>>> I'm not sure what ILH1&2 so drastically rewrote about the Lunars.
>
>>You know more about them than I do, but I Nick reckoned it was a
>>mess, and I'll believe him. What I mainly noticed was that they
>>changed from being a nice comprehensible loose pseudo-Roman analogue
>>with overtones from the British Empire and the Soviets to something
>>messy and unpronouncable, with no central structure ever given, only
>>some non-standard bits around the edges.
>
>> Well the Roman Empire was a mess for most of its history.
>
>Quite possibly, but we were talking about the re-write being a mess
>in terms of compatibility, not whether or not the thing it was about
>was a mess.
Compatibility with what? About the only thing I know of which is incompatible are some bits of Tarsh War. Mostly illustrations and the "people's tribune" who needs a new title as a religous leader. All the units still fit into the army and the descriptions still work.
>> The neat
>> legions of the school text books lasted a century or two at best.
>> The overtones of British Empire are uncontradicted although the
>> Soviet analogue has disappeared. I always regarded that as a joke,
>> it was too anachronistic.
>
>Anachronistic? Why limit yourself to one area of Earth history?
>The Soviet analogue didn't depend on tech levels, only on the flaws
>in human nature and what happens if you get a fundamentally good idea
>and extend it way past the point where it stops working.
The social structure of communism is a post industrial revolution concept. Just as capitalism is. In both cases the amount of central control requires modern tech communications. While moonboats can replace modern courier services there's nothing to replace railways or the telegraph.
>> The whole point is that no empire has ever existed with a single
>>set of cultural values.
>
>Who said anything about a single set of cultural values?
Culture determines what type of troops are available.
>One standard military unit, with standard uniforms and names.
>"You turn the corner and see some Lunar soldiers". How do you know
>that's what they are? They're wearing standard Lunar uniforms, and
>doing standard Lunar things. You're never going to find out what
>their cultural values are, you're just going to loose a volley of
>javelins and then go in with swords.
The Lunar army has never had a standard military unit. That's a variation in your Glorantha. WBRM distinguishes between Heartland Troops and the Provincial Army both with many special units. Significantly one type that doesn't exist is the Late Republic/Early Empire Roman style legion. Probably because the particular social structure which created the legions doesn't exist in the Lunar Empire.
>> It may also be worth considering the other
>> conflict the Empire is involved in - against the Pentan nomads. They
>> are probably the bigger threat to the Heartlands. When the Emperor
>> withdraws support from Tarsh's war against Sartar it is probably
>> because the resources are needed in Oraya.
>
>Did that last funny name mean "Pent"?
No. It's the name of the Lunar province between First Blessed and Pent. A buffer between the nomads and the important imperial cities. No more a funny name than Tarsh.
>There's something odd going on with Pent anyway. What's all this
>about 13 year olds with red hair? Why is anyone interested in
>their hair colour?
I can't recall where that reference comes from.
My immediate thought is that the red hair is a sign of the Goddess so perhaps it's a sign that a leader will bring the Pentans in to civilisation. :)
-- Donald Oddy http://www.grove.demon.co.uk/
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