The 3Is descriptions and presentation were not "Games Workshop Dark Future" type of dark though. Yes, they operate with the iron fist but usually in limited ways and covered up with a velvet glove.

By Dark Imperium, I'm talking about the gloves are off and the brass knuckles are on and you brought a whole bunch of friends kind of dark. One where the Empire does not maintain an image of being for the good of the people and that doesn't try to suppress information and perspectives of how nasty the Imperium is because instead of hiding it, they wrap themselves in it.

Aside: I have several historian friends (ancients/medieval/modern wars) and one pointed out to me one time that there are a lot of so called people's uprisings, but very near zero of them are. In most cases, those that have no highly educated and skilled leaders (which then come with their own agenda) just plain never get started or insta-fail. Those that have a chance of amounting to much come with leaders who are smart, educated, and have their own spin. The idea of a true people's revolution (as in entirely from the masses) is unlikely because the skills to lead and organize and manage a revolution or revolt involved education that the masses don't get. So even people's revolts often end up led by educated, higher caste folks.

TomB