The Ghar live only for battle and conquest, expending their entire energies on war and enslaving other human species they defeat. This savage race is descended from genetically adapted slave soldiers, though when or why they were created is a mystery: it is a long time since their creators disappeared from the Antares Nexus. The Ghar themselves have little interest in such matters.
They rule over a sizeable empire that borders the Algoryn Prosperate, with whom they have been at war for many centuries. Neither the Panhuman Concord nor Isorian Shard have ever taken much interest in the Ghar, possibly because Ghar culture is relatively primitive. Ghar worlds are heavily shielded against nano-based technologies.
The Ghar themselves are repulsive creatures with hunched torsos, bulging guts and what look to be spindly arms and bow legs – but they are rarely seen out of their huge, armoured battle suits. Though bulky and lacking the clean or organice aesthetic the IMTel nations might consider attractive, the battlesuit’s appearance reflects its brutish strength and a tremendous resilience to damage: they are feared throughout the determinate.
Rumours that there is a Freeborn house that deals with the Ghar are constantly dismissed, other houses pointing out that the Ghar would kill panhumans on sight.
See Rulebook, p.238ff. Free Online Army Lists are available from this central Nexus article.
Given the names of Karg 12-40-9, Fartok, Shaltok and others, we have an explanation of Ghar hatchery numbers and names.
A variant of the Ghar Empire, the Ghar Exiles, can be found in The Dronescourge Returns. They use many of the same armour and equipment as the Empire Ghar, but are often more motivated, in fear of both the Ghar Empire and Fartok’s Outcast Rebels. An overview of their nature and capabilities can be found the article Datafile: Ghar Exiles.
Military – On the Table
The Ghar are tough, using as many armoured battle suits as they can deploy. However, they also use Outcasts, which they drive before their armies with brutal, Outcast command squads.
There is a useful article on Ghar and Rebel weapons.
Tactical
Tactical Command Squad – Ghar Battle & Assault Squads – Outcast Command – Outcasts – Outcast Weapon Team with Disruptor Cannon
Support
Command Crawler – Bomber Squad – Attack Scutters –
Strategic
Not yet available: Dropper –
Auxiliary
Flitters – Tectorists – Munitions Scutter – Wrecker –
Characters
Karg 12-40-9, High Commander – Fartok, Leader of Battle Group Nine, Unarmoured –
Weapon Sprues (in store)
How do the Ghar Empire play?
The Ghar are one of the messiest armies around, simply because of the number of rule exceptions they bring: Plasma Reactors (which might explode on a lucky hit and wipe out a squad) to Outcasts (who are vulnerable) to the Distort Dice (which forces units Down) and to the battle suited squads, everything is different.
In play, the core Ghar suits are pretty tough, but not invincible. Their scourer cannons can put out a lot of firepower at close range, but it is their variety of disruptor bombs and weapons that others find are the most deadly threat. These are able to put lots of pins on units and damage equipment (drones and probes) but have short range. It is only at the higher points costs or by using special command figures that the Ghar are able to bring long-range threats.
Ghar are normally outnumbered in order dice and the heavy squads are expensive in points and can be pinned or negated by good or accurate long-range fire. As a result, the Ghar player typically needs to get in fast and hard.
Visually, the Ghar look brutal and bulky, even intimidating. In general, they win big or lose terribly, so are not suited to players who like control or who are tentative or defensive in outlook on-table, but they are also one of the most fun to play.
