My friends! Gather 'round the fire and prepare to hear an epic tale that spans the entirety of human history! I've finally finished chronicling my progress in Civ V's Gods & Kings expansion, as part of an ongoing feature every Wednesday. Last week, the Norse Democratic Union (my socialist republic that grew out of the unification of Sweden and Denmark) trounced Greece, ending a massive world war and setting us on the path to victory. This is the home stretch, but we're not out of the woods until we're literally out of the woods. On a spaceship. Will... we... go... all... the... way? Read on to find out, and learn what game I'll be playing for this column next!

Need to get caught up? Here's Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, and Part 5.



The future is now
The Information Era has dawned for the NDU. We're embarrassingly far ahead of everyone else in terms of tech now. Of the five remaining world powers, two are still in the Modern Era, and the other two just behind me in the Atomic Era. I'm three whole techs ahead of Russia, and have taken the lead in production, income, and total gold. As the war to end all wars closes, the Norse have become the dominant global superpower. Winning still won't be trivial, though. Three other nations have space programs, racing me to a Science victory. And Greece, even weakened, is allied with something like 100 bazillion city-states, meaning it would win a diplomatic victory almost by default if anyone builds the United Nations.

My goal right now is to get the Hubble Telescope wonder up and running. It'll let me build spaceship components faster and grant me two Great Scientists to ensure that my tech lead stays secure for the rest of the game.

1975 A.D.: The Restoration Party, responsible for ending the war with Greece, implements high-level governmental reforms focused on turning the post-war economic boom into sustainable growth. Military scientists begin transitioning into the civilian sector, bringing wondrous new consumer technologies to the market.

I adopted the Socialism policy, which will reduce the upkeep cost of every building in my empire. This has further cemented my global economic dominance. I could probably buy an ocean or two at this point. I also purchased a Great Scientist with faith, which is where the rest of my faith points for the rest of the game will be funneled.

1976 A.D.: Work begins on the cockpit design for an interstellar manned spacecraft at Helsinki.

You need six spaceship parts to win a Science victory: a cockpit, a stasis chamber, an engine, and three boosters. Each component is unlocked by a different technology, and thanks to the production-focused infrastructure I've been building since turn one, my major cities can crank these out mega fast.



Arms race
1978 A.D.: Norse-German scientists make significant leaps in the field of internal combustion engines, putting mass-produced automobiles on the roads for the first time.

And, perhaps more importantly, letting me build tanks. It seems pretty late in the game to make this happen, but it's just the way this world developed. Everyone kinda forgot to invent tanks until the late 70s, despite having very advanced aircraft and naval units for the time.

1979 A.D.: Greece becomes the fourth nation to develop a manned space program. While everyone is occupied not caring about this announcement, the Celts and the English jointly denounce Rome.

So, this is interesting. Last I heard, the Celts and England hated one another. And England really has nothing to gain from attacking Rome right now: Russia has swallowed up all the Roman territory that used to border it. The Celts are still my longest-standing, most loyal allies, but I really don't have any intention of getting roped into an overseas war with Rome unless it's close to beating me to a science victory.

Rome goes to war with Russia again, looking to take back its Northern cities.

1981 A.D.: Norse spies report that the Greeks have nuclear weapons. They make some vague threats about the Norse military being weak or something.

While certainly a game-changer, I still basically control the geopolitical climate. Thanks to the standing defensive pacts I set up long ago with basically everybody, Greece would commit itself to another war against the rest of the world by attacking me. Any further wars between us will be on my terms, and I'll have the initiative. Using said initiative, I'll make sure to cripple its nuclear stockpiles before they get dumped on me.

I've also just researched Combined Arms, giving me access to anti-tank guns. Greece has tanks now, making this an opportune development.



For science!
1983 A.D.: Oil shortages drive up fuel prices across the NDU. Efforts are made to begin drilling in the Southwest Territories for a new supply.

I've been building a lot of ships and fighter jets to screen against potential nuclear attacks, and they all cost oil. I'm finally running out, but luckily, I'll be picking up techs that let me transition into nuclear and solar power for most applications.

1984 A.D.: A group of entrepreneurial college students from the Stockholm Valley develop the first mass market personal computers.

I'm burning Great Scientists like firewood at this point. Building Academies this late in the game would be inefficient, so I'm just dumping the one-time science bonuses into my pool. Among other things, Computers let me build helicopters, a very mobile air unit that doesn't rely on an airbase like fighters and bombers.

