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40k has brute force but the relative primitiveness of the tech is often overlooked. Superior tech has constantly proven to be greater than brute force throughout our own history. Let's not forget the Imperium is often described as Steampunk, with all the limitations on technology that come with that. Versus a universe where the guns fire at such velocities that micrometre sized projectiles are lethal, and everyone and their uncle wears personal shielding and ablative armours. I don't think it would be a rollover for the Imperium. If anything they'd be fighting an uphill struggle.

 Wyzilla wrote:


Standard Imperial technology outright ignores kinetic shielding, and no, the Imperium is not "technologically primitive", that's just an annoying meme that keeps popping up from people who don't read any 40K material. The Imperium is the same civilization that builds utterly massive ships in a matter of months or even has ridiculous items like a spray-can that will render a T-Shirt the same quality as flak armor (which can stand up to autogun fire with calibers such as 7.62 or 8.5 mm).

Plus ground combat is irrelevent. Lance batteries will kill any ME ship within range in swift manner, before they can hope to deploy troops. As far as the inhabitants of ME are concerned, any fleet arriving from the 40k Milky Way is untouchable.

Well first off I've been reading 40k material for 18 years, so I just to clarify I don't fit into that category.

Second their hardware has raw power but it is indeed crude (primitive is a bit inaccurate in hindsight). Technological stagnation is constantly quoted in the fluff. To put the IOM's technological progress into perspective the Tau have achieved a higher level of tech in what -5% of the time.

Until I see it written somewhere that imperial tech outright ignores kinetic shielding, all that is is your opinion. I don't see why it would be so -the shielding works against both solid and energy projectiles in the ME universe, and their solid projectiles are of a much faster velocity and therefore more powerful pound for pound.

Ground combat would be relegated...if either universe were realistic. But it's sci-fi wherein a bunch of a hundred men go down in a dropship to blast and swing swords at alien monstrosities instead of annihilating them with an orbital bombardment. It never made sense under scrutiny but doesn't say much for either universe except that they're inconsistent like most sci-fi.

 Wyzilla wrote:


Dude, you do realize what kinetic shielding is, correct? Hint, it's included in the name. It only protects against physical attacks, not DEWs.

http://masseffect.wikia.com/wiki/Kinetic_barrier#Kinetic_Barriers_.28.22Shields.22.29

And you know what are weapons of extreme heat and radiation? Some of the IOM's most common weaponry, lasguns and lances.

Left side of brain: "Damn it, but it appears Wyzilla is right about that point"
Right side: "Quiet, that's nonsense, and even if it were true, we can never admit that!"
Left: "But look, it says here on the wiki..."
Right "Shut up! He'll hear you!"