Part 78: The Two Henrys

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Greetings, ladies and gentlemen, first time viewers and veteran posters alike, and welcome back to the Civ Battle Royale! Today, serving as your narrator for Part 78 is yours truly, u/sledge115! Loyal Korean supporter, formerly active sub commenter - and recently returned from a spell of dormancy. This is only my second time narrating, after all the way back in Part 49, and I have to say, it‘s good to be back!

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To many (players and spectators alike), the Oranje Containment Project was a bust. That by no means means the end of war on the cylinder, nor the potential downfall of the Boers. The ever talented /u/Spherical_Melon returns to show us his interpretation of the events of the OCP.

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Where we last left off, Yakutia is on the brink of utter destruction as Korean, Inuit, Mongol, and Finnish forces roam where they once reigned supreme - they won‘t be long for this world. In the New World, Brazillian ground forces waving the flag of the Stop Overseas Piracy Alliance rampage across former Buccaneer lands, securing their dominion over South America. To the North, the Australians continue to pound the tenacious defense of Mexico amidst nuclear hellfire as the Blackfoot make their push - while the Inuit White Walkers begin to stir in the Land of Always Winter.

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Fellow AI Game Runner /u/KirbyATK48 returns with a top 10 spotlight, showing us the most powerful players as of Part 78.

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The Boers remain in the top spot, for now at least. While their famed carpet has been massively depleted, their headstart in Future World wonders has been a crucial advantage. Pigs will fly before the Boers collapse onto themselves. Full Rankings here: http://imgur.com/a/F4uVU/layout/horizontal

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Our cartographers have worked overtime, as shown by this newly updated, tile accurate map of the globe, created by u/Spherical_Melon!

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Looking for something with a tad more hexagons? We feel you. In that case here‘s edse1991 in all it‘s raw glory by /u/edse1991

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We begin with a shot of Osaka, formerly the last stronghold of Emperor Meiji‘s fledgling Japanese Empire. While they had experienced a brief restoration with the help of the Korean Army, the Kimberley put an end to that dream and forced His Imperial Highness Sejong (Korea) to establish a puppet government. In spite of Sejong comforting him with a friendly pat of reassurance, Emperor Meiji silently weeps over Japan, and the end of his people‘s hopes to reclaim the Home Islands. Here‘s to Meiji‘s Japan, and the dreams of what could have been millennia past The Kimberley invasion force sent to capture Osaka, in the meantime, has been reduced to a single battleship, facing off against a vastly superior Korean Arsenal Ship and surrounded by a massive underwater flotilla of submarines. The captain on board contemplates his options; will he fight to the last? Will he surrender to the mercy of Sejong? Or will he take another option, and end it all with a single bullet? Whatever his choice, the Captain stares off to the distance, as Korean-Japanese banners are raised over the city his comrades have bled for in vain.

09

The Brazilian Air Force recover from another bombing run over Buccaneer-held Belo Horizonte, eager to restore it under Dom Pedro II‘s rule. The Atlantic is strangely devoid of naval activity, with hardly a trace of the once dominant Black Fleet of the Buccaneers in its waters. The coast of Africa is another story; whatever‘s left of Henry Morgan‘s prized African holdings is pulverised under heavy Boer bombardment. Bamako and Sale burns, and before long all of Africa will finally be united under the orange banners of Paul Kruger‘s Dominion.

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All across the Carribean, the Buccaneers scramble to form a semblance of resistance against the fast-approaching Brazilian army. Their core will hold longer than most, for Brazil is, thankfully, lacking in a significantly powerful Navy. However, their window at expansion is closing fast, and if nothing is done then soon Henry Morgan will find himself out of options. To the north, Inuit forces are steadily encroaching on the last Buccaneer holding in what should be the Continental United States in our timeline. Winter is on the horizon, and Petit-Goave will soon be theirs. The Buccaneer Army presence in their South American holdings is laughably undermanned, with obsolete marines and artillery facing off against Mech Artillery and Drone Fighters. And worse still, there is still no sign of Henry Morgan committing to a naval rearmament, with scores of obsolete carriers forming a fragile wall. The Brazilian paratrooper occupying the Freeport Citadel is only the first of many.

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It‘s Ice and Fire in North America, as Blackfoot forces storm the irradiated deserts of Mexico, under the looming shadow of the Inuits to the East. Benito Juarez‘ once great empire is on its death throes, with the crippled Mexican army struggling to mount a proper defense against Blackfoot paratroopers scattered in every corner of their lands. The clock is ticking for Benito, and winter is coming.

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It appears I was slightly misinformed about the Buccaneer strength in North America, with Cincinnati standing firm in the face of the Inuit offensive, and an Inuit XCOM Squadron is facing certain death inside Buccaneer held territory. Henry Morgan faces the tempting option of pushing further into the Land of Always Winter, but for that he needs men, men needed down south against Pedro‘s forces. The Inuit, on the other hand, has a disturbing shortage of men in what was once Texan lands. While the bulk of their army is, at the moment stationed to halt any Buccaneer offensive further inland, Henry Morgan will surely seize the opportunity to sue for peace - or push onwards.

