La Grande Nation

[Kaos XIII]

This story is based on a civIII game; Regent, Huge, Archi., 24 Civs. The game is much modded like wheeled modern units and new unit the Terrorist. The Terrorist acts similar to a cruise missile and until Precision Strikes can only attack enemy units (so it is more like a freedom fighter early on). It comes with Refining and has Hidden Nationality. There are more changes to the mod and you will notice them as I go along.


The Dawn of Civilization: In those early days we were a group of nomads which moved up and down along the banks of the Sienne river. When our leader Jeanne d’Arc decided to settle, there was a fierce discussion as to where? At that time we did not know how large a continent we were on and some were sure we were located in a huge continent. The isthmus was quite tempting but, Jeanne d’Arc decided the walk was too long and decided we would settle on the northern coast and on the Sienne’s banks. Only time will tell if we wasted an opportunity to create a great canal.
We French are an industrious people with a keen sense of commercialism. We knew about advance technologies like Alphabet and Masonry. So with that, we established Paris in the year 3500 B.C. Soon we realized we were living near some luxurious Dyes in the forest. We could either establish a colony or make a new town? In all her genius Jeanne decided that a new town shall rise in the East Dye Forest

nice starting location

[Kaos XIII]

3250 BC-- Today we met Osman (leader of the Ottomans), southeast of Paris in the city of Istanbul. We traded technologies and all in all, he seemed like a “good guy”.

3200 BC-- Orleans has been established in the East Dye Forest east of Paris

3050 BC-- Terrible News!!! Jeanne screamed as she heard the news that Magnar Barbarians were streaming into Paris. Our Warrior soldiers had been sent out on discovery expeditions and only civilians were left to defend. The people of Paris fought bravely and defeated the Barbarians, but at a great cost around 22,000 civilians who were slaughtered and starved. The streets of Paris flowed with blood and the event would forever be known as the Sacking of Paris. From then on Jeanne vowed to never let the French people be victims, ever again.

2750 BC-- We met an emissary of Ragnor Lodbrok (leader of the Vikings) and bought some technology for some gold. We had plenty of money because of our historical commercialist trait.

2670 BC-- Lyon is established south of Orleans at the edge of the Ottoman lands.

2430 BC-- Pop. 168,000
Land 5,200 sq. m.
Military 8 units
Reims is established southwest of Paris near the Rocheux Mountain Range. By this time it was becoming painfully clear that an isthmus opportunity had been missed. We named our country France and our continent Masculin. Here is our country!

current view of France

[ChrisiusMaximus]

Nice start and its looking set for some nice land struggles especially with the Ottomans so close.

Keep the goods coming. and the screenies!!

[Prince Jason]

nice, i love these!

Keep it comin!

[Kaos XIII]

Thanks Everyone!

2350 BC-- Met the Persians (south of the Ottomans) and bought the technology of Iron Working from them. With this we have discovered an Iron deposit out west on the Rocheux Mountains. We are now fully aware that we are in fact in a large continent (Masculin Continent) and an isthmus opportunity was wasted, GRRR!

2110 BC-- Tours is established just north-east of Paris near the St. Pierre River. Meanwhile the treacherous Vikings have demanded my territory map and some 27 gold pieces. Jeanne was furious, but decided now was not the time for war. The Vikings are below the Ottomans and Persians, but most of our wealth has been allocated for Scientific Research purposes thus our military was quite weak. The French masses were furious. “Pourquois?, Pourquois?, we will now be viewed as weaklings throughout the world”, the French generals asked themselves. In a speech before an angry crowd in Paris, Jeanne eloquently spoke and said “war would stump our growth and we should concentrate on expanding our empire, err… nation into undiscovered territory“. The anger subsided as the people were assured that Jeanne would never forget the vile poison that was Ragnar.

2070 BC-- Marseille is established near the Iron deposit in the Rocheux Mountains.

2030 BC-- Chartres is established east of Lyon on the last unclaimed land between us and the Ottomans. Our borders are now set on the East Side.

1625 BC-- In the North-West we established the city of Avignon on the St. Laurent River to cut off the Spanish and the Carthaginians whom we had just met on the Northern end of the Masculin Continent (they were backward people). They where attempting to cross into unclaimed lands we considered as rightfully French. We also met the Aztecs from the same Northern Masculin and technology trading was helpful to us all.

