It's #BiWeek from 19th to 26th September 2016, so what better time to run a feature on sexuality in the Armada Wars universe? This is a topic which has reared its head a few times in the novels so far — sometimes with great subtlety, sometimes not so much — and you will doubtless appreciate some pointers on how the culture of the Imperial Combine differs from ours with regards to love and intimacy. Before we get started, let's take a quick moment to recognise what #BiWeek is. Simply put, it's a time for recognition and education. It aims to address the stigmas, misunderstandings, and falsehoods surrounding bisexuality, and to tackle problems such as bisexual erasure. The biggest problem facing campaigns of this sort is that people like to believe that they "know what they know", and can't be wrong. Given the opportunity to actually look at some information, stats, and first hand accounts, many people suddenly realise that — even though they mean well — they actually hold a few quite large misconceptions. So by all means get on and enjoy the rest of the article about a fictional universe, but please consider reading more about #BiWeek and helping to get the message out there! The Armada Wars series is one of ups and downs, filled with periods of reflection sandwiched between action sequences which we just know have explanations and consequences we are yet to see. And every once in a while the suspenseful thread running through the series snags slightly, and the tension is released in a woah moment.
Here are the top three 'woah moments' so far, as nominated by fans on Facebook. Be warned that there are potential spoilers ahead! There's a trend in the Armadaverse. A good number of you have said on the official Facebook page that you read through all the current books just prior to a new release.
This is the ultimate guide to surviving a read-through Armadathon! * Spoilers Ahead *5 — Mutiny in the EighthThat moment we realise the ships of the Meccrace defence cordon are compromised. Through Captain Helia Thande's eyes, we get to watch helplessly as the entire Eighth Fleet starts loosing weapons on itself, and then feel the helplessness build to horror as various ships ram each other. 4 — Those Damned WarheadsIt was inevitable: you don't steal weapons and then not use them. Now we know what the enemy plans to use those warheads for, they're the last thing we want to see hitting an atmosphere. And such a shame about poor Westry Eilentes! 3 — Branathes takes a HeadshotWe've just stepped through the looking glass and realised there's a whole other thing going on. Whoever Voice is, we want to hear more from him RIGHT NOW. But a rogue round from Caden's rifle puts an end to that. Sorry Gordl Branathes; we hardly knew you. 2 — They Found Him, They Found HimYes, this one was just mean. There's the build-up as we chase Caden through the fortress, sharing his heart-in-throat anticipation as he rushes to the medical deck. And then when he finally gets there, another scene rears up to take over, and all we know about what Caden is seeing is that it's bad. 1 — We Can't Just Leave Him!Rendir Throam, on the surface of Meccrace Prime. Enough said. Have another "nooooooo!" moment in mind? Leave a comment!Nothing quite sums up the culture of the Imperial Combine like the most popular sport of the age: maulball. First seen in List of the Dead, maulball is a full contact sport in which players attempt to acquire and maintain control of a ball in order to acquire points. The sport is insanely popular across the entire reach of Imperial space. This is partly due to the highly competitive league structure, and partly due to the extreme violence which can occur during matches. Social commentators throughout the Imperial Combine have long speculated that the boisterous, aggressive nature of maulball allows the citizens of the empire to 'blow off steam', vicariously and without personal risk. A maulball match can include between three and seven players, depending on the league and division. In local divisions, teams usually comprise players from a single city or district. In the divisions of the major and pro leagues, teams usually comprise players who represent their planet or star system. Hit the "read more" link to continue! |
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