Alternate history, by itself, is when a historical decision or event is played out much differently. By this definition, alternate history mods feature a scenario wherein the course of history moves differently than it did historically.
Kaiserreich
Kaiserreich is set in a world where Germany has won World War I, but at a great cost to the standing world order. France and Britain have fallen to syndicalism, Russia is a wounded bear, America teeters on the edge of anarchy, and the Central Powers all have competing goals.
Kaiserreich revitalizes your desire to play as both a minor and major nation, as both types have their own unique focus trees. Will you restore Napoleon VI to the Imperial Throne, launch a Syndicalist rebellion near the heart of the Reich, or make MacArthur the American Caesar?
Personally, Kaiserreich is my favorite as it allows for multiple playthroughs with an interesting scenario at every turn. For every event that I think I have seen, there is another one yet to be discovered. This level of fun is something I cannot describe with words, and I highly recommend checking it out to get a view of the world for yourself.
Features include:
- An immersive alternative history scenario
- A reworked map with new states and provinces
- Tens of thousands of new events that offer a wide range of different possibilities
- Over 100 focus trees, including dynamic trees that change during the game
- Hundreds of decisions, both generic and nation specific
Download Mod: Here
The New Order: Last Days of Europe
The New Order: Last Days of Europe (TNO for short) is an alternate history mod to rival the likes of Kaiserreich. Set in a world where Germany has completed its conquest of Europe, the world is a much darker place than what you see today. America was forced to surrender to the Axis forces following a combined invasion. The Soviet Union has splintered into multiple warlord states, each vying for power. Even the Third Reich itself is gearing up for anarchy with Hitler’s health in shambles.
TNO managed to establish itself as one of the top mods by providing new gameplay mechanics to go along with their strong lore. That in itself, plus the number of possible endings, should be enough to entice you to give this mod a try if you haven’t already.
In TNO, you will be challenged; that much is certain. But it is a challenge worth taking. It’s worth seeing how far this mod will go. Will Himmler’s independent state control the Reich? Will America be able to restore the democracies of Europe? Will China finally rise up against Japan and win back its independence? With many paths to take, this mod is truly a blessing.
Here are some features of TNO:
- Engage in economics that change based on your actions.
- A completely new interface for the Cold War aesthetic
- Thousands of events are written to the highest standards in Hearts of Iron.
- A fully reworked tech tree.
- New ideologies!
Download Mod: Here
Thousand Week Reich
Set in a world where Germany has won World War 2, Thousand Week Reich sets out to provide a more grounded and realistic view of this age-old scenario. Although Germany has won the war and pushed the Soviet Union back to the Urals, it is not without its instability. With the Fuhrer’s health in decline and no clear successor, it is obvious to all that a possible civil war may happen soon. On the other side, the Toronto Accord looks to keep the spirit of democracy alive and possibly restore the balance of Europe to its natural state.
With many new focus trees, it is clear that the aim of the mod is to provide the player with as many possibilities as they like. Perhaps you could find a way to moderate the Reich’s excesses and end its instability? Perhaps Mussolini will be ousted out of power much like his historical counterpart experienced? Here, you have the freedom to choose as you please.
Some features include:
- A fully immersive alternate history world and timeline
- Finished Focus Trees and Content
- Custom decisions and mechanics are unique to many countries.
- Detailed internal politics for many countries, including nine ideologies, a government type system, and an economic development level system
- New custom GUI
Download Mod: Here
In the Name of the Tsar
In the Name of the Tsar is an alternate history mod that poses the question, “What if Russia didn’t suffer a revolution in the first World War and actually pushed the Germans back?”. With this, a new world order was formed, one that followed the whims and wishes of the Russian Tsar.
Although it’s currently been paused due to some issues on the developers’ side, In the Name of the Tsar has some interesting ideas, especially with Germany divided into two rival states: Prussia (under the leadership of the Kaiser) and Bavaria (which is ruled by communists). Additionally, playing as a dominant Imperial Russia is an interesting experience, as after Germany, who are your next foes?
Some features include:
- Alternative timeline where Russia defeats the Central Powers in the Great War.
- Reworked map as well as new states.
- New ideas and national spirits.
- Handmade portraits
- Events for major countries as well as minors.
