Welcome back! Last part saw a few civs just starting to snowball, but let's see what surprises are yet to spring. A lovely view of the Mayan submarines, with a Greek carrack menacingly investigating the lava-strewn volcanic shores. They can't see me, but I did worry for a second....

The South of France is a mess, mostly because it's not French right now. The Ottomans sprung a surprise capture and France has had to work very hard to beat back the Spanish. French infrastructure is in ruins and cities like Orleans are starving and incapable of building anything that requires resources, as they're not connected without the road network in place. Rome is ahead a few techs look at their cities but the roads are also missing there too.

Sweden is moving troops but I'm not sure where. The Russians have wiggled their tendril into West Europe with the conquest of Berlin. Denmark have expanded down into the Netherlands.

Central Europe is in disarray and I don't know who's fighting who. Judging from the troops I'm guessing Rome is against Ukraine.

Old Switzerland (Vielle Suisse) is under French dominion but Spain might yet take a city with their elephants.

Russia is looking like a strong contender, but they need to get their cossacks pretty soon or Rome will overrun them.

Klagenfurt, the Celt conquest, is under threat from Denmark by the looks of it

The Greeks are the ones against Ukraine, taking Kharkiv's defenses low. They're still fielding warriors - check the mountains north of Graz.

Marseilles falls again, this time with a naval attack depositing more troops. The horses and dogs below are the conquistadors - originally a unit built for exploring, but I buffed their attack to mimic the knight unit other civs have. France have cavalry now, which can beat everything Spain is building, but if their infrastructure is this damaged, they may not recover in time.

The Ottomans sneak through and take Kharkiv. Greece looks upset.

Orlean falls, shedding a significant chunk of population. French L'hommes Des Guerres (Man O'Wars) parade off the coastline, preventing further sea invasions.

Lucerne falls to a curious conquistador.

The Ottomans take Graz as Rome looks on. There's a damaged cavalry which indicates a war is going on but I'm still not sure who they're at war with.

The Greek city of Knossos is rammed with troops. This is one of the joys and terrors of Civ 3 - the ability to stack unlimited troops on one square. They could wipe out the Ottomans from the rear in a devastating pincer move if they desired.

Somehow, somewhere, the Dutch were still existing, but no longer. They had a tough start but lasted an okay time. I thought there were 19 civs but I miscounted. The Dutch finish 8th-from-last, or 12th. A respectable showing from a rubbish civ (sorry).

Ah, yes, they had The Hague until the Celts rid them of it. The Irish now control the entirety of the United Kingdom and Ireland, a lovely difference to real-life. From here, they face a difficult struggle expanding into mainland Europe, especially with their slightly-backwards troop disposition. Maybe they could mop up France. Everyone else is.

Maybe Sweden, across the North Sea, would be a good expanding location. Similar climate after all.

Railroads are being built. They improve all aspects to the tiles they're constructed over as well as provide an infinite travel distance, meaning units can go from fresh to battleworn in one go, no matter how large the nation is.

Odessa falls to the Ottomans. We can see the Sipahi, a completely OP unit in vanilla Civ 3 that I've nerfed considerably this time round. I've reduced the hitpoints and lowered the attack strength a bit, but it's still potent.

Spain are going for the pincer it seems, taking Hastings from the French.

Rome constructs the biggest market it can. Smith's Trading Company pays for the maintenance costs for harbours and the like, saving a lot of money for big nations - not that the AI needs any more money.

Sweden safely assimilates Klagenfurt, further adding to the complexity of the local school system, where kids now learn a German-Irish hybrid half the day and Swedish the other half. Imagine how guttural that'd be!

Rome is the prime city of the map now. It's building a filthy coal plant, favouring profits and production over health like a capitalist society would do. I'm almost proud.

Double pincer! Geneva falls to the Spanish. Paris might be the last to fall...

