Last month, we walked you through seven of the nine new civs coming in Civilization V: Brave New World. The final two, Venice and the Shoshone, were at our fingertips, but not yet revealed. With the official announcement out of the bag, we can finally talk about them, and give you our impressions and suggested strategies. They've been sitting in a notepad file on my desktop for a while, but if you cut the moldy parts off, they should taste fine.



Venice

Unique Ability: Serenissima
You can never build or capture settlers. You can never annex conquered cities.

Wait, what? That doesn't sound like a power.

Well, internal monologue, you get some benefits to balance this out. For instance, double the number of possible trade routes. You get a free Merchant of Venice (see below) when you research Optics. And in cities you've puppeted (which you can do, you just can't annex them), you're allowed to purchase buildings and units with gold as if you'd annexed the city. You just can't choose what they produce on their own time. Phew.

Unique Great Person: Merchant of Venice
In addition to all the things a Great Merchant (which they replace) can do, they can actually buy off a city-state with the click of a button, turning it into a puppeted city.

Unique Unit: Great Galleas
Were you expecting something crazy? You know, since all of Venice's other stuff is? Well, unfortunately, this is just a bigger, stronger Galleas. Next to everything else, I'd say it's a Pretty Good Galleas, at best.

Adviser T.J. says:
What the what? Okay, I freaking love Venice. They turn Civ V into a totally different game, which is something all expansions should aim to do. Removing settlers as a mechanic has huge implications, and it makes your capital the de facto and permanent lynchpin of your empire. Placement is going to be at least twice as important as it is normally, so don't be afraid to wander for a couple turns before setting down good ol' Venezia. Tradition, obviously, is a must. You'll also want to invest in Exploration, if for no other reason than to have a stronger navy for defending your eight bazillion trade routes. Victory-wise, Diplomatic seems like the way to go. Ally yourself to as many city-states as possible, and buy out the ones that ally with your political rivals. There's actually nothing they can do about it. Because you're Venice. And you're amazing.



The Shoshone

Unique Ability: Great Expanse
Newly-founded cities start with more territory, and units gain a bonus when fighting on Shoshone land.

Unique Unit: Pathfinder
Replacing the Scout, the Pathfinder is almost as powerful as a Warrior in combat, and they can choose which benefit they get from exploring Ancient Ruins (instead of getting a random one).

Unique Unit: Comanche Raiders
A cheaper, faster alternative to Cavalry.

Adviser T.J. says:
Venice is a pretty tough act to follow, but the Shoshone have some pretty cool opportunities. Larger starting city borders also means you can get more map vision faster, which works perfectly with Pathfinders. You'll want to claim as many ruins as possible, so I'd ignore warriors altogether in the early game (Pathfinders can hold their own almost as well) and spend a handful turns just cranking out Pathfinders. When you claim a ruin, take the Technology bonus whenever possible, and plan for a science victory. I also highly recommend grabbing the religious tenet that gives you bonus Faith for whatever type of land tile is most common near your start location. Since you'll have so much land so early, you should be able to dominate the religious game.

Earlier this week I spoke to Ed Beach, Lead Designer on the Civilization V: Gods & Kings expansion, as well as the upcoming Brave New World expansion. I asked Beach for his thoughts on Civ V designer Jon Shafer's recent self-criticisms regarding Civilization V's one unit per tile system and leader AI quirks. "He was a little harsh on it," said Beach. "And I won't try to guess as to exactly what his frame of mind was, where he's coming from."

"Unit stacking can be a problem in Civ V, and I definitely think we've been acknowledging that for a while," continued Beach. "In Gods & Kings we made a change so that embarked land units could stack with naval units, because there was a lot of congestion out in the seas. So, there were definitely issues, but I'm still a big fan of one unit per tile. I think it improves the combat in so many ways, there's so much more tactical maneuvering and positioning."

Though he didn't address Civ V's notoriously fickle AI leaders, Beach went on to explain how the one unit per tile system has been improved over time.

"I think you just have to make sure, when you're designing a game like this with a one unit per tile system, that you're setting out for one unit per tile where it's helpful for you, like in spreading out the combat units and adding that tactical positioning play to the military side of it, and you're not enforcing one unit per tile rules in places where it's just getting in the player's way.

"So, I'm a big fan of one unit per tile, but I think we didn't quite hit it right with the initial release, in terms of where it was important to enforce it, and where we could just relax the rules a little bit. As long as we keep that in the forefront of our thinking, we'll be fine."



I also pointed out that Civilization is a series which is known to improve over time with expansions, but wondered what informs the decision to tear it all down and start over with a new numbered game.

"You want to set things up where you have a great foundation to build upon, and when you've invested in building that initial framework, you want to leverage that and get as many cool systems in to play off of that base as possible," said Beach.

"There is a point in time where, as you put each of those systems in, you learn a lot about the base game...and you see where things are working, and where things are still holding you back a little bit. You start to get to the point where, those things you can't change about the base game, because they're so fundamental to this particular iteration, are holding you back from what you want to try, then it's time to start looking at a new foundation."

I acknowledged that Beach obviously couldn't hint at plans for Civilization VI, to which he responded, "It is true that there are now 43 civs in the game, and the most any Civ has had up until now was 34. We actually hit 34 with Gods & Kings, and now we're going to be nine beyond it. So, that particular number is getting way up there."

Civilization V might be getting a second expansion at some point in the future. According to the Steam Apps Database - a website that trawls Steam's huge library - an entry exists for an expansion called "One World". This was spotted by a user of the 2K forums, who was presumably inspired by the addition of spies in Civ 5's last expansion, Gods & Kings.

While potentially exciting news for Civ fans, it's worth remembering that the Steam database isn't an exact science, and a content listing isn't a guarantee of release. Still, more Civ 5 content is hardly outside the realm of possibility. While Gods & Kings had some great additions, it wasn't an all-changing shift in how the game played out.

One World doesn't give many hints as to the possible direction of an expansion. Civ fans are speculating that it may refer to colonies, corporations, or enhanced economy and diplomacy options. Let's be honest though, at this point they're just throwing their wishlist at the wall and hoping that something sticks.

2K have responded to GameSpy's enquiries with the stock "we do not comment on rumors or speculation" line.

Thanks, Joystiq.

For the past 16 weeks, I've been chronicling the rise and fall of tribes, kingdoms, and great heroes in historical strategy games. It all started in Civilization V with The Celtic Chronicle, and has made its way to the currently running Crusader Kings Chronicle. The feature is taking a week off, so between now and next Wednesday is the perfect time to go back and get caught up, or just reminisce about all of the epic moments of ages past. You'll find links to every entry ever, with clip show-esque highlights, below.

Civilization V: The Celtic Chronicle
I attempt to lead the new Celtic civilization in Civilization V: Gods and Kings to world dominance against all odds.

In Part 1, the Celtic tribes go to war with the French, besiege Paris, and found the greatest religion ever. Highlights include that awkward moment when everyone shows up to claim the same ruin and that time we marched a whole crapton of Picts out of the forest and the French were like, "Whaaaaaaa?"

In Part 2, we become a republic and begin spreading PC Elitism to the ancient world. Highlights include that time we thrashed the English in a major historical reversal, and these badasses. Highlights do not include this horrible political chart I made at the last second in about two-and-a-half minutes.

In Part 3, the Middle Ages go... slightly pear-shaped. Highlights include that time city guards completely cut off from reinforcements took out the entire German army, and that one battle that actually made me stand up from my computer and pump my fists in the air like a guy in a joint pain medication commercial.

Civilization V: The Swedish Saga
Taking what I learned about Gods and Kings from the Celtic Chronicle, I make a much longer go of things as the Swedes.

In Part 1, things are off to a great start. Highlights include Game of Thrones references and more Game of Thrones references.

In Part 2, we gallop right through the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. Highlights include that time we founded a religion based on awesomeness and even more Game of Thrones references.

In Part 3, some actually interesting battles finally happen. Highlights include that time we had guns and Denmark didn't and that time Denmark had guns finally, but we already had better guns.

