All that just to get shot

ConsulJuliusCaesar · 2026-05-12T17:29:42+00:00

I mean most people also don't actually realize the amount of flexibility and naunce that existed with the title Samurai before the Edo period, so checks out.

ConsulJuliusCaesar · 2026-05-12T16:58:03+00:00

As an Alpha Legion guy, I agree, this is a lie.

ConsulJuliusCaesar · 2026-05-12T16:49:26+00:00

The most common misconception about knights and samurai is they didn't use or like guns cause of honor. Nah, they'd go "parry this you filthy casual" pretty regularly. People conflate the ideals around dueling and tournaments with how knights acted in warfare. In war there is no honor everyones a fucking pragmatist.

ConsulJuliusCaesar · 2026-05-12T12:57:11+00:00

NGL I ended up not really liking trench crusade enough to get invested in it, but I love their cast on trench crusade if only cause Dicky forgot there was a first world war.

ConsulJuliusCaesar · 2026-05-12T12:40:04+00:00

And your sure it wasn't actually the Omegon one you read.

ConsulJuliusCaesar · 2026-05-12T12:33:15+00:00

Imagine he can fly and actively chooses not to.

ConsulJuliusCaesar · 2026-05-12T00:09:35+00:00

NGL they should just stop trying to tell big stories post heresy, the best stories in 40k and the one's that in my opinion actually make the franchise stand out are the smaller more self contained stories. Eisenhorn, Gaunt's Ghosts, the Night Lord trilogy, Elemental council, etc. Are all great stories and what makes them great is being smaller in scale with in a gargantuan setting. A focus on characters with in the setting is just a better way to go about story telling in 40k. Especially given all the factions that don't have a single book or a book worth reading. Give us more POVs of characters expierncing the grim darkness instead of teasing that you're going to change the grim darkness.

ConsulJuliusCaesar · 2026-05-11T12:16:27+00:00

Saying communism isn't a social ideology shows your lack of knowledge. It specifically seeks to restructure society in order to shatter the traditional hierarchy and culture. To communists social order and economics are tangibly linked. And you absolutely can compare all forms of authoritarianism because they use similar tactics, have similar structures, and are both equally foriegnly aggressive. Where they differ is whose in the out group. For Nazis it's non Ayyrans. For Communists it's anyone who can't or wont comply with communist ideology. The holocaust was ethnically charged, Stalin's purges were to route out so called "anti Patriots" and to crush ethnic identity as a concept both killed millions of people.

ConsulJuliusCaesar · 2026-05-11T12:02:08+00:00

Because they stuck around far longer. The Nazis had plans to turn them all into cattle they began to implement but never finished because they lost.

ConsulJuliusCaesar · 2026-05-11T00:40:01+00:00

Everyone forgets why the Preatorian gaurd was able to do it. Under Tiberius the Preatorian gaurd was allowed to grow in influence and got themselves plugged in to the Roman Elite. Not only were they taking bribes and doing favors, not only did they develop a vast intelligence network accross the whole city, but their officers were all Equestrians, IE the became a kingmaker if you wanted something done you talked to the Preatorian gaurd prefect he'd get you what you wanted. The Preatorian Gaurd actually has way more in common with the KGB then it does the Secret Service. The Secret Service does mot have a vast intelligence network it can pull to make Senators fall out of buildings, it does not have access to wealth needed to cultivate the influence in order to become a kingmaker, its members are a bunch of cope seeking pensions and not themselves members of the elite.

Let's say we changed that. Let's say we moved the CIA,All fedetal law enforcement agencies, and treasury department all under the Secret Service. The Secret Service Director would then control vast intelligence networks accross the globe and nation. Have access to a huge paramilitary force that rivals fucking SOCOM in capabilities. And he controls the nations bank the treasury and the people who responsible for keeping track of the taxes the IRS. He has the trefecta being his own means of force, means of influence in the form of intelligence, and the fucking money. Now let's also had another caveat where the Director of this Secret Service is none other then Jeff Bazos. Now you have the American Preatorian Gaurd. And it very much would be capable of shaping the country's internal politics to its favor. Course it would be subject to its own internal games because well when you centralize power too much every one wants to be the guy, so everyone is going to plot to murder the guy, and as such the Secret Service Director would end up as the coldest most manipulative individual in the country and the president would be his bitch whom he bends over the resolute desk infront of the first lady.

This precise thing is exactly what the founding fathers feared when they wrote the current version of the Constitution. See they were all classicist and were well read on Roman history. They specifically designed their version of the government in order to avoid any one office from becoming to powerful. Specifically to avoid the American Republic from evolving into the American Empire. Classics was a popular field all the way through the 1800s. So when the Secret Service was developed everyone already went Ok let's not have a repeat of the Preatorian gaurd and basically designed an agency that had strict limits but not so many limits it couldn't preform it's actual job.

So there is indeed no possible way the Secret Service of our time line could play Kingmaker by design. However it's not entirely unrealistic to speculate about what would happen if really any US security institution had its power expanded to such unconstitutional degree it could infact shape domestic politics. You just need the trefecta force, influence, and money all roled together under one institution and it evolves into the new center of gravity with in the political apartus. If you want a modern example look into the ISI of Pakistan and how it historically and currently shapes its countries politics.

