Shas'la Kais@shas_kais
I reviewed the lore about Roboute's 500 world project. I won't lie, it's looking pretty grim.
Roboute is replacing the semi-independent systems of Imperial worlds (feudalism) with straight-up fascism, Astartes fascism! The lore treats this as a good thing. The only way that mankind can survive what's to come. What is GW smoking?!
He is doing it forcefully. Sure, he asks nicely first, but if he is refused, his Ultramarines and their legions of Auxilia will force the worlds to kneel before Macragge. The disobedient rulers who cling to the old ways and/or are more loyal to Terra are replaced with Space Marines or mortal rulers who know their place. And all of them answer to the Tetrarchs, who in turn answer to Roboute, not the Emperor and certainly not the High Lords of Terra.
The resources and manpower of the Imperial worlds drawn into the sphere of Ultramar flow toward Macragge rather than Terra. The wealthy industrial world of Garranox is on the brink of breaking itself as it attempts to pay the tithe to Terra and fulfill its obligation to Ultramar, so it's unrealistic for Imperial worlds to support both sides.
Roboute plans to enforce his social and political reforms across hundreds of worlds. In the name of progress and enlightenment, Roboute is employing tyrannical means. It's a precursor for his new vision for the Imperium.
The irony here is that what Roboute is doing in the south echoes what Abaddon is doing in the north. Following the theme of Roboute and Abaddon being mirror images of each other, Abaddon's Dark Imperium is a mirror of Roboute's expanding Ultramar. Both claim that they are honouring the ideals of the Great Crusade. Both want to save the Imperium from itself and reshape it in the image of Space Marine supremacy (in opposition to the explicit wishes of the Emperor). So, how is Avenging Son any better than the Warmaster?
Imperial traditionalists and conservatives are raising alarms against this overstep by the Primarch. The nobility across many worlds within and nearby Ultramar are staging resistance. Inquisitors are monitoring the situation. And surely the High Lords are sweating bullets.
Now, why is it funny? Imperial fans for years rejected the notion that the Imperium is fascist, but here is Roboute with his plans to blanket the entirety of the Imperium under fascistic rule. Truly, in many ways, Roboute is Wokehammer's greatest ally.
