Stilicho had defeated Alaric's forces in Macedonia and Thrace in 395-397, although Alaric himself escaped into the surrounding mountains (he could have eliminated them but he was stopped by Praefectus Praetorio Orientis Ruffinus who had a secret deal with Alaric). Subsequently he was deployed to Rhaetia in 401, where he led an extensive campaign against his former kinsmen, the Vandals, and other barbarian marauders. WI Stilicho annihilated Alaric's Visigoths instead of attacking Vandals in 401?
Visigothic threat was far mor worse than the Vandal one since Alaric had starting raiding Italy... Since his nemesis in the East was dead and none had any secret deals with Visigoths he could easily crash them... Maybe ge could hire Vandals as mercenaries... and give them some province (Rhaetia maybe) as a compensation... Had he crashed the Visigoths in Italy and allied WRE with Vandals he wouldnt have to recall XX Valeria Victrix and XIV Gemina Legions from Britain thus abandoning the island...
How is that altering History? Any thoughts?