1425 BC-- Besancon is established in the south-southwest. At the same time in Orléans the people were dancing in the streets as our new glorious Colossus was unveiled in the Orléans harbor. This will attract even more commerce to Orléans.

1400 BC-- Rouen is established in the north-west near Avignon to secure the border with the Spanish and Carthaginians.

1200 BC-- Grenoble is established in newly discovered South Dye Forest of South France.

1125 BC-- Dijon established in the far west.

1100 BC-- “Glorious Day!!!” Announced Jeanne to the people of Paris as she cut the ribbon for the grand opening of the Great Library. The technologies will soon start pouring in.

1050 BC--
Pop. 1,266,000
Land 24,800 sq. m.
Military 26 units (This includes Workers)

here is what France looks like now


730 BC--
Pop. 1,992,000
Land 28,900 sq. m.
Military 27 units
Joan has been effectively been modernizing our nation into one of the great powers of the known world. With our great industrial base we have extensive roads throughout the countryside, our people feel united in France. We went through a very brief period of anarchy to now become a Republic and Jeanne has successfully won our first election. However, the effort put into improving French civilians way of life has come at a cost to our military. During this time period we met the Iroquois who came from a great distance. They had built the Great Lighthouse and where now traveling all over the world. From them we have discovered new tribes in a far away continent we named the Feminin Continent across the North and South Iroquois Oceans to the north-east of France (Greeks, Egyptians, English, Japanese).

130 BC--
Pop. 3,314,000
Land 33,000 sq. m.
Military 34 units

170 AD-- At this time we have strategic resources to arm our military (1 Horses, 1 Iron). What we didn’t have was luxuries. All we had were Dyes and it just isn’t enough to keep the people happy. Our wealth was being drained into luxury expenses and away from our scientist. Jeanne knew something had to be done.
Discovered 2 new continents including an enormous one just south-west of France we named the Occidental Continent. The other continent was far away and a bit smaller but, completely settled by the Chinese. In the Occ. Continent, there were any new and interesting civs including the Celts with a luxurious resource of Spice across the Strait of Dijon, named after our own city which stood at one end. The French people longed for more luxuries and Jeanne wanted to please them, perhaps these Spices would satisfy them?
Before this discovery however, Jeanne had been concentrating on how to receive some Gems from the Carthaginians. We were in serious negotiations, but they have been asking ridiculous prices for Gems. Jeanne was frustrated and realized that only the sword would convince them. The problem was that the Gem deposits were far in northern Carthage and our Galleys would probably be cut down well before they got there due to the Carthaginian Galleys which were constantly harassing our coast.
PREPARATION FOR WAR WITH CARTHAGE:
Jeanne met with her top military advisors in the city of Tours to discuss future operations and the probability of capturing crucial Gem deposits. Admiral DeClerk of the French Navy announced that, “three Galleys in the northern coast of France would take too long to reach the Gem deposits and it would be virtual suicide to try“. General Fronsac of the French Army felt confident that we could march through Carthage country and capture key cities critical to the Carthage war machine because of their nearby deposits of Saltpeter and Iron (Their only sources). Jeanne decided that the Gems were too risky, but if we could take their strategic resources we would cripple them and make a second campaign later to the Gem deposits much easier. This war had to be finished quickly since our Republican government could not sustain a prolonged war. The objectives for the Carthage war were written down and agreed upon by all military personnel.

OBJECTIVE 1: Capture Rusicade in quick strike
OBJECTIVE 2: Capture Theveste and secure Iron deposits
OBJECTIVE 3: Capture Utica and secure Saltpeter deposits
OBJECTIVE 4: Capture Sabratha near Gem fields and easily defendable around Mountains
OBJECTIVE 5: Capture Oea a second Gem field for trading

Objective 4 and 5 were for a later campaign, but some of the more cockier generals think that all objectives can be met. The campaign would be known as ” OPERATION NATION CRIPPLING”. It would begin as soon as Leonardo’s Workshop was completed in Paris. Now we just needed to convince the French people the war was just.

here is the view of Carthage and the battle plan- plus a world map

http://apolyton.net/upload/files/kaos%20xiii/france04.jpg

[Prince Jason]

looking really good!

[unscratchedfoot]

I wanna see some crippling action.