In Part 4, Sweden and Denmark are united under the new, socialist government of the Norse Democratic Union. Highlights include that time Denmark had guns that were as good as our guns, but we won anyway and that moment when everyone finally realized how dangerous Greece was.

In Part 5, WORLD WAR! Highlights include PEW PEW PEW! and KABOOM!

In Part 6, it's a race to the finish line, where the finish line is outer space. Highlights include SCIENCE! and one last Game of Thrones reference.

The Crusader Kings Chronicle
After two epic games, I put down Civ V for Paradox's Crusader Kings II, where my quest is still ongoing to raise my noble house to glory in 11th Century Europe. Here's your chance to get caught up so you can jump in with next week's fresh entry!

In the Prologue, I introduce the cast and explain how the game works. Yes, that requires a whole entry. Highlights include me misreading "Bishop of Killaloe" as "Bishop of Killahoe," and making a poor holy man seem way more gangsta than he actually is.

In Part 1, I unite the Duchy of Munster and start down the path to becoming High King of Ireland. Highlights include that time we won our first war and the moment when any semblance of following actual history flew out the window.

In Part 2, I take a head wound in battle and take over playing as my son. Highlights include that time I conquered more territory and that time I charged after a bunch of retreating barbarians even though they outnumbered me five to one.

In Part 3, there are a lot of rebellions. Highlights include that time I crushed all of those rebellions.

In Part 4, some serious epicness ensues. Highlights include that time I became a Crusader and that time I became a... well, I won't spoil it.

So there's your Saturday morning clip show for the week. More Crusader Kings goodness will arrive next Wednesday, so check back and witness glory!

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.

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, the Industrial Era saw my Swedish Empire and its Grand Army march from sea to shining sea in the pursuit of bringing lasting peace to the world. Despite our best efforts, however, it seems that world war is just on the horizon. Read on, as the next 100 years will change the world more than any century that came before!

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



Thoroughly modern
For the third time in a row, I've reached a new era before anyone else. There are still a few civs wallowing in the middle ages, and most haven't even advanced from Renaissance to Industrial. However, even with my superior technology, I only just barely qualify for "World Superpower" status. Greece, Rome, and Russia all have larger empires and armies than I do. Speaking of Greece and Russia, they continue to dominate the southern hemisphere with their tight-knit Axis. The Northern Allies, spearheaded by Rome and myself, are doing all we can to halt their advances. And we're succeeding, thanks to the quick mobilization of the Treaty of Vienna that united us all under mutual Defensive Pacts. Declaring war on one of us would mean declaring war on all of us...which neither Greece nor Russia has had the audacity to do.

However, the Treaty is in danger of fracturing from the inside. England has dropped out to dance on the half-dead remains of France, and Austria and Denmark (two of the original signatories) seem to be trying to split off into their own third faction, though it is sure to spell disaster for both nations. My first order of business is to pick up Navigation (which will take all of 1 turn with my amazing Science score), improving the economy of my coastal cities. Second order of business: prep for a world war.

1868 A.D.: The Swedish spy network established centuries ago is formally reorganized into the RSI (Royal Special Intelligence) agency. They set up counter-spy networks in Stockholm and Sigtuna.

If you've been following along, you'll know that I have been doing... less than amazing in the espionage department. Now I have a grand total of four spies to work with, which will hopefully help my chances. Unfortunately, you can't stick two incompetent spies in one place to make the equivalent of one competent spy. I could be more aggressive here, but when you have as wide a tech lead as I do, defensive spies are much more valuable.

1872 A.D.: Rome declares war on Spain. Although they initiated the conflict, Rome is able to justify its actions to the signatories of the Treaty of Vienna, largely helped by its seniority in the organization. Spain is dropped from the Treaty, joining England as a late-comer whose time among the Allies did not last.



Betrayal at Kaupang
1874 A.D.: The Academy of Birka founds the world's first archaeology program, excavating the remnants of its Westling ancestors.

Just to the south, a massive Greek army marches on Vienna and besieges the Unbreakable City. The Northern Allies debate whether or not to get involved, considering Austria's and Denmark's less than total commitment to the Treaty. Ultimately, defense forces are mobilized.

1876 A.D.: Northern forces push the Greek army back from Vienna. While Swedish forces aid on the Austrian front, Denmark launches a surprise attack on Kaupang.

Okay, so while I'm off helping Austria, their closest ally, the Danes decide to attack me out of nowhere. In the history of scumbag moves, that ranks pretty high up there. I am done with these clowns.

1878 A.D.: Danish forces attempting to cross the River of Storms and retake Kaupang are thrown back. Though they now possess smooth-bore firearms, the rifled weapons of the Swedes prove far superior.



Pressing the attack
1879 A.D.: The Swedes inflict massive losses as they outmaneuver and outgun the Danes at the Battle of Mt. Aarhus.

1880 A.D.: Danish forces try to slip between the Swedish lines by night, but are quickly caught in a pincer maneuver that results in their entire force being killed or captured.

Meanwhile a Greek operative warns Sweden that England is plotting against it. While this is not entirely unfathomable, Sweden elects not to give too much weight to intelligence being fed to them by the scourge of the Western world.

1881 A.D.: The Danish Western "army" has been reduced to little more than a guerrilla insurgency. Most uniformed regiments have pulled back to defend the capital at Copenhagen. The Swedish Grand Army splits into two Corps. One heads North for Ribe, while the other remains to continue the siege of Aarhus.



The United Norse Kingdom
1882 A.D.: Danish reinforcements led by a Great General arrive to defend Aarhus. Far to the East, England allies itself with Spain to aid in fighting off Roman invaders.

I'm torn on whether this is good or bad. England and Spain uniting against Rome means no one is putting pressure on Russia, one of the two most dangerous civs on the map. On the other hand, I won't lose sleep over some of Rome's largest-on-the-map military getting whittled away here and there.

1884 A.D.: The Danish government proposes peace. The current Swedish prime minister, elected from the Nordic Unification Party (an evolution of the United Stormlands Party), rejects this offer, giving a famous speech in which he proclaims that the Danish nobility have made their words worth nothing with their senseless betrayals and aggression. The Unification Accords are signed into law by the Swedish parliament, declaring the standing Danish government illegitimate and all of their lands the lawful domain of the new United Norse Kingdom. Revolts begin springing up in many Danish cities supporting the Accords, but the Danish King declares that he will fight to the death before surrendering unconditionally and signing away his country.

1885 A.D.: The Swedes master Biology.

Next stop is Refrigeration, so I can start building offshore platforms, and my troops can each have a cold beer when this war is over.

Meanwhile, the United Norse Kingdom's Southern Corps takes the heaviest losses of the war so far on the slopes of Mt. Aarhus, assaulting the city for which it is named.



The Treaty dissolves
1887 A.D.: UNK forces face the first major military defeat in the nation's history, and are forced to fall back from Aarhus. All that remains are a few mountain regiments and the famed 1st Artillery.

1888 A.D.: The 1st Artillery's position is bombarded by the defending forces of Aarhus and almost wiped out. Nearly all of the UNK's Southern Corps falls back across the River of Storms to regroup.

Rome signs a research agreement with Denmark. This action causes the majority Unification Party Norse parliament to declare them no longer recognized by the Treaty of Vienna. Rome claims that the UNK has no right to make such declarations. With Celtica backing the UNK and Austria refusing to decide one way or another, this is largely identified as the dissolution point for the 35-year Treaty.

It's disconcerting how quickly things can change. Mere decades ago, I managed to unite the entire world against the mutual threats of Greece and Russia. Now, it seems, Rome, Denmark, and Austria have broken off to oppose myself, the Celts, England, and Spain... while our true, original enemies are left to do as they please. I fear it's going to take some kind of massive Southern invasion to get everyone to wake up and get back with the program.

1888 A.D.: UNK engineers finish paving a road from Sigtuna to Kaupang, greatly speeding the movement of troops to the Danish front.