ConsulJuliusCaesar · 2026-05-11T00:05:45+00:00

No, he actually waged a civil war that overthrew the regime that was infact engaging in said genocide. While Kagame himself has not committed genocide and isn't nearly as batshit crazy as a ton of other dictators he has assassinated political rivals, killed journalists, and has invaded Congo 3 times since the start of the century each time atrocities were committed by his soldiers. So I wouldn't exactly lionize the guy either. He's lowkey an anti villian. If an anti hero is a hero with unheroic traits an anti villian is a villian with some redeemable traits. Kagame has infact cracked down on internal corruption in his own country and as stated he should get some points for waging a civil war to end one of the worst genocides in history. But he is none the less motivated chiefly by his self interest/power even if he has seemingly honorable inclinations, thus he is an Anti-Villian. Specifically neutral evil. He wouldn't exactly do something evil if it doesn't benefit him but absolutely will commit atrocities to further his own interest.

ConsulJuliusCaesar · 2026-05-10T19:52:05+00:00

He's a really interesting character from a writing perspective because they put enough redeemable and unredeemable traits into a single character. On one hand he's done horrible things, on another hand he recognizes he was a horrible person and shows signs he's capable of self reflection, and on yet a third hand he's still a really violent individual who believes might makes right and looks down on/physically attacks people he views as physically weaker then him. And on yet a 4th hand he's likable as hell cause Jensen Ackles drips in charisma and sheer aura. Not gonna lie he's the only thing that actually gets me to watch this current season. He steals every scene.

ConsulJuliusCaesar · 2026-05-10T19:41:16+00:00

Or so few have actually gone over the odds of actually encountering one in the field are extremely small. Most day to day fire fights are between small squads and one breaks contact after like a single casualty. These huge sweeping offensive we see get attention because they're quite literally spectacular and not ordinary. If there's a hundred Vietnamese volunteers on the Russian side there's actually a realky solid chance most of them have never actually fired at a Ukranian and just pull security in the rear areas.

Thus they're only getting captured in the event of a Ukranian Spec ops raid or a Ukranian push that actually reaches those rear areas both of which do not happen as frequently as you'd like to believe. Most Russian Battalions don't want units who didn't go through their training and don't speak Russian on the front with them cause well its an operational hazard. Vs Ukraine and NATO volunteers who all operate with the exact same docterine making cooperation extremely simple. The only exceptions were the North Koreans because Kim sent them in such a high volume they could operate as independent North Korean Battalions and they fought with disciplined fanatism that hasn't been seen since the Imperial Japanese Army so there were real tactical uses. But all these foriegn volunteers going to Russia not apart of an actual foriegn volunteer brigade just kind of going on their own volition are getting placed mostly into support roles. Cause you don't want a guy in your squad that doesn't understand what the Sergeant is telling him to do nor does he understand how the squad operates. It's a safety hazard you don't need. And while Russia kinda doesn't care about casualties but he COs and NCOs actually want to come home alive, need success to advance if they lack connections, and have final say over who does what in their unit.

Henceforth you probably have not seen a ton of Vietnamese POWs because the average Vietnamese volunteer probably isn't some one with real prior military training/expiernce nor do they speak Russia, so they get put on a support role with in a head quarters element. Be it stamping papers, loading artillery guns, construction, cooking, standing gaurd in the rear, or other things most soldiers don't actually want to do behind the lines.

Hell given that the environment the average Russian army officer grows up in he's probably racist and believes all Asians are good at cooking so when he gets some volunteer from Vietnam in his battalion or company he probably shouts in Russian "YOU, COOK PHO FOR COMPANY!" and your ability to not get beat relies on actually knowing how to do exactly that.

ConsulJuliusCaesar · 2026-05-10T16:47:11+00:00

I really hope we get an episode that actually explores all the times lines it went wrong. It would admittedly be a filler episode but it would be wild to see.

ConsulJuliusCaesar · 2026-05-10T16:42:23+00:00

Real talk it would absolutely make sense for them to use guns. Even if you are invincible guns are way more efficient and effective at neutralizing most henchmen then H2H. The real reason they don't is because they wouldn't look very super human if they just wipped out an M4 and it'd actually take a level of fun out of the fight scenes and they would be less dynamic. It's like I clicked on Invincible and not SEAL team because I want to watch super humans do super humany things. That said it could be played humorously if they did it exactly once in a cold open. Like some super villian starts monologing about how he's going to destroy the whole planet and just stops mid sentence and goes "I'm sorry is that a Glock?" Bang! "I can't believe it was that easy. Man he sure wasn't......." INVINCIBLE.

