Here's my idea for Hearts of Fiction: Red Alert:
The year is 2010, and the world is red.
It all started in the 1930s and 40s, where Adenoid Hynkel was killed by time travelers, preventing the rise of the Nazis (Command and Conquer: Red Alert, The Iron Dream). Without the Nazis, the German Workers' Party turned towards Leaderism (Stalinism), establishing a communist dictatorship (Titanic: Adventure Out Of Time), ultimately leading to the outbreak of the Second World War between the capitalist alliance of Britain, France and the US and the communist alliance of Germany and the Soviets (Command and Conquer: Red Alert), a war ending in a communist victory with all of Continental Europe within the Soviet sphere, now formally named the Grestin Pact (Papers, Please). Britain was devastated by several Soviet attacks and bombing campaigns, ending with the English Socialist Party or IngSoc seizing power (1984) and signing a peace deal with the Soviets, with the only major power in the capitalist alliance remaining intact being the United States.
The 1950s were a continued era of prosperity for the USSR. While the IngSoc regime collapsed (League of Extraordinary Gentlemen) and was replaced with an anti-communist government, the communist cause achieved massive victories elsewhere: The Empire of the Rising Sun declared war on the Americans and Soviets (Command and Conquer: Red Alert 3), and while they put up a massive fight, necessitating an invasion by both powers (Decisive Darkness), they eventually folded with the aid of Superman, a superpowered being serving the Soviets (Superman: Red Son), with China falling under a communist regime and Japan being occupied and split into two regimes (The Place Promised In Our Early Days).
The 1970s through 80s were the twilight years of capitalist democracy. The US began to falter as attempted communist takeover after attempted communist takeover wore them down and civil unrest started to build (Various), while the new British regime turned towards authoritarianism, even orchestrating a conspiracy to remove a socialist Prime Minister from power (A Very British Coup). As the USSR gained power, they began to overtake the United Nations, with a series of socialist revolutions across Latin America (Red Dawn, Escape from L.A.) leading to the establishment of a unified, anti-American federation (Call of Duty: Ghosts) finally tipping the balance in the Soviets' favour.
By the late 1980s, the US was on the brink of collapse, giving the Grestin Pact the perfect excuse to invade (Various). The country's forces fell quickly, with Chicago being destroyed by a nuclear weapon (Command and Conquer: Red Alert 2) and Soviet forces reaching deep into the country. However, while they could defeat the US, they could not hold it, as resistance movements fought back against the invading forces (Red Dawn, Amerika), but the damage was done. America was fractured between various new states, making it no longer a threat to the Soviet world order (Amerika, Red World).
And that brings us to 2010. Will the Soviets remain masters of the world, or will new powers rise to the challenge? Will the Land of the Free ever be whole again, or has the collapse of the United States doomed it to an eternity of fracture? Will democracy claim a dominant spot in the Overton Window, or will the world fall under an iron boot? Only one way to find out.
A slightly different version I had in my notes. I may do this for other potential mods like Earth X or Timeline 191/Kaiserreich:
1924: Time traveller Jacob Barnhardt kills Adenoid Hynkel shortly after he was released from Prison(
Command and Conquer: Red Alert). Soviet Agents of Fearless Leader abduct the 10 year old Clark Kent and murder his adoptive parents. By contrast around the same time, Bruce Wayne's parents are never murdered
1927: Without Hynkel, the oppressed workers rise up as Communists led by Freder Fredersen(
Metropolis) in 1927
1930: Germany becomes Communist and an ally of Fearless Leader(
Red Flood,
Titanic: Adventure Out Of Time). The Soviet Union, without a distraction from the Germans, aids Communist China in repelling Japan's invasion and seizing control of the country. This caused Japan to grow a hatred to the Soviet Union and the US alike as both prevent their empire from expanding.
1938: A Martian Invasion on Earth occurs. Superman repeals it in the Soviet Union but the US Army is forced to turn to Lex Luthor for help. He defeats the Martians with a chemical weapon and is hailed as a hero(
Superman and the War of the Worlds).
