What are some of your favorite AH timelines? What do you like about them? Do you find them especially interesting, especially plausible, or very well-thought out?
A few of mine from outside this discussion board ...
- "Tripartite Alliance Earth" - From the "Alternate History Travel Guides" - a world where the US severely restricted immigration during most of the 19th and 20th centuries, and had slower economic growth. Meanwhile, South American countries, especially Brazil, received more immigrants and became major economic powers in the 20th century. In the 1960s and 70s, the US fell increasingly under the control of fiercely nationalist, dictatorial leaders, who instituted a police state and turned to an aggressive foreign policy. Rising opposition at home and war abroad culminated in a nuclear war in 1982 that left much of North America and Asia devastated. For more than 10 years, civil war was fought in what was left of the USA before the surviving elements of the nationalist dictatorship were finally defeated.
- "Monarchy World", by Tony Jones - A world where a forward-thinking Manchu Emperor started adopting European technology in the early 18th century, making China a serious competitor with European powers by the later 18th century. By the late 20th century, the world is dominated by the British, Russian, and Chinese Empires, all of which are constitutional monarchies, but are also very conservative and militaristic. Military technology and space travel are more advanced than OTL, but many non-military technologies are less advanced.
- "Modified" Draka Timeline, by Pete Karsanow (I think that's how it's spelled) - A more realistic variation on S. M. Stirling's well-known Draka timeline, in which the Draka successfully revolt against Britain in the mid-19th century when the British Empire ends slavery. The Draka go on to seize northern and western Africa from the British, who controlled it previously, and then most of the Ottoman Empire. In the Eurasian War, they are able to seize parts of the Russia, the Balkans, and Central Asia, but Europe is dominated by Germany (which alternately fought and allied with the Draka). The British fight against the Draka, but then make peace so that they can confront Japan. The US remains neutral, while the greatest loser is Russia, which is partitioned between the Draka, Germany, and Japan.
- "Atomic Alliance" by Ian Montgomery - The newly independent US sees more internal violence than OTL, and Hamilton and the ultra-Federalists rise to power and crush the opposition. Under their influence, a much stronger central government is set up with a President elected for life. The US develops a larger standing military, and goes on imperial adventures much earlier, seizing most of Mexico and Japan in the 1840s - 1860s. Slavery is gradually ended with no fighting in the later 19th century, but blacks and Mexicans form a largely despised underclass used for the the lowest-paid labor while immigration from outside the US is sharply restricted. In WWI, the US allies with Russia and Germany against Britain, France, Austria-Hungary, Italy, the Ottoman Empire, and others. The US-Russia-Germany alliance is defeated, Japan is freed from US control, and all 3 defeated countries get more liberal governments. Ultranationalists take power in both the US and Russia during the 1930s, and at the same time China is united under a strong authoritarian regime. The new Triple Alliance of China, Russia, and the USA all make massive military buildups, but Britain, France, and the British Commonwealth start a joint program in the late 30s that develops an atomic bomb by 1943. When Russia invades the Ukraine and Germany and China invades Japan in spite of warning about the new bomb, the Anglo-French alliance nukes a couple of cities in each country. The US was about to invade Canada again, but called it off when they saw what happened to Russia and China. Although thwarted, the nationalist regimes are still in power in all 3 countries, and a long Cold War follows as the Triple Alliance countries get their own nuclear weapons.
A few of mine from outside this discussion board ...
- "Tripartite Alliance Earth" - From the "Alternate History Travel Guides" - a world where the US severely restricted immigration during most of the 19th and 20th centuries, and had slower economic growth. Meanwhile, South American countries, especially Brazil, received more immigrants and became major economic powers in the 20th century. In the 1960s and 70s, the US fell increasingly under the control of fiercely nationalist, dictatorial leaders, who instituted a police state and turned to an aggressive foreign policy. Rising opposition at home and war abroad culminated in a nuclear war in 1982 that left much of North America and Asia devastated. For more than 10 years, civil war was fought in what was left of the USA before the surviving elements of the nationalist dictatorship were finally defeated.
- "Monarchy World", by Tony Jones - A world where a forward-thinking Manchu Emperor started adopting European technology in the early 18th century, making China a serious competitor with European powers by the later 18th century. By the late 20th century, the world is dominated by the British, Russian, and Chinese Empires, all of which are constitutional monarchies, but are also very conservative and militaristic. Military technology and space travel are more advanced than OTL, but many non-military technologies are less advanced.
- "Modified" Draka Timeline, by Pete Karsanow (I think that's how it's spelled) - A more realistic variation on S. M. Stirling's well-known Draka timeline, in which the Draka successfully revolt against Britain in the mid-19th century when the British Empire ends slavery. The Draka go on to seize northern and western Africa from the British, who controlled it previously, and then most of the Ottoman Empire. In the Eurasian War, they are able to seize parts of the Russia, the Balkans, and Central Asia, but Europe is dominated by Germany (which alternately fought and allied with the Draka). The British fight against the Draka, but then make peace so that they can confront Japan. The US remains neutral, while the greatest loser is Russia, which is partitioned between the Draka, Germany, and Japan.
- "Atomic Alliance" by Ian Montgomery - The newly independent US sees more internal violence than OTL, and Hamilton and the ultra-Federalists rise to power and crush the opposition. Under their influence, a much stronger central government is set up with a President elected for life. The US develops a larger standing military, and goes on imperial adventures much earlier, seizing most of Mexico and Japan in the 1840s - 1860s. Slavery is gradually ended with no fighting in the later 19th century, but blacks and Mexicans form a largely despised underclass used for the the lowest-paid labor while immigration from outside the US is sharply restricted. In WWI, the US allies with Russia and Germany against Britain, France, Austria-Hungary, Italy, the Ottoman Empire, and others. The US-Russia-Germany alliance is defeated, Japan is freed from US control, and all 3 defeated countries get more liberal governments. Ultranationalists take power in both the US and Russia during the 1930s, and at the same time China is united under a strong authoritarian regime. The new Triple Alliance of China, Russia, and the USA all make massive military buildups, but Britain, France, and the British Commonwealth start a joint program in the late 30s that develops an atomic bomb by 1943. When Russia invades the Ukraine and Germany and China invades Japan in spite of warning about the new bomb, the Anglo-French alliance nukes a couple of cities in each country. The US was about to invade Canada again, but called it off when they saw what happened to Russia and China. Although thwarted, the nationalist regimes are still in power in all 3 countries, and a long Cold War follows as the Triple Alliance countries get their own nuclear weapons.
but they were very imaginative and fun to read. Not to mention being a great source of inspiration on choosing a POD, and how to lay out your own TL.