Author Topic: A War of Realms AAR: Canus the Consul  (Read 5560 times)

Jubal

  • Megadux
    Executive Officer
  • Posts: 35495
  • Karma: 140
  • Awards Awarded for oustanding services to Exilian!
    • View Profile
    • Awards
A War of Realms AAR: Canus the Consul
« on: December 28, 2012, 11:08:44 PM »
This is an AAR covering my game as Canus, Consul of the Teril Republic, in my War of Realms mod for Civilisation II. Difficulty setting is Prince, small world map. It starts when the game ends, 2020 AD, when (this being War of Realms) the world's seven nations are still locked in combat. Mostly with the Terils.

An overview of the world will be given first, and its seven nations:

- The TERILS (BLUE), our protagonists, started as a small mountain tribe around the town of Filenon. They expanded to dominate first their mountains and later the plains to their northwest. Their large and fairly prosperous nation is at war with just about everyone else, though this rarely causes conflict on a large scale and tends to result in slow moving border wars. The Canus dynasty were its Kings for many years, though their lands are now a republic their Consul is still a Canus, responsible for defending their lands.

- The ORENTIANS (GREEN) are one of the contenders for second largest nation and a former ally of the Terils. They sat across the Sea of Orentia from the Teril lands and in particular the port city of Ennenista. The last major war the Terils fought began with their attempt to found a colony on the Orentian side of the Golden Straits. The Orentians broke their alliance and destroyed the colony, fearful of the Terils controlling their main access to the Southern Seas, and then managed to overrun the weakly defended cities of the Ennish coast and capture the mountain town of Ackill (which, though far from Teril lands, was in their hands at the time as a relic of a previous war). It took a long and bloody conflict to win the coast back; eventually funding a revolt inside Ennenista allowed its recapture, with Ealolon falling soon afterwards. The vengeful Terils, victorious, then took ship and counterattacked. The Orentian town of Rodysia that had replaced the old Teril colony at the end of the peninsula was their first gain, leading to the Orentians to sue for a ceasefire. However, they then attempted a swift attack on the Western Forts that keep the Wardship of the North safe; the Terils took no chances this time. A mixture of bribery and swift mounted knights captured the great Orentian cities of Therynia and Rayisium; the Orentine Peninsula, the country's bread basket, had been mostly lost, and watchful forts were manned to the east of mighty Orentia itself. That could not be captured though, and so the Terils manned their forts, with occasional skirmishes continuing. Orentia is now much more dependent on the rugged wilderness of its heartland and on its alliances with the Westrians and Pancakkis for its resources and power, but is still a great threat.

- The SENNASTER (AZURE) family are the historic enemies of the Terils. Their lands lie to the north of the Great Mountains, and their rulers have been at constant war with the Terils for many generations. Firehold Pass, which is the only route from the Sennaster lands to the Teril realm, is their main warring-ground, with the name of the pass coming from the constant struggle to defend it; the old Teril fort there between the Sennaster city of Ightture and the Teril port of Qilan is probably the most fought-over point in the world. The Terils hate the Sennasters more than anyone or anythine else, and though neither has ever been able to wholly capture the Firehold Pass despite many daring escapades neither will ever rest until they have done.

- The SAMNIANS (ORANGE) grew from the city-state of Samnis, on a long peninsula; they hold most of the lands west of Lake Isace, and can also be reached by sailing east from the Teril or Sennaster lands. They are mistrustful of any outsiders, fighting both the Sennasters and the Terils across the Samnian Sea.

- The WESTRIANS (WHITE) were once a great nation, but were brought low long ago by Orentia. Their cities lie somewhere to the north, their rulers clinging to a few large coastal strongholds as the Orentians hold the hinterland. In more recent times they have co-operated more with the Orentians and share a fairly close relationship.

