StarCraft 218 BC: A Real Life Space Odyssey

 

 

 

 

.:: A Real Life Space Odyssey | (Prologue) ::. Imagine for one moment the world’s two great superpowers staring greedily across a vast body of water at the lands of the other. Imagine the clash of three great houses; a tale of blood oaths and vengeance; bitter titans vying for world domination. No, this is not the cold war or a plotline from Game of Thrones. These are the Punic Wars of Carthage and Rome, an era of such military innovation as to shock the mind. Throughout this article, the reader will be privy to a forward-looking birds’-eye view of the various theaters of importance, will witness the military brilliancies of both sides and will even be offered insight into that real-life meta-game known as “politics” and how its influence affects the course of the war.  

“Hold up, hold up. Wait just one second,” the reader may think at this moment. “I thought this was about StarCraft, not some John Brown history lesson.” The reader is correct. While reading this article, consider each side a metaphor for a different race’s mechanics. Please consult TABLE 1 (right) as this article progresses. See if you can figure out the “whodunnit” of this galactic mystery.  

 

.:: Two Decades of War | (Chapter 1) ::. To best understand this period in time the stage must first be set. In the north Mediterranean is fledgling Rome, a mite compared to her later glory. While powerful on land, Rome has no navy to speak of. The Carthaginians know this and, after a crushing land defeat at the battle of Agrigentum, resolve to engage only on the sea where they enjoy a clear advantage. Carthage proceeds to win a string of naval battles but Rome will not surrender. By a stroke of luck, one storm-wracked Carthaginian ship washes up on Italian soil. The Romans hurriedly copy the ship’s design, cutting down an entire forest in their haste to mass produce a fleet of 100 ships. See, Carthage is located across that great sea which at this time encompasses the known world. In order to aggress against the Italian peninsula, Carthage has two options for re-supply:

 

 

 

 

Sea: Easiest route across the Mediterranean. Used for most of the first war due to Carthage’s naval superiority from conscripted mercantile vessels.   Land: Supplies must first be sent northwest through Iberia then east through modern-day France then finally southeast through today’s Switzerland, through a few very narrow, well-fortified mountain passes in the Alps before ever reaching Italy proper. This neglects to mention the marauding tribes of Goths, Gauls and other barbarians along the way.

Clearly, navies are going to be important in this war and Rome has to catch up. Sicily, off the coast of Italy, will become a key point of contention. Control of this island will mean safety for the city of Rome. For Carthage, Sicily makes an easily-defensible forward outpost, a staging platform for future attacks on the Italian mainland. These warships will allow Rome to gain some ground–sea?–despite not knowing how to properly utilize the ships and losing far more to mother nature than to Carthage. While based on Carthage’s design, Rome adds a kind of bridge with a sharp hook at the far end. This serves as a classical-era grappling hook, grabbing the targeted Carthaginian vessel, allowing Roman legionnaires to cross and dispatch the enemy exactly as they would on land. This first war lasted 23 years. It spanned a generation.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Spoilers: Highlight box below to reveal. Carthage had a really good unit Rome takes said unit and makes it into a weaker version but en masse and one that they can control (neural parasite) Minor discussion of map features: foreshadowing of Hannibal’s future “elevator-drop” tactics

 

 

 

 

  The Rise of Hamilcar ?

If you like this content, please support Shaft by following him on Twitter (@TheOnlyShaft) and subscribing on YouTube.

StarCraft 218 BC: A Real Life Space Odyssey

 

 

 

 

 

.:: A Real Life Space Odyssey | (Prologue) ::. Imagine for one moment the world’s two great superpowers staring greedily across a vast body of water at the lands of the other. Imagine the clash of three great houses; a tale of blood oaths and vengeance; bitter titans vying for world domination. No, this is not the cold war or a plotline from Game of Thrones. These are the Punic Wars of Carthage and Rome, an era of such military innovation as to shock the mind. Throughout this article, the reader will be privy to a forward-looking birds’-eye view of the various theaters of importance, will witness the military brilliancies of both sides and will even be offered insight into that real-life meta-game known as “politics” and how its influence affects the course of the war.  

“Hold up, hold up. Wait just one second,” the reader may think at this moment. “I thought this was about StarCraft, not some John Brown history lesson.” The reader is correct. While reading this article, consider each side a metaphor for a different race’s mechanics. Please consult TABLE 1 (right) as this article progresses. See if you can figure out the “whodunnit” of this galactic mystery.  