1941: President Craig Stanley(
The President is Missing) dies in Office of a stroke. His Vice President Mike Thingmaker(
Mess Mend), who has communist sympathies. Succeeds him. One of Thingmaker's actions would be exchanging Nuclear secrets with the Soviets(
For All Time). During his term the Pacific War between Japan and America breaks out. The War is long and bloody.
1945: A Military Coup prevents Emperor Yoshiro from surrendering and several cities are devastated before the Emperor is rescued and restored to the throne(
1945, Decisive Darkness). This momentarily chaotic distraction led the Soviets to take Hokkaido(
For All Time,The Place Promised in Our Early Days).
1946: Japan surrenders and begins to turn to Democracy, but many such as the Emperor Yoshiro himself believes Japan fell only because of the coup(
1945).
1948: Republican John Lindsay wins the US Presidential Election(
For All Time).
1950: World War II breaks out as the Allied Forces of the US, Britain, and France vs Germany and the Soviet Union. The Chinese invade and take all of Hun Chiu(
Red World). The Soviet Superman proves to be a difficult force, stronger than most allied Superhumans. Lex Luthor creates a clone from his DNA but their battle destroys London and the clone dies trying to stop a nuke from going off accidentally in the city(
Superman: Red Son). This action leads the UK to gravitate towards a fascist Dictatorship under IngSoc(
1984, though I may have the Insoc Government last much longer here). Frank Carlson, a former British Secret Service Agent who opposed IngSoc politically is assassinated(
Titanic: Adventure Out Of Time). At some point(possibly during the Italian Campaign), Superman likely discovers Themyscira and meets Wonder Woman. She becomes an ally of the Soviet Union and forms an attraction to Superman. Meanwhile Hal Jordan is taken captive while fighting in Hun Chiu and tortured until the war's end(
Superman: Red Son). Benzino Napaloni is overthrown and the Italian People's Republic is declared(
Crosstime Traffic).
1953: World War II ends in a Soviet Victory in Europe. However American reporter Lois Lane and Soviet member Kane reveal to Superman the atrocities committed by Fearless Leader. Superman kills Fearless Leader and assumed control of the Soviet Union, working towards shift it towards more lenient policies. This includes allowing the Romanovs back into the country. The US takes advantage of this to implement a double agent, Alexander Romanov, into the country. A member of the Royal family that fled to the US. The Grestin Pact is formed.
1956: Blamed for losing the war, The Republican Party is voted out of office and Democrat Merkin Muffley wins the Presidency. Senator Johnny Iselin becomes popular for rooting out Communist agents. He is in reality, a communist spy himself removing potential enemies.
1959: Merkin Muffley has a heart attack when it is revealed that most of the Democratic Party was infiltrated by Communist agents including several close friends such as Senator Johnny Iselin. He is replaced by Harley Hudson(
Advise and Consent). Abin Sur's ship crashes in America and is studied by the government. Lex Luthor and other scientists reverse engineer its power to create a Green Lantern Army Corps of their own with Hal Jordan being the first drafted. Other members include Guy Gardner and John Stewart(
Superman: Red Son).
1960: Harley Hudson dies in a plane crash, near election time, putting more pressure on the candidates. As a sign of goodwill, both candidates agree to run under one platform consisting of California Governor Ted Jason and Temperance Senator Orrin Knox. Knox wins but an Assassin opens fire and kills Knox with Jason ascending to the presidency.
1962: President Jason proves too weak to deal with the Soviets, easily caving into the Soviets placing missiles in Tropico(Red World). Once he's realized what he's done, Jason commits suicide(
Advise and Consent). Vice President Richard Monckton succeeds him.
1964: Richard Monckton is assassinated(
Superman: Red Son). He is succeeded by Michael Dugan.
1968: Dugan wins reelection.
