Alternate History in Twilight

[GDWFan]

A Long time ago i ran a T2K/Morrow project type game using T2K V2 rules.
It started with a few prequel missions in the early war. Then it reallt started at Kalisz. The players were all SF type of guys, but the game was very challenging so it kind of evened out. I used some made up early proxy wars as the first couple pre missions. I ended up much later using Gurps Alternate Worlds to explain how the MP had originated. The campaign ended shortly after this revelation but it had a very long run compared to most games ive played.

This got me to thinking about the amount of forces comitted and length of the war. Using the GURPS books system for creating an alternate world it all comes down to the point in time where history deviates from the baseline history of earth, even tiny things can cause the shift.

So if you moved the deviation of history back to the late 70's or early 80's, and i don't mean outbreak of war but a different election result or action of one of the governments or action of a minor government. This could allow a new arms race or series of proxy wars somewhere in south america or africa,
It would allow newer tech to be introduced a bit earlier, or more drafting of civilians and positioned and hardening of troops.

Just some thoughts i had thinking about that game and looking the morrow project info kato has up.

[sglancy12]

Originally Posted by GDWFan

So if you moved the deviation of history back to the late 70's or early 80's, and i don't mean outbreak of war but a different election result or action of one of the governments or action of a minor government. This could allow a new arms race or series of proxy wars somewhere in south america or africa,

The alternative TW2K campaign background I've been fiddling with doesn't follow the canon of v1 or v2, but it tries to keep as close as possible.

The big points of divergence is Gorbachev is assassinated by a conspiracy of Kremlin and Red Chinese reactionaries in 1989, blowing up his plane while he's on his way to visit China. Both groups see Glasnost and Peristroika as the real enemy, not each other, and use the "crisis" to mobilize their armies and crush internal dissent. China squashes the pro-democracy movement (again) and the Sovs crush their ethnic minorities and the independence movements in eastern Europe. That puts the Sovs and the Chinese as allies or at least neutral during the Twilight War.

A. Scott Glancy, President TCCorp, dba Pagan Publishing

[Abbott Shaull]

Let's face it. All GM's have tweak this or that. Some more than others...So in reality they are all alternatives to the History listed in canon depending on version of the game...lol

[sglancy12]

Originally Posted by Abbott Shaull

Let's face it. All GM's have tweak this or that. Some more than others...So in reality they are all alternatives to the History listed in canon depending on version of the game...lol

That's a good point... I mean, is there any GM on this list who runs TW2K exactly per the canon? V.1, v.2 or even 2013? Anyone?

A. Scott Glancy, President TCCorp, dba Pagan Publishing

[Abbott Shaull]

I would say you would be hard press to find a GM who went entirely by the "book" with everything....

[Legbreaker]

Even I, who everyone appears to incorrectly think am completely against individual thought and expression, agree wholeheartedly that nothing stays the same.
Published materials are a start point, nothing more. From then on it's up to the GM and players to shape their world using whatever resources and ideas they want.

If all a group wants to use is the ruleset, or even just the concept, so be it. It's just a game and intended for nothing more than entertainment.

[waiting4something]

Originally Posted by sglancy12

The alternative TW2K campaign background I've been fiddling with doesn't follow the canon of v1 or v2, but it tries to keep as close as possible.

The big points of divergence is Gorbachev is assassinated by a conspiracy of Kremlin and Red Chinese reactionaries in 1989, blowing up his plane while he's on his way to visit China. Both groups see Glasnost and Peristroika as the real enemy, not each other, and use the "crisis" to mobilize their armies and crush internal dissent. China squashes the pro-democracy movement (again) and the Sovs crush their ethnic minorities and the independence movements in eastern Europe. That puts the Sovs and the Chinese as allies or at least neutral during the Twilight War.

A. Scott Glancy, President TCCorp, dba Pagan Publishing

Yes, I like the idea of all communist countries uniting and fighting the west. It seems like in the v1 version with the Soviets and Chinese fighting each other, the PACT would have been too worn down to be that effective against NATO. Then you also had East German betraying the Soviets and a few other countries like Romania siding with NATO to add to that. It becomes very confusing and some of the stuff that happened just doesn't seem likely. Like Italy, France, and Belguim becoming turn coats. I don't see what benefits countries would have by doing that when they are countries surrounded by nations that would be against them?

[Kemper Boyd]

Originally Posted by waiting4something

Like Italy, France, and Belguim becoming turn coats. I don't see what benefits countries would have by doing that when they are countries surrounded by nations that would be against them?

Historically, post-Stalin, the Soviet goal in the war was rolling over West Germany and splitting the NATO allies as much as possible. A conquest of all of western europe was seen as impossible (because it would certainly lead to a strategic nuclear exchange).

For the Netherlands, France and Belgium withdrawing from NATO might have at this point been a good move.

I agree on the Italian part, though. The multipolar conflict in Southern Europe seems vastly implausible.

[Legbreaker]

Originally Posted by Kemper Boyd

I agree on the Italian part, though. The multipolar conflict in Southern Europe seems vastly implausible.

Prior to 1914, war in Europe was also seen as implausible due to the complex web of alliances and treaties, but it only took one single relatively unimportant event to plunge much of the world into one of the most devastating wars in history.

[Kemper Boyd]

Originally Posted by Legbreaker

Prior to 1914, war in Europe was also seen as implausible due to the complex web of alliances and treaties, but it only took one single relatively unimportant event to plunge much of the world into one of the most devastating wars in history.

The situations arent analogous, since in Twilight 2000, most of Southern Europe acts in ways that are completely different from any political movements that happened in real life.