History VideoGame / HomeworldDesertsOfKharak

** The game has a small DLC application called the Deserts of Kharak Expedition Guide that features loads of backstory content and other small features, like a vehicle viewer and map of the expedition route. Its archives include a timeline and has extremely deep dives into the past of each of the kiithid, revealing much about the history of Kharak.

* FragileSpeedster: Gaalsien units are very fast and maneuverable but lack the durability and raw firepower of Coalition units.

** To complicate matters, Aerospace craft are (naturally) extremely weak to AA, but 'fighters' excel against other aerospace fighters and surface strikecraft (especially ranged units), whilst bombers can inflict absolutely ruinous amounts of damage to cruisers and carriers. The Coalition even has access to what is essentially an [=AC-130=] gunship; armed with [[GatlingGood multiple high-caliber rotary cannons]], it's capable of denying an area to strikecraft for extended periods.

* OutGrownSuchSillySuperstitions: Central to the game's conflicts are between those who wish to abandon religious prohibitions on spaceflight in an attempt to escape a [[JustBeforeTheEnd dying planet]] and those who fear breaking the prohibitions will invite wrath from the heavens to smite them all. Only unknown to those who want to shake off the religious dogma, [[AllMythsAreTrue the "superstition" is true]] and breaking it ''will'' [[TheExtremistWasRight bring total annihilation upon Kharak]].

** The Coalition is a ''Balanced'' faction with bias towards ''Brute Force'', relying on [[MightyGlacier heavily armored units]] and deploy-able turrets to gain map control and take the battle to the enemies. But most of their units are also slow, meaning that the Coalition player has to fully commit their forces in order to make any significant plays. the Soban subfaction dials this up by adding copious amounts of heavy firepower to their units in the form of ''more railguns''. Even their Carrier exchanges its standard point defense turrets for small-caliber railguns.

** The reasons for [[spoiler: the ''Sakala'' betraying you and forming essentially a third faction]] are never really explained in the game, but if you've read the clan histories about the Heresy Wars you probably saw it coming from the first time they talk to you and reveal they still believe Kiith Siidim's old biases.

* TheAlliance: The Northern Coalition, also known as the Kiithid of the North.

* ApocalypseHow: The Kushun people suffered a Planetary Societal Collapse and Continental Species Extinction after [[spoiler:Khar-Toba, the first city, became uninhabitable due to the intense desertification at the equator]] leading the survivors to migrate north to the more temperate zones. This caused them to regress back the the Feudal age and lose all record of their race's history. This will eventually upgrade to a Planetary Species Extinction as the entire planet becomes uninhabitable.
* ArchaeologicalArmsRace: Central premise of the game. You are leading a military expedition into hostile territory to salvage an ancient starship wreck in order to save your civilization. Standing in your way is an army that is also intent on salvaging the wrecks and stopping you in your tracks. Also, the reason the Gaalsien have more advanced military technology then the Northern Coalition is because they have already been salvaging the wrecks in the desert for some time.
* AttackDrone: The Gaalsien LAV is unmanned, as are their Salvagers.

** A small group of Railgun/Heavy Railgun ''will'' melt any non-strikecraft ground units without even being seen if they have high ground bonus and line of sight. Good placement of them can easily lock down one-third of most multiplayer maps.
** Coalition AAV is a dead-simple tank for clearing out strikecrafts in early game. Yet its smokescreen ability is ''very'' useful for blocking firing lines of enemy weapons (especially ranged-class units), and preventing a lot of potential damage on more critical units like Salvagers or Battlecruisers.

* TheClan: Dives more in depth into kiithid politics than the other games. Fortunately the Expedition Guide explains a lot of the backstory for each (relevant) kiith.

* CrapsackWorld: Desertification has rendered most of the planet uninhabitable, and is spreading rapidly. Water rationing is a fact of life. Furthermore all attempts to escape, reverse, halt, or even delay this is met by hostility and war from religious fanatics - or the militant scavengers that prey on them.

* {{Determinator}}: Rachel S'Jet is going to find her brother and reach the Jaraci Object no matter what. The fact that she has to cross thousands of miles of hostile desert and fight off a high-tech army of fanatics in the process does not deter her.