1986 A.D.: The NDU launches the Hubble Space Telescope, granting new views of the cosmos and inspiring the Norse people to strive for the stars. Government spending on the space program increases to new heights. Great advances are made in the fields of robotics and ballistics.

I get a free spaceship factory and two great scientists, which means I've pretty much removed any chance that I can be beaten to a Science victory. My scientists helped me on the way to Robotics and Advanced Ballistics, which let me build intercontinental nuclear missiles and spaceship factories.

I also just adopted the Communism policy, which further boosts my production capabilities in all cities.

Later that year, the cockpit of the Norse spaceship Sleipnir is completed in Helsinki, and shipped off to wait in the assembly yard at Stockholm National Starport.



I love the 80s
1987 A.D.: The Norse military rolls out its first mobile SAM anti-air units and its first armored battalion. Medical advances spur on a population boom.

I had SO MUCH SCIENCE at this point that I overshot Advanced Ballistics and picked up Penicillin in the same turn, the first time I've seen that happen in Civ V. The latter give me access to Marines, infantry that excel attacking from water, and hospitals, which make my cities grow crazy fast. Up next on the science docket: Nanotechnology, which will let me build the Spaceship Stasis Chamber.

1988 A.D.: Work begins on the propulsion systems for Sleipnir in Sigtuna.

1989 A.D.: Somewhere, a totally amazing guy is born who will go on to write about computer games.

Yeah, I'll give you three guesses and the first two don't count...



Nanobots... nanobots everywhere
1990 A.D.: The first SV-90 assault helicopters take flight from Stockholm.

1992 A.D.: A Norse Great Scientist makes major breakthroughs in the field of nanotechnology. His findings allow construction to begin on a stasis chamber that will keep the crew of Sleipnir in suspended animation for voyages to distant star systems.

I'm now headed for Particle Physics, the last piece of the puzzle needed for a Science victory. I'll pick up two very important techs on the way: Ecology and Mobile Tactics, which will let me build Mechanized Infantry, the best infantry unit in the game.

Summer, 1993 A.D.: Ever neutral England petitions for entry into the New Allied Powers Administration (NAPA), joining the NDU, Celts, and Russia. The NDU agrees to think about it.

Meanwhile, work begins on the Sleipnir stasis chamber at Stockholm National Starport, and word arrives from the NSS that Russia has become the third nation with nuclear weapons.



Untold riches
Winter, 1993 A.D.: Wise economic policies lead to a Norse Golden Age.

Well, it's been a long time since I had one of these. My strategy has been too focused on other resources to worry much about happiness, and I've generally been running at either a very small deficit or a very small surplus. It couldn't come at a better time, though. This will allow me to drop tons of gold on production buildings.

The NDU and Russia enter into a research agreement focused on interstellar exploration.

1994 A.D.: Greece constructs the Pentagon.

This will greatly reduce the cost for Greece to upgrade its military units, so maybe it won't be trying to joust my machine gun nests to death when we go to war again.

1995 A.D.: Norse scientists make great breakthroughs in environmental science and green energy.

This will let me build solar power plants, as well as the culture bomb that is the Sydney Opera House wonder.



In the year 2000...
1996 A.D.: Sleipnir's stasis chamber is completed at Stockholm National Starport, and is added to the growing framework of the ship.

A series of brief border skirmishes results in Russia regaining some of the ground it lost to Rome in the last war. The Northern coast of the Eastern continent becomes a politically unstable region of competing ideologies that is wracked by war more often than not. The area does not bring in a lot of tourist revenue.

1999 A.D.: As the Norse Golden Age ends, sweeping legal reforms lead to a stronger central government and less autonomy for the NDU member states.

I've decided to spend some of the expansive nebulae of gold my Golden Age brought in to pay for Courthouses in all the formerly-puppeted cities of Denmark, Austria, and Germany, giving me full control over their production cues. I've also adopted Secularism, giving me another huge boost to Science.

2000 A.D.: The TeleCom boom brings new jobs and new ways of doing business to the NDU.

Telecommunications opens up another wonder that will help me finish out strong: The CN Tower, which gives me a free radio tower in every city.



Winter is coming
2002 A.D.: Norse software engineers at the Sigtuna Institute of Technology complete the coding of the Great Firewall.

A new wonder in Gods & Kings, the Great Firewall, in a nutshell, makes me almost impossible to spy on. With my tech lead as wide as it is, I can't risk having anyone stealing from me.

