The Egyptian Campaign (long!)

[Haphazard]

Rome had just conquered the last far northwestern city of the Germanic Tribes and now held sway on the Western third of the great pangea of Eurasia. The other great powers were Eygpt to the northeast, France to the west, as well as England and Greece in the mystical far East.

The Regent of Rome was happy with the way the German campaign had gone, Darius' Legions were feared throughout the known world, and his first Imperial Army was the most impressive formation in the land. But Regent Caesar was still not satisfied. The people were rioting frequently in the provinces, and even in Rome the people were calling out for more luxuries despite the treasury being spent on legions battling the barbarian hordes North of Berlin. The borders of wealthier France and Egypt were dangerously close to the core cities of Rome.

So Caesar called in his generals to hear his new plan at the Barracks in Antium, near the border with Eygpt. The threat from both Rome's neighbour would only grow over time. A limited war was therefore proposed to push back Eygpt and secure lucrative Spice supplies near the border south of Giza. Helisopolis was to be captured too, which would give control over the Carpathian range of mountains overlooking both the French and Eygptian borders. Then with the armies of Rome approaching the gates of Thebes, monetary tribute could be obtained from Cleopatra. France and Eygpt were no close friends, and Joan d'Arc would stay neutral.

Heeding the wisdom gained from consulting the Apolyton sages, a much larger force than the ones used to subdue Germany would be used. The 12th and 14th Legions would march on the small town of Giza over the Alps, and the first Imperial army (led by Darius and containing the 1st, 2nd and 3rd veteran legions) along with the 6th, 7th and 8th Legions would march though the Carpathian mountains along the Nile valley though to Heliopolis and onto Thebes. The orders were carried by the Generals on horseback to their troops and the invasion began.

It went well initially. After the declaration of war, which independent observers would have said was made on spurious justification -had there been any such observers, the 12th and 14th marched to Giza and successfully killed two Spearmen regiments in Giza with only minor loses. The 1st Army group swiftly captured Heliopolis, leaving behind the 6th Legion, and marching, albeit cautiously, towards Thebes. Then came the counterattack at Giza. Uncountable numbers of War Chariots ambushed and overwhelmed the 12th and 14th Legions outside Giza, leaving no survivors and capturing their Eagle standards. Worst still, Horseman divisons raced back through the very same passes the 12th and 14th had marched, into Roman territory. More chariots now theaterned newly Roman Heliopolis and a spearmen regiment marched past the surrounded Heliopolis and towards Antium.

Caesar had only just returned to Rome, and already reports of the intial success at Heliopolis, and the reversal at Giza had arrived. Alarmed by the reports of horseman moving on Antium, and even more taking positions on the Rock of Konigsberg, he ordered Garrison legions in Germany and some of the Pretorian guard in Rome itself to move towards the border to destory the invaders. The 7th Legion turned around from it's march and returned to reinforce the 6th at Helipolis, while Darius and the 8th marched on.

The newly arrived garrison and Pretorian legions barely defeated the horseman and just held the alps against the vicious War chariots. The Spearmen interlopers were crushed, but not before they got in sight of the Vital Iron mines north of Rome. The 6th and 7th Legions held Helipolis and broke the seige.

New legions were raised and sent to the alps, but resistance, and inefficent production in the Northern provences required some of the best legions to patrol. A retiring veteran General from the Alps, Hadrian, was called in by Caesar and given command to govern the North. After surviving a few scraps on the road to Berlin, Hadrian swiftly took command, and quickly raised an impressive fortess/palace and extensive fortifications and walls in Berlin. The few remining rebels were crushed and corruption was fought succesfully. After this success, many more legions from the North could hold the line in the Alps counterattacking the poor defensive camps of the Horse and Chariot divisions.

After the second wave of attacks from the north were bravely held off, the elite 5th Legion was rotated back to Rome. It's General, Maximus, had great and bitter experience of both the Alps and German campaigns. His writings on the Art of War, inspired by a wish to prevent disastrous leadership like in the start of this war, were to form the basic text for new commanders throughout the continent, and the leadership, and quality of the new troops helped gain the upper hand in the now, all out war.

By now, the 1st Army, and 8th Legion had reached sight of the gates of Thebes, however those were across the River, and were held by fearsome pikemen legions. About to start his attack, Darius was frustrated to hear he had been ordered to march West to Giza, not to attack Thebes. He complied. This time, 7 Legions marched across the now bloody Alpine passes, and onto Giza as dictacted by Senator Maximus' doctrine of overwhelming force. The War chariots that came to meet them were cut off by a newly arrived 1st Army and slaughtered. A vicious pitched battle outside Giza decimated many legions, but Giza (and it's spices) were now in Roman hands. The 1st Army turned around, and for the second time marched on Thebes down a very worn road. Meanwhile 4 legions marched on Pi-Ramesses and captured it as the greatly reduced enemy War chariot and Horseman corps did not challenge them.