* DoomedByCanon: If you played the original ''Homeworld'', then you already know what will happen to Kharak. [[spoiler:And, though it's become mangled in legend and religious myth, the Gaalsien ''also'' know exactly what will happen if the Kiith unite and return to space.]]

* EasyLogistics: Like many RealTimeStrategy games, logistics issues are [[GameplayAndStorySegregation narrative rather than mechanical]]. Once resources are processed at an appropriate vehicle, they are immediately available at any production point, and there is no cap on storage of them. However, as a plot-point in the story keeping the expedition supplied is important, and one mission is focused around securing a suitable landing zone to allow areal transports to deliver more fuel and water while the ''Kapisi'' and ''Sakala'' are deep in enemy-controlled territory.
* FantasticRacism: Mashad uses the word 'Griitadim' to refer to the Gaalsien, which roughly translates as "sand people" (with the connotation of racial inferiority, which the Sidiim use toward any non-Sidiim). It's essentially an ancient slur, and the first clue for a player who read the backstory that their ally is not entirely righteous.

* ForeverWar: The backstory's "Heresy Wars" lasted some ''three-hundred'' years (520-820 KDS; the game takes place in 1110 KDS), and were largely fought between the Sidiim and Gaalsien over the reasons why the Gods had placed the Kiith on such an inhospitable planet. As it turns out, the Gaalsien were closer to the truth.
* ForWantOfANail: The Coalition space program's history is a series of these, as detailed in the Expedition Guide.

* InterfaceScrew: When sandstorm is in effect, your tactical overlay will starts to fizzle.
* IWillFindYou: Rachel is also motivated by a desire to locate her missing brother, Jacob, who vanished in an earlier expedition to the Primary Anomaly. [[spoiler:She finds him dead in the Taiidan carrier wreck; his DyingMomentOfAwesome was triggering the KillSat to wipe a Gaalsien shipbreaker fleet before they can scavenge the Khar-Toba.]]

* MalevolentMaskedMen: Gaalsian commanders wear face concealing armored masks.

* RetCon: While the backstory for the original games does mention some conflict with Kiith Gaalsien and other religious groups over the return to space, the running battles between them and the Coalition over the Khar-Toba, let alone the presence of other spacewrecks on Kharak are conspicuously absent from any prior sources. Additionally, the (dubiously canon) manual for ''Cataclysm'' mentions the Kushan used to hunt large, dinosaur-like creatures on Kharak, while the ''Expedition Guide'' states that the largest native life-forms are no more than knee-height to a human, which is much more realistic for a desert planet with limited biomass.

** See also; Leykab Jaraci. Attempting to wrangle an out-of-control deep space radar satellite, his investigations of the satellite's recorders found that it had repeatedly scanned the great deserts with its radar arrays as it tumbled - and had thus discovered what would become the Jaraci Object: [[spoiler:the buried hyperspace core of the Khar-Toba and the ancient city surrounding it.]]

** To complicate matters, Aerospace craft are (naturally) extremely weak to AA, but 'fighters' excel against other aerospace fighters and surface strikecraft, whilst bombers can inflict absolutely ruinous amounts of damage to cruisers and carriers. The Coalition even has access to what is essentially an [=AC-130=] gunship; armed with [[GatlingGood multiple high-caliber rotary cannons]], it's capable of denying an area to strikecraft for extended periods.
* TankGoodness: Many, many examples.

* ZergRush: Sandskimmers. Sandskimmers. Sandskimmers. Usually this is what Gaalsien vs Gaalsien multiplayer matches will devolve into, due to the Gaalsien having no reliable anti-strikecraft units early on.

* CurbStompBattle: Once you get sufficient cruisers built/hacked and on your side, you can quickly curb stomp most anything that comes in your way, [[spoiler:including the ''Sakala'' and the Gaalsien flagship.]]

* KillSat: Appears to be the case in [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AbXYmmsARe8&feature=youtu.be&t=1m10s 'The Transmission' trailer]]. [[spoiler: It in fact exists, put there by the Taiidan and triggered by Jacob S'jet from the [[DyingMomentOfAwesome wreck of the Taiidan carrier]], before he dies of exposure. Rachel S'jet, for the final battle, manages to get control of it and can use it against the Gaalsien flagship.]]

