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Updated 2005-10-21

Pete's Alternate Draka Timeline: Draka 2α

Commentary

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Draka 2α Timeline
Commentary

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Commentary

(Links to external sites in the following!) This is my first (relatively) original alternate history timeline (and it shows?). I've certainly learned a lot about other countries in terms of geography, resources, and even weather, although the history may be a bit weak. One of my prime sources for non-historical information has been The CIA's World Factbook. One that I plan to use more, after Jason Bontrager mentioned it on the Stirling discussion group at http://groups.yahoo.com/, is the UTLOL PCL Map Collection. I grabbed a lot of information from the online version of Encarta, which I placed in an earlier section, but now I have 2 copies on CD plus a Grolier multimedia encyclopedia. So all that Encarta stuff may go away with no notice. A great paper document (if you see it, you'll understand why I hesitate to call it a book) that I obtained recently is the "Oxford Economic Atlas of the World", fourth edition. While dated (most recent data in it is from 1971), I find it useful for things that wouldn't change much, like natural resources and soils. The "new" uranium deposits in Japan are based on this source.
After a while, I noticed that a good way to approach timeline writing was "story arcs" similar to continuing subplots in an episodic TV series, written separately from the timeline and then integrated in. Some of these arcs were atomic weapons, jet aircraft, and germ/biological weapons (thanks to The Radium League timeline for my introduction to the OTL Shiro Ishii and Unit 731). There were also some events that I developed in isolation, then had to struggle to find a place for.
A useful OTL chronology with a heavy military orientation (and a bit of embedded silliness) is the AWC 12,000 year timeline.

My alternate timeline isn't as suitable for a Eurasian War or WWII-equivalent wargame scenario as the "original" timeline from the Stirling books. One thing you'll notice is that there are few armored breakouts in Europe that make gigantic leaps, although the Germans do manage to take France very quickly almost in the standard WWII manner. The terrain in southern Asian Russia is quite suitable for armor though, and is remote enough that the Drakans can maneuver without getting near strategic objectives for a while. Military equipment is assumed to be roughly equivalent between the major powers, with a slight edge to the Drakans for getting to see everybody else's new toys in Spain, using advanced doctrines and tactics, and beginning some self-criticism before the shooting stops in 1943. Russia makes their first major blunder by going on the offensive with "surplus" male population. Britain spends a lot of time wringing their hands and trying to limit the conflict, while the other powers snap up minor countries. America stays on the sidelines in righteous disgust as the world goes up (down?) in flames. Another thing in the Domination's favor is that they can put Janissaries in the line to face regular enemy troops, then add in Citizen formations to go on the attack. That is the only thing, IMO, which makes the attrition on the Balkan front acceptable to the Domination. Otherwise, they will come off losers against the European powers (Britain, Germany, Russia, Italy).

My timeline ground rules:

1. I use "Drakan" as an adjective more than "Draka", but both are an evolution of "Drakian." The pronunciation shifts from "dray-kee-an" to "dray-kyan" and then "dray-kan" and "drah-kan" or even "drah-ken" sometime after the spelling does. Cape Town also becomes Capetown quickly. If everybody's consistent, it will also make it easier to avoid confusing this timeline and any others.
2. The Draka(ns) will take over all of Africa, at least for a brief moment. Beyond that, I'll see where my nose leads me.
3. The Draka regime is named the Domination for at least a brief moment. It may change — they may be conquered, who knows — after that.
4. I've got my own ideas of how various groups, including the Drakans, behave; and they may differ from yours. But in general, the Draka(ns) are, in the words of Ken Clair, "sexually egalitarian, historically aware, geopolitically pragmatic, technologically advanced, accomplished warriors subject to compulsory military training from childhood." I couldn't have said it better myself.
5. The timeline author reserves the right to backtrack and change (alternate) history; public outcry may influence this. (see the next item)
6. No magic, Alien Space Bats, or extremely precocious (unavailable even in prototype in OTL year 2000) technologies. Throughout the timeline, technologies up to about 20 years earlier than OTL are OK only if the necessary precursors are available (and their precursors, and so on…). If you disagree and can provide references for your position, let me know.
7. I'll provide some more maps once I find a decent historical world atlas for OTL, and can verify places like India in 1805. For now, I'm using the OTL boundaries provided by the map templates found at Ian's Gateway website (click on "AH Web Resources").