Later in the year, the Norse military sees the introduction of the SVM-2 Infantry Fighting Vehicle, revolutionizing its ground combat doctrines. The first unit to be trained with the new tactics is the 2nd Infantry at Munich, one of the legendary three companies that took on impossible odds and came out alive in the Great War. Simultaneously, the Norse navy launches its first nuclear submarine off the coast of Denmark.

2003 A.D.: Greece completes two great construction projects: the Corinthian Opera House and the Confederation Building at Athens. They put out a call to all the powers of the world to come together in three years time to elect a Supreme Dictator of Earth.

Head, meet desk. Now meet desk again. And again. And again. Not only did Greece steal the Sydney Opera House out from under me, it has completed the United Nations after all. I thought the overwhelming stomping I delivered to its backside would have set it too far back to beat me to the punch, but I was wrong.

Basically, a handful of turns from now, a UN vote will happen, and if anyone gets over 16 votes, they win a diplomatic victory. If only major nations were allowed to vote, that wouldn't be a problem. We all hate Greece. The thing is that city-states also get to vote, and whatever GENIUS set this stupid map up placed 24 of them. Greece is allied with basically all of them, and making enough money to continue paying them off indefinitely.

The worst part is this: on my current course, I will complete my space program TWO TURNS after the UN vote happens. There is nothing I can do to speed production up at this point: I've already bought every production-increasing structure in the two cities that are building my last two spaceship components.

So, essentially, it comes down to this: I need to blow up the UN in something like the next 10 turns or I lose. Strap in, kids. It's gonna be a bumpy last few miles to the finish line.



To slay the dragon
January, 2004 A.D.: Knowing that the only way to defeat the potential world dictatorship that Greece and its city-state allies seek to create is to lop off the head, the Norse Defense Ministry initiates Operation Dragonslayer immediately. Greek forces are caught unawares and take massive losses in the opening days of the invasion. Nuclear arms are deployed against the highest concentrations of Greek troops on the border of the DMZ, leaving the way clear for Norse mobile infantry, armored divisions, and gunships to strike directly at key targets.

April, 2004 A.D.: The first Greek nuclear bomb is dropped on Salzburg. Off the coast, the Norse Navy loses a skirmish at Megara, and Norse infantry take heavy losses assaulting Hamburg. It is a grim month for the NDU.

August, 2004 A.D.: The Norse National Guard fends off counter-attacks at Kaupang and Sigtuna. Meanwhile, the NDU's mountain divisions sent to capture Herakleia are hit hard by artillery fire and forced to fall back to the bombed-out ruins of Salzburg.

Later, Munich is nuked by Greek forces, though most of the Norse ground units and much of the civilian population are able to evacuate to shelters beforehand. Greek Special Forces stationed at Herakleia begin striking against the Norse forces holed up in Salzburg.



Decisive action
February, 2005 A.D.: Dragonsbane, the first fusion warhead nuclear missile, is completed by the NDU. As it is being deployed, the Greeks drop a third bomb on Tunsberg, cutting off a key supply line to the Norse front.

June, 2005 A.D.: Greek troop transports outside of Megara are sunk by Norse submarines. As their boats go down, they watch the first nuclear missile strike the city they were just deployed from. Megara is nearly entirely destroyed. The lands of Northern Greece, Southern Denmark, and former Germany and Austria, are becoming a nuclear wasteland.

October, 2005 A.D.: The propulsion system for Sleipnir is finished, and added to the nearly complete vessel. Only the main engine is required before the initial wave of colonists can be launched to escape the nuclear fire beginning to consume the world.



Epilogue
Captain's log, N.S.S. Sleipnir
July 9, After Earth 2, 21:35 Ship Standard Time:

There are some who say we failed. That, when the secrets of the universe were handed to us, we only used them to destroy our fellow men. When this vessel departed from Stockholm National Starport on September 21st, 2008, the bleakness of the global outlook certainly supported that theory. The relentless military response by the Norse Democratic Union was not swift enough to keep the Greek Empire from seizing global dominance through manipulation of the world's minor states in 2006. In the process, much of the continent was blown away and irradiated by nuclear arms. Fallout sent into the atmosphere over the course of a few short years has nearly assured a global nuclear winter that will leave nothing the same.

The day we left, the Norse Defense Ministry activated its new robotic army against the Confederated Nations, driven by AI I fear they will not be able to control.

