History Characters / AgeOfWondersPlanetfall

* DropTheHammer: The default melee weapon for Dvar Heroes and Commanders is the [[RocketPoweredWeapon Rocket Hammer]], while the Dvar variant of the Voidtech Echo Walker also wields a hammer as opposed to the blades of other Echo Walkers.

* DropTheHammer: Dvar Echo Walkers, rather than using void blades, take to the field with two-handed void ''hammers''.

* DropTheHammer: His default weapon is a rocket hammer.

* {{Vibroweapon}}: Shakarn sonics are not limited to ranged weaponry, as they also have "Reverbing Blades" for their Sleeper Agent combat summons and as an option for their Hero units, as well as the aforementioned "Omni Claws" for the Firebrand which are somehow both this and a LaserBlade at the same time.

* PyramidScheme: Their attempt at immortality through Essence-draining is condemned as one in the Siphoner's flavor text - there just isn't enough Essence for ''everyone'' to live forever, and to perpetuate the High Lords, the common worshipers must be drained to death.

* OurVampiresAreDifferent: Compared to the PyramidScheme of the Heritors, the Forgotten are essentially high-tech FeralVampires, mercilessly preying on each other for survival. The only form of essence they can feed on is something they call "the Rot", which is derived from corpses rather than living creatures.

* TheHero: Of the Vanguard campaign.

* BladeOnAStick: The main weapon of the Oathbound's T1 infantry, the Paladin Aspirant, is the volt pike -- a spade-like polearm [[BoomStick with an with arc blaster built into it]]. Oathbound heroes can also equip volt pikes. The Oathbound's T4, the Exemplar, carries an even bigger polearm called the ''Stormvolt Glaive''.

* BladeOnAStick: Amazon Echo Walkers wield void glaives, to go with [[HorseOfADifferentColor their Swift Beak mounts]].

* PteroSoarer: The Shrike and the Harrier share characteristics with Pterosaurs.

* LastChanceHitPoint: Indentured units under the influence of an Overseer's "Cerebral Override" ability are incapable of dropping below 1HP until the start of their next turn.

* ExperienceBooster: "Essence Discipline" increases the experience the Heritor hero earns based on the number of essence they possess before the end of battle.

* PlantPerson: They seem to be a collective group of both these and InsectoidAliens, but if you're picturing something like [[Film/GuardiansOfTheGalaxy Groot]] or ''ComicBook/SwampThing'' then you're very mistaken; see StarfishAliens below.

[[folder:Mahina Wateka]]
!!Matriarch Mahina Wateka
An Amazon Matriarch-in-training, and the default protagonist of the Amazon campaign.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Sappho Tori]]
!!Sappho Tori

[[folder:Selia Varju]]
!!Selia Varju

[[folder:Uljana Firpakko]]
!!Uljana Firpakko

[[folder:Zarai Loreg]]
!!Zarai Loreg
A follower of Empress Carminia who is helping Cekto Xa'To revive the ancient Kir'Ko hivemind.

* AmbiguouslyEvil: Is she genuinely trying to help the Kir'Ko, or is it all just a ploy to enslave them once again? The campaign never gives an explicit answer.
* TheAtoner: Claims that she's trying to make up for the countless ways in which humanity has wronged the Kir'Ko.
* TheCracker: Uses Synthesis technology to stop Gorodin from contacting Poz Tk'Nor.

!Assembly Commanders

[[folder:[=6R0XA=]-4]]
!![=6R0XA-4=]

[[folder:Azer Starg]]
!!Azer Starg
An Assembly Celestian who's gone into seclusion on [=Z17.P2-27.XXX.96=].

* TokenHeroicOrc: He's by far the nicest Assembly commander you meet in the game.

[[folder:Claudius Proton]]
!!Claudius Proton

[[folder:Ellen Shaw]]
!!Professor Ellen Shaw
An Assembly First, and the default protagonist of the Assembly campaign.