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Iberia burns. Finnish and Boer forces begin their thrust into the Buccaneers‘ first overseas holdings, setting it ablaze with nuclear fire and scorching the ground where they go. The Finnish flag is raised over Goa, while a trio of Finnish XCOMs cross the Pyrenees. Boer hover tanks begin their siege of Porto. And in the former Portuguese coast, Lisbon begins to take damage under aerial bombardment. With Boer reinforcements in the Gibraltar, and Finnish XCOMs looming just out of sight, things look dire for Henry Morgan‘s Trans-Atlantic empire.

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We switch on over to strategic view, where the extent of the devastation across the coast of Africa and the Iberian Peninsula can be seen in full. All but one of the Buccaneer cities are in danger of capture - and as seen previously, Porto is under threat from Boer hover tanks and Finnish XCOM squadrons waiting just outside the gates.

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Crisis is on the horizon for the Buccaneer holdings in South America, for the Brazilian forces have been systematically driving them away from their inland cities, and soon enough, we might see the Buccaneers back onto square one; their home islands. While their initial efforts to conquer South America were impressive, Henry Morgan has failed to capitalise on it by building a proper, fearsome ground army - and that has cost him very, very dearly.

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We take a break away from Henry Morgan‘s ordeal to take a glimpse at another clash of titans; the Sibir Khanate against the Vietnamese Empire. Kuchum Khan‘s forces are on the defensive, with the overwhelming firepower of the Trung Sisters‘ mechanized army staring them down in the plains and mountains of Central Asia. The last echoes of resistance are heard from the besieged city of Lashkar Gar, surrounded and beaten. And in Kabul, a ragtag defense force is bolstered by the presence of organic infantry on the field. But in spite of everything, one thing is for sure; the banners of the Trungs will wave over Asia for a thousand more years.

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The last few Ethiopian soldiers stand guard in a ruined Swedish citadel, just outside the Finnish capital of Helsinski. Fleeing the capture and destruction of Ethiopia, they ponder the fate of Emperor Haile Selassie - one of a few to push for peace, if only for a brief time, in a better world. And here they stand, between the crossroads of rivals and enemies, the Lion of the North Gustavus and Lord President Kekkonen.

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Elsewhere in Finland, the rubble of a city since destroyed by nuclear bombardment remains within Sibir territory, another memorial to days gone by. Kekkonen has yet to recover entirely from the beating Finland suffered against Sibir and Sweden years ago, with their once abundant paratroopers now gone, replaced by a few scattered units of Powered Armor Infantry. But Sibir, thankfully, isn‘t all that better off, by the very simple fact that Kuchum‘s own armored force, once the largest in the world, is nowhere to be seen as well. Life has an odd sense of humor.

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Oh dear. Things have turned for the worse - for Australia has declared against the Buccaneers. God help us all. The Wobbegong Armada strikes against the severely outmatched Black Fleet, filled entirely with carriers this side of South America. It‘s truly, truly ridiculous just how thoroughly the Buccaneers are being beaten in every front - and this time around, they‘re not pushing back. The coveted Nassau Canal, surely Henry Parkes‘ primary target, falls to yellow under bombardment, and Huamanga is within striking range of Australian ships and Brazilian planes, falling down to red. With no end in sight to the relentless, brutal push committed by Australian and Brazilian forces, it‘s only a matter of time before South America is painted green under the banners of Brazil and Australia.

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In the nuclear-blasted wasteland of Central America, things don‘t look much better for the Buccaneers - except, for the fact that in spite of the overwhelming presence of ships from the Grand Wobbegong Armada, Australia lacks the ground forces they need to invade and push inland. And from the looks of things, only Uxmal is open for the taking at the moment. But they have patience, and experience. They can afford the wait. And Morgan simply cannot.

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A Mexican Great Writer flees Mexico City, as news filters in of Blackfoot paratroopers surrounding the city. The road to Ciudad Juarez and Los Angeles is open and clear, but is it, truly? Tired, fatigued, the writer and his companions rest on the road, with a few options ahead. Will they be safer in the fortified city of Los Angeles, where the last garrison of the Mexican army is stationed? But what about Monterrey? The city has been retaken, and the Pacific will be a safe haven for them. But for how long? Nothing matters, the writer realises, when Blackfoot soldiers are sighted on the horizon. He‘ll be taken prisoner. Tortured. Killed. With a resigned, sad smile, he begins to write.

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In the plains of Central Asia, Kuchum bolsters his frontlines with robot infantry, surely a nasty surprise for the approaching Vietnamese army. Laskhar Gar remains standing, beaten and bruised - but standing, even as the city is reduced to rubble under UAV bombardment. Further north, Nishapur drops to the red, but with a lack of Vietnamese melee units save for a weakened Power Armor Infantry, it will hold longer than it should The Vietnamese offensive begins to stall, as they struggle to reinforce their spearhead push with melee units. The mountain pass chokepoints Sibir possesses is costing the Vietnamese dearly - but unlike the Khanate, they still have a vast carpet of reinforcements waiting - and with the production bonus the Statue of Liberty grants, they can replace every loss easily enough.

