GURPS Cornwallis

Beatriz

Gone Fishin'
I was reading the entry for GURPS Cornwallis from Alternate Earths 2 and have the following pros and cons to list

Pros:
- unique features like no-Scramble Africa, Russian Japan, Indian immigration to America
- a look at who the Russian revolution benefited
- emphasis on both the existing aristocratic system and philosophies that challenge its notions (Sartrean atomism etc)
- reforms in Spanish America
- a Comtean-Hegelian philosophical basis for rule by aristocract-centralized states

Cons:
- too much focus on the Five Thrones and Russia and only a cursory glance at the rest of the world, even minor European countries like Thrace
- Africa being seen as outside the civilized world/not part of a global state system
- long gaps of time where nothing/relatively little happens
- lack of philosophy, reform movements, religious developments
 
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bpbruce

Beatriz said:
I was reading the entry for GURPS Cornwallis from Alternate Earths 2 and have the following pros and cons to list

Pros:
- unique features like no-Scramble Africa, Russian Japan, Indian immigration to America
- a look at who the Russian revolution benefited
- emphasis on both the existing aristocratic system and philosophies that challenge its notions (Sartrean atomism etc)
- reforms in Spanish America
- a Comtean-Hegelian philosophical basis for rule by aristocract-centralized states

Cons:
- too much focus on the Five Thrones and Russia and only a cursory glance at the rest of the world, even minor European countries like Thrace
- Africa being seen as outside the civilized world/not part of a global state system
- long gaps of time where nothing/relatively little happens
- lack of philosophy, reform movements, religious developments
Click to expand...
Yes, there's a sad lack of piracy in this timeline. Pirates should be raiding from every creek in North America, South America, and Africa with all these top-down monarchies just sitting there.
 

Beatriz

Gone Fishin'
bpbruce said:
Yes, there's a sad lack of piracy in this timeline. Pirates should be raiding from every creek in North America, South America, and Africa with all these top-down monarchies just sitting there.
Click to expand...
Also the pirates could aid or even double as revolutionaries
 

bpbruce

But Gurps Alternate Earths was GREAT! Ken Hite reached a sort of apotheosis here. Sure wish they'd do about a zillion sequels.
 

Beatriz

Gone Fishin'
bpbruce said:
But Gurps Alternate Earths was GREAT! Ken Hite reached a sort of apotheosis here. Sure wish they'd do about a zillion sequels.
Click to expand...
Great for RPGs but generally less on the plausibility side with massive empires, lack of detail etc.
 

bpbruce

Just reread Alternate Earths. Good stuff, and yes, RPG good stuff, not perfect good stuff with perfect alternate histories all perfectly worked out. Well ok.


Still better than Winston Churchill and such did.
 

Beatriz

Gone Fishin'
Maybe GURPS Cornwallis or the Two Georges or whatever need a spiritual successor like EBR’s Drakia of sorts - something that takes out the unrealistic parts but adds in its own interesting facets
 
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