* PetTheDog: She has a few optional moments in her campaign, such as sparing a Vanguard scientist's life.
* WeUsedToBeFriends: Briefly dated Jack Gelder before the Cataclysm.

[[folder:[=L0G3N=]-1]]
!![=L0G3N=]-1
Ellen Shaw's second-in-command.

[[folder:Mephilas the Redeemer]]
!!Mephilas the Redeemer
A member of the Redeemer cult, who's formed a secret alliance with the Dvar Adamant Council.

* {{Hypocrite}}: Despite hating his condition, he's still quite happy to Reassemble still-living humans in pursuit of his goals. He justifies it by arguing that only First Generation Assembly are truly sentient.
* UnwillingRoboticisation: He's not happy about being Reassembled at all, and his ultimate goal is to find some way to escape the condition.

[[folder:[=S96AWN=]-83]]
!![=S96AWN=]-83

[[folder:[=T1ANN3=]-2]]
!![=T1ANN3=]-2

[[folder:Zetrodicus Stein]]
!!Zetrodicus Stein
An Assembly commander who leads the "Reassembly" process on Sorinus Alpha.
[[/folder]]

!Dvar Commanders

[[folder:Eljena Chirkov]]
!!Eljena Chirkov
A Dvar mercenary with an... unorthodox manner of speech.

* SpacePirates: Presumably.
* TalkLikeAPirate: Up to and including referring to her species as "the Dvarrr".

[[folder:Inessa Zhelezo]]
!!Inessa Zhelezo
Korvin Zhelezo's daughter, and the protagonist of the second Dvar campaign mission. A scientist that wants to cure the Dvar's dependence on their environmental suits by harnessing the Alpha Strain.

* BadPowersGoodPeople: The Xenoplague is a horrifying, mutagenic bioweapon, and its users are often placed in an antagonistic relationship to the player. Inessa, meanwhile, is nothing but nice to her people and foreign commanders, and takes as many precautions as possible with her experiments.
* JustThinkOfThePotential: She wants to free the Dvar from [[EnclosedExtraterrestrials their imprisonment in their exosuits]]; an understandable and sympathetic goal. She thinks she can use [[GeneticEngineeringIsTheNewNuke the Xenoplague]] to do it, though.
* ProfessorGuineaPig: She's initially tempted to run experiments with the Alpha Strain on her own body, but backs off and settles for a volunteer instead, acknowledging the needless risk of the Zhelezo director being killed or worse by the contagion.
** Played straight in the ''Star Kings'' DLC where she finally gets enough data to try her cure on herself. Unfortunately she is [[TerrifiedOfGerms terrified of direct sunlight, wind, bugs and dirt]], so she goes right back into her suit.
* TheProtagonist: Takes Korvin's place as director of the Zhelezo Consortium on Zemestian-4, with her father assuming her original position as NumberTwo.
* NumberTwo: To her father, Korvin Zelhezo, on Chimera Glacialis.
* SniperRifle: Starts the campaign with an imperial sniper rifle.

[[folder:Ivian Drimuz]]
!!Ivian Drimuz

[[folder:Jewal Gruvich]]
!!Jewal Gruvich

[[folder:Korvin Zhelezo]]
!!Korvin Zhelezo
Head of the Zhelezo Consortium, and the initial protagonist of the Dvar campaign.

* DropTheHammer: His default weapon is a rocket hammer.
* HonorBeforeReason: He's actually a bigger obstacle to forming an alliance with the Rassvet than Valodny is - most of the quest involves getting Korvin to acknowledge that honor has been satisfied after Valodny failed to protect Alexandra.
* TheLostLenore: He's still very much grieving over the death of his wife Alexandra.

[[folder:Nikael Gorodin]]
!!Nikael Gorodin
A Dvar Psynumbran working for CORE, who warns Poz Tk'Nor against resurrecting the Kir'Ko hivemind.

* AffablyEvil: Despite using Psynumbra and working for [[AIIsACrapshoot CORE]], he's quite easy to get along with on Xa'Kir'Ko, even if you try to resurrect the hivemind.
* ConfirmedBachelor: At least according to Stanizoid Zhelezo.
* PsychicPowers: Uses Psynumbra.

