MP story

[Cidifer]

This is told more like a history book then a story but it's basically what happened in an MP game I played with some friends.

A few notes, when I say inf sometimes I mean Marines, and maybe even riflemen and paratroopers sometimes. Also this was over lan. We did have a couple editor changes ( I think but I'm not actually 100% sure, for example I think we had 6 plane ACC so I said we did even though I'm not 100% sure).

Geography:
America and China share a continent to the East, America owns the western 2/3 and china the eastern 1/3 as well as an island with 4 cities off the NE coast.

England has it's own small continent with a few islands in the northern area of Great Ocean which seperates the Eastern Continent from the Western Continent.

The western continent is the largest with an island just off it's SE coast which holds about half the Greek cities. In the SE corner of the continent the Greeks have a more cities. Bordering them are the Russians who have a vast empire stretching north for about half the continent until it meets Germany. Germany runs north for the other half. both stretch similarly just over 50 % of the continents width until they meet France. France Shares it's eastern border with both countries and it's western with the Spanish.

[Cidifer]

History and the Build up

The Russians had recently begun a new wave of expansion through French lands, the Germans had done the same years ago when they ended their fued with the Russians and became allies. The Germans had some success however since many of it's troops were still possitioned along the Russian boarder they weren't able to go deep into French land and when Greece and Spain declared war on them they quickly negotiated a peace treaty that gave them 2 cities and access to a few resources. It would later be discovered that in a secret meeting the Germans had agreed to leave the French territory to the Russians and in return the Russians would join them in any war that would occur when Germany was ready to launch it's invasion of Greece.

Soon after however America reached an agreement with France that gave them a city on the Western continent and land to set up air fields, in edition to money and luxories. In exchange the Americans would station a large number or troops in their terriory to deter the Germans while they agree to defend themselves from the Russians. Spain and England also joins the US and France in an alliance that agrees to keep France safe from Russian and German expansion in the interest of their own country and the countries of their allies. They became known as the SAFE (Spain, American, France, England) Coalition.

In response The Russians and Germans formed an alliance including China that they would not allow trade with any of the countries in the SAFE Coalition as long as forign troops where stationed in France as they saw this as preperation for war against them.

This worried Greece who joined SAFE and dubbed them the Communist Alliance in response to the fact that all 3 countries where communist states. America shifted some of it's troops in France (which included more then 30 infentry along with Tanks, Bombers and Artiliary) back to America to protect herself from a possibly Chinese attack, others troops which where enroute to France where diverted to Greece where they would soon join English and Greek troops.

[Cidifer]

WAR

Suddenly one day it happened, a massive joint Russo-German invasion of France, they had by passed US and English blockades by travling through Russia and launching some attacks from the sea. SAFE scrambled to take action, however Russia had already claimed a city before along Frances northern coast which was left virtually undefended in anticipation of a ground based attack coming from the east. American and French bombers responded as the US declared war.

Meanwhile American workers who had been working on the French rail system rushed to find protection, Spain and Greece began stepping up war production however neither country was willing to send troops to the front lines or declare war on Russia or Germany directly, however both contributed money. England on the other hand rushed it's troops along the German boarder into enemy territory against the wishes of the American President. The Germans had a strong defense as well as roadless mountians that needed to be crossed in order to reach the German cities.

Germany had a great General named as Gen. Rocklin also known as the Butcher because of his treatment of forign civilians. He had anticipated a possible SAFE invasion and also knew that SAFE was heavy with defensive units and that the only offensive unit the English had (as they had no cities on the continent to upgrade units) was the cavalry. The English invaded were slaughtered by the well dug in Germans, the cost to the English was atleat 6 cavalry units suffering heavly casualties and another 4 being completely destroyed. In addition more then 11 infentry units were completely destroyed and atleast another 5 injured in the German counter attack. The Germans lost mearly 2 infentry with damage to a few other units.

Despite the large loss of English life during their incursion the Brits were more commited then ever to defeating the Communist Alliance at any coast, to do this they were loaned a Greek city to fly in
re-enforcements. At the same time the Russians had aquired a 2nd French city in a much less civilized way. The French boarder city of Carbohydrate was now under Russian control. American troops where now now on the Front lines facing the dreaded German Panzers who had been wreaking havoc on French cities and defenders then leaving what resistence remained to the Russians who would clean it up and take the cities.