* BaseOnWheels: The Northern Coalition has massive carriers as their main production and resupply base, which looks visually like an aircraft carrier on tracks (and acts as one, having aerospace craft capabilities). It serves the purpose similar to Motherships in previous ''Homeworld'' games. The Gaalsien carriers, by comparison, are hovering. Which might technically make them AirborneAircraftCarriers.

* TheExtremistWasRight: See DoomedByCanon above. They've got several important details entirely wrong, but Gaalsien are ''absolutely right'' about the fact that reverse-engineering the LostTechnology from the wrecked spaceships will have terrible consequences.

* WellIntentionedExtremist: Kiith Gaalsien believes that their actions are necessary to prevent Kharak's destruction and are morally justified. [[spoiler:Anybody who has played the original ''Homeworld'' knows they are correct in this belief, though they have a few of the details wrong]].

* AceCustom: Rachel S'Jet's custom Baserunner. It lacks the ability to deploy weapon turrets like the standard Baserunner but to make up for it it is able to deploy Shipbreaker Mines, hack Gaalsien vehicles to your side, fire EMP blasts and repair other units. It is also significantly tougher and has a more powerful weapon, though it's still definitely more of a support vehicle rather than a straight-up war machine.

** The Coalition is a ''Balanced'' faction with bias towards ''Brute Force'', relying on [[MightyGlacier heavily armored units]] and deploy-able turrets to gain map control and take the battle to the enemies. But most of their units are also slow, meaning that the Coalition player has to fully commit their forces in order to make any significant plays.
** The Gaalsien is a ''Spammer'' faction with slight ''Generalist'' attributes, employing quite a number of [[GlassCannon hard-hitting units]] that are also highly mobile. Some of their late-game units can be upgraded to defend itself from its counters to a level. Their production base are split up into multiple units, allowing the Gaalsien to maintain offense on multiple fronts at once. However, [[FragileSpeedster most of their vehicle lacked armor]], enforcing hit-and-run tactics.

** The game has a small DLC application called the Deserts of Kharak Expedition Guide that features loads of backstory content and other small features, like a vehicle viewer and map of the expedition route.

* ApocalypseCult: The Gaalsien are this whether they realize it or not; if they get their way, all the kiith perish when the desert takes over the planet. They actually ''think'' they're the opposite of this; their religion states that the path the coalition is on will lead to the end of the world (this is actually true), and the loss of the temperate zones means nothing to a culture already thriving in the deep desert.

* BaseOnWheels: The Northern Coalition has massive carriers as their main production and resupply base, which looks visually like an aircraft carrier on tracks. It serves the purpose similar to Motherships in previous ''Homeworld'' games. The Gaalsien also have ones that hovers, but lacked ability to produces certain units on their own.

** Support Cruisers have amazing versatility, espcially in groups. They only get better when leveled up by being very hard to kill, able to repair even faster, have effective anti-air abilitys, huge sensor range, and being able to harass light resistance.

* CanonWelding: The Expedition Guide integrates most of ''Cataclysm's'' lore additions into the backstory.

* TheClan: Dives more in depth into kiithid politics than the other games.

* CrapsackWorld: Desertification has rendered most of the planet uninhabitable, and is spreading rapidly. Water rationing is a fact of life. Furthermore all attempts to escape, reverse, halt, or even delay this is met by hostility and war from religious fanatics.

** [[spoiler: Worse yet, other ships were found perfectly intact underground, leading to the theory that what ships didn't crash land accidentally hyper-spaced into the planet's surface, [[BuriedAlive leaving the crew trapped]].]]

* FantasticRacism: Mashad uses the word 'Griitadim' to refer to the Gaalsien, which roughly translates as "sand people" (with the connotation of racial inferiority, which the sidiim used toward any non-sidiim). It's essentially an ancient slur, and the first clue for a player who read the backstory that their ally is not entirely righteous.

* GreaterScopeVillain: While the Kiith Gaalsien play the role of main antagonist, they're motivated by a creed [[http://i.imgur.com/MBE42aL.png which looks awfully]] [[http://i.imgur.com/7yxmLB0.png similar to the]] BigBad [[VideoGame/{{Homeworld}} of another game]]. [[spoiler: They take the Taiidan Empire's hyperspace treaty VERY seriously.]]

* HoverTank: A Gaalsien specialty. It it hovers, it is one of theirs, it moves on wheels or threads its a Coalition vehicle (though they eventually get the hovering Assault Cruiser late in the game).

