Epic 15 - Haradasun Report

[Haradasun]

Hi Everyone,

Please find below the Exec Summary of my virgin attempt at the Epic series. It was certainly an epic game and while my full report may well turn out to be a little overdue, hopefully the screen shot attached highlights how tight the game was.

My first attempt at the Epic series went down to the wire, but in the end I lost it in a space race to my ally Isabella. My intention was to win by UN diplomacy, which was in hindsight a long drawn out and volatile process, especially with the Apostolic palace, lead by the impulses of an aggressive, religious zealot in Isabella dramatically influencing results. The game will also highlight some seriously moves by the protagonist (me!!) and as well show how sometimes even the best laid plans and most cafelly thought out strategies can be brought to their knees through a combination of lassez faire management, some really poor choices and unthinking emotional outbursts at the computer (cursing in a portuguese accent of course).

Still, besides my general ineptitude the game actrually went down to the wire as I had developed a loyal bloc of 9 allies and colonies. The screen shot shows that the votes were due in the turn after Isabella won a Space race. And the results of these...well you will have to read my report to see how close it was.

I will try to post it before the end of the week!

[Haradasun]

May I begin by saying that this is probably going to be one of the more unorthodox games recorded for posterity. Due to the choice opening strategy for the development of the empire of Joao, the circumstances that unfolded during the coarse of the game, in the bizarre lassez faire attitude of the protagonist (me or Joao if you prefer) as well as generous examples of how emotional angst can override any decisions based on any game plan, game play logic or anything resembling what would be considered ‘good play’.

Nevertheless I hope this write up conveys sufficiently what was for me one of the most gripping and tense and down to the wire finishes of any Civ game to date. And fortunate as well that it was captured here in realms and beyond epic adventures. So without further ado, let the game begin.

Build it and they will come.

OK so the gameplan was simple indeed. Joao was to create the most magnificent trade empire possible first, then to be voted into UN supremacy by Portugal's adoring trade colonies as as secondary effect. How this would come into being would be based on the simple maxim: build it and they will come.

So carefully blue prints were laid out to Portugal's virtual engineers. Required were; the Temple of Artemis, the Great Lighthouse and the Colossus as the initial foundations of a great trade empire. Subsequent to this plus some serious colonisation, would build the construction of the UN and an epic diplomatic victory.

The recount of how this particular history then unfolded is as follows:

By 2550BC, after initially pumping out a 2 man workforce, works were underway on the Temple of Artemis, with it taking a mere 900 years to construct. Records indicate that works were completed to this shrine in 1650BC.



By 1550BC Portugal had taken its first steps toward a mighty empire in sending out its first settler. One would think that Joao had been reading up on the story of the hare and the tortoise as opposed to stratagems of effective and efficient empire building.

By 800BC Hanno was born in Lisbon. In Portuguese tradition he was to be known as the father of Capitalism and it has been held in general regard that it was through his efforts that the Portuguese were able to discover the secrets of Metal Casting so soon before her peers. It was not long though, before Portugal’s neighbours gained wind of this great discovery and were soon asking for the secrets of casting for themselves. Early relations with the Spanish suffered as Isabella knocked twice on Portugal’s door looking for the technology. Joao the stubborn was not prepared to sacrifice the goal of all three trade wonders and plans continued regardless of diplomatic consequences to complete the colossus and great lighthouse!



Soon enough, the Portuguese endeavours were rewarded with all three wonders crowning the capital. By 200BC, Lisbon was widely considered the pre-eminent city in the world. History will also show that it was off the backbone of this burgeoning trade capital, that Lisbon was able to expand outwards. Joao was about to cast his eye outwards coveting additional lands.



Expansion

This period in Portugal’s history was a peaceful time. Joao himself was content to send out settlers and to expand outwards. In 80BC a great priest was born. Debate at the time raged on whether Portugal should adopt its own creed or wait for her neighbours to spread their creed. At the time the people of Portugal were largely secular. The only idol they worshipped was the almighty coin. Citizens could be seen burning offerings at the temple of Artemis, while the burning coin the sky was cast forth by the great lighthouse. Historical records indicate that the great priest was settled in the temple, however, as opposed to Christian backgrounds, Portuguese priests were very much active traders.

Due to this sudden influx in new wealth in Portugal, soon the citizens developed their own currency and the budding empire was starting to unfold. By 500AD Portugal was recognised as the world leader in GNP, but it was still languishing at no 7 in land area. The still nascent empire only had 5 cities, but was on an upward trend. Its early investment in great works had come at the expense of land grabbing, but records show that it was almost wealthier than its ottoman and Spanish neighbours combined!









