Good day, ladies and gentlemen! Welcome to GATE: Imperialism! This story is what happens when an AU Europe, where World War 1 never happened, ends up having several gates open up across them, going to a new land. But first, a history lesson!
(IF YOU DON'T WANT TO READ THIS, SKIP DOWN UNTIL THE TEXT IS NO LONGER ITALICIZED!)
This is a world where Fascism and Communism are nothing but a couple of fringe groups, mad men which are treated as such.
So, to start, 1914. Following the Assassination of Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary, the Austria-Hungarian Empire declared war on Serbia. However, both Russia and Germany, seeing no use in a costly war like this, decide to sign a pact of nonaggression to avoid war with one another, also promising not to help Austria or Serbia with direct military aid.
Austria and Serbia fight until 1919, neither making much ground. Finally, they decide to sign a treaty, becoming the Treaty of Munich.
Things did not get better for Austria, however. Hungarian nationalists, deciding the Empire was too weak, broke away in 1920 during a massive rebellion. They created a separate Hungarian Empire, controlling modern day Hungary, Slovakia, Transylvania, and parts of modern-day northern Serbia. The remaining parts of Serbia were given to the now Serbians.
Austria changed their names to the Austrian Empire, taking modern day Austria, the Czech Republic, Slovenia, the Italian holdings they had at that point, Slovenia, Croatia, and the northern half Bosnia & Herzegovina. The other half was named 'Bosnia' and was a puppet state of the Austrians, acting as a buffer between it and its enemies to the south.
However, that's enough from the failed Empire, what about the much bigger players? Since no war came to them, Germany had no treaty's slowing it down. When 1925 came along, it had the single best-trained fighting force in the world, one of the best air forces, along with a deadly navy of submarines, Heavy Cruisers, and Destroyers.
France did not like this, however. With Germany so powerful, and applying pressure of their African holdings, it decides to try and knock Germany down a peg.
On 1925, France declares war on Germany, using a new fighting tactic relying on heavy, indiscriminate bombing tactics, then marching their forces through, capturing vital positions and forcing a German surrender.
This ended about as well as you may have thought.
As French bombers were torn from the sky, the French line was knocked into a full retreat by the far outnumbering and far better trained German army.
The Germans relied on a different way of fighting called Donnermarsch, or 'Thunder March'.
It relied on armored vehicles, the German tanks were light, fast and packed a hell of a punch, smashing the French Land Battleships, which could not maneuver to fight them off.
Alongside these armored vehicles, Self-Propelled Artillery and Motorized Divisions would race along the enemy lines, crushing anyone fighting in their path. Then the regular army would follow behind and take occupy the land.
France was knocked back countless Kilometers in their own country by the Germans.
Africa was a far different story, however. Germany was fighting a completely defensive war, hoping for France's surrender after taking Paris.
They didn't.
France quickly realized it was going to lose the war, for once the mainland fell, the German army would march into Africa. France called upon its two closest allies, Great Britain and the Russian Empire, it was clear Russia would not act, as they still held a pact with Germany, and Great Britain, well, Great Britain did something no one expected.
Instead of helping their long-standing ally, they turned against them. Officially, they were fighting the French aggression against the Germans, but it was clear they were after more of Africa. The Royal Navy and RAF knocked the French Blockades away froM German Africa, allowing supplies to reach them. The British and Germans signed a pact, stating they were allies for the remainder of the war, and until France surrendered. They would then divide Africa among themselves.
Things can only go down, as France's other ally turns on them and joins the alliance. The alliance titled 'Dreifache Allianz'. Russia wanted to create its own colonial empire, so it began taking islands and holdings of the French in the Pacific.
In 1929, France was forced to surrender. Paris had fallen, their fleet decimated, and they had lost most of Africa.
The Treaty of Berlin was created.
1. France would be blamed for the war, and therefore forced to downsize their army and pay reparations to the three members of the alliance.
2. France would lose all its overseas holdings, the Caribbean taken by the English, West Africa going to Germany, the rest going to England. The Pacific holdings would go to Russia, making Russia a colonial power.
Germany also took some land in mainland France, all land bordering Luxembourg, Belgium, and Switzerland. Along with quite a few kilometers out from there.
Russia would leave the alliance, but England and Germany would stay and ensure France could not declare war on one or the other again.
In 1931, the alliance became more of an economic alliance than a military one, though they kept their eyes open. Both Germany and England prospered while France fell further into ruin.
For the sake of keeping up the name, Germany brought Austria into the alliance, making it three again.
That is Europe, but what happened in the middle east? Well, in 1920, the Ottoman Empire collapsed. Greece quickly swept upland, some Bulgarian and some Turkish, in the 'Second Balkan War'. Bulgaria tried to obtain Istanbul, but Greece beat them to it thanks to help from the British Navy. Bulgaria, enraged, demanded England to stop when that didn;t help, it turned to Germany and Austria, asking them for help. Neither did, so Bulgaria did the only thing it could and declared war on Greece. The war ended horribly for the Bulgarians, so they were forced to lose some land, uniting the Greek lands.
