How about the Frank Reade and Tom Swift dime novels, considering that at least for the latter they were during the Wild West and had some pretty steampunk-y tech?
AHC: An actual Wild Wild West
- Thread starter pattontank12
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How portable? Something like a tripod mount, or one that could actually be held and fired standing? (would have to be a really Mini Gatling, and the hand-cranking might be a bit problematic...)
I've always been fascinated by the Colt Revolving Rifles, although they made terrible field weapons... rechambered to a brass cartridge they wouldn't have been too bad though...
I always found those to be an interesting weapon. There's also the Remington Keene and Winchester Hotchkiss bolt action rifles that were used around the same time.
A tripod seems like the most reasonable, maybe a hip firing one that makes use of a shoulder strap?
Bourbon-Bonapartists are possibly the worst kind of Communists.
So while the West would be pretty WWD I can't help but picture back east looking like this.
Actually I wonder if medicine ended up advancing just as fast as mechanical technologies and what it could mean for the wider world.
Actually I wonder if medicine ended up advancing just as fast as mechanical technologies and what it could mean for the wider world.
Possibly as fast, if in my "North American Cold War" idea, the nations of the Americas are successful in drawing in the best and brightest (or most unconventional/experimental) of the minds of Europe.So while the West would be pretty WWD I can't help but picture back east looking like this.
View attachment 575726
Actually I wonder if medicine ended up advancing just as fast as mechanical technologies and what it could mean for the wider world.
As a side note, near where I live, there was a "Confederate Laboratory", for the production of battlefield medicine (probably mostly anaesthetics, at the time...)
I'm just wondering if the wider world might be a bit steampunk as well. Air conditioning, modern medicine and steam cars could have a big effect on the colonial game.
Actually to go with the whole North American Cold War the Difference Engine novel did have the CSA successfully breaking away.
Yeah, of course the wider world would be part of the picture... if anything, economic and social integration would be greater between New World and Old, as an isolationist policy on the part of any of the North American powers wouldn't be very much of a strategic advantage.
The European colonies (and the American ones, IF there's a S-A War [or an S-C War!] ITTL) would be a fascinating addition... I had the idea a while back for a network of "Brunel-gauge" railways in certain of the UK's colonies:
Isambard Kingdom Brunel - Wikipedia
Steam cars would definitely have their uses, so long as water was readily available... L59 proved that airships were (more or less) practicable in the tropics
Perhaps the "Cold War" could finally go hot with the outbreak of the "Great War" or the "Day the West Died?" With the American powers getting interwoven into the alliances systems in Europe.Yeah, of course the wider world would be part of the picture... if anything, economic and social integration would be greater between New World and Old, as an isolationist policy on the part of any of the North American powers wouldn't be very much of a strategic advantage.
The European colonies (and the American ones, IF there's a S-A War [or an S-C War!] ITTL) would be a fascinating addition... I had the idea a while back for a network of "Brunel-gauge" railways in certain of the UK's colonies:
Seems like the 7' broad gauge might would've had some advantages where there's lots of flat terrain, like Australia, Canada, and parts of Africa...Isambard Kingdom Brunel - Wikipedia
en.m.wikipedia.org
Steam cars would definitely have their uses, so long as water was readily available... L59 proved that airships were (more or less) practicable in the tropics
I can see airships being used to carry large amounts of men and supplies across harsh terrain or as long range scouting craft.
"The Royal airship Victoria has been lost deep with the perilous Sahara. Her majesties royal government has sent out a rescue team from Cairo."
Actually how steampunk could you make airships, cars and ironclads without them being ASB?
Considering the rate of technological advancement I wonder if the native American's will be able last as long. Maybe they end up fighting in various proxy conflicts between the various American powers on the frontier?
Actually it would be funny that even with all the steampunk technology floating around if the invention of barbwire actually got delayed for a while.
Actually it would be funny that even with all the steampunk technology floating around if the invention of barbwire actually got delayed for a while.
So by 1876 can we expect the following in the Wild West in general?
- Bolt action rifles
- Maxim Machine Guns
- Gatling Guns
- Steam carriages
- Airships
- More advanced trains
- Electric lights
So while this isn't exactly steampunk I just had to share this here.
http://huttochamber.com/whats-with-the-hippos/
https://io9.gizmodo.com/the-remarkable-early-20th-century-plan-to-farm-hippopot-1493356004
Perhaps the rapid technological advancements accidentally kicked off a series of events that led to people actually trying to import hippos into the South for farming?
There was also this proposal from the American Civil War by the king of Siam to provide the Union with War elephants.
https://www.battlefields.org/learn/primary-sources/lincoln-rejects-king-siams-offer-elephants
http://huttochamber.com/whats-with-the-hippos/
https://io9.gizmodo.com/the-remarkable-early-20th-century-plan-to-farm-hippopot-1493356004
Perhaps the rapid technological advancements accidentally kicked off a series of events that led to people actually trying to import hippos into the South for farming?
There was also this proposal from the American Civil War by the king of Siam to provide the Union with War elephants.
https://www.battlefields.org/learn/primary-sources/lincoln-rejects-king-siams-offer-elephants
The hippo thing is always fun, I was deeply disappointed by the novels based on the hippo POD though. It’s doable pre-1900 before ranching can supply enough meat (and Louisiana needs them for river clearing), but like no one is going to love the HippoBurger.
Admittedly it got me curious about what Hippo would actually taste like...
Of course once it inevitably turns into a disaster I'd expect plenty of state governments to try and wipe out the out of control wild hippo population. With them actually putting bounties on the things...
Two words: MANIFEST DESTINY
Though on a more serious notes maybe a few technological developments were invented slightly earlier before the American Civil war.
Wonder with the hypothetical Confederate independence that the United States might see greater immigration of Chinese laborers. Thanks to lack of newly freed African Americans to work on the rails.
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/where-east-met-wild-west-83383742/
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/where-east-met-wild-west-83383742/
Hippos make terrible livestock... more people in Africa are killed every year by hippos than by crocodiles
The elephant thing is intriguing, although the phrase "large slow target" does come to mind.... I could see some uses though, elephants are highly intelligent and useful if handled well, properly... almost like having a very large, strong paid laborer. In one place in Asia laboring elephants even know from habit what their days off are
The US Cavalry did attempt a Camel Corps in the southwest once, not very successfully... even hired an Ottoman Turk (I think of Greek ancestry) named Hajj Ali (or "Hi Jolly" to the locals
) to assist in the training and handling...In OTL 1881 President Arthur wanted to rise Volunteer cavalry divisions to pacify all lawless elements and shady law-enforcement-offficials from Arizona and New Mexico Territory. Cross border operating Cattle rustling Cowboy gangs had been the main target. In 1881 there had also been tensions at the border with public opinion calling for another Mexican war. Also there had been still social conflicts in Territories between Democratic leaning Confederate veteran families and all the recent Rebublican Yankee townspeople and new immigrants.
You could also push social issues and disparities. For example Anarchist or Socialist movements vs Pinkertons im the old West.
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