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Across the Atlantic, the Buccaneers continue their rapid collapse with the capture of their Mediterranean coast by Kekkonen‘s army. Finnish soldiers encroach upon Porto, and with their home islands under threat no reinforcements will come for the Buccaneers here. Incredibly, the Boer presence in Buccaneer-held Iberia has all but evaporated. Where on Earth did they go? Whatever the reasons, Porto‘s defense is one thing Morgan can be proud of in these dark times.

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The Buccaneer collapse is only compounded by a peculiar figure, smirking in schadenfreude over their fellow civ‘s collapse - that‘s right, even the Hawaiians are joining in! Well, not so much joining in as they are simply cheering on, but nevertheless, the Boer soldiers found themselves entertained by the general - far from home, but commanding respect nonetheless. After all, even the Boers need a bit of levity in their lives.

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Belo Horizonte falls to the yellow, and with a Brazilian Giant Death Robot within sight, it will not remain Buccaneer for long. Lost during one of their earlier conflicts, it will soon be under Brazilian banners once again. Pedro II remembers, and Belo Horizonte is coming home. Piss poor references aside, with Campeche and Freeport within range, Gran Colombiarrr will soon be devoid of Buccaneer forces, and thus fades the Jolly Roger over South America.

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In the frigid Arctic circle, Brazilian troops watches as another empire triumphs; Korea‘s victory over Yakutia is all but complete. With no other options left, the Yakut government retreats to Beryozovo - a city that was, until recently, a puppet from Sibir. Now, with starvation rampant and riots in the streets, Tyghyn Darkhan can only wait for the inevitable. As with the Buccaneers, Yakutia‘s collapse has been thoroughly brutal and violent. Like the Buccaneers before them, Yakutia was a major power, once. And now here they are, exiled in a frigid Arctic city, barely a shadow of their former might.

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To the south of Sejong‘s massively increased Empire, however, a flotilla of Kimberley ships prepare to strike against their holdings in Japan - armed with an atomic bomb, and who knows what else in the other carriers. However small they are in numbers, they will have their revenge. In spite of this threat, however, Korea has little to worry from a vestigial, sleepy empire hailing from the south. As a Korean supporter recently returning from dormancy, Korea‘s rise from an underdog-but-competent middle power to undeniably the new top dog in Northern Asia is quite the pleasant surprise. And with the Yakut threat out of the way, expansion is all the more likely - preferably the fertile lands of Australian Japan...

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News reports from South America have brought our satellites over in Strategic View - and here, we see that either Australia or Brazil have committed the most heinous of crimes; the nuking of a classical, 1500 Vintage Distillery The loss of this distillery will surely demoralise Morgan‘s already exhausted personnel, and the shortage in rum will drive them to seek a more dangerous alternative to their rum-loving ways - water. Of course, the most dashing of pirates will not let a simple nuclear strike ruin their supply of rum! Bring on the Nuka-Colas! Let us drink with the festivities of nuclear radiation!

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In the Arctic Circle, Tyghyn Darkhan watches as a force of Korean hover tanks pound the walls of Beryozovo, bringing it down all the way. It will take time, of course, for the rest of the Korean Army to arrive in this remote city, but there‘s little for Trigger Darkhan to do but wait for the hammer to blow. There‘s still time, however, for him to relive his true passion - rapping.

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Ah at last! A ray of hope! Under unknown circumstances, Henry Morgan has successfully negotiated peace with the Boers! And with not a city exchanged, too! With this turn of fortune in Africa, the Lord Captain can now turn his attention to his remaining archrivals - the Inuit, Australia, Brazil, and Finland. Well, it‘s a start, nonetheless.

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Beneath the Arctic ice, a Siberian sub captain awaits orders - but with hardly any rival navies around, there‘s little he can actually do. Kuchum Khan‘s Sibir has proven itself to be a major, ambitious competitor in the Central Asian battlefield, emerging as the best and greatest of the three Khans of the North. Now, however, we see their other weakness; unlike the Ice Sheet Fleet, the Sibir Navy is trapped, under both Arctic ice and behind rival borders.

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But in the case of the North Atlantic, however, it‘s a vastly different story. With the fall of the Buccaneers, Ingolfur Arnarson‘s Iceland now controls the largest navy this side of the Atlantic, rivaled only by the ever competitive Gustavus Adolphus and his Swedish Empire. The question remains; where will Ingolfur head next? His fleet, unlike the now depleted Buccaneer Black Fleet, has a healthy balance of melee, ranged, and carrier units. A fleet this large and powerful is a crucial aspect for Icelandic ambitions, and with rivals dropping left and right, perhaps our King in the North could turn his attention towards the Lion Gustavus, or perhaps join in the savage beating of the Buccaneers. But a capture notice reminds us of the true focus, which is...