[Kaos XIII]

Why Carthage? In case your wondering the reason I chose Carthage is because they are the closest Civ with a different luxury. To the south in our continent the Ottomans, Persians, and Vikings all have the same thing we have. To the north Spanish don’t have anything worth taking. The Aztecs do have Gems but, they are deep in the northern part of the continent. So the nearest luxury are the Gems in Carthage. Another reason is that we have only 1 source of Iron and theirs is just soooo close. I have been eyeing them for a while and was just waiting for our Knights to make the Num. Mercs a non-factor. BTW Cultural and Diplomatic Victories have been turned off.

190-AD In France the rumors were spreading like wildfire, war with Carthage was imminent. Being a Republic dissent was tolerated not suppressed, however, the rumors were making Jeanne nervous; “Jeanne will bring about our ruin, Jeanne is a warmonger, Jeanne is doing this only for votes”. In Paris, Leonardo’s Workshop is now been complete and a massive upgrade of our military shall begin. Contrary to popular belief, Jeanne has not made up her mind about going to war yet. All she really wants is luxuries at a fair price, really.

“Warfare is a great matter to a nation; it is the ground of death and of life; it is the way of survival and of destruction, and must be examined.” (tzu)

210-AD Our military now numbers 47 including 6 Medieval Infantry, 7 Knights and our own unique creation, 5 Musketeers (defensive specialist with an offensive punch). Enemy forces consists of Special Battalions known as Numidian Mercenaries along with Knights. As far as we can tell they know nothing of Gunpowder.

Jeanne is now confident that our military is much superior, however, she does not want to be viewed as a bully. Gen. Fronsac is putting immense pressure on Jeanne to sneak attack Carthage to completely surprise them while we’re still negotiating. Jeanne frustrated over Hannibal’s demands sends an emissary with the message, “would you please be so polite as to share some of your Gems, for the good of all people”. Hannibal responds with a crude, sick, barbaric, insulting statement to our beloved Jeanne.

look at what that bastard said


Quickly French propaganda teams spread the word in France of the insulting statement toward Jeanne. The people are shocked and appalled. Jeanne takes advantage of the situation and tells the people in the crowded central plaza in Paris, “we have tried many times to deal in a civilized manner, but when dealing with barbarians the only way to behave is BARBARIC! Everyone knows what that means and understands quite clearly that a war against Barbarians is justified, especially if we share a border with them. We have declared WAR!!!


230 AD
Pop. 4,300,000
Land 34,000 sq. m.
Military 47 units

Gen. Fronsac and Jeanne had reached a compromise that their would be no sneak attack, but also that Fronsac would be mostly in control of the war plan. Gen Fronsac’s first order is to move battalions of 4 Knights , 1 Med. Inf., 1 Musketeer from Avignon to Carthage territory. Jeanne knows that our entire force has not yet assembled in Avignon and demands to know why we are not waiting for everyone to arrive at Avignon. General Fronsac assures Jeanne that there are enough troops to capture Rusicade in a first strike, ”besides the rest, 3 Knights and 3 Musketeer Battalions who are moving into Avignon from Tours, as we speak, will be able to reinforce if necessary“.

Before our march Jeanne spoke to the troops in Avignon about “our devotion to flag and nation, and invoked the God of Wars insisting on His aid in our just cause“. The young soldiers now advance with vast, exalting excitement. As the break of dawn appears our troops cross the border into Carthage with 4 Knights , 1 Med. Inf., 1 Musketeer from Avignon. Many people including retired Generals question the decision to attack without assembling an overwhelming force, “we need more freaking troops, this seems like a half-a** way to go to war“, said one such retirery.

IBT: We do not see any visible movement from Carthage except for their Galleys which continue to serve as spies on our coast. Now comes word that the bastard Aztecs are taking advantage of the situation and demanding gold from Jeanne. Her reply is simple and subtle; NON!!!, the Aztecs are up in the Northern Masculin and our army is heading that way anyway. If you want some, try and get some. Montezuma backs down, you betta’ foo’.

our first incursion

[Kaos XIII]

“Warfare is the way of deception. Therefore, if able, appear unable, if active, appear not active, if near, appear far, if far, appear near.” (tzu)


250 AD-- Rusicade (Obj. 1) is a city with long historical roots, established in 1575 BC, it’s a coastal city sitting on some flat Plains, its city walls are no longer necessary as the city of 460,000 has quickly outgrew them. Our Knight Battalions reach the city first, along the way we met little or no resistance, but now that we have reached the city we know it’s going to be different. Fronsac from a distance orders the charge into Rusicade and our Knights quickly realize the true horrors of war. 2 whole Knight battalions have been slaughtered a third barely makes it out alive. We have now met face to face with the Num Mercs and felt the power of their punch.