* [[EarthThatUsedToBeBetter Kharak That Used To Be Better]]: Kharak used to have a lot more habitable territory and farmland. Things have went downhill in the last couple of generations.

* MilitaryMashupMachine: Carriers are land battleship / aircraft carrier hybrids that are capable of constructing their own support force. Cruisers / Battlecruisers are more straight forward examples of land battleships.

* PointDefenseless: Averted by the carriers. Both faction's are heavily armed, and armored. They're quite capable of defending themselves...or even attacking. But they function as a [[KeystoneArmy Keystone]], so using them in combat is a very risky gamble.

* RedAndBlackAndEvilAllOver: The Gaalsien are the main antagonists of the game and their units tend to have a black and red color scheme.
* RetCon: While the backstory for the original games does mention some conflict with Kiith Gaalsien and other religious groups over the return to space, the running battles between them and the Coalition over the Khar-Toba, let alone the presence of other spacewrecks on Kharak are conspicuously absent from any prior sources. Additionally, the (dubiously canon) manual for ''Cataclysm'' mentions the Kushan used to hunt large, dinosaur-like creatures on Kharak, while the ''Expedition Guide'' states that none of the planet's native lifeforms are much bigger than rats, which is much more realistic for a desert planet with limited biomass.

* SingleBiomePlanet: Averted. Most of Kharak is a desert, but there is ice on its poles and narrow temperate regions around those (this is where most of the Kushan people live.)

* SpannerInTheWorks: Jacob S'jet. Without whom, the coalition would never have been able to reach the primary anomaly. [[spoiler:He prevents the Gaalsien from getting to it, and gives the Kapisi a powerful weapon to defeat the Gaalsien.]]

** Captain Mashad says that the Sidiim were the first to recognize the Gaalsien as a threat to the coalition, advocating for what amounted to [[GenocideDilemma ethnically cleansing them.]] The coalition clearly declined such extreme measures, but as Mashad notes, the Gaalsien became so strong they couldn't even try if they wanted to.

* UnusuallyUninterestingSight: A fairly subtle one: when the expedition examines the starships that the hyperspace core caused to be stranded, they would presumably find remains of their crews inside. You'd think they would find it remarkable that they appear to be the same species as the Exiles, but it is never commented upon.

* EasyLogistics: Like many RealTimeStrategy games, logistics issues are [[GameplayAndStorySegregation narrative rather than mechanical]]. Once resources are processed at an appropriate vehicle, they are immediately available at any production point, and there is no cap on storage of them. However, as a plot-point in the story keeping the expedition supplied is important, and one mission is focused around securing a suitable landing zone to allow areal transports to deliver more fuel and water while the ''Kepisi'' and ''Sakala'' are deep in enemy-controlled territory.

* HoverTank: A Gaalsien specialty. It it hovers, it is one of theirs, it moves on wheels or threads its a Coalition vehicle.

* GreaterScopeVillain: While the Kiith Gaalsien play the role of main antagonist, they're motivated by a creed [[http://i.imgur.com/MBE42aL.png which looks awfully]] [[http://i.imgur.com/7yxmLB0.png familiar to the]] BigBad [[VideoGame/{{Homeworld}} of another game]]. [[spoiler: They take the Taiidan Empire's hyperspace treaty VERY seriously.]]

* DerelictGraveyard: [[spoiler: Turns out Kharak is this. Several starship wrecks can be found across the kharakian deserts. This is implied to be due to the influence of the hyperspace core from the Khar-Toba, which generates a heavy amount of interference in ships capable of hyperspace travel, and sends them crashing against Kharak's surface. Knowing what the Kushan where like before their exile, it's entirely likely that the Khar-Toba was deliberately set up to do this out of spite.]]

* DerelictGraveyard: [[spoiler: Turns out Kharak is this. Several starship wrecks can be found across the kharakian deserts. This is implied to be due to the influence of the hyperspace core from the Khar-Toba, which generates a heavy amount of interference in ships capable of hyperspace travel, and sends them crashing against Kharak's surface]]

* CallARabbitASmeerp: Riiti, the only other non-native life form on Kharak besides [[HumansByAnotherName the Kushan]] and a few strains of bacteria, while never shown, are implied in the Expedition Guide to be rats.