[quote=@Keyguyperson] The whole "Split empire" thing probably won't work out for me, since I've still kept the Maybe Magic, Maybe Mundane Kamikaze storms in Japanese history. So the Not-Mongols didn't make it to Japan save for some captured sailors. The only way for my Emperor to claim the throne would be to have one of those sailors have been one of the Khan's or their son, and they would have had to have married a princess... so claiming the throne would wreak political havoc. A big part of my Not-Japan's nationalism is that they claim their dynasty has ruled for almost 2,500 years straight. While obviously complete and absolute BS, claiming to be the legitimate Emperor of... well, the bit of Eurasia that isn't past Poland or so would make it clear to the world that the claim is absolute BS. I've decided to use the excuse of "Protecting Asia against western imperialism". You know, by being imperialists. I do have a general backstory for my nation (Which is called Akitsukuni, thanks to Wikipedia telling me all the obscure historical names for Japan) which developed similarly to real Japan, but with a stronger Imperial tradition. They've been a unified state ever since Emperor Suizei (here being someone who 100% existed, and not a potentially mythological character) took the throne around the same time he did in real life (or the myths pertaining to it). This is because I decided that having Emperor Jimmu (whom also existed in this timeline, fathering Suizei because well DUH) be the first emperor wouldn't be cRaZy enough. According to what the government says, Akitsukuni has never had a dynasty change since then. Though it definitely has, nobody really says anything like that. Just like how a bunch of Europeans assumed that the Ming Dynasty was some kind of ancient and mystical regime while in reality it was just the latest in a long line of dynasties. It went through an event that almost perfectly mirrors the Meiji Restoration, but with a connected, large push for industrialization. Which is my excuse for having factories, of course. Also, yes, you can totally have Taiwan. Most of my plans center around the fact that the Emperor has the lucky of Henry VIII and only has a daughter, whom the Imperial Diet and military assumes nobody will accept as the leader, thus leading to a bunch of political intrigue centered around a brewing Civil War and who gets to be the next ruler. So I never had any plans for it beyond "I'm pretty sure Japan owned that at some point, dibs!", and land should go to the person with better ideas for it. And that sounded like something a fascist dictator would say as an excuse for invading a neighboring country. I'll have to remember that if some Army general ends up on top after it all. I'm not privy to all the supahsekretsmartypants planning that goes on behind the scenes, but airships are a thing. As far as I can tell, the limit on guns is set at about the middle of WWI, what with the maxim guns and bolt-actions I've seen mentioned. Cars-if they exist-are probably steam-powered, since we haven't had time to figure out gasoline and diesel and probably won't do so until we run out of blue coal, at which point there will be a bunch of wars fought over it with vague excuses revolving around speculation on weapons capabilities and government structures, as well as a debate over whether or not drilling for oil harms the environment and/or pollutes drinking water. [/quote] Awesome! Thanks for the clarity. Well this certainly looks like an interesting political climate. Alright, let's say there wasn't a Khan Empire, but historical trade routes formed all the same. Besides, a Mongol-less world opens up the possibility of claiming that my dynasty directly descends from the Chinese rulers of 5000 BC, making my bloodline 6,860 years old! Bring it, mister 2,500! "If you can't dazzle them with brilliance, baffle them with bullshit." Japan did own Taiwan for a long time, but that was before and after China did. In between all that, Taiwan has identified itself as an independent nation, with it's own race. A buddy of mine is an ethnic Taiwan native, with a direct bloodline from before the Chinese and Japanese ruled over the island. Japan and China have always, and are currently, fighting over multiple island claims, so I'm looking forward to our upcoming sea battles ;) [img]http://imgur.com/PRcuG38.png[/img] BTW, if you don't mind me asking, where are you planning on expanding first? Indonesia/Australia, Alaska/Siberia, or Mongolia/Russia? Historically, the Japanese empire went for Indonesia and the Pacific islands, which could secure you a path to California. Or is this TBD/confidential?