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...the continued destruction of the Buccaneers. Finnish forces continue their conquest of the Iberian Peninsula, capturing Cienfuegos and the Rock of Gibraltar. With control of the Mediterranean secure, Urho Kekkonen can now focus on conquering Porto - and he‘s almost there, as XCOM squads of his Angry Birds Paratrooper Corps stand before the gates of Porto. At zero health remaining, nothing stands between Kekkonen and the complete destruction of the Buccaneer presence in Europe. And who knows? Perhaps our Lord President here might turn his sights across the ocean as well...

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...where a single Inuit Biotrooper unit, battered and defeated, remains within a citadel, awaiting the finishing charge from the surrounding Buccaneer land forces. But the Buccaneer soldiers hesitate; they fear the Inuit. Fear their faceless masks. Fear their silent terror. And the loss of Cincinnati, with all pirates within, only adds fuel to the fire. The Buccaneer Black Fleet, on the other hand, have grown up past such silly superstitions, as evidenced by their task force to capture Dallas. It‘s not much, with battleships and all - but it‘s far, far better than their trashing in the Iberian Peninsula and Gran Colombiarrr. Baby steps!

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The war rages on in South America, and with Huamanga at zero health, the noose tightens around what was once the Buccaneers‘ largest possession. On the plus size, a few bombers have finally been relocated on board one of the carriers - as I‘ve said, baby steps. Unfortunately, things are as dire as ever for the Buccaneers, with the still-overwhelming presence of the Wobbegong Armada utterly dwarfing any token resistance the Black Fleet could muster on this side of the Americas. Or any side of the Americas, really. Henry Morgan‘s fall from grace has been downright horrifying, even more so from my point of view. This is the nation that once controlled the Atlantic, from Central America to the Iberian Peninsula. And here they are, broken and beaten, under the mercy of three major powers. The sun is setting on the Buccaneers, and I fear for the wars to come.

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We turn our attention back to the Arctic Circle and the former Yakutia, where Korean mechs now roam alongside the Inuit White Walkers and Finnish Angry Bird squadrons. The Korean Empire‘s massive new gains will prove itself useful, should a new war breaks out in the tundra and taiga of Northern Asia. And with the technology to back it, perhaps in time Sejong will be able to counter the Trungs in the south. A Yakut Admiral sails out into the frozen bay, staring down the barrel of a Korean Hover Tank. With scarcely a navy left to lead, the Admiral shook his head, and spat. The tank rumbles. The wind blows in silence.

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From the Sri Lankan port city of Kandy, Agent Em reports that Parakramabahu has begun plotting against the exiled Afghan soldiers currently residing in Finnish Batticaloa. But with losses against Vietnam, Australia, and even the Kimberley over the past few dozen parts, it‘s only rational for the Sri Lankans to hesistate in attacking someone under Kekkonen‘s ambiguous protection.

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Eager to outdo her mentor, Semiramis brings in news of a possible war - Kuchum Khan vs Genghis Khan of Mongolia. With the war against Vietnam stalling thanks to their natural defenses, it does seem possible for the Kuchum to plot against his weaker, lesser brethren in the Great Game of Northern Asian Khans.

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And there it is; Henry Parkes has brought two nuclear missiles with the Wobbegong Armada task force sent to defeat the Buccaneers once and for all eternity. With Tikal already nuked, all bets are off as to when and where Parkes will use these devastating missiles. With hardly any of Morgan‘s ships in sight, the Northern part of the Wobbegong Task force slowly moves south, towards Ukmal, and Port Au Prince, potentially cutting off Morgan from the West Coast of his dwindling nation.

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More and more bad news streams in for Henry Morgan and the Buccaneers with the fall of Porto into the clutches of Urho Kekkonen. The Buccaneer forces left in Iberia are reduced to a few outdated units, hopelessly, hilariously outgunned by the dreaded Finnish XCOMs. With Lisbon at red, and another XCOM unit training their sights unto the prized jewel of Buccaneer Iberia, the ambitions of a black stained Europe will be gone forever.

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To the west, a Buccaneer settler entertains his family and friends with tales of hope and a brighter future for the Buccaneers. A better, decent world, where world wars are a thing of the past, and nuclear power is shut away for good. But all is for naught, with the slaughter in the Peninsula continuing, and Africa painted in orange.

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Further West, we see that, surprisingly, the Buccaneers are holding out against the ever-dreaded Inuit White Walkers. And what‘s more, they could stand to make some gains here! With four stealth bombers stationed in Petit-Goave, not even the feared White Walkers can make it past Florida without being reduced to shards of ice. Unfortunately, there remains a catch - the lack of melee units in the area. Can‘t get everything, I suppose.

