Von der Asche is a forthcoming Alternate History Hearts of Iron IV Game Mod. Partially based on Robert Harris' 1992 novel Fatherland, Von der Asche explores the brutal aftermath of the Axis claiming victory in World War II.
In 1943, the world took a dark turn. Europe fell, then Africa fell, then Asia fell, all while the Allies failed to combat the growing menace of fascism and America cowered in fear, watching from afar as the world becomes enslaved by the Führer, the Duce, or the Emperor.
In 1974, the Axis wanes as old wounds resurface. Thirty years after World War II ended, tensions remain nearly as high as in those fading days. With the Chinese Independence War, Reinhard Heydrich's coup, and a war in Africa all impacting the world, it remains to be seen how it will all be dealt with. As America rises to combat the threat of fascism, Germany sharpens her blades for the butchering, while the rest of the world watches in an ever-present fear of inevitable destruction.
The mod's community can be found on Reddit
and on Discord.
Compare with The New Order Last Days Of Europe and Thousand-Week Reich, other Hearts of Iron IV mods that also explore the aftermath of a German victory in WWII.
This game provides examples of:
- Alternate-History Nazi Victory: On 21st May 1943, the Peace of Lisbon ended the war in Western Europe, and formalised the Reich's dominance over half of the continent whie allowing Germany to redirect a great amount of their forces to the East. In November, German forces, in coordination with their Romanian and Italian allies, seized Moscow after a prolonged battle. After the signing of a ceasefire, Operation Barbarossa concluded with a German victory.
- Crapsack World: Thirty years after the Axis' victory, fascism has been a mainstream ideology across the world, and authoritarian, repressive governments are commonplace. In particular, National Socialism has established itself as an integral part of the German nation and is not going anywhere.
- Space Cold War: By 1974, the Greater Germanic Reich and the United States of America, the world's two superpowers, are competing in an arms race and the space race, while the rest of the world watches in fear of nuclear armageddon.