[[folder:Valodny Rassvet]]
!!Valodny Rassvet
Head of the Rassvet Consortium, and Korvin Zhelezo's brother-in-law.

* FailureToSaveMurder: This is the main reason relations between the Rassvet and Zhelezo Consortia have soured - Alexandra Rassvet, Korvin Zhelezo's wife, was assassinated while she was under the Rassvets' protection, and Korvin blames Valodny for her death as a result.
* TheRival: To Korvin Zhelezo.

[[folder:Yuriy Frankov]]
!!Yuriy Frankov
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Zhanna Tserber]]
!!Zhanna Tserber
A member of the Dvar Adamant Council.

* GovernmentConspiracy: She's part of one, which has been conspiring with Empress Carminia and the Redeemer Cult.

!Kir'ko Commanders

[[folder:Cekto Xa'To]]
!!Cekto Xa'To
Swarm Herald of the Kir'Ko Noz'Rix. She has allied herself with Empress Carminia in the hopes of using old Terratech technology to resurrect the ancient Kir'Ko hivemind.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Chax Uz'kol]]
!!Chax Uz'kol
Eva Montinga's right hand bug, who works for her in the belief that her experiments with the Xenoplague might be able to restore the lost Kir'Ko hivemind.

* NeverBeHurtAgain: He did ''not'' react well to learning the truth about Montinga.
* TheStarscream: He turns against Montinga after Ellen Shaw reveals Montinga's role in what happened to the Kir'Ko hive queens.

[[folder:Chin Til'Trz]]
!!Chin Til'Trz
Swarm Herald of the Kir'ko Ktalla and guardian of Emperor Tholian's tomb.

* LightIsGood: He works on behalf of BigGood Emperor Tholian and uses the Celestian secret technology.
* SlaveRevolt: Led one on Sorinus Alpha.

[[folder:Hatyl Ur'Uk]]
!!Hatyl Ur'Uk
A renowned Kir'ko Dream Reader who has gone into seclusion on the planet of Arcadia Caeleste.

* DarkIsNotEvil: As a [[spoiler: Heritor]].
* HermitGuru: He's considered to be one of the greatest Kir'ko Dream Readers, and traveled to Arcadia Caeleste to seek seclusion.
* MeaningfulRename: After [[spoiler: becoming a Heritor]], he changes his name to Hatyl Es'Ran, after [[spoiler: his Es'Teq symbiote]].
* TheMentor: To Poz Tk'Nor, if you choose to side with him on Arcadia Caeleste. Later, as Hatyl Es'Ran, he becomes one to Marlok Tenor.
* OldMaster: A powerful Celestian ([[spoiler: and later, Heritor]]).
* SymbioticPossession: [[spoiler: After he becomes a Heritor, both he and his Es'Teq symbiote are in equal control]].
* TokenHeroicOrc: As a [[spoiler: Heritor]].

[[folder:Jikuku Cos'Rax]]
!!Jikuku Cos'Rax
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Kiri Uz'Kol]]
!!Kiri Uz'Kol
A Kir'Ko commander working for Berhane Katla.

* TheDragon: To Berhane Katla.

[[folder:Poz Tk'Nor]]
!!Swarm Herald Poz Tk'Nor
Swarm Herald of the Kir'ko Terym, and default protagonist of the Kir'ko campaign.

* DarkIsNotEvil: He uses Psynumbra, but canonically chooses to make peace with humanity and is key to forming TheFederation.

[[folder:Roto Cos'Rax]]
!!Roto Cos'Rax
Jikuku Cos'Rax's cousin.

* SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute: If Jikuku dies during the campaign, Roto replaces him in future scenarios.

[[folder:Tik Ji'Glux]]
!!Tik Ji'Glux
A famous Kir'ko revolutionary who has settled on Arcadia Caeleste.