The prime minister of the UNK publicly denounces Denmark, hoping to discourage Rome from aiding them in the future.



Against all tyrants
1891 A.D.: A Great Scientist founds the Academy of Linköping in the Southwest Territories. It quickly becomes a saying that academic competition is Sweden's national "sport."

Thinkers at all of the major academies begin publishing papers on the nature of government and society. The Linköping Essays, perhaps the most famous among them, lead to the adoption of a popular vote democratic system that gives the people more control over parliamentary appointments.

I've adopted Sovereignty, which gives me gold for all of my Science buildings. And guess what? I have a lot of Science buildings. I've now exceeded the GDP of everyone except Greece and Rome, and probably passed Russia in terms of the hierarchy of superpowers.

Summer, 1893 A.D.: The UNK begins raising a second Grand Army to replace their losses at Aarhus, with the goal being the total annexation of Denmark. They turn all of their remaining front line troops toward Ribe, hoping that taking the smaller town will aid future attacks on Aarhus. Once Aarhus falls, the Swedish general advises Parliament, Denmark is as good as defeated.

A Customs House between Linköping and Turku brings sweeping economic growth to the Southwest Territories. A population boom hits as many impoverished citizens of Vienna seek fortune and religious freedom across the border.

Winter, 1893 A.D.: The UNK refuses another peace proposal by the Danes that would cede Ribe, but leave Aarhus and everything south of it under Danish royal rule. Rome speaks out against the UNK's insistence on continued war, declaring friendship with the Danish crown.

Furious with Rome, the UNK and their Celtic allies declare friendship with Rome's English and Spanish enemies.



Roman conquest
Summer, 1895 A.D.: The Second Grand Army of the UNK arrives at the River of Storms and obliterates the Danish forces holding it. They turn their sights on Ribe, where the remaining Northern Corps of the First Grand Army continues their long siege.

Across the sea, Rome captures the remaining French city of Orleans, putting an end to the French Empire. The same year, they capture the Spanish capital of Madrid. The leaders of the free world begin to worry that Rome is becoming a greater threat than Greece ever was.

I've been wary of Rome ever since I met them, but have been trying to keep things civil between us. They're like a very large rottweiler that could bite your arm off if it wanted to, but is smart enough to see that the two wolves stalking around (Greece and Russia) would jump on it the second it attacked. It seems, though, that they've come down with a case of rabies and may need to be put down before they threaten the survival of myself or my allies.

Winter, 1895 A.D.: Austria publicly denounces the Celts, therefore indirectly putting their faith in the Danes and the Romans. The Treaty of Vienna is formally repealed, although it has been no more than a formality for the better part of a decade.

1896 A.D.: Norse researchers master refrigeration, and the UNK begins building offshore oil platforms.

These offshore platforms will let me eventually build units that need oil, like tanks, and give me more gold and production. I already had work boats waiting to exploit these resources. I should soon become easily the richest nation on the board.



The Unification gains ground
1898 A.D.: The Danish town of Ribe is captured by the UNK, bringing them one step closer to total unification.

Later in the year, the Celts denounce England, jeopardizing the makeshift anti-Roman alliance they are a part of.

While historically accurate, I'm not entirely sure why this happened.

1899 A.D.: UNK forces advance on the poorly-defended town of Roskilde, on the East coast of Denmark. Meanwhile, Rome proposes a defensive pact with the UNK. They refuse outright.

1902 A.D.: Roskilde is captured, and the UNK army sweeps down the coast toward the port town of Viborg.

By focusing my might on their smaller, outlying cities instead of a hardpoint like Aarhus, I'm weakening Denmark little by little and losing very little doing it.



The Danes halt the advance
1903 A.D.: The Celts make a declaration of friendship with the Russians, still staunch allies of Greece. The UNK just doesn't really know what's going on anymore.

I'm starting to run out of bars on my "WUT"-o-meter. So there's some kind of dispute going on between Celtica and England, from what I can tell. And Russia hates everyone that's not Greece--England included. So... I guess... that's why? Maybe?

1905 A.D.: The Eiffel Tower is completed in Sigtuna. Everyone is just super psyched.

I get a gigantic happiness bonus from this wonder, which is something I really needed. Capturing all of these Danish cities is putting my happiness down the toilet, and we only just got indoor plumbing to make that metaphor relevant.

Danish forces from Aarhus and Copenhagen meet the UNK army outside of Viborg. They are spotted quickly enough that most of the UNK forces are able to fall back safely from the city.

The Danes have Norwegian Ski Infantry now, a unit of equivalent tech to my Caroleans. In terms of firepower, they are evenly matched. Since they heal every turn, the Caroleans are more resilient, but ski infantry have the mobility advantage in snow and hills. And Viborg is practically surrounded by hills. I elect to pull my front line back and let my artillery and gatling guns deal with them from a safe distance.

1907 A.D.: The Battle of Viborg rages on, with heavy casualties being inflicted on the UNK 1st Artillery. They are forced to abandon their exposed position on Viborg Bay and fall back to Roskilde to replace damaged guns. The UNK infantry continues to hold the line at the border, as reinforcements from Stockholm and Sigtuna rush down the road to their aid.



The Glasgow Conference
1908 A.D.: At the Glasgow Conference, the first international meeting of leaders on Celtic soil, the UNK convinces the Celts to agree to a joint denunciation of Rome.

1909 A.D.: Celtic-allied Russia denounces Denmark. The UNK parliament begins to wonder whether it may be in their best interests to support one of the Southern Axis powers.

Ah, how times change in Civ. Russia is marginally weaker than me, and we're both weaker individually than Greece and Rome. I could work with Russia against Rome, but I'd still be supporting an ally of Greece, my principal rival. For now, I'll just take whatever aid they offer me without giving anything back.

UNK forces finally break the Danish lines in the hills around Viborg, pushing most of their forces back toward Aarhus. Back in Sigtuna, a Greek spy is captured and killed by the RSI.

My intelligence network has gone from "Utterly Useless" to "Mostly Useless." It's a start.

Summer, 1910 A.D.: UNK forces are ambushed from the South outside of Viborg and take heavy losses. The general orders a second retreat to await the arrival of the full might of the UNK army.

I'm not taking any chances here. I plan to pile up my forces in one place and hit them like a ton of bricks, all at once. Viborg has proven much harder to crack than I'd ever imagined, and I still have Aarhus and Copenhagen to worry about.



The breaking of the Unbreakable City
Winter, 1910 A.D.: Vienna, the Heart of the West, called for millennia the Unbreakable City, falls to Greek forces. The ancient Austrian Empire is no more. With the massive loss of life inflicted in the Greek bombardment and sacking of Vienna, Sigtuna in the UNK becomes the largest and most influential city on the continent. Berlin, Greece is close behind.

The UNK makes immediate plans to defend Graz, now completely open to Greek attack. They also begin exploring the possible ways to strike against Greece when the time inevitably comes. The prime minister gives a famous speech, proclaiming Greece the greatest threat to peace and freedom in the known world. He laments the Austrian lives lost, swearing to take in any refugees who can make it across the border, and expresses his anger at the meaningless destruction brought upon a city known throughout the world for art, culture, and diplomacy.

Austria and I haven't always been the best of buds. My efforts to spread my religion of Awesomeness against the grain of their native Confucianism caused a rift between us that never really closed. But you know what? I'm mad now. Greece has gone too far, and without ever directly attacking me, they've made this personal. Once I seize the rest of Denmark, I'm drawing a bead on the heart of their empire, and waiting for the perfect moment to pull the trigger.

1912 A.D.: More weapons blueprints are stolen from Stockholm.

Well, having my spy network be slightly better than incompetent was fun while it lasted.

1913 A.D.: Advances in the field of explosives lead to Swedish cannons being replaced by the world’s first howitzer artillery. The hardened 1st Artillery are the first to benefit from the retrofit.

Do you hear that? That's the sound of Denmark falling so hard, it resonated backwards through time.