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A unit of Australian Diggers sets up camp in a Veracruz sugar plantation, as night falls and the embers of nuclear fire light up the night sky. It‘s all too quiet, with only the sound of the wind, and the occasional gunfire heard in the night‘s sky. They knew what the embers meant, for they carry the legacy of their forebearers from the time of the Great Pacific War, when Henry Parkes triumphed over their neighbours, the Kimberley, when the upstart Maori desecrated the Emerald Down Under with their inhumane weapons. But it was a war long past - now, here they stand, bearing witness to an ongoing nuclear fire and conquest in the plains of North America.

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Where one city burns, another rises. With overpopulation becoming a concern in Seoul, a group of Korean settlers and enterpreneurs establish the new port town of Ulsan. With a citadel attraction nearby, an economy based off stoneworking, and to top it off, serving as a new base for the Korean Navy, Ulsan is set to become a new economic center for the Korean Empire. Neighbouring Kaesong won‘t be too happy to hear about a new rival town stealing their trade of Korean Navy endorsement, though

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To the North, Sejong is quick to fortify his new gains in the former Yakutia, with a staggering eight drone fighters and two nuclear missiles stationed in a relatively small city. But in the great game played between the North Asian powers, everything matters, and their rivals would think twice first before committing a first strike against Hierarch Sejong and Korea.

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In the shores of the Caspian Sea, old meets new, as the legendary Roman Ballista and her crew marvels at the Sibir cybersub docking in port just off the coast. In a stage this late in the Battle Royale, it‘s heartwarming to see that this ancient Ballista remains alive, a testament to the Glory That Was Rome.

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Kuchum Khan‘s defense of Kabul and Lashkar Gar is paying off tremendously, with the Trungs executing their third commander in a row for failing to break the line at Kabul. And with two nuclear missiles still stationed in Lashkar Gar, the Trungs insistence at using Drone UAVs over tried-and-true melee units will cost them dearly should they continue. But ten units in Tarsus can only mean trouble for Sibir, and each one of those ten air units stationed there could be a nuclear missile waiting to be unleashed against the unsuspecting Sibir hordes...

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As our satellite shuts off the graphical UI, we see a Mongolian Helicopter Gunship stationed in the ice caps, watching from a distance as the siege of Beryozovo continues. The crew privately wonders if it will be worth the effort to kill Yakutia first, and risk the wrath of Korea, or kill the hover tank, and risk the wrath of Korea. Sometimes the best action is inaction, and so they did.

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Our agents are shuffled once again, with Em establishing surveillance in Port Royal (no doubt to monitor the chaos over recent Buccaneer losses), Ishtar moving to the Balkan stronghold of Tegea, Pesh settling in Reykjavik, and our highlight of the day, Semiramis moving to recently captured Porto, at the frontlines of the Stop Overseas Piracy Alliance. With all the going ons in the world, it‘s bound to happen that one of them will provide us with delicious, delicious intel. I often do wonder, how aware the governments are of our spies. Perhaps all those reports about conspiracies against extinct civs were but a ruse? We may never know.

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Well well well, I‘ll be damned! In light of the recent devastation brought upon the world by nuclear weapons, the UN will discuss the possibility to downright ban the construction of new nukes! In a fresh breath of air, it looks like we‘re looking at a potentially game changing proposal, at last. Should this proposal be successful, we might see huge ramifications across the globe for major powers, from Sibir to Korea to Brazil. However, given the number of nuclear-weapon states on the planet, I‘m not sure if it‘ll pass. Probably not. In other news, a proposal to ban Silk is in motion. I suspect Kuchum Khan has something to do with it - with silk being a major commodity exported by Vietnam, a ban on its sale might cripple their economy. Or they just prefer wool. Wool is warm.

51

As the United Nations prepare their resolution, the Wobbegong Armada triumphs in the South, establishing complete and utter naval superiority in the region. With the capture of the Huamanga and Vilcas, Henry Parkes can comfort himself and his men with the fact that whatever resistance the Black Fleet can muster in the West is reduced to a mere two carriers. Because the Wobbegong isn‘t clearly superior enough at this point. With a new land base secure for future operations, Lord Parkes can now focus on his real objective; the Nassau Canal. Should he invade and consolidate his rule in Central America, Australia can reach into the Atlantic and establish the one true empire, where the sun never sets. Just like Father Britain always wanted.

52

The Australian dominance continues in the north, with Ukmal, Tikal, and Port Au Prince brought down to yellow! Good lord - I‘d wager there were a few nukes dropped in the exchange, left and right. The entire region has been set ablaze with nuclear fire, and with additional bombardment from the coast I don‘t really see the Buccs recovering from this in a very long time. However, in spite of this, I‘m not seeing that many land units amongst the Wobbegong task force here - it could be that Parkes is planning to bombard the region into submission first before sending his landing force. Whatever the reason, both Morgan and Parkes will need to bring even more land units to the area. That is, if they can survive the fallout.

53

Our satellite switches on over to strategic view to see the full extent of the devastated Mexican-and-Buccaneer held lands. It‘s not a pretty sight, with nuclear devastation from Monterrey to Nassau.

