The enterprising group is all about the profit
Variety is the spice of life, and in the upcoming Dune: Spice Wars Early Access, there will be various factions vying for control of the all-precious spice. Having already seen both House Atreides and House Harkonnen, it is time to learn more about the profit-driven Smugglers that are hoping to make their mark in Dune: Spice Wars.
Who Are The Smugglers?
As with any high-yield market, the spice trade attracts all kinds of enterprising individuals. Those who want to avoid the reach of CHOAM turn to smugglers to acquire the precious substance, making them a major underground economic power in the Imperium.
The smugglers manage their own territory, with an armed force and some political influence. Their agents have their hands in the dealings of every planet, influencing public policies and trade everywhere.
After all, the ultimate goal of the Smugglers is to one day reach a state where their family will rise to become a Landsraad house in their own right.
Esmar Tuek
Having been in the trade for many years, Esmar Tuek is the most respected Smuggler among his peers on Arrakis. At the outset of the spice war between the major houses, the smugglers have banded together under his leadership to defend their interests on the planet.
Esmar is a skillful spymaster, with ties to the Fremen, the Spacing Guild, and the Landsraad houses. He knows when to be tough with his employees and always respects a contract. His men are loyal to his gold, but also to his cunning business acumen.
Smugglers Councillors in Dune: Spice Wars
Esmar Tuek has formed a reliable crew. All of his advisers’ loyalty has been tested time and time again through years of criminal operations. They are all dependable professionals who know their craft inside out.
Drisq manages the network of spies as the quartermaster, responsible for all the logistics of the smuggling operations. Staben Tuek, Esmar’s son, is well versed in the political landscape of Arrakis, and uses his deep pockets to influence the council in favorable ways. Bannerjee is the head of security, leading his crews with a firm hand and watching out for the most dangerous individuals of the criminal underworld. Lastly, Lingar Bewt specializes in the water trade, giving him much authority in the Pan and Graben villages.
Smugglers General Gameplay
Starting near the polar region, the smugglers are likely to encounter the other factions early. This plays well with their unique capacity to infiltrate their opponents’ villages, profiting from their infrastructure and increasing their reach on Arrakis. It also puts them at an advantage to benefit from the trade of polar waters.
Smugglers are specialists in optimizing their economic outcomes. Parasitizing the development of their neighbours, embedding their underworld into the smallest furrows of their productions, they are renowned for their rapid and meticulous looting of even the smallest wealth of Arrakis.
Smugglers Unique Units
The Smugglers are experts at focusing on vulnerable, easy prey and extracting as much as they can. On the battlefield, they take some time to heat up. Their units reduce the supply of their targets throughout fights, and benefit from starving units, making them the best faction for long-lasting battles in neutral territories. They also excel at surprising armies returning home from a tough fight.
These unique units include:
- Scavengers, opportunist killers who’ll do anything for an easy buck. They prefer to attack weak, starving units with their sharpened blades. Their strength increases when their target supplies diminish.
- Wreckers use chemical weapons to reduce the supply of enemies in their area of attack, which makes them the perfect harassing unit, allowing their allies to comfortably loot the spoils.
- Snipers, deadly marksmen with modified sniper rifles, have the longest attack range on Arrakis. Factoring in their camouflage, they are adept at finishing fleeing units.
- Free Company are the most-famous assassins and bounty hunters in the Imperium, equipped with dual swords and impressive stealth gear. Their versatility comes mainly from their ability to mimic the skills of their targets during fights.
- The combat drone is a strong, extremely agile mechanical unit conceived for autonomous fighting, to support the Smuggler troops.
Dune: Spice Wars is set to launch later in the year on Steam Early Access.
