You Will Be Assimilated...

350 AD Ajax's Army fills up with hoplites and sets down in Thermopylae with catapult support. I'm pretty much unstoppable there now, and they know it, since everyone's driving after Sparta now, which is much more worrisome, given that there's no adequate way to defend up there. Still, that army wins about five victories in the next turn, and my people want to build the Heroic Epic, which of course I'd need another leader to build...

By 420 AD, the front at Sparta had collapsed pretty bad. Enemy troops running all over the place, and my offensive line just sort of evaporated. I held strong in the east, since Thermopylae was completely unstoppable.

440 AD, everyone wants to expand the palace again. Don't they know it's taking up valuable time and energy from the war? The one we're losing? Still, that cave could use a nice new front.

And then, in 530 AD, things got REALLY interesting. Thermopylae seriously besieged, and this little gem...

There's no hope of holding it, of course, but I at least have to try to take off some of the pressure. Rome is scary.

570 AD, I finally pull Monarchy from the GL. Unfortunately, it's an awful time for a revolt. But I'll do it anyway and watch my country descend into... 2 turn anarchy? This is like the only time I've never gotten an 8. The RNG loves me, it loves me not...

About 600 AD, I hit upon a plan. Or rather, the continuation of my previous plan. As it happens, most of the infiltration of my country was coming in through the mountain range in the north. <gestures at red arrow> Previous theory was to run a chain of fortified hoplites and catapults to try and head off invasions, but there was perhaps a better way: Put a city right smack where those impis were on the hill. Then they could toss troops at it all day long and Sparta would have a little bit more protection. Even better would be to capture Calcutta, but the days of 6 sword stacks were coming harder and harder.

The red arrow is the giant hole the enemy is pouring through.

Strangely enough, about this time the attacks on Thermopylae sort of ended. Why? Rome had 5 trillion guys just sitting there, not doing anything. Nobody else was doing much of anything. Why, we wondered.

The other great idea I had about this time was that yes, in Monarchy, you rush with money. I've been running min sci forever and have a ton of gold. My people sure could use some internal improvements... Suddenly, actual cathedrals appeared in Athens and Thermopylae, and Pompeii picked up some shiny new walls.

And then, in 710 AD, it came together finally. Something that might perhaps become a front line with some work. Actual workers were working again. There was hope. About that time, I picked up Republic and Fuedalism from Ye Olde GL. Sun Tzu! Now if I could just get a leader.

Delphi soon proved worth the expense, drawing off attacks that normally would have gone straight into my heartland, and allowing my all time high two workers to actually redo some of my internal improvements. Problem was, I was running out of money in a big way - all the troops combined with the odd improvement were draining me dry.

And then, suddenly, 750 AD, Delphi proved worth its weight in gold again, as one of the defending hoplites finally dredged up another leader, who immediately evacuated to Athens to go rush Sun Tzu's.

Things went on stalemated for a while, with my attempts to take Calcutta blocked, and then, suddenly...