The Chronicles Of Imhotep

[HawaiiFive-O]

Interregnum

With the absorption of the Roman Empire, Egypt was now the world's preeminent power.

As our Factories, Police Stations, and Hospitals came on line, I devoted more and more of our industrial capacity to the production of Wealth, which I used to hurry improvements in the conquered Roman territories. The sooner these cities were brought up to speed, the more powerful Egypt would be.

Our armed forces were divided into reserves at the cities of Heliopolis, Thebes, Asyut, and Veii. 3 Fleets were formed at the great port cities of Buto, Lisht, and Caesaraugusta.

It was a time of peace and prosperity for Egypt. The concept of Universal Suffrage was first discussed at Thebes, and then spread rapidly throughout the world. A highly controversial Theory of Evolution was espoused in Memphis. And the mighty Aswan Dam was built along the river Nile.

Diplomatically, Egypt was secure. England and Japan remained allies, though the Japanese were not as congenial as I would have liked. Elizabeth of England and the Queen became fast friends, and took turns visiting each other for "tea and crumpets", whatever the hell a crumpet is.

Yes, it was a golden time. And then England declared war on India, dragging the industrial might of Egypt into the fray.

[Footie Mad]

Get going on the next part! As I said earlier your story is like a good book and you know how grumpy one can get if you have to put that good book down

[Gatekeeper]

HawaiiFive-O:

You most certainly get into your games. Just remember that you *really* are HFO, not Imhotep, once the game is finished, OK? We wouldn't want to lose you to some competing alternate reality.

Good story so far. Keep it up.

CYBERAmazon

[Herder]

I agree, excellent read! Lets hear more.

[Grundel]

This story would be a good canidate for story of the week

[HawaiiFive-O]

The Indo-English War

When news of the English declaration of war on the Indians reached me at my offices in Thebes, my first inclination was to sit this war out.

Our nation had just emerged not 10 years before from the carnage of the Second Latin War. We were still in the process of assimilating our Roman holdings, not to mention the facts that the Indians were both half way across the globe from us and nonthreatening trading partners.

The Eternal Queen would have none of my talk of neutrality. Her friendship with Elizabeth blinded her to the geopolitical subtleties of the situation, and she insisted we assist England in the conflict.

Resigned, I sat down with our generals to decide upon a course of action. I knew our Mutual Protection Pact with England was up in 6 years time, I wanted a short and decisive campaign with a modest goal. Something that would minimize our casualties (and involvement), while showing good faith to our allies in England. India was already embroiled in a vicious land war with the Chinese, the English Isles were in no immediate danger from the Indians.

The island of Ceylon was the answer. It had three Indian colony cities on it, and it was within two seasons sail of the port city of El-Armana, on the western tip of our continent.

+++PREPARATIONS FOR WAR+++
I ordered the Fifth Fleet to begin preparing for an invasion of Ceylon. All Anubis class Galleons from the Fourth Fleet were temporarily assigned to the Fifth, and moved to El-Armana. Third Fleet left their home port at Mendes and sailed to augment the Fourth Fleet at Kyushu. Our new Jackal class Ironclads were tasked to provide gunnery support for the invasion force and were moved into position with the Fifth Fleet.

Eight full galleons sailed from El-Armana, escorted by 10 Sinai class Frigates and 4 Jackals. The fleet staged just beyond visual range of the southernmost colony, New Calcutta. We would launch the invasion on the morrow.

+++THE BATTLE FOR CEYLON+++
Under cover of an early morning fog, the Jackals slipped in to the Gulf of Ceylon and shattered the morning calm with the thunder of cannonfire. Our Sinais blockaded all approaches to New Lahore and New Calcutta, raining deadly fire upon the inhabitants of those two unfortunate cities. Our troops disembarked in good order upon the isthmus between New Lahore and New Calcutta, our new Artillery pieces ready to add their strength to the naval bombardment. The First Army, under the command of General Ramses, would lead the charge into New Calcutta. Ramses was a traditionalist, and he employed the last three remaining Knights in our army. They were known as the Queensguard. The Second Army, an all cavalry unit led by General Nasser, was tasked to seize New Lahore, preferably with the Harbor intact. To that end, our bombardment of New Lahore was lighter than that of New Calcutta. The Second Army knew that would mean stauncher Indian resistance, but they welcomed the opportunity to prove their worth upon the field of battle.

