Dominance

[Toasty]

Prologue
***
This story centers largely around the Russian empire, starting in the year 1842. Czarina Catherine XIV had recently ascended to the throne. Russia had just annexed the whole of England and stolen Hamburg from their German neighbors for coal. She was not very liked on her continent. There will most likely be war in Russia.

Rome, on an Island Northwest of Russia, had fallen into anarchy from their democracy. She had been in an overseas war with India for centuries, and it had taken it's toll. Underdeveloped and underpowered, Rome was the second weakest on the Eastern continent. Rome is, at this stage, seeking peace and development.

Germany, to the East of Russia, was the weakest on the continent. Her aggressive ways had gotten her into wars which she could not win; since she was almost always at war, she also lost many of her colony-cities to culture. Germany still demands her place in the sun.

China and France are two strong powers North of the Russians and Germans. Constantly warring, France currently has the upper hand. Russia has long been sending resources to the Chinese to try and stem the flow of powerful French expansion, but to no avail.

France is the dominant power on this continent. Large, rich, with many colonies around the world and having a very well-developed culture, they seek to control the East. Russia, the only power nearly as strong as France, will have to stand up to her.

***
Chapter 1: Loomings
***
Catherine stood in front of the Forbidden Palace at London, recently constructed. The palace was beautiful; it stood over the Thames river and was the center of the city. However, just outside of London, Catherine could see the French cavalry regiments marching past.

In an effort to improve Russo-French relations, Catherine had signed a 'right of passage'. Not only did it not do anything to improve their relations with France, but it left the Chinese coal colony of Brundisium exposed. Catherine regretted it.

The Forbidden Palace at London was a grave necessity. Catherine had inherited a grossly under-equipped and out of date army. Pikemen still defended major cities, swordsmen and Cossacks defended the whole of England! What's worse, the rail network was not yet completed, and neither was the Military Academy in Smolensk. Russia would most certainly lose a war, possibly even one against Germany.

But the community did not know that. The sheer size of the Russian army--89 divisions in all, compared to Germany's 27 and Frances 46. China, poor and frustrated, had to fight France with 32 units in total, most of them long outdated.

Catherine slouched in her throne. Her belly stood higher than her head. Was this the 'greatness' she was doomed to inhereit?
***
Colonel Linoges was leading the French expedition to Brundisium. It would be a walkover; French spies reported only riflemen in the city. The French force had 3 veteran cavalry units, 2 regular, and 1 elite infantry unit.

Linoges had long wondered why his country hated the Chinese so much. But the gentle galloping of horses and plodding of soldiers boots soon drowned out any individual thought a soldier might have. The French army was the greatest amry in the world and it was destined to fulfill it's place so, they said. Every soldier bought it hook, line and sinker, and the Chinese campaign only furthered the prospect.

As the expeditionary force began to walk past London, Linoges looked at the Forbidden Palace. It had more windows than anything in France, and a more regal look than anything he had ever seen.

The fluttering of the cavalry's flags in the wind soon distracted him, though. As they continued to march through the English countryside, the sun shone down. Yes, it was the French army's destiny for greatness. The almighty had made it so.
***
General Xiotang lined up his forces of Riflemen and cannons. The day had been dry, which made good of his artillery, outdated as they may be. The hills outside Brundisium made it hard for the soldiers to see over, but if they went up to the hill the attackers would not be attacked by the artillery in time. So he stood behind the city gates and rallied his demoralized troops.

Last night in the mess hall he would constantly hear murmurings of 'why should we die for coal?" and "These French seem to treat their POWs better than the government treats us". Xiotang had everything in mutiny to fear, but if he could beat back the expeditionary force, then China could complete it's rail network and have a tactical advantage over the French. The French, with their well developed home rail network, did not have any sort of faster movement outside of France proper. no roads or rails extended beyond the Champagne mountains, on the isthmus between France and China. It was critical to China's success that Brundisium be held.

As the galloping from the French cavalry began to be heard, Xiotang had his forces ready their rifles. Seconds later, the battle would being.

Next Chapter: The Battle for Brundisium and the Berlin Scandal.

[steelehc]

This is interesting. It's as good as Grecian, but without the cool name.

Steele

[Toasty]

The preparation for the battle had begun with a short feeding, but the French forces could not wait, as heading at full speed to Brundisium had, no doubt, led the Chinese to believe they were advancing, and fast. They wasted little time. Within 20 minutes the battle had begun.

Linoges had ordered his cavalry forward, directly at Brundisium. The mass of horses enveloped the peaks of all the hills, with the Earth rumbling and shaking under the weight of over 500 horses. While the wedge came advanced against the 2,000-strong Chinese garrison, bullets whizzed by making holes in the earth and popping clumps of dirt and cannon fire plodded the dry, hard hills making large explosions of ground.

As the Infantry began to come over the center hill, Linoges led, with the French tricolor flag held high and fluttering in the afternoon wind. The deaths of many Frenchmen could be heard in their screams and pleas for help.

The Chinese gunmen laid down atop the city walls, firing from behind stone guards. The French had no artillery to break them, as the horses fell and crushed their men, they could do naught but prey to make it to the gates and into the city. Several Chinese men would fall from a well-aimed hit at one of the gunslots, but for the greater part, this simplistic tactic worked.

Xiotang stood behind the Cannons, somewhat silenced from the agony of battle, ordering them to fire in unison. Outdated and rustic, they still did a job spooking cavalry horses. Entire units of cavalry galloped in circles from confusion, with horses bucking and neighing.