* KillItWithFire: As you might expect of a Promethean Kir'Ko, she wants to wreak as much damage on humans as they did on her kind, with flaming prejudice.
* RevengeBeforeReason: She really, really, ''really'' hates humans, and will stop at nothing for revenge against them.

[[folder:Tiri Cos'Rax]]
!!Tiri Cos'Rax
Jikuku Cos'Rax's other cousin.

* SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute: If both Jikuku and Roto die, Tiri replaces them.

[[folder:Toku Ch'Kha]]
!!Toku Ch'Kha

!Shakarn Commanders

[[folder:Chancellor Kor]]
!!Chancellor Kor
Ruler of the Shakarn.

* DespotismJustifiesTheMeans: Plans to [[spoiler: use the Alpha Strain to force total compliance in subjugated populations, starting with humanity.]]
* JustTheFirstCitizen: Goes by the title of "chancellor" despite ruling a totalitarian dictatorship.

[[folder:Huttar Merios]]
!!Huttar Merios

[[folder:Keska Lyze]]
!!Keska Lyze]]

[[folder:Naranga Od]]
!!General Naranga Od
The protagonist of the Invasions campaign, a Gama-caste commander who spent considerable time infiltrating the Star Union.

* ComplexityAddiction: At least, this is how her second-in-command sees her commitment to deceptive tactics.
* CrueltyIsTheOnlyOption: In the first mission. Like the other protagonists, she has an option between diplomacy and war. Unlike [[GrayAndGrayMorality other protagonists]], diplomacy is "ManipulativeBastard", and war is just plain bastard; [[TheFederation the Egalitarian League of Planets]] will suffer at her hands either way.
* DeepCoverAgent: Spent years in her cover identity as Sarah Hitchens.
* DefectorFromDecadence: She has the option to defect to either [[TheFederation the Egalitarian League of Planets]] or [[EldritchAbomination the Voidbringers]] in the second half of the campaign.
* EvenEvilHasStandards: When she sees [[spoiler: Chancellor Kor's plan to control the human population using the Alpha Strain]], she's clearly appalled.
* HeelFaceTurn: If she chooses to side with the ELOP.
* VillainProtagonist: Of the Invasions campaign.

[[folder:Nuska Hellflame]]
!!Nuska Hellflame

[[folder:Sprek Jatta]]
!!Sprek Jatta

[[folder:Tennets Blightclaw]]
!!Tennets Blightclaw

[[folder:Volrath Heckom]]
!!Volrath Heckom

!Syndicate Commanders

[[folder:Aron Ardelli]]
!!Aron Ardelli
The second Ardelli brother.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Dali Ardelli]]
!!Dali Ardelli
The youngest Ardelli brother, a musician whose compositions are inspired by Psynumbra.

* ChronicBackstabbingDisorder: Any alliance he forms with Mara is tenuous at best.
* CoolBike: Rides a hovercycle.
* FakingTheDead: His brothers faked his death after he disappeared.
* MadArtist: Again, he's a musician whose compositions are inspired by *Psynumbra*.
* TheRockStar: He definitely has the aesthetic down, if nothing else.
* WickedCultured: He's essentially a rock star [[Franchise/StarWars Sith Lord]].

[[folder:Femita Abaz]]
!!Femita Abaz
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Givori Ardelli]]
!!Givori Ardelli
The oldest Ardelli brother and the original mastermind behind the Psynumbra program.

