ChCh-t

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The ChCh-t in Deadlock II: Shrine Wars

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

## Advantages

* Population grows quickly.
* Housing holds twice the amount of colonists.
* Faster Unit production.
* Units move faster in combat.
* Have better Aircraft.
* Scouts can Steal Resources

## Disadvantages

* Poor research.
* Weak Infantry and Artillery units.
* Collect fewer taxes.

## Description

> *From "DEADLOCK: PLANETARY CONQUEST PART II: COLONY LEADER’S GUIDEBOOK" - p.8-9*
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All ChCh-t hatch with instinctive knowledge for a specific profession. Since most ChCh-t only live between six to nine years, putting a young ChCh-t immediately to work is very important. Usually there is little trouble for a young ChCh-t to find a place for itself; once it comprehends its instinct the hatchlet has five intense weeks of training. Its expertise matures and the hatchlet begins its life work. All work is for the hive and the divine glory of the Mother Queen.

Reproduction is handled by the Mother Queen and her Lesser Queens, so the ChCh-t have no gender. These Queens hatch several hundred ChCh-t at a time. Thus ChCh-t grow very quickly, often overpopulating planets. This ability makes them notorious planet grabbers as the Re'Lu and Humans lost several worlds to them when the ChCh-t were part of the Quadra Alliance. ChCh-t planets are once again threatened with overpopulation. Gallius IV would be a prime world for them to settle on.

Day to day government affairs are handled by the Hive Imperius, who oversees the progress of the drones. Several hatchlets are always born that have potential to become the Hive Imperius. Each of these hatchlets, or administrators, are evaluated for the task. The most intelligent hatchlet is given the title Hive Imperius. All the other administrators immediately become the Hive Imperius's advisors.

Other ChCh-t are also born with special abilities. ChCh-t Scouts are keenly adept at stealing resources. They steal in packs of drones that carry off large amounts of anything quickly. They do this by placing a bundle of resources on their backs and wrapping their strong stinger tails over the bundle. They then scurry to their hives where the resources are immediately put to use in the frantic ChCh-t economy.

ChCh-t society is very fast paced. They waste little time on words, devoting most of their time to work. Production is so rapid that ChCh-t manufacture military units faster than other colonies. Their frenetic culture has also entered their unit designs in combat. All ChCh-t units move quicker than most other races' units. This is an advantage that will serve the ChCh-t well on Gallius IV.

However, even the busy ChCh-t must eventually slow down and relax. They have great passion for a dangerous sport called stingboxing. Matches are set up between five warriors that have their stinger tails dipped in a numbing poison. Each warrior fights for itself, but with five in the ring eventually two must gang up on one. Culture Centers are always packed when a stingboxing tournament begins.

This race was first discovered by the Cyth. The ChCh-t had not developed space travel yet; they had not even developed astronomy! The Cyth were eager to have the ChCh-t join them in space (Cyth scientists wanted to meet their Mother Queen), so they gave the ChCh-t space travel before they were ready to understand this technology. Because of this the ChCh-t lack some technical ability and are somewhat slow at researching new technologies.

When ChCh-t reach the age of six, they are evaluated for participation in the Dance of Devouring. If any ChCh-t are found weakened mentally or physically, they are asked to dance. Invitation is a huge honor, as it is a celebration of these ChCh-ts' lives. The infirm ChCh-t are brought before the Queen and begin to dance around her as quickly as they can. Soon the ChCh-t tire and the Queen eats them whole. These complex proteins give the Queen the needed nutrients for more hatchlets and several hundred ChCh-t are often born after a Dance of Devouring. Because of this the ChCh-t do not believe in death. They feel their essence -- knowledge and personality -- is passed on to the next group of hatchlets. Although ChCh-t have no recollection of past lives, their quick training lays much credence to this belief.

## History

> *From "DEADLOCK: PLANETARY CONQUEST PART II: COLONY LEADER’S GUIDEBOOK" - p.9*
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The ChCh-t evolved on JkNd-d, a semi-arid planet in the KlKl-p system. Possibly this race never would have developed space travel, but the Cyth were so fascinated with the ChCh-t Queens that they introduced them to hyperjump technology. Within a few years crude ChCh-t starships were leaving their solar system. Many accidents happened on the first ChCh-t space flights. Eventually the ChCh-t caught on and became the space faring race they now are.

Ancient ChCh-t civilization follows the development of the ChCh-t soldier. It is theorized that the Queen first developed a dim sentience when she organized soldiers to defend her hive. These soldiers eventually inherited a level of self-determination themselves. Soldiers began to toss stones at each other in battle, with this weapon came a diversification of labor. Drones were devoted to breaking apart stones and producing food, while the soldiers did all the fighting.

Clearly ancient Queens exerted a sort of natural psionic control over the soldiers and drones. This control grew difficult for the Queen to maintain as the ChCh-t soldiers became more intelligent with each hatching. There is some archeological evidence pointing to mass murders committed by a Queen to maintain her dominance. Apparently if a group gained too much independence from her they would all be plunged to their deaths. This, of course, weakened a Queen's power, and frequently these foolish Queens were conquered by rival hordes. These rival hives had more intelligent ChCh-t that were often lead by a Hive Imperius.

Eventually the ChCh-t exoskeleton became thick enough to shield out virtually all Queen psionic control. Today the ChCh-t do not have any psionic powers. However this past ability fascinated the Cyth scientists, who landed on JkNd-d to study the ChCh-t and their Mother Queen. Several Cyth secretly crept into the regal hive, hoping they could get a tissue sample from the Mother Queen. Her reaction was brief. When the ChCht drones were able to pull the impaled scientists from her massive stinger tail, most of them had stopped twitching. ChCh-t leaders were afraid of a Cyth reprisal, but the last gasping Cyth scientist was clearly filled with joy and peace. The Cyth Veil Lords merely transmitted a message commending them on their impressive Queen.

## External Links

* Gameplay of the ChCh-t Campaign by Madcowe

## Gallery

Sketch of the ChCh-tChCh-t as seen in Deadlock: Planetary Conquest.ChCh-t as seen in Deadlock: Planetary Conquest.ChCh-t as seen in Deadlock: Planetary Conquest (with the in game border portrait).ChCh-t in the selection screen in Deadlock: Planetary Conquest.ChCh-t as seen in Deadlock II: Shrine Wars.ChCh-t as seen in Deadlock II: Shrine Wars.ChCh-t as seen in Deadlock II: Shrine Wars.A ChCh-t worker as seen in the campaign screen in Deadlock II: Shrine WarsA ChCh-t Air Unit proposed for the game. Not used in the final release.A ChCh-t Ground Unit proposed to the game. Though it wasn't used in the final release, it seems to have inspired some of the units in it.A ChCh-t Water Unit proposed to the game. Not used in the final release but helped to inspire some of the units in it.A proposed ChCh't Colony Ship. The whole concept of colony ships was not included in the final game.