I’ve read thought Mughal World. (All opinions posted below are subjective and not based on proper analysis.
That would come later, when I fully digest this timeline and consult with my group.)
General Impressions:
1. Mughal World is an impressive timeline. Contrary to most other timelines it involves not only alternate political history, but also alternate cultural, sociological and scientific developments. Over 70 pages of font size 7 text in three columns. Over twice as long as Clive-less Worlld.
2. It’s a bit hard to fallow. Why? Mostly because I know next to nothing about non-colonial history of Indian subcontinent nor Oceania.
[Explanations in these brackets certainly were helpful.]
3. It’s innovative. There are very few clichés in Mughal World and AFAIK it’s main theme was never fully explored in AH writings. However, there were some instances that where I was under the impression that this world had diverged too much from OTL.
Features that I especially like :
1. Religions. Islam being portrayed as tolerant and inclusive religion. Development of syncretic religions like Los Estudiantes De La Cruz. Existence of proper atheist movement – Vrijdenkerij. Aborigines being treated as saints.
2. Europe not achieving world dominance in a timeline with post-1600 POD without doing a Mughal-wank. (Thought it certainly IS a sort of best case scenario for Indian subcontinent.)
3. No global warming, but much damage done to world ecosystem. Coolness.
4. Computers using trinary logic. An idea I am personally very fond of. I’m glad to find it used in an TL.
5. Orbit denial weapons. Never heard of them before. Interesting way for a large but relatively backwards nation to compete with space capable state.
6. Poland. It’s reforms and is not partitioned. (Through for me being a Polish reader this part is not fleshed enough) Poland it’s first nation to build underground railways. (Ironic since in OTL Warsaw is yet to build any decent metro system.) Significant jewish community integrated with polish society.
7. Holy Chinese Empire. Oppressive Orthodox China is just to cool to pass on.
8. Scotland with small, but neat colonial empire. Scottish banks. (Wouldn’t they find themselves in conflict with Swiss bankers?)
9. I’m also fond of Dutch-descended nations coupled with no Netherlands in Europe and central asia Khanates.
Other comments:
1. As is the case with your other timelines, butterfly effect is limited in cases of child births. This is especially evident with royal families, for example August II the Strong Being was born in 1670, that is nearly 30 years after the POD. IMHO it would be both easier and more “elegant” to deal with analogues.
2. Long War. Is it really possible to sustain a 50 years war fought with modern technology? I know Long War never degenerated into all-out total war or nuclear exchange, but still I find it strange. I think the main question is, just how much were civilians affected? Were cities bombed/razed? How about civilian infrastructure?
3. Power blocks defined by religious tolerance? I just don’t think this issue is significant enough. Don’t get me wrong, it is important but it cannot compare to mayor ideological-economical differences (think OTL: Communism vs. Democracy/Capitalism), nationalisms (think Monarchy World: England vs. Russia vs. China), attitude to social/technological changes (think Clive-less World: Traditionalism vs. Progressivism) or particular religions (think Puritan World: Puritans vs. Octuple Alliance) Or maybe you intended power blocks to remain more vague / less clearly defined ITTL?
4. Rate of technological development. Timelines with accelerated tech rate are scarce and I like your newer timelines for breaking this trend. However, ITTL inventions and discoveries seem seems to appear just a tad too fast. Especially electrical-based science being century ahead of OTL.
5. England-Denmark. Sorry, but for me it seems random and lacks coolness-factor.
6. Sarajevo Pact. You have a thing for central European alliances don’t you?
(HRE in Puritan World, Austro-Hungarian empire and it’s associated states in Monarchy World, HRE in Clive-less World, Sarajevo Pact ITTL.)
7. Lithuania? I either missed it or you haven’t mentioned this country ITTL. What happened to them?
8. Title. It does not register on Google. (Google only finds this thread.) Maybe you should rename it to simply Mughal World or Shah World or even Aurangzeb-less World?
Ideas, suggestions and requests:
1. In popular culture ninjas were replaced with thuggess. How about vampires and werewolves being replaced with Efreet (Indian origin, intelligent, charming, but violent spirit embodying fire) and Utopiec (Slavic origin, meaning “drowned-man”, plural Utopce, sort of mindless, indestructible, zombie-like creature)?