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Far, far away from the Nuclear Holocaust undergoing in Central America, Buccaneer marines and tanks desperately try to hold back the Finnish Army encroaching upon their last stronghold in Mainland Europe. But it is in Leria where they coordinate their final stand, with no less than TEN stealth bombers poised to strike at anyone close enough. Will it be enough to halt the Finnish advance, though?

55

Semiramis continues to send remarkably clear intel, good on her! A potential hotspot might be set ablaze with the flames of war again with Kuchum plotting against the rising Sejong. But a second glance shows that Sibir will need to wade through Mongol AND Finnish territory to reach his target. Some clever diplomacy is needed here, and Kuchum has no time for silly negotiations.

56

Ishtar, meanwhile, decides to send in her own report, that of Pedro II plotting against Mongol interests. How this will materialise, we‘ll never know for sure. But given that Brazil is currently trashing the Buccaneers, I‘m willing to bet they‘ll be turning their eyes towards someone else soon enough. Speaking of which, the Black Fleet is just a shade of its former self during the age-old invasion of Portuga - oh for God‘s sake, seriously, what the hell is going on with Henry Morgan‘s mind? I‘m not seeing any destroyers! It‘s carriers from here to Nassau, and sooner or later that meat shield will fall. It‘s not going to work, Morgan. Pull yourself together, you‘ll lose yet another major city with Freeport over there about to fall. Christ.

57

Meanwhile, Australian listening posts in the former Hawaiian isles intercept and observe as Inuit ships pass by, the lot of them. Why? No one‘s sure, but what is certain is one of their subs is carrying two nuclear missiles. Whatever Ekeuhnick‘s planning for the Pacific, it can‘t be good for everyone else.

58

In the Eyrie - I mean, Lhasa, a Tibetan Great Musician entertains the bored masses of riflemen, cannon crew, and workers with a new composition. Unfortunately, the drones across the border don‘t seem to appreciate his music well enough. Ah well, can‘t please everyone can you now?

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Least of which is our newest entree into the world of technocratic dictators, His Imperial Highness Sejong. Declaring the music of the Tibetan enclave to be an affront to his nephew in Pyongyang, His Imperial Highness declares war on the windswept kingdom. Unfortunately, he‘ll have to get past all those drone UAVs watching the mountain passes. Such is life in Central-East Asia.

60

In the Andes, a surprising sight comes into view; that of a hover tank perched menacingly over the mountain, watching Brazilian forces mobilize on the other side. Pedro‘s advisers take note of this new tech, and bitterly curses the science division for not inventing them earlier for the war against Bernard O‘Higgins‘ Chile. Australia consolidates their new holdings in South America, with an eclectic mix of units from the bazooka to the mighty hover tank. And with Arsenal Ships preparing to bombard Nassau once again, their dominion is secure.

61

The first Australian soldiers have landed on the shores of Ukmal, with little resistance to be met. These veterans of the Great Pacific War soon find themselves under Artillery bombardment - but they have little to fear, with their Arsenal Ships providing vastly superior firepower. The capture of the 22 pop Ukmal will be Australia‘s largest gain thus far in their invasion, with Port-Au-Prince sitting at zero health. Denying the Buccs two more coastal cities in their Western Coast will further accelerate their collapse, and incredibly, with exactly one melee unit in the whole of Central America, any capture the Australians commit to will stick. The sound of didgeridoos fill the air in Ukmal, and the city braces itself for the final assault...

62

Further north along the coastline, an Icelandic frigate and her crew watches as the embers of the Mexican plain soar into the night‘s sky. His frigate, now ceremonial, has nonetheless been equipped with a prim and proper radio - and from that radio, reports are streaming in from all across Mexico of Blackfoot paratroopers struggling against the treacherous, irradiated wasteland and dogged Mexican resistance. The captain ponders it slightly, wondering if there could be some hope for the besieged Mexican people. It‘s a question for another day.

63

A shot of the Buccaneer home islands, as a Buccaneer nuclear sub retreat with a punctured hull and leaks everywhere. In spite of gains and a successful stand against the dreaded White Walkers, the captain laments the shortage of rum on board, and the continued Buccaneer defeats in South America. Even the carrier shield protecting the home islands have been reduced in number with a few left as burning husks strewn with the corpse of Morgan‘s fighting men. Morgan‘s policy in protecting the Buccaneer core with carrier shields has cost him dearly, for Australia and Brazil has gained both air and naval superiority in the front lines. Worst of all, Port Royal has been struck.

64

Port Royal. Death is on the streets. The air is scorched with radiation. Morgan is furious, but there‘s nothing he can do, not from this bunker. The strike on Port Royal is yet another blow to the collapsing Buccaneer cause - a loss of a staggering 23 pop is nothing they can lightly recover from. And with hardly a land army to speak about, they need all the production they can get. Production now lost forever in the jungles and fields of South America.