The Battle of Calm Waters
1914 A.D.: The Battle of Viborg continues to be the bloodiest in the UNK's history, but the astounding wealth of the growing nation is allowing them to put two men on the front lines for every one that is lost. The general leading the assault gives the Viborg Address to his gathered troops, many of whom have seen hundreds of fellow soldiers shot dead since the conflict began. He assures them that the Danish crown's days are numbered, and soon all Norse people will be united peacefully under one flag. Inspired by his words, they charge across the border, supported by the shiny, new howitzers of the 1st Artillery, and shatter the Danish lines.

1915 A.D.: The Danish navy arrives off the coast of Ribe and bombards UNK formations from the sea. Having no answer to this sudden naval assault, the UNK immediately commandeers all of the shipyards at Roskilde to begin construction on another new surprise...

Oops, I forgot to bring boats. Luckily, my deep pockets will allow me to deal with this swiftly, bypassing the usual, pesky training time.

1917 A.D.: Denmark makes a declaration of friendship with England, putting the English at odds with their once-allies in Spain (who continue to support the Celts and the UNK).

Off the coast of Ribe, half of the wooden Danish fleet is sunk in a single day. The Danish admiral is flabbergasted, having seen no ships approaching from any direction. Below the waves, the first UNK submarine commander and his men let out a cheer.

This was one of the most gloriously gleeful moments of the campaign so far. The Danes though they had me against the ropes when they got the idea to attack me from the sea, where I couldn't shoot back, right as I was poised to capture their city. Then, torpedoes happened. It felt kind of like losing a game of rock-paper-scissors, and then drop kicking the guy you lost to across the street into a dumpster. Needless to say, any naval advantage the Danes (or anyone on the map, for that matter) may have had has evaporated.



Goin' off the rails
1918 A.D.: The remainder of the Danish navy is chased down and destroyed by UNK submersibles. With the besieging companies at Viborg holding strong, newly-arrived reinforcements are redirected to Aarhus.

1920 A.D.: A new UNK prime minister, as his first act in office, orchestrates a diplomatic pact between the UNK and both of the great Eastern powers: Rome and Russia, once bitter enemies.

With the Celts proving a notable exception, I've come to the conclusion that you just have to sail the way the diplomatic winds are blowing in Civ V. Denmark will soon be mine, which will mean I will share an enormous border with Greece. I saw a chance to unite Rome and Russia against them, and you can bet I took it. As of now, Russia is still friends with Greece (in addition to myself and Rome), so their loyalty isn't assured. I've also risked losing Spain as an ally. While not openly at war with Rome -- for the moment -- they are not exactly the best of friends.

The first major railroad in the UNK begins construction from Sigtuna to Stockholm, speeding commerce and creating thousands of new jobs.

Connecting cities with railroads gives both ends a nice production bonus, and it gives my workers (who were running out of tiles to improve) something to do. Where to set my tech path next, though? Plastics? Combustion engines? Oh, that's right. How about Nuclear Freaking Bombs? I'll pick up Replaceable Parts on the way, allowing the building of Great War Infantry and making my Caroleans obsolete. I'm going to focus all of my major cities on making as many Caroleans as possible in the nine turns before that happens, as any Caroleans that I upgrade to higher-tech infantry will retain their unique unit bonuses.

1921 A.D.: Rome and the UNK sign a research agreement. Something about cutting very tiny things in half. The majority of the world doesn't really understand the significance.

Greece capturing Vienna is really what re-asserted them as public enemy number one. I'm willing to say "No hard feelings" to Rome, so long as they can be useful.

Elsewhere, England and Denmark denounce the UNK's Celtic allies. It does them little good, as Aarhus is captured after a long and bloody siege. Viborg, amazingly, still holds out.



The New Allied Powers Administration
1922 A.D.: Russia renews its denunciation of Rome, putting an end to the brief peace between the two nations that the UNK was able to build. Another war on the Eastern continent seems inevitable.

1924 A.D.: A Great Engineer builds the UNK's first manufactory at Sigtuna, creating yet more jobs and greatly increasing the city's production output. It is immediately put to work making arms and ammunition for the troops stationed at Graz, as Greek troops begin to mass on the border there.

Well, we all knew this day would come. Greece has conquered everything between me and them. I'm no fool, and I know they're looking to claim my lands next. I won't give them an inch.

In light of these troop movements, the Norsemen call the Sigtuna Conference. After much debate and compromise, mutual defensive pacts are agreed upon between the UNK, Celts, Rome, and Russia. While tensions between the Romans and the Russians remain high, they recognize the Greek threat as greater and come together. Spain and England are notoriously absent.

This ad-hoc league is dubbed the New Allied Powers Administration (NAPA). The UNK, as the head of the Defense Council, denounces Greece to the world. Rome is the first to join in, but Russia publicly objects.

1925 A.D.: Viborg is captured at last, ending the bloodiest siege in Norse history. Fresh forces from the North move in on the Danish capital of Copenhagen.



You say you want a revolution...
1926 A.D.: Copenhagen is besieged with the aid of the UNK's fresh 2nd Artillery.

1927 A.D.: The Democratic Socialist Party comes into power in the UNK parliament, leading to a brief period of civil strife that ends with the adoption of a socialist form of government. The UNK is officially renamed the NDU (Norse Democratic Union). The rioting is worst in formerly-Danish Aarhus, where the citizens only recently released from the tyrannical rule of the Danish king are most eager for change. Yet, even in Stockholm and Sigtuna, greedy guild leaders who have been running rackets for over a century are dragged from their homes and killed. The honorary offices of the royal family are done away with as well. Sweeping and decisive action by the new parliament eventually restores order, though the nation is left forever changed.

At this point in the game, you have the choice to go into one of three mutually-exclusive policy trees: Freedom, Autocracy (Facism), and Order (Socialism). For an empire of my size and the strategy I'm going for, Order made the most sense. Freedom best fits smaller empires, and Autocracy is almost entirely military-focused. Order gives me huge production bonuses, keeps my people happier (offsetting the frowny faces from occupying most of Denmark), and perhaps most importantly, increases the strength of my units by 25% in friendly territory. Yeah, what up Greece?

1928 A.D.: Copenhagen is captured, and the Danish government is forced to flee West to Tunsberg.

Six of the twelve civs that started this game have lost their capitals. Being the last to hold mine would win me a domination victory, but again, that's not my goal.



Preparing for the war to end all wars
1930 A.D.: Agents of the NDU's newly-reorganized NSS (Norse Secret Service) in Berlin steal blueprints for military aircraft from the Greeks. The designs are immediately sent back to Stockholm to be improved upon and put into production.

The bad news is that Greece researched Flight before me. The good news is I just got it from them for free. Thanks, guys! Apparently becoming socialist has given my spies backbones.

1931 A.D.: Swedish arms manufacturers produce the SV-1, the NDU's first repeating infantry rifle. They rush to start refitting all front line troops with the new weapons, to counter the Greek troops who have been using repeating rifles for some time.

I can now spend my teetering stacks of gold to upgrade my Caroleans to Great War Infantry, retaining their bonuses for starting as Caroleans. Unfortunately, any future infantry I build will not get these bonuses.

A Great General arrives in Graz late in the year, atop a crate of shiny, new SV-1s, to help hold the city against a potential Greek assault from Vienna.

1932 A.D.: Despite inflicting heavy losses on the NDU, Danish forces at Tunsberg are overrun. What remains of the Danish government holes up in their only remaining city, Salzburg. An expeditionary unit is sent to take the city, but the majority of the NDU forces are redeployed to the newly-shared Greek border South of Tunsberg. The Norse Ministry of Defense begins drafting two comprehensive strategies: Operation Justicar, to hold the border at Graz, and the ambitious Operation Firestorm, a blitzkrieg expedition into Greece to relieve border pressure before the Greeks can mount a full invasion.