But we survived. We few hundred souls who have escaped the gravity of the small rock we were born on, and will within the next century escape the star system it orbits in. What awaits us in the depths of the wider galaxy, we cannot say. But we will journey ever onwards, and build new lives for our families among the stars... far from the reach of the fires of war. For we alone remain as testament that human ingenuity can bring great wonder, just as it can bring great destruction. Our legacy is one worth preserving. And that, alone, shall become our continuing mission.

End of log.

===

So, the upshot is that I technically lost. I focused all of my forces like a spearpoint to capture Athens as quickly as possible and stop the UN vote, but it just wasn't going to happen. In retrospect, I should have razed the entirety of Greece in the Great War. Hindsight is 20/20.

I actually kept the game going quite a while after my defeat, and sure enough, I won the space race two turns later. At that point, I proceeded to start cranking out Civ V's ultimate unit, the Giant Death Robot, and roleplayed that Skynet had taken over my government and determined humans were too violent to be allowed to live. While I probably could have squeezed a few more installments out of that alone, I felt like it was about time to close the book on this chronicle. It basically would have just been "giant robots stomp such and such city into dust" over and over again for about 40 years.

It's been a long ride, but there's one last page to turn...



It's the end of the world as we know it
And that was the Swedish Saga. 6000 years of grand discoveries, betrayals, warfare, and probably some innovative fish products. I'd like to thank everyone who's read along, whether you jumped in partway through, or have stuck around since the Celtic Chronicle. The positive feedback has been awesome.

While I think I've had enough Civ V in the last few months to last half a lifetime, you guys wanted more. And more you shall have! My next chronicle will take place in...

Crusader Kings 2! A nice break from the broad scope of Civ, it'll let me focus one one particular era of history as I wage wars, stab backs, and marry off daughters to gain control of medieval Europe. There's also a Game of Thrones mod, I hear, which would take the epicness of the concept to new proportions. And because you asked, I'll be posting in a new format.

I'll be taking next week off for PAX Prime, but you can expect the first entry of my Crusader Kings Chronicle on Wednesday, September 5th. Hope to see you then!

My friends! Gather 'round the fire and prepare to hear an epic tale that spans the entirety of human history! I'm in the middle of chronicling my progress in Civ V's Gods & Kings expansion, with a new entry every Wednesday. Last week, my Modern Era armies ousted the corrupt Danish crown, bringing all of the Norse people under the glorious, socialist rule of the Norse Democratic Union. War has broken out between the NDU and Greece, scourge of the Western world, as we race against time to stop their bid for total global domination. Read on, as the action rises to nuclear proportions!

Need to get caught up? Here's Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, and Part 4.



The life atomic
I'm the third to reach the Atomic Era (after Russia and Greece), breaking my three-era streak for being first. I still have the lead in overall technologies, though. And judging by the forces Greece is "invading" with, their armies are pretty technologically poor. I've started construction on the Stockholm (Manhattan) Project, which will let me build nuclear weapons. Meanwhile, I turn my tech path toward Radar to replace my hilariously outdated biplanes with up-to-date fighters and bombers to seize control of the air.

March, 1952 A.D.: NDU infantry take heavy losses at the Greek city of Elis, and the generals order a fallback to Norse soil. Operation Firestorm is a failure, but work has already begun on Operation Brightstar.

At sea, Norse submarines continue to blockade Mytilene, and the forces at Graz (Operation Justicar) are holding hold strong.

I could win this fight, but the losses I would take are unacceptable. You may recall that the infantry I've upgraded from my unique Caroleans retain their unique unit bonuses. If they die, however, any new infantry I build to replace them will not have those bonuses. The crippling of my artillery by Greek bombers simply didn't leave me with enough traction to make Firestorm a viable strategy. At this point, I'm counting on atomic weapons to turn the tide.

July, 1952 A.D.: Incredulous Norse National Guard at Kaupang are shocked to see knights with lances approaching their city. After a moment of stunned indecisiveness, they elect to shoot all of the invaders before they even reach the gas station on the outskirts of town. Shortly after, Greece approaches the NDU with a peace treaty that involves the ceding of nearly all of their cities. The Norsemen send back a shield of a Greek knight that has been riddled with bullet holes, and a note saying, “Please, do continue to overestimate your chances of winning this war.”

Greece is attacking me with an army half-comprised of late Renaissance era units, who are crumbling beneath my fully-modernized forces.

Back on the foreign front, Norse fighter pilots shoot down Greek bombers over the Tunsberg Fields and seize air superiority.



New horizons for NAPA
October, 1952 A.D.: The Norse Secret Service (NSS) deploys agents to Moscow. At sea, the Greek Coast Guard attacks the NDU blockade at Mytilene and forces them to retreat.

