A/N: This fic is loosely based off an in-game war that happened about a week ago. I started thinking about what happens when another empire approaches you to declare war on another empire together, and I started wondering how the troops of your allies would react when your empire is vastly technologically superior.

The empires in this are:

Russia (Player) - modern era. (Mechanised Infantry, Modern Armour, Rocket Artillery, Stealth Bomber.)

Rome - medieval era. (Pikemen, Knights, Trebuchet, Longswordman)

Arabia - renaissance era. (Musketman, Lancer, Cannon, Cavalry)

Japan - classical/medieval era. (Samurai, Pikeman, Archer, Catapult)

This first chapter of two depicts a naval attack on the Japanese empire.


Abdul-Azim was pacing in his cabin aboard the Seaspear. Beyond the horizon ahead of him lay the Japanese empire. Ruled by Oda Nobunaga, the Japanese had long been enemies of the great Arabian Empire, led by the merciful Harun al-Rashid, blessed of Allah, long may he live, may the grounds tremble beneath his feet, and may his enemies cower before him, but now, now the Caliph's mercy towards the warmongering Japanese had run out. Now the war drums of Mecca beat again, their heavy rhythm inspiring courage in the hearts of the Arabians, and instilling fear in the minds of those for whom they beat. All of this should have encouraged Abul, but these great thoughts were far outweighed by doubt.

He had received a hawk from his commanding officers to the east saying that the Caliph had wanted to extinguish the foul light of the Japanese from the world that Allah had made, and to this end he sought out the help of one of the other great empires of the world. Abdul would have been more than happy if the empire they had approached had been Rome, he had dealt with and fought alongside Romans before now and had enjoyed the camaraderie that he had experienced, but no, Caliph Harun had approached the Russians, under their empress Catherine the Great. Abdul doubted their resolve, after all, it was well known that women were flighty creatures, most unsuited to rulership, and prone to change their minds over the smallest things.

The Russians' leadership alone was not enough to instill such fear in him, no, that came from the legends of Russia. The great empire was greatly distanced from Arabia, and had very few dealings with the great nation, Harun al-Rashid, he who speaks the truth of Allah, who holds the fate of the world in his hands, was deeply suspicious of the foreign power, with whom they shared no borders, no beliefs, nothing in common beyond the enemy of Japan. Abdul had often heard Russia likened to a sleeping lion, calm and peaceful now, but should it ever wake, he who had had the misfortune of doing so would know fear the likes of which were unknown. Russia's borders lay closed to Arabia, so all they knew of the empire was the view of the coasts that their sailors had seen and the rumours that those sailors had started. It was said that the Russians rode great beasts of metal that spat smoke and fire into war, that they had a great wall that encompassed their capital, and next two largest cities. It was said that their soldiers commanded powers akin to that of the Allah - or of demons. It was said that they could fly.

Abdul sighed and exited his cabin, troubled thoughts still swirling in his mind, soon they would reach Japanese waters and join up with the Russians and begin the war against the enemy. He stood at the prow of his frigate and stared out at the view before him. To the north-west sat the city of Tokyo, his and his Arabian comrades' target, he had been assured that once his naval fleet had softened up the city, ground troops would be poised to sweep away the remaining Japanese resistance. His gaze swept southwards encompassing two grey rocks jutting out of the bay, their tops wreathed in clouds, the tiny white specks that were the sails of the Japanese Navy arrayed beyond them, then he found Kyoto, Japan's capital, directly opposite Tokyo, the seat of power of the hated Oda Nobunaga. Of the promised Russian forces, he saw no sign, he theorised that perhaps they were land-based, for surely the great Russian beasts of metal that spat fire would be of little effect on sea, if they truly existed.

"Sir! Sir!" He turned towards the rest of his ship as his musings were disrupted by the shouts of his lookout.

"What is it?" he snapped at the scrambling figure that approached him, telescope in hand.

