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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Dr. Strangemonkey" data-source="post: 487432" data-attributes="member: 6533">Right, let's say the invention of Firearms, gunpowder is a much earlier invention in a different part of the world, doesn't happen until 1700.Biggest difference is:  The Hapsburgs win.  Most of Europe becomes owned by one family with France, Switezerland, Scandanavia, Poland, and parts of Italy and the Balkans holding out but heavily influenced by them.  Plus whatever is occupied by the Turks and Byzantines.IMHO, the Hapsburgs don't do this in the first place because:1.)  guns means common troops gain a comparative advantage to elite troops which means more infantry which means vastly more expensive armies.  This dynamic neutralized the Hapsburgs vast wealth as they were constantly being bankrupted by keeping several huge armies in the field at the same time.  If elite troops maintain their dominance then the Hapsburgs have access to more sources of them and way more wealth with which to buy them.2.)  no comparative cannon advantages on the part of French and English.  Without Cannons the Armada is an unstoppable force which overwhelms England and the French are still unable to adequately defend their border cities from Hapsburg, English, and Dutch incursions.3.) Constantinople falls to cannon equipped Turks forcing the Hapsburgs to spend vast amounts of the resources on defending their Easter border.  Without Gunpowder the Byzantines do a lot better generally or at least Constantinople stays around long enough for relief to arrive.With the Hapsburgs in charge and super strong the world becomes a happier place and they capitalize on firearms big time when they arrive putting them, the Turks, and the Russians in a three way unstable super-power conflict for world domination with China and the Moguls trying in much stronger positions as the age of Imperialism arrives.I still think the Conquistadors would have taken out the Aztecs and Incas.  Horses are a HUGE advantage as is the innate super crazy mad gutz of guys like Cortes and Pizarro.  Aguirre the wrath of God is dead on about how mad those people were.  And madness of that type is lethal.</blockquote>

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