Jeanne hearing this demands that Fronsac to stop the charges until further reinforcements arrive. 3 more Knights, 1 Med. Inf. , join the battlefield to reinforce and fortify. Gen. Fronsac is now feeling the pressure from the public sector for not bringing in an overwhelming force to begin with.

IBT: On the road to Rusicade 2 Musketeer battalions who were approaching our fortified positions are ambushed by 2 Carthage Knights. We lose 1 Musketeers, but successfully defend and finish of a Carthaginian Knight. Our first victory in the history of France. All of France now rejoices what will surely be our upcoming glory. The home front is now working in a feverish pace for the war effort. Scientist double their research output, production hits an all time high and our streets are now overflowing with Gold as our commerce is ignited. This time in our life shall forever be known as the Golden Age.

Carthaginian War - Operation Nation Crippling
Casualties:

France
2 Knights
1 Musketeers
Civilians: 0

Carthage
1 Knights
Civilians: 0


260 AD-- Our fortified soldiers outside Rusicade now receive the order to charge again from Fronsac. “This time we are going in at night, while they sleep”, Fronsac says confidently. We charge with everything we have as we move into the city. Battling house to house we catch the Num Mercs napping. 3 whole enemy Merc battalions are killed in the city, while losing only one Med Inf in the battle. Victorious!!! But we didn’t stop there, Fronsac being an aggressive General ordered the attack on another Num Merc outside the city and in the way to Theveste (Obj. 2). We blast through that Merc and send in a Musketeer into the Iron deposits on the hills right outside Theveste.

In Rusicade we discover 3 Workers hiding amongst the populace. Although not military, they have aided in the war effort for Carthage. Jeanne orders them to be taken prisoners. Also some 80,000 civilians in Rusicade were caught in the cross-fire, the poor fellows. This news is ordered sealed by Jeanne for national security reasons.

IBT: Our Musketeers waiting in the Iron deposits were attacked by C. Knights , but we held on. In Rusicade our soldiers spot 2 Mercs and 2 Knights (Carthage) moving into position outside the city. “Let them come, this city shall be their graves”, thought Fronsac.

Carthaginian War - Operation Nation Crippling
Casualties:

France
2 Knights
1 Musketeers
1 Medieval Infantry
Civilians: 0

Carthage
1 Knights
4 Numidian Mercenaries
Civilians: 80,000 (estimate)
3 Workers


“Generally, in battle, use the common to engage the enemy and the uncommon to gain victory. Those skilled at uncommon maneuvers are as endless as the heavens and earth, and as inexhaustible as the rivers and seas“. (tzu)


270 AD-- Rusicade is burning with rioting and looting going on throughout the city. The situation is quite dangerous for our troops as resistors gather support for an uprising. When dealing with resistors there are only two ways handle them; starve them or fight them. Fronsac relays a message to Jeanne, “we can’t be fighting an organized force from the front, while worrying about militias in the rear. What do you want us to do.” Jeanne responds to Gen. Fronsac in a direct, precise manner, “quell the resistance BY WHATEVER MEANS NECESSARY.” This statement was in code, but Fronsac knows exactly what it means.

Meanwhile, more troops arrive into Rusicade, in total we now have 6 Knights, 2 Musk., 1 Med. Inf inside Rusicade. Fronsac decides not to attack the 2 Knights, 2 Num Mercs instead orders all our soldiers to fortify and defend Rusicade. Also, our Musketeers are ordered to destroy the road leading to the Iron deposits outside Theveste. In the home front the Sun Tzu’s Art of War has been built in Tours, French people rejoice in its glory. With the Sun Tzu all of our troops will now be equipped with the knowledge of waging effective warfare, thus becoming Veterans without being in battle.

IBT: Our Musketeer is charged and killed on the Iron deposit outside Theveste by C. Knights. A fierce battle now erupts in Rusicade as 2 Knights and 2 Mercs try to breach the city. We are the ones with experience in city warfare and our Musketeers shoot down the enemy at will. A few enemy combatants do actually get behind our Musketeers, but are then cut down by our Knights. We mowed down 2 Knights, 2 Num Mercs in the city. The citizens are then told to bury their compatriots in the outskirts. This time the blood in Rusicade all belonged to the Carthaginian military.