Rather than dwell on the accomplishments of this period it can be easily summarised as a period of great expansion and development. Science development was booming at 80%! And the Portuguese, soon after researching Optics in 715 AD began to encounter and trade with the wider inhabitants of the globe, including Willem, and the French/German coalition. Buddhism was also adopted as the state religion of the Portuguese

Records indicate that the Portuguese also took some cynical pride in their knowledge of metal casting, which they continuously refused to their aggressive and demanding Spanish neighbours. In one surviving record of the exchange between the neighbours was inscribed ‘Over my dead body Izzy’.

Records also indicate that at some period there was some conflict between the two Buddhist nations, and the isle of Guincho, with its striking beaches passed from Portuguese control to Spanish control.

Nonetheless, the expansion of ‘South island’ continued unabated and in 1140AD, the first colony under the control of Abe Lincoln was established.

Of further note was the establishment soon after of the Apostolic Palace in Spanish Lands. History would soon show that the combination of a powerful bloc of religious zealots headed by and aggressive and intolerant nutcase would prove to be an eventful combination indeed. For now though, the voters in the palace (Spain, Ottomans and Portuguese) were content to form an alliance and declare peace between each other).



Middle aged

Portuguese expansion continued regardless of any conflicts with her neighbours and by 1210AD the Portuguese had met Caesar. Relations with Caesar were at best frosty throughout this period of Portuguese history. The discovery and race to settle ‘south west isle’ certainly was a contributing factor to this unease.




By 1270AD ‘south west isle’ is colonised. Control is handed over to Brennus of the Celts. Looking back, the colonisation of this island did no favours to Portugal’s long term diplomatic position. In fact diplomacy throughout this period came as it did more at the end of a pointy stick, as Portuguese supremacy on ‘south west isle’ was challenged by a couple of Roman outposts. Rather than accept a period of co-habitation, the Portuguese hierarchy engaged in some not so covert missions to annexe total control of the island.



It was during this period, at around 1360AD, just as Roman presence was being removed from ‘south west isle’ that the Portuguese merchant class arose for the first time and a civics switch occurred. Why? Well it will never be made clear I feel, but it turned out to be a rash and unwise move, especially considering that the majority of national finances at the time were being brought in through trade networks. Looking back it was a classic example of the laissez faire attitude of the Portuguese King at the time and this ‘jobs for the boys’ period in the nation’s history would certainly stymie any short term growth, especially coming as it did, in a period when the nation was so aggressively expanding its borders. And sure enough, come 1365, the Portuguese empire had dropped to 7th in GNP but up to 2nd in MFG goods. It was, what has come to be termed, a classic moment. The resulting change in policy took roughly 100 years to remedy, but by 1495AD the empire was up to 10 cities and was first in MFG goods and has recovered somewhat.

Apostolicism

The second more memorable period of the middle ages concerns the activities of the apostolic palace. At the time, the Spanish were the aggressive heads of the league, with the Portuguese and Suleiman the other active members of this Buddhist league. However it was not a passive coalition in the slightest and in 1555AD the heads of the league, incited by its zealous head, Isabella, sets its acquisitive eyes on heathen lands of Victoria.

The problem for the Portuguese at the time, was not that it didn’t share these same desires for additional lands, however it was not prepared for a war in the east, as Joao had already committed all his troops in the far west. Unfortunately, Portuguese voices were not heard and the armies of Joao were soon engaged in a massive logistical exercise ferrying troops to the battle front in the east. Rather than an inconvenience, Joao had viewed this as an opportunistic moment to further the reaches of the Portuguese empire, regardless of logistical consequences.

However, not only was this purely a land grab for the Portuguese. Joao had set his eyes on the isle of ‘Britannia’, with the three centres of Coventry, Leeds and Warwick, the settlements in the region. The lands themselves were not overly rich in alluvial soils, but were rich in minerals with valuable sources of gold, silver and iron rich for the taking. The plan was to be for a precise strike and to quickly take out these three cities and wrest control of them, firstly before Vicky knew what hit her and secondly before our ‘allies’ could get there hands on them either. The screens below show the unfolding of this plan.







By 1727, all English presence was extinguished on the island and Stalin was appointed overseer of our mining operations on Britannia. It was also during this time that the concept of emancipation was spreading throughout the world. Our slave based empire was reeling, especially as it was, coming off the back of 2 wars at 2 separate corners of our empire. And so with a sigh of regret, Joao the merciful signs off a peace treaty with Vicky.



War in the West

The industrial times will always be remembered as a period of great upheaval across the globe and especially within the borders of the Portuguese empire and her constituents. Not only had peace descended within those green borders than once again, the cogs of war were forced to turn once again. Once again it was not through any conscious decision of the Portuguese leadership, though it was most certainly through her previous aggressions that she was once again thrust into war.

