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 Overread wrote:
If you're unlucky you can be on the front line on some death world fighting some abominations of once-men as cultists charge madly at you with blades whilst commanders fire artillery right over your head (and if you're unlucky right at your head!).

Well, depending on the size of those cultists' blades, I might be able to use both my bath tubs at once.

Win-win!

This is also going to vary with place and time period. Immediately after the HH, the IoM was notoriously peaceful (until the Beast proceeded to stomp all over it).

Current post-Rift IoM is facing 3-4 existential threats and losing, with apocalyptic warzones all over the Imperium Sanctus (and Nihilus is somehow even worse).

And if Rogue Trader is to be believed... things used to be great... one would say almost Trekian.

Strike the first rune upon the engine's casing employing the chosen wrench. Its tip should be anointed with the oil of engineering using the proper incantation when the auspices are correct. Strike the second rune upon the engine's casing employing the arc-tip of the power-driver. If the second rune is not good, a third rune may be struck in like manner to the first. This is done according to the true ritual laid down by Scotti the Enginseer. A libation should be offered. If this sequence is properly observed the engines may be brought to full activation by depressing the large panel marked "ON".

Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader, pg. 98

 Lathe Biosas wrote:
And if Rogue Trader is to be believed... things used to be great... one would say almost Trekian.

Strike the first rune upon the engine's casing employing the chosen wrench. Its tip should be anointed with the oil of engineering using the proper incantation when the auspices are correct. Strike the second rune upon the engine's casing employing the arc-tip of the power-driver. If the second rune is not good, a third rune may be struck in like manner to the first. This is done according to the true ritual laid down by Scotti the Enginseer. A libation should be offered. If this sequence is properly observed the engines may be brought to full activation by depressing the large panel marked "ON".

Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader, pg. 98

"Scotti" was an Enginseer around 266.M3 to 269.M3. Plenty of time for everything to go pear-shaped in about 37,000 years.

 Lathe Biosas wrote:
And if Rogue Trader is to be believed... things used to be great... one would say almost Trekian.

Strike the first rune upon the engine's casing employing the chosen wrench. Its tip should be anointed with the oil of engineering using the proper incantation when the auspices are correct. Strike the second rune upon the engine's casing employing the arc-tip of the power-driver. If the second rune is not good, a third rune may be struck in like manner to the first. This is done according to the true ritual laid down by Scotti the Enginseer. A libation should be offered. If this sequence is properly observed the engines may be brought to full activation by depressing the large panel marked "ON".

Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader, pg. 98

Honestly that's ACTUAL Rogue Trader too - or at least the era. I'm sure I remember a similar piece of sidebar fiction reprinted in the big red 40k Compendium (should never have had that "getting out the hobby" clear out - alas, we live and learn). So similar, in fact, I think it's just been slightly amended here and there (possibly including the Scotti reference).

Most IoM planets are probably doing just fine.

1) Imperial guard recruits often end up fighting very far from home. If there was war everywhere no fleets would have to travel that far.
2) Most imperial citizens must have enough wealth and free time to keep the average birthrate above replacement or humanity would not have lasted so long, given how many casualties of war there are.
3) the 3rd war for Armageddon saw the resources of several chapters and several planets sunk in to the defense. There must have been few enough flashpoints elsewhere to make that possible.
4) Most hive worlds are GSC cult-less, or folks wouldn't be constantly surprised to find yet another cult.

Considering wealth and quality of life tends to decrease birth rates, #2 is actually evidence of the opposite. Most of humanity is likely poor, without access to birth control and limited entertainment options which leads to a lot of teen pregnancies.

Now that can maintain high birth rates for the meat grinder.

Given that factories in the Imperium are very much "victorian britain industrial revolution" theme as well, kids aren't sitting around at home or school.

Them kids are in the factories and mines doing jobs suited to their stature and physicality.

Tunnel too small to get an adult in? Chuck kids in there problem solved. Can't fit an adult hand into a machine to get scrap out? Kids have small hands, use them instead.

 Gert wrote:
Given that factories in the Imperium are very much "victorian britain industrial revolution" theme as well, kids aren't sitting around at home or school.

Them kids are in the factories and mines doing jobs suited to their stature and physicality.

Tunnel too small to get an adult in? Chuck kids in there problem solved. Can't fit an adult hand into a machine to get scrap out? Kids have small hands, use them instead.

Uh, why use children? The only people qualified to be working on machines have mechadendritres for just that reason.

 Lathe Biosas wrote:

 Gert wrote:
Given that factories in the Imperium are very much "victorian britain industrial revolution" theme as well, kids aren't sitting around at home or school.

Them kids are in the factories and mines doing jobs suited to their stature and physicality.

Tunnel too small to get an adult in? Chuck kids in there problem solved. Can't fit an adult hand into a machine to get scrap out? Kids have small hands, use them instead.

Uh, why use children? The only people qualified to be working on machines have mechadendritres for just that reason.

The machines are expensive, precious and valuable. They are not a resource to waste in general upkeep when you've got children that are cheap, effective and readily replaced without bother.

 Overread wrote:

 Lathe Biosas wrote:

 Gert wrote:
Given that factories in the Imperium are very much "victorian britain industrial revolution" theme as well, kids aren't sitting around at home or school.

Them kids are in the factories and mines doing jobs suited to their stature and physicality.

Tunnel too small to get an adult in? Chuck kids in there problem solved. Can't fit an adult hand into a machine to get scrap out? Kids have small hands, use them instead.

Uh, why use children? The only people qualified to be working on machines have mechadendritres for just that reason.

The machines are expensive, precious and valuable. They are not a resource to waste in general upkeep when you've got children that are cheap, effective and readily replaced without bother.

Children can't know the proper Canticles or Beneditctions required to repair machines.

1 - You don't need to be a Mechanicus adept to work in a factory or a mine.

2 - The Mechanicus does actually force grow children in pod farms then starts adding tech parts when they get inducted.

 Lathe Biosas wrote:

 Overread wrote:

 Lathe Biosas wrote:

 Gert wrote:
Given that factories in the Imperium are very much "victorian britain industrial revolution" theme as well, kids aren't sitting around at home or school.

Them kids are in the factories and mines doing jobs suited to their stature and physicality.

Tunnel too small to get an adult in? Chuck kids in there problem solved. Can't fit an adult hand into a machine to get scrap out? Kids have small hands, use them instead.

Uh, why use children? The only people qualified to be working on machines have mechadendritres for just that reason.

The machines are expensive, precious and valuable. They are not a resource to waste in general upkeep when you've got children that are cheap, effective and readily replaced without bother.

Children can't know the proper Canticles or Beneditctions required to repair machines.

Of course not and they aren't repairing machines. Cleaning the chimneys and ducts or darting into moving machinery to remove a dropped component/screw isn't fixing a machine. It's simply appeasing the Machine Spirit to run smoothly.

These acts are important as a rare few will hear the calling of the Machine Spirit whilst undertaking these activities and follow that call to join the Ad Mech.

Guardsmen don't need mechadendritres to operate lasguns and tanks, children don't need mechadendritres to operate the lasgun and tank factories.

And children can learn the cleaning and maintenance rites and canticles, although anything more complicated will obviously need a tech priest or other admech representative.