[Cidifer]

Communist Success

The German Panzers dispatched the American and French Infentry units with relitive ease as Russian bombers and fighters took control of the skies. In the North Sea above the western continent the English and French navies was able to cut off the Russian sea route however they now had a land route linking their troops. America produced more troops on it's home continent while trying to convince all members of the SAFE Coalition to join the war. While Lincoln was unsuccessful at this he did manage to convince the other powers to cut off all trade with China who, he believed was supplying the other CA nations with money and resources.

This did little to slow the Russo-German war machine however and soon the French town of Mead was in German control, making it the 1st French city captured by the Germans, likely because it's size was small and it would require a smaller garrison. English troops where now arriving in France from Greece and the English where able to engage some of their forces in the north instead of continuing guard of the German boarder.

Encouraged by this success and angered by the SAFE embargo China launched a sneak attack on America. Over a dozen tank divisions rolled into American territory in the south of the Eastern Continent to launch an attack on the American city of Springfield which had only 5 infantry and an artillary guarding it.

In the West at this time the German and Russians were regrouping and seemed to be preparing for a 2nd attack. In what would later be determinded as a simple ploy to stall the possible interventions of Spain and Greece; Russia and Germany began peace talks with France and the US. However despite their offer to give up 2 of the cities they had captured they didn't really seem to be willing to compromise.

[Cidifer]

America Strikes Back

By now the US was fighting a war on 2 fronts Lincoln met with the English Prime Minister Churchill and they came to the agreement that defence of Greece would be turned over exclusivly to the English and the Greek. Some of the US troops stationed their would be moved to France, others back to America to help fight the Chinese.

Dispite heavy US involvment overseas America was prepared for the Chinese invasion and her bombers did well in slowing the offensive of tanks which was now followed by atleast as many infantry Divisions. With a weak defense at Springfield the US drafted it's 1st unit of the war. Fourtunatly the US had a complete rail system in place and was able to meet the damaged tanks with tanks and artillary of their own. The Chinese were defeated in a see-saw battle however more American troops came from all directions giving the US the edge.

It wasn't long before a US counter attack was launched. More than 20 tank units spearheaded the invasion and by the end of the Campain 4 Chinese cities had been captured.

[Cidifer]

The Turn of Spain and Greece

Americas home land success didn't do much on the French front where another northern coast city was captured, it seemed clear that the Germans and Russians had little desire to head closer to the American and British troops and instead went almost exclusivly after the panicing French.

Encouraged by the fact that they continued to have victory after victory in France and the American withdrawl in Greece, Germany launched Operation Alexander: The Invasion of Greece. As the 1st German Panzer crossed the Greeco-German boarder Greece was declared war. Worried that the CA advance was now just a few cities away from the Spainish borader Spain also declared war joining the rest of the Safe coalition.

Germany was soon able to capture 2 Greek boarder cities simultaniously and seemed to have it's sights set on the English base next. Surprising to everyone there where 4 Chinese tanks along with 4 infantry units who crossed with the Germans and began attacking English troops bring England to war with the Chinese and soon the Greeks would also declare war on China.

[Cidifer]

The Turning Point: The Battle of Sleepy Hollow


For years now Germany and Russia had experianced only success on the battlefield however that was all about to change.

As the Germans pressed on through France they came to town of Sleepy Hollow, the gate way to the American overseas base which made it easy for the US to bring in re-enforcements.

Just off the coast of conquered France in the North Sea the American Air Craft Carrier the USS Lincoln, a new bread of Carrier able to hold 6 air craft squadrons at once, joined the British and French fleets their and gave SAFE the edge in air power in the area. The Lincoln was part of the US 4th Fleet and on it's way to the North Sea it had helped firmly established SAFE as the supreme naval power.

