Rules of Engagement; WTF??

[DrWobbles]

I just finished reading the first short story in Age of Darkness called Rules of Engagement by Graham McNiell. I am almost at a loss of words at how profoundly ridiculous this story plays out. someone please make sense of all this.

*SPOILER ALERT*

So... the protagonist Remus is a captain of the 4th company of ultramarines. He's leading his brothers to victories in a series of engagements throughout the ultramar sector. They fight death guard, world eaters, sons of horus, and... salamanders. At this point i'm wondering if McNiell forgot the salamanders were loyal to the emperor or maybe part of their legion did go sour. I get confused.

But as i read on we discover Roboute Guilliman is dressed as the Warmaster leading a bunch of ultrasmurfs dressed like the Sons of Horus! and they're wiping out the entire ultramarines 4th company to a man!! as tousands of his homies are sluaghtered Guilliman treats it like an exercise!!! and no one seems to care.

So i begin to think that the salamanders weren't salies at all but smurfs painted green. then i start to wonder who the death guard really are and was it truly the world eaters they were fighting earlier. we're talking hundreds of thousands of casualties to test Remus and his skills.

as far as fluff goes, this is worse than Draigo, or blood angels teaming up with crons, or C.S. Goto.

ugh.

[Gotthammer]

Not having read the story my guess from what you've written (esp. Guilliman dressing as Horus) and the title would be that it was all a simulation/training excercise by the Ultras to prepare to fight any of the other legions, even loyal ones like the Sallies.

[david5th]

Remus does mention a ' Laser designator '. I am guessing this is used for non live fire training the 31st millenium.

[razcalking]

It was basically huge games of laser tag, much like the modern army uses for training.

You really thought by the end of that story that they were actually killiing each other?

[wittdooley]

It was basically huge games of laser tag, much like the modern army uses for training.

You really thought by the end of that story that they were actually killiing each other?

This.

It's really brilliant written, actually, as you don't really realize what's happening until the end.

As for the Salamanders; I don't think he forgot, but the Fire Drakes were known as one of the earliest, and most formidable Terminator companies, so I'd guess thats why he simulated them against the Sallies, in the event that they did turn.

[rkiviman]

It is brilliantly written. This is Guilliman beginning to write his "Codex Astartes". The interesting point made was when Guilliman tells Remus that not every tactical situation can be written down and that this work of his was not to be regarded as a substitute for initiative and reason!! A far cry from what the Ultramarines and the codex chapter's do in the present setting. The books is considered to be the answer for all situations and initiative is lost along the way.

[eldargal]

Ooh I like that, even Guilliman's work being transformed into dogma over the millennia against his intention. Bit of a blow to the negative stereotype of Monsieur Guilliman too.


It is brilliantly written. This is Guilliman beginning to write his "Codex Astartes". The interesting point made was when Guilliman tells Remus that not every tactical situation can be written down and that this work of his was not to be regarded as a substitute for initiative and reason!! A far cry from what the Ultramarines and the codex chapter's do in the present setting. The books is considered to be the answer for all situations and initiative is lost along the way.

[Michael_maggs]

ago of darkness throughout does tend to suggest that Guilliman is planning a coup of his own (which would form the Imperium of the 41st millenium)
rules of engagement: saying they may have to fight those opposing the warmaster
Iron within; suggests the loyalist iron warriors become ultramarines
savage weapons; lion suggests Guilliman has his eye on the throne of terra

and going back to the first heretic it is suggested the ultramarines are comprised of three legions (the ultramarines and the lost legions reminants)