Its been 6 frekkin' months and 2 days exactly to this day that I last wrote anything in this blog. A lot... lot... fucking lot has come to pass but I really don't think I have the strength to go into any of that (whatever strength I did have is being used to keep me fight the sour throat and running nose; courtesy of the changing season).
I thought it would be a smashing idea to write about something else that I did after a very long time. Played Civilization III!!! :-D
This time around... I decided to do a lot of things differently... I selected a random map (not standard size Earth as usual), selected Romans as native civilization (not Indians but of course I renamed them Ramzanions) and let the computer decide the other civs. Also, I made it a point not to cheat in this one (after such a long and easy time I didn't use the pay 10000000 cheat).
Therefore its been quite an experience. My native continent has three large land masses. One I share with the Americans, one is held by the Greeks and one by the Egyptians. The game started off well.... but by around 1758 BC, suddenly, my treasury fortune started declining. This also contributed to the overall standing of my civilization. After a brief spike in 500 BC my power kept declining (vis-a-vis the power of the other three civs of the then known world). The lowest point came around 200 AD when my civ went broke and I had only about 7 modest cities. The Americans to the north had grown up to be the most powerful civilization of the known world. The Greeks to the south and the Egyptians to the west occupied the 3rd and 2nd positions respectively but were comparable in size to me. The American on the other hand were spreading all over the place. They had inherited fertile land whereas the bulk of land that I explored and claimed for myself was covered in thick forests. This also partially was responsible for my slow growth.
Then something happened.
The Americans, having covered all of the north started sending settles through my territories to the open land explored by me in the south (above the Greek land mass). It pissed me off but by now I had a few key advancements in technology and my military was almost the same size as the Americans. I had a Republican government and out of pure need for money started selling the Printing Press technology to all civs on a per turn gold basis. This started the economic revival. Meanwhile I was getting close to discovering democracy. The American sent three settlers with escorts down south and established three cities. I countered then by going further south and establishing two cities. One to cut off the Egyptians from my land and the second to cut off the Greeks. I was also able to encircle the American cities but there still remained free land there. For that the Americans again launched three settler units with escorts. Also, with them they dispatched about 12 worker units.
As the American units were crossing through my territory, I decided, rather instantly, to ambush them and capture the slaves. America was the most powerful nation of the known world and mine the weakest. but my units were well placed.
The War (200 AD - 600 AD)
I attacked.
Two turns later, I had killed the three American military escorts, captured 14 slaves. Two more turns later, the frontier American city of St. Louis fell to my Horsemen. I renamed the city St. Louis RZ to signify the new masters. In the south I launched a 4 unit army (2 archers, 1 horseman and 1 spearman) from the post city of Ainz to southern American cities. Whatever units I could find I pressed into service. Surprisingly, the American army didn't have surplus units for an instant counter offensive and it wasn't much after the fall of St. Louis that 2 Swordmen units crossed the border. Till then, I was able to bring in two additional horsemen to the northern front. I barely managed to repeal the Americans when 2 more sword men approached St. Louis RZ. The fighting on the Southern front was going badly with 2 losses for every victory for me.
I sent for peace but the American demanded the surrender of St. Louis RZ. Telling them to get lost I relaunched a 4 unit army from Ainz and positioned right outside the American cities in the south. Also I was able to reinforce my forces in the north and managed to defeat the new American units there. The War entered a stalemate will I once again sent an envoy for peace. This time the Americans readily accepted.
That was the first and last war for the next couple of centuries but forever changed the nature of things to come. From the fourth most powerful civilization Ramz (mine) became equal to America far surpassing Egypt and Greece. The Americans stopped southern expansion and started consolidating that they had. The Republic of Ramz then made way for the Ramzanion Democracy and I (Ainz) became President from Prime Minister as head of state. My economic fortunes also started rising with extensive trade agreements and discovery of new civilizations (The Germans, French, English and Russians). The first highest trade agreement reached (combined from all civs) over 230 gold per turn.
Ramz was on the rise. The next couple of centuries were peaceful with huge gains in technology and exploration. My power stood at double that of the next most powerful civ (Egypt, followed by Greece, America, Russia, France, England and Germany). There were no wars and the only one (involving Ramz and America) came to be known as 'The War'.