In 1738AD Caesar declared war, no doubt coveting his long lost strongholds on ‘Deep South Island’. Unfortunately for the Portuguese, their forces were still stationed in the East and it was her struggling colony of the Celts that were forced to hold the front lines, while Portugal once again mobilised for war.

It was also at this time a period of civic upheaval and unrest. Portugal had been at war for most of the late middle and early industrial ages and her people were yearning for a more peaceful time. In response, the monarchy enacted Theocracy to motivate her people to ideals greater than their poor mortal lives and instituted an internal propaganda campaign to give her citizens a sense of patriotism and nationhood. Portuguese citizens responded with fanaticism as Joao decided that this second conflict with Rome would be resolved once and for all one way of the other.

As you can also see below, Napoleon/Frederick also was at war with the Dutch in what was a turbulent time in the evolution of the world.




The key conflict of the time was the battle for Satricum in 1744. Unable to offer any meaningful support, Joao had sent his vassal Brennus knowledge of Rifling and some money, which allowed Brennus to upgrade 2 of his defenders from Longbowmen to Riflemen. This certainly turned the tide of the battle, but it was a pretty close call. The screenshot below shows the final moments of the conflict, with Portuguese reinforcements arriving the turn after Brennus’ troops hold out, just in time to mop up the Roman incursion force. This was the pivotal moment of the war and as reparations, Joao demands and receives silver from Brennus.



Attentions now turned to the Italian mainland. Joao’s intelligence pointed out that Rome had access to both powerful frigates and rifles, so this was going to be a serious and bloody confrontation. Before Joao could launch any invasion force he had to take care of Rome’s naval power, and so ensued a brief period of mobilisation, before the time was right to strike. The screenshot below shows the cream of the Roman navy, shortly before it was crushed by superior Portuguese numbers.



By 1750 Joao had landed forces on Italian lands and had occupied Neapolis. Meanwhile, back on the home front, the Ironworks was rushed in Lisbon and Portugal’s trade economy was booming, with Lisbon up to a respectable 61 trade per turn!! Portugal was slowly wrapping the isles of this globe in her vast embrace.

However, Joao’s actions against Rome did not go unnoticed at a global level, especially the consequences to rival powers should Rome fall. Two events happened, which were to alter somewhat, the course of the Italian conflict. In 1750, Napoleon signals his intentions with an outrageous demand.



Then Napoleon, having made peace with the Dutch, enters the war on the side of Rome, as can be seen by the state of the world below. In response, we enlist the help of our ally in Isabella, who declares on the French to stabilise our Eastern Front and keep Napoleon busy.


On the Western Front the war against Caesar continued. Portuguese scientists developed two great innovations in Steam Power and Assembly line which accelerated the war efforts. By 1823AD Antium had fallen to the green!

In 1828AD an Eastern outpost at Etruscan was threatened by the French. It was an impressive display of strength by the French, but has to go down as an all time attempt to dislodge our influence in the east. The screen shot below captures the level of the threat accurately.



Napoleon’s attentions were by no means sufficient to divert resources away from the task at hand and by 1844 Joao took Rome! Surviving records are not 100% clear, however Rome was a jewel in the crown, with no less than 6 wonders including Scotland Yard, the Pyramids, Stonehenge, the Taj Mahal, the Great Wall and most importantly for Portugal, the Mausoleum. Portugal’s power was certainly at its apogee now!



However, not all was safe on the home front. It was only a minor skirmish in the overall sense, but certainly soured relations between the two nations. In 1845 Saladin of the Arabs declared war in a destabilising sneak attack and caught the Portuguese completely by surprise with a sneak attack at Lagos. However Saladin’s martial prowess was questionable at best. Just as Xerxes made his fatal mistake at Salamis, Saladin launched an amphibious assault at Lagos and loses the bulk of his attack force. Miraculously Lagos held on. On the Eastern Front, Roman influence was extinguished from the isle of Italy and in 1862 Rome capitulated. Portugal makes peace with Saladin and in anticipation of a period of peace and prosperity for the green lands, the people uprised and revolted to Universal Suffrage, Free Speech and Free Religion.

Once again, on closer examination, it appears that the short term motivation was to gain some acceleration in scientific output, however the decision of Portugal to abandon her state religion would place her at a most precarious diplomatic decision and in hindsight can only be viewed as

To be continued:

[LKendter]

The screen shots were way to wide. I couldn't read the report.

[sooooo]

Very nice so far, keep it coming! Though from your first screenshot I fear a rather tragic "one more turn" ending.

The screenshots are too wide, but bearable.