Say that, by some miracle, you are transported back in time to say 1620. It is the middle of the bloody Thirty Years’ War as well as the Eighty Years’ War (the war for Dutch independence against Spain.) You are sent back with one armored personnel carrier with, hypothetically, an unlimited amount of fuel, fifty .308-caliber G3 rifles and fifty Browning Hi-Power pistols, and a bag containing enough antibiotics to cure ten thousand men.
Let’s say that the way this time travel works is, you’re hovering right above Europe, several miles in the air, and you can choose which country you are sent to. You just say the name, and you, your APC, and all your supplies bounce safely down to that country in a big protective bubble. Let’s say you’ll land right in the courtyard of the monarchy of that country, where you will immediately be able to speak with the leader.
Which country will you help, with this superior technology?
You can only pick one, and once you’re in their service, you CAN NOT switch sides to anyone else.
Personally I would pick the Dutch Republic. I would love to see them kick Spain’s ass with an APC and modern battle rifles. Their cuirassiers were already superb - imagine what they would have been able to do with modern rifles. The .308 rounds would go through the enemy’s armor like a hot icepick through butter. Maurice of Nassau is a hero of mine and I would be honored to help him gain independence from the tentacles of the Spanish. (The House of Orange was also very friendly towards Jews, so I would not have to be subjected to the Inquisition, an added bonus.)
Who would you fight for? Would you join with your ancestral homeland? All the major nations of Europe were involved in these conflicts to some degree or other. Would you be loyal to your heritage? Or would you base your support on ideological reasons?
