This is my first story, and it's based on my experience playing the Conquer the World campaign as the Aztecs. Any comments would be great.
Also, this is pretty long. Hope you guys like it!
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Modern historians to this day debate the events surrounding the rise of the Aztec Empire. After all, the Aztecs were a fairly sheltered people in the beginning, although that didn't stop them from being warlike. True, when they first founded the state of Tenochtitlan, they conquered their southern neighbors - the Maya, and then absorbed several uninhabited territories. Upon learning of the demise of the Maya, the Inca sent diplomats to Tenochtitlan, and offered peace; the Aztecs accepted, knowing fully well that they couldn't afford to be attacked from the south.
One major thing that many historians find striking is the fact that the Aztecs lacked gunpowder, and yet they still succeeded in dominating a large amount of North America without it. The Aztecs expanded carefully. Sending scouts to the north, they soon discovered that the Yukon was inhabited by the Mongols. Concerned about this new development, the Aztecs attempted to barter with Sitting Bull, the chief of the Lakota, for the Pacific Northwest territory, which would have enabled the Aztecs to pass into the Yukon.
Sitting Bull proved far too difficult for the Aztecs to deal with. He ultimately refused to barter with them. The Aztec hierarchy was infuriated; they felt that Sitting Bull's price for the territory was far too high. As there was no quicker way to get to the Mongols, the Aztecs decided to take the Pacific Northwest territory, declaring war on Sitting Bull and the Lakota Nation. The Battle of the Pacific Northwest is highly regarded as a major turning point in history; it marked the Aztec Empire's first encounter with gunpowder.
The Battle of the Pacific Northwest territory was easily one of the bloodiest battles up until the Battle of Washington. The Aztecs, although lacking gunpowder, made up for it with sheer numbers. The Lakota's technological advances saved them for a time. However, unlike the Aztecs, the Lakota lacked reinforcements. If the Lakota were able to reinforce their position, they could have very well defeated the Aztecs.
The Aztecs were at first put on the defensive; however, the when the Lakota's numbers were sufficiently lessened, they launched a large scale attack on the territory's capital. It has been estimated that there were around 500 casualties for the Aztecs and 300 for the gunpowder-wielding Lakota.
Around this time, the Inca pushed the Spanish out of South America, uniting it under their rule. With that, they pushed into West Africa, eventually conquering Spain itself.
With the Pacific Northwest territory under their control, the Aztecs turned their attention to Sitting Bull's last remaining territory in Lower Canada. Knowing that Sitting Bull would have to be dealt with sooner or later, the Aztecs decided to launch an attack on the fertile, American-held Mississippi Valley; if they could conquer the Americans here, they could advance to the Atlantic Seaboard, Acadia, and then finally, Lower Canada.
As fate would have it, immediately after the Aztecs seized the Mississippi Valley, the Americans conquered what remained of Sitting Bull's territories. Realizing too late that they would have to deal with a full-scale American assault, the Aztecs hastily prepared to defend themselves with what they could.
Somewhat after the American defeat at the Dakota Plains, a young, up-and-coming politician by the name of Abraham Lincoln was elected to the presidency. He promised his people that he would drive the Aztecs out of the Americas. With the Aztecs serving as an excellent distraction, he enacted legislation abolishing the wicked institution of slavery. The southern states had little time to complain, as the Aztecs began massing on their borders.
At first, the Aztecs attempted the seize the Ohio Valley, but were rebuffed by a large American contingent there. Emboldened by the American victory, Lincoln ordered his troops to launch an assault on the Pacific Northwest territory; the attack ultimately failed. The Aztecs countered by capturing the Atlantic Seaboard. In turn, the Americans attacked and captured the Dakota Plains, a key point in the Americas which would enable an American army to attack the Rocky Mountains, and eventually, Tenochtitlan itself.
Panicking by this turn of events, the Aztecs launched a suicidal attack on Acadia, the territory that held Washington, the capital of the Americans.
