Alternate History ROB wants you to protect a Civilization in the Past.

[Sailor.X]

The ROB being a proactive sort of dude has tasked you with taking a premade force he has gathered and picking a Civilization in Earth's past to protect. These are the Forces you are given.
1 USMC Infantry Battalion
1 US Navy Seabee Battalion
1 USMC AH-1Z Attack Chopper Wing
1 US Navy Super Hornet Fighter Wing
1 US Army M1A2 Tank Battalion
1 US Army MH 60 Blackhawk Wing
5 US Air Force AC 130 Gunships
10 US Air Force C 130 Transport Planes
1 US Air Force A-10 Warthog Wing.
1 US Navy Riverine detachment (10 Boats)
1 US Navy Medical Hospital

All of these units have a Premade Base of Operation in the Nation you choose. They are all fully equipped and have enough supplies to last 30 years. The timeframe for you choice is Between the years 10,000 BC to 1850AD. The locals will be extremely friendly to you force and will not cause them any problems. The Enemies that would threaten the nation you protect have no idea this future force exists. But will once they invade in earnest. So what time period and what nation will you protect?

Special Note: Your force is obligated to protect said nation for 30 years after which time they will be returned to their home dimension. None of the Servicemen will age during their deployment? Only when they get back home will they start to age normally. They will also understand the languages of all the people in that part of the world.

I will choose Ancient Persia circa the time of Alexander the Great's invasion. The Base of Operation will be in Israel. And the goal is to break the back of Alexanders Army and send them limping back to Greece with their tails between their legs.

 

[Bear Ribs]

This actually seems fairly tricky. I went over a few options but there're just not that many empires where this will make a difference. You have to both find a kingdom that didn't really fall to internal screwups but to an enemy that can be fought directly, and a location where curb-stomping an invading army won't just result in them coming back in 30 years and taking it then (I mean, it's an option to just let them fail but feels counter to the spirit to me.) So, like, I might be able to block Rome from conquering some small kingdom but Rome is going to still be there when my troops go home and just send a legion then when they realize the US military's gone. I'm also presuming ROB doesn't want me to fix major domestic issues so no introducing modern medicine to prevent a plague or the like.

I'm going with the Mali Empire. An impressive 11th century trade empire along the Niger River, it had some grand and rather unique architecture.

Spoiler

Did you know there're morons who think there were no tall buildings in Africa before white men showed up?

The Empire basically fell apart because Mahmud Keita IV failed to choose a successor and his sons divided the empire amongst themselves and then fought each other, tearing it apart after which other local powers took advantage and destroyed it.

We don't even know who his sons were though tradition says there were three. After arrival (Or before if ROB allows me a briefing) I'll check to see which son is the least objectionable and side with him, protecting his holdings and letting him retake the rest against his brothers. Thirty years should be enough to solidly cement his dynastic reign and allow him to expand along the Niger river to the sea, potentially turning the Mali Empire into a serious early naval power. This should extend the lifespan of the Mali Empire for quite a few centuries.

 

[stevep]

Assuming those forces also have infinite supply of ammo, spare parts fuel etc and possibly replacing full vehicles when one breaks down or is lost in an accident.

Obvious one for me as a Britain would be England in either 1066 or possibly ~980 with respect to protecting the country against the increasingly brutal Danish attacks. Problem in the latter case could be the degree of division in England at the time and the fact that Æthelred, unlike his son Edmund seems to have been very much an idiot. As such 1066 with a strong king such as Harold II is possibly a better bet.

Could have somewhere like protecting Troy against the Greeks, or possibly Axum against Persian or later Muslim attacks. One big possibility for massive changes would be turning up at Mecca ~620/630 and defending it and its trade against Muhammad and his followers, which would probably mean they cease to exist.

Saving the 'old Saxons' from Charlemagne prior to the massacre at Verdun in 782. Possibly from about 720 when his attacks start. If he's killed then that could change a hell of a lot of western European history. The pagans will be conquered sooner or later as the Christians are simply too ruthless but there could be a hell of a lot of butterflies.