The game was going peacefully. Way too peacefully.
First World War (1950-1991)
I decided to take the small continent where New Ramz was located completely from the Russians and the Germans. I had three native cities there and one Russian city (Novgorod) had defected to me. For the first time in many centuries, I decided to raise an army. Old naval vessels were converted into new Transports and three were stationed off the Eastern Ramzanion Seaboard. Two destroyers were made and deployed towards the targets. I decided to attack both Russia and Germany together, but 32 Cavalry units was a tall order. So first I decided to take out the two German cities (Munich & Heidelburg) with 8 Cavalry units in one transport supported by the 2 destroyers and 2 bombers based out of New Ramz. This would be like a training dry run for the future Ramz -Russian war. I started making Cavalry units in all cities that were done with current projects with the intention that each city will make at least 3 Cavalry units. The first transport was loaded and launched escorted by a destroyer.
Meanwhile, Egpyt and Ramz (Me) signed a 'Mutual Protection Pact'. Anyhu, So I landed my forces and in a barrage of bombardment from bombers and destroyers invaded Overseas German Territory. So successful was the campaign that I suffered no loss and both German cities fell.
The captured territories in 1961.
Notice at lower left- Yellow:Egypt, Green:Greeks, Red:Ramz, Turquoise:Americans, Brown:Russians, Orange:English, Blue:Germans & Pink:French
But there was a catch.
Germany had a Mutual Protection Pact with England. This simply meant that when I invaded Germany, the English declared war on me. I further found out that if I responded to the English with war, the Greek would attack me because they had a Mutual Protection Pact with England. So basically, I let opened the pandora's box. I wasn't worried about the English, they were too far away, but the Greeks were neighbours... powerful neighbours!
But the war against Germany had gone too well. I left 1 cavalry unit in each captured city and re-loaded the remaining 6 back into the transport (RZS Hercules). Escorted by the destroyer RZS Hurricane, I headed south to capture the English Overseas Territory Island (a small Island with two English cities). I started reinforcing my border with Greece in anticipation of certain war. I tried to make peace with Germany, but they wouldn't. My other destroyer (RZS Spirit of Ramz) also started trailing a Greek Frigate off the coast of New Ramz. Finally I reached the 'English Island' and from the Hurricane let loose a volley of bombardment as my forces were offloaded. The Greeks declared war. I invaded with 6 cavalry units and promptly captured Herakteia. But from then on started the 'War of Offenses' with the Greeks. The Greek military wasn't a push over and every turn launched a strong counteroffensive for every offensive tactic by me. Greek Knights clashed with my modern Cavalry and at one point I was shocked to see a modern Greek Cavalry unit ride up to attack Herakteia! We both kept reinforcing our forces turn after turn. The only difference was that Greece was loosing units while my units were being rendered in-effective (at one power point).
Meanwhile, the world was going to hell! Everyone started declaring war on everyone else (not on me though) and large military forces started moving all over the place.
Finally, by 1959, after many turns of attacks, the Greeks ran out of reinforcements and I was able to lay siege to Sparta and Ephesus.
Sparta and Ephesus under siege in 1959
I prevailed and captured the cities and Greece agreed to a peace treaty.
Sparta RZ and Ephesus RZ in 1961
Meanwhile, I successfully took the English Island and once again, because of the success of the mission, revised objectives. I reloaded the Hercules with 3 cavalry units (leaving 3 on the Island) and decided to invade continental England. I decided to take the port city of Warwick.
Captured 'English Island'
RZS Hurricane dominated the seas and sunk 4 English ships while Hercules landed the invading party. Warwick fell the next turn and became Warwick RZ. The English sent reinforcements (conscripted Riflemen) but decided instead to settle peacefully.
Captured Warwick (notice RZS Hurricane on the left)
All three civs (German, English and Greek) agreed to pay large tributes per turn as war damages and I decided to withdraw from World War I. That was the year 1970.... and I hadn't had my war with Russia yet....
Labels: Civilization III, Games, Ramz, Relaxing
