for the Sipahi alone to crack. They captured it in 672 CE. In just 17 years(2 turns in actuality), Persia had lost the last cities of its homeland. Baku was isolated by troops in the North, while Arbela was stranded in Africa and wasn't likely to last long.

Further West, the Corsairs were wreaking havoc on Spanish shipping. They would raid from Sicily and attack the Spanish, and then hide within the ranks of Ironclads - either via fake battles or by raising Turkish flags - in the aftermath. Sometimes the defeated galleys' crews would be persuaded to join the ranks of the Corsairs, triggering an exponential growth. What's worse, the Ironclads of the Turkish Empire used right of access to Carthage's water to block all movement. Privateers had been harassed by Russian vessels in the Western Mediterranean, and now almost the entire Mediterranean was the domain of the Turks and their fleets. Any state that did not appease the Sultan would find itself in need of sailors.