With the massacre of the cavalry came the onrush of French infantry. Reaching the gates of the city, they then fell into rounded trenches just in front of the city walls, a tactic Xiotang had read from the battles in ancient Greece. There they were subject to the mercy of the Chinese riflemen; and in war, there is no mercy.

After the battle, Linoges lay dead in a tench, on top of a blood-stained tricolor flag. This was China's first victory against the French in decades. As Xiotang stood atop the city walls, cheered by his men and overlooking the victorious battle, he thought that surely today was a turning point.
***
Bismarck stood above the German army, on display in front of the KriegsPalast, with pride in his heart. The German army had been completely revamped, updated, the command restructured, and prepared for battle. The troops marched past and saluted the Chancellor, for truly, today was a great day.

It was sunny and 75-ish in almost all of Germany today, except Konigsberg, a French city. It was pouring and thundering there today.

The band on the KriegsPalast balcony played the German national anthem loudly. Their feathered helmets swayed gently and the drums slammed loud enough for all of Berlin to hear.

Bismarck the hushed them, quickly.

Bismarck began to speak.

"A momentous hour has struck for Germany. Envious rivals everywhere force us to legitimate defense. The sword has been forced into our hands. I hope that in the event that my efforts to the very last moment do not succeed in bringing our opponents to reason and in preserving peace, we may use the sword, with the help of God, so that we may sheathe it again with honor. War will demand enormous sacrifices by the German people, but we shall show the enemy what it means to attack Germany. And so I commend you to God. Go forth into the churches, kneel down before God, and implore his help for our brave army."

Cheers rose up from the soldiers, who waved their Prussian army hats above them. The Germans were marching for war. France had tried to initiate a propaganda campaign in Leipzig, and for this there was no excuse. As the Germans began there cheering, the French began their mourning.

Such was the cycle of Dominance.
***
Next Chapter: The Xiotang Counter-Offensive and the Deutsch Angriff.

[ElDiablo]

Toasty, you really have a knack for makin amazin stories like this!

[Toasty]

Whoops...wonder how this happened...

Anyways, feel free to comment.

[Toasty]

I don't know why but I'm not really liking this story much...I don't think I'll be continuing it unless the public disagrees.

[civman2000]

hmm...i would have to agree with you toasty...no offense, but it's just not nearly as good as grecian was

[Toasty]

Author's note: I know I had said that I probably wouldn't continue this story, but I busted my CD tray and I can't play Civ 3 . I continued to play this game so I thought I might post some of the results and see if it will pick up a little. So, without further ado, I present Dominance Chapter 3: The Xiotang Counter-Offensive and the Deutsch Angriff.
***
Mao had called General Xiotang to the Beijing Communist headquarters. Xiotang's victory had finally brought hope to the downtrodden Chinese people, and inspired an entire nation.

Xiotang began the steps up to the palace gate, escorted by two men with machine guns. He felt nervous; he took off his general's hat and wiped the sweat from his forehead. It was steamy in the Beijing summertime; While relatively far to the North, it was on the humid Yangtze river, surrounded by large grassy plains.

Xiotang put his hat back on his hed and snugged it down tightly. Once the guards and Xiotang made it to the steps, the main hallway came into full view as the large glass doors were open in preparation for his arrival.

The guards motioned him in with their guns as the doormaid came and offered him some tea. Xiotang couldn't stand tea at this time of year, so he denied. She said that Mao would meet him in the drawing room, and to head to the right and wait in the living room until told otherwise.

Xiotang proceeded to do so, walking slowly and taking off his hat. He took the time to take in the sheer awe of the palace; a crystal chandalier hung high from the ceiling with a mural of Mao at the battle of Beijing, over 600 years ago. The French, in their 3rd war with them, had pushed to the gates of Beijing. They were stopped and beaten back by Mao and his forces. They pushed all the way to Tours. The whole ceiling was plated with gold and gems.

Mao heard the wind chimes out at the Palace steps jingle in the gentle summer wind. Inside the palace it was air conditioned, and Xiotang sat down on a fine Roman sofa, leaned his head back, and enjoyed it.

His enjoyment was short lived as Mao came in, draped in a Chinese robe.

Xiotang immediately stood up and they saluted eachother as one soldier to another.

"Xiotang, your great defense of Brundisium is a commendable act to the highest. Our nation will stand like a mighty castle though the French throw, er, very big rocks down upon it!"

Xiotang stifled a laugh at Mao's attempt at metaphor.

"It is upon my duty as the nation's chairman that I offer you China's highest award of "Communist Hero: 1st Class". Mao pulled out the medal from his pocket and pinned it on Xiotang's military suit. Another salute resumed.

"However, I need to talk to you of a mission. As both you and I know, the French have made a gigantic attempt at our fortress at Anyang. I need you to-"

"Defend it? I assure you, sir, I sha-"

"No. I want you to attack from it," Mao said with a smile. "If we can defeat the French there, we can beat them all the way back to Tours again...or, maybe even, Paris.

Inside his head, Xiotang was screaming at Mao, condemning him for such idiocy. But then he realized--heroes have always been short-lived in China. In the Despotism, in the Monarchy, heroes would never stay long. They were always killed...in battle.

No wonder China was suffering so many defeats. Mao would rather rule a tiny little island North of India as opposed to not ruling at all.

"Of course, Mao. I'll catch the next train out of Beijing."

"Godspeed."

Xiotang muttered to himself, as the guards prodded him away from the palace, "despots are all the same."
***
Author's note: The Deutsch Angriff will come later. I just wanted to stop because it's later than I realized . Oh, and again, feel free to comment.

[EmprorCoopinius]

This is lookin good, really looking forward to the Deutsch Angriff....retribution time.