A follow up force, Task Force 41 from the Fourth Fleet, 4 Anubis galleons and 2 escorting Sinais, left El-Armana to augment our forces on Ceylon, fully laden with fresh troops.

+++THE BATTLE OF THE CEYLON SEA+++
I remember clearly that I was congratulating myself on a brilliantly orchestrated plan. Our forces were performing admirably, and I had every reason to believe Ceylon would be ours in a few months. It had a Coal field that I was already mentally shopping around amongst the other nations, when my reverie- and my laissez-faire attitude to this war was ended by a single sheet of paper that crossed my desk.

It was a telegraph from Fifth Fleet HQ.

It was short, but no less horrifying for it’s brevity.

TF41 ATTACKED BY RUSSIAN FORCES…STOP…BOTH ESCORTING FRIGATES DESTROYED…STOP…ALL GALLEONS LOST…STOP…RESCUE OPERATIONS FOR TRANSPORTED INFANTRY UNITS UNDERWAY…STOP…NO SURVIVORS REPORTED…STOP

[HawaiiFive-O]

World War One

+++WORLD WAR ONE BEGINS+++
Later that day Catherine of Rus would have the gall to formally declare war. Russia and France joined India’s side, arrayed against the forces of Egypt, China, Japan, and England.

For myself, I cursed my decision to not provide TF41 with a Jackal for escort, though who could have known that 10 Russian Stoli Frigates would swoop down on our convoy with bloodlust in their hearts? With the Russians a peaceful friendly trading partner no less?

Two things were clear- Catherine bore us ill dating back to the Latin Wars, and that Russia had betrayed me for the last time. I vowed that this war would not end until the Egyptian flag flew high over Moscow.

With steel in my heart, I called upon my allies.

Egypt would be the arsenal of victory. To the Chinese we gifted shipments of Rubber. To the Japanese, Saltpeter. Coal to the English. None of the other leaders would ever accuse me of being a pushover at the bargaining table, but this time, with the memory of the destruction of Task Force 41 burning in my mind, I literally gave it away.

If the Russians and their cowardly allies wanted a war, we would give them a war.

The developed Western cities of Egypt converted from the production of Wealth to production of all things military. Soon Infantry, Artillery, Cavalry and more rolled off the assembly lines, ready to strike fear into the hearts of our enemies.

I called upon our Espionage experts in the city of Asyut to plant spies in the capitals of our enemies. Amazingly, we were completely unsuccessful. Shrugging it off to bad luck, I ordered them to try again in three seasons time.

Catherine had awoken a sleeping giant. To this day I wish I knew if she was as scared as she should have been. I doubt it…

+++THE CAPTURE OF CEYLON+++
French/Russian entry into the War had no bearing upon our forces in Ceylon. I ordered the assaults to begin. The Indian troops, demoralized after heavy bombardment, put up little resistance. Both New Lahore and New Calcutta fell within days, New Delhi took only as long as it took to move Cavalry battalions within range. I was pleased to note that the Second Army was able to capture New Lahore with the Harbor intact. Turning over the securing of the countryside to 3 capable governors, I ordered the fleet re-provisioned for the strike across the Yellow Sea at the Russian Homelands.

+++HOMELAND HAPPENINGS+++
The work of our physicians culminated in the concept of Battlefield Medicine, which I hoped would serve us well in the coming battle for Russia.
The Third Army was formed in Thebes, and deployed to El-Armana for transport to Russia. With the formation of a third army, I decided to concentrate our Command and Control in a central organization called the Pentagon in Pi-Ramesses. Once completed, my generals assured me they’d be able to stuff our armies with a fourth unit, making them even more powerful.

Global Warming went from a nuisance to a hazard, turning Forest into Tundra (wouldn’t that be Global Cooling?), and Plains into Desert. The increasing population of Egyptian cities pushed the limits of our ecosphere, and soon I had teams of Workers roaming the landscape cleaning up the mess.

In an astonishing turn of diplomatic events, England and France allied and declared war on the Japanese. I tensed up, fearing that my pacts with England and Japan would draw me into open warfare with one of my allies, but the call to arms never came. World War One was becoming increasingly muddled…

+++THE QUEEN GETS INVOLVED+++
How I do love the Eternal Queen, Cleopatra.