My current plan is this: I do not want, not could I sustain the unhappiness of occupying, large swathes of Greece. Graz is an incredibly defensible city, and I should have no trouble holding it. My new Danish holdings, however, are wide open. My aim is going to be to slowly attack and burn the smaller cities of Northern Greece, salting the earth and creating a sort of "demilitarized zone" between our two nations. I'll keep knocking over cities and setting them on fire until I'm sure that their production and science output is too low to compete with me any longer.



Introducing the SV-42 Westerland
1933 A.D.: The Danish government-in-exile signs the Treaty of Tunsberg, making peace with the NDU after 77 years of conflict. The premier of the NDU declares the Great Unification of the Norse people complete. The Principality of Salzburg, a traditionally Austrian holding, is allowed to remain in under hereditary Danish rule.

1937 A.D.: Russian spies make contact with the NSS, warning them of an English plot against the Norse Union. England asks for an open borders agreement shortly after. The Norse heed the Russian warning, and refuse.

1942 A.D.: Swedish arms manufacturers at Birka develop the world's first assault rifle, the SV-42 Westerland, named for its creator and the region it came from. Priority NDU infantry companies begin to receive retrofits of the new weapons.

This bodes well. I'm now replacing my Great War Infantry with "Infantry," which despite the shorter name, are much more powerful. I've passed Greece in infantry tech, which will make a huge difference when the war finally kicks into gear.



WORLD WAR
1943 A.D.: Russia finally joins the other NAPA nations in denouncing Greece, abandoning its once-ally.

1945 A.D.: Greece declares war on the Principality of Salzburg, last bastion of the Danish royal government.

1947 A.D.: Just when it seemed there would be peace in the East, Rome unexpectedly declares new war on Russia. This breach of the NAPA treaties leaves many calling for its expulsion, but Rome assures the world that its strike was preemptive and necessary. The NDU, as the standing head of the Defense Council, recognizes that its own pending actions would be seen as hypocritical if it did not support Rome's tactics. It votes to expel Russia instead. The Celts back this decision, and Russia is removed from NAPA protection.

Later in the year, Danish Salzburg falls to the Greeks, erasing all traces of the royal government. The NDU begins moving units into position for the initiation of Operation Firestorm.



Rain of fire
1948 A.D.: A great castle is built in Stockholm to house the premier and members of parliament. From its steps, the premier gives a speech outlining his 10 Year Plan to revolutionize the less-developed areas of the NDU.

Yet another Wonder, Neuschwanstein, will give me tons of gold, happiness, and culture. I've also picked up the Planned Economy policy, which gives me Science for every factory I've built. I was already outpacing the rest of the word, and this has caused my science output to SOAR, an increase of about 17% from what it was before.

January, 1949 A.D.: The Firestorm Invasion commences at dawn on New Year’s Day. NDU artillery hit Elis and Mytilene simultaneously, while infantry armed with the superior SV-42 rifles open fire on Greek troops. The Celts and Russians refuse to join the unilateral invasion.

In response, Greek special forces launch surgical strikes targeting NDU artillery. The venerable 1st Artillery is wiped out, and the 2nd Artillery is forced to fall back to Tunsberg.

This is a crushing early loss, as pounding Greece's weak border cities with artillery was the "Firestorm" part of "Operation Firestorm." Now I'm just left with "Operation New Name Pending," but the invasion is far from over.

July, 1949 A.D.: NDU submarines sink the Greek fleet outside the port town of Mytilene. Infantry units advance on the city, while Greek forces swing around the Northern flank of the Swedish armies from Salzburg. They establish a line of heavy machine gun nests between Elis and Sazlburg.

Back at home, a Great Scientist in Uppsala makes significant advances toward splitting the atom.

I expended a Great Scientist for an immediate science boost, since I already have four or five academies and we're coming up on the "late game." It wasn't quite enough to finish my research on Atomic Theory, but it did reduce the remaining time to one turn.



I am become Death
Spring, 1950 A.D.: Greek bombers deployed from Mytilene destroy the remnants NDU 2nd Artillery, further crippling the invasion force. Knowing that they won’t be able to achieve air superiority on this front yet, the NDU generals make Mytilene airfield the priority target of the invasion.

In the West, NDU forces easily repel an attack on Graz from Vienna.

Summer, 1950 A.D.: Greece bizarrely deploys outdated cavalry units deep into NDU territory. The Norsemen aren’t worried, considering many of their civilians carry handguns that would make short work of these “soldiers.”

Meanwhile, the heroic Norse Third Infantry holds off an overwhelming counterattack by land and air at Mytilene long enough for reinforcements to arrive.

Fall, 1950 A.D.: The first Norse military fighter planes are launched from Tunsberg to intercept Greek bombers, ending Greece's air superiority on the Eastern front.

1951 A.D.: Norse scientists at Uppsala split the atom. Work immediately begins on the Stockholm Project to develop nuclear weapons. The Norse Union enters the Atomic Age.

The war with Greece I've been anticipating for hundreds of turns has finally come, and I'm counting on the might of the atom bomb being enough to break their backs and end a legacy of aggression and conquest that has held the world by the throat for thousands of years. They have proved more resilient than any previous enemy I've faced so far, shoving my original strategy right back into my eye socket and forcing me to improvise. We'll see how they improvise when their cities are flattened and riddled with gamma radiation.

STEAM
The magic of QuakeCon has cut a modest 25% off of Steam's Bethesda/id Software catalog for the weekend, with bigger deals rotating daily. At the time of writing, RAGE is 50% off. (Note: see below for possibly better deals.)


50% off RAGE - $9.99
25% off The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim - $44.99
25% off Hunted: The Demon’s Forge - $14.99
25% off Fallout: New Vegas - $14.99
25% off Fallout 3: GOTY Edition - $14.99
25% off The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion GOTY Edition - $14.99
25% off The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind GOTY Edition - $14.99
75% off Titan Quest - $3.74
More Steam deals



GAMEFLY
GameFly's QuakeCon sale is just like Steam's, except -- what's this? RAGE is cheaper on GameFly. And so is The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. Huh! Keep an eye on it.

GAMESTOP
Again with the QuakeCon deals, and again with a couple better prices than Steam. (What's going on? I'm scared.) GameStop currently has RAGE for $6.79 and Skyrim for $40.19 (same as last week for that one). I've listed a few unrelated deals below:


75% off Orcs Must Die! GOTY - $3.24
50% off Quantum Conundrum - $7.49
66% off Supreme Commander 2 - $4.99
50% off Borderlands - $9.99



GET GAMES
A new challenger! Instead of riding along on the QuakeCon bandwagon, Get Games is offering discounts on Take 2 and Batman games.


30% off Civilization V: Gods & Kings - $20.99
70% off Civilization V - $8.99
75% off Civilization III Complete - $1.25
75% off Civilization IV Complete - $7.49
70% off Mafia II - $8.99
60% off Bioshock 2 - $7.99
65% off Batman Arkham City - $6.99
45% off Batman Arkham Asylum GOTY - $10.99
50% off LEGO Batman - $9.99
75% off Stronghold 3 Gold - $9.99



AMAZON
Though Amazon is usually a discount powerhouse, it's way down here this week because it's got a pretty stagnant rotation of deals lately. The only major new addition I could find this week is The Darkness II, and that's not very major.

Checking hardware, I did see that most GeForce GTX 670s and GTX 680s are at least a little discounted. Newegg's prices look to be about the same, though, so cross-reference.


75% off The Darkness II - $12.49
25% off Empire: Total War - $15.05
72% off Mount & Blade - $4.17
50% off Mount & Blade: Warband - $10.03
26% off Dragon Age 2 - $14.74
25% off Mass Effect 2 - $14.92
71% off Trine - $5.83
50% off Mount & Blade: Warband - $9.95
27% off Dungeon Siege 3 - $14.68
50% off Tropico 4 - $19.99
26% off Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3 - $14.84
More Amazon PC game downloads


GOG
This week's alliterative sale takes 50% off Tremendous TopWare Titles.

