Here's my two cents. Perhaps we should recognize that when Smylie and Brooke speak in broad sweeping terms, i.e. "the _whole kingdom_ is focussed on the goals of plunder and conquest...," they are speaking to the 'big picture' view. They are adopting the writing style of the _Glorantha: Genertela_ supplement. As a survey view of a whole continent, there is lots of overview and very little detail.
Of course there is a sense of culture in the KoW. Lhankor Mhy anthropologists could probably show how it is a perversion of the pre-Ban culture of the original inhabitants, cataloging the deviations.
Of course there is a lot of politicking in the KoW. Who has the honor/responsibility of leading the next attack? If we accept Sandy's theories, any loss on the battlefield means a loss of your head. Can we really assume that all individuals in the KoW have a Valorous of 20+ (shift to Pendragon Pass there...). What kinds of things do unit commanders do in order to _not_ be chosen to lead? I can see a scenario like this: Lord DoaH says: "I need a volunteer." All his commanders take one step back; the slow one is left standing in front. Perhaps LDoaH has even arranged this with his commanders, as he sees this one dupe as the biggest threat to his supremacy.
What looks in one light like min-maxing invulnerability can be a fatal flaw in another. So we assume the KoW is nothing but a bunch of macho-pumped killing machines. No known army can stand against them. Well... there is a story of how Nesselina, Queen of the Kiss, met Lord Death on a Horse in single confrontation. She walked away, and bore a child from their union. Some even say that child is the new incarnation of the White Moon, a Christ-like figure of peace destined to change the warlike ways of the entire Lunar Empire.
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