Download Mod: Here
Fuhrerreich
While part alternate history and part historical, Fuhrerreich plays on a scenario where, following Germany’s loss in the Great War, a nationalist named Adam Dressler takes Hitler’s historical place and places Germany on the path to war.
Again, this mod has not been updated since sometime ago, but playing as Germany in this scenario is much more interesting as Adam Dressler’s nationalist party focuses more on some progressive reform and German cultural supremacy when compared to the Nazi party of our history. Lenin, instead of dying early, continues to lead the Soviet Union, although his successor is still undecided, potentially leading to a civil war.
Some features include:
- An immersive double-blind alternative history scenario.
- A completely new political system, including party popularity and ministers.
- A reworked map with new states and provinces
- Eleven different ideologies
- Tens of thousands of new events offer a wide range of different possibilities.
Download Mod: Here
Pax Britannica: An Imperial Timeline
Set in a part alternate history and part science fiction setting, Pax Britannica presents a world where the American revolution failed, Nikola Tesla discovered a revolutionary new technology, and the Habsburgs ruled over Germany instead of the historical Hohenzollern.
While still very much in early development, the mod has made some great strides with the content and world so far. Germany is facing a crisis following the abdication of its monarch, France is in the middle of a revanchist drive, and Imperial Britain has to contend with the growing power of the American colonies.
Some features include:
- New world events
- New Map Modes
- Automation Crisis (Industry Tree) for Imperial Britain
- New tech
- New victory points
Download Mod: Here
Red World Fan Fork
In Red World, the Soviet Union manages to outlive the United States of America in the Cold War, switching the two key players’ fates around. This time, the Soviet Union will act as the policeman of the world, but as history has taught us, it will not be easy to accomplish or maintain.
Forewarning: the mod has not been updated as of March 2023. Still, a scenario wherein the Soviet Union takes on the role of the United States historically is a very tantalizing scenario. Will the Soviets do better in managing the affairs of the world, or will it lead to a worldwide revolution that could result in the United States coming back?
Some features include:
- There are many extremely in-depth focus trees for both major and minor nations.
- Hundreds of new states
- Possibly thousands of leaders, all with unique portraits
- Thousands of flavorful events, many impacting gameplay and others just for worldbuilding
- A continuously redesigned tech tree for the modern era
Download Mod: Here
Apres Moi Le Deluge
Set in a world where Napoleon’s continental system managed to do its job and ensure that the French Empire’s gains continued into the 20th century, how long can this system last without breaking either from internal or external threats?
Despite a number of comments, the mod is quite outdated and needs to be tinkered with. There are some rumors of a fan-made release, so it would be best to keep an eye out for that.
Regardless, playing with a Bonaparte on their rightful throne is an interesting premise. Perhaps you could do better than the legendary Napoleon and actually bring all of Europe to your feet? The choice for this lies in your hands.
Download Mod: Here
Red Flood
In this mod, a number of historical decisions went much differently, from the Japanese loss in the Russo-Japanese war to the French losing Verdun to ultimately the Germans suffering an internal uprising that caused them to opt out of the Great War against Russia after a number of years of fighting.
While still new, the mod has been updated as of March 2023 and contains a number of scenarios that, while they can be woven in more clearly, still do much to elevate the scenario to a good one. Replayability is expected to be good, as the multiple nations and frequent changes will easily amount to hundreds of hours of play.
Some features include:
- Subideologies now have custom icons and are more emphasized.
- Two new subideologies (Theocracy and Social Republicanism) added for despotic and vanguard socialist ideologies, respectively.
- Over 150 new portraits, with the majority of countries affected
- Updated GUI: Now with more Art Deco on your tech trees and production
- New generic decisions
Download Mod: Here
Kaiserredux
The wackier cousin of Kaiserreich, Kaiserredux, is based on the scenario in Kaiserreich where the German Empire reigns supreme over the continent and over the former British and French colonial possessions. But the winds of change are blowing ,with hungry and revanchist nations looking to take apart Germany’s hard-earned victory.
The main factor distinguishing Kaiserredux from Kaiserreich is its tendency to embrace all manner of decisions, events, and leaders, regardless of how realistic they may be. While good in its own right, it should be noted in advance that some unexpected leaders or scenarios will easily pop up in this wonderful chaotic mod.
Download Mod: Here
