A Proposal

[Landshark]

I think we should give one nation a 2004 tech level.

I know this caused problems in SME but that's because the nations with the ultra high tech were large super powers. If we think this through that needn't happen.

Unless a nation has a huge population or nuclear weapons it won't pose a significant threat to it's neighbours even if it has a fifty year advantage over them. Particularly as most countries today aren't really set up for the sort of wars fought back then.

The reason I'm suggesting this is because every time I look around my house I can see stuff that absolutely no one back then ever predicted and I'm not just talking about the big ticket items.

So I propose that that the Hawiian Islands are made an independent first world nation with the same level of technology as 2004.

[WngMasterD]

I say we give all the smaller nations this advantage, as long as they use it responsibly

[Cockroach]

How exactly do you wan't do define small? small population? small military? small land area?

[Imajin]

Does that mean I can make my Republic of Vonotia and Principality of Hingham 2000 tech, while the Union stays 1940s? That might be interesting...

[WngMasterD]

That would be very cruical information

[Landshark]

How exactly do you wan't do define small? small population? small military? small land area?

That's why I suggested Hawaii as it'd fill all three definitions. With a modern day population of just over a million it's not going to have much more than a coast guard, maybe a couple of small frigates/corvettes to put over the point that it's a soveriegn state but not much more.

[Landshark]

Does that mean I can make my Republic of Vonotia and Principality of Hingham 2000 tech, while the Union stays 1940s? That might be interesting...

You'd need to work out an ATL that resulted in 2004 tech levels in 1939. Similar to Mithras advanced evolution.

[DominusNovus]

I'm skittish on the idea. I don't really understand the reasoning behind it. Lower tech seems fine to me.

[Condottiero]

I do not agree either.

[Cockroach]

Well unless some clear definitions of "small" for the sake of this means I am against it. I just couldn't stand some some 'modern Sparta' with a massive population but small land area getting modern MBTs

[Grey Wolf]

I don't agree....in general

However I think there is merit to a sub-strata of the idea, namely that SOME ELEMENT of technology within a nation could, perhaps even should be at 1960s level

Different ATLs could easily have more advanced helicopters for example, so that the state in question isn't trying to do stuff with the Fiesler type craft of OTL, but has maybe a basic Huey type in operation.

You could make the same argument for transistors in some nation or other

And perhaps rocketry

Basically, a lot of OTL developments were as a result of the 1939-1945 war massively ratchetting up technological development. But if an ATL has an analogue to that war 10-15 years earlier then it will have a boost of significant proportion in something since then

Grey Wolf

[Grey Wolf]

I think maybe I meant Flettner not Fiesler for the German helicopters, I can't remember...

Grey Wolf

[TheLoneAmigo]

I vote no.

[Cockroach]

Grey Wolf's idea of a few limited technologies being more advanced seems fine by me.

[DuQuense]

Well I origially thought whe could use early 40's tech to make our 39 tech work. The Acender [Super] Plane designed in 1938, but they didn't get a powerful enuff engine for it till '44 by which time the first jets , and last P-51's out preformed it. If It had had the Powerfull engine it was designed for avalible in 1938.....

As long as your story explains why Your TL has earilier Transisters or super engines or........... and the tech is early - mid 40's one shot.

[Leej]

Maybe 50s tech for some really small and weak nations but not modern, that'd allow people to be too strong.

[DuQuense]

If it was only Guam or Samoa, the level of shear new Knowledge avalible with them would completly mess up the timelime