If you find any great deals I missed, please do share them in the comments. Additionally, I thought this might be a good space to start sharing what we'll be playing this weekend. I plan to leave Civilization V: Gods & Kings on the ground to conquer the stars in Endless Space. Probably some EVE Online too. Space: it's really, really great. What are you up to?

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 Swedish civilization plowed through the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. Now, with my lines of muskets and cannons on the move for Austria, war on a scale not yet seen by my people is set to commence. Read on, as the sound of gunfire echoes across the continent!

Missed the start? Here's Part 1.



Titans of industry
I'm way out in front in the tech race right now, hitting the Industrial Era when a good portion of the map is still Medieval. I'm heading straight for Rifling next, so I can begin building the Swedish unique Caroleans that will form the backbone of my grand army. I'll pick up Banking and Economics on the way. You know, since I wasn't rich enough already.

1704 A.D.: The first professional Swedish musket regiment is raised in Sigtuna. The timing is fortuitous, as later that year, Denmark unexpectedly declares preemptive war on Sweden. The Celts and Greeks immediately agree to come to Sweden's aid against the warmongering Danes. The Swedish Lord-Governors had assumed the invasion of Austria would put them in conflict with Denmark, but they never expected their Norse cousins to strike first. Skirmishes near the border signal the beginning of the Great Continental War.

Looks like I lost the initiative in this conflict. Denmark's army is primitive compared to mine, but it includes the Danish unique Berserker units. Since Denmark is my most-played Civ, I am very familiar with how badly they can wreck things. Fortunately, this is a land war, and one of the berserkers' strengths is their ability to execute coastal raids. It is with a heavy heart that I send my forces to spill the blood of my longest-standing ally.

1708 A.D.: Lightning strikes by the Danish berserkers force the Swedish border regiments to fall back toward Sigtuna. The Danes press on, but are decimated by gunfire trying to cross the River of Storms. Though they're aided by swift, agile longboats, the melee troops are unprepared to face modern firearms.



Total war
1710 A.D.: Word arrives that another great Eastern empire has fallen.

To recap, that puts us at 10 remaining world powers. Nine, really, considering the fact that Germany almost doesn't count anymore. And Austria, it seems, is not long for this world either. While Vienna is still the greatest city in the known world, it is their only city. And I have cannons.

Later in the year, Swedish musketmen cross the River of Storms to flank the Danish vanguard. The entire column is gunned down, and the few survivors rout. The Swedish army advances on the Danish city of Kaupang, capital of the Southern Stormlands. Capturing it would mean uniting all of the Stormland lords for the first time in history. To this point, Swedish losses since the war began have been the lowest of any conflict in the nation's history. Both sides put their lines under the command of a Great General, and brace for the inevitable clash.

To the East, Sweden and the Celts jointly declare war on Denmark's Austrian allies. Several Austrian-allied city-states pledge their aid to the outnumbered defenders.

Summer, 1714 A.D.: Swedish explorers come into contact with Spain, another great Eastern nation and the founders of Islam.

Elsewhere, Danish knights execute a brilliant flank and overrun a Swedish regiment at the River of Storms before they can load their muskets. They are dealt with shortly thereafter, when the Swedish column swings around to pin them against the river. Soon after, their armies dashed against superior Swedish technology, the Danes offer a peace treaty that includes regular tributes to the Swedish crown. Sweden gladly accepts, wishing to mend the divide between them and their ancient allies, while focusing their military strength on Austria.

Greece and Celtica refuse the treaty, and continue to press on Denmark from the South.

So, at this point, Greece and the Celts are at war with Denmark, but I am not. And the Celts and I are at war with Austria, but Greece is not. All three of us are ostensibly allies, but neither of the two opposing nations is facing the full might of the trinity.

Winter, 1714 A.D.: The Swedish great guilds set up the world's first unified banking system, bringing even more economic growth across the nation.

The Swedish spy network in Vienna reports that the Austrians have no technology of value to steal. Considering how the last few battles went, they assume the same will be true of Denmark, and relocate to Greece.

Denmark issues a denouncement of Sweden for its continued aggression against Austria, though it doesn't seem eager to send any more troops into Sweden to reinforce its point.

As the year draws to a close, Spain and Sweden exchange embassies and the Celts capture Danish-occupied Salzburg. At the crossroads of the continent, the Broken City (named as a humorous counterpart to Vienna, the Unbreakable City), has now been occupied by the original Austrians, the Germans, the Danes, and the Celts at different points in history.



Much intrigue is brewed
1720 A.D.: Greek spies report that the Danes are planning another invasion of Sweden. Having manned their eastern border with the best troops available, the Swedes are less than worried.

1722 A.D.: Germany denounces Denmark, mostly just to remind the world that they still exist. This, ostensibly, puts them on the side of the Swedes, the Celts, and the Greeks, though they have participated in a grand total of no battles in the Great Continental War so far.

Later that year, the Celts approach the Swedish Lord-Governors with word that Greece plans to invade Celtic-occupied Salzburg. This betrayal is sure to shatter what remains of the once-mighty Continental Alliance, and the Celts seek allies in a war on Greece. The Swedes decline, knowing that the continent has seen enough war and wanting to foster stability, not more factional disputes.

Elsewhere, the Swedes make contact with the Eastern nation of England. Its magnificent capital of London dwarfs even great Vienna.

1726 A.D.: Swedish spies uncover that Greece is building a great fleet with the intention of sailing to the New World and invading England. They elect to keep this information to themselves.

I could earn some Brownie points with England by sharing my intel, but at this point that wouldn't do me a whole lot of good. Greece is right next door and has a larger (albeit more primitive) army than I do, so I'd prefer to keep them on good terms. Plus, if they're attacking England, they won't be attacking me.



The Battle of Graz
1728 A.D.: England and Sweden exchange embassies.

Later in the year, after securing the frontier, Swedish infantry finally march on the small city of Graz, Austria. Just North of Vienna, holding it would provide a strong foothold for assaulting the Unbreakable City.

1736 A.D.: The Swedes master Economics, as their armies besiege Graz with the aid of the 1st Artillery.

Summer, 1740 A.D.: A Swedish Great General leads a daring river crossing on the crumbling walls of Graz. His forces take heavy losses, filling the river with dead. But by noon of the following day, the city is in Swedish hands. They elect to leave the existing city council in place, under the watch of a governor-general from Birka. This marks the first Swedish occupation of a city belonging to a major foreign power in history.

Conquest, at last! I now own the Northwest portion of the continent, everything west of Denmark and east of what I'm calling the Austrian Alps. I'm electing to leave it a puppet for now, which means the AI will decide what it builds while I reap the raw benefits of owning it.

Across the sea, the Swedes meet the mighty Russian Empire.

In the cannon-shattered streets of Graz, Swedish generals draft a plan to cross the Southern fork of the Austrian River and take Vienna, with Celtic troops moving in from the Northwest to assist.



Greece's infamy grows
Winter, 1740 A.D.: The Austrians offer to empty the grand coffers of Vienna in exchange for peace. Sweden accepts the ransom, leaving one seasoned unit in Graz while the rest of its forces and the 1st Artillery head to the Eastern front to counter a continually rumored, second Danish invasion.

The Swedes and the Russians exchange embassies, and the Swedes master metallurgy.

This would allow me to build my unique Hakkapeliitta cavalry... if I had ANY horses AT ALL.

Spain and Austria jointly denounce Greece, which remains at war with Austria having rejected its treaty.

1746 A.D.: The Swedes sign a research agreement with the Celts.

Good. Clearly this scuffle over Salzburg has clued the Celts into the fact that Greece is steamrollering everyone at everything but science, and they don't need any more boosts in that department. This agreement was almost free for me, as well, as the ransom I got from Austria almost completely covered the cost. Who says war can't pay for science?

England joins in denouncing Greece, making it disliked by most of the known world.

1748 A.D.: Russian spies inform the Swedes that England is plotting against them.

Uh, so, a nation far less powerful than I am is planning on crossing the world to attack me, while under threat of invasion by the world's great superpower? Sounds like a good idea.