 

.:: Two Decades of War | (Chapter 1) ::. To best understand this period in time the stage must first be set. In the north Mediterranean is fledgling Rome, a mite compared to her later glory. While powerful on land, Rome has no navy to speak of. The Carthaginians know this and, after a crushing land defeat at the battle of Agrigentum, resolve to engage only on the sea where they enjoy a clear advantage. Carthage proceeds to win a string of naval battles but Rome will not surrender. By a stroke of luck, one storm-wracked Carthaginian ship washes up on Italian soil. The Romans hurriedly copy the ship’s design, cutting down an entire forest in their haste to mass produce a fleet of 100 ships. See, Carthage is located across that great sea which at this time encompasses the known world. In order to aggress against the Italian peninsula, Carthage has two options for re-supply:

 

 

 

 

Sea: Easiest route across the Mediterranean. Used for most of the first war due to Carthage’s naval superiority from conscripted mercantile vessels.   Land: Supplies must first be sent northwest through Iberia then east through modern-day France then finally southeast through today’s Switzerland, through a few very narrow, well-fortified mountain passes in the Alps before ever reaching Italy proper. This neglects to mention the marauding tribes of Goths, Gauls and other barbarians along the way.

Clearly, navies are going to be important in this war and Rome has to catch up. Sicily, off the coast of Italy, will become a key point of contention. Control of this island will mean safety for the city of Rome. For Carthage, Sicily makes an easily-defensible forward outpost, a staging platform for future attacks on the Italian mainland. These warships will allow Rome to gain some ground–sea?–despite not knowing how to properly utilize the ships and losing far more to mother nature than to Carthage. While based on Carthage’s design, Rome adds a kind of bridge with a sharp hook at the far end. This serves as a classical-era grappling hook, grabbing the targeted Carthaginian vessel, allowing Roman legionnaires to cross and dispatch the enemy exactly as they would on land. This first war lasted 23 years. It spanned a generation.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Spoilers: Highlight box below to reveal. Carthage had a really good unit Rome takes said unit and makes it into a weaker version but en masse and one that they can control (neural parasite) Minor discussion of map features: foreshadowing of Hannibal’s future “elevator-drop” tactics

 

 

 

 

  The Rise of Hamilcar ?

StarCraft 218 BC: A Real Life Space Odyssey

 

 

 

 

 

.:: A Real Life Space Odyssey | (Prologue) ::. Imagine for one moment the world’s two great superpowers staring greedily across a vast body of water at the lands of the other. Imagine the clash of three great houses; a tale of blood oaths and vengeance; bitter titans vying for world domination. No, this is not the cold war or a plotline from Game of Thrones. These are the Punic Wars of Carthage and Rome, an era of such military innovation as to shock the mind. Throughout this article, the reader will be privy to a forward-looking birds’-eye view of the various theaters of importance, will witness the military brilliancies of both sides and will even be offered insight into that real-life meta-game known as “politics” and how its influence affects the course of the war.  

“Hold up, hold up. Wait just one second,” the reader may think at this moment. “I thought this was about StarCraft, not some John Brown history lesson.” The reader is correct. While reading this article, consider each side a metaphor for a different race’s mechanics. Please consult TABLE 1 (right) as this article progresses. See if you can figure out the “whodunnit” of this galactic mystery.  

 

.:: Two Decades of War | (Chapter 1) ::. To best understand this period in time the stage must first be set. In the north Mediterranean is fledgling Rome, a mite compared to her later glory. While powerful on land, Rome has no navy to speak of. The Carthaginians know this and, after a crushing land defeat at the battle of Agrigentum, resolve to engage only on the sea where they enjoy a clear advantage. Carthage proceeds to win a string of naval battles but Rome will not surrender. By a stroke of luck, one storm-wracked Carthaginian ship washes up on Italian soil. The Romans hurriedly copy the ship’s design, cutting down an entire forest in their haste to mass produce a fleet of 100 ships. See, Carthage is located across that great sea which at this time encompasses the known world. In order to aggress against the Italian peninsula, Carthage has two options for re-supply:

 

 

 

 

Sea: Easiest route across the Mediterranean. Used for most of the first war due to Carthage’s naval superiority from conscripted mercantile vessels.   Land: Supplies must first be sent northwest through Iberia then east through modern-day France then finally southeast through today’s Switzerland, through a few very narrow, well-fortified mountain passes in the Alps before ever reaching Italy proper. This neglects to mention the marauding tribes of Goths, Gauls and other barbarians along the way.