Plenty of other locations and dates which could have some very interesting options for world history.

 

[Buba]

Saving the 'old Saxons' from Charlemagne prior to the massacre at Verdun in 782.

Are you sure "Verdun" and not "Verden"? One is in Lothringen, the other in DRUMROLL Lower Saxony (Ostfallen?).

For Empire to protect - I am in Slavwank mood so it'd be Greater Moravia in 890AD.

 

[stevep]

Are you sure "Verdun" and not "Verden"? One is in Lothringen, the other in DRUMROLL Lower Saxony (Ostfallen?).

For Empire to protect - I am in Slavwank mood so it'd be Greater Moravia in 890AD.

Good point. I do mean Verden. Never noticed their spelled differently.

 

[Buba]

Good point. I do mean Verden. Never noticed their spelled differently.

I learned by accident - after the TYW Sweden was given the Bishopric (secularised) of Verden Bremen.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bremen-Verden

 

[Sailor.X]

This actually seems fairly tricky. I went over a few options but there're just not that many empires where this will make a difference. You have to both find a kingdom that didn't really fall to internal screwups but to an enemy that can be fought directly, and a location where curb-stomping an invading army won't just result in them coming back in 30 years and taking it then (I mean, it's an option to just let them fail but feels counter to the spirit to me.) So, like, I might be able to block Rome from conquering some small kingdom but Rome is going to still be there when my troops go home and just send a legion then when they realize the US military's gone. I'm also presuming ROB doesn't want me to fix major domestic issues so no introducing modern medicine to prevent a plague or the like.

I'm going with the Mali Empire. An impressive 11th century trade empire along the Niger River, it had some grand and rather unique architecture.

Spoiler

Did you know there're morons who think there were no tall buildings in Africa before white men showed up?

The Empire basically fell apart because Mahmud Keita IV failed to choose a successor and his sons divided the empire amongst themselves and then fought each other, tearing it apart after which other local powers took advantage and destroyed it.

We don't even know who his sons were though tradition says there were three. After arrival (Or before if ROB allows me a briefing) I'll check to see which son is the least objectionable and side with him, protecting his holdings and letting him retake the rest against his brothers. Thirty years should be enough to solidly cement his dynastic reign and allow him to expand along the Niger river to the sea, potentially turning the Mali Empire into a serious early naval power. This should extend the lifespan of the Mali Empire for quite a few centuries.

Solid plan. And you can manipulate to some extent events in the kingdom you protect to put it on the right path for longevity. After all you have knowledge of not only the past but the future. You can be a great sage obviously sent by the gods to help them. That carries a lot of weight when it comes to giving sound advice and telling them who potential trouble makers are. You can also teach them certain concepts to move them along technologically. And yes you can treat certain diseases if the need arises. The only major thing we can't do is outright take control of said nation ourselves. We can advise and guide them on the right path for our 30 year stint. They also can't tell us what to do. We are the independent of the rulers whims.

 

[WolfBear]

How about the Byzantine Empire in the early or mid 630s (before 636), on the eve of the rise of Islam?

 

[stevep]

How about the Byzantine Empire in the early or mid 630s (before 636), on the eve of the rise of Islam?

Possibly even better 30 years earlier. Given Emperor Maurice some background information and avoid Phocas's coup and you could avoid the destructive war with Persia that left both empire's exhausted and open to Arab conquests. Coupled with aid against the Avars and that would also help secure the Balkans.

 

[WolfBear]

Possibly even better 30 years earlier. Given Emperor Maurice some background information and avoid Phocas's coup and you could avoid the destructive war with Persia that left both empire's exhausted and open to Arab conquests. Coupled with aid against the Avars and that would also help secure the Balkans.

Good idea! Then the neocons in the US military could perhaps finally get the Iran way that they're dreaming of!