Greece's navy may suck, but their cities can still bombard my submarines and kill them in two hits. With no infantry currently at Mytilene to draw their fire, I have no choice but to pull back.

1953 A.D.: Danish arms manufacturers develop the DK-53 Heavy Machine Gun, putting Norse forces on-par with Greece in terms of high fire rate squad weapons.

A Great Engineer arises in Stockholm.

Adopting the Order policy tree lets me spend my excess Faith (which doesn't really do much else at this stage in the game) on great people. This guy has one job: get my atomic weapons done faster.

1954 A.D.: The New Allied Powers Administration treaties are reconvened, with Rome, the NDU, and the Celts all joining. With Spain wiped out, this leaves England as the only independent nation, as the NAPA allies battle it out against Greece and Russia's Southern Axis.

With only five major powers remaining, things are really coming down to the wire. I've secured the Celts as my likely permanent ally, mostly because they are so far behind everyone at everything that any other civ could crush them like a bug without my continued promise of protection. England seems to have actually carved out a sizable empire for itself on the Eastern continent, winning territory from both the great superpowers there, Rome and Russia. Who they choose to side with could very well determine the outcome of this world war.



Over land, sea, and air
1955 A.D.: The standing protocols of Operation Justicar, having defended Graz since the start of the war, continue to prove exceedingly effective. Not only do they hold the city, but they inflict crippling losses on every Greek force sent to take it.

On the Eastern front, the Norse army seizes control of Tunsberg Fields, forcing the Greeks to retreat West to Salzburg and leaving Mytilene and Elis open to attack. It is also discovered that Greece has constructed a small military base called Herakleia in the Austrian Alps.

Seems like one of Greece's favorite, annoying, total douche moves is to just plop cities down wherever there's room near your borders. The town might as well be named "trollface.jpg". It's irritating and inefficient and dumb and I hate it. Whatever, I'll deal with it later.

1956 A.D.: The Norse perfect radar, and begin constructing a more advanced air force.

Awww yeah. Greece is still using World War I-era biplanes and triplanes. Now that I have for real fighters and bombers, his little hobby shop toys don't stand a chance. Next stop: Nuclear Fission, the last piece of the puzzle needed to build atomic bombs and nuclear reactors.

Summer, 1957 A.D.: A great statue of the founder of the Awesomeness Religion is built in Sigtuna.

With Cristo Redentor, I now officially have more world wonders than anyone else on the map. It will help me earn policies faster, which is going to be crucial at this stage.

To the North, the Greek navy closes in on Helsinki, having sailed around the Southern horn of the continent for a surprise attack. With their Northern ports blockaded, Greece offers a peace treaty that would require the cession of all of Denmark, as well as the city of Graz. The Norsemen refuse.

Greece has actual, metal battleships now, and I don't have much of anything in that area to defend. I'll need to drop some gold to get some submarines out immediately, defeating the Greek navy the same way I did the Danish one.



The North Greece Demilitarized Zone is established
Winter, 1957 A.D.: The quick mobilization of Norse submarines sinks more than half of the Greek Northern fleet, breaking the blockade at Helsinki decisively. England announces to the world that it is denouncing Greece, indirectly supporting the NAPA nations.

1958 A.D.: Elis is besieged with the aid of fresh Norse artillery, beginning the smaller and more focused Operation Firebrand.

One of the reasons Operation Firestorm failed was that I tried to attack too many things at once. Firebrand will focus all of my strength on one city at a time, assuring quick victories.

Greece sends a bunch of outdated militiamen that can't really fit under the Norse definition of a "military" to relieve Elis.

Greece is still being considerate enough to provide the comic relief in this brutal war, repeatedly attacking my modern units with guys on horses and other outdated crap. They have more than enough money to be upgrading them, so I can only really chalk it up to arrogance.

Summer, 1959 A.D.: The Greek militias are dead almost to a man, but more reinforcements (now armed with assault rifles) approach the Norse lines from the Southwest.

We're now neck and neck in infantry tech, but my superior artillery and air power should more than make the difference.

Artillery fire keeps the fresh Greek infantry pinned down, and Elis is captured by Norse forces before they can arrive. All Greek government officials are ousted, and much of the town's infrastructure is dismantled. It is put in the hands of a local, Greek-born governor, and becomes the first territory to fall under the North Greece Demilitarized Zone (NGDMZ) designation.