1972: The Soviet Union attacks the US via interfering in a civil war in Mexico, beginning World War III. Romanov reveals that he was loyal to the Soviet Union and feigned American brainwashing via the aid of his psychic Yuri, who makes his own bid for power. Chicago is nuked during the conflict. Romanov is removed from power and goes into exile while Yuri disappears( should the mod allow them to seize power again). Dugan and his party drop in popularity and James T.Cassidy is elected President(
Superman: Red Son).
1974: The Soviet Union begins constructing a tower in Hokkaido for investigating other universes(
The Place Promised in Our Early Days).
1976: James T.Cassidy is reelected President with Charles Palantine(
Taxi Driver) as his running mate.
1978: Lex Luthor's ally Brainiac shrinks the City of Besstrashnyygrad. Superman retrieves it and reprograms Brainiac but is unable to restore the city. The Soviet vigilante Batman blows up the Superman Museum. Superman and Wonder Woman are led into a trap by Batman. While Batman is seemingly killed in an explosion(
Superman: Red Son), rumors persist he still lives and leaped to another reality and joined a multiversal team of heroes(
Injustice 2 ). Regardless Batman's resistance group continues to exist as a group of rebels with someone else haven seemingly taken up the mantle. The battle snapped Wonder Woman's lasso and she lost her youth. Superman's lack of care led her to become bitter and Themyscira cuts all ties with the Soviets.
1980: Lex Luthor becomes President with James Olsen as his Vice President(
Superman: Red Son).
1983: Superman makes a final attack on America and the White House. Lex Luthor and Lois convince him to stand down when Brainiac betrays Superman. Superman and Lex Luthor both seemingly perish in an explosion to destroy Brainiac. In reality both survived and were sent to the Phantom Zone. In 2010, they will find their way back to their respective countries, though Superman would be severely weakened from this. James Olsen becomes President(
Superman: Red Son). Meanwhile Anatoly Cherdenko becomes Soviet Premier((
Command and Conquer: Red Alert 3). A brief Detroit Uprising is put down(
Sliders).
1984: James Olsen is defeated in the US Presidential Election by Republican Howard T. Ackerman. Ackerman is actually an android created by the Japanese as part of their ploy to invade the country(
Command and Conquer: Red Alert 3). Mexico turns Communist(
Red Dawn).
1986: World War IV Begins. The Middle East breaks into war first(
Escape from New York). The Soviet Union launch their invasion of America and invade the state of Ambarino. The Empire of the Rising Sun takes advantage of this to invade the Soviet Union as well.
1987: Metropolis is hit with Trioxin by the Soviets(It being developed by German Scientists in Communist Germany while on Earth One it was obtained by the Allies post World War II), which is recorded as causing insanity(
Escape from New York)
1988: The Japanese Government have the android Howard T.Ackerman declare on TV from the Oval Office that the United States is dead, moments before a Soviet Nuke hits the White House(
Red Dawn). Vice President Michael Knight(
Knight Rider, replacing Unnamed David Hasselhoff President in
Command and Conquer: Red Alert 3) was evacuated but in the resulting radio silence from several nukes being deployed and 4 EMP blasts(
Amerika) means connections are disabled and the US splinters into factions. Maverick politician and 1988 Presidential election candidate Devin Milford is arrested by the Soviets, who choose his opponent Daniel Brand as their puppet President, who is more receptive to their demands(
Amerika).The Soviet Union occupies the US and splits it into factions(listed with real locations to avoid confusion):
California Special District: California, Nevada(Likely ironically led by Johnny Cyclops, the Ronald Reagan stand in).
Western Semi-Autonomous: Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Utah, Wyoming(Semi Autonomous as they couldn't permanently keep down the Wolverines(
Red Dawn)
Northwest: Oregon, Washington
Southwest: Arizona, New Mexico
North Central: Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin, and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.
Central(renamed Heartland in 1997): Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska (Peter Bradford's led territory. As Heartland has Omaha, Nebraska as its capitol).
