"Where to put one's imaginings" Topic

I've thought of three ways to play with imaginary geography, all with different pros and cons – I'd like some feedback on what you all think about these ideas, what you have done, and what has worked best for you.

The reason I am troubling about this is that I am thinking about starting a campaign for some friends.

Ideas:
(1) Shoehorn into real Europe. Give Hesse a haircut, trim off a bit of Bavaria, and wedge the states in there somewhere. Looking at worked campaign ideas, like the ones published in Battlegames, I think I'd be looking at an area roughly the size of one of the modern German states. Likewise in time, wedge my wars in between the Second and Third Silesian wars so bug-country armies are not marching through but might provides subsidies.

(2) Much like (1) but even more aggressively alt-history where big second-rank German states are replaced with my alternatives.

(3) Totally alt geography – place some Atlantis in the midst of the South Pacific and let them have their own history. The world diverges when they get discovered sometime in the 1790s but meanwhile off we go.

1 allows the most frankly European environment without a whole lot of made up backstory except for which side each was on in the most recent war. 2 does not seem to offer much over 1. 3 is simplest in terms of making maps, or introducing turks, indians or what have you.

There is of course (4) – I am over-thinking this. Bad habit, I do admit.

What do you think? What has worked for you?

Your thoughts on option 1 sound most plausible. Plenty of minor German that could have, or indeed did have, military disputes in-between the major wars we read about in History books.

On the other hand, I'm currently working on a campaign background tending more towards your option 2, Bohemia vs. Silesia c. 1720, in an alternative timeline where neither territory has come under Hapsburg rule.

Whatever you do, enjoy the process – at least as much as the outcome!

I would suggest something I have done which is a sort of "3A" or "4".

For my current Imagination of Alcovia, I have pretty much inserted an entirely new region effectively stretching out the Balkan region to allow for several modest imagi-nations.

Of course this often means a bit of hand-waving to get it all to fit and you might have to squint a bit, but I just ignore the fiddly bits and have fun.

-Eli

I am going with #3, allows the most flexibility/creativity and your not limited by real world geography.

2: don't worry about overlapping with 'RealWorld™' 18th C. countries. Almost each and every Lace Wars Imagi-Nation(s) creator gives birth to his very personal 'avatar' of the (± collective, as exemplified on 'Emperor vs Elector') 'alternate 18th C.' *multiverse*.
Long ago it appeared impossible to fit all 'EvE' countries on a map of Europe (and by then they were half as numerous as now!) because of their overlaps. One just could locate their respective 'gravity centers' and general locations.
Unless you imagine the 'EvE' Earth to be something like this:

rather than our good old sphere.
And in practice it creates no problem at all, even for inter-members interactions.

3 allows a total liberty, but is needed only if you design a number of very *large* countries. And the Pacific Ocean is beginning to being replete of '7th Continents' link

Or it could be a totally different world settled by humans and then forgotten or bombed back to the 18th century. Or it could be a parallel dimension that develop differently.

Never understood the desire to force a square peg into a round hole when with a little imagination you have your own world to play in.

I think, Doug, it stems from still wanting to tangle with historical nations or interact with them in the narrative.

Sure you could go the route of David Drake's "The General" series and do 19th century warfare in the remnants of far of starfaring culture, but then you can't be invaded by France or figure out which side of the SYW you are going to be one.

-Eli

And you can't interfere, diplomatically or otherwise, with contemporary Imagi-Nations located on Earth -as most are.

A few years ago a player planned to develop the plant Harn (setting of a commercial RGP) in the 18th C., yet was ready to have his creation 'moonlighting' as a 7th Continent in 'our' Pacific Ocean for episodic diplomatic, perhaps commercial, exchanges with the 'Emperor vs Elector' Europe.
link

Go with 2 & 3, give them a Atlantis to fight over(everybody into the pool), makes naval important. I'm still working on a Prester John Kingdom that's going on a western crusade.

A post-apocalyptic 18th C. I never thought of…

If you're really worried about contending with "historical" opponents, just go looking at the history of different regions so you can find one that fits. Then introduce a fiction element which changes its history and keep on building.

A post-apocalyptic 18th C.

Probably not a worldwide 'end of the civilization as we know it' (how could you interplay with other players) but a 'Resident Evil' like "plague" restricted to an island -a ship from the Eastern Indies unknowingly brought back several Sumatran rat-monkeys? John Wyndham (The Triffids, The Kraken…) managed to describe supposedly planetary cataclysm from a purely insular point of view.

With

link
and

you can play 'Pride and Prejudice and Zombies'


YouTube link
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by the time of Barry Lyndon, but maybe on a smaller island than Great Britain?
When (most of) the zombies are at last dead, the island will certainly be kept under quarantine for decades, thus the survivors will leave in a post-apoc environment.
Add a little cannibalism among survivors, with possibly a Kuru link type disease turning a good part of the cannibals into ghouls…

Do you know of possible figurines for Milla Jovovich and Keira Knightley in 18th C. costume?

Lentulus,

A few years ago, I followed option three with the creation of the Archipelago Ameri-go. If you scroll down abdul666lw's first link you will find a write up with further links to my blog referencing this.

This is the home of my 18th c. Melnibonéan Empire. By arcane means or science, the archipelago has remained unknown to the outside world, but developments around the world are closely watched.

Where is Ameri-go? link

Cheers,
Robert
18thcenturysojourn.blogspot.com

A post-apocalyptic 18th C.

Historical precedents such as the Battle of Blood River link demonstrate the efficiency of wagon laagers against hordes of fanatical aggressors devoid of artillery. Thus they would be excellent against ghouls, zombies and the like.
Facing swarms practically without serious shooting capacity, they would not have to be 'armored' Hussite fashion

link

So one can visualize a caravan of

TMP link
roaming in a ravaged land: something like Mad Max mated with Resident Evil 3 (or even Battlestar Galactica) on an alternate 18th C. island…

Or use Flintloque figures for a resurgent Old Race surging forth from a new continent. Zombies are highly vulnerable to volley fire and cannister/grapeshot.