ASBs transport every barbarian invasion, Huns onward.

[eschaton]

I just thought of this the other night:

Many, many invading groups came out of Asia between the Huns and the Mongols. WI as each one travels to europe (say, through the Urals), a gateway opens up that transports them to the same time, but the western side of the Appalachians.

The gate is *almost* one way, but not quite. Occasionally, individuals find their way back, so it's not known among the steppe tribes as a gateway to total oblivion, but simply some mountain passes to mostly unaccessable land.

This would, obviously, not stop all barbarian hordes, as some, like the Turks, migrated through the south rather than the Urals. But what would the effects be on Europe and America. Obviously, America would have plenty of horses, and likely cattle and sheep as well. Would metalworking be introduced? Would sombody find Mesoamerica? Discuss.

[reddie]

I guess the Huns would probably make short work of the surrounding mound-builder civilizations, starting with the ancestors of the Cherokee. The situation in the American SE (or NE, depending in which direction the Huns decided to go) would be a lot like that of a few centuries later in our own timeline: massive die-off of the native tribes due to Old World diseases and also outright slaughter.

The Huns would likely find the central prarie regions of TN and KY pretty soon, and could use those as a launching point for an invasion of the central Midwest. I don't know how the Huns handled swampy areas (like in SC, AL, MS, etc.), so I'm assuming they go with what they know (wide open spaces). They'd probably settle in their new "empire" as parasitic elites, with the surviving Indians bringing them tribute. Assuming die-off though, this system might not last too long, and the Huns would be forced to start migrating again, looking for new worlds to conquer.

Eventually, some group of natives is going to steal some horses, and some bows. Since Native Americans could likely repilicate this technology, the conquest of N.A. would cease being a cakewalk for the Huns (I just hope the Indians would be able to mobilize quick enough)

[reddie]

Oh yeah, with the Huns (mostly) gone from Europe, we're gonna get some interesting things happening in the Old World. For instance, no German migration west! Does Rome live on, like China in OTL?

[Dave Howery]

How did the Huns/Mongols/etc. regard other races? Did they have the European superiority attitude, or were they more willing to mix with outsiders? I'm wondering if the Orientals might not be more willing to intermarry with the Native Americans... particularly since a lot of those 'hordes' will have few women along....

[NFR]

Mongols already have huge logistical strength. Give them gates? We are so dead.

[NFR]

How did the Huns/Mongols/etc. regard other races? Did they have the European superiority attitude, or were they more willing to mix with outsiders? I'm wondering if the Orientals might not be more willing to intermarry with the Native Americans... particularly since a lot of those 'hordes' will have few women along....

The Mongols are pretty neutral on race. You are either Mongol or you are not. 'Not' means you serve the Mongols. But that doesn't mean they don't mix with others, or don't promote others. In the Mongol Empire, citizens of all nationalities can rise to high rank, become great generals, and so on. Not to say they are not cruel bastards, but they are fairly open as barbarians go.

The Mongol 'horde' (that's an Mongol word, I am thinking) does actually have women along in longer-ranged attacks.

[reddie]

Yeah, the Mongol attitude towards race in the beginning was very much like that of the Draka...and they really were out, at least in theory, to enslave the world, with everybody not under the Mongol yoke being regarded as "in rebellion" against the Mongols, although they might be thousands of miles away and never heard of the horde.

Later, they relaxed a little bit, and either got thrown out of their conquered countries sooner (as in Russia) or later (as in India).

[reddie]

The Mongol 'horde' (that's an Mongol word, I am thinking) does actually have women along in longer-ranged attacks.[/QUOTE]

Oh...horde comes from "ordu," which is either Hunnish or Magyar. Magyar, I think. I don't know if the Mongols used the term or not.