User blog:Marcpasquin/3 Generations Rule

historical figures are often included in ATL as they give some historicity. It is often fun to try and figure out the possible behaviours of a known person in the face of a different outcome to a POD. The plausibility go right out the windown however when someone is used who was born a long time after the POD such as JFK in a southern victory timeline.

The problem is this: at the moment of conception, there is a million to one chance that any sprematozoid will fertilize the egg so even a slight variation in the circumstances, such as the exact time of conception, would have a different embryo being created. This mean that someone might be born on the same day, have the same name and might even bear a physical resemblance to a known figure but they actualy be 2 completely different persons nonetheless. Just like siblings, they might have the same upbringing but they would in all likelyhood live very different life. Even if circumstances brought them to be wed to the same spouse as in OTL, the childs that would result would be even more differents. The further you would get from the POD, the less likely an hstorical would have been born.

Because of this, I usualy try to follow what I like to call the "3 Generations Rule":


 * 1st Generation: Historical figures can be considered to have been born unless the POD directly affect their conception
 * Examples: Different Marriage, Parents being displaced 9 months before conception, etc...


 * 2nd Generation: Historical figures can exist only if their parents and grand-parents were sufficiently removed from the effects of the POD
 * Example: someone from an isolated community in a neutral country following a POD war


 * 3rd Generation: Historical figures can exist only if their ancestors were completely isolated from the POD
 * Example: a 15th century meso-american figure in a timeline with a POD in 10th century europe

The rule of course apply to POD that would have far-reaching and immediate effects. POD that are minor or affect only a very localised region would have repurcussions in the long run but you might be able to get away with lenghtening slightly the number of generations. Marcpasquin 21:10, July 30, 2011 (UTC)