Now France, England, America, and Spain all began heavy airstrikes against Russian coastal cities and troops. In response to this the Russians rebased a large number of their Air Force back to cities along the North Sea, leaving German troops advancing on Sleepy Hollow with out adequate air cover. Soon SAFE plane where raining bombs on teh Germans in and around the French town of Mead and those who approached Sleepy Hollow where now badly weakened and many Panzers where lost to the counter attack led by the English 4th tank group and supported by the French and American troops in the area.

The Germans where sent into retreat and headed back to Mead with coalition forces close behind. However the German retreat would not end there as the allied force of America, France, and England finally began working together and complementing eachothers strengths rather then working independently.

Sortly after mead was retaken coalition forces in Greece began making gain of their own, retaking a Greek city and completely distroying the Chinese presence.

As SAFE forces approached the next captured French city their advance slowed as the Russian defenders came into play. The ground troops waited as the SAFE airstrikes pounded CA forces from both sides.

Back in America the US captured an additional 2 Chinese cities but agreed to return them in exchange for peace and a heavy price in money as well as the disbanding of nearly half of their offensive military and peace with England and Greece and an embargo against Germany and Russia.

Even though set backs had occured the CA, now minus China was still confident of their ability to succeed and were not even willing to disucss a peace plan.

Now that China no longer posed a threat America was able to immediatly move several tanks to France and help break the stalemate that had occured.

In the west along the coast French and Spainish began a joint offensive to take back the city of Lyon, and in the East American and England with French assistence woud make a march toward Carbohydrate where they hoped to meet the French and Spanish from the East.

[Cidifer]

Peace and the Future

It took some time but with heavy air strikes and strong team work on the ground the Coalition was able to push the CA back into Russian territory. Most countries were now war weary and generally supported a peace treaty. The treaty with Germany demanded return of it's last Greek city to the Greeks and also required that a fine be paid to the England and the US and that a much heaver fine be paid to France. Russia was forced to pay similar fines but was also forced to give up a city to Enland to deter them from trying to invade again. In Greece the English overseas base was returned to Alexander's control, however the US continued occupation of thier base in France by request of the French President. In addition to the other terms Germany and Russia where both forced to place temporary embargoes against each other.

As a result of the war, known as the SAFE war, all countries joined the United Nations which holds it's meetings in the United States.

There is peace among all countries now, however other worries are on the horrizion, especially with the reports of Russia and Germany supposedly developing weapons of mass destruction, some wonder if there is really peace at all.

[ChrisiusMaximus]

Excellent, will there be a further update on this, I do hope so. Is PTW alright theres so much negative feedback on the PTW forum, although this sounds a truly enjoyable game. Were there any AI countries or were there enough of you to play each nation?.

[Cidifer]

Well the game isn't finished yet so I don't know what will happen, if there is anything interesting and people like hearing about MP games maybe I will. Or maybe I'll write another one for the next game we play.

Also, yes the game does have problems, many are preventable or easily fixed in lan games. My suggestion is wait to buy the game until there is a patch out (that's what I'm going to do, I'm not the owner of the game I used to play, it was a friends).

[ChrisiusMaximus]

Thanks for the info, Ill probably still buy it later this month for the new features anyway, airbases etc.

I for one would like to see the outcome of this and would like to read other game accounts if youd like to post them, true you put it right in that its more a history report than a story but none the less I found it difficult to stop reading, in other words its almost a story and certainly as good a read as the stories here.

[Cidifer]

Thanks I'll probably finish the game tonight.

I know it's long but I'm sure atleast a couple other people must have read it (or atleast a good part of it), I'd like to know what they think too, this is my 1st story after all.

Also it's written kind of like a history book becuase I don't really like writing dialog too much.

[Cidifer]

Well I finished the game, maybe I'll write another one now, but since no one really gave me any feed back I don't know how I should change\improve my next one.

[Jack_www]

Well I like the story, please dont change your style of writting!

[Cidifer]

Well I had some comp problems but they seem to be ironed out now, has anyone else written MP stories? it's hard to tell just from the topics and although I'm making my way through them it is rather time consuming.

[ChrisiusMaximus]

I dont think so but Kull has been posting a story based on a civ2 pbem game he has been playing.

Well worth a read.

[Datajack Franit]

Nice to see there aren't crashes and alike so far

[ChrisiusMaximus]

Hey Cidifier, would like to see some more from you.