For some reason, she is incredibly titillated by the name “Privateers”. Something about the word “Privateers” will send her into a fit of blushing and giggling. I keep trying to tell her that it’s not a dirty word, just a word to describe mercenaries that prey upon other nation’s shipping without flying Egypt’s flag. But no, she’ll just blush furiously and look away.

For the rest of the War I had to constantly look over our cities’ build orders, because the Eternal Queen kept issuing commands that more “Privateers” be built. Even after I sat her down and explained that "Privateers" are hopelessly outdated and we should concentrate our Industrial might on the construction of Jackal class Ironclads. Even after I pointed out that a "Privateer" unit didn't have the firepower to take out three old ladies in a rowboat. Even after the latest and greatest Scarab class Destroyers finished sea trials.

(sigh)

How I do love the Eternal Queen, Cleopatra…

[HawaiiFive-O]

Russia Defeated

+++INVASION: RUSSIA+++
Our generals selected Odessa as our beachhead on the Russian continent. After two seasons of naval bombardment, the Russian commanders surrendered the city for no loss to our troops. Our Artillery companies began a relentless bombardment of Tbilisi, as our Cavalry moved into position.

Elizabeth cancelled the Mutual Protection Pact she had with our fair nation. It was in our best interests to let it expire as well, I knew once our pact with the Japanese expired as well we could sue for peace with the Indians and concentrate on blowing the Russians to hell.

The Russians launched a surprise invasion of Kyushu, but were utterly defeated by our garrison forces. This was the only battle fought on Egyptian lands the entire War.

+++THE WAR GRINDS ON+++
Tbilisi fell to our forces within a season. Japanese forces broke through the bottleneck at Astrakhan and poured onto the broad Russian steppes. Seeing that Russian resistance was faltering, I ordered that more reckless assaults be conducted, lest we lose some plum Russian cities to our marauding allies the Japanese.

Our scientists discovered the secret of Combustion. Soon, “automobiles” begin to add to the pollution in our cities. If it were not for this War, I’d care more about the ecological disaster ensuing around me. Our top secret research into a new class of armored, heavily armed naval vessels culminated in the sleek and deadly Scarab class Destroyer. All coastal cities switched to the production of this new warship.

We trained our Artillery upon the Russian fortress city of St. Petersburg. St. Petersburg was the key to the Russian heartlands, here lay the great Spice fields and Horse Ranches of the Rus. I vowed it would be Egypt’s. I ordered the First, Second, and Third Armies to prepare for an assault.

+++DIPLOMATIC MANEUVERINGS+++
At last our Mutual Protection Pact with Japan ended. If Shogun Tokunaga was surprised at my decision to end our arrangement, he did not show it.

Freed of our encumbering alliances, I made peace with the Indians in return for what little they had in their treasury. I made a status quo peace with France, and soon imported French silks once again appeared in Marketplaces throughout Egypt.

Russia was in our crosshairs, and nothing would distract me from exacting revenge for TF41.

Japan and India signed a peace treaty.

+++THE FALL OF ST. PETERSBURG+++
While Russia and Japan fought a pitched battle for control of Minsk, our capture of St. Petersburg meant the end of English extortion for Horses. I immediately split our forces and sent half against Smolensk (and her Spice fields), and half against the Rus capital of Moscow. I hoped to capture Catherine and bring her to trial for war crimes.

+++CATHERINE SQUEALS FOR MERCY+++
As our forces began the shelling of Moscow and Smolensk, the first Russian diplomatic overture of the war was delivered by special envoy. In flowery speech Catherine extolled the virtue and beauty of our Everlasting Queen, and beseeched her mercy. Unfortunately for Catherine, she wasn’t dealing with Cleopatra, she was dealing with me, Imhotep, also blessed of Osiris and downright pissed off.

No deal, I told the Russian envoy.

+++RUSSIA DISMEMBERED+++
Minsk fell to our victorious armies. Our scouting cavalry forces reported that Russia is a polluted mess, and I made a note that any captured Russian Workers should be put immediately to work cleaning up the piles of ugly orange pollution that amounted to the Russian landscape.

The Pentagon in Pi-Ramesses was completed, and our armies in Russia, now numbering four, were augmented with an additional Cavalry battalion apiece.

