This is an AH Challenge that's been bouncing around my head for a while. We've seen Napoleon working for numerous nations in numerous TL's. From Italy, to France, to Britain but there's one area where I've never seen him in, except as a foreign conqueror: the Germanies.
The challenge is this: make Napoleon a leader of one of the German nations' armies, by whatever means necessary, and explain the results of this.
Any ideas? Is it even remotely possible?
What about his father going into excile somewhere in the Habsburg lands, and his son Napoleon starting a career in the Habsburg army?
With his lower nobility background he would easily be accepted as an officer candidate, especially at the artillery school in Budweiss, where even commoners were common. Next it would not be impossible for a talented young artillery officer to gain fame, as the Emperor rarely was short of silly people deserving "a whiff of a grape shot".
Although the Habsburg army still had connections and family as serious rivals to merrits as background for promotion, talent also found its way here. Many of the General officers had common background although they usually gained a title during their career (as did the French in Napoleon's OTL reign).
An entirely different PoD could be Napoleon being captured on the way back from Egypt and after some years in captivity accepts command of an emigree force to part in the next campaign vs. France? The campaign is indecisive, but Napoleon gains fame for some splendid tactical victories vs. his old countrymen.
In the next campaign he is given command of an entire army, and after Archduke Charles falling on the battlefield Napoleon take overall command on the spot and win a decisive victory over the French somewhere in Belgium (why not Waterloo - he-he) and soon march into Paris...
Regards
Steffen Redbeard