The Story of Celtic Baseball - OOTP Meets Civilization IV

[sbrylski]

During this period, Celtia and Rome are not the only warring nations in the region. Spain and India have also engaged in a tussle, apparently triggered by religious tensions. The Spanish army marched a great distance to the Indian border, and initiated an invasion at the city of Pataliputra. During our seige on the city of Rome, in 1120, the city fell to Spanish forces and fell into unrest.

The Romans' response to our capture of their capital was not unexpected - they marched on Ratae and had set up permanent camp in the forest just to the northeast of the city. Their force was 75,000 men strong, headed by a large brigade of catapults that began bombarding the city defenses in 1170. Despite their army's strength and numbers, the destruction of the castle and walls at Ratae was an extremely slow process. They besieged the city for decades without fully penetrating the outer walls, but their commitment to the fight remains strong.

Roman Camp Outside Ratae, Spanish Capture of Pataliputra in North

That wasn't their only retaliatory action, however. In the south, a fleet of Roman triremes began blockading the seas off the Celtic southern coast and around Calleva. Trade routes were cut off to Durnovaria and Calleva, and civilian fishing boats were destroyed on sights. Unrest and unhealthiness in the two cities became a serious problem. Our only ships in the area was a very small fleet of transport galleys, unfit to take on the blockade.

Roman Blockade of Southern Sea

On the positive side of things, a great Celtic army general, Erwin Rommel returned from the war front to establish a prestigious military academy. The Rommel Military Academy was founded in 1130 in Camulodunon, and the preparedness of soldiers and speed of military production in the city rose to a new level.

[sbrylski]

While the Romans were busy with their agonizingly slow plan of destroying the fortifications at Ratae, we initiated phase two of our own war plan - another sea invasion, this time at the city of Cumae.

First Battle of Cumae
1180 CE

The troops boarded what was left of our naval transport fleet just to the south of Ratae, and we headed across the Sulevia Sea. They barely had enough time to disembarked into the coastal forest outside Cumae, before the Roman navy arrived. Again, the fight began at sea.

Naval Defeat At Cumae

The Roman triremes took down many of our unprotected galleys before they were finally overwhelmed. All told, over two-thirds of our fleet was sunk, along with 4,400 sailors.

Meanwhile, outside the city walls the land battle raged. Though Cumae was walled, it was not well manned. Just 12,000 longbowmen were garrisoned inside, compared to our 27,000 macemen, 6,000 axemen, and 16,000 men manning the trebuchet battalions. We led off the battle with bombardment, softing the Roman defense. Our first wave of macemen discovered the path was not yet laid for easy victory, and suffered heavy casualties, but took 3,700 longbowmen defenders with them. Already the Roman soliders were on their heels, and our next charge took out 6,000 more. The final blow was laid by our axemen, securing our second city and completing the conquest of the southern coast of Rome.

Battle for Cumae

Total Casualties
Rome - 15,000 (12,000 Army, 3,000 Navy)
Celtia - 31,088 (26,688 Army, 4,400 Navy)

[Tyke]

Giving this a bump to keep it on page 1. I have really enjoyed this dynasty - even though no baseball has been involved so far! I was looking forward to seeing how this progressed and how the baseball element would be introduced. I hope we haven't heard the last of Celtia.

[sbrylski]

After some time off for final exams and the holidays, I can finally return to this dynasty.

We left off with the capture of a second Roman city on the coast of the Suleviae Sea, Cumae, along with what is now being called the city of Old Rome, the former capital of the nation of Rome. It turns out this is the high point of the war for the Celts.

In 1180 CE, while we were taking Cumae, another unidentified spy was caught in the Celtic mainland. Though the war effort was largely successful so far, our forces were much thinner and our people very weary of fighting. We sought peace in hopes that the spy attacks on the home country would cease, and we could focus all our energy on domestic affairs, which had fallen into a state of disarray after 80 years of fighting. By 1190 CE, a peace deal had been struck between us and Rome, ending this medieval bout - or so we thought.

[sbrylski]

The Hindu Holy War

After 80 years of fighting, the Celtic people were really looking forward to a period of peace and recuperation. A quarter of the way across the continent, the leaders and citizens of Egypt had something else in mind.

Crude Overview Map of Warring Nations, 1200 CE
Celtic Holdings in Gold Tint

Over the past century, the founders and leaders of the Hindu religion, had sat back and simply watched while their brothers-in-faith struggled with costly military campaigns again invading foreign (and Buddhist) forces - the Spanish had taken India's city of Pataliputra, while the Celts had conquered Cumae and Old Rome. The battle between the Indians and Spaniards raged on, and though the Romans had recently accepted a peace treaty in attempt to limit their losses, they yearned for revenge. Political pressure to aid the war efforts mounted at the Apostolic Palace in the Egyptian city of Memphis, where leaders of the Hindu faith from all three friendly nations would gather. In 1200 CE, the alliance was made - all three nations were to immediately engage in war with their southern neighbors - the Celts and the Spaniards.

