Tarth

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The Tarth in Deadlock II: Shrine Wars

**Tarth** is one of 7 playable Races in *Deadlock: Planetary Conquest* and *Deadlock II: Shrine Wars*.

## Advantages

* Strongest Military
* Infantry has Juggernaut order.
* Produces more Food than other races.

## Disadvantages

* Have weak Naval Units
* Terrible Spies.

## Description

> *From "DEADLOCK: PLANETARY CONQUEST PART II: COLONY LEADER’S GUIDEBOOK" p. 19-20*
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War has always been the drumbeat of Tarth life. Their giant tanks, impressive fortifications, and devastating infantry have plowed through opposition time and time again. Tarth soldiers are also all strong brutes that have high endurance. Their grasp is strong enough to turn rocks into sand. They also enjoy using this technique on enemy soldiers' limbs. Tarth infantry tote rifles that are three times the size of normal guns. This gives them a strong advantage on any battlefield. This warlike tendency has spread to their concept of the universe. All Tarth believe that the more planets they control, the stronger they will be. Gallius IV would be a very strong addition to the vast Tarth empire.

The Tarth are always fond of crushing and smashing things, they particularly like large buildings. Destroying buildings is a combat discipline, so all Tarth infantry may do a special juggernaut attack. These infantry units get double their attack and defensive strength. They also move twice as fast as a normal infantry unit. Unfortunately some of the Tarth cannot get out of the way from the falling debris, so each successful hit causes a few injuries among the troops. Once they slam into the building enough times it bursts apart. Juggernaut units fill the air with loud roars of rage, making them extremely terrifying. The sight of a mass of Tarth muscle running and screaming towards a settlement often fills the defenders with tremendous fear.

One aspect of war at which the Tarth do not excel at is spying. While other races' Scouts dig small holes or hide behind trees, the Tarth are just too big to hide behind anything. Frequently Tarth Scouts are caught, often trying to disguise themselves as large rocks. Occasionally a Tarth Scout will succeed in spying, but this is so rare that the Tarth Scout is made a hero by the ruling Ubergeneral.

Tarth ships are poorly designed. They are so heavy that they frequently fill with water after taking a small amount of damage. Thus, most Tarth hate sea duty, but they will dutifully travel over oceans when ordered to do so by their Ubergeneral.

Who controls the government is also decided through combat might. An Ubergeneral has to earn the right to rule a colony. When a new settlement is established, all eligible and willing Tarth take part in a battle for leadership. Combatants fight each other in vicious battles. There are no rules. The last Tarth left standing becomes the Ubergeneral.

But not all Tarth innovation is geared towards warfare. Tarth farmers are the most impressive in the galaxy, as they produce more food than any other race. Since Tarth physiology makes it impossible for them to go for long periods without food, their scientists have pursued agricultural studies above everything else. Tarth farms raise much more food than any other race. Once the Tarth build Hydroponic Farms and Food Replicators, their food production really skyrockets, giving them a bountiful harvest time and time again. This works well with Tarth military needs, as this always ensures that their soldiers are healthy, happy, and very strong.

## History

> *From "DEADLOCK: PLANETARY CONQUEST PART II: COLONY LEADER’S GUIDEBOOK" p. 20-21*
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The Tarth home planet is the most inhospitable sphere that any known sentient species has ever evolved upon. Korga is huge, roughly one third the size of the Sol system's giant planet, Jupiter. Gravity is at a near crushing level and life on the surface took a long time to develop. Only large behemoths could survive here. In order to hold themselves upright the Tarth developed a large frame with three times the muscle development of any other beings in the galaxy. To this day the Tarth do not really stand upright. Their long front arms can also be used as legs.

The Tarth have a great affinity for food. Their main diet is the bitter fruits found all over their homeworld, particularly the extremely sour Azarga berry. Tarth civilization began in earnest when bands of four footed Tarth planted Azarga berries in large patches, creating an agrarian society. They would eat from these patches until the Azarga berry bushes died. They would next migrate to a new place, gathering seeds along the way to prepare for the next time they would settle down.

Modern Tarth society was founded by a warrior turned astronomer named Guh. Guh was a huge brute, a fit soldier in the swelling ranks of a powerful band. However a tragedy was dealt to Guh. As he was running down a particularly large mountain to a attack a rival band, he tripped over a rock. Rolling down the steep incline he ended up impaled through his back on a five pronged spear. Presumed dead, his soldiers rallied over his death and, fortunately for Guh, beat back their enemies. Darkness fell and the severely wounded Guh woke up. Unable to move, he sadly felt that his time on Korga was soon over. Since he had no other choice he looked up at the heavens, admiring the seven beautiful moons that floated above him. As he watched Tunt, a small multi-colored moon, he saw a volcano erupt. Intrigued, he squinted his eyes to look closer at the moon. He then saw what he thought were small clouds moving across its surface. Guh decided he needed to see more. He got back his desire to survive. With extreme will power, he pulled himself loose from the spear and crawled into a ruined Azarga berry field, munching on the crushed berries.

Guh became a hermit. Over a period of several years and many failed attempts, he at last created a crude telescope. To his amazement, the moon Tunt was actually a living world. He started investigating other moons and found that another moon, Nunt, looked like it could also support life. (This was later proved wrong.) Excitedly, the partially maimed Guh limped back to his fellow warriors.

Moon watching became the major pursuit of many Tarth. Better seeing devices were made and more of the details on Tunt were discovered. The Tarth felt that they should be able to travel up to Tunt and plant Azarga berries there. A prominent land baron, Itoth, decided that he would conquer Tunt once and for all. He financed a group of moonwatchers to build an immense catapult. He thought that if one threw a Tarth far enough into the sky he would pass through the falling point, where a thrown Tarth would start to fall in the other direction towards the moon. His moonwatchers designed this catapult; it was a device rumored to be over seven hundred meters tall. Unfortunately the moonwatchers could not agree as to who should get thrown to Tunt, so all five ended up on the catapult. The cord was cut and the five Tarth shot up into the air about fifty meters before descending into a dead heap on the rocks below. Conventional Tarth wisdom from then on stated that "Wise moonwatchers take turns."

Within a few hundred years they were in space roaming far and wide over the galaxy. Eventually they met the Cyth and helped form the Quadra Alliance. The Tarth even established a colony on their moon, Tunt. The capital of the Tunt colony, Guh, has a giant statue carved in the likeness of their hero. Guh is shown, impaled on a spear, looking up through a telescope at the heavens.

## Gallery

**The Tarth in Deadlock: Planetary Conquest**