What if Hitler did not attempt Operation Barbarossa in 1941 and decided to finish his assault on Britain first?
Providing that against all odds, Operation Sealion succeeds, we have the entirety of Western Europe under control of the Reich. The player, as the Third Reich, can choose to pursue a variety of options: assuming Operation Sealion results in a puppet state such as the one in Vichy, France, the player can choose to directly incorporate it as well as Vichy France into a Germanic pan-European empire, perhaps even making German a mandatory language in schools. Or, he can choose to maintain the status quo and keep the conquered territories as puppet states.
As for Italy, it should be able to better its shoddy military with the help of German advisors, if Germany agrees. Mussolini's goal of a revived Roman Empire can come to fruition with the addition of North African territories, as well as its Greek conquests in 1940. Latin can be reinstated as a state language and be mandatory in schools- Mussolini himself can proclaim himself Emperor of the revived Roman Empire as well. Germany can choose to give Vichy's Occitania, due to its Latin heritage, to its Italian/Roman ally if it decides to dismember Vichy. Or, it can choose to keep it, creating tension. Eventually, the possibility of a war between the two former allies of Italy and Germany can become a possibility.
The issue of Spain is also important- Germany may be able to entice it to join the Axis if promised its lost New World colonies in South and Central America. Or, if Franco remains neutral like he did in real life, the Axis can either leave them be or dismember them, creating a new point of tension between Italy and Germany over how exactly the partition should take place. The Third Reich can claim Galicia and Northern Spain due to its Gothic heritage, and Italy can lay claim to Spain's Eastern Coast.
The British leadership flees to Canada and maintains control over the British Empire's colonies.
Meanwhile, the USSR continues to build up its industry and military. Germany and Italy (or the revived Roman Empire) can choose the extent of their relationship with the Soviet state- it can be hostile, lukewarm, or even positive.
Redrawing the world map can also be done with Turkey, perhaps promising them former Ottoman territories if they join the Axis. Or Italy can ambitiously invade Anatolia and annex it to the Roman Empire, but this would be extremely difficult considering the Islamic nature of the Turkish population and its historical dislike of foreign occupation. But this is a fringe scenario anyway.
Fighting will continue in East Asia with the Japanese crushing the Chinese or the Chinese successfully defending their territory. The aid the real life USSR provided to China can become a point of tension between the Axis and the USSR. A Japanese victory in China can establish a massive Japanese Empire stretching across all of East Asia, and can be a major player in world affairs.
With no German invasion in 1941, Stalin's plans for the New Moscow can come to fruition. The Palace of the Soviets can be built, providing a massive boost in Soviet prestige around the world. Likewise, the German plan for the reconstruction of Berlin can also be carried through (I wonder if it would be possible to create an in-game event to replace the province picture of Berlin and Moscow with the Volkshalle and the Palace of the Soviets, respectively?)
What other event chains would be possible in this alternate history scenario? What would be the best start date? It seems the natural course would be for a three-way Cold War in the Old World between Rome, Germany, and the USSR, and possibly Japan as well if it defeats China and establishes its hegemony in Asia. Perhaps a German invasion of the USA is also a possibility- followed by the Germanization of the USA, although if Operation Sealion was a stretch, a German invasion of the USA would be even more so.
Providing that against all odds, Operation Sealion succeeds, we have the entirety of Western Europe under control of the Reich. The player, as the Third Reich, can choose to pursue a variety of options: assuming Operation Sealion results in a puppet state such as the one in Vichy, France, the player can choose to directly incorporate it as well as Vichy France into a Germanic pan-European empire, perhaps even making German a mandatory language in schools. Or, he can choose to maintain the status quo and keep the conquered territories as puppet states.
As for Italy, it should be able to better its shoddy military with the help of German advisors, if Germany agrees. Mussolini's goal of a revived Roman Empire can come to fruition with the addition of North African territories, as well as its Greek conquests in 1940. Latin can be reinstated as a state language and be mandatory in schools- Mussolini himself can proclaim himself Emperor of the revived Roman Empire as well. Germany can choose to give Vichy's Occitania, due to its Latin heritage, to its Italian/Roman ally if it decides to dismember Vichy. Or, it can choose to keep it, creating tension. Eventually, the possibility of a war between the two former allies of Italy and Germany can become a possibility.
The issue of Spain is also important- Germany may be able to entice it to join the Axis if promised its lost New World colonies in South and Central America. Or, if Franco remains neutral like he did in real life, the Axis can either leave them be or dismember them, creating a new point of tension between Italy and Germany over how exactly the partition should take place. The Third Reich can claim Galicia and Northern Spain due to its Gothic heritage, and Italy can lay claim to Spain's Eastern Coast.
The British leadership flees to Canada and maintains control over the British Empire's colonies.
Meanwhile, the USSR continues to build up its industry and military. Germany and Italy (or the revived Roman Empire) can choose the extent of their relationship with the Soviet state- it can be hostile, lukewarm, or even positive.
Redrawing the world map can also be done with Turkey, perhaps promising them former Ottoman territories if they join the Axis. Or Italy can ambitiously invade Anatolia and annex it to the Roman Empire, but this would be extremely difficult considering the Islamic nature of the Turkish population and its historical dislike of foreign occupation. But this is a fringe scenario anyway.
Fighting will continue in East Asia with the Japanese crushing the Chinese or the Chinese successfully defending their territory. The aid the real life USSR provided to China can become a point of tension between the Axis and the USSR. A Japanese victory in China can establish a massive Japanese Empire stretching across all of East Asia, and can be a major player in world affairs.
With no German invasion in 1941, Stalin's plans for the New Moscow can come to fruition. The Palace of the Soviets can be built, providing a massive boost in Soviet prestige around the world. Likewise, the German plan for the reconstruction of Berlin can also be carried through (I wonder if it would be possible to create an in-game event to replace the province picture of Berlin and Moscow with the Volkshalle and the Palace of the Soviets, respectively?)
What other event chains would be possible in this alternate history scenario? What would be the best start date? It seems the natural course would be for a three-way Cold War in the Old World between Rome, Germany, and the USSR, and possibly Japan as well if it defeats China and establishes its hegemony in Asia. Perhaps a German invasion of the USA is also a possibility- followed by the Germanization of the USA, although if Operation Sealion was a stretch, a German invasion of the USA would be even more so.