The Conspiring Leaders of the Hindu Nations

The first act of this new, large scale war was an old standby of my enemies - the poisoning of a civilian water supply by a foreign spy in 1210 CE, this time in Camulodunon. 161,000 people would die in the attack over the next few decades, about 25% of the city's population. That year, we also lost a naval scuffle to a Roman fleet of Triremes in the waters outside Cumae, which appears to be the Roman's new military focus. By 1220 CE, Roman Praetorians were marching towards the city, and we braced for an attack. Though the location of the fighting is expected to be restrained to the captured Roman lands, Celtic people all over the nation are still in a state of unrest due to the entrance into another state of war:

Eastern Celtic Mainland, 1220 CE

[Tyke]

Great to see this up and runing again, sbrylski, KUTGW

[sbrylski]

Second Battle of Cumae
1220 CE

As feared, the Roman army was back at our gates, and stronger than ever. Focusing their initial effort of this second and larger scale war on recapturing their former city of Cumae, a hoard of 42,000 praetorian troops marched on the city, as well as some flanking trebuchet and catapult battalions. Unfortunately for us, we were well outnumbered - the city had not been reinforced since its initial capture just 40 years prior, so only what was left of that attacking force remaining in the city.

The battle began with the bombardment by the Roman trebuchets and targeted destruction of what little fortifications we had built back up. After that, there's not much else to say except the Roman praetorians charge through the gates was met with little organized resistance. All 27,000 macemen defenders in the city were felled, and Cumae was back under Roman control.

Second Battle of Cumae, 1220 CE

Total Casualties
Rome - 20,500
Celtia - 27,000

[sbrylski]

Assault on Old Rome
1240 CE

The next Roman target was their former capital, Old Rome. Moving their forces along the coast from Cumae, and receiving reinforcements from nearby Antium, their forces took up position on the hills surrounding Old Rome to the north.

Roman Troops Surround Old Rome

The Roman army of praetorians, macemen, crossbowman, and catapults numbered an incredible 71,000. The remaining Celtic defenders in Old Rome totaled only 36,000. However, occupation of the city had lasted much longer than the one in Cumae, and the defensive positions of our troops were soundly fortified. And though the Celtic navy had been gradually being worn down, two fleets of transport ships were carrying an additional 27,000 macemen towards the city. Despite currently being outnumbered 2-to-1, if our defenders could hold for the first round of fighting we may be able to keep the city.

After leading off with a bombardment on the city from the northeast hills, the Roman foot soldiers charged across the plains at the city. Initially, the Celtic defenses held and the Romans were suffered losses in great numbers - 36,000 Roman troops died before the effort earned its first victory. But once the scales were tipped to the attacker's favor, our fortifications began to fall. Our numbers were cut all the way down to 7,700 by the end of the year of fighting.

Though the Roman's had substantially weakened the city, it came at a high price - many had died and the battalions that survived need time to recuperate. In that time, our reinforcements began arriving by sea. Over the next few decades, skirmishes between catapults atop the hills around Old Rome, and a minor battle of macemen in the plain to the northwest of the city broke out, but nothing on the scale of this attack in 1240 CE.

Total Casualties
Rome - 68,500
Celtia - 36,000

[jaxmagicman]

Ok, what happened in Old Rome?

[sbrylski]

Originally Posted by jaxmagicman

Ok, what happened in Old Rome?

Glad you asked!

Over the next few decades, the fighting continued, however on a much smaller scale. A vast majority of the damage done by the Hindu alliance was done via undercover operatives and pillaging of unprotected countryside. We captured a spy in Ratae in 1260 CE before he was able to carry out his mission and another in Durnovaria in 1275, but in 1280 the water supply in our westernmost city of Vandal was poisoned, the popular terrorist plot of the era. A hamlet outside Old Rome was burned to the ground in 1270, farms outside Bibracte were razed in 1275, and the wheat harvest from Ratae was destroyed in 1295. Meanwhile, our intelligence department was focused solely on uncovering and prevent future attacks and was struggling to keep up.

Not everything during this tumultuous peroid was destructive, however. In fact, anti-war movement at the home front led to an increased emphasis placed on education, led again by the two most populous cities in Celtia - Bibracte and Durnovaria.

Back in 1240, around the time of the Roman attempt to retake Old Rome, Bibracte completed their first large scale center of learning - Descartes Academy, founded by the great scientist Rene Descartes. Just 30 years later, in 1270, the first state funded establishment was also opened - The University of Bibracte. Not to be outdone, Durnovaria built perhaps the grandest educational institute of them all during this period - Sankore University.

Bibracte and Durnovaria, 1295 CE

[sbrylski]

Militarily, we have been on our heels since taking Cumae in 1180. But by 1295, we began to get a sense the floodgates were about to open, and quickly. Outside Ratae, an Indian army of 52,000 maceman, horse archers, crossbowman, and trebuchets had gathered. Even worse, 109,000 Roman troops now surrounded the city of Old Rome, looking ready to pounce and reclaim what they believe is rightfully theirs.