A new development now occurs as Jeanne hears that the bloody Aztecs have now joined the Carthaginians to fight against us in an axis of EVIL. The situation is now getting complicated, they are not too far away and could slow down our attack on Carthaginian cities. Now Jeanne is quite worried about Chartres and Lyon, our cities on the Ottoman border. Those cities are lightly defended and if the Ottomans are brought in against us, they could devastate us severely.

Carthaginian War - Operation Nation Crippling
Casualties:

France
2 Knights
2 Musketeers
1 Medieval Infantry
Civilians: 0

Carthage
3 Knights
6 Numidian Mercenaries
Civilians: 80,000 (estimate)
3 Workers


280 AD-- Jeanne now goes on the offensive on the diplomatic front. She travels to Madrid to talk with her good friend Isabella. Our cultures are quite similar and we share many of the same values. Jeanne tells Isabella, “in our struggle with Carthage we have tried not to involve other nations, but now the Carthaginians have brought in the Aztecs and we feel this alliance threatens the security of the entire Northern Masculin Contnent. As a long time friend of Spain I travel here to ask for help in our battle against the Axis of Evil.” The royal queen of Spain Isabella, who was barley a teenager, responded, “At this time in our history we are but a poor, technologically inferior nation and war would simply add to our compounding problems. My answer must then be no. UNLESS, you would be so kind as to hand over some of your impressive treasury and teach us a few of those wonderful technologies we hear so much about. After all, we could be more helpful if we were at par with France.”

Jeanne who traveled with a team of negotiators, quickly assemble a package of 500 Gold along with military advisors to teach the Spanish about Chivalry and members of the French Rebulique newspaper to start up the Printing Press in Spain. Isabella is satisfied and says she will declare war on the Aztecs. Jeanne specifically insisted that she not declare war on the Carthaginians. The reason being that Jeanne doesn’t want Spanish troops getting in the way of our battlefields. The Spanish and the Aztecs share a long border, so they will be busy for quite a while. The entire Northern Masculin Continent is now at WAR.

At the same time the meeting in Madrid is taking place another gathering is occurring in Istanbul. There French Foreign Minister Jérôme LeMond met with Osman to discuss the current situation. The Ottoman Empire consisted of only 6 cities, but all were very impressive. LeMond told Osman in a non-threatening way of course, “we would greatly appreciate it if the mighty Ottoman Empire would restrain itself from this little conflict. Because it you do become involve I can assure you, we will not fold up like an accordion.” Osman did not seem intimidated and we then gave him a Map of our territory as a guesture of friendship. We can only hope Osman got the message. The reason Jeanne did not want an alliance with Osman is because that would force their military to cross our sacred lands to get to the battlefield.

In the front we advance on Theveste with 6 Knight battalions. Fronsac orders them to fortify and attack at sunset. A new situation now occurs in Rusicade, the people are now starving. There just isn’t enough food coming in. Government newspapers write the stories to read, “Carthage troops attack food shipments.” The average French citizen sympathizes with those in Rusicade and Jeanne says that she “is doing all she can” for those poor people, however, the truth is that ……..err, well let’s not worry about the truth for now.

IBT: Mercs are seen retreating to defend Theveste, while a lone C. Knight is sent on a suicide mission in Rusicade. Those poor saps didn’t stand a chance it seems now that Carthage is desperate. We see no movement by the Aztecs, surely they are now in the battle of their lives with the recently improved Spanish.

Carthaginian War - Operation Nation Crippling
Casualties:

France
2 Knights
2 Musketeers
1 Medieval Infantry
Civilians: 0

Carthage
4 Knights
6 Numidian Mercenaries
Civilians: 180,000 (estimate)
3 Workers

Rusicade captured we head for Theveste

[Prince Jason]

keep it up!

[unscratchedfoot]

This is a cool story. I like the Sun Tsu quotes and updated casualty reports for a nice touch. I can understand the need to attack after that nasty threat from the dude with the accordian neckbrace. Keep the printing press running!

[ChrisiusMaximus]

Great work keep it up

[unscratchedfoot]

Please continue the story!

[Kaos XIII]

Ha ha, I hadn’t noticed the accordion on that freak’s neck he who doesn’t scratch the one foot.
In continuation:

290 AD-- Theveste is a city of 380,000 it is a coastal city and sits in the Plains on the mouth of the Utica River. With visions of glory our Knight battalions attack Theveste. This battle is ferocious, 5 battalions move in and go toe to toe with enemy Mercs and Knights. We are counting on this battle to be successful, it is quite critical to take Theveste now and continue on to Utica for the Saltpeter deposits. But alas, it is not meant to be, 2 Knight battalions are crushed and 3 are barely able to retreat from the inferno. The good new is that we were able to kill 2 Mercs and 1 Knight whom were defending Theveste.

