Third Time's the Charm

“	A STRANGE GAME. THE ONLY WINNING MOVE IS NOT TO PLAY.	”
–The WOPR, aka “Joshua”, from the movie Wargames

Third Time's the Charm, stylized as TTtC, is a single-point of divergence timeline based on realistic world war scenarios. The timeline provides an outlook into the world after and their recovery. Inspired by a multitude of timelines such as 1983: Doomsday and Dying in the 90's respectively, it is a community timeline available for whoever wishes to edit it.

All recorded nuclear strikes up to 1969.

Basic Writing Guidelines

For further information, see Writing Guidelines

As a community timeline, new content and edits are always welcome. But new content cannot automatically become "canon". New edits will have to be reviewed and harmonized with existing material to make sure it isn't contradictory and is realistic in the terms of the timeline. Before editing or proposing a page, make sure to add your user to the "Contributors" section of this page.

Editing

If you wish to edit a current canonical page, make sure it is not contradictory to the timeline, and that it is in the author's wishes. If edits don't meet the following standards, It is likely to be reverted.

1. Is it realistic? Make sure all material abides within the realism of the timeline, and makes sense in a real-word scenario.
2. Does it make sense in the timeline? If you are editing a canonical page, make sure it makes sense with the rest of the page. Also make sure you aren't completely changing the page into a different one. If so, make sure it is in the author's wishes for the page to be edited as such.
3. Does it meet wiki standards? If you are to edit a page, make sure to abide by all Wiki Conventions.

Proposals

If you wish to create your own page in this timeline, write a basic draft of the page, publish it, and add the {{Proposal}} template, with the timeline section reading "Third Time's the Charm". If it is not already, make sure to categorize it under Category:Proposals (Third Time's the Charm). YOUR ARTICLE WILL BE REMOVED IF IT DOES NOT GO THROUGH THESE STEPS. The only exceptions are for original authors who have helped create the timeline. (You can see if you are a contributor or original author in the "Contributors" section.)

Basic Timeline

For further information, see Timeline

Thule Air Base moments before the explosion.

21 January, 1968

On 21 January 1968, a B-52 would crash near Thule Air Base, Greenland. The plane was on a Cold War “Chrome Dome” alert mission over Baffin Bay carrying four hydrogen bombs when a cabin fire broke out forcing the crew to abandon the plane before it could conduct an emergency landing at Thule Air Base. This crash would set in a chain reaction setting off the nuclear weapon in the craft, decimating the crew.

8:30 UTC

Presuming an attack from the Soviet Union, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization would organize a counter-force attack, in which 400 out of 25,000~ U.S. atomic weapons would be aimed at prime targets in the Warsaw Pact such as Moscow, Warsaw, St. Petersburg, and Kaliningrad. This would cause a death toll of 28 million within hours.

9:00 UTC

With only 20,000 of their nuclear bombs remaining, the Soviet Union would fire 250 at the U.S. at targets such as Washington D.C., New York, Chicago, Anchorage, Chicago, Los Angeles, main infrastructure, and military bases.

9:30 UTC

Ground invasions would begin as East German troops take over West Berlin, and the task force would rush towards the west. This task force would include 120,000 men from various nations, mostly East Germany. Enacting the Seven Days to the Rhine plan, Vienna was to be hit by two 500-kiloton bombs, while Vicenza, Verona, Padua, and several bases in Italy were to be hit by single 500-kiloton bombs. Hungary was to capture Vienna. Stuttgart, Munich, and Nuremberg in West Germany were to be destroyed by nuclear weapons and then captured by the Czechoslovaks and Hungarians. Around this time, in the United States, 100 nuclear weapons would be shot down, however, the rest would make their targets. This would result in a death toll of 22 million.

10:00 UTC

Using natural defenses to their advantage, NATO forces would halt Warsaw Pact advances from reaching the French border, and a “phony war” scenario would break out in Germany, with no real advances made on said front. However, in southern Europe, a major front would break out when Yugoslavian troops launch infantry attacks on Greece and naval attacks on Italy. Yugoslav advances would be not much more than for use of propaganda, as Yugoslavia was depriving itself of resources, causing the first seeds of internal strife to be planted.

11:00 UTC - 12:00 UTC

Riots break out internationally as citizens begin looting shops and defacing property. Mass media declares "World War III". With the main belligerents heavily weakened from nuclear bombardment, Nuclear strikes become less and less often. This provides a turn of events where airborne attacks such as airstrikes become the main medium for war. This does not mean there are no nuclear strikes to come, however.

The total death toll of 21 January 1968 would amount to 50 million worldwide. This includes 28 million deaths among Warsaw Pact and allies, and 22 million among NATO and the UN. In total, 1,000 nuclear weapons had been fired that day.

Contributors

If you wanna contribute, sign up and join our Discord server :3

Main authors

• ThatAlternateHistoryLad5 (Main Author)
• Bobblehat (Main Author)

Other contributors

• Alienzombiehunter

Former contributors

• GreenEntomologist (Former Main Author)

Banned

• JaydenCreepypasta 2009 (Former Main Author)^[1]
• Drifting (Former Main Author)^[2]
• Gunner (Former Contributor)^[3]

Notes

[1]: Kicked from timeline after decision between two main authors due to problematic behavior, and left wiki. Decided to return back to the wiki recently, attempted to rejoin timeline. Majority of authors refused.

[2]: Suspected of being Jayden's alt, and due to being banned from the wiki is consequently banned from the timeline.

[3]: Jayden’s alt.