Clearly, navies are going to be important in this war and Rome has to catch up. Sicily, off the coast of Italy, will become a key point of contention. Control of this island will mean safety for the city of Rome. For Carthage, Sicily makes an easily-defensible forward outpost, a staging platform for future attacks on the Italian mainland. These warships will allow Rome to gain some ground–sea?–despite not knowing how to properly utilize the ships and losing far more to mother nature than to Carthage. While based on Carthage’s design, Rome adds a kind of bridge with a sharp hook at the far end. This serves as a classical-era grappling hook, grabbing the targeted Carthaginian vessel, allowing Roman legionnaires to cross and dispatch the enemy exactly as they would on land. This first war lasted 23 years. It spanned a generation.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Spoilers: Highlight box below to reveal. Carthage had a really good unit Rome takes said unit and makes it into a weaker version but en masse and one that they can control (neural parasite) Minor discussion of map features: foreshadowing of Hannibal’s future “elevator-drop” tactics

 

 

 

 

  The Rise of Hamilcar ?

StarCraft 218 BC: A Real Life Space Odyssey

 

 

 

 

.:: A Real Life Space Odyssey | (Prologue) ::. Imagine for one moment the world’s two great superpowers staring greedily across a vast body of water at the lands of the other. Imagine the clash of three great houses; a tale of blood oaths and vengeance; bitter titans vying for world domination. No, this is not the cold war or a plotline from Game of Thrones. These are the Punic Wars of Carthage and Rome, an era of such military innovation as to shock the mind. Throughout this article, the reader will be privy to a forward-looking birds’-eye view of the various theaters of importance, will witness the military brilliancies of both sides and will even be offered insight into that real-life meta-game known as “politics” and how its influence affects the course of the war.  

“Hold up, hold up. Wait just one second,” the reader may think at this moment. “I thought this was about StarCraft, not some John Brown history lesson.” The reader is correct. While reading this article, consider each side a metaphor for a different race’s mechanics. Please consult TABLE 1 (right) as this article progresses. See if you can figure out the “whodunnit” of this galactic mystery.  

 

.:: Two Decades of War | (Chapter 1) ::. To best understand this period in time the stage must first be set. In the north Mediterranean is fledgling Rome, a mite compared to her later glory. While powerful on land, Rome has no navy to speak of. The Carthaginians know this and, after a crushing land defeat at the battle of Agrigentum, resolve to engage only on the sea where they enjoy a clear advantage. Carthage proceeds to win a string of naval battles but Rome will not surrender. By a stroke of luck, one storm-wracked Carthaginian ship washes up on Italian soil. The Romans hurriedly copy the ship’s design, cutting down an entire forest in their haste to mass produce a fleet of 100 ships. See, Carthage is located across that great sea which at this time encompasses the known world. In order to aggress against the Italian peninsula, Carthage has two options for re-supply:

 

 

 

 

Sea: Easiest route across the Mediterranean. Used for most of the first war due to Carthage’s naval superiority from conscripted mercantile vessels.   Land: Supplies must first be sent northwest through Iberia then east through modern-day France then finally southeast through today’s Switzerland, through a few very narrow, well-fortified mountain passes in the Alps before ever reaching Italy proper. This neglects to mention the marauding tribes of Goths, Gauls and other barbarians along the way.

Clearly, navies are going to be important in this war and Rome has to catch up. Sicily, off the coast of Italy, will become a key point of contention. Control of this island will mean safety for the city of Rome. For Carthage, Sicily makes an easily-defensible forward outpost, a staging platform for future attacks on the Italian mainland. These warships will allow Rome to gain some ground–sea?–despite not knowing how to properly utilize the ships and losing far more to mother nature than to Carthage. While based on Carthage’s design, Rome adds a kind of bridge with a sharp hook at the far end. This serves as a classical-era grappling hook, grabbing the targeted Carthaginian vessel, allowing Roman legionnaires to cross and dispatch the enemy exactly as they would on land. This first war lasted 23 years. It spanned a generation.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Spoilers: Highlight box below to reveal. Carthage had a really good unit Rome takes said unit and makes it into a weaker version but en masse and one that they can control (neural parasite) Minor discussion of map features: foreshadowing of Hannibal’s future “elevator-drop” tactics

 

 

 

 

  The Rise of Hamilcar ?