Brother Domis said:

Pure gold. I'm stealing that for personal abuse...err...use, I meant USE.

Luddite said:

And so far continues to remain undefined. I've been waiting to see what the better part of humanity outside of the Imperium is up to, how they are organized, and what their take on the issues is. While a good number of outside human systems may be isolated, there is enough room for more than one organized large multi-system government.

Also keep in mind that a great number of human worlds, including many former Imperial fringe worlds and colonies are continuing to join up with the Tau under "The Greater Good." One has to wonder how that will continue to play out even though the current "truce" is in order. If anything those worlds alone would be a center of potential technological and social revival in their own right. Imagine an Imperial fleet of bodged cruisers that are over 2000+ years old meeting up with the military of a human combine that is part of "The Greater Good" in what look to be Imperial style warships much like their own. However these ships are practically brand new, built less than 2 years ago, and sport revived and upgraded human tech combined with Tau technologies. I think that would put any Imperial Fleet commander on edge to be sure.

If anything else, one of the biggest challenges that the Imperium is already begining to face outside of the warp/chaos taking over/Emperor dying situation is the fact that they could seriously fall behind to their fellow humans (and others) amongst the stars.

Anyhow I'll end it at that. This is best discussed in a topic on it's own.

There is literally nothing gayer than a group of muscle men locking themselves away in a monistary so they can live the Spartan lifestyle, pump iron and polish their "weapons."

There is indeed quite a bit of Spartaness about many chapters of the SM - indeed Brothers of the Snake show a chapter which is unashamably based upon the Sparten/Greek warriors, even down to their methods of fighting and keeping boy slaves to attend them. I have, however, always assumed that the SM have the equivalent of a chem geld and have no interest in sex with men or women.

Coincedently I have just been reading Tyrant by Christain Cameron which is a ) a good read and b) shows how homosexuality is intergrated within the warrior society but at the same time marriage and children are also important................

Well-born Athenian cavalry officer, Kineas, fought shoulder to shoulder with Alexander in his epic battles against the Persian hordes. But on his return from the east to his native city, he finds not glory but shame - and exile. With nothing to his name but his military skills, Kineas agrees to lead a band of veterans to the city of Olbia, where the Tyrant is offering good money to train the city's elite cavalry. But soon Kineas and his men find they have stumbled into a deadly maze of intrigue and conspiracy as the Tyrant plots to use them as pawns in the increasingly complex power games between his own citizens, and the dread military might of Macedon. Caught between his duty to the Tyrant, his loyalty to his men and a forbidden love affair with a charismatic Scythian noblewoman, Kineas must call on all his Athenian guile, his flair on the battlefield, and even - he is convinced - the intervention of the gods, to survive.

just random thoughts really..........