Finally, Turkey was established, losing most of the western portion of their modern day counterpart, Constantinople was the new name for Istanbul. Greece, fearing a united attack by the Turks and Bulgarians, built up its military quickly, along with a navy and airforce.
Turkey lost a bit of eastern territory to the Kurds, who created the Republic of Kurdistan. The rest of the land fell into near endless war until 1945, far after this story, however. The three main, united(ish) players were the Assyrian Empire, the Saudi Empire, and the Palestinian Republic.
That is the world, though. So, what does all this history have to do with the gates? Well, we shall see, no?
The year was 1936, and things could not be better.
It was summer, a large bonus came in at the office, the flowers were in full bloom, and Berlin could not be more beautiful.
Small shops selling a number of goods, a light breeze keeping things from getting too hot.
Sergeant Martin Frej could not have a better, easier career set before him. His father, a General and war hero from the 'Great European War' war, AND a member from the elite and exclusive 'Preußischearmee', or the Prussian Army. While Germany WAS united, the 'Prussian Army' were the extremely elite stormtroopers of the Imperial German Army. Their training was extremely difficult, each of their members in peak physical condition, comparable to Olympic games participants.
While Martin did not want to directly want to be a member, if he played his cards right, he may be able to get in as a political officer.
As of right now, he was a member of the home guard, just so he could have a bit of a military career before he gets the political job.
Martin sighed with content from the cafe he was sitting in.
Life was going to be a breeze after this!
After Constantinople was re-Christianized, it was made the official capital of Greece, the king taking a palace there. Islam was banned in the city, and the greatest measures were taken to ensure they didn't see it in the walls of the city. One could be arrested and fined heavily for practicing it, so it was a dangerous game to play, especially since the secret police were always on the prowl, along with the regular police and military.
For Ermis Nik, his job was simple; patrol the streets by night, ensure no ruffians were damaging property or doing anything illegal, then go back to his checkpoint and do nothing for several more hours.
As easy as it was, Ermis wanted to do more in the army. Sadly, he was stationed in the capital and hadn't gotten a promotion in his two years of service.
He was one of those military men that had never seen a war, and as such wanted Bulgaria or Turkey to make a move against them so they could fight. The veterans of the last two Balkan wars saw them as fools and dreamers, idiots who romanticized war like it was some sort of grand play for them to scoop up some glory from.
Regardless of their words, Ermis still wished for the day he could prove his mettle.
"No good, again!" The drill sergeant barked, dressed in his Royal Guard uniform. Sergeant Major Taylor Roscoe stood up, raising his fists. His opponent did the same, a smirk on his face.
"Come on, trainee, fight like a man! The army must be in some bad condition if a pathetic child like you gets picked from the Royal Guard!" The Drill Sergeant barked, several others now watching. They began murmuring to each other and laughing, most likely at Taylor himself.
Taylor had served in the army since the age of 18, he was 26 now. He had proven himself useful and resourceful, the best shot in his company, and a natural born leader. Words of his old senior officer, not his own.
He had served in the later days of the war, and he had seen the REAL fighters. The Germans were clearly the superior fighting force. They were quick, effective, and relied on overwhelming firepower to crush their foe. Until that, Taylor never understood why the British army trained them to fire extremely fast over accuracy, then he realized that was the only way for them to compensate for the numbers difference between Great Britain and almost any other possible foe.
Taylor dodged a punch thrown by his foe, only to have the other one land on his shoulder. Taylor did not let this throw him off, he went low, ramming his shoulder into the other man's gut. The man let a gasp of air out as Taylor wrapped his arms around his legs. Taylor wrenched them up, throwing the man on his back. The trainee Taylor jumped onto his stomach, straddling him. Taylor threw punch after punch, several landing on the other man's head.
"Alright, trainee, we get the point, off of him!" The Drill Sergeant barked, Taylor following the order immediately. Taylor stepped back as the Drill Sergeant kneeled down next to the still down soldier.
"You alright, boy?"
"I… think?" The Sergeant hit him on the side of the head, surprising everyone.
"What the hell was that?! How could you let that toothpick, backwater boy take down so simply?! Maybe nobility isn't everything, huh?!" The downed soldier looked completely shocked, then the Drill Sergeant turned to Taylor.
"And YOU!"
"S-Sir!"
"A damn good show, maybe if more of you fought like him, we would have a half competent fighting force! Alright, toothpick, go with Devon over there, you'll spar with him!"
"Yes, sir!"
"Hussle! Alright, begin!"
When Taylor completed that day's training, he was pulled a step closer to becoming a Royal Guard, and his life's goal would be met. A guard for the King.
That was chapter 1! I was mostly just a history lesson and meeting a few characters. What did you think? Life seems pretty good for them, would be a pity if someone, preferably that happens to be an Empire (Or three) were to invade them.
And ruin those dreams.
Or help them, Ermis wants a fight…
Leave a review, tell me if you liked it!
The next chapter will be MUCH longer...