Hands of The Harbringer

## Gameplay

~~HOTH is an enemy faction that is unplayable for the player. The player will be facing them during their tour of duty in the 5th Marine Expeditionary Unit.~~

HOTH is the main antagonist faction of the Fifth and is currently planned to be the next purchasable faction to apply for, as stated by PsychoTripod, the leader of HOTH.

## Origin

### Insurrectionist Era

During the first few years of the Insurrectionist Risings, the man merely known as 'Harbringer' was accumulating his manpower across areas of the Outer Colonies. Fringe worlds were a favorite of the HOTH recruitment due to them being lackluster in both well-being and political stability. Through the majority of the Insurrectionist-UNSC war, HOTH had maintained a silent rise in power as the two factions fought over the Outer Colonies. Just as HOTH was at the peek of their militaristic power, the Covenant had found humanity and begun its merciless purge.

#### Human-Covenant War

HOTH, like the rest of humanity, were at no means safe from the Covenant threat. With limited space combat capability, many HOTH controlled systems easily fell under the wrath of the Covenant's ruthless glassing. Had it not been for multiple UNSC interventions via space-faring battlegroups, HOTH would have easily been non-existent. On the ground however, Covenant forces would be met with legions of HOTH Combatants as well as Tri-Walkers. With both the pool of devoted fighters and powerful support vehicles combined with aggressive tactics employed by HOTH Commanders, Covenant invasion forces would find themselves both outgunned and outnumbered.

### Post-War Era

After the Covenant threat had been eliminated by the UNSC, HOTH rose to power and began to execute more notable acts of aggression. Outer Colonies that had survived the Covenant incursion were easy prey for HOTH to annex. Proving as a potential threat to the Inner Colonies, the UNSC began mobilizing it's forces to fight both the Insurrectionist and HOTH on two fronts. HOTH had also began expanding unknown space, bringing them into contact with the Covenant Remnants and multiple Marine Expeditionary Units.

## Tactics

### Ground Combat

The Hands of The Harbringer, or commonly known as HOTH, tend to use drastic measures of indoctrination to bring followers into their fold. This consists of but is not limited to extensive drug use, kidnappings at a young age, or major propaganda. During combat HOTH implements use of quantity over quality tactics. Most HOTH combatants wield little armament and armor but can easily overwhelm un-prepared positions if in the right numbers. Use of heavy vehicles such as Tri-Walkers or recovered UNSC Scorpion tanks are common. Courtesy of HOTH's primary chemical provider, code-named 'Cloud Breather', HOTH brings forth multiple forms of lethal chemicals to be used on the field.

#### Space Combat

Unlike the Insurrection, HOTH lacks significant ship-to-ship combat vessels. Being limited to a few stolen/recovered *Paris*-class Frigates, HOTH's true naval strength lies in boarding parties. Under the cover of their limited direct combat vessels, HOTH generally loads their thousands of troops into recovered Pelicans or modified mining vessels to board the ship without its crew realizing such actions had occurred before it was too late.

## Notable Figures

- *Harbringer*

- *Blasted Hand 'Tobias'*

- *Blasted Hand 'Deicide'*

- *Blasted Hand 'Judas'*

- *Cloud Breather*

## Relations

### United Nations Space Command

HOTH's primary opponent in their expansion for the Harbringer. Despised and hated by those loyal to the Harbringer, UNSC forces that survive the Harbringers foul campaign will most likely be tortured and eventually killed should they be captured. Yeah, we just don't like the Government.

### The Insurrectionist

HOTH's relation with the Insurrection is moderate at best. If made contact with, they'll generally begin shooting at each other wildly until one or the other dies.However, if UNSC were to drop into the middle of a HOTH-Insurrectionist firefight, the latter two will form a temporary alliance to eliminate the common enemy. Yeah, these guys are pretty chill.

### Covenant Remnants

Being the ones who had previously caused HOTH harm and the glassings of their planets, the Harbringer and his men don't have any jolly relations with the Remnant. Burn and purge these beasts! Glory to the Harbringer! Yeah, we have Xenophobia.

### Mutants

*"DEAR GOD, IT'S GETTING INSIDE OF MY SPLEEN!"*

Yeah, we're scared of these sods... They're worse than Ryan Besaw (Who is a corrupt ODST and admin that no one likes.)

## Active HOTH Battalions

*Harbringer's Blade*

*25th Feral Punishers*

--(More bein added~)--