Which is to say, I burnt it down. I don't really want these little cannon fodder cities on my border. They aren't worth many resources and will just weigh down my Happiness rating. So, poof they go. This being the modern era; and I being a just ruler, I'm rationalizing this in the fiction as me creating a demilitarized zone on the Greek border. Which is, essentially, the point of this entire campaign.



The times, they are a-changin'
Winter, 1959 A.D.: The Norse army turns East for Mytilene, where most of the Greek reinforcements are already entrenched.

As they approach Mytilene, the Norse army is surrounded by Greek forces storming out of the South and Southwest into the DMZ. Despite being attacked from all sides, the Norse troops including the legendary 1st Infantry dig in and weather the initial push, then drive the Greek forces back in an immediate counterattack. The Greek gambit has failed, and this battle is largely seen as a turning point where the NDU's momentum changed the course of the war.

1960 A.D.: Russia, hearing of the crushing Greek defeat at Mytilene, becomes a signatory NAPA nation. At their first meeting as a member, they reveal that they have launched the world's first manned space mission.

Uh-oh. That is a distressing little piece of historical accuracy there. Russia has completed the Apollo Program, which allows you to start building spaceship components. The first person to build all four of these wins a Science victory. Luckily, I'm still way ahead tech-wise, and you need to almost max out the tech tree to construct all of the required pieces. Plus, Greece is now alone. The Axis is broken, and the Scourge of the West is now nearly at my mercy.

Due to the overwhelming success of Operation Justicar and Operation Firebrand, a new plan is launched by the NDU's Great General at Graz: Operation Redeemer. Its goal is to reclaim the once-magnificent Austrian capital of Vienna from Greece, and bring it under Norse rule.

Summer, 1961 A.D.: Norse SB-61 bombers dodge outdated Greek triplanes and hit a Greek counterattack aimed at Tunsberg hard. To the East, Most of the Greek forces stationed around Vienna are wiped out in the initial wave of Operation Redeemer.

Back in the heart of the NDU, the Stockholm Project is completed. Once an effective, fissionable isotope is identified, the Norse will have nuclear arms.

I still need to wait two turns for Nuclear Fission to finish researching, and then I actually need to build the bomb. But at this rate, it's going to be the icing on my victory cake, not a key ingredient in baking it. Though it is likely to bake a lot of things. Mostly Greek cities.



The Heart of the West is redeemed
Winter, 1961 A.D.: A Greek Great General trying to lead a force past the Norse lines to capture Graz is killed in an air raid. Norse artillery and bombers begin weakening defensive positions at Vienna.

1962 A.D.: As Norse forces close in for the final push to capture Mytilene, Greece proposes another peace treaty. They ask for no cession of territory this time, only requesting that peace be made with their allied city-states. The Norse parliament considers this, and decides they have much more to gain by pressing the attack now, before Greece has time to recover.

Later in the year, Norse scientists finally perfect nuclear fission. Construction of Brightstar I and the SB-62 bomber that will carry it begins immediately.

And it's all over but the mushroom cloud. Next, I'm looking to grab Rocketry, which will give me better anti-aircraft guns and artillery, on the way to Satellites, which reveal the whole map and put me one step closer to winning the space race.

Summer, 1963 A.D.: The NDU captures Vienna, once called the Unbreakable City. Austria is reinstated as a member state of the NDU, along with Westerland, the Stormlands, Sweden, and Denmark. Many families who were separated by the Vienna-Graz divide over the years are reunited, and the Norse premier expresses his wishes for great Vienna to one day be restored to its former glory.

I had a unique opportunity here: I could have actually returned Austria's capital and brought them back into the game. Unfortunately for them, if I'm going to compete with the other superpowers, I can't afford to be that nice right now. I set it up as a puppet instead, and while being twice conquered has reduced it to only a shadow of the Heart of the West it once was, it's still a very valuable location to hold.



To bring about an end
Winter, 1963 A.D.: Mytilene is besieged. Greek mounted militiamen hilariously try to assist, and are shot.

Across the continent, NDU forces blitz Greek cities. In the space of three months, Norse artillery and bombers hit Salzburg, Syracuse, and Mytilene. Just before the year's end, Mytilene is captured and made part of the DMZ.

Summer, 1964 A.D.: Following the success of Redeemer, the NDU defense ministry enacts two new campaigns. Operation Mountain Thunder looks to capture and hold Salzburg and Herakleia, solidifying the Southern border. Meanwhile, Operation Kraken will target target Greece's coastal footholds along the Viennese coast as far south as Chios, wiping them off the map. The heavily-defended city of Hamburg, Greece (once belonging to now-defeated Germany) is singled out as the probable target for Operation Brightstar. In preparation, the equally-defensible city of Munich will have to be captured for use as an airbase.