- The ARRISH (YELLOW) live in a rugged land cut off from the Sennasters and Terils by the Great Mountains. Once old enemies of the Sennasters, they have now swung to support them more against the Terils, uniting the lands north of the Mountains in a single goal.

- The PANCAKKIS (PURPLE) are a barbarian people of the far North, who raid around the coasts. They are generally not unfriendly with their Westrian neighbours, but have often attacked the Terils across the Centre Sea to the south or raided Arrish or Sennaster lands to their east.



These maps show the world as the Terils know it in 2020 (their reckoning):

THE SOUTH

This shows the old Teril lands, including Filenon, the historic capital. Numbers by the cities give size estimates; Qaran, the largest Teril city at size 13, holds a little under a million citizens. Ethralan and Filenon both hold several great Wonders of the World (Filenon has a Great Library, a famous Oracle, and a Great Wall; Ethralan has a great Inventors' Guild, the old tombs of the Canus family, the Central Chapter for Teril knights, the Explorers' Guild, and an ancient Colossus. The other Teril wonder of note is the great Embassy of Ingon, which trains the finest envoys in the world. Geographically the old river valley of Filenon and Ethralan, nestled south of the mountains, was the birthplace of Teril civilisation, with more of the mountains being settled over time.

THE NORTH

"The Wardship of the North" as the Terils call it is actually roughly in the centre of the world map (it is still of course north of old Teril country). Its capital, such as it has one, is Umuriel, and whilst in its early days it was much contested with barbarians it is now a relatively peaceful part of the Teril lands; the West Forts guard it and give it peace. The wars with Orentia have shifted south from the Wardship and are now a matter of the more recently conquered Orentine Peninsula, the Terils jealously guarding their capture of the old bread-basket of the Orentians. The Firyash swamps still often contain barbarians and have never been drained or properly settled; the Ennish Coast and Ingot hills were the scene of the last great incursions into Teril soil, where the forts of the Ingot hills and the Warden's Hills allowed Teril troops to hole up until they could pour down to recapture the coast.

THE SENNASTERS

The Sennaster lands are not well documented and much of the north of this map is quite out of date. The main things to note are the sheer scale of the Great Mountains, meaning the few passes are much contested. The Arrish lands are almost wholly cut off from the Sennasters except by sea, and each of the two north-eastern realms has only one pass to the Teril south. The West Pass is not usually heavily fought over or defended, though raiders do come down it, whereas Firehold Pass is hugely important and bitterly fought over on a fairly constant basis.

THE ORENTIANS

Again, much of the west and north of this map is out of date. Westria has never been mapped, though it is known to be to the north of this maps. The central rugged wildernesses of Orentia are shown, and Lake Isace, notable because it cuts off the Samnian peninsula and acts as the largest natural barrier in that part of the world.


THE CHRONICLE OF CANUS

2021:
Some of our knights were ambushed at Firehold pass and slain. We have moved workers in to attempt to build and fortify a small town or another fortress there, to more effectively block off the pass and allow us to strike north at Ightture.

Jalin, Warden of the North, reports that an enemy luftboat was shot down over Umuriel; our forts near Orentia hold firm nevertheless. New luftboats of our own have been built to counter this threat, though I for one never greatly liked the contraptions.

2022:
Our luftboat was at last sent out on a scouting expedition over Orentian lands. The results are astonishing. The north of that country was once a wild wasteland; now our ship has flown over many deep mines and roads, and a small town called Enthalium to the north of Orentia itself.


Some of Qilan’s workers have returned home; the city did not have the funds to keep them in the field, and its senators insisted. No matter; a remedy for Sennaster treachery will be found soon enough.

2023:
A second luftboat, on the Sennaster front, was sent out to scout the defences of Ightture. These were much as our older warriors had remembered them, though the city is now larger than it once was. We are moving pikemen up to the pass to block enemy incursions.

Our luftboat over Orentia uncovered more new  knowledge; the Orentians seem to have coped with the loss of the southern plain by  greatly exploiting their northern mountains, growing Untech and Ackill into serious cities.


