I had transcribed a RISK game once, and thought it was really cool at the time, but afterwards was always kind of embarrassed about it. I've found it again, though, and looking back over it, I'm thinking I was right the first time; that was awesome! It's really good alternate history, at least. Basically what happens is Crete becomes a small yet powerful superpower, ruling the Mediterranean and becoming the heart of the Roman Empire. It becomes a pirate nation, controlling the seas with ship technology hundreds of years ahead of that of any surrounding nations. Britannia sets sail across the Atlantic and discovers the New World a year before Leif Ericson would have landed there. I'm not sure if he's even around in this universe, I hadn't given it much thought until now. Anyway.
Britannia utilizes the vast natural resources on these untapped continents to advance technology greatly, what with the petroleum and the internal combustion engines and all that. They have by the year 1500 developed and perfected the internal "steam combustion engine" (which is possible I guess or at least in this universe but shut up I was only like 15 when I wrote it.) To elaborate: steam power works on external combustion, which means that combustion heats the working fluid which expands and powers the engine, and the combustion products and the working fluid are separate. Internal combustion engines have the combustion of the fuel itself directly apply force to power the engine. I guess in this instance it would be the steam itself combusting, BUT I don't think that's possible. Magic, I guess?
Next time: Little Trouble in Big China
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