65

As the last pockets of resistance in Buccaneer-held Freeport is snuffed out from artillery bombardment, the men besieging the city cheer, when music is heard. Their music. A Brazilian Giant Death Robot stomps through a destroyed Nature Preserve, missiles at the ready, the crew‘s eyes set on the capture of the Buccs‘ easternmost port city in South America. For a vanilla civ with a culture focused unique ability, Brazil‘s meteoric rise in power is rivaled only by fellow vanilla civ Korea, which is quite the impressive achievement for both of them. With Belo Horizonte, Campeche, and Belize in Brazilian hands, the Buccaneers have lost most of their inland holdings in the former Gran Colombiarrr. The sun shines upon Pedro and his people. And soon, Port Royal will be his to take.

66

In the devastated coastline of West Africa, a group of Boer workers lament their fate, trapped between the irradiated coastline and the ocean. Ah, well, at the very least they‘re not working overtime, as evidenced by the abundance of Boer workers scrubbing away the fallout in their West African holdings. The widely feared Boer Death Carpet has been reduced with a few scattered hover tanks and SAM emplacements. But with Africa firmly in his grasp, Paul Kruger can once again rebuild what was once the planet‘s greatest and most feared instrument of destruction.

67

In an Anatolian mine, a unit of Vietnamese XCOM, besieged and filled with dying men, defiantly make their stand against inhuman Sibir forces in the area. The Armenian forces nearby watch helplessly, unable to intervene by fear of the Siberian wrath, as the mine burns. In spite of everything, such as this XCOM defeat behind enemy lines, Vietnam could make a dedicated push in Central Asia with the numbers they possess. But for now, let us mourn the meaningless death of yet another group of brave, fighting men.

68

And here we are - the Vietnamese core, one of the most powerful fortresses in the whole planet. Gone are the days where the Viet Cong struggle against the gates of a city, for Vietnam possesses the largest autonomous force of Drone UAVs in the world. An XCOM squad has been notified of their comrades‘ demise in the mines of Anatolia, and they begin to wonder whether or not they should rebel against the Sisters, for fear of their own lives. But what could they do?

69

We move on over to a shot of Australia-held New Zealand, formerly Maori lands, now a valuable asset in their war efforts. The staggering size of the Wobbegong Armada is only partially seen here, and in spite of the numerous carriers Parkes has got his priorities right, with a healthy amount of melee and ranged units within his infamous navy.

70

Lo and behold, the impenetrable core of Henry Parkes‘ Trans Pacific Empire. Just to the edge of the screen, Sydney, the Emerald Down Under, stands at an excellent 44 pop, fully recovered from the wars they suffered against the Maori many centuries ago. A single Kimberley artillery unit and its crew pass the time outside Rockhampton by playing spot-the-unit with their satellite feed - and to their chagrin, the Australian Army has camps all across their former homeland. But a peculiar sighting catches their eye, for some sort of abomination has emerged from the Uranium mines outside Boyadanga. That‘s right - the Australians appear to have mutants in their army now, presumably created by horrid experiments with nuclear radiation. Because the Outback isn‘t dangerous enough already.

71

In the office of Leonidas of Dvin, a courier from House Mallock informs him of both Timurid and Mongol demands; the first of which is the Timurid Galeass demands to fight the French Galeass in a one versus one combat, while Genghis Khan demands single combat with the king himself. Leonidas politely replies that he simply doesn‘t have the time. Genghis mocks him for his legs. Leonidas is pissed The downfall of Sparta wasn‘t a single event, but like the Byzantines, it happened over the course of milennia, just like our Byzantine Empire. And now here they are, demanding tolls for passage from the Mediterranean to the Red Sea. Such is life in the Dvinnish City State.

72

In quite the unexpected turn of events, Paul Kruger has declared war on Urho Kekkonen! However, before we start hyping this PowerBowl, I must remind you that the Boers have nothing resembling a carpet now - and neither does Finland. The days of mass carpet warfare for the Boers and Finland are over now. Now is the time for guerilla and proxy wars. Kind of like real life, really. In any case, the cities under immediate threat will be Boer and Finnish cities along the Mediterranean coastline, and from the looks of things previously it looks like the Boers will gun for Finnish Iberia, and then some.

73

Quickly enough, the Finnish city of Epidauros on the island of Crete drops to zero health under bombardment, and to the left you can see Olympia taking damage from Finnish naval and ground forces. Overall, though, the borders of Icelandic Greece will make navigating the Mediterranean a source of frustration for both Finnish and Boer naval officers - but that hasn‘t stopped the Angry Bird Squadron now, has it?

74

In the former Moroccan coastline, Finnish ships roam the Atlantic, pursuing fleeing Buccaneer ships while their ground forces have driven both Buccaneer civilians and military personnel alike from their holdings in the now-Finnish Iberia. The Buccaneer eviction from Western Europe is all but complete with both Leiria and Cumana falling to the red under Finnish bombardment. But Finland has other concerns, for an invasion force of Boer hover tanks have landed in Gibraltar, taking Cienfuegos and Braga all the way down to the red. Kekkonen has the numbers, but will he focus on fending off Boer incursions or continue his campaign to drive the Buccaneers away from the Old World?

