What If we didn't have so many What If threads?

how about the stipulation that no one with less than 1000 posts can start up a what-if ?

that is a grand idea I must say

 

Then you kill off this site in quick time, never forget you were a newbie once, you would be seriously angry if you were prevented in posting new threads because you didn't have 1000 posts. And this make a valuable point, to many silly posts are counted, if a post make no valuable contribution to a thread it should be eliminated and not counted. I have seen too many post with just smileys, i know i am gonna be a killjoy but smiley's should go.

 

The problem that I have with what ifs, is that it cannot address the big question. No matter what is changed, no one has come up with a solution to the problem of sustainability. Until a way for the Germans and Japanese to maintain their trained forces and keep them supplied with all they require, it won't work.

The closest that could come to a way for Germany to win the war, would be if the Russians overthrew Stalin and joined forces, or the Germans developed the A-bomb and used it to destroy Russia's will to fight. Even then, it would only work if the Allies fail to keep pace.

 

sorry Rund but there are several WW2 sites that do not allow what-ifs so don't give me that crap about killing off the site real quick. my remark was in jest for reason of the smilie

verstehen ?

 

I think what-if's only work well if the posters continually add more detail to their position to show how things might have worked. Speculation based on historical fact and reasonable possibilities of change can be intriguing and challenging.

Now, on the other hand, when a what-if is so far-fetched, so implausable, or undefendable it needs to just be hammered quickly into a coffin and buried.

The other problem I have with them is that there seem to be a few perennial favorites that crop up repeatedly. Seelöwe is probably the premier example of this. How about looking to see if there was previous discussion of the topic? Huh? Also, maybe try and come up with some new ones. Heaven knows I do; but most go unanswered as they are often not on well known topics. Stretch your research a little. It won't hurt.

 

WHAT!!! NO SMILEY'S???

anic:

 

Ja, If they are interesting and well supported they can be enjoyable. Interesting to note, most popular threads Free Fire Zone followed by WWII General topics and then What ifs, so someone likes them.

 

McDonalds is more popular than The Ivy but I know where I'd rather eat.

 

"What ifs" are interesting if the subject is plausible. it could be seen as a lesson of strategy and we could actually learn a lot and understand why battles have been won or lost. Besides they can be entertaining , just the way fiction stories would entertain us. If they are not plausible I agree with TA that they should be buried. We have a local saying: "with many ifs, you can put Paris in a bottle"

 

OK, despite my dislike of 'what ifs', I've been reading through some contributions and agree that it would be unfair to eliminate them - the recent comments by new member 'solarfox' show that to some enthusiasts, this is a serious topic.

But I have to say, if one more person says 'What if the Luftwaffe had the Me262 earlier ?' my brain will implode !

 

But what if the Luft...
Oh hang on, there's an annoyed looking man at the door waving a spade, says he wants to take me on a 'battlefield tour'...
anic:

 

I know Adam thinks the Great War Forum is a rather pompous place, as I do at times.
But if a members asked what happened at place "X" on the whatever month in19-somthing-teen then rather alot of members, myself included at times go rushing to their Regimental/Divisional histories etc, get the scanners out and wham , post after post of what/when/where .
Adam asked about his Great-Grandad once on another forum and with-in minutes another members had posted maps and text telling all.

I don't see that happening much on here, when the most used forums are Free Fire Zone and What If.

Now I know this can lead to sometimes dry factual only threads at times but for me at least I've learnt rather lot from those type of threads. Even better if you can visit the ground too.

Does a What If... thread offer anything ?
Someposters here have said we're taking internet forums too seriously, well isn't WW2 one of the most-serious events of all time?
Surely it's better to discuss what really happened in it?
Are those people who like their What Ifs so full of knowledge of the real events of WW2 that they don't need to ask anymore questions about it?

If you want a forum for just silliness why not go to SFX or somewhere like that.

 

Which is why I mentioned Sci-Fi.
A friend reads "Harry Turtledove" (alternate History), with scenarios like the Confederates had the AK/47 in 1861. He tries to convince me it's worth reading. Phooey ! Now that's (I agree Martin) over the top.
Sure they would've won.
What if the Russians had the Mig 15 before Barbarosa ?
With no cut off point, they (what if's) kinda migrate towards the fantastic, and require a new/different title other than what if.
Perhaps something like.....Imagine if.....

 

I think that's a product of the simlistic questions mentioned above. The focus of a what if doesn't need to be could country x win if a happened. It can be would the result of a single battle change if b happened and what would the impacts of this be? The what if's that postulate Japan or Germany winning the war require changes either so early and so severe that logical extrapolation is strained by the time you get to WWII or are clearly fantastical.

An alternative. Allow fantastical what if's but lock them after 24 hours and deleate them 24 hours later ( or at whatever time is convienient for the moderators).

 

I think it's pretty easy to avoid the worse what-ifs, just judging by the title of the thread, or reading the 1st post in case of a doubt.

This way, you don't waste your time or nerves with a totaly unarticulated and unelaborated what-if, or with the "wet-dream" what-if type, Za was mentioning above.

 

Currently drafting up a new format for the what ifs section, the mods are.
Getting Married this weekend, Otto is.
Have patience while away, is he.

der PanzerPeneguin has spoken.

 

No way is Gröfaz really getting the ring in the nose? Excellent news! Congratultions to Otto and Trouble on my behalf. Happy stag night too!