Dev Diary 78: Getia
Salvete! Today Zorgoball will be presenting our upcoming Getia content for which i'll now hand you over to him.
Hello everyone, Zorgoball here with a brand new tree to show off. As you might recall, we recently had an AAR contest, and I am happy to reveal that the winner, Gladius, chose the nation of Getia to receive a mission tree. Let’s dive into “The Sword And Shield Of The Dacians”!
The presence of the Greeks in the Pontus Euxinus has caused some concern amongst the Elders in your tribe, and this has become a problem that cannot be ignored any longer. On the left side of the tree, you will have two mutually exclusive paths; will you seek the friendship of the Greek city states on the eastern banks of the Ister, or will you conquer them outright in a sign of strength? Carefully consider your options, as there are circumstances that are difficult - the cities on the coasts might be easy to take, sure, but what about their overlord, Thrace? There will undoubtedly be forces sent north from Lysimacheia to relieve any pressure you put on their vassals…
Each path will have some neat rewards, so the choice is ultimately up to your Chief.
Let’s follow the advice of Bikilis first and try to make friends. Outside of the fortified walls of the city of Orgame, there is a port in the settlement of Halmyris that has caught the eye of your Chief. If you are able to make friends with the local governor and spread some coin, you might be able to win some trading concessions for your tribesmen - an important first step in what could become a close relationship.
Once you have your trade hub established, your Ruler will need to invest in a naval fleet that will be able to transport your goods far beyond your shores. Sornus would be an excellent location for a port, as it is situated close to the river crossing at Piephigia, and if you are able to fund the construction of a harbor, there will be other lucrative opportunities that eventually present themselves.
As Sornus continues to prosper under the stewardship of your leader and the fortunes of your people and the Greeks grows ever more intertwined, your neighbors will propose that they be given citizenship rights in Getia - a bold request, yet one that reflects their outsized influence in your nation. If your Chief agrees to invest in the region while assuring the Greek population of their rights, then they shall build a city for you, a place destined to become a center of learning.
But what happens if you decide to conquer the cities of the Greeks, driving them out of the province of Scythia? Before you draw up your war plans, you will want to make sure that your manpower reserves are full and that your forces have some experience - you don’t want to send untested troops out on such an important military campaign. Once these basic goals have been met, you will finally be ready for war, but the Tribal Chiefs are in disagreement when it comes to strategy. Nevertheless, you will prepare claims through the ‘Carpian Corridor’ that stands in your way, and you can even plan for contingencies if you have enough in your treasury.
The wars for the province of Scythia will be devastating, and if you somehow come out on top, then the rewards will be worth the costs.
You will then continue your wars down the coast, attacking the other Thracian vassals, and once they have submitted to your forces, you will then lay claim to the capital of Lysimachus himself, ending the wars between your peoples once and for all.
And now a closer look at the right side of the tree, where you will focus on forming Dacia and improving the holdings of the Getae.
The left branch has some of the same tribal tasks that you will have encountered if you have played other nations, like Caledonia - fun flavorful barbarian stuff, like going on hunts and dueling other Chiefs.
The central path will concentrate on improving your country’s infrastructure; you will be tasked with building mines and training your forces as you continue to push eastward, conquering the smaller tribes that cannot hope to stand against your forces.
If your Ruler constructs a fort city at the impressive site of Sarmizegetusa, then there is a chance that the gods will visit in a dream, showing your baffled ruler a disturbing glimpse of a future that could be…
This dream will cause your Ruler to become obsessed with building a network of fortifications throughout your country, forging a shield that will protect your nation from invaders.
You will also be able to construct a Great Wonder in Helis, the Tomb of Sveshtari that dates from this time period. What a fitting legacy for your Ruler, who has accomplished so much for your nation!
You will also have the opportunity to forge the Silver Hoard of Pelendava (the Craiova treasure in real life), thanking the gods for their generosity towards the people of Getia.
It will take patience and effort to form Dacia, for there are many tribes in the east that stand in the way and many sparsely-inhabited territories that need to be colonized with Getian settlers. But once this is accomplished and Dacia stands proud in her mountain kingdom, the name of your Ruler shall remain upon the lips of the faithful for countless generations to come - for only a god could do such a thing.