Winter, 1964 A.D.: Rome asks for aid on the Eastern front as a coup in leadership has led to renewed hostilities with Russia. Remembering Rome's refusal to join the war against Greece all those years ago, the Norse politely decline.

Meanwhile, massive naval engagements off the continent's eastern coast result in Greece's entire Atlantic fleet becoming fish food. The NDU has effectively seized control of land, sea, and air. Yet, they now butt up against the rocky, stubborn core of Northern Greece, where victory is sure to come at steeper prices.



Greece continues to lose ground
Summer, 1965 A.D.: Norse forces are hit hard by machine gun fire storming Munich, while a Greek counter-attack to defend the coastal city of Syracuse is thwarted by NDU air support.

Rome and the NDU enter into a research agreement mostly focused on space exploration.

Winter, 1965 A.D.: Greek military installations at Syracuse are wiped out. Shortly after, Salzburg is captured and put under the dominion of the NDU's Austrian member state.

Rome announces the launch of its first manned space mission.

Crap, they both beat me to square one. I'm crossing my fingers that this tech lead will allow me to hit squares two, three, and four significantly faster.


1966 A.D.: The Norse begin bombing Sicyon, just as Munich is captured and put under the jurisdiction of the new NDU member state of Germania.



No tribute, no peace
Summer, 1967 A.D.: Greece proposes a third peace treaty with the same terms as the second. After much deliberation, the Norse parliament responds that they will agree, if Greece pays a large ransom and ongoing tribute. The Greeks prove they didn't want peace that badly after all, and the war continues.

Well, I gave peace a chance. With the way this is going, the survival of their entire empire is on the line. I have enough momentum to probably push them all the way back to their capital, and from there, into the sea. My conditions were generous, but I guess they're just too prideful to accept someone else's terms.

Winter, 1967 A.D.: Greece rolls out their own modern bombers, as well as the world's first rocket artillery. They hit Norse positions near Munich, taking out most of the NDU artillery stationed there. New SF-67 fighter jets are deployed to counter any future air raids.

On the Western front, combined air and sea assaults by the NDU wipe out Greece's foothold at Sicyon.

Summer, 1968 A.D.: The NDU perfects rocketry, and immediately retrofits their artillery to match that of Greece. On the other side of the same base, Firestar I, the world's first atomic bomb, is completed. It begins the long trek to Munich airfield. The science and engineering teams responsible for its construction turn their efforts immediately to getting the Norse space program off the ground.

To the South, the NSS relocates its spies from the soon-to-be-a-crater city of Hamburg to Athens and Sparta, in the heart of the ancient Greek homeland. The Norse fleet begins bombarding Chios.



Peace at last
Winter, 1968 A.D.: Greece sends forces down out of the mountains from Herakleia to attack Salzburg. Almost simultaneously, Firestar I is dropped on Hamburg. Half of the city's population is killed, and the Greek army is decimated. Word begins to spread quickly of the devastating Norse weapon.

The city isn't gone, but I have drastically reduced its ability to produce anything. In addition, everything for two tiles around it will be covered in fallout that prevents the building of land improvements (which were also destroyed) until Greece researches the technology to clean it up.

1969 A.D.: The Greek naval base at Chios is destroyed. Back at home, word of the bomb begins to turn popular opinion against the war--especially in Germania, as Hamburg was still home to many ethnic Germans when it was hit. The pro-peace Restoration Party gains power in the Norse parlaiment, and talks begin to bring an end to the conflict.

It's about time to call this war done. I've captured four Greek cities and destroyed four more, losing none of my own in the process. I hit a ninth hard enough to turn it from a metropolis to a backwater, and proved my point to the world that I'm just as much a military force to be reckoned with as anybody. I don't need to wipe Greece out completely to ensure that I'm the dominant superpower, and I don't plan to. They've lost more than enough to derail their progress toward victory.

1970 A.D.: A peace accord is finally reached with Greece. The DMZ between Hamburg and Tunsberg remains in effect, with the NDU-installed North Greece provisional government as its stewards. the Greek settlers at Herakleia are allowed to remain there, although travel outside and through Norse territory is heavily restricted.