Later the same year, Spain goes to war with England. This likely halts whatever plans England had to invade Sweden.



New alliances
1754 A.D.: A Great Merchant founds Sweden’s first customs house at Birka, turning the once desolate, barbarian-infested Westerlands into not only an academic hub, but an economic one as well.

Rome seeks Swedish aid in a war against Russia. Sweden declines, having no interest in committing troops to an overseas war it holds no stake in. Meanwhile, Celtic troops pass through Swedish-occupied Graz on the way to besiege Vienna.

Sweden and Spain make a declaration of friendship in an attempt to bridge the divide between their continents. The Swedes also make contact with France, the last of the major Eastern powers.

1756 A.D.: Austria denounces Sweden for allowing attacking Celtic troops to pass through Graz uncontested. Said troops cross the Southern fork of the Austrian River and win a favorable engagement against the Austrian defenders outside Vienna.

France and Sweden exchange embassies, making Stockholm one of the only cities in the world to host diplomats from every major power.

1760 A.D.: Rome denounces Russia, and the Spanish-English war ends with a declaration of friendship. Sweden goes on to declare friendship with both Eastern powers, looking for new allies as the Celts remain the only Western nation it can trust.

It's starting to shake out like this: Greece is the major power in the West, with my Swedes a few steps behind. On the Eastern continent, Rome in the North and Russia in the South are the big dogs, and seem poised for war. I can tell by looking at city names that Rome has conquered the Dutch, who I never met, and large portions of France. France, it seems, is the Germany of the East, just barely surviving. England and Spain are modestly-sized, and sandwiched between the Russian and Roman war machines. It seems they've come to their senses and realized if they don't stick together, they will both be swallowed up. I plan to support them both, as anything that weakens the other superpowers helps secure my victory.



Germany's last stand
Summer, 1768 A.D.: The Greeks warn Sweden that continued relations with England will put their two nations at odds.

I saw this coming. Greece and England don't get along. Actually, Greece doesn't get along with much of anyone anymore. The Danish don’t particularly like them, but they don’t like me, either. If Greece starts a war, I will only be able to count on the Celts and my overseas allies for aid, and Greece might be strong enough to wipe us all out. And that’s assuming they don’t also get the Danes on their side.

Meanwhile, Greek forces overwhelm the city of Munich, putting a final end to the scrappy German Empire. Greece's borders now extend to the south end of Denmark and Austria, claiming nearly half of the continent's land area.

Winter, 1768 A.D.: As the threat of Greek hegemony grows, the Swedes invent the first rifled firearms. Far deadlier and more accurate than smooth-bore muskets, the Swedish army begins phasing out an infantry weapon that was already ahead of most of the world. The first rifle regiment are the Swedish Royal Guard, trained at the prestigious Stockholm military academy.

Hell yeah, Caroleans! I can now build Sweden's unique infantry that heal hitpoints every turn, even if they took another action. Perfect for brute-force, protracted campaigns. To give you some idea of how technologically supreme my military is, these guys are about equivalent in power to World War I infantry... while the Celts, for one example, are still using mostly Pikemen and Longswordsmen.

Next stop on the tech tree is Scientific Theory, which will improve my production and Science yields by allowing me to build public schools.

1776 A.D.: A renewed Defensive Pact is established between the Celts, the Greeks, and the Swedes, forming the New Continental Alliance.

It may seem odd, but right now, being friends with Greece is a good plan. I've decided that eventually stomping them into feta-scented dust is not going to be optional if I want any hope of winning, but the more time I have to extend my tech lead and build a sprawling campaign army, the better. I'm also getting free Great Person points for being friends with them, so in a way, they can only harm themselves by continuing this alliance.

A Celtic spy steals some texts on astronomy from Sigtuna. Sweden confronts the Celtic queen with this, and she apologizes, agreeing to bar her operatives from working on Swedish soil.

The Swedish spy network is the laughing stock of the intelligence community. They have never stopped any action of a foreign agent, and only about half the time are they even able to identify the thief. I suppose subtlety is not our strong suite.



Lines are drawn
1782 A.D.: Roman spies warn of a Russian plot against Sweden. The last warning regarding England never amounted to anything, and Rome is known to be on hostile terms with Russia. The Swedes begin to wonder about Roman spies. Nonetheless, they play it safe and refuse a declaration of friendship proposed by Russia later that year.

I hate to turn down Great Person points from friendship declarations, but it's getting to the point on the global stage where declaring friendship with the wrong nation could have dire ramifications. My advisers tell me that Rome has an even larger military than Greece (although their people are quite unhappy), and the last thing I need right now is Romans storming my beaches.

A Great Scientist founds the Academy of Westerland near Birka, a rival to the Academy of Birka. The Westerlands become the academic center of the world.

1788 A.D.: England denounces Russia. Upon hearing of this, Greece voices its support for the Russians by refusing to renew its declarations of friendship with English/Spanish-allied Sweden and Celtica.

Interesting. It seems Russia and Greece may be building an alliance that spans the Southern Hemisphere. If that happens, the four of us non-warmongering civs will probably have to bring Rome into our fold to act as a check.

1794 A.D.: The Swedish-Austrian road begins construction at Linköping to connect Sweden’s Austrian holdings around Graz to the fatherland.



The time for war is nigh
1802 A.D.: Celtic spies uncover an impending Greek invasion of Graz. The Swedes prepare to defend.

Greece would have to go through Salzburg (held by the Celts) or Vienna (held by the Austrians) to get to me. As they're unlikely to get an open borders agreement with either, this means they'd have to declare war. This is assuming they don't try to attack from the West by sea, but from what I can tell, they don't have much of a navy on this side of the continent.

1804 A.D.: Greeks ask for an open borders pact with Sweden. The Swedes send them a painted ship's sail, which breaks the world record for the largest-ever depiction of the word "NOPE." Meanwhile, Sweden makes a declaration of friendship with tiny, impoverished France.

1806 A.D.: The Celts ask for aid in a war against the Danes. The Swedes accept, eager for a reason to relieve the tension of Danish forces in the border marches.



The powder keg is lit
1812 A.D.: An Austrian Great Prophet begins trying to spread Confucianism in Sweden. The Lord-Governor of the Southwest Territories orders his caravan arrested. Hearing of this, the Austrians become furious and declare war on Sweden.

1814 A.D.: Greece denounces the Swedes, supporting Austria in its grievances against them.
Hmmm. Until now, it seemed Greece was poised to attack Austria. But it seems my actions have thrown them into a makeshift alliance of opportunity. At least Greece hasn't gone as far as to declare war on me. Since it could now pass troops safely through Austrian lands, Graz would be very vulnerable. I dispatch a large helping of troops there immediately.

1816 A.D.: Rome asks for aid against Russia. With the war with Austria reignited, and renewed war on Denmark soon to follow, Sweden declines.



The War That Wasn't
1820 A.D.: The Swedes formalize Scientific Theory.
I'm now turning toward Industrialization, which will let me upgrade my long-obsolete Crossbowmen into Gatling Guns, among other things.

Denmark requests an open borders pact. The Swedes invent the cynical eye-roll in response. Meanwhile, the Celts denounce Greece for supporting Austria instead of their once-allies.

1822 A.D.: The Sistine Chapel of Awesomeness is completed in Stockholm.
Nice. This will give me a pretty massive culture boost.

1824 A.D.: After twelve years of posturing, Austria once again asks for peace with Sweden. The Prophet's War ends with no actual military engagements having taken place. Later generations will nickname it "The War That Wasn't."



On the march
1828 A.D.: The Celts and the Swedes declare joint war on Denmark. The Swedish 1st Artillery mows down Danish knights on the western slopes of the Snowrun Peaks, leaving the countryside open for Swedish riflemen to advance on Kaupang.

Elsewhere, a trade road to Graz is finally completed.

1830 A.D.: Celtic heavy footmen are pushed back from the Danish city of Ribe.

1834 A.D.: The Kremlin is completed in Sigtuna.

This wonder will make all of my defensive buildings better, and gives me even more culture.

