The Empire's Twighlight......a story in pictures of the world from an alternative Suez through the 91 Disaster and beyond .

[thedarkmaster]

The Empires twilight was originally a thread on the What if modellers forum.

It is an alternative history of the world with a point of departure during the second world War. Singapore does not fall as it did in our world, instead it holds out for a prolonged siege with major Royal Navy losses whilst resupplying the city.

A result of this is that the Commonwealth is a much stronger institution and in the months upcoming to the Suez crisis in 1956 Britain is able to persuade it's Commonwealth partners to join it in the assault upon Egypt, leading to a much more successful outcome to the operation and the fall of Nasser.

One of the major outcomes of this change is Britain pulling out of Nato and the forming of the New Commonwealth military alliance with Canada, Australia, New Zeland and South Africa and a new " Special Relationship" with the French Republic.

The history of this world from 1956 to the 91 Disaster (1991) is portrayed through snippets of information that come with the pictures and will also includes world maps and pictures and write up on the original models made for the story.

the original thread can be seen here

What If Modelers – Best Modeling Forum and Resources

and the Wiki which helps explain much of the history for the new reader can be found here

Th Empire's Twilight Wiki

The New Commonwealth - Find out all you need to know about the history of the "Empire of Equals". The '91 Disaster - The most destructive conflict in human history. The US Coup - The fall of democracy in the United States. The Empire's Twilight Official Timeline - The history of "The Empire's...

thempirestwilight.wikia.com

Hope you enjoy your visit to my alternative world

 

[thedarkmaster]

A Royal Afghan air force helicopter patrols the edge of the kingdom 1995

 

[thedarkmaster]

US national guard crews pose with their mounts shortly before being dispatched morth to the Canadian border.
1991 , a few weeks before the 91 disaster.

 

[thedarkmaster]

RAF. VC10. Part of the air bridge bringing Commonwealth reinforcements to Canada shortly before the 91 disaster

 

[thedarkmaster]

RAF Concorde B3. One of last in anti flash white,
1991, a few days before the 91 disaster

 

[thedarkmaster]

To End All Wars" was a BBC produced propaganda film loosely based on the novel "Vulcan Dawn" by Tony Wilkins. Released in January 2013 the movie primarily focused on two female aircrew of a Vulcan bomber during the '91 Disaster carrying out a mission to attack an American fleet of ships off the Canadian coast.

During the mission the two leads discuss their thoughts and feelings about the situation in 1991. One is very determined to destroy the enemy while the other is anti-nuclear. More a drama than an action film its purpose was to focus econmic frustrations against the former United States for starting the war.

 

[thedarkmaster]

Following the collapse of the Communist government in Ireland in 1977 the United States was quick to reassert its influence over the Republic to make sure the Communists would not make a return. In exchange for financial aid large numbers of troops and aircraft were allowed to be based in Ireland under the guise of protection but in reality it was to challenge the UK and its New Commonwealth allies.

 

[thedarkmaster]

Representative collection of the air group from HMSAS Princess Royal
91 Disaster

HM South African Ship

 

[thedarkmaster]

" ONE FOOT IN THE GRAVE "


Ayalah Darwish pulled herself deeper into the Foxhole she shared with the one companion she could trust, the one constant for her during this nightmare, she huddled up to her Galil assault rifle and took comfort from it's touch.

For three days now she had been on the front line, trying to stay alive, trying to come home to her family, trying to stop the Soviets and Syrians. She had been called to service four days before, reporting to duty she had been assigned to a anti tank unit and dispatched towards the front, she had found herself here at Almagor when the news that the front on the Golan had been ruptured and a Soviet Mechanised regiment was on it's way.

They had dug in and dug in and dug further, all they knew was that in front was the soviets and somewhere behind them moving up where some Brits or French or some sort. She knew just as everyone in the unit knew they were expected to die to buy time for this but.................well it wasn't fair,.........she was young, she was even pretty.................why her , why now ..............why why why why.

Yesterday morning they had come...........slowly at first..........moving cautiously..............she was so scared, she didn't even move as the order to fire came...............all she could do was hide at the bottom of her foxhole as the air above her was ripped apart with noise and flame..........she lay their, tears streaming down her face too frightened to make a sound lest some Russian or worse one of her own heard her. she lay there for hours only answering the sergeants hushed call to see if she was okay.

When she finally gathered the courage to look out of the foxhole she was shocked to the very core...........to the right of her lay three or more Soviet tanks, but almost on top of her was a steel monster, a thing so big it would of squashed her like a bug.

Since then.........well since then almost nothing...........no Russians, no Arabs and certainly no Brits............very little word had come from the Command, but they had heard the news.........how the world had gone mad..........how some of the great cities of Europe, America, Asia and the East had gone.............How the Navies of the opposing sides had fought and died in the med..............She had heard the rumours that Tactical weapons had been used on the Soviets up north, but no-one knew for sure.

She had been there when they had all seen the planes fly low over the hills behind them.............they had all seen the smoke rising, the roar of the explosions.......and they had heard the news from the Major............the Australians where not coming..........they had died behind the hill............She and her friends were on their own .

Ayalah was scared all the time now.........scared she wouldn't make it through..........scared she would die here in this hole..........scared more that it would hurt.......scared she would be alone............................................. .alone at the end.

 

[thedarkmaster]

Soviet " flying tanks" come in low and fast in support of naval infantry..... assault on Istanbul...... 91 disaster

 

[thedarkmaster]

Japanese f4 supporting the expeditionary forces Vancouver 91 Disaster

 

[thedarkmaster]

Warpac armour burns on the road to Istanbul......... the warpac had the men and equipment to spend to force through the NATO defenders.......and it spent a lot to almost pull of the destruction of Istanbul, ...............91

 

[thedarkmaster]

US National Guard officer is ordered to engage Canadian Chieftain tanks across the border two weeks before the 91 Disaster.
the escalation of border incidents gave Commonwealth planners a window in which to reinforce Canada and to shift the country into a war footing before the invasion .

 

[thedarkmaster]

A citizens Militia, supporting the USFed Government, takes it upon itself to patrol the US/Commonwealth cease fire line 1995.

 

[thedarkmaster]

Vulcan seconds before it starts it's bomb run over the US.........91 Disaster.

 

[thedarkmaster]

Happy Cuban troops ......first morning of invasion of Texas, 91 Disaster ................ they would not be so happy 24 hours later

 

[thedarkmaster]

In the 1990s there was a severe shortage of military personnel in the New Commonwealth as a result of the losses taken in the 1990s. Princess Royal was a magazine sponsored by the Monarchy to encourage more women to join the military. By 1995 it had evolved and became more about instilling the values a woman in the Anglo Empire was expected to uphold. It was blatant propaganda but with the Anglo Empire council in full charge of the media many young women grew up with the ideals it promoted.

 

[thedarkmaster]

US tank abandoned after a little accident in the Canadian forests.............. the crew made it almost a kilometer before the First Nations Militia caught them..... 91 Disaster

 

[thedarkmaster]

US tank on way to encounter Mexican armour, when the few M1's available encountered the Mexican colums sweeping into Texas it was like a hot knife through butter ..... Texas 91

 

[thedarkmaster]

The price of the advance to Istanbul was high......and the Warpac paid it in full for every kilometer.....91 Disaster