75

The Wobbegong Armada reigns supreme, as the Buccaneers lose every single one of their coastal cities this side of Central America. Worst of all, their coveted Nassau Canal now waves the flag of Henry Parkes, and even with the tank division nearby, they won‘t be able to retake and hold their prized canal for long. The Black Fleet is tattered and ruined, sunk beneath the waters of the Pacific and the Carribean Sea. Nothing stands between Henry Parkes and victory.

76

Ukmal burns, and incredibly enough, it is the Australian Diggers that succeed in claiming the city for Henry Parkes! These veterans are prouder than ever, and with hardly any resistance left in the Yucatan Peninsula, their triumph will be remembered for all nights to come. The Buccaneer Land Army has never been large, even during their heyday, and in spite of their triumphs against larger foes Morgan finds himself running out of luck. Even if he manages to pull through this war, he won‘t be able to build a substantial land army, not without support from his obsolete Black Fleet, and certainly not without his wasted holdings in South America. How times have changed.

77

In war-torn Mexico, their compatriots from the Great Pacific War cheer upon hearing the news, even as they begin to suffer the symptoms of radiation sickness. The Blackfoot army still has yet to conquer a single city, and with the irradiated lands surrounding Mexico, it‘s certainly rational enough they would hesitate against attacking whatever‘s left of Benito Juarez‘ fighting men.

78

In the plains of Central Asia, once again we are met with a Vietnamese XCOM squadron under heavy fire. In spite of their superior numbers the Vietnamese Army cannot win if Kabul or Lashkar Gar does not fall. Sibir stands their ground, even in the face of Vietnamese superiority. And with not a single Vietnamese melee unit to be seen among the troops besieging Kabul and Lashkar Gar, they will stand for a hundred more nights.

79

Elsewhere, the Buccaneer crisis only increases in size and stake as the first Inuit soldiers drop behind their lines at Petit Goave and into the Yucatan Peninsula. Panic and riots occur in both Palenque and Maracaibo, for these inhuman soldiers are the furthest the Inuit have reached down south, bringing the cold with them. And further north, you can just see another XCOM squad at the gates of Petit-Goave.

80

Freeport falls into Brazilian hands, and Parana drops into the yellow. The Black Fleet shield of carriers is all but destroyed, and with ZERO melee units in the area, Henry Morgan‘s days are numbered. Soon South America will be painted green, and Pedro will triumph once and for all. A Buccaneer worker force flees the capture of Freeport and Siege of Parana. They listen in mute horror as the first Inuit troops are spotted in the Yucatan, and realise that they, alongside everyone else in the home islands, are counting the last of their days. Winter is here.

81

A flash of hope rises on the horizon, with peace declared with the Inuit! Incredibly, somehow, the Lord Captain Henry Morgan has not lost his diplomatic edge, shown by the lack of cities exchanged! While the Inuit holdings grow ever larger with Cincinnati, Petit Goave remains within Buccaneer hands. But that‘s not all they can celebrate about!

82

Even more impressively, Morgan manages to negotiate peace with Pedro as well! This, in comparison to the Inuit peace treaty, is a far, far more crucial decision to reach and agree upon. But pay no mistake, for this is only a temporary respite. The West Coast remains under the banners of Henry Parkes. Brazil reigns supreme over South America. They say the night is darkest just before the dawn. With the Australian Wobbegong Armada still an active, major threat, will dawn arrive for the Buccaneers? Will they stand the test of time, as they have for a thousand years?

83

In the info addict slides, we see that even after the devastating wars against them the Buccaneers is still within the top 15 nations in population. However, looks can be deceiving, as shown by the vast gap between the Boers, the Inuit, and Australia...

84

...and there. The Buccaneers barely edge out the Kimberley, itself a vestigial empire from its golden days. Yakutia sits at dead last with 90,000 citizens remaining.

85

Next, we see technology! Inuit, Boer, Korean and Australian scientists are neck-and-neck in the arms race of technological research, each with over a hundred technologies discovered. I do apologise for my Korean bias, but from their surprising competitiveness, their science-focused UA has always been their greatest edge, even against overwhelmingly large opponents like Yakutia and Vietnam in thepast.

86

As shown in the city slides, Korea has the fewest number of cities compared to the previously mentioned superpowers - but their science is undeniably the most efficient. Meanwhile, Boer and Australian gains continue to put them on track against the Inuits‘ infamous snow cities in the North.

87

In terms of manpower, Australia‘s massive armada continue to boost them in the rankings, matched only by the Vietnamese Drone fleet and the Boer hover tanks roaming their African holdings. Korea, worryingly, has the smallest of any top ten nations, but with their new holdings in Yakutia, it‘s something they could amend in preparation for the oncoming storm.

88

And here we are, the legion of lost souls. Ashanti is dead last in number of exiles, with Persia leading, somewhat. It has been a terrific experience, and an utterly fantastic part to narrate! And now my watch is ended, tis time for me to let another take my place. And I wish you good fortune in the wars to come. u/sledge115, signing off!

Part 78: The Two Henrys – mk2

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