by Brant Guillory, 11 May 2025
Vimayapura is no more, as Qin Shi Huang’s forces have erased it from the map. And with the establishment of Changsha, the first step toward both the cross-continental sea connection, and the containment of the Khmer, is complete.
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With the primary aim of the campaign complete, Qin Shi Huang faces choice: continue to press the conquest of the Khmer, or hold and consolidate his army’s gains. After dinner that night, his fortune cookie advises him to “Be Decisive” which he takes as a sign to play the lottery numbers printed on the back. Meanwhile, in the current military campaign, he elects to straddle the two options: he will press the attack for another turn or two in the event that there might be an easy win, but unless something dramatic happens immediately, he will pull his forces back to hold his ground and contain the Khmer.
There is confusion in the ranks, however, as his horsemen break off their pursuit of the barely-escorted settlers on a panty raid toward Hariharalaya. This allows the settlers to put some precious distance between themselves and their pursuers.
While those Canadian crossbowmen are a little too close for comfort, there is a city between them and the Chinese workers that are now eager to exploit the vast silver reserves in the arctic north.
Back at the palace, Chinese cultural developments proceed apace, as Qin Shi Huang shifts his government from a classical republic to . . .
. . . a more centralized monarchy with greater array of policy options, especially on the military front, which will help strengthen his forces even more than the current Khmer capabilities.
Qin Shi Huang chooses to reduce his military budget, and boost the production of his defensive buildings. “Better to ring the Khmer with impediments against their future emboldenments and dissuade future flights of unnecessary fancy on their part” he thinks.
With the horsemen drunkenly marauding against a large city on their own, the Chinese men-at-arms fall further and further behind in their pursuit of those Khmer settlers.
The Conquerors of Vimayapura have earned a promotion, and a new nickname.
Suggestions? Ideas? Random thoughts?
Given the impossibility of spelling “Vimayapura” when leaving graffiti on random rocks during their campaigns, the unit settle on “The Grim Rampagers” and are certain it will continue to strike fear in the hearts of their opponents, and nearby tavern wenches, across the world.
After pursuing them to the sea, it might be time for the Chinese to break off pursuit of the Khmer settlers. “If they drift too far north,” Qin Shi Huang ponders, “we have plenty of troops in the vicinity to make it a costly expedition.”
Among those troops are some damaged charioteers. The little cousins of the force that removed Vimayapura from the globe, they were instrumental in helping keep the barbarians at bay during the campaign. “Time to bring them home,” orders Qin Shi Huang, “for some R&R and upgraded equipment, as we’ll doubtless need them again.”
But having learned his lesson from earlier mishaps, Qin Shi Huang confirms that their ship captain has not ‘accidentally’ left them behind.
The knights tentatively probe the border, spotting a catapult that’s a bit too close for comfort, and back off slightly.
Similarly, the central front forces are hesitant to bum-rush the Khmer capital without significant reinforcements, despite the attractiveness of taking a few hits to pillage those districts.
The Grim Rampagers close in on a barbarian skirmisher, and pin them against the lake, hoping to remove any hope of escape before destroying them. And yes, they’re still escorting their battering ram with him, just in case the barbarians threaten Paris, or maybe even New York.
With some covering fire from their crossbowmen, the men-at-arms make a cross-border dash for the Khmer commercial district, with visions of gold brick-stacked bank vaults dancing in their heads.
The crossbowmen choose to pick on the damaged unit, as one fewer band of Khmer troops in the field would always be considered a good thing.
However, given the Khmer troops identified around Angkor Thom, and the need to consolidate his far flung forces around the border, Qin Shi Huang elects to break off the campaign and focus on establishing the rest of the cities necessary for his nautical northern passage.
However, there’s a bit of business to attend to first, as Changsha is losing loyalty so far from his other cities, and with Khmer influence in between.
Victor receives and reads his orders from Qin Shi Huang, and wonders, “did I accidentally lead an unauthorized expedition into Czechoslovakia in another life? Was I caught playing with toy soldiers when my XO barged into my office? Why else would I be sent to the land of ice and snow with the midnight sun where the hot springs flow?”
Nevertheless, Victor packs his things, buys his wife & kids some of the latest fur fashions, and heads to the northern frontier, one of the last acts of Qin Shi Huang’s successful campaign to destroy Vimayapura.
This is the final episode of this playthrough of Civilization 6 from Sid Meier; next week, we’ll start a new one!
Civilization 6 AAR – The Destruction of Vimayapura
PART 1 ~ PART 2 ~ PART 3 ~ PART 4 ~ PART 5
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