Gen. Fronsac now demands that all injured units retreat to Rusicade while the 1 Med Inf, 1 Musk. join the fight outside Theveste. Jeanne feeling pressure from the citizenry to end the war decides that Objective 3 should be abandoned. “We have suffered heavy losses in Theveste and Rusicade and the battlefield is bogged down”, said Jeanne. Fronsac is furious, but even he has to admit that the Carthaginians have fought much tougher than he expected. Also the food shortage epidemic continues in Rusicade. “We are trying to do everything in our power to bring supplies to those people”, Jeanne was quoted in the national paper.

IBT: The first reports of MusketMen have now come in to Fronsac. They have been seen inside Theveste, that means the Carthaginians now have gunpowder. The battle for Theveste will now be even tougher than before. Also in an effort to cut our supply lines and reinforcements enemy 1 Knight, 1 Warrior battalions have landed right outside Avignon in the road leading to Rusicade. They washed up on shore from one of their many Galley fleets. They will slow us down a bit, but we have a whole bunch of Knights on the way.

Carthaginian War - Operation Nation Crippling
Casualties:

France
4 Knights
2 Musketeers
1 Medieval Infantry
Civilians: 0

Carthage
5 Knights
8 Numidian Mercenaries
Civilians: 244,000 (estimate)
3 Workers

carthaginians cut off road to Rusicade



300 AD-- The second charge for Theveste begins as 1 more Musketeer battalion arrives in the area. For the first time in history the French military is shot at. But our Knights and Med Inf are far too quick for their Muskets. We successfully move in behind their lines and take down 1 MusketMen and 1 Merc. We now have the initiative and Fronsac feels the city might fall. The problem is our only other unit ready to charge the city is a group of Musketeers. Fronsac does not hesitate for a second and sends them in. The news received back was bad, our Musketeers were cut down in Theveste. The city remains under Carthaginian control. In Avignon the enemy Knight and Warrior units are driven back to the sea by our hard charging Knights. 7 Knight battalions are all heading into the direction of Theveste from all of France. Their young, angry and males, soldiers, all Veterans thirsty for some blood.

IBT: Terrible News! Our Musketeer and Med. Inf. outside Theveste are ambushed and killed in a Carthage counter attack, a lone Knight battalion survives, but they are seriously wounded. The war is getting serious now. We are in danger of being involved in a very long conflict, just the thing we were trying to avoid.

“No nation has ever benefited from protracted warfare. Therefore, if one is not fully cognizant of the dangers inherent in doing battle, one cannot fully know the benefits of doing battle.” (tzu)

Carthaginian War - Operation Nation Crippling
Casualties:

France
4 Knights
4 Musketeers
2 Medieval Infantry
Civilians: 0

Carthage
6 Knights
9 Numidian Mercenaries
1 MusketMen
1 Warriors
Civilians: 244,000 (estimate)
3 Workers


310 AD-- Jeanne is frustrated at Fronsac’s apparent lack of intelligence in the matter of warfare and gives him one final message. “Gen. Fronsac you should gather all of our forces handed to you in Rusicade and prepare for one final attack on Theveste. Your career and the destiny of France now depends on its outcome.” Fronsac is now quite nervous and tells his soldiers, “I shall lead the charge myself, better to die in war than to live in defeat.” The people of Rusicade continue to suffer, many French citizens are perplexed since they have sent in tons of food into the city in charitable donations. Of course, the food must first go directly through our soldiers, so maybe it’s getting lost on the way to the people.

IBT: In a surprise move the Carthaginians are attempting to retake Rusicade. They charge Rusicade with 1 Knight, 1 Merc, 1 Longbowmen battalions at a time when our force in the city is quite impressive. Needless to say the enemy is currently meeting their maker. We are much experienced in city warfare and the Carthaginian bodies are now burned for sanitary reasons.

