Civ Hybrid Games Mk. IX - Part 13

Hello, everyone! It’s me, Canadahuntsyou, the Aksumite King, enemy of Ostrogoths, yadda yadda. This part is loaded with action, so lets get into it eh?

First slide and we can see the Celtic Union smashing it’s iron fist down upon the Frankish cities of London and Canterbury. While defeat seems inevitable for the Franks, they still have fairly good defenses to hold the Celts off.

The European war continues, as Supe, who was beset on all sides by enemies has now somehow managed to turn things around for himself by assassinating Taqn and uniting Burgundy into a Personal Union. And with the Franks looking fairly weak, could Supe make some gains?

But then again, Suparia still has an enemy to the south to deal with. Literal hordes of Visigoths are present here, and threaten Suparia and it’s rear with total overwhelming.

We get our first shot of the Glorious War of the Mediterranean, as the Vandal fleet moves towards the former home of Taqn, and threatens the very existence of Sardinia. Poor Island, having to endure so much.

I would express my contempt for the Ostrogoths, but it seems their own people have done that already. Also note the extreme lack of units in Ostrogothic territory- The Ostrogothic rebels may survive this part yet.

And now to the chaos that is the Great Mediterranean War. Lucky and the Republic of the Nile attempt to assert their independence from Egypt as Leopolis and Zenopolis look positively fucked. Also, 2 Barb warriors are about to die horrible deaths.

The Red Sea theater is impressive in scale as Alodia retains its independence and the Aksumite Fleet stands on the Egyptian shores. Expect much from this warzone.

And here is the real meat and potatoes of the Great Mediterranean War. The Aksumite-Ghassanid army prepares to charge into the Levant as the Aksumite Navy bombards Caesarea Maritima. However, despite the lack of opposition, the terrain might prove to be a huge problem.

The Persian army storms into Edessa, Trapezums and Melitene, in what looks to be an easy conquest. But will it really be so easy when the Roman Army shows up to fight their old enemies back?

Get on with it! As the first turn is rolled, 2 former capitals held by the Franks are about to fall. London falls to the red, surrounded by melee units, and seems sure to fall this turn. Meanwhile, the Suparian Ballistae strike again, though there is no melee unit beside the former Suparian capital.

The Suparian line in the south holds, albeit barely. I’m sure that once the Visigothic horde attacks, they will storm Augustoritium. Right?

The Nile looks positively fucked. Zenopolis is straight fucked, Felixopolis is at halfway in damage, and Cyrene is surrounded. I bet Lucky is in denile right now

They're… Doing something. It's just unclear what. While Alodia is safe, the Ghaksumite army and navy appear to have thinned out a bit. Still, Castra Leonia has a chance of falling.

The meat grinder begins, as Ghaksumite units attempt to traverse the passes that will lead them into the Levant. Caesarea Maritima is already at half health, but the question remains, will the Ghaksumites be able to take advantage of their momentary surprise before the Romans arrive?

The archer armies of Persia damage the cities of Edessa, Meletine and Its-a-Trapezums, and the guards in those cities stare upon death itself.

Upon the sight of Gothic soldiers, the entire city of New Brigetio turns into Khazad-dum, a genius defense tactic. The Gothic units don’t look like they could harm anyone though.

All across Britannia, heralds take up the cry: “London is ours!”, and so it is without any chance of being retaken. Canterbury however, while still under siege where a human player has a reasonable chance of taking it, is kept safe from the sea as the Frankish fleet arrives. Again in Suparia, no melee unit is close enough to take the city.

Both Zenopolis and Felixopolis fall, leaving the Republic of the ““Nile”” with only one city- Cyrene, which stands on the brink of destruction itself. Leopolis is also besieged, and could fall soon.

Edessa is nearly taken, while Meletine is mostly fine. Trapezums is besieged, but has a sizeable defense force to hold it. Meanwhile, up north the slightly less irrelevant shithole fights an irrelevant shithole and is losing. I think they are the Alans?

We see the true scale of the Great Mediterranean War, as Persia takes Edessa. Roman battalions scramble to attempt to defend their borders, as Caesaria Maritima stands on the brink of being taken, only needing a Melee unit nearby. Frustrating, Jerusalem (Or Aelia Capitolina) is protected by it’s superb natural location behind a mountain and a lake.

