Velch

Attributes: | +25% Population Growth, +25% Fishery Output

**Velch** is an Etruscan faction of coastal Etruria, only playable in the small Etruria-only sandbox. It uses the same logo as the North Etruscans who don't appear in that setting.

Its starting neighbours are Veii, Velathri and Clevsin. In other game modes, Velch's starting territory is divided between these 3 factions.

### In-game Description

"A maritime power nevertheless founded inland, Velch was a major Etruscan city and home to people whose influence was felt as far as Rome. Its patron deity was the Etruscan fertility goddess Turan."

### Starting Cities

* **Velch\*\*\***: Velch (Vulci in Latin) is a major Etruscan trade city. After a decline in the early 7th century, Velch recovered and became one of the richest cities in Etruria, expanding its lands greatly. The beloved Roman king Servius Tullius was originally an Estruscan named Mastarna from Velch, and some sources say Velch helped him overthrow his predecessor.
* **Vatluna\*\*\***: Vatluna, known to the Romans as Vetulonia, is a major Etruscan city located in the Maremma hills. In Vatluna were the Lictor's rod and the fasces invented, which would later be adopted by the Romans as symbols of power. Under Roman rule nearby irrigation systems would be neglected and Vatluna would decline as the area reverted to malaria-infested swampland.
* **Pupluna+**: Pupluna, sometimes spelled Fufluna to better represent its proper pronunciation, is one of the Dodecapoli founded in honour of the Etruscan wine deity Fufluns and one of the Etruscans' few port cities. Virgil's Aenied claims it was initially settled by people from Corsica before people of Velathri chased them out, but this is not consistent with archaeological evidence that suggests a pre-Etruscan Villanovan settlement rather than Corsican and Pupluna's tomb system differs significantly from Velathri's.
* **Saina-**: A hill town containing the Saina tribe of Etruscans, Saina (mordern Siena) is traditionally said to have been founded by Senius and Aschius, two sons of Remus who fled Rome following their fathers' death at the hands of his twin brother Romulus. Legend states that they stole a statue of Romulus and Remus suckling from the she wolf from the temple of Apollo as they fled.

**\*\*\***City belongs to Veii in the main sandbox.

**+**City belongs to Velathri in the main sandbox.

**-**City belongs to Clevsin in the main sandbox.

### Strategy

Velch has the most exposed starting position in the Etruria-only sandbox, being surrounded by all 3 other factions. Your starting city is also inconveniently located away from your other cities on the southern fringe of your territory, and exposed in multiple directions to attacks from Veii. Velch's population growth bonus also isn't the most useful for shorter scenarios, and everything combines to make it probably the most difficult faction to play as in the Etruria-only sandbox.

Veii is probably the first neighbour that should be dealt with, as they threaten your starting city from multiple directions.

Remember to claim the 2 gold mines on the island of Elba near Pupluna!

### Trivia & History

* Velch was one of the most important Etruscan cities and apparently managed to exercise its influence as far as Rome, with several legendary figures of early Roman history (such as the 6th Roman king Servius Tullius) being of Velchine origin. This changed when the Romans overthrew the monarchy and founded the Roman Republic.
* Though many details surrounding the Roman-Etruscan wars have been lost, Velch is known to have been conquered by Rome in 280 BC, in the same year as when Pyrrhus of Epirus launched his invasion of Italy.
* Like all factions in Etruria, the various cities that are part of the faction were in reality independent of one another, but were merged in-game to simplify the faction roster.
* The faction's icon seems to be taken from engraved coins produced in Pupluna that depict the mythological figure Metus, the Etruscan equivalent of the Gorgon Medusa of Greek mythology.