South Central: Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Texas
Southern: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi
Mid-Atlantic: Delaware, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia
Appalachia: Kentucky, Tennessee, West Virginia
Ameritech: Indiana, the Lower Peninsula of Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania (presumably named after the phone company that serviced these areas)
Northeastern: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont. Due to the Trioxin outbreak in Gotham spreading, the cities of Metropolis and Gotham are abandoned and a perimeter is formed. That area of New Troy is declared a maximum security Prison(Without Batman existing Gotham is especially bad as his villains have run amok)(
Escape from New York) .
Alaska was never pacified and saw continued resistance.
Elsewhere, Alejandro Costa or El Presidente rules a "Greater Tropico."(Cuba) engulfing most of the Caribbean and Latin America
China has occupied Taiwan
North Hun Chiu has Occupied East Hun Chiu(North and South Korea)
A politician named Mbele controls The Socialist Republic of Draka(South Africa)
"Barghout" leads Quraqistan including Israel, and all of the Arab World in both the Middle East and North Africa.
1989: Harry Perkins becomes Prime Minister of Britain and begins to call for the dismantling of The Big Brother Government and complete nuclear disarmament(
A Very British Coup). In the Soviet Union, Marshal Vashkov unites the Volgograd citizens into the Volgan Party(
2000 AD, Invasion!)
1991: Marshal Vashkov leads a Coup against Andrei Chernenko, who flees into space. He declares the himself the sole leader of the Fascist Volgan Republic(
2000 AD, Invasion!). During the coup the US moves to break out of Soviet control starting with Southern, which is led by Columbiana(Florida analogue from
Pioneer, Go Home!) and becomes the Free Republic of Columbiana(
Escape from New York) led by Tony Montana(
Scarface)(The South is once more the first to secede from the Union).
1992: Prince Charles III becomes King of the United Kingdom, possibly after the assassination of Queen Anne II(
Rumsfeldia). Harry Perkins is overthrown in a coup, ending the IngSoc Regime(
A Very British Coup).
1995: Commander Wade Wells, leader of the Californian resistance branch is killed(
Sliders)
1996: The Hokkaido tower is activated and begins causing destruction to the surrounding area and threatening the world before being destroyed by the Uilta Liberation Front, a group who want Japanese reunification(
The Place Promised in Our Early Days). John Harker is elected President of the American Republic(
Escape from New York).
1997: Devin Milford is released from prison and becomes a resistance leader in the US, leading the National Liberation Front. Peter Bradford becomes Governor-General of Central, renamed Heartland. As tensions mount, the Soviet Union issues an ultimate for the US to dissolve or be dissolved. Under orders General Petya Samanov murders all of Congress and then takes his own life when they refuse to back down. Devin Milford gave an urgent cry for the US to rise up before being assassinated(
Amerika). President John Harker attempts to prevent Soviet counter attack but the National Liberation Front hijack Air Force One. The President is ejected out but lands in the closed off City Prison of Gotham. Criminal Snake Plissken is tasked with rescuing the President in time for his peace talks with the Soviet Union and China. Plissken succeeds but out of disgust for the President's attitude, hijacks the peace talks (
Escape from New York). The US Breaks apart in what is called the Second American Revolution. Several of the regions merge together forming 11 new nations:
American People's Commonwealth: Mostly OTL New England. Are Socialist but decry the Soviet Union. Secret HYDRA agent and public SHIELD Agent Alexander Pierce becomes President, leading to the land being dubbed "Alexandria"(
Captain America, In the Comics, Pierce held the Secretary of Defense Position in the 2000's when in real life Donald Rumsfeld did. "Alexandria" here is a play on
Rumsfledia. Pierce would likely resemble his MCU incarnation, meaning Robert Redford. I don't have a Bernie Sanders analogue at the moment though...maybe Montgomery Burns?).
American Republic: Several states merged to form the official remnants of the US. Largely the Bible Belt or Southern States.
