Time again to take the field
1660 A.D.: The Celtic royalty, seeking plunder, declares war on Germany and marches for Hamburg. Later that year, they sign simultaneous research agreements with Greece and Austria.
My blood pressure goes up a little with every one of these agreements that happens without my involvement. At least in the case of the Celts, they're so far behind me that it shouldn't matter.
The secrets of machinery are stolen from Sweden by a spy later identified as Greek.
Um... OK. That's annoying, but I already have cannons and muskets, so I'm not super worried about Greece getting crossbows, finally. I'm going to tell Greece to stop spying on me, which will hurt our relations, but also make the rest of the world wary of them if they get caught doing it again. I'm pleased to see that my spy network, though it has yet to stop any spies, is now at least competent enough to identify who is stealing from me.
1680 A.D.: Having failed to capture Hamburg, the Celts ask for aid in a war against Austria. Knowing this would likely erupt into a continental war that would pit them against the Danes as well, the Lord-Governors of Sweden are split. Ultimately, pressure from the Church of Awesomeness leads them to vote in favor of the war, in retribution for the inquisitions against the faithful of Vienna. The Swedes tell the Celts to give them time to prepare.
In preparation for the war, the shiny, new cannons of the Swedish 1st Artillery are rolled out in Sigtuna.
1702 A.D.: The Swedes perfect new techniques for fertilizing crops, marking the beginning of the Swedish Industrial Revolution.
First into a new era for the second time in a row! My tech lead is steadily growing wider. Compared to the Celtic Chronicle, things are just going amazingly well. I'm super rich, my people are mostly happy, and my military is far more advanced than any other on the planet. Tumultuous times are ahead, however: I've pledged to go to war with Austria, and their Danish allies will surely be provoked as well. Only time will tell if Swedish cannons can pierce the Unbreakable City. So check back next week, when the sound of guns will echo across the continent!
