What I didn't mention is that they had inspired me to start yet another project - one that had been percolating around the back of my mind for years ... an extended World War 2.
Unlike games like Westwind's 'Secrets of the Third Reich' or Micromark's alternative WW2.5 'War of the Vampyre' I don't intend to either include strange tech or supernatural forces and I certainly don't want the third reich to have lasted any longer than it did.
Instead I'm altering the timing of a few events, so that post war tensions between the former allies reach a breaking point in 1949 and fighting between the Soviet Union (with its new communist satellites) and the western allies - UK, US, France, etc - erupts.
I'm still researching this project, but so far I have the following changes in mind (not in any particular order yet):
- The Soviets defend the Morgenthau Plan far more vigourously than AIR* when US adopts the Marshall Plan in its place, threatening "dire consequences"
- Britain does not withdraw from the Greek Civil War, instead troops are committed and fight for the royalist government; Soviet 'volunteers' fight for the 'Democratic Army of Greece' (greek acronym DSE); reports of clashes between British and Soviet troops are denied by both sides
- The Revolt of the Admirals does not happen, as the US Navy wins the carrier or strategic bomber debate and the keel of the super carrier 'USS United States' is laid down in early January 1949 (not April, nor cancelled 5 days later AIR*); the Soviets view this as 'another capitalist provocation'
- The shooting down of US transport planes by Yugoslav aircraft leads to US retaliation in early '49
- The first Soviet nuclear weapon (RDS-1) is detonated on 29 January 1949 and reported to the world by President Truman on 23 February (not 29 August and 23 September AIR*)
- NATO is formed on 1st February 1949 (not in April 49 AIR*)
- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea invades the Republic of Korea on May-Day 1949 (not 25 June 1950 AIR*) with Soviet armoured formations spearheading
- The growing tensions between former allies lead the UK, US and France to begin recalling recently demobilised troops in November 1948
- The Berlin Blockade occurs AIR* until 15 April '49 when everything changes ... the Soviet news agency TASS warns the 'imperialist west' that transport aircraft will be fired upon if they stray off their flight paths (not a willingness to lift the blockade AIR*). After several aircraft are fired upon by ground AA fire, USAF and RAF fighters escort all flights. On several occasions, AA batteries are strafed after they fire on the transports
- 3rd May 1949 - war erupts as Soviet troops overrun the western garrisons in West Berlin and a swarm of fighters interrupts the airlift ...
* - AIR = as in reality
That's where I've reached so far. I've got a few AFVs and infantry from Heroics & Ros to game it - starting with UK Centurions and Comets fighting Soviet JS2s
I'm looking forward to getting this underway! I would appreciate comments on what I've written so far and any suggestions are very welcome ...
One thing I've learnt from my research is that a real shooting war was close in reality. If a few things had happened at different times then I think it might really have happened - thank providence that it did not.