* AmazingTechnicolorPopulation: Has purple skin.
* RedAndBlackAndEvilAllOver: Uses this color scheme.
* EvilSorcerer: He's a Syndicate Psynumbran and every bit as evil and psionically powerful as that combination would indicate.
* FauxAffablyEvil: He's extremely polite and respectful when first meeting Jack Gelder. He immediately goes on to explain how delighted he is to meet someone who will be a challenge to torture.
* GovernmentConspiracy: He belongs to the Fifth Order, [[spoiler: a conspiracy led by Empress Carminia]].
* TortureTechnician: He clearly takes great delight in mentally breaking people.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Malai of House Antares]]
!!Malai of House Antares
A Syndicate noble encountered by the Zhelezo Consortium on Chimera Glacialis.
----
* TokenHeroicOrc: House Antares as a whole seem to be one of the few Syndicate Houses with any real morals.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Marlok Tenor]]
!!Marlok Tenor
The default protagonist of the Heritor campaign. Marlok is the last scion of House Tenor, which was disgraced when Marlok's grandfather was framed for the plundering of the Syndicate's treasury. Disgraced and enslaved, Marlok befriended Hatyl Es'Ran, and after leading a successful slave revolt, joined him on his quest to begin the Es'Teq Regenesis.
----
* AmazingTechnicolorPopulation: Has blue skin.
* CodeName: Uses "Silver Sparrow" as a military codename.
* DarkMessiah: He's a liberator of slaves who [[spoiler: becomes the prophet of a reborn ancient religion]], but his methods can be very dark, and the extent to which [[spoiler: the Es'Teq religion]] is benevolent is debatable.
* FaceHeelTurn: If he chooses to [[spoiler: side with Rhamenses at the end of the Revelations campaign]].
* ItsPersonal: Declares this after learning that [[spoiler: Shae Mara]] was responsible for his house's disgrace.
* MadeASlave: Along with the rest of House Tenor.
* MeaningfulRename: To Marlok Es'Xito after [[spoiler: becoming the host of Xito Rhamenses]].
* RebelLeader: The leader of the Syndicate slave revolt.
* SymbioticPossession: With [[spoiler: Xito Rhamenses, a former Es'Teq Archpriest]].
* TokenHeroicOrc: For both the Syndicate and [[spoiler: the Heritors]], if he chooses to side with Hatyl Es'Ran at the end of the campaign.
* WhiteSheep: Compared to most Syndicate, Marlok is surprisingly progressive. [[spoiler: His mother outright commits suicide out of shame that he's fighting against slavery and willingly associating with a Kir'Ko]].

[[/folder]]

[[folder:Nyla Abaz]]
!!Nyla Abaz
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Rebas Suntoro]]
!!Rebas Suntoro
A Syndicate slaver operating on Xa'Kir'Ko.
----
* KilledOffForReal: Regardless of which path to victory you choose to pursue on Xa'Kir'Ko, you're going to have to kill him.
* KillItWithFire: Uses Promethean technology.
* HateSink: Compared to the other AI commanders on Xa'Kir'Ko, he's completely devoid of redeeming qualities.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Shae Mara]]
!!Shae Mara
The head of House Ny'dar, and the default protagonist of the Syndicate campaign.
----
* BigBad: Of the Heritor campaign.
* TheCracker: Uses Synthesis technology.
* ChronicBackstabbingDisorder: As usual for the Syndicate.
* VillainProtagonist: Of the Syndicate campaign. Even Ellen Shaw gets the occasional chance to PetTheDog, but Mara does basically nothing but constantly betray her allies and scheme for power.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Sina of House Timur]]
!!Sina of House Timur
A Syndicate noble who encounters Jack Gelder on Leave-6.
----
* ChronicBackstabbingDisorder: Claimed her position by betraying her uncle.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Taron of House Timur]]
!!Taron of House Timur
A Syndicate noble who succeeds Sina should she wind up dying on Leave-6.
----
* SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute: He's essentially the emergency backup Sina.
[[/folder]]