Issues with the Stirling (original) and Ian Montgomerie (alternate "Draka 2") timelines:

1. The Draka remain within the British Empire until 1919 in the original timeline. Ian's Draka Rebellion is more realistic IMO. The British probably only held on to Canada because of their interest in resolving any issues before the non-Loyalist colonists and French there seriously considered joining the United States. But the Draka were even more remote and self-sufficient, and perceived they were being exploited while being rich enough to do something about it. India and other non-colonial possessions, i.e. those without significant immigration, remained as imperialist centers of native exploitation. In the original, the lengths to which the Draka diverge from the mores of the British Empire are incredible, and only the great commercial asset they are to the Empire and Crown might allow them to get away with even a part of their antics.
2. Ian and Stirling take opposite positions on the results of an "1812" American attack on Canada. I took a compromise position, retaining the historical American naval victories in the Great Lakes but not in the open seas, and postulating a more professional American military organization. I believe many of the American losses in the land battles of the War of 1812 were because American militias were led by officers with no formal training. Even so, I can't see the infant United States absorbing a large French component in Québec, so I gave them only the thinly populated (because the Loyalists aren't there) peninsula southwest of Toronto, plus some practically unpopulated areas in the west. Anything more would have been cause for future conflict with Canada and Britain, resulting in an all-or-nothing war then or later. This initially changes only the boundaries of Michigan and later Minnesota, giving a different "Upper Peninsula" and a lingering "Lake Perry! Lake Simcoe!" argument. It's also my slight thumbing of the nose at Ian. But my latest change, giving away the vast territories corresponding to nearly all of OTL British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba, has some interesting consequences. First, there is more area for America to expand into, but with a more militarized society, I think the pressure on the Indians will manifest just as soon. Second, because there is no moderating example of Canada (with the RCMP preventing nearly all conflict with the Indians) just over the border, the "Indian Massacres" occur in the USA.
3. One of my tenets is that unless a foe is completely beaten, it is difficult to retain all of your gains at the peace table. So the peace agreements that I postulate usually result in concessions to the loser, either in territory returned or payments made for the winner retaining them.
4. Stirling allows the Draka to control areas that they conquer while under British dominion, something Ian and I don't believe. Ian creates a British Egypt and other African territories, but doesn't explicitly give them separate Governors, and I do. This removes Aden, Egypt, and other areas from Drakian control, making significant changes to the original timeline (e.g. Suez Canal). It actually accelerates some developments within Drakan territory in 1837-1939 since there is less area under their control over time.
5. Nearly all the military campaigns by the Draka in the original timeline are unqualified successes. Ian throws some reverses in there, but has a high opinion of the Royal Navy, and one almost as good of the French and Italians. I believe strongly in a "muddled mess" theory of military history, and that luck producing devastating routs is just as likely as colossal inconclusive bloodbaths. I've tried to give Draka a reverse once in a while to keep it believable. But they've got this strategic vision thing going, which lets them introduce the doctrines of the "next war" during the current one.
6. My WWII or Eurasian War, the Second Great War, is a lot of nationalistic land grabbing at first. Due to ineffective political leadership, the British continue attempting to keep the peace long after everyone else is going their own way or trying to stay out of the way of the conquerors. Their missteps with the BEFs in France and Norway are militarily redeemed in Ireland, but at a political cost. Germany is nationalistic and militaristic, but not anti-Semitic in my timeline (at first), and they also don't pursue genocidal policies; they are usually willing to let people flee their territory to become somebody else's refugee problem. All the Continental Pact powers are aggressive against their minor neighbors, sometimes (e.g. Russia) with little or no justification. "To desire the end is to desire the means" is an unspoken tenet of the opening stages of the Second Great War among all the major powers, even Britain.
7. Ian Montgomerie has put his objections to the original Draka timeline and the technology of "The Stone Dogs" on web pages here (in Analyses). While I may disagree with some of what he says, I've addressed many of his points in my own timeline. Not to toot my own horn too much, (yeah, right!) many of them were addressed above before I first saw these web pages in September 1999, and many of the later ones aren't applicable once my timeline diverges from both the original and Ian's alternate. Ian's site also has a well-reasoned demolition of the Orion-type spacecraft used extensively in "The Stone Dogs", and an interesting specification for "Evil Empires".

Thank you for reading the Draka 2α Timeline!

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