At first, the Aztecs had limited success in conquering Washington; the Americans utilized gunpowder, and the Aztecs had yet to use it. To the Aztecs, it was strange technology that was best avoided. Eventually, however, the American attacks became too great. Relenting, for the first time, the Aztecs used gunpowder in combat.
With time, the Americans were put on the defensive, and the Aztecs set up a series of fortresses and keeps along the Aztec-American border. Alarmed, Lincoln ordered a series of raids on several small Aztec cities; the raids failed, however, and emboldened the Aztecs to greater action.
By now, Lincoln knew in his heart that he wouldn't come out of the battle alive. Despite his cabinet's protests, he decided to stay at the capital. He became set on a new strategy; attrition. He knew that the only way the Aztecs could be routed out was through numbers. He ordered an enormous assault on the Aztec border, and by utilizing bombards, destroyed the majority of the fortresses and keeps, seizing several small border towns along the way.
The Aztecs knew that the only way the Americans survived in their territory was through supply wagons. The Aztec hierarchy ordered raids on the supply wagons, considerably weakening the United States' ability to combat the Aztecs; in time, the Americans were pushed out of Aztec territory.
By now, Lincoln had had enough. It was time for someone to be wiped off the map, and he sure as hell wasn't going to give up without a fight. He ordered the remnants of his once great armies to gather at Washington for a final, glorious attempt at victory. The Aztecs rushed in, losing several hundred soldiers in the first charge. Retreating, the Aztecs massed once again; likewise, President Lincoln and the Americans readied themselves, refusing to hand Washington over to the invaders.
Both sides charged, refusing the give in. Lincoln himself died in a last, desperate attempt at defending the capital. With the death of Lincoln, the United States crumbled; the Aztecs then launched an attack on the now Indian-held Yukon territory.
Historical estimates place the Battle of Washington among the bloodiest battles of the age. Artifacts from Aztec scribes, who were sent to mark down the number of dead, revealed that the Aztecs suffered around 500 casualties, whereas the Americans suffered some 800 losses, Abraham Lincoln among them.
With the entirety of North America under their control, and South America secured by the Inca, the Aztecs turned their gaze towards Europe and the colossal Indian Empire...
To be continued.
Also, this is pretty long. Hope you guys like it!
--------------------------------------------------------------
Modern historians to this day debate the events surrounding the rise of the Aztec Empire. After all, the Aztecs were a fairly sheltered people in the beginning, although that didn't stop them from being warlike. True, when they first founded the state of Tenochtitlan, they conquered their southern neighbors - the Maya, and then absorbed several uninhabited territories. Upon learning of the demise of the Maya, the Inca sent diplomats to Tenochtitlan, and offered peace; the Aztecs accepted, knowing fully well that they couldn't afford to be attacked from the south.
One major thing that many historians find striking is the fact that the Aztecs lacked gunpowder, and yet they still succeeded in dominating a large amount of North America without it. The Aztecs expanded carefully. Sending scouts to the north, they soon discovered that the Yukon was inhabited by the Mongols. Concerned about this new development, the Aztecs attempted to barter with Sitting Bull, the chief of the Lakota, for the Pacific Northwest territory, which would have enabled the Aztecs to pass into the Yukon.
Sitting Bull proved far too difficult for the Aztecs to deal with. He ultimately refused to barter with them. The Aztec hierarchy was infuriated; they felt that Sitting Bull's price for the territory was far too high. As there was no quicker way to get to the Mongols, the Aztecs decided to take the Pacific Northwest territory, declaring war on Sitting Bull and the Lakota Nation. The Battle of the Pacific Northwest is highly regarded as a major turning point in history; it marked the Aztec Empire's first encounter with gunpowder.
The Battle of the Pacific Northwest territory was easily one of the bloodiest battles up until the Battle of Washington. The Aztecs, although lacking gunpowder, made up for it with sheer numbers. The Lakota's technological advances saved them for a time. However, unlike the Aztecs, the Lakota lacked reinforcements. If the Lakota were able to reinforce their position, they could have very well defeated the Aztecs.