!Vanguard Commanders

[[folder:Adam [=McKinley=]]]
!!Adam [=McKinley=]
A Vanguard commander whose forces are trapped on Z17.P2-27.XXX.96.
----
* EyepatchOfPower
* HeroAntagonist: He's considerably more sympathetic than Shae Mara, and you're likely to wind up at war with him.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Aya Sashimoto]]
!!Aya Sashimoto
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Daiyu Jiang]]
!!Lieutenant Daiyu Jiang
An old friend of Jack Gelder's, serving under his command.
----
* BenevolentConspiracy: [[spoiler: She's part of New Horizon, Emperor Tholian's faction]].
* FakingTheDead: [[spoiler: She is supposedly assassinated on Leave-6, but in reality merely faked her death, and is encountered again in the next mission.]]
* HeroAntagonist: In the first mission of the Invasions campaign.
* TheLancer: To Jack Gelder.
* ReallySevenHundredYearsOld: [[spoiler: Her exact age is unclear, but she's at least several centuries old.]]
* WalkingSpoiler: In case the other entries didn't give it away - there's a lot more to her than is clear at first glance.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Eva Montinga]]
!!Eva Montinga
A Vanguard Xenoplague biologist who works for Empress Carminia.
----
* BlatantLies: Insisted that she had not lost control of the original Xenoplague project even after it killed her husband.
* EvilerThanThou: Compared to Ellen Shaw. Shaw works for a tyrannical AI intent on enslaving humanity, but between her loyalty to Carminia and her complete lack of any sort of medical ethics whatsoever, Montinga is even worse.
* MadScientist: Goes with the territory of working on the Xenoplague.
* PlagueMaster: Worked extensively on the Xenoplague.
* RivalTurnedEvil: She and Ellen Shaw were rivals during their school days.
* UnholyMatrimony: Her husband also worked on the Xenoplague project, and was just as loony as she is.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Frank Vance]]
!!Frank Vance
A Vanguard Celestian who tried to find shelter for his men on Thanakiwa, only to be beset by Berhane Katla's Xenoplague experiments.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Huy Jiang]]
!!Huy Jiang
Daiyu Jiang's nephew, one of the three Vanguard commanders who got involved in the fighting on Leave-6.
----
* KilledOffForReal: [[spoiler: Gets killed by Naranga Od's forces in the ''Invasions'' campaign]].
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Jack Gelder]]
!!Colonel Jack Gelder
Captain of the F.E.S. ''Frontier'', and default protagonist of the Vanguard campaign.
----
* ColonelBadass
** FourStarBadass: As of ''Revelations''.
* AFatherToHisMen: If he chooses to side with [[spoiler: Daiyu Jiang]] on Sorinus Alpha, he makes it clear that it's purely because of how long she's served under him.
* TheHero: Of the Vanguard campaign.
* {{Necromantic}}: Flirts with this on Sorinus Alpha, where he makes a few attempts to genuinely resurrect Ellen Shaw. [[spoiler: None of them work out.]]
* NobleBigot: He mentions that he has trouble trusting Kir'Ko, and apparently all Syndicate houses look the same to him. He's still implied to have been key to founding TheFederation.
* WeUsedToBeFriends: Dated Ellen Shaw briefly before the Cataclysm.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Michael Valentine]]
!!Michael Valentine
One of the three Vanguard commanders who got involved in the fighting on Leave-6.
----
* AgentPeacock: Despite his narcissism, he was an effective enough commander to hold his own in the three-way war on Leave-6.
* ColonelBadass: As of ''Revelations'', he's a colonel in the army of the [[TheFederation Egalitarian League of Planets]].
* TheDandy: So vain and narcissistic that Marlok actually has to bribe him with ''perfume''.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Nicole Crustus]]
!!Nicole Crustus
A Celestian Vanguard commander and friend of Hatyl Ur'Uk.
----
* MySpeciesDothProtestTooMuch: She's actively trying to make amends for the Star Union's FantasticRacism towards the Kir'ko.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Robin Booker]]
!!Robin Booker
[[/folder]]

