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[Fniff]

Well, the Germanics would have more experience using them and would be able to teach the Romans how to chop those zedheads.

I wonder, how would early Christians react to their God raising Judea's dead as zombies to fight the Romans for killing Jesus? The whole incident would definitely feature in -and most likely be considered one of the cooler parts of- the Bible, that's for sure.

[Shadowlord]

By the way, there was a worldwide resurrection plague in Torchwood: Miracle Day. (Nobody could die, anyways)

[Zanzetkuken The Great]

Why wouldn't the romans just use axes themselves?  They were totally cool with shamelessly ripping off other people's weapons.  Examples including the afore mentioned pilum and gladius.

Besides the experience the barbarians would have, hiring them would also slowly reduce the amount of warriors opposing Rome within those territories and you aren't wasting Roman lives to fight back against the plague.

On the topic of trade routes, is it possible that Rome would attempt to send voyages west in an attempt to reestablish contact and accidentally discover America, potentially allowing for trade with the tribes over there?

[redwallzyl]

Why wouldn't the romans just use axes themselves?  They were totally cool with shamelessly ripping off other people's weapons.  Examples including the afore mentioned pilum and gladius.

hard to stab with an axe.

[mainiac]

Besides the experience the barbarians would have, hiring them would also slowly reduce the amount of warriors opposing Rome within those territories and you aren't wasting Roman lives to fight back against the plague.

I'm not really sure what to make of this post given the nature of the roman army with foederati and barbarian citizenship.

[redwallzyl]

Besides the experience the barbarians would have, hiring them would also slowly reduce the amount of warriors opposing Rome within those territories and you aren't wasting Roman lives to fight back against the plague.

I'm not really sure what to make of this post given the nature of the roman army with foederati and barbarian citizenship.

people aren't stupid. they did that and when the tribes (Goths) realized they were cannon fodder and rebelled. that and the general terrible treatment Romans had for foederati. that didn't end well.

the tribes in general wanted autonomy and the protection of being in the empire but with Romes inability to first disarm and pacify them they asserted their autonomy especially after being used as fodder and exploited mercilessly. now if Rome would have stopped treating them horribly and took them in as a kind of proto feudal lords then i might have worked out better.

[mainiac]

now if Rome would have stopped treating them horribly and took them in as a kind of proto feudal lords then i might have worked out better.

Um... that's exactly what the romans did.  The foederati were given huge tracts of land and a lot of autonomy.  They were made citizens.  They made their ways into the Senate.  There were tons of barbarian emperors.  During the time of Diocletion and onwards the barbarian territories became the political center of the empire as emperors sought to shift power away from the city of rome and it's meddling senate.

So great was the assimilation power of Rome that centuries after it fell, barbarian kings would try and pass themselves off as roman lawmakers.  There's a reason why Latin is the language of law.  For better and worse.

[Loud Whispers]

Um... that's exactly what the romans did.

Still love that narration from Rome Total War where the Barbarian chief complains about how the Romans take their Gallic sons into their education and return to them little Romans

[PTTG??]

Stalin dies of stroke early in his career. Though other men fill his shoes, none of them are as psychopathic, and as a result, Russia has a stronger army with better leadership. Lacking Stalin's charisma, Russia's new leaders cannot forestall Hitler, and so the war still starts with the invasion of Poland and, shortly after, a German invasion of Russia.

Russia takes it hard initially, as less of the industry has been moved east of the Urals. Nonetheless, the knock-on effects of a more stable government result in Russia being able to push back. Soon Russia has regained its territory and is pushing west, which would likely result in Hitler opening new fronts to gain resources for the fight against the USSR. His best hope is to push Russia into a two-front war, and so he may advise Japan to invade eastern Russia and cement it with strong offers of support. If Japan can be convinced, then Russia will be crushed from two sides, even as Germany starts to scoop up the small states of Western Europe. And through it all, the USA remains coolly diplomatic with all sides, not wanting to get drawn into another European war....

[mainiac]

Russia takes it hard initially

With the pathetic state of the German army in 1939?  Nah, if they'd fought in 1939 the war would have been over by Christmas 1940.

[Wolfhunter107]

The Japanese joining in against Soviets would have almost no effect, as the IJA did not either the equipment or the competency to defeat the Red Army, as shown by the Battles of Khalkhin Gol The addition of a stronger Red Army would tilt the balance even further in favor of the Soviets.

[Loud Whispers]

Also consider how many great generals never got to see the light of day before they saw the dark of dirt by the bullets of Stalin's enthusiastic management

[Kot]

Spoiler: Wait, what is this? Alternate History thread? Oh boy. OH BOY. (click to show/hide)

Let's talk about Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth survives and also Poland wins WW2 and stuff because Poles totally love to talk about that and write books about it.

[PTTG??]

The Japanese joining in against Soviets would have almost no effect, as the IJA did not either the equipment or the competency to defeat the Red Army, as shown by the Battles of Khalkhin Gol The addition of a stronger Red Army would tilt the balance even further in favor of the Soviets.

Japan doesn't have to do well, they just need to open a front, forcing Russia to split her forces.

[WealthyRadish]

Let's talk about Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth survives and also Poland wins WW2 and stuff because Poles totally love to talk about that and write books about it.

I prefer the scenario where Lithuania doesn't convert to Catholicism and the Teutonic Order gets the opportunity to make "Poland" one of those funny words in history books like "Lombardy", "Gaul", or "Aztec".