"Sir, it's the Russians." The boy was breathless. Snatching the offered telescope, Abdul looked down the eyepiece for signs of the Russians. He scanned the horizon fruitlessly before a flash of colour caught his eye, the black and yellow double-headed eagle of the Russian empire snapped in the wind. As he drew back slightly he realised the reason for the lookout's urgency, the Russian flag flew from the two rocks in the mouth of the bay. Rocks, he now realised, that were in fact ships, great grey ships covered with scurrying people.

"Jahannam." He swore under his breath, the rumours were true! But rumours alone did not hold up to the truth. Great, grey, things of war, ridden by the Russian people. This was what his great leader had enlisted in their war against the Japanese? He swore again, and gave the command to pull the fleet up alongside the Russian warships.

As they pulled alongside, Abdul was hailed by a crewman atop the Russian vessels, the man spoke Arabic slowly, with a thick accent and terrible pronunciation, but he was understandable. Abdul was grateful to the Russians for making this small bit understandable, for so little else was. The vessels were indeed made of metal, but how? How could something as heavy as metal float? He opened his mouth to ask the Russian this, but instead all he could say was,

"Does this thing really spit fire?"

The Russian sailor laughed, "Fire, death and metal my friend. You are Captain?" When Abdul nodded his assent the Russian beckoned to him to 'come aboard' and threw down a rope ladder to the lower slung vessel. Abdul nervously climbed aboard and followed the sailor, who introduced himself as 'Boris'. Boris seemed very talkative, despite his clumsy grasp of the Arab language, and seemed to want to know everything about Arabia. Abdul had never considered that Arabia might same as strange and exotic to the Russians as Russia did to the Arabs. He followed Boris through a strange metal door and was greeted by row upon row of flashing lights, men and women moving about behind them. He heard Boris speaking in Russian to someone, from the tone employed most likely a superior.

"Abdul, this Commandant Dunya Zolnerowich, she leads naval force."

Abdul nodded weakly, a woman in charge made about as much sense as anything else he had seen on board this ship, if it truly could be called such. Boris continued, "She says we ready when you are, to start hostilities." Abdul nodded again, it seemed like that was all he could do. Besides, it was not as though his ships were needed, these Russian behemoths could probably obliterate Tokyo by themselves.

"We wait for a signal from Arabic ground troops." He said, "Green rockets from north-east of Tokyo."

Boris and Dunya nodded, "Understood," Boris said, "we await rockets, then we destroy Japanese Navy. Good Luck." He offered a big, meaty hand, which Abdul shook tentatively. Boris then escorted him back to his ship and told him to watch the Japanese Navy when the rockets went off, apparently it would be entertaining.

It was late evening when Abdul's lookouts spotted the green rocket explosions in the east and raised anchors as they began to move towards the Japanese fleet. It seemed that the Russians too had seen the flares, for their vast metal machines roared into action. Abdul saw Boris waving at him, then pointing ahead of the vessels. Abdul followed the pointing finger and watched as three of the Japanese triremes suddenly exploded in immense waterspouts. He had not seen any projectiles launched from the decks of the Russian warships, but the Japanese ships could not have destroyed themselves, so what had? The answer to this question came quickly in the form of a large, dark-grey tube emerging from beneath the waters. Great torrents of water cascaded over its bulk, partially obscuring the yellow and black eagle painted on the odd protrusion towards the front. It seemed as though the Russians had tamed even the deeps with their machines. As he watched the new vessel, loud explosions and flashes of light drew his attention back to the Russian warships and their Japanese targets. He watched as more of the Japanese fleet arrayed across the mouth of the bay exploded into clouds of splinters. Once the Russians had finished their bombardment, Abdul ordered his fleet forward to take care of any survivors. Behind him, the machine-from-under-the-waves returned beneath said waves, and the Russian guns turned upon the city of Tokyo.


A/N: Please leave a review telling me what you liked or didn't like about the story and anything that could be improved. This will be much appreciated.