2024:

I have ordered the Orentian-scouting luftboat to return to Umuriel to refuel. I finally decided that some move should be made in the southern Orentian regions. We do not have the strength to fully assault Orentia itself, and the supply lines to move up into the hill country and the jungles would be long and difficult. My plan is therefore to create a small town on the coast south of Lake Isace, to act as a postern gate to the Orentian heartlands. With good supplies of food and fish there, and mountains preventing easy counterattacks from Orentian or Samnian troops, it could potentially be a fine idea.

Firehold Pass is again cleared of enemy troops by our knights; more pikemen are moving into place.

2025:
We have moved some workers down into the valley bottom of Firehold pass, with a pike-armed guard in the hope of buying them time. Our luftboat in that region has been sent out to scout more Sennaster lands;


Snusam has grown fast since we last had intelligence from that region, and Quetin Rock is now a significant seaport and fortress.
The Westrian government has been changed to a Monarchy, according to our reports. The Orentians continue to put pressure on our border forts, but we have fairly well dug in troops on the peninsula. Sennaster knights move down towards our pikes but refrain from engaging in a full assault.

2026:
Our luftboat in Umuriel is sent north to scout the barbaric Pancakkish lands. Our landing party for the proposed settlement south of Lake Isace boards ship just south of Rayisium.

Our workers in the north create a small barracks settlement in the Firehold Pass; hopefully the little place will help us hold the line there.

2027:


More information has reached us from the Sennaster lands. Their capital at Endate is now a huge metropolis of over a million citizens, no doubt full of whores and brigandage. Our troops have so far defended Firehold Pass with success; perhaps soon we will be able to strike closer to the walls of Ightture. The Sennasters were ever treacherous though; we shall be on our guard.


The Pancakkish lands seem to be dominated by a few great cities, with rugged terrain between. Their ships are sailing worryingly close to our shores; their raiding shall not be tolerated. Some Orentian artillery is destroyed by our knights.

Therynia has suffered grievous riots; a colosseum is ordered for the better entertainment of its people. A harbour is built in Ealolon, as food shortages there are proving dangerous.

2028:

Our landing force nears its destination only to discover a Samnian village nearby:

Our intent nevertheless remains firm; control of that coast could become vitally important.

Our luftboat moves to scout Westria as well:

Orentian forces appear to have occupied all the hinterlands of the west, with Westria pushed to the shores. Their current alliance seems to be firm however.

Order is restored in Therynia, and Ealolon is now once again placed to produce its own food; a bank is founded in Umuriel, which will produce much coin for the North. I feel it is time that the Teril lands tried to strengthen their defences and head to peace rather than war; we could be building more roads and caravans, and the resulting revenues would make the business of defending ourselves far simpler. I have ordered some cities to build caravans where they once trained knights, at least for now: the sinews of war are infinite money.
The duke, the wanderer, the philosopher, the mariner, the warrior, the strategist, the storyteller, the wizard, the wayfarer...

Jubal

  • Megadux
    Executive Officer
  • Posts: 35495
  • Karma: 140
  • Awards Awarded for oustanding services to Exilian!
    • View Profile
    • Awards
Re: A War of Realms AAR: Canus the Consul
« Reply #1 on: December 29, 2012, 09:46:06 PM »
And the adventures continue!



2029:

Firehold pass again saw fighting, with our knights sallying forward and giving a bloody reckoning to some adventurers hired by our enemies. The path to Ightture is now effectively open, but I fear to commit too heavily to an assault lest our gains (and the village at the pass) be lost.

Our luftboat scouts over the Samnian peninsula, heading for our new settlement of Yaraluard, which has finally been constructed by our venturing workmen. A single detatchment of our crusader knights is currently sufficing for its defence, but pikemen are being swiftly trained and our finances will soon allow the construction of mighty walls to protect it from any Samnian interference.