The Indian Warfront at Ratae, 1295 CE


The Roman Warfront at Old Rome, 1295 CE

We couldn't have that. After settling peace with the Egyptians, we turned to the nearer threats. With their troops in position for attacks, peace wasn't going to be free, but we were able to come to agreements of payments in gold for a ceasefire on both warfronts. The war was over.

(An interesting side note, Gandhi adpoted pacifism after the war ended. Imagine that.)

[jaxmagicman]

An anti-climatic war ending. So John Grisham.

[sbrylski]

Originally Posted by jaxmagicman

An anti-climatic war ending. So John Grisham.

Ha, yeah. Well it was either that or lose the eastern half of my empire. I guess that would have been more exciting.

[Qwerty75]

I'm enjoying this dynasty ... takes me back to my own Civ days (not quite as fancy as your set-up).

Looking forward to updates, and eventually seeing the Bibracte Bodhisattvas in action!

[sbrylski]

Originally Posted by Qwerty75

Looking forward to updates, and eventually seeing the Bibracte Bodhisattvas in action!

Love it, I might use that nickname.

[sbrylski]

Well, I screwed up.

I left out a key component of the mod that wasn't quite right yet, thinking I would add it back in when it was needed. I had tweaked mods mid-game in the past with no problems, so I didn't think twice about it. Turns out, I'm not able to add an object back into a mod and still open the saved game files. I can only alter objects. So I can't continue with this game, which really sucks.

Though, I will try again. And I've learned a few things from this first attempt:

1.) I need to move faster. I was too detailed in the pre-baseball history and it really dragged my speed down. Each evening I was able to spend on this was either writing or playing, not both. I need to get more done in each sit-down.

2.) I made a mod tweak. In the original plans, each arm of the "baseball corporation" represented a major league team. However, that wasn't quite analogous to the game mechanics - at first I just did the best I could to make it fit. In the new mod, each arm of the corporation represents a baseball academy. Because its (usually) more beneficial to put a branch of the corporation in a foreign city in Civ IV, I think its more analogous. I added a new building, "ballpark grandstand", which will be the prerequisite for Industrial Era professional teams.

So... I'll boot up a new thread and go much faster through the new history. I'm thinking a timeline format with more like 10 pictures instead of 50.

[Qwerty75]

Looking forward to the re-boot!

[Tyke]

^^^^ What he said!! This is a great idea and I look forward to seeing where you go with it.

[wildcatrevival]

just want to add my support. really enjoyed the read despite not making it to baseball and especially enjoyed the concept. inspired my own sim city/ootp mash up. looking forward to the reboot.

[kq76]

Originally Posted by sbrylski

Well, I screwed up.

I left out a key component of the mod that wasn't quite right yet, thinking I would add it back in when it was needed. I had tweaked mods mid-game in the past with no problems, so I didn't think twice about it. Turns out, I'm not able to add an object back into a mod and still open the saved game files. I can only alter objects. So I can't continue with this game, which really sucks.

Though, I will try again. And I've learned a few things from this first attempt:

1.) I need to move faster. I was too detailed in the pre-baseball history and it really dragged my speed down. Each evening I was able to spend on this was either writing or playing, not both. I need to get more done in each sit-down.

2.) I made a mod tweak. In the original plans, each arm of the "baseball corporation" represented a major league team. However, that wasn't quite analogous to the game mechanics - at first I just did the best I could to make it fit. In the new mod, each arm of the corporation represents a baseball academy. Because its (usually) more beneficial to put a branch of the corporation in a foreign city in Civ IV, I think its more analogous. I added a new building, "ballpark grandstand", which will be the prerequisite for Industrial Era professional teams.

So... I'll boot up a new thread and go much faster through the new history. I'm thinking a timeline format with more like 10 pictures instead of 50.

Even if it's not complete, I was wondering if you wouldn't mind sharing the mod you made? Or if not that, maybe you can just expound on what you did? Ever since I saw this thread of yours I've wanted to try something similar and recently when I finally sat down and tried, I came into some roadblocks.

For example, I thought I'd just make baseball into a corporation, but it doesn't seem to work unless you attach some resources that it can use to produce say culture or whatever. Is there a way to make it where it doesn't have to use resources? I'd really rather not just attach random resources just to get it to work and then have it "compete" with other corps.

I also considered making it out of a religion, but there are some issues with that as well like if you don't want it to auto-spread to other cities. You also have the problem of unwanted bonuses from other religion parts of the game.

I'm curious why you decided to make it into both a religion and a corporation. I suppose you wanted it to be available throughout the entire game, but then why not just make it a religion and leave it at that?

I also read where one guy (Jsomething) intended on making sports an entire separate entity like religions and corporations with its own screen, etc, but I have no idea where to even start to do something that complex. I'd rather keep it pretty simple, but more than just adding a building.