Obblinox

The stolid Obblinox, imposing and mighty-thewed beneath their tough, elephantine hides, once served as the backbone of the Tha'Roon military. Now they use their knowledge of battle in open rebellion against their Tha'Roon overlords.

Background
From the very moment of their creation by the Mothering Spirit of the Highest One, loyalty is the only code the Obblinox have ever known, and honor the only path. The Clan Mothers have since the dawning of history handed down the law: fidelity, integrity and constancy. Strength and size has maintained the structure of the world for the thousand years, for the Obblinox are the living embodiment of Yavaun, her protectors. The Obblinox wear the trinkets and rudimentary jeweler they mine with pride.

They are a heavily matriarchal society, governed by the aforementioned Clan Mothers. The Matriarchs are responsible for guiding Obblinox clans and leading them in battle as War Generals. Males are principally laborers, although they are also known for their magical abilities, allowing them to harness blood magic and master alchemy to use in the fields.

First War of Yavaun
"There are few creatures more superstitious than Obblinox soldiers. They believe, after all, that they are those who live closest to death, and so look upon death as either as a friend or as a god. Truly then, we Tha' Roon shall show them the true face of death, as an unyielding agent of our cause. Death to all obblinox traitors!"

- Proclamation delivered by the Tha'Roon High Council

The spark that started the conflagration was struck at the Black Pit Lake labor colony, where Tywald Chainbreaker and Colonel Khorn of Faction E19 threw down their tools and attacked the Obblinox guards assigned to the camp. Disposing of them and the wildlife, they used the camp as a staging attack for the subsequent attack on the Obblinox weapons depot at Ghumb. The Tha'Roon retaliated immediately, targeting work camps that were taken over by rebel Eaggra. Headed by House Mondra, their brutal reprisals resulted in a series of routs that sent the Eaggra rebels into full retreat across the Imperial Nation. The Obblinox were ordered to aid in the culling and prepare forward operating bases against the Shama'Li, with Saw'Sha's Rusty Thunders distinguishing themselves in the early stages of the campaign. However, the slaughter of the Eaggra planted the seed of rebellion in the minds of the Obblinox, disgusted by the effortless destruction of the former slaves. An Obblinox clan defied orders from the Prime Minister, marking themselves for death.

Skirmishes continued as the war entered a new phase and the Eaggra liberated more and more work camps in preparation for the migration towards their ancient homeland. Defiance was punished with death. House Mondra moved against the rebels in the Bonca plains, while the Rusty Thunders were ordered to raze the city of Bedraltar in the Grey Water Swamp. Both sides fulfilled their objectives, but while Druk Angar's prominence only increased, Saw'Sha's Rusty Thunders finally lost faith in the Empire and began a rebellion of their own. Aided by the Shama'Li, who saved Adonna, one of their greatest minds, they launched a covert campaign of espionage. The infiltration of the Penthedium Citadel by the Rusty Thunders proved that they could effectively shield themselves from the Tha'Roon.

However, they overplayed their card. Shifting their focus to the Tha'Roon allowed the Eaggra to make their migration and establish an independent nation in the south of the continent, supported by Shama'Li and their efforts in mediating between the rebel Eaggra factions and their brethren reluctant to oppose the Tha'Roon, leading to a formal alliance between the two. More importantly, Saw'Sha and the Rusty Thunders made an attempt on the life of High Minister Mim'Nin's life at Crue Pan, the Imperial capital. Unbeknownst to them, their actions were known to the Tha'Roon, who launched a counter-offensive in northern Terache, aimed at subjugating the Obblinox once again.

Their assault coincided with a similar offensive by the Eaggra, launched against the twin cities of Albierta and SulDeos. Facing oblivion, the Obblinox relented and surrendered to the Tha'Roon, once again becoming their servants. In a surprising gesture, the Prime Minister of Death spared the lives of the rebel leaders, most importantly Saw'Sha, responsible for masterminding the crucial operations of the rebel cause.

Technology
The Tha'Roon taught the Obblinox the knowledge of their science, and by their Science they have adopted Mechanical Amputations (cybernetics) and a host of other advanced technologies allowing them to become a powerful force on the battlefield, utilizing forged alloyed armor, firearms, and of course, fuse their flesh with metal. Though the mechanical cybernetics have little grace and elegance, and lack the electronics, advanced hydraulics and fine integration, they are an asset to their arsenal.

Gameplay characteristics

 * Great warriors
 * Best equipped for war
 * Very high attack strength
 * Fairly good construction ability
 * Weak mastery of magic
 * Slow movement
 * What special units can this race build?
 * The Agent, who has good stealth and a sturdy endurance,
 * The Biker, who is a motorised mercenary. He combines speed with strength,
 * The Colossus, which is a motorized tank-like warrior, combines devastating combat and speed.

Strategy notes
The Stronghold is the focus both for the defence of an Obblinox settlement and the organisation of its resources. Its construction should be a priority for your Workers, followed by the establishment of a Mead Hall, so that additional Workers and Bikers will present themselves for hiring. Obblinox Heroes may also show up at the Mead Hall from time to time, depending on the scenario. To accommodate growth, Dormitories should also be built, one for every three Obblinox units, as well as additional housing, as resources permit, to accommodate new hires from the Mead Hall.

Next on the priority list are a Military Base, which allows the clan to train workers into more powerful military units, and the construction of a Garage, as it permits you to Train a Worker as an Engineer, provided you have a force of at least four Workers in play. After Researching at the Garage, and so long as your Stronghold is secure, an Engineer can build a Cathedral. When all three of these structures are complete, your clan has the option of focusing its time and resources in one of two directions, or of developing equally both aspects of military growth.

The more obvious direction is to add to your complement of warriors by Training Workers at the Military Base to become Veterans. With three Veterans and a Garage in play, one of the Veterans can be promoted to the rank of Captain. With the leadership that a Captain can provide your Obblinox community, an intelligence network can be established, with Workers Training at the Garage to acquire an Agent's necessary skills. More advanced arts of espionage can be Researched at a Military Base, after which one of at least four Agents can be sent to a Military Base to become a Spy.

Alternately, you can choose to encourage your community's investigation into the realm of magic. With both the Military Base and Cathedral in play the clan can begin to promote Workers into Sorcerers. When five Sorcerers are in play and Research has been conducted at the Cathedral, one of the Sorcerers can be trained to become a Warlock. Additional Research at the Cathedral will provide both the Sorcerer and Warlocks access to spell abilities. .

While concentrating on building your army, do not neglect other structures which may add to the success of your clan. An Engineer is vital for erecting Offensive Walls, and its presence also enables your troops to acquire the Stealth Bio-upgrade. With a Military Base in play, the Engineer can build Land Mines, and Research at a Garage enables the Engineer to build a Barge, or if a Truck is in play it may build a Cruiser. The common Worker is also useful for constructing the Walls which protect your community, as well as the Bridges and Roads which tie it together.