Okay, Herakleia can't stay there. Almost as much for obsessive compulsive reasons as safety ones, I will not abide a little foreign dot in the middle of my empire. If I'd had more troops in the area, I would have captured it really quick before making peace, but it was going to be a pain as most of my forces were in the South and Southwest. So, at some point, I'm going to be at war with Greece again to deal with that. Hopefully briefly.

The new Norse premier gives a speech praising the overwhelming victory against what had been a dangerous and corrupt enemy, but also lamenting how far things went before peace could be made. The Norse Democratic Union is stronger than ever, now including most of what were once the sovereign nations of Austria and Germany. Greece's dominance in the West has been shattered, and the Norse people have proved that they can outfight a numerically-superior foe on every front. Her closing wish is that they can continue to be as brave and victorious in peacetime as they were in war.



Exit onto the information superhighway
1971 A.D.: Greece immediately begins sending what they are calling "defensive troops" to mass on the Norse border.

Really, guys? We made peace one turn ago. Really?

1974 A.D.: Greece has its own socialist revolution, inspired by the success of the NDU. The first act of this government, however, is to denounce their fellow socialists in the NDU.

In response, the NDU's Russian allies denounce the new Greek regime, and the NAPA treaties are renewed with the NDU, Russia, and Celtica as the core member nations.

1975 A.D.: Though late to the space race, the NDU shoots ahead of all competitors when they launch the world's first comprehensive satellite network, and enter the Information Age.

Woohoo! First one here by a stretch (right on Turn 600), meaning I've reclaimed my era progression lead, in addition to the core tech lead I've had for hundreds of turns. Satellites reveal the entire map (although fog of war is still in place where I don't have units or cities) and let me start building the Hubble Telescope wonder. This will speed my production of spaceship parts, and give me two (Count 'em: TWO) free Great Scientists which I will expend to further widen my tech lead.

We have entered the final era of the world. Lasers, robots, and microchips will rise to rule. So come back next week: The revolution will be televised.

There's been some significant shuffling around at the top of the Bioshock Infinite team at Irrational. A couple of days ago Gamasutra indicated that director of product development, Tim Gerritsen and art director Nate Wells had left the company. Gerritsen was responsible for supervising the day to day work of the development team and is rumoured to be headed over to Naughty Dog after a since-removed mention of the Uncharted developers was spotted on his LinkedIn profile.

Creative director Ken Levine mentions Wells' departure on Twitter, saying that "Scott Sinclair, art director of Bio1, back in the art director's chair for Infinite to bring it home. Can't wait to show you what's cooking."

Meanwhile VG247 note a twitter announcement from Epic's director of production, Rod Fergusson revealing that he'll be taking up a position at Irrational pronto. "I’m leaving my family at Epic to join my new family at Irrational in Boston starting tomorrow,” he says, adding "I’ve played Infinite and it’s amazing! Can’t wait for you guys to get your hands on it.”

Kotaku indicate that Irrational have lost quite a few team members over the past year or so, including systems designers Ken Strickland and Tyann Sylvester, design director Jeff McGann and senior level designer Steve Gaynor, who has since founded The Fullbright Company and is working on their debut game, Gone Home.

"In a company of 200 people you're going to have turnover," Levine told Kotaku, later adding that "as far as the team itself, the lead artist, the art director, the creative director, the lead effects artist, the senior sound guy, the lead programer and the lead AI programmer from BioShock 1 are all on BioShock Infinite. I don't think there's a single senior BioShock team member that isn't here." He also mentions that Bioshock 2 designer Jordan Thomas is has moved over to Bioshock Infinite from 2K Marin for a while to help out with development.



Bioshock Infinite was delayed from October to February 2013 earlier this year, and Levine said that Infinite would skip E3 and Gamescom to give designers more time to work on finishing development. The delay, the studio silence and the disappearance of senior staff members suggest that all's not entirely well with Bioshock Infinite, a sense that's worsened by information from Kotaku sources suggesting that two multiplayer modes have been cancelled.

One mode is described as a co-op tower defence scenario in which miniaturised players had to fight off waves of toys on rails in the bowels of an old fashioned arcade machine. That was apparently ditched in favour of a more conventional co-op spec ops mode that'd let players run missions set in environments from the single player campaign. That was cut too, allegedly. Levine wouldn't comment on these specific ideas, but said that "we are experimenting with things, and only if they are good enough will we put them in the game."

Bioshock Infinite is still scheduled to arrive in February next year, and hopefully it's on a course to deliver on the potential of that spectacular E3 showing. If you need other reasons to be excited, one of the enemies is an evil robot version of George Washington with a gatling gun.