Rogue Isles: Nazi Germany?

When I was reading my military history degree, the study of the Third Reich was almost mandatory for many reasons, and sadly I can't really go into them all here.

One of the most striking things for me was an organogram of the structure of Hitler's control mechanism and how the Nazis actually functioned, and I've often been struck by a few similarities between that and the way Arachnos is arranged. One of the most striking similarities is the way Lord Recluse and Hitler promote "social darwinism" - the factions below them are all vying for power between themselves - which is exemplified by the four Patrons each trying to carve their own niche and estend their power base, whilst the Arbiters seem very much to fulfil the role of Himmler's SS (although there's not an immediately recognisable doppleganger for Himmler in game that I have encountered.)

This may be coincidental, but somehow I doubt it - what do you guys think?


Editing just to say I'm not saying that the Rogue Isles exactly are like that or that LR = Hitler, but I definitely see a model here

"You got to dig it to dig it, you dig?"
Thelonious Monk

I don't know if there is a chief Arbiter, although Daos is the highest-ranking as far as levels are concerned. Being in charge of the branch of Arachnos charged with keeping the factions in line might not be an enviable position, though.

The Etoile Islands are a Technocracy.

Didn't Arachnos spawn from an Italian fascist group that was related to the 5th column at the time? My Coh-History-Fu may be week this morning so correct me if I am wrong.

Would explain the similarities in structure and mindset.

Did this thread get Godwin'd in the very first post? Is that a new record?

At least Lord Recluse made the ferries run on time...



To the OP many totalitarian states throughout history and fiction have similarites.

Not even just states. Most large companies have their own share of factionalism and in-fighting over resources. As do universities. And even organisations such as Greenpeace. It's just a sad fact of humanity that, if you put enough of us together, there will be some that will immediately start looking to advance their own position at the expense of others. And that attitude is often encouraged by those at the top, especially in the case of companies.

The Nazi Party were fascist in nature, as was Mussolini's army/state.

I believe the Council is loosely based on Mussolini, brought forward.

Arachnos was originally an organized crime/terrorism group, that once it seized control of the Etoiles, became an actual nation. There's parallels to this all over, from various dictatorships in South America and Africa, to (some would say) the Republic of Texas in the original incarnation.

Many of you have missed the point of the original post which is the way in which the structure of Arachnos is organised, with several distinct power groups and an all pervasive "Security" service also maintaining a significant presence at the top echelons of the group.

It just struck me that the direct similarity there was relevant.

"You got to dig it to dig it, you dig?"
Thelonious Monk

When a structure model works, it works. No reason to really stray from it.

As to those who think the thread was Godwin'd in the first post; this thread is exempt from Godwin's Law, since the basis of the discussion itself is a comparison to the Nazis.

I saw sort of a parallel to Cuba, myself.
Tiny island country ruled by a dictator with very few costume slots.
Hostile to the U.S.
Just compare Russia's desire to put nuclear missiles (capable of traveling to the US) there in the 60's to Recluse's harboring of superpowered criminals (capable of traveling to the US, possibly by submarine).

All we need in Paragon University students to wear Capt. Mako T-shirts "Dude, he was a revolutionary, man!". No, he was a multiple-murderer.

I think Praetoria seems to be shaping up into more of a Nazi inspired state than the Rogue Isles - Arachnos is much more of a "ours are evil laughs" kind of group than the Nazis were - Arachnos don't mind saying their evil, but the Praetorians and the Nazis both try/tried to pretend that what they're doing is good.

If there is a similarity, it's probably deliberate.

The Rogue Isles are kind of a mashup of a generic tinpot dictatorship, Doctor Doom's Latveria, and a Tortuga-style pirate port. Villainy seems to be deeply ingrained into the Rogue Isles, much like Paragon City seems to naturally create and attract superheroes.

And Arachnos does seem to be set up so that the different divisions can keep themselves in check if one revolts- the ordinary soldiers are vulnerable to the psychics, who in turn wouldn't fare well against the robots, which would suffer from the Mu mages in a battle.

I still want a "Magneto was right" t-shirt.

Also: Arachnos have better outfits than the Nazis. And less camps. Win/win situation if you ask me.