from Hacker News

Intriguing maps that reveal alternate histories

by chwolfe on 11/11/20, 3:15 AM with 23 comments

  • by dmichulke on 11/11/20, 8:17 AM

    There are games devoted to this, best known is probably Europa Universalis IV [1] and the corresponding reddit [2] often shows maps in alternate histories, aptly named "map porn".

    There are challenging achievements in the game, such as:

    - Become the Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire as Spain.

    - As Byzantium, restore the old borders (i.e., stop and reverse the Ottoman conquest in the 15th century)

    - As France, own Vienna, Berlin and Moscow.

    You can picture the maps that this produces. Also, it's a great way to learn about history.

    [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Europa_Universalis_IV

    [2] https://www.reddit.com/r/eu4/

  • by lifeisstillgood on 11/11/20, 9:07 AM

    So there is a fairly big and active community about Alternatice histories. AlternateHistory.com is by far the biggest and there are active youtube channels

    One of the biggest you tubers recently got outed following a white supremiscit rant - and that is one of the bigger "smells" around the community - histories of "what if the Nazis won and what if the South won US civil war" can spring not from curiosity but yearning.

    I personally enjoy WhatIfAltHist as a channel, partly because he is fairly front and centre about his own political (rather centrist and boring) (small p) views.

    The big takeaway I have found is that I learn something interesting about our real timeline history and about our real geopolitics - how England supported the creation of Portugal through the middle ages, or the extent Tamerlane changed Europe by killing everyone. And just how contingent the world is.

    So yeah it's a fascinating area, tread carefully, I have only dipped my toes in, but it can be very eye opening.

  • by the_only_law on 11/11/20, 6:05 AM

    Shame the images are too low resolution to read well.

  • by twic on 11/11/20, 9:37 AM

    If you like alternate maps, perhaps you will enjoy alternate weather reports:

    https://hypotheticalhurricanes.fandom.com/wiki/Typhoon_Hagup...

  • by teh_infallible on 11/11/20, 7:59 AM

    I thought this was going to be about Tartaria :)

  • by tomlockwood on 11/11/20, 6:05 AM

    I was going to riot if Long Chile was not included.

  • by feralimal on 11/11/20, 9:12 AM

    On maps, I find it surprising and hilarious that the UN has a flat earth map on its logo!

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_the_United_Nations