Union of American People's Republics: Remained loyal to the Soviet Union and under Johnny Cyclops, initially. Cleopatra Jones is a potential current leader.
Union of the Heartlands: Formerly Heartland under the Soviets. Remained under the leadership of Peter Bradford.
Great Lakes Republic: Unitary Republic
Montana: A Fascist Dictatorship
Lincoln: Neo-Nazi State
Texas: Was reduced due to an invasion by Mexico
Temperance(Illinois): Liberal
Deseret(Utah): Conservative
Arizona: Democrat. Southwest was dissolved when Mexico retakes New Mexico and most of taken, leaving only Arizona
1999: The Volgan Empire discovers oil near Britain, launching the Eight Hour War. The Midland were hit with nuclear weapons and many politicians and rebel leaders were executed at Stonehenge with concentration camps opened. The conquered lands were dubbed the Eurasian Economic Community. Simon Creepton is made puppet ruler of the People's Republic of Britain. Bill Savage joins the resistance under Lt. Peter Silk based around the Isle of Dogs(
2000 AD, Invasion!).
2000: Nehemiah Scudder(
If This Goes On...) refers to Los Santos within the Communist Union of American People's Republic, as a den of sin. It is hit with an Earthquake and detaches into the ocean(though for map reasons it shifts back)(
Escape from L.A.)
This leads Scudder to succeed John Harker and become President of The American Republic, which he rechristens the American Republic of Gilead (
The Handmaid's Tale) where dissidents are exiled to Los Santos, which include drug users, atheists, and people who eat red meat among others. Scudder dismantles the office of the Presidency to make himself President for life (
Escape from L.A.). One of Scudder's actions is to work with Ra's Al Ghul to purge the cities of Metropolis and Gotham. several criminals are either killed or forced to repent(Just to give players the chance to have Joker, Megamind or Hannibal Lecter appear somewhere just for fun).
2004: Bill Savage assassinates Marshal Vashkov, inciting rebellion throughout Britain(
2000 AD, Invasion!).
2006: Volgan forces reoccupy the UK(
2000 AD, Invasion!).
2009: Allied forces successfully push the Volgans out of the UK. The Volgan Republic is overthrown by an internal coup and the Soviet Union restored. Bill Savage enters politics as a war hero, possibly becoming prime Minister by 2010(
2000 AD, Invasion!).
In Game
I don't want to refer to a "Canon" Path, so I'll say "Historical" Path or how things would play out without player interference. The US nations will move towards reforming the US, largely the American Republic and American Commonwealth.
2013: Scudder's daughter Utopia steals the key to the Sword of Damocles, a satellite which would allow Scudder control of the Earth. She flees to Los Santos. Snake Plissken, recently caught in New Paradiso, is sent after her. He obtains the key but uses it to shut down all electronic devices on Earth(
Escape from L.A.)(Though Julian Felsingburgh as the Bernie Sanders analogue would likely attempt to use the Sword of Damocles in his purge of his enemies). This action plunges things into chaos but also allows some nations to be more easily taken due to the US nations building immunity after the soviet EMP attacks. In Alaska, Senator Bliss Wagoner, who championed many scientific breakthroughs in the nation, is assassinated by FBR director Francis X. MacHinery(
Cities in Flight). The US is eventually restored by the end of the mod.
2014: The U.S., Soviet Union, China and India fall into economic Turmoil(
Call of Duty: Ghosts)
2015: Communist South America joins together as the Federation of the Americas led by General Diego Almagro(
Call of Duty: Ghosts), who has all American citizens in the Federation imprisoned or executed. The U.S. Plan to assassinate him and attack the City of Caracas succeeds but the US is then bogged down in fighting.
2016: A Nuclear terrorist attack occurs in Wasabia, a huge country for oil, crippling the global economy(
EndWar)
2020: War breaks out between the US, European Federation and the Russians.
2027: The US is able to obtain control the Federation Satellite LOKI and use it to decimate Federation forces, cementing a victory in the war (
Call of Duty: Ghosts).