Ribe continues to repel Celtic attackers, while across the sea, Russia denounces Spain. The divide between the Southern superpowers and the Northern nations grows starker.



The Celts prove their mettle
1838 A.D.: The peak of the Swedish Industrial Revolution sees the advent of many new technologies.

Industrialization lets me build gatling guns and see coal deposits on the map, which are needed for many Industrial-era units and buildings. I'm now researching Electricity, which will lead into Radio and bring me into the Modern Era.

The first Swedish troops equipped with repeating firearms are dispatched to Kaupang.

1840 A.D.: The Roman-Russian War begins far to the East. Meanwhile, foreign spies steal Rifling tech from Stockholm.

On the long list of my spy network's failures, this is the greatest so far. I've officially lost my infantry tech edge, which is my single greatest military advantage at this point. The one saving grace is that my unique Caroleans will win any 1-to-1 engagement with vanilla Riflemen, and I'm not aware of any other civ in this game that gets a unique Rifleman replacement.

In a counter-attack, the Danes capture Salzburg from the Celts.

Summer, 1842 A.D.: Celtic forces cross the Bay of Storms to aid Swedish invasion massing on the Northern Danish border. Its southern forces lose a skirmish with Danish knights near Salzburg and fall back behind Swedish lines.

The Danes out-tech the Celts almost as much as I out-tech the Danes, so my allies are just getting shredded here. On the bright side, they are weakening the Danes with every battle, and I'm not having to risk my units as much. In the long run, the outcome of this war is foregone unless Greece gets involved.



Denmark seeks Eastern aid
Winter, 1842 A.D.: Danish musketmen trying to cross the River of Storms meet with heavy losses from Swedish gatling guns. The Swedish army closes in on Kaupang.

1843 A.D.: Denmark and Rome declare friendship.

This is very interesting indeed. Rome hates Russia, who is friends with Greece, who is an enemy of Denmark. That much makes sense. But the Celts and myself are also enemies of Denmark, as well as Greece (and by extension, Russia.) So this move has gained Rome an ally while alienating two more. It also still has the largest military, so I have to be ready for Roman reinforcements to join the Danes from the coast. I hope the ongoing Roman-Russian War will limit that.

A Great Artist and a Great General are born in Sigtuna.

Those Declarations of Friendship have paid off: I'm generating Great People way faster than anyone else.

1844 A.D.: The Great Artist founds a cultural landmark near Uppsala, making it a cultural hub of Sweden.

Elsewhere, Danish berserkers ambush the Celts besieging Ribe and wipe them out.



The United Stormlands
1846 A.D.: The Swedish 1st Artillery begins bombarding Kaupang.

England joins the Roman-Russian War on the side of Russia, breaking its ties to the Swedish-Celtic-Spanish alliance. The Celts publicly denounce Russia to express their disapproval.

Later in the year, Danish berserkers rush across the River of Storms to try and break the enemy lines, and are quickly shot down by Swedish forces.

1847 A.D.: The Danes erect primitive trebuchets, firing them across the River of Storms at the invading Swedes. They fail to inflict significant losses.

1847 A.D.: Kaupang is captured. The Southern Stormland Lords who once ruled it are allowed to keep their holdings as appointed Governor Generals of the Swedish crown. Many of them join with their Northern Stormland counterparts to form the United Stormlands Party, which advocates for a union of all Nordic people under one flag. Supporting this agenda, the Swedish army advances on the Danish city of Aarhus.

Spain makes a declaration of friendship with the defending Danish government, pressured by the Romans on their Northern border. Sweden is once again left with only the loyal Celts to back them.

This is yet another one of those "AI civ, what are you doing?!" moments. I suppose their motive has to be gaining favor with Rome from having declarations of friendship with the same civilizations. Which is understandable, since Rome could pretty much squash them like a bug any time it wants to.



The Fall of the High King
1849 A.D.: The Danes propose peace. While the High King and the United Stormlands Party wish to continue the war, the majority of Governor Generals from the Stockholm Valley, Westerlands, and Southwest Territories vote to accept the treaty. A brief revolt, known as the King's Storm, is suppressed and the reigning High King is executed. The office continues by a parliamentary appointment, but never again will a monarch hold significant political power in Sweden.

I’ve captured a city, and Denmark is still too far behind me in almost every area to be a threat. I need to start worrying about Greece before it’s too late to worry.

1849 A.D.: Greece declares war on Austria. It is clear to the world that Greek thirst for conquest has gotten out of control. The Swedes seek to ally the rest of the continent against them, starting with an exchange of embassies with their once-enemies in Austria.

Rome requests a declaration of friendship. The Swedes accept, knowing that it may take a fully united North to halt aggression from power-mad Greece and Russia.

1851 A.D.: Swedish mediators ensure that peace is made between Austria and the Celts, the Greek threat weighs heavy on the minds of all Western nations. Austria publicly denounces Greece's Russian allies, spinning another thread uniting the North against the South.



The Treaty of Vienna
1853 A.D.: The Swedes invent Electricity, and the cities of Sweden become beacons in the night, just as they bring their allies together against the looming shadow of Greece.

Elsewhere, the leaders of the world gather in Vienna. Rome, France, Celtica, Sweden, Denmark, and Austria are united in mutual defensive pacts under the Treaty of Vienna. They become known as the Viennese Alliance, the first inter-continental league of its kind, forged to counter Greek and Russian aggression on their respective continents. England and Spain choose to remain neutral, and the Swedish and Austrian delegates continue to butt heads over religious differences. Similar issues arise over the Swedish occupation of Graz and Kaupang. The Alliance is not without tension, but the mutual threats it faces bind it together.

1855 A.D.: Spain cuts all ties to Russia and joins the Treaty of Vienna. England agrees to publicly denounce Greece, though they still do not sign the Treaty.

1856 A.D.: England finally signs the Treaty of Vienna, becoming the last major power to do so. The Greco-Russian Axis now has, quite literally, all the powers of the world arrayed against them.



The road to world war
1858 A.D.: Greece and Russia enter a research agreement, cementing the ties between the Southern Axis powers. Denmark and Austria sign a similar agreement in counter.

1859 A.D.: The Danes denounce Celts, and Austria denounces Sweden, causing tension among the Treaty nations.

This was just... really dumb. If Denmark and Austria think they can spin off into their own little club and fight both the Alliance and the Axis, they are in for a rude awakening. Usually I can justify seemingly incompetent AI moves in Civ. For this one, I'm basically at a loss.

1860 A.D.: The establishment of a new Danish embassy begins to repair fractures in the Alliance. The United Stormlands Party, of course, opposes this decision. Later in the year, the Danes request an open borders treaty. Hoping to foster further positive relations, the Swedes reluctantly accept.

Seems like a coin toss whether or not this is some ploy to attack me again. But I'll humor them for now. They would do very minimal damage if they did decide to backstab me. Plus, I've got some trade agreements in place with Rome that should prevent them from coming to the Danes' aid this time.



1861 A.D.: The Celts and the Swedes enter a research agreement. The Danes and the Austrians follow with an agreement of their own. This makes Sweden nervous, as they are the two Treaty signatories that like the Swedes the least.

Later in the year, Rome and Russia make peace (although Rome continues to denounce the Russians), leaving the Romans to focus on the Greek problem.

1867 A.D.: England withdraws from the Treaty of Vienna and declares war on France.

Sweden and Rome sign a research agreement.

1868 A.D.: Swedish scientists invent the Radio, propelling Sweden into the Modern Age.

Wow, considering the first four eras were so uneventful I had to combine them into two posts, a ton has happened during my years of industrialization. Germany is gone, and France, it seems, will soon go the same way. Greece is only getting stronger, as its alliance with Russia creates a united Southern front that all the world fears. The Celts have become my most loyal allies, with Rome and Spain supporting me for the most part. Denmark and Austria are caught in the middle of North and South, seemingly hoping to defy both and stand alone.

World war seems inevitable. Check back next week as I take to the skies, and look beyond!