!Other Characters

[[folder:CORE]]
!!CORE
The Conscientious Omnipresent Regency Engine is an artificial intelligence originally created to assist the emperors in managing the Star Union. In time, however, it became a powerful force in its own right.
----
* AIIsACrapshoot: Originally designed to assist the emperors in running the massive bureaucracy of the Star Union, it later started to get ideas of its own...
* BigBadDuumvirate: Forms one with Empress Carminia - his existence and actions are what led her to cause [[spoiler:the Cataclysm]].
* EvilChancellor: Despite only being intended to advise the emperors, CORE was effectively the truly ruler of the Star Union.
* TheEvilsOfFreeWill: Intends to do something about that.
* FunWithAcronyms: The Conscientious Omnipresent Regency Engine.
* UtopiaJustifiesTheMeans: At least to the Celestian leaders in the CORE faction.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Emperor Tholian]]
!!Emperor Tholian
Born Thomas Lianhouse, Emperor Tholian was the emperor prior to Carminia.
----
* BenevolentConspiracy: He was the founder and leader of New Horizon, a GovernmentConspiracy aimed at liberating the Star Union from CORE's control.
* BigGood: Founded New Horizon, and is strongly implied to be the behind-the-scenes leader of the neutral faction in the final free-for-all. ''Revelations'' confirms that he's now the First Minister of the [[TheFederation Egalitarian League of Planets]].
* HeroAntagonist: In the Invasions campaign.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Empress Carminia]]
!!Empress Carminia
The last ruler of the Star Union, whose reign ended with the Cataclysm.
----
* BigBadDuumvirate: Forms one with [=CORE=] - [[spoiler:whilst she ''caused'' the Cataclysm in the first place, she did so to prevent CORE from dominating humanity's future]].
* UnreliableNarrator: She provides the intro voiceover, telling the player about the Cataclysm and warning them to not repeat the mistakes of the old Star Union. [[spoiler: She ''caused'' the Cataclysm in the first place.]]
* UtopiaJustifiesTheMeans: In her faction's case, Utopia justifies the large-scale use of Psynumbra and Xenoplague technology as well as using the more gullible Kir'ko leaders as pawns.
* WellIntentionedExtremist: A charitable interpretation of her actions would be that she [[spoiler: triggered the Cataclysm (killing trillions)]] to stop CORE from gaining full control of humanity's future.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Mah Reg'nib]]
!!Mah Reg'nib
A strangely likable man of diminutive stature.
----

* [[DomesticatedDinosaurs Domesticated Dinosaurs and Pterosaurs]]: Biologically grown Tyrannodon and the alien Shrike and Harrier.

* EarthlyBarefootCharacter: The Amazons use their advanced technology to live in harmony with nature, and their heroes and infantry walk around barefoot.

* {{Prospector}}: Like the Dwarves in ''Age of Wonders 3'', the Dvar's basic scout unit is the Prospector. The Prospector has the ability to prospect sectors on the world map to gain extra production and occasionally energy or research, giving Dvar an early boost to their economy. In battle, they can toss bombs to stagger foes and use the ability Eat Dust to refresh their movement and inflict Blind to adjacent hexes.
* RammingAlwaysWorks: The Dvar love ramming so much that they built an aircraft called [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin the Ramjet]] with a reinforced fuselage specifically so that they could ram things with it. Their Excavator tank also sports a massive, high-powered ram too, and come the ''Triceratops'' patch, the Dvar have finally figured out how to augment both vehicles' ramming capabilities with explosive power.

* DoesNotLikeShoes: Their Heroes/Commanders and non-Secret Tech infantry walk around bare foot.

* AdaptiveAbility: One major bonus Assembly players have is they never have downtime for switching out mods on their units. Their technology is plug-and-play and you can re-equip a force to match a specific enemy rapidly.

* AppendageAssimilation: Assembly Scavengers can leech health from enemy biological, mechanical or cyborg units by performing a melee attack, and their flavor text notes that this is achieved by amputating the limbs or tearing scrap metal off their enemies to replace damaged parts. Assembly Commanders and Heroes can also acquire this capability through skill upgrades, and they can upgrade Scavengers, Wreckers and any melee units that have claw-type attacks with the "Hyper Assimilation Implants" mod that grants or further improves this trait.
* TheApunkalypse: They share this trope with the Spacers NPC group. Mowhawks, spiky shoulder pads, leather jackets and "chopper" motorcycles as hero vehicles are all common sights within the Assembly. The main difference is that these guys look more like the ''villains'' of a heavy metal album cover.