The first army arrived at Thebes (again, Darius noted with a grimace) and laid seige with the 6th, 7th and 8th Legions. The intial attack a bloody failure, new tactics were employed. Caravans of Iron where interdicted, followed back to the mines, which were then collapsed, halting Pike production. Roads to the wild plains of Alexandria were cut, leading to shortages of horses in the already depleted stables of Thebes and northern Egypt. Finally mountain heights over Thebes were occupied, giving panoramic views over the area.

Meanwhile back in Rome, Senator Maximus had learnt well from his encounters with Egyptian Horsemen, and had set up funds for horseriding schools, and the first of the 'Mounted Legionaires' Regiments were ready for testing on the field of battle. These quickly marched on Thebes and formed the main thrust of the final attack on Thebes. Overwhelmed by these speedy warriors, similiar to their own mounted troops, but seemingly impervious to arrows, and capable to outmanoeuvre the few pike and spear regiments, the army of Thebes surrended.

Darius met with Cleopatra at her palace and set out Roman terms. The government of Egypt would move north, and Thebes, Giza and Pi-Ramesses were all ceded to Rome, along with the horse producing regions of Alexandria, to ensure Egyptian Cavalary never threatened Rome again. Satisfied with this great, but costly victory, Caesar's gaze turned inwards, to rebuild the once great cultural reputaion of Rome. France would wait.

[Haphazard]

Would a screenshot be a good idea if I can find one?

[Michael7586]

Yes, a screenshot I would think should be mandatory!

Just a good overview map shot would be helpful. Thanks for your story.

Michael7586

[Excelsior]

Good story. It definately needs a screenshot, though. I find it hard enough to picture the geography of our own planet in my head, much less that of a fictious world.

If you don't mind a little constructive criticism, there are few grammatical corrections that would help it. They knocked me right out of the world you are trying to create.

Then the counterattack at Giza happened.

That "happened" really disrupts the flow of the story, IMHO. Maybe, "Then came the counterattack at Giza."

More chariots theaterned now Roman Heliopolis and a spearmen regiment marched past the surrounding Heliopolis and towards Antium.

You just messed up your word order by accident. It should be "now threatened," or "Now, more chariots threatened..."

Alarmed by the reports of horseman moving on Antium, and taking positions on the Rock of Konisberg, he ordered Garrison legions in Germany and some of the Pretorian guard in Rome itself to move towards the border to destory the invaders such was the threat.

I'm not sure what this sentence needs, but I found myself unable to proceed without trying to figure it out. You could just strike the "such was the threat."

Meanwhile 4 legions marched on Rameses and captured it, the enemy. War chariot and Horseman corps now greatly reduced.

That last sentence is not a sentence. I think you meant for the last sentence to be part of the whole. For example, "...and captured it, the enemy War Chariot and Horseman Corps now greatly reduced." It might be better to put it at the first of the sentence, though.

[War4ever]

grammar aside...nice story

[Haphazard]

Thanks Excelsior. I've gone through your points, and re-written the offending parts. My proof-reading isn't too good... I've also corrected the city names, and here's a (old) screenshot

Oops. Seems only I could see that screenshot. I'll try again...

[Excelsior]

You can't use the IMG codes to attach an image from your hard drive. It has to be on the web somewhere. If you can shrink/crop it down to size you can attach it to using the attach file option.

Originally posted by Haphazard
Thanks Excelsior. I've gone through your points, and re-written the offending parts. My proof-reading isn't too good...

It is a lot easier to proof-read someone else's writing than to proof-read your own. You tend to read it as you expect it to be, not as it is written. I have that problem a lot. I'd suggest writing it your stories in a word processor like MS Word and using the grammar check. It will often try to fix things that are already correct, thus making them wrong, but it will also catch a few dumb things.

[Grundel]

Very well written story about a Civ3 war. I hope to see some more posts from you

[Haphazard]

Thanks Grundel, I've just read The Mercury device though, and that one will probably win story of the week now. Couldn't you have waited till next week?

More stories perhaps after my tenth game...

And how do I get the screenshot up? I get this message when I try the cropped version:

The image that you have attached is too big. Please make it no bigger than 600 x 0.