I think I'd make my juncture point the American Revolutionary War, where the colonists lost. Thus the USA remained part of the British Empire (and latterly the Dominions). That could have a massive impact, for example slavery was abolished in Britain in 1807 (though it wasn't until 1833 that they also outlawed involvement in the trade) which would have had a massive impact on the economy of the South - assuming there wasn't an attempt to accomodate local practices. Would that have triggered an earlier Civil War?

If I ever get players who know a bit about the Albigensians, this is the campaign I would run.

The PCs are Inquisitors -- mighty warriors, keen strategists, strong-willed defenders of the Holy See.

The Pope has sent them to exterminate the Albigensians.

Before they get there, they are contacted by entirely non-Christianized pagan nature spirits and offered high ranks in the courts of Elfland, if they are willing to abandon orthodox theology.

When they meet the Albigensians, the PCs will be offered vast temporal and theological rewards, if only they abandon Rome.

I would love to have players who would feel any degree of emotional engagement with these conflicts.  I would love to have players who would feel something when I described this conflict to them.

For the foreseeable future, I won't have such players, but I might get a new campaign soon -- run entirely in Mandarin.

Quote from: HinterWeltAlt Mayan: The Mayan Empire is just a bit more solid. It is able to defeat and absorb the Toltec tribes of the north and present a strong unified front when the Spaniards arrive. I have had players on the side of the Maya and on the side of the Spainiards as well as a mix. Much of the conflict comes from a mix of the Spaniards dealing with the Maya and the Maya dealing with other Mesoamerican tribes.

I like this one. Just now it helped germinate an idea for an alt-history game, namely: Japan doesn't go into isolation early in the 17th century; instead, using the sailing technology brought by William Adams, the Japanese continue efforts at trans-Pacific trade (there was a Japanese merchant vessel in Mexico in 1614) and establish their own colonies in the Americas. Where to go from there, I'm not sure; probably set the game in that colonial period, but you could also go forward to the 18th and 19th centuries, with the possibility of the colonies becoming independent and/or with the Japanese portions of the New World interacting with the nascent US.

Quote from: Zachary The FirstAmerican Revolutionary War.  With Super-Powered Founding Fathers and Hessian Super-Villians.

Not my cup of tea, but I think something like this is being done if you're interested.

Quote from: Elliot WilenNot my cup of tea, but I think something like this is being done if you're interested.

This pleases me to no end.  My thanks!

Quote from: ColonelHardissonAlthough it does contain a touch of the paranormal, S.M. Stirling's "The Peshawar Lancers" has a wonderful background. Comets strike the Earth in the late 19th century, which sets off a "nuclear winter." Disraeli has the foresight to have the British government, major industry, and military moved wholesale to the  Raj in India. Flash forward to the early 21st century, where the world is a vastly different place. The British Empire is the foremost superpower, but it is rivaled by a truly decadent and evil Russian empire. The Wikipedia article for the book gives a bit of info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Peshawar_Lancers

Sweet Chariot would be perfect for the Peshawar Lancers - something I've always wanted to run.

-clash

The alternate timeline portrayed here might be interesting to run...set in the same near-us timeline of "Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow" , but 3 to 4 years later .


Take a look.......


Promo Trailer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8gNIC4eEFhg


Part 1:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NWBKSO4DvWk&feature=related

Part 2:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3wfSHV4zYMw&feature=related


- Ed C.

Alt Old West where the buffalo still roamed and the Plains Indians weren't decimated by disease and were able to mount a stiffer and more successful (unified?) resistance to encroachment on their lands.  I'm picturing PCs as Indians, but I suppose there could be an option to play soldiers, prospectors, buffalo hunters, settlers, etc.

Pete

I'd love to run games using the setting of Space:1889.

Quote from: KieroI think I'd make my juncture point the American Revolutionary War, where the colonists lost. Thus the USA remained part of the British Empire (and latterly the Dominions). That could have a massive impact, for example slavery was abolished in Britain in 1807 (though it wasn't until 1833 that they also outlawed involvement in the trade) which would have had a massive impact on the economy of the South - assuming there wasn't an attempt to accomodate local practices. Would that have triggered an earlier Civil War?

I don't think so, as long as slavery's abolished quickly enough. The reason: the cotton gin wasn't invented until 1793, at least in a form that was effective on American cotton. It's commonly believed that the boost given to the cotton industry is what kept slavery profitable, at least in the deep south. (In border states, the slavery business eventually turned to selling people southwards to turn a profit.)

(I remember reading that there were refugee slaves at Yorktown fighting for the British, by the way, in expectation of winning their freedom.)

Edit: Also note, slavery was abolished fairly easily during and after the Revolution in the northern states. See Wikipedia.

A blogger pointed his readers at this alt history book about 'what if the Chinese sailed around and discovered Itally?'

Actually would work very well into my alt history game I'm thinking of running. Now I gotta find players for it...

Pundit, I dunno whether to thank you or just blame you.

I want to do something with the 30 Years War as a backdrop.  I love the period, the major personalities, and the conflict.  The PCs would get involved, probably around 1630 (The Swedish Intervention) and either propel the Catholics or Protestants (their choice) to a decisive victory.  I think that would be extremely interesting to play out from a role-playing rather than war gaming perspective.

I'd use the Epic RPG ruleset to run a version of Kim Stanley Robinson's Years of Rice and Salt.  Good times in a strange world where Europe was 99% wiped out by plague in the 14th Century.  Yum.

If I could do supernatural stuff, I'd include the bit about the PCs in a linked karmic group moving through the centuries, but I can't, so I wouldn't do that.  But I'd wish I could.  

Quote from: darPundit, I dunno whether to thank you or just blame you.

You can do both!

RPGPundit

Interstate '76. Bowchickawowah!