The Vandal invasion of Sardinia seems to have fizzled out as the navy of the Vandals seems preoccupied with other things. Shame.

Both Canterbury and Suparia seem safe, though there is a melee unit in striking distance from Suparia itself. The Burgundians have not made much advance in their own war, though they stand on the brink of taking initiative and destroying that last of the German states. Meanwhile, Augustoritium is about to fall, requiring sivine intervention to save it now.

The Ghaksumites break through at Caesaria Maritima, and surround Jerusalem, but the Roman navy has shown up. Meletine to the north seems ready to fall, but Antiochia is safe. Was the attack really successful?

Cyrene miraculously stays Nileish, as most Egyptian units seem to have fucked off, but Leopolis has fallen. Rest in peace dear friends.

What the hell happened to the Ghaksumite fleet? The attack on Castra Leonia looks to have failed. And most confusingly, all those Aksumite units are just… gone. What the hell happened?

lol so much for the personal union

Canterbury seems sure to fall. This is the end beautiful friend? Annoyingly Suparia doesn't change its status.

Caesaria Maritima is retaken by the Roman Navy, while Jerusalem is somehow unscathed. Meletine has only want for a single Melee unit, cmon Persia, you can still win the Great Mediterranean War.

Meanwhile, in the Red Sea the Egyptian fleet sorties out of Port, threatening the now mostly undefended cities of Jeddah and more critically, the Ghaksumite Capital of Medina Metu

THEY DID IT

Suparia is retaken in a glorious battle, but it could very well be retaken quickly, judging by the abundance of Frankish soldiers who suddenly showed up. Canterbury still hasn't fallen somehow.

The Visigoths have taken Augustoritium, but the Suparians, riding off the high of recovering their old capital have taken the initiative and have raised a massive army to fight the Visigoths off.

Several things happen here. First, the Ostrogeats have retaken New Brigetio and partially rebuilt their army. Secondly, Suparia falls back to the Franks, and more importantly, Meletine finally falls.

Nova Tyrus is bombarded by the Vandals. It might fall?

Castra Leonia is taken by the Ghaksumites! Though, with 2 Swordsmen and a Chariot next to it, it might fall back to the Egyptians. Meanwhile, the remnants of the Aksumite navy struggle to defend Jeddah from an approaching Egyptian fleet.

Suparia is retaken by the Franks, but Augustoritium is simultaneously captured by the Suparians. The Franks and the Visigoths are both launching sizeable offensives against Supe- Can they do it?

Oh and Canterbury still hasn’t fallen.

Suparia flips back to the Suparians, Augustoritum to the Visigoths and, whats this, Canterbury to the Celts? But the Franks meme the Celts by taking Norwich, and therefore stopping the Celts from truly uniting Britannia.

The Great Mediterranean War in the Levant fizzles out as the Ghaksumite Amry moves away from Caesaria Maritima as the Roman Army and Navy arrive. There are two silver linings to all the death seen in this part of the world- Jeddah is safe for now, and the Persians have taken Syria.

Confusing perspective, but it seems the Franks have retaken Canterbury and still somehow hold Norwich and Suparia. The Visigoths still hold Augustoritium, but for how long against Ballista spam and god tier AI?

The Ghaksumites yet hold Castra Leonia, and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future, but the Egyptians move to strike back as the Aksumite Navy attempts to hold their Galleasses.

The Vandals make their mark on the Great Mediterranean War as they take Nova Tyrus/Latinus/Caralis, seemingly for good.

Endless war continues as Norwich, Suparia and Augustoritium are flipped like pancakes. But that Ballista spam down at Augustoritum looks absolutely deadly.

The Red Sea front continues as Castra Leonia is put to siege, with the Egyptian Navy on it’s way. The Aksumite reserves are nearby, but will they come to it’s defense?

Canterbury seems sure to fall, and maybe even for good this time.

The holy city remains untouched, some call it an act of God, others say that the Ghaksumites dare not attack such a holy site. No matter, the Ghaksumite invasion of the Levant has not produced satisfactory results. But the Great Mediterranean War, so costly for all, has proved the resilience and will of Rome, Egypt, Persia, the Vandals and the Ghassanid-Aksumites. Will the carnage end or will the world be torn apart?

In any case, this was a hell of a part to narrate. This has been Canadahuntsyou, hope you all have a good time.