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Aqualung71
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Lord Desolator of the Desolation Row, C3CDG
Oct 2002
time: 12:21
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For those who are interested, I shall elaborate a little on events thus far.....from a Celtic standpoint obviously, so don't sue me 
The Iron Civer Final - A tale of Aggression, Alliances, Diplomacy and War!
The IC Final started out innocuously enough, with all players expanding and exploring to find each other. However one player, the Despotic ruler of Sumeria otherwise known as the alexman, had other things on his mind. Before the Celts had even met the Maya, a cryptic announcement was made in the tracking thread in 2710BC that Sumerian barbarians were apparently no longer under the control of their leader and were roaming the lands killing whomever they could find. This led to some concerned discussions between those other civilizations who had met in-game at that stage.
Before long (2630BC) a Sumerian Enkidu/Archer pair (or was it three?) showed up outside the borders of the Celtic capital, Entremont, and Sumeria’s real intent was revealed. With a hill view, the Sumerian marauders could see that Entremont was undefended, and so made their way towards the town. Facing a huge blow, all Celtic efforts (in the 2 towns built to date) were turned towards Warrior production. When Sumerian forces were within striking distance of Entremont, the Celts suddenly attacked the aggressors, killing an Enkidu and generating the Sumerian GA in the process. Bereft of cover and with at least 2 defenders now in Entremont, the Sumerian Archer took refuge in the mountains outside Entremont. The Sumerian leader seeing his opportunistic plans had gone awry, quickly made peace overtures with grand promises of future friendship, and other promises that remain confidential to this day. This short war was unprovoked, yet it was fought on both sides with honour and respect. These qualities were to become binding factors in the events that would later unfold and the alliances that would form as a consequence.
When the Celts and the Maya finally met, discussions were entered into between them and the Iroquois for a 3-way alliance against the Sumerian aggressor. It seemed that the Sumerians were going to be made to pay for their early aggression against the Mayan and Celtic peoples. It is arguable however that the plan was in name only, since over the next 1000 years there were no specific military discussions of any kind, and each of the 3 supposed allies seemed to be pursuing their own aims.
By around 1600BC, the planned 3-on-1 brainchild of Bongo the Mayan was on very shaky ground as world events took another turn. Moonbars of the Iroquois was in furious REXing mode trying to break out from his desert homeland, and settled a town nearer to Celtic lands than his own. Discussions over several turns (also involving Bongo as mediator) achieved nothing, and in fact tensions escalated when the Celts sent a Settler out east to claim some ground near some Gems and what the Iroquois believed to be their rightful Iron resource. When discussions failed, the Iroquois reacted swiftly by attacking Celtic units in the area. Bongo the Mayan, while ostensibly supporting Aquallywelyn’s appeal for peaceful intervention, opportunistically decided to side with Moonbars militarily, and so a second war front was opened in the Celtic north. Thus was the evil Native-American Alliance born. The Celts had now been attacked by all 3 competitors at one time or another!
Aquallywelyn decided it was time to call upon the 1000 year-old promise of the old Sumerian warlord, who responded unhesitatingly. By 1500BC then, the world was divided into 2 distinct alliances – the Mayan/Iroquois Native-American Alliance vs the Celtic/Sumerian Alliance.
Nevertheless, even with his new friend preparing for war, things were looking rather bleak for Aquallywelyn. The Sumerian homelands were far from the battlefront and alexman was still labouring to build war-roads through the marshes, and the Celtic empire was wedged firmly between the Mayan/Iroquois aggressors. There was to be no practical assistance available from Sumeria for some time, and the Celts were forced to beg for an unlikely peace. Fortunately for Aquallywelyn, the Iroquois and Maya were open to such discussions, though it cost him the strategic town of Richborough, given away to the Mayan in 1300BC as part of the peace negotiations.