+++THE LEVELLING OF MOSCOW+++
For centuries, Moscow lay beneath the great Causcasus mountain range, peacefully nestled in their shadows. War had never touched her fair walls, until the crisp October morning Egyptian artillery trained their muzzles of death upon her.

Three long seasons our artillery smashed into the city. Long after our military analysts felt it necessary, our artillery pounded the denizens of Moscow. When finally we relented and sent the Second Army in to secure the city, over half of the population had been killed, and every civic building of note, save the ancient Aqueduct, had been destroyed.

Thus was Egypt’s vengeance visited upon Moscow.

+++JAPAN BEATS US TO THE PUNCH+++
A different story unfolded around Smolensk. The Japanese, perhaps mindful of how we beat them to the capture of the last Roman city of Syracuse, rushed the city with a human wave of Cavalry. They suffered far more casualties than the Egyptians would have deemed acceptable, but they did succeed in taking Smolensk, along with the Spice fields.

Russian resistance was fast fading. The last remaining Russian units remained holed up in their cities and no longer did they sortie against our forces in the field. Catherine had escaped our siege of Moscow, and was now attempting to make a stand at Sverdlovsk, on the northern coast.

Our forces closed in. Japanese focus strayed, as English and French naval forces harried the Japanese up and down the devastated Russian coastline.

+++CATHERINE ESCAPES+++
Despite the capture of Sverdlovsk and Riga, Catherine escaped the Egyptian net cast around her. The city of Minsk revolted from our benevolent rule, and Catherine was reported to be within the city.

Though we recaptured the city within a fortnight, Catherine was nowhere to be found.

How could this be? Minsk was the last Rus city, was it not? I called our Espionage experts in from Asyut for an explanation.

I was shocked to discover that there was yet another Russian city, founded just last year upon the Indian continent.

I took stock of the situation. The war had lasted over 20 years. War exhaustion was just beginning to show in the Egyptian economy. Just last week the Chinese and Japanese had declared war on England and France, so now it was China against India, China + Japan vs. England + France, Japan + Egypt vs. Russia.

Russia was a shattered nation, no longer a threat to Egypt. And now they were 6 seasons sail away.

Balanced against this was the fact that a free Russian city might inspire our conquered Russian cities to revolt against Egypt.

Nevertheless, I decided to sue for peace. If we could convince the downtrodden Russian peasantry to willingly foreswear Catherine’s regime and swear allegiance to the Eternal Queen, I would have a lasting and satisfactory victory.

Catherine was all too eager to end hostilities between our two nations.

I made sure that Tokunaga knew exactly where the last Rus city lay.

Peace once again returned to Egypt, though the world surrounding her was in flames.

[SirOsis]

Excellent story. It made me want to get back to my game as well as possibly write something of my campaigns!

[dnassman]

Outstanding story. Its pretty obvious that you have the story contest victory in the bag.

[Barfus]

Brilliant

excellent story Hawaii. It makes me giddy to finally write my games story. I just hope I can do it with as much finesse and not appear to be plagiarizing. *ahem* My Emperor Publius Martius Verus sends his best wishes to Imhotep and his Sovereign Queen Cleopatra.

keep up the good work

[HawaiiFive-O]

Thanks everyone for the encouragement!

I'm on the home stretch with this game. Just so you know, I play with Diplo and Spaceship victory off.

Diplo because I think it's cheap.

Spaceship because, as my goal in all Civ-style games is to build up a glorious empire with completely infrastructurely built out cities and then savagely lay about my former allies with a big stick, I just hate Spaceship Victory as it let's my victims get away from me.

Pity the poor AI. I'm almost ready to take on the world...

[Gatekeeper]

HF-O:

You have a knack for building stories around the Civ III strategy game. Good job and keep up the excellent work. I am fairly certain you will receive some "official" recognition for this eventually.

CYBERAmazon

[pg]

wow!

very nicely written, your story is better than most books i read(since they are usually too slow). i really like the bervity, and character you portray. firaxis should use it for advertising!

btw, i have to agree about the diplomatic victory. it's much to easy to win with that. just give in to all demands and stay alive and you'll win when the un is built. anyhow, the story rocks, best one i've read so far!

[Herder]

I too like to play with diplomatic and space race victory off. Diplomatic is just cheesy and space race is too easy and morally defunct.

Anyway, good work on the narrative again.