Lviv also falls to the Ottomans. I don't know why but Ukraine has been weak in every test game and now this game too. They've lasted longer than before though, so it's a small improvement! Universal Suffrage removes war weariness - unhappiness caused by endless warfare, which can only be fixed by peace. It's a neat dynamic to the game and tries to avoid perpetual war in civs.

Belgrade was the Serbian capital but now rivals many other's main cities. The Oracle, font of good hope, is now a tourist attraction raking in the dosh.

Lyon falls and France is looking smaller by the minute.

...and just in time for the stats, Paris falls - finally! The Spanish look in control here, forcing the French to shelter in the old Swiss capital. Sweden is at war with them too further compounding their troubles.

Russia's land territory puts them top, and the only one not really deserving their spot is Sweden right now. We can see the demise of Poland, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, England, the Netherlands, Portugal, and the Serbs and 10 remaining civs. France and the Ukraine could yet collapse. Ireland and Denmark look tentative in this.

Denmark rounds out the bottom of the living civs - thankfully higher than the dead ones - though Poland is still riding high despite being knocked out a few parts back.

Power is always more telling. Rome is leading significantly.

But Greek culture is great.

A nice view of Spain and Roman North Africa.

Spain looks bigger than Italy does, but the tech disparity is clear.

Greece is small but tough. Ottomans are large and tough. It'll be an interesting war between these two.

The remains of France. They'll die in second!

What a guess. What I didn't guess was Sweden taking Zurich. It's a promising start from a younger warmongerer.

Roman troops are injured but still not sure who by.

Their new territories of Austria are strongly-defended with infantry. I believe I left them as usual, with 10 defense - making them beyond the reach of anything else but a stack of cavalry plucky enough to dare.

The Italian Navy looks strong. I think Rome and Greece at war looking at the battle for Ephesian Carthage.

Denmark storms south and takes Krakow from the Ukrainians. Russian cossacks are just chilling - a chilling sight for neighbours.

A Turkish slave mops up some pollution as war rages on. How idyllic.

Wroclaw falls too. I'm really glad Denmark has woken as I was worried about their progress.

Ephesus falls, uniting the African coast under Italian colours.

Here's the straight of Emerita. Even the Roman colonies are far more advanced than mainland Spain.

A city was razed but peace may have been declared. The Theory of Evolution gives two free techs, which may just give Greece a good advantage here.

Wowee, it's a much nicer city than Rome! More productive, richer, more cultural.

Rome and Spain are now at war, and a sneak naval attack takes Canterbury.

The Pyrenees are swarming.

Canterbury is recaptured, but it's proved a distraction for Spanish troops.

Romans are coming up from the south now too. Toledo really could fall here.

The Alps too are full of Roman troops, threatening Lucerne.

And Lucerne falls!

...as does Toledo.

...as does Canterbury after a second attempt.

Basel is taken from the Greeks by the Ottomans - things are hotting up all across the Mediterranean sea.

Barcelona falls and the Basque city that used to stand is razed to a crisp.

Units clash across the Balkans.

Remember the wodge of troops in Knossos? They're now spreading through Asia Minor.

Rome is gunning for Geneva, hoping to hide certain conventions and war how they please. The Pikemen defending gives a good assessment of Spanish chances - screwed.

Yet somehow, SOMEHOW, the attack falters and the Italians withdraw.

The war on the peninsula is going better, Santiago having fallen.

This is as good a time to end a part as any - mid-war. Italy is fast climbing the leaderboard now they're taking good territory from the Spanish.

Ukraine could soon fall down the charts a bit.

This shows the destruction of Spanish forces clearly, as well as the incredibly increase of Roman forces. Greece and the Ottomans haven't sent their best yet but both sides are suffering. Still, best to get this war out the way first and hope to rebuild before Italy looks east.

Culturally, Greece is still doing great. Thanks very much for watching as usual. There's one extra-long part after this (or two short parts, I haven't decided yet...). The pace picks up a bit! Until next time.