 
Our luftboat in the north was perilously low on fuel, but sent pigeons to inform us of its last moves, scouting the northern coast above the Westrian capital before finally, we believe, crashing into the sea. The sacrifice of Captain Nalus will be mourned across the Teril lands; a new luftboat constructed in Ethralan and completed this very year has been named the Nalusia in his honour. The Nalusia has been sent north; my plan is that it should scout the Arrish lands, of which we know precious little.

Enemy luftboats have attacked several of our cities, but been seen off; a caravan has been commissioned to carry food supplies to the Firehold Pass, and an envoy trained to observe conditions in Ightture. A bank has been built in Palista; I have ordered that caravans be constructed there to open more trade routes through our lands.

2030:


 
Our envoy infiltrates Ightture, and sends back this report. It is clearly well defended, and attacking it would cause great loss of life. Bribery would perhaps be a better option: if the city fell from the inside our fighting front would move swiftly forward and we could block the north side of Firehold Pass around a more easily defensible city.

The Nalusia scouts the Arrish lands; their capital at Qarason is now a sizeable city, and the river that feeds it is also feeding more irrigated farmlands. Their smaller settlements are not so large, though, and may still be vulnerable if we were minded to try and strike their lands.

I order the swift construction of city walls in Yaraluard, and the re-manning of the forts around Orentia; troop numbers there are dangerously low after a band of Easterling mercenaries hired by our enemies managed to inflict grievous wounds on our crusader knights. A further Samnian city, Dynuos, is scouted on the west shore of Lake Isace. The Samnians attempt to demand money from us for the safekeeping of Yaraluard, but we reject their offer and are still at war. We have little ill-will for the Samnians, but we shall never be blackmailed.

2031:

Our luftboat over Samnia returned to Yaraluard to refuel. The crusader knights garrisoned in Yaraluard sallied out to attack Samnian artillery that have been moved in to the northeast, swiftly destroying it, then  moved to try and rid the woods to their east of easterling mercenaries. This was a bloodier battle, but we were victorious. So long as we can hold on until Yaraluard grows we should hold the colony; I have ordered the construction of a harbour, that its people may be well supplied with all manner of fish and food.

Nervous of the increased barbarian activity in the Firyash swamps, I sent some crusader knights from Qaran to investigate the problem; they were set upon and destroyed, however. This problem will need more thought. The Nalusia has returned to Firyon to refuel.

A party of mountaineers from the Sennasters crossed the mountains and took refuge in the sea fortress east of the Firehold Pass settlement. We drove them out, though with heavy losses as they fought hard. The fort has now been garrisoned once more, as we wait and consider our next move; a further envoy will be required before we can consider whether smoothing our path with money is a sensible option. We cannot wait for too long though; the Sennaster forces in Ightture are mostly defensive but could still be a threat if they sallied, and in the absence of other major wars little is stopping the entire forces of the Sennaster plain from simply pouring down Firehold Pass.
« Last Edit: December 29, 2012, 09:49:26 PM by Jubal »
The duke, the wanderer, the philosopher, the mariner, the warrior, the strategist, the storyteller, the wizard, the wayfarer...

comrade_general

  • Guest
Re: A War of Realms AAR: Canus the Consul
« Reply #2 on: December 30, 2012, 12:41:21 AM »
My gosh, Jub, that is extremely detailed! I wish I knew more about this game.

Jubal

  • Megadux
    Executive Officer
  • Posts: 35495
  • Karma: 140
  • Awards Awarded for oustanding services to Exilian!
    • View Profile
    • Awards
Re: A War of Realms AAR: Canus the Consul
« Reply #3 on: December 31, 2012, 02:35:37 PM »
It's fairly easy to get your hands on a copy, it's pretty ancient now but still good fun.  :)
The duke, the wanderer, the philosopher, the mariner, the warrior, the strategist, the storyteller, the wizard, the wayfarer...