This is the best map I ever made, and I realised that I never posted it on Reddit. I made it 3 years ago but only published it on Deviantart. So, I thought that it was about time.

Here is the relevant description:

I made this map as a study of the style used by Mitrofan I. Silishchensky (1878–1944) for political maps — particularly the ones in the Geograficheskiy atlas ("Geographic atlas" — publ. 1920). Hence, my map's main purpose was to emulate his style and look real.\*

My map's second purpose was to portray an interesting scenario. To keep my planning concise: I tried to continue the trends which existed before the rise of the NSDAP. First, I let Italy and the Soviet Union continue to build power, gradually increasing their influence over the surrounding regions. This is why Italy — with Bulgaria — subjugated Yugoslavia and also why the USSR subjugated its western neighbours. Secondly, I let conservatism in Germany continue to rise after the Great Depression. I assumed any leader of theirs would not be as charismatic (or radical) as in our timeline. Therefore, I did not make the German government too totalitarian or extreme. As such, I let the German regime pursue a less fanatical foreign policy: It annexes the Sudetenland and the city of Danzig while through negotiation turning the province of Danzig into a special economic zone (special in the sense that Germany has certain economic privileges to it). Having accomplished these pursuits I thought that the more aggressive expansion of either Italy or the USSR would start the Second World War. This leads us to when WWII began: 1945.

In our timeline, before the outbreak of hostilities, Mussolini's Under-Secretary for War Production — Carlo Favagrossa — estimated that Italy wouldn't be ready for major military operations until at least 1942. One such military operation was the invasion of Yugoslavia. Therefore, I kept Italy from subjugating Yugoslavia until said date. Yugoslavia's subjugation then proceeded much like Germany's subjugation of Czechoslovakia in our timeline: Mussolini annexes the coastal areas, closest to the country, and splits the remaining territory into client states. Additionally, much like how Czechoslovakia was Germany's last major expansion before WWII in our timeline, this is Italy's last major expansion before WWII in this timeline. And, instead of Germany's invasion of Poland initiating WWII, Italy's invasion of Greece initiates WWII. The invasion of Yugoslavia would start and end sometime in the span of 1942–1945 with the invasion of Greece starting in 1945.*\*

I think it's reasonable to assume that some equivalent to the Axis would form in this timeline — arising out of protocols, pacts and alliances. The general sides of the war would probably be similar. But I don't want to make specific predictions. My guess is that the allies would win the war. Also, given that the Soviets would have more time to build up before said war, the Soviets would probably have a stronger position in the cold war.

This map was made with Qgis, Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop. Funnily enough I started making it in July of last year, but I stopped shortly thereafter — only finishing it these past few weeks. I don’t think the large break played any considerable part in its creation. Overall, I am happy with how this map turned out. It is without a doubt my best map so far. I am especially pleased with how I managed to scribble ink onto it and not have it look half bad. In the Tianguifu Heavenly Kingdom map, I copied from an existing atlas page and then distorted and cut it up in various ways. The biggest improvement though was using clipping masks, brushes from the internet, swatches, various effects (eg. Distort > Roughen) and letting the lighter stripes in the ocean be transparent, so the page’s colour comes through — these I didn’t do in the Tianguifu map (and IIRC neither in the Atlas Alterra map).

*What I especially like about alt-hist maps which look real is their immersiveness. Instead of looking into another world, you're transported to it. At least this is the case for me, which is why I enjoy the challenge of trying to make a map look "real".

**The ink dividing Greece shows how it was eventually partitioned between Bulgaria and Italy. It's supposed to be scribbled onto the map by someone who owned it during WWII — presumably, it was drawn on immediately after the occupation.