40k vs the Internet

Hey folks, SinSynn here.

I don't really plan to have any sort of....plan in regards to the subject matter of my posts.
And since they feature eloquent prose such as the above, that's probably for the best....

I kinda just wanna riff on stuff, crack bad jokes, and continue my diabolical scheme for eventual Xenos domination, both on the Tabletops of gamers everywhere and in the Universe at large.

*this is step 62*

Since I seem to be stumped in my current quest (Step 4: Xenos domination of 40k), for now I'll hafta rely on riffing and cracking jokes.
What I'll be discussing this time, fortunately, allows me ample opportunity to do both
:)

NOTE TO ALL HUMANS: PLEASE DISREGARD ALL REFERENCES TO 'PLANS,' 'SCHEMES,' AND/OR 'XENOS DOMINATION.'

These are only....jokes....

*Please return to your Televisions. We have diversions prepared*

Note to my Xenos compatriots: So far the plan is working...the humans suspect nothing.

I am continuing the Transmissions as planned.

We may have to skip Step 4 and go directly to Step 5, however (the part with the Tentacles).
Ready your weapons and await my signal.

...

Now, on with the post...

EXACTLY WHAT THE HECK IS GOING ON AROUND HERE, ANYWAY?

Part Two: 40k and the Internet

Oh, boy...another biggie.

There seems to be this weird....vibe around the 40k community on the 'net...some kinda...dissonance, or sumpthin,' and I just wanna address that.

Simply put, when the Internet gets a hold of something, it will immediately be broken down into it's component parts, viciously analyzed and have every bit of itself dragged into the light, defined and categorized.

Whatever 'it' is, the internet will seek to stretch it. To break it.
Even if 'it' is revered, or honored...maybe even more so, then...

That's what the Internet DOES. That's it's nature, for good or ill.
It is what it is.

To many, the end result of 40k meeting the Internet can be summed up by the 12 year old across the table, unpacking his unpainted 'counts-as' Space Wolves and offering up a Netlist.


To which I can only respond:

*Welcome to the Internet...hope you like Kittehs*

Now before you accuse me of being some...WAAC kinda guy, I would remind you that:

a) I LOSE WAY TOO MANY GAMES FOR THAT, BUDDY. Lolz...

b) Calling people names ain't cool, so let's not start.

Look, I understand that it sucks when that kid thrashes your lovingly painted army into oblivion and then asks you why you play Tau in the first place, cuz he read on Warseer that they suck.

*Unfortunately, NOT an option in this situation, trust me*

You all know the little drama that gets enacted in the comment threads every time one of these 'Competitive vs. Fluffy' posts goes up anywhere.
At this point, it's redundant.

Ultimately, however, this kinda thing leads to a somewhat...fragmented community.
Sorta like the one we have now.

You know what my take on the whole thing is?

Simple, really....

-YOU ARE ALL MY BROTHERS-

And sisters, too, where applicable...Unicorns, Xenos Comrades-in-Arms, Chaos Worshippers, Mutants....whatever...

-YOU'RE ALL COOL WITH ME-

Yeah...even you Imperium cats, although it kinda pains me to say it....

*Still hope you roll all 1's, though....*

Little back story here:

Almost immediately after picking up my first 40k models, I grabbed a Black Library book.
I can't even remember which one, but it was about Space Marines, natch.

I was instantly impressed by the paragons of virtue that Space Marines are.
Yeah, I know....on some level it's all corny as hell, but I dug it.
Big time.

And yes, I'm well aware that I riff about Space Marines in the game of 40k, but I still loves me some Black Library books.
Don't go tryin' to apply yer logic to me, pal....

Anyway, the thing that really stuck with me after devouring a handful of 40k books was the bond that Space Marines of the same Chapter shared with one another.

For some reason, I thought the fact that they called each other 'Brother,' and would die fighting back to back, Brothers to the end, was like the coolest thing, ever.


Honor is a very important thing to me, personally....and what's more honorable than THAT?

Somehow, I ended up taking that into RL.
I started calling everybody 'Brother.'

It felt good.

I'm a pretty...different kinda guy, so no one ever questions why I do it.
They just figure it's another wacky thing I do.


But I got it from Space Marine books, so there ya go.

So, the bottom line is- if you're into modeling/gaming/whatever you wanna call this mess we're all involved in, you are my brothers...and sisters, etc....

*and then probably grope you...and then probably blame Brent*

You- the guy who flips out when people use the word 'Codexes'....you're my brother.
(hey yer right- there IS a little wavy red line under the word...huh, wadda ya know....)

You- the hardcore competitive dude who always declares everything 'fail'...you're my brother....

You- the girl who sits in the store and reads every manga (for hours), and paints Anime figures in amazing detail...you're my sister...

You- the guy that knows EXACTLY what turret went on EXACTLY what Tank (and during what years as well), and models his dioramas accordingly....you're my brother, too....

Our collective hobby and shared experience is bigger, and more important, than some silly 40k argument, don'tcha think?

I don't see 'Baby Seals,' 'Fluffbunnies,' 'WAAC Douchebags' or whatever, I just see people with a common interest.

We all wanna play with our little toys, that's all.

At times, we'd all like to gather together and discuss our little toys, maybe show them off or whatever...

The Internet, and our respective slice of it, is where we do that. All of it.

We'll bitch and moan, and fight like cats and dogs sometimes, too...
But that's what Brothers (and Sisters, where applicable) DO, right?

Yeah, that kid with his unpainted 'counts-as' Space Wolves and Netlist may very well be a direct result of...all of this, but he's my brother, too.

*sigh....there's one in every family*

Until next time folks...Have a very Xenos day!

-SinSynn