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Tusken raider

Battlefront 1

 

Tusken Raiders, less formally referred to as Sand People or simply as Tuskens, were a culture of nomadic, primitive sentients indigenous to Tatooine, where they were often hostile to local settlers. The term Sand People was given to them due to their existence in the desert, but the more formal name of Tusken Raiders was acquired due to a period of attacks on the settlement at Fort Tusken. Although this name is often used as a common term for the race, it actually refers only to the participants of the attack on the settlement.

It is thought that tusken_gaderffiiTuskens and Jawas shared common ancestry in the Kumumgah, who were taken off world by the Infinite Empire to work as slaves on other planets. In fact, the Sand People were one of the slave races used in construction of the Star Forge by the Rakatans. Since the Kumumgah were considered a possible origin species for Humanity, it is possible that Tuskens and Humans shared ancestry. According to history as passed down through Storytellers, the evolution of the Tusken Raiders could be traced back to the Kumumgah, a technologically advanced race that once built great cities all over the then lush world of Tatooine. Over millennia, the Kumumgah achieved space travel among the worlds of the Outer Rim and beyond, attracting the attention of the Rakatan Infinite Empire, who conquered, enslaved, and annexed Tatooine. The Kumumgah rose up against their Rakatan masters, but were punished by orbital bombardment and left for dead. The bombardment slagged the surface of Tatooine into little more than fused glass, which eventually crumbled into desert sand. The Kumumgah, however, had anticipated such an act, and survived by taking refuge in caves across the planet, surviving the demolition, and later on repopulating the deserted surface.

Although Tusken garb varied from tribe to tribe, certain aspects of dress remained constant. Practical survival was the first priority in terrain like this, and to protect themselves, the Sand People learned early in their existence to cover themselves from head to foot in desert-colored rags and robes, leaving no bare skin exposed to the elements. tusken_féfiakThe eyes of Sand People were covered with goggles or visors which shielded them from the harsh sunlight. Below the eyes two pipes protruded from the mask, most likely to facilitate breathing. Female Tuskens wore variations tusken_nők és gyerekekupon the male Tusken garb (though in some tribes, males and females wore the same), often incorporating womp rat tusks into their attire. Tusken children wore unisex masks; gender-specific coverings were not allowed until after they became adults. In the culture of the Tuskens, to expose any part of the flesh was forbidden and seen as a disgrace. Tuskens were forbidden to take off their protective clothing in front of others, except in a few very specific circumstances: at childbirth, on their wedding night and during coming-of-age rituals (two events which were often one and the same), and as adults, only in the privacy of their tents with their blood-bound mates. Breaking this rule meant either banishment or death, depending on the specific tribe rules.

The Tuskens were divided into small tribes or clans, and roamed widely across the desert surface of Tatooine, but the focus of their habitation-patterns seems to have been the Jundland Wastes, the one major area massiffof rocky upland that rose clear of the shifting sands: in particular, the traditional sandstorm-season encampments of many clans were concentrated area known as the The Needles. The camps were guarded by tusken males, and often massiff guard animals. Occasionaly the different clans went to war over territory and even united under a powerful warlord, or a tusken_chieftainchieftain. (A Chieftain can be seen is the game KotOR1, and this special tusken chieftain is from the TOR.) His outfit were different, even his gaderffii was greater, representing a kind of symbol of power of the ruler. They raided widely through both the Jundland Wastes and the Dune Sea, however, and any creatures, particularly offworlders, were subject to their savage attacks. They attacked the caravans, too, and even entered the villages, raiding the houses of the settlers. The tuskens even tried to destroy one or two podraces during the Boonta Eve contest, seeking to get some valuable parts of the podraces. tusken_lövészekThey make a brief cameo in Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace taking pot shots at the Pod Race drivers. Traveling on trained banthas, raiding parties would swiftly appear from the desert, riding in single line to conceal their numbers, and then disappear back into the cover of the dunes with trophies and prisoners. Due to their lack of advanced technology, their primitive society and viciousness, they were considered barbaric monsters by most of the galactic populace. A unique bond existed in Tusken culture between the riders and their banths, and when a bantha died, the rider was often left behind to wander the desert alone. They held that if the fallen bantha's spirit wished for the rider to find a new bantha, it would be so. If not, the rider would die amongst Tatooine's endless dunes. The bond worked both ways, as accounts have been told of riderless banthas intentionally stampeding over cliffs.

Sand People tusken_gaderffi and a sniper riflemanwere recognizable by their fierce gaderffii weapons. It was their basic weapon, so their used it as a primary attack utility, often bashing the opponents head into pieces. This was not a proof of their barbaric ways, they fought like this. The gaderffii was so integral to their culture that Tuskens would often commit ritual suicide in the event that an injury made them unable to properly wield the weapon. While rejecting most examples of modern technology, long-barreled Tusken Cycler rifles and stoves made of scavenged or stolen metal were not uncommon.

Anakin anakin_gyertek_buckalakokSkywalker became a legend after he slaughtered a tribe of Sand people out of revenge for killing Shmi Skywalker Lars. He was depicted as a vengeful ghost or desert demon, and the Tuskens made ritual sacrifices to ward him off, putting stolen artwork, and other valuables, even Human sacrifices, such as Kitster Banai, in the place where the tribe was murdered.

Tusken Raiders first appear in luke leütveStar Wars Episode IV: A New Hope when a pack of them attack Luke Skywalker in the Jundland Wastes and knock him unconscious. Sand People fire upon podracers during the Boonta Eve Classic in The Phantom Menace. They make an another appearance in the Star Wars universe in anakin_kezeben_hal_meg_anyukajaStar Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones, set 22 years before A New Hope; in this film, they have kidnapped Anakin Skywalker's mother, Shmi, and Anakin slaughters the entire tribe, including the women and children. Sand people appear in the game world, too. Almost all of my listed main menus we can play against Tuskens. To name some, but not all:

In Kotor 1, they were engaged in warfare with the settlers, raids which were among the factors that forced Czerka Corporation to abandon their attempts to operate Tatooine as a mining world.

In the game The Phantom Menace, Qui Gon Jinn and Padme Amidala as the handmaid of the Queen are attacked by sand people while entering Mos Espa.

Tuskens appear in Star Wars: Jedi Knight series too, mostly in the Tatooine levels.

In the PC game Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds and its expansion pack Clone Campaigns, there is a hidden camp over in the far right corner of the first mission, under the fog of war. I often convert them into my army, it is really funny to control tusken snipers, mounted bantha tuskens, women, and even children.

Also, in the tutorial mission in Force Commander, while searching the escape pod, tusken raiders attack the imperial troops in the desert.

And of course, the Battlefront series. They live on Tatooine, they are in the middle of the fight between the tusken tábor a battlefrontbanimperials and the rebels. It is interesting, because they are protecting their village, they fight against both fractions, so they are neutral. Yet, they can have a large effect on the mission. Since their camp is closer to the back rebel command post, they often attack that post with large forces, which can play the hands of the imperials. They cannot be defeated, they respawn continuously in their camp. I went into their camp, they just born, and born again, it is never ending. The camp is on a small hill, and even a sarlaccpit is in front of it. The sarlacc often kills our men, so beware when approaching its pit! We can see several rifle tuskens at this level, very similar, that I introduced in this article with my custom figures. They are rather variations, then customs, they do not need big work.

 

Custom tusken raider variation figures


 

Custom tusken raider village diorama


Custom Battlefront scene


 

Thank you for your interest, visit us again, as CustomStarWars is expecting you with many other custom figures, and interesting stories!

 

written by: Norbert Rostas 2012. 07. 09. (the figure was made years before)

 

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