The Aztecs were at first put on the defensive; however, the when the Lakota's numbers were sufficiently lessened, they launched a large scale attack on the territory's capital. It has been estimated that there were around 500 casualties for the Aztecs and 300 for the gunpowder-wielding Lakota.
Around this time, the Inca pushed the Spanish out of South America, uniting it under their rule. With that, they pushed into West Africa, eventually conquering Spain itself.
With the Pacific Northwest territory under their control, the Aztecs turned their attention to Sitting Bull's last remaining territory in Lower Canada. Knowing that Sitting Bull would have to be dealt with sooner or later, the Aztecs decided to launch an attack on the fertile, American-held Mississippi Valley; if they could conquer the Americans here, they could advance to the Atlantic Seaboard, Acadia, and then finally, Lower Canada.
As fate would have it, immediately after the Aztecs seized the Mississippi Valley, the Americans conquered what remained of Sitting Bull's territories. Realizing too late that they would have to deal with a full-scale American assault, the Aztecs hastily prepared to defend themselves with what they could.
Somewhat after the American defeat at the Dakota Plains, a young, up-and-coming politician by the name of Abraham Lincoln was elected to the presidency. He promised his people that he would drive the Aztecs out of the Americas. With the Aztecs serving as an excellent distraction, he enacted legislation abolishing the wicked institution of slavery. The southern states had little time to complain, as the Aztecs began massing on their borders.
At first, the Aztecs attempted the seize the Ohio Valley, but were rebuffed by a large American contingent there. Emboldened by the American victory, Lincoln ordered his troops to launch an assault on the Pacific Northwest territory; the attack ultimately failed. The Aztecs countered by capturing the Atlantic Seaboard. In turn, the Americans attacked and captured the Dakota Plains, a key point in the Americas which would enable an American army to attack the Rocky Mountains, and eventually, Tenochtitlan itself.
Panicking by this turn of events, the Aztecs launched a suicidal attack on Acadia, the territory that held Washington, the capital of the Americans.
At first, the Aztecs had limited success in conquering Washington; the Americans utilized gunpowder, and the Aztecs had yet to use it. To the Aztecs, it was strange technology that was best avoided. Eventually, however, the American attacks became too great. Relenting, for the first time, the Aztecs used gunpowder in combat.
With time, the Americans were put on the defensive, and the Aztecs set up a series of fortresses and keeps along the Aztec-American border. Alarmed, Lincoln ordered a series of raids on several small Aztec cities; the raids failed, however, and emboldened the Aztecs to greater action.
By now, Lincoln knew in his heart that he wouldn't come out of the battle alive. Despite his cabinet's protests, he decided to stay at the capital. He became set on a new strategy; attrition. He knew that the only way the Aztecs could be routed out was through numbers. He ordered an enormous assault on the Aztec border, and by utilizing bombards, destroyed the majority of the fortresses and keeps, seizing several small border towns along the way.
The Aztecs knew that the only way the Americans survived in their territory was through supply wagons. The Aztec hierarchy ordered raids on the supply wagons, considerably weakening the United States' ability to combat the Aztecs; in time, the Americans were pushed out of Aztec territory.
By now, Lincoln had had enough. It was time for someone to be wiped off the map, and he sure as hell wasn't going to give up without a fight. He ordered the remnants of his once great armies to gather at Washington for a final, glorious attempt at victory. The Aztecs rushed in, losing several hundred soldiers in the first charge. Retreating, the Aztecs massed once again; likewise, President Lincoln and the Americans readied themselves, refusing to hand Washington over to the invaders.
Both sides charged, refusing the give in. Lincoln himself died in a last, desperate attempt at defending the capital. With the death of Lincoln, the United States crumbled; the Aztecs then launched an attack on the now Indian-held Yukon territory.
Historical estimates place the Battle of Washington among the bloodiest battles of the age. Artifacts from Aztec scribes, who were sent to mark down the number of dead, revealed that the Aztecs suffered around 500 casualties, whereas the Americans suffered some 800 losses, Abraham Lincoln among them.
With the entirety of North America under their control, and South America secured by the Inca, the Aztecs turned their gaze towards Europe and the colossal Indian Empire...
To be continued.