Saffy3 came in to power and saw the empire threatened from the Romans from the east and the Chinese from the south.
Assessing the state of the empire, Saffy3 was pleased to see that the capital was the greatest city on the continent. He also saw that the puny Mayans owned the 2nd and 3rd best cities. Once he got out of the shit he was in currently, he would have to pay them a 'visit', Saffy3 thought pleased.
Saffy3 was also pleased to see that his people were still the greatest civilization known.
However, the empire wasnt doing great in all aspects.
Especially the power of the army was a point of concern. Saffy3 was sure the annals said that his namebearers before him had always advocated a decent army. With the empire being threatened from two superiour armies from two sides all he could say was: "I hate to say I told you so". Not that this was of much use to him now, as there was noone to listen and he was the one to make things right again.
The work his predecessor had done for modernizing the army surely helped. An attack from the Romans was beaten off.
But a greater threat loomed in the south, where two cities were practically undefended. Saffy3 decided to pull back his troops (or 'troop' rather) from 'Goes with Fish', as not to waste his precious few units against such a superiour force. Run to fight another day!
The only positive thing was that the Chinese were also involved in another war, which would hopefully mean that the Celt empire did not need to bear the full brunt of their force (yet).
Around that time Saffy3 also called back his spy units, one of which was freezing his butt off for no sensible reason. Saffy3 was sure those spies were of much better use in the homeland, defending against enemy spies. Did Saffy2 not build them with that in mind??
Saffy3 also looked for help with the other people on the continent, but they were not of much help.
People with frozen butts sure stand out! One of the two Celts spies was captured and tortured to death. Nipple clamps were supposedly involved...
Meanwhile, Goes With Fish falls to Chinese troops.
Meanwhile, another great religious building project was finished. This would help the empires coffers with extra income from reli-tourism.
Do miracles exist? In the same year as the Spiral Minaret was build, help came from another god, offering us a way out of one war at least.
The loss of another city was the price to pay. However, it would soon be quiet on the eastern front, and Saffy3 already ordered the troops there to move to the southern front and help liberate the two lost towns.
But the miracles of 1375 were not over yet: a great general arose in the Celtic lands.
Inspiring the Celtic troops to retake No ha-ha in the same year.
In thanks for these divine interventions, the Masjid Al-haram was founded in the city where Islam was founded. Reli-tourism would flourish even more!!
Five years later, all the votes were counted and it was decided there would be a 50 years peace treaty between Celtia and Rome.
To help meet the demands of well trained units, a military academy is founded in the capital. Here, officers will be trained to lead the troops into victorious battle!
All this fighting however, is sapping the Empires strength.
While the army takes as many losses as it gains.
With the Chinese almost being driven back from Celtic soil, Saffy3 begins to prepare for an assault for his own. A preparation that would prove to demand a long breath...
The last attack on No Ha-ha is beaten off. The tides seem to have turned!
Some guys' greatest achievement is finding out that water is wet. And Celts being the culturalest of all.
Meanwhile, the Celts are now getting up to speed building it's army. However, the Chinese arent standing still either...
Other cultures are trying to benefit from our hard earned technologies, even the Romans, who not long before tried to take things from us by force. Of course, we say nay to every last one of them. Great as we are, we can find out everything for ourselves soon enough and their gain would be greater than ours. Saffy3s plan is to keep them as backward as possible, so their people are more easy to conquer later on. All this culture we are gaining is nice, but it would be for naught if we would not 'spread it along'.
The uneasy peace between the Celts and the Romans comes under more strain when a Celt noble decides his Roman bride actually doés look like a pig (as one of his friends suggested). Saffy3 is glad the forced peace treaty between the two peoples lasts for a little longer.
Saffy3 is even more glad for this when it becomes known that the Khmer chickened out of the war with the Chinese. The struggle in the south will become quite a bit harder now.
As Celt troops take up positions to take back Goes with Fish, Celtic scientists discover the principles of engineering. This will prove of great essence for the war, because now trebuchets can be build to attack cities, pikemen to better attack enemies on horseback. The improvement of the roads this means is of no less importance, as this will mean that troops can now travel to the battlefront much quicker!
Saffy3 now orders to have guilds be established in his empire. This will attract strong warriors on horseback, much needed in the fight against the military superiour Chinese!
After that Saffy3 orders the development of the printing press to bolster his economy and replaceable parts to improve the empires productivity! Better economy is more army he thinks! More productivity is more army he thinks!
A wealthy merchant sets up shop in the city that he thinks has the best financial potential. No Ha-ha might turn out to be one of the empires most important economical centers. A bold move however! The Celtian-Chinese war rages on just a few leagues away!
Unbeknown to his people, Saffy3 has ordered a seaworthy ship to set sail to the west to discover new lands to conquer once the annoying people on this continent are dealt with.
Several new cultures are discovered over the years.
In 1430, while the Celtic troop presence on Chinese soil ever increases, the forced treaty with the Romans ends after 50 years of peace. Saffy3 will have to keep an eye on Roman troops at his eastern borders again. However, for now retaking the Celtic second port - Goes with Fish is more important. And because Saffy3 does not like to be kicked in the teeth without some gain in then end, he has his army set up position around the closest Chinese town too.
However, as over time the offensive force of the Celts grows, so does the defensive force of the Chinese.
Victory! 1440 is the year that the Celtic people from Goes with Fish are reunited with their own again! Saffy3 now concentrates all his forces on the city of the wretched Chinese! But the Chinese forces from the Khmer front would come back before Saffy3 could muster a large enough force at the Chinese gates. He would have to wait even longer.
Another military academy is built in the Celtic empire. In Slumpie this time. All for the good of the war!
Attracted by this new development in Slumpie, a master blacksmith decides to settle there. Some whisper he's actually a Chinese fella who foresaw the future of a Celt victory over all of China!
Another military academy is promptly opened in Buckie Triangle, but... No blacksmith... Bummer...
Guilds are founded, heavily armed and armoured knights will now roam the lands of the Celts from now on!
In 1480, the Sistine chapel is built in another empire. "Good! More cities to conquer!", Saffy3 thinks.
Feeling that he won't have much longer to live, Saffy3 had ordered the growing armies in the south to start tearing down the walls of the Chinese city with all the artillery he has built. From his sickbed he hears that almost no stone is standing on top of the other, but that still too many troops are hidden in the rubble. Saffy3 will not live to see the capture of Hangzhou anymore. And the Roman army lurks in the east...
On his deathbed Saffy3 hears he's done ok regarding the circumstances. But there's still a battle to be won over the Chinese, on whom the Celts didnt take ground regarding the military. However, when total power is regarded, the Chinese are starting to fall behind. The Celts must be cautious not to loose the advantage over the other cultures though!
You're up Jon
(but take your time, or you'll prolly bite my head off for mentioning you're up *phew!*)
