I wouldn’t view it that way. First of all, there’s no fascism in the world of the game and I’m not even sure the ideology of fascism was ever invented in the world of Trench Crusade. A better comparison would be the USA during WWII—certainly not “good,” but I’m pretty sure many people, even on Hexbear, would give the USA critical support for their war against the Axis.
As for the faithful, their rigid religious beliefs blind them, leading to needless suffering in the name of a God they fail to truly comprehend. God in this context is more like a primordial eldritch being, not something that communes clearly with its followers or is all that benevolent.
One also needs to keep in mind that a lot of the lore so far is from the perspective of the church so unreliable narrators.
I read both of your responses and I think you make valid points.
I think I get where you’re coming from. Grimdark settings are often problematic, and it’s true that many fascists enjoy them. I can understand why people might find that off-putting or not be fans of them for that reason. It’s kinda similar to Starship Troopers or Helldivers—both are meant as satire, but reactionaries either don’t get the joke or simply don’t care.
With that said, I’m pretty sure you could create a grimdark setting with good politics, it’s just that, realistically, most people who create these settings fall somewhere on the liberal-to-conservative spectrum. As a result, they almost all end up with the same issues you’ve mentioned
I have to admit, though I’ve been a sucker for anything dark, edgy, and grimdark since I was a teenager, and that hasn’t changed. As a minority in the imperial core, grimdark settings appeal to me because they depict a struggle without hope in a doomed world. But I think there’s beauty in the struggle itself, even when hope is almost nonexistent. The idea of continuing to fight, even when there’s little chance of success, resonates with me deeply.
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I wouldn’t view it that way. First of all, there’s no fascism in the world of the game and I’m not even sure the ideology of fascism was ever invented in the world of Trench Crusade. A better comparison would be the USA during WWII—certainly not “good,” but I’m pretty sure many people, even on Hexbear, would give the USA critical support for their war against the Axis.
As for the faithful, their rigid religious beliefs blind them, leading to needless suffering in the name of a God they fail to truly comprehend. God in this context is more like a primordial eldritch being, not something that communes clearly with its followers or is all that benevolent.
One also needs to keep in mind that a lot of the lore so far is from the perspective of the church so unreliable narrators.
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I read both of your responses and I think you make valid points.
I think I get where you’re coming from. Grimdark settings are often problematic, and it’s true that many fascists enjoy them. I can understand why people might find that off-putting or not be fans of them for that reason. It’s kinda similar to Starship Troopers or Helldivers—both are meant as satire, but reactionaries either don’t get the joke or simply don’t care.
With that said, I’m pretty sure you could create a grimdark setting with good politics, it’s just that, realistically, most people who create these settings fall somewhere on the liberal-to-conservative spectrum. As a result, they almost all end up with the same issues you’ve mentioned
I have to admit, though I’ve been a sucker for anything dark, edgy, and grimdark since I was a teenager, and that hasn’t changed. As a minority in the imperial core, grimdark settings appeal to me because they depict a struggle without hope in a doomed world. But I think there’s beauty in the struggle itself, even when hope is almost nonexistent. The idea of continuing to fight, even when there’s little chance of success, resonates with me deeply.
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deleted by creator