Had the war continued it is possible that the Celts could have held out for a while since the Iroquois military was small, however it is highly questionable whether the promised Sumerian aid would have arrived in time to prevent catastrophic attacks from Mayan Swordsmen. Whether or not the Native-American Alliance felt it was forced to the negotiation table only because of the surprise threat of Sumerian intervention, or whether Bongo the Mayan secretly preferred to remove the Sumerians via a 3-on-1 alliance, may never be known. However, the short war and the bonds it forged between the Celts and Sumerians changed the state of the world forever
At this point the Mayan revived his former plan of a 3-on-1 against Sumeria. The Iroquois were in favour, however continued to REX in preference to building military units. Meanwhile, the Celts and Sumerians began building their military. The Celts had escaped destruction by the skin of their teeth, and were determined to build a capable army.
The dogpile discussions intensified when the Statue of Zeus was completed by Sumeria in 1050BC. However still there were no specifics and the discussions went nowhere. Clearly the Iroquois was intent on improving his economic position while the Celt was strengthening his military for his own purposes.
Meanwhile both the Mayan and Iroquois had moved into the Republic form of government. The Celts were engaged in discussions with the Mayan to provide the Republic tech as part compensation for the previous war. Secretly however, the Celts and the Sumerians were engaged in a substantial military buildup and had begun co-operating on research, with Sumeria using its cheap Libraries and the Celts providing cash. This was nothing new, as the Native-American Alliance had been co-operating on research since very early in the game and had established an effective tech embargo on the other 2 civs for most of that time.
By 590BC the waiting game was over. A large Sumerian stack appeared on the doorstep of Mayan lands, while Celtic Gallic Swordsmen launched a 2-prong offensive against the Iroquois and Maya. Symbolically, the first target was the undefended Mayan town of Richborough, given up as a peace settlement to Bongo in the last war. Simultaneously, the Iroquois town of Grand River was attacked – the settlement that had caused so much dissension 1000 years ago. The timing was immaculate, if a little lucky, for the Iroquois had begun moving troops into the area and had finally embarked upon a belated military buildup. It was too little too late however, and after little more than 100 years the Iroquois empire was in ruins, both from Celtic attacks and from the Iroquois leader burning his own cities in preference to allowing them to be captured. Moonbars retired in 430BC.
Meanwhile the Sumerians and the Mayan were playing a cat and mouse game, with the superior Mayan defences proving too difficult for the numerically superior but offensively weak Sumerian forces to crack.
However, when Celtic forces from the Iroquois campaign became available to attack Mayan lands from the east, thus splitting Bongo’s forces, the Sumerian/Celtic alliance co-ordinated an offensive with renewed vigour and the Mayan soon capitulated, burning his final towns and retiring to his tomb in 290BC.
Prematurely faced with a world in which only the 2 of them remained, the former allies agreed that Sumeria would complete its research of Feudalism assisted by Celtic cash and equalize techs (7 turns), after which there would be a grace period of 10 turns for each side to make whatever preparations they deemed necessary. Both sides already have Engineering.
By 90AD then, both the Sumerians and the Celts will be free to attack each other if they so choose, or continue to live peacefully side by side until one is the victor.
Having built a substantial army based upon Horsemen and Ancient Cavalry, the Sumerian had finally secured an Iron resource during the Mayan war and has now augmented his forces with Swordsmen and presumably Medieval Infantry. In contrast, the Celtic forces consisted mainly of Gallic Swordsmen, which with the advent of Feudalism have now been replaced by Medieval Infantry. At this stage the Sumerian army is far superior to the Celtic army. With Pikemen now available however, defensive capabilities of both civs have been strengthened.
The Celts are currently in a Republic form of government, with their GA recently completed. Sumeria has recently moved into Anarchy and will emerge either into a Republic or Feudalism (I don’t think we’ve researched Monarchy).
In terms of terrain, the positioning of the Sumerian homeland to the extreme southwest of the map lends itself for better natural defence, since there is only one direction from which a land-based offensive may come and sentries provide very early warnings. The Celtic lands are more spread out and will present a rather long front to defend in the case of an attack.
So good people, how and when do you think this eventful game will end?
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17-08-2005 00:27
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