* TheAssimilator: Though it's not universal, mainstream Assembly are motivated by a desire to conquer and "[[UnwillingRoboticization reassemble]]" everyone else.
* BackFromTheDead: The Wrecker can self-reassemble in a few turns and come back to life to fight a second time after their first death in each battle unless their corpse is destroyed. The Assembly can also research the late-tier mod Reassembly Module which can be given to all mechanical and cyborg units, including the Wrecker, which grants regeneration and Resurgence, a trait that resurrects a dead unit after combat if its owner won the battle, provided once again that its corpse isn't destroyed.
* {{BFG}}: The Vorpal Sniper and Electrocutioner carry fairly large guns, but their T3 artillery unit, the Disassembler, takes the cake, being a human who has had his lower half replaced with a massive weapon consisting of a gatling cannon and nanite shell launcher carried by four [[SpiderPeople spider-like]] legs.

* TheUsualAdversaries: Until the Shakarn upstaged them in ''Invasions,'' the Assembly were the default bad guys of the setting, almost always hostile (with the exception of one Celestian Assembly commander) and intent on consuming the galaxy for spare parts.

* {{Expy}}: Of the Draconians from ''VideoGame/AgeOfWonders 2'' and ''[[VideoGame/AgeOfWonders3 3]]'', another nonhuman race with a long history of enslavement and prejudice, whose military is composed of a HiveCasteSystem, and whose young are available as [[WeaponizedOffspring a unit]] that can eventually morph into more advanced creatures.

* EldritchAbomination: The Herald of Oblivion, a powerful psionic creature capable of [[GoMadFromTheRevelation driving enemy units into a panic by showing them a vision of the abyss]]. Its flavor text even shows it being summoned into the physical world by a HumanSacrifice.

* HumanSacrifice: The Herald of Oblivion, their ultimate unit, can only be temporarily created on the battlefield by sacrificing a unit (this gives a good chance to panic nearby enemies) or permanetly by producing them at a colony which eats ''three'' population units.

* ArtificialAnimalPeople: The Therians were once humans before they were experimented on with animal DNA and became animal-human hybrids. They were used in experiments to cure diseases and create superior beings until their first test subject, known as "The Deer," exposed the horrible truth of the experiments. Since the shutdown of these horrid projects, they occupied many planets as refugees, belonging to neither human nor animals and are no longer welcome in society, yet remain positive on life.

** The Refractor and the Hero/Commander-only Glaukos vehicles have a potentially devastating secondary "flow" attack that requires them to gather up to two 'ebb' with their main attack, gaining more damage and a wider area of effect for each stack of ebb.

* EnemyScan: While not as extensive as the Amazon version, the Shakarn are also capable of applying a scan-like debuff to enemies through one of their early mods or an [=AoE=] ability belonging to their one dedicated naval unit and their own version of the Synthesis Hacker.

* HoverBike: Shakarn Heroes and Commanders with the Piloting Skill can use the Glaukos, a vehicle that somewhat resembles the Syndicate's own HoverBike and is armed with a chargeable sonic ebb-and-flow weapon.

* TheRemnant: Halfway through their second campaign mission. [[spoiler: The Voidbringers end up wiping out their homeworlds while their entire military is focused on the invasion. The invasion fleet is all that is left of their empire at that point.]]

*** Shakarn Heroes and Commanders can also equip the Tactician's sono-fins to gain the first two abilities, and/or unlock the third one as a skill at a very high level.

* KineticWeaponsAreJustBetter: Despite having {{Energy Weapon}}s and existing in a setting where even more exotic tech is widespread, the Vanguard make extensive use of conventional firearms. The fact that they can load their guns with elemental ammo due to mods helps.

* ProudMerchantRaceGuy: Of the scheming, slaving, corrupt variety... usually. There's a few nice-ish ones (like House Antares) mixed in, but their play style necessitates at least a little abuse of their Indentured soldiers.

* TheSymbiote: The basis of the Xenoplague is the Alpha Strain parasite.

* NiceHat: They have both berets and ushankas.