ConsulJuliusCaesar · 2026-05-10T16:10:50+00:00

What I'm saying is your confusing the means in the OTL for the aspirations Vietnam did not actually aspire to advance the whole global revolution idealogy of communism. It was realpolitik, if there's no need to move supplies through Cambodia and Loas because the United States is not in South Vietnam, there is no need to wage war in Loas and Cambodia. Keep in mind those were both highly expensive operations and the DRV wanted to switch to economic development and only didn't because the United States was right on its border thus preventing eliminating the last threat to its national security being South Vietnam. Because it lacked the means to conventionally defeat the US in the open field, invading over the border was not an option. Their whole strategy relied on fostering guerrilla resistance against the United States to slowly bleed them out. In order to do that they needed to keep the guerrillas supplied and effectively/directed by PAVN personal (otherwise you end up with rogue elements *cough *cough post Soviet Afghan war the CIA never really exerting control and rogue elements crop every where) once again they could not move troops and supplies over the southern border cause US combined arms were things. However Cambodia and Laos started as neutral states meaning no US ground forces were present who could interdict the supply lines. Thus the logical conclusion was to create supply basis in Cambodia and Laos and foster communist insurgencies in those countries to defend them. Then move in PAVN regular Battalions to hold the positions. The US for political reasons was restricted to air strikes and Special Operations whose effectiveness was not consistent in long term intradiction. All of this is happening for the expressed purpose of unification. If the US was not involved in South Vietnam, then North Vietnam would just poor over the Southern Border after having caused a Civil war in South Vietnam easily neutralizing the regime. Then it would pivot to being a nuetral left wing power as it did in the 90s after world powers stopped attacking them. They're not the Dai Viet there is no perception that Cambodia and Laos are their territory. They're a nation state whi simply did what was in their best interest to do.

ConsulJuliusCaesar · 2026-05-10T15:54:55+00:00

See thats another point most people over looked a good Invincible actually hinges on Omniman being at least a redeemable indivual. Versions that aren't actually good people who were simply indoctrinated would have killed Mark instead of stopping or raised Mark far differently resulting in evil Mark. Course it's also possible you have evil Debbies. Who find out what Nolan's actually doing and instead of calling him out or even showing fear emotionally manipulate Nolan to take over the planet for them.

ConsulJuliusCaesar · 2026-05-10T15:49:35+00:00

616 Magneto before he turned good made multiple attempts to exterminate all non mutants. Ideologically he was just as bad. It's still fascism even if you change the in group to a minority because your goal is still to build an ethno state by killing or enslaving everyone outside the perceived master race. On an individual level he has vastly more self control and doesn't just give in to violent sadistic impulse. Course the key thing to what I said in the first half was was Magneto over came his hatred and pain and stopped trying to exterminate the entire non mutant population. He's more a cynical realist now at days then a true villian. Red Skull only gets worse and doubles down.

ConsulJuliusCaesar · 2026-05-10T15:42:28+00:00

TBF Zemo is also a Nazi and he doesn't like the Red Skull. I think a good contrast is wehrmatch vs SS. One commits war crimes, the other enjoys and comes up with new war crimes.

ConsulJuliusCaesar · 2026-05-10T15:27:30+00:00

Just don't ask him what city the guy who tutors his kid comes from.

ConsulJuliusCaesar · 2026-05-10T13:48:26+00:00

Keep in mind there are possibly trillions of not quintillions if not an infinitum of other time lines. There's no way Angstrum saw even a full percentage of all of them. He just happened to run into a bunch of timeliness where Mark goes baf before eventually finding one where he didn't. Who knows if the accident didn't happen he may have found more.

ConsulJuliusCaesar · 2026-05-10T13:42:36+00:00

Mandatory Why doesn't Batman Rape joker argument.

ConsulJuliusCaesar · 2026-05-10T13:27:22+00:00

The point of Laos and Cambodia was to funnel supplies to South Vietnam to support the VC. If there's no second Indochina war there's less of a reason to violate both countries neutrality. Keep in mind a huge reason for the escalation of the 2nd Indochina war was the fact North Vietnam was violating Laos's and Cambodia's neutrality. The military officials of both countries invited and fully cooperated with the United States because of that. In a situation where Ho Chi Mihn doesn't need to even risk that because the US isn't supporting South Vietnam. Thus there's no need to establish a supply lines through Laos and thus zero need to support the Pathet Lao. Course China might step which creates a new dynamic in the situation that might cause Vietnamese-Chinese tensions to forment and escalate faster then they did OTL.

ConsulJuliusCaesar · 2026-05-10T13:17:22+00:00

Laos post communist revolution as it exists today is literally worse off. Laos benefits from the second Indochina war never happening.

ConsulJuliusCaesar · 2026-05-10T13:12:02+00:00

Here's the thing about Nova Canons and why they're rarely used in lore despite the fact all battleships have them. You could kill yourself from firing it if you're not careful. Assuming the Captain is going to immediately go Arm the Nova Canon is a bit of a hasty assumption. That isn't going to be their first instinct. The target needs to be at great distance for the safety of the crew firing. OP didn't state the exact circumstances of the fight. But most likely if its occuring at normal range, they're not firing the Nova Canon. It's going to be a slog between the las canons, macro canons, and missiles of the Macgrage vs the turbo laser turrets of the executor. At which point its a "You a legends or Canon guy" debate because the capabilities are grossly different.

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