Miscellaneous, Non-Frivolous ASB Ideas

[Zyobot]

'2004 Continental US To 1944'.

[stevep]

Aug 24, 2020 14:03:32 GMT Zyobot said:

'2004 Continental US To 1944'.

  Lets see, Berlin and Tokyo see major redevelopment ending WWII with a lot of cheap land being available in them afterwards.  Stalin has to accept a markedly smaller empire, possibly even getting displaced from what he does have although that could end up messy.  Likely that China ends up either under the KMT or partitioned.

  The standard serious economic problems due to the US being suddenly isolated from a lot of suppliers and trade partners and the 1944 world losing its biggest economic power to a new and significantly different US.

[EwellHolmes]

Guns of the South, but instead of early 1864, it's late 1864; say September, after Atlanta has fallen.

[Zyobot]

As another idea inspired by one on AH.com, 'ASB Grants Everyone 3 Wishes'. The caveats being that they can't harm others, contravene their autonomy/free will, or impose onerous restrictions on their daily lives. For instance, someone wishing for a sandwich would be just fine, but wishing that every store or restaurant were required by law to serve them would not.

In my case, I'd probably wish for Q's powers so that I can teleport out of here and into a customized intergalactic universe, where I can chill in my space station for all eternity and do everything I'd ever want to do--all without forcing the folks back on earth to do things my way. Regarding my next two wishes...meh, I'm pretty indifferent. Other than wishing that it becomes impossible for anyone or anything, wish-granting ASB or otherwise, to strip me of my new powers--and even then, that may very well be a redundant measure.

[stevep]

Aug 27, 2020 18:03:44 GMT Zyobot said:

As another idea inspired by one on AH.com, 'ASB Grants Everyone 3 Wishes'. The caveats being that they can't harm others, contravene their autonomy/free will, or impose onerous restrictions on their daily lives. For instance, someone wishing for a sandwich would be just fine, but wishing that every store or restaurant were required by law to serve them would not.

In my case, I'd probably wish for Q's powers so that I can teleport out of here and into a customized intergalactic universe, where I can chill in my space station for all eternity and do everything I'd ever want to do--all without forcing the folks back on earth to do things my way. Regarding my next two wishes...meh, I'm pretty indifferent. Other than wishing that it becomes impossible for anyone or anything, wish-granting ASB or otherwise, to strip me of my new powers--and even then, that may very well be a redundant measure.

  Zyobot,

  You might have to consider how that is phased and what harm qualifies.  For instance wishing for a sandwich, or more generally that they never need to eat again - although watch out for Monkey's Paw problems - would mean your reducing the market for both farmers and retailers.  A trivial case but what if someone wished for eternal sunshine over their home, say a surfer wanted perpetual large waves on his/her local beach or something more extreme.  Would someone who wished for a large palace on his own lands, which cast shadows on the neighbours gardens count as doing harm?

  A number of those cases are trivial but it can all get quite complex.  Another issue might be that someone wishes for CO2 levels to return to say 1900 levels.  That would greatly ease global warming but would cause a lot of climatic disruption and in a distinctly cooler world could cause a lot of problems.

  Also this 2nd bit seems to suggest that you mean no harm to people on Earth.  Which seems possibly rather harsh on any other inhabitants of our universe.   Or any simulations of people you create to serve/keep you company in your pocket universe.

  For me I was thinking of eternal youth with prefect health and Wolverine type regeneration capacities but your two wishes sound pretty well thought out.  However would you wish to totally cut all links with your family and friends?

  Steve

[EwellHolmes]

Aug 25, 2020 13:24:13 GMT EwellHolmes said:

Guns of the South, but instead of early 1864, it's late 1864; say September, after Atlanta has fallen.

First major difference I suspect would be Hood taking the Army of Tennessee towards Macon, allowing them to repulse Sherman along the line of the Ocmulgee. With Wheeler's cavalry to his rear and Hood's AK-47 equipped infantry keeping him pinned to the front, Sherman would be forced to surrender; he doesn't have the supplies to retreat or keep moving. The loss of 60,000 men would be a blow to Northern morale, more than making up for the fall of Atlanta, compounded by the fact Hood can now reclaim all of occupied Georgia from the Federals since Sherman's Army is removed. I suspect he will still move into Tennessee once this is finished, retaking Nashville before marching into Kentucky.

Back East, Early's Corps will thrash Sheridan in the Valley, winning the Alt-Cedar Creek before using the opportunity to move into Maryland again and threaten Washington. Perhaps, if Grant overreacts and deploys multiple Corps to screen the city, Early can move into Pennsylvania and burn Chambersburg and Carlisie. This will severely reduce the Army of the Potomac around Petersburg, allowing Lee to reclaim the Weldon Railway and, perhaps, outright break the Federals by dent of his AK-47 equipped troops. Again, all of this will be devastating to Federal morale.

As the Winter hits, everything will slow down and the elections will likely see McClellan win on a Pro-Peace Platform. Once the Democrats get into office in March, they will hash out a peace deal with the Confederates. Compared to the original Guns of the South, I do not foresee a Confederate Kentucky here, although everything else will be much the same.