Carthaginian War - Operation Nation Crippling
Casualties:

France
4 Knights
4 Musketeers
2 Medieval Infantry
Civilians: 0

Carthage
7 Knights
10 Numidian Mercenaries
1 MusketMen
1 Warriors
1 Longbowmen
Civilians: 310,000 (estimate)
3 Workers

[Kaos XIII]

320 AD-- 8 healthy Knight battalions are now inside Rusicade waiting for 3 more battalions to fully heal. Fronsac isn’t going to leave anybody in reserve for the final assault on Theveste and decides to wait until the other 3 are healed. Meanwhile, there is more growing concern for the continued starvation of Rusicade. The French people are quite disgusted with what they are reading in their local papers. Jeanne announces a full investigation into the matter in Rusicade. “Some progress has been made, but we are still incredibly upset over the famine situation in the city”, she says.

IBT: A huge force of 4 Mercs, 1 Knight, 1 Warrior battalions has been spotted trying to outflank our positions away from heavily defended Rusicade and heading toward lightly guarded Avignon. Those are the ones that we can see, there might be even a larger force out of our view. However, they are using Spanish territory (our allies vs. Aztecs) to make their moves. Spanish authorities are giving us complete details on the force and their movements, so there is nothing to worry about. Jeanne takes swift action to defend Avignon.

Carthaginian War - Operation Nation Crippling
Casualties:

France
4 Knights
4 Musketeers
2 Medieval Infantry
Civilians: 0

Carthage
7 Knights
10 Numidian Mercenaries
1 MusketMen
1 Warriors
1 Longbowmen
Civilians: 360,000 (estimate)
3 Workers


“Have the enemy be separated and unable to assemble; if the enemy is assembled, it should not be organized. Move when advantageous, stop when not advantageous..” (tzu)

330-- FINAL ASSAULT -- The final battle for Theveste will take place in the wee hours of the morning. Fronsac who is embedded with one of the Knight battalions will lead the charge. The fight commences and we quickly discover that, the defense of Theveste is rather weak. Fronsac and the men storm the city with an overwhelming force, the Carthaginians are stunned by our tactics and speed. Like a charge of thunder we roll through all defenders and quickly take control of Theveste. Vive le France! In our path we leave 100,000 civilians, 1 MusketMen, 1 Mercs, 1 Knight battalions killed. We also capture a group of Workers. Theveste and the Iron deposits belong to us. Hearing the news of their quick capitulation, Hannibal agrees to talk with Jeanne in an effort to stop the war.

Today the Treaty of Rouen is signed by dignitaries of both countries to end the conflict. During negotiations Jeanne tries to pry some Gems from Hannibal, but he still won’t budge, that savage. He does however, agree to hand over 60 Gold in reparation costs. Fronsac has mixed feelings, “We surely now have an overwhelming force. Why are we stopping when we can head straight for Obj. 3 Utica”. But, Jeanne has other things on her mind like the Spices in Celtia, just across the waters from Dijon. The final report on the war reveals that although we captured 2 large cities and suffered less than half their casualties, we still failed to achieve all 3 objectives. In fact the very important 3rd objective, which was to capture the Saltpeter deposits may prove quite devastating.

“The whole point of this war was to cripple the Carthaginians beyond recognition in preparation for our Gem campaign. I’m afraid that future generations will now have to suffer for our inadequacies”, said Jeanne as she scolded the Generals of the war. But still, Gen. Fronsac and members of the Elite Knight and Musketeer force march as victors under Arc de Triomphe (monument for our troops) on Champs-Élysées in Paris. The crowd of hundreds of thousands who are here in Champs-Élysées are festive and blissful as we watch the parade and we sing La Marseillaise. The soldiers past us by in their clean, pressed uniforms as the girls throw flowers of all kinds and colors at them.

The party continues in Paris and other cities, but all is not finished. In Rusicade the populace is still starving and the Spanish are wondering when we are going to send in our force to defeat the heathen Aztecs. The truth is that while the parade continued in Paris, Jeanne had secretly dispatched several Knight and Musketeer battalions to the south-east city of Dijon. She has her eyes on the Celtic spices now and says to her advisors, “this time we ain’t stopping till we get us some luxuries”.

Carthaginian War - Operation Nation Crippling
(Final Casualty Report)- Obj. 1 and 2 met, Obj. 3 never even begun.
Casualties:

France
4 Knights
4 Musketeers
2 Medieval Infantry
Civilians: 0

Carthage
8 Knights
11 Numidian Mercenaries
2 MusketMen
1 Warriors
1 Longbowmen
Civilians: 500,000 (estimate)
4 Workers

our newly captured city