Boarlike and Porcupinesque alien warriors were discovered long ago by humans using rough 10th century technology to fight wars on their home world, and soon were uplifted and spread across the galaxy with humans, although in much smaller numbers.
Biology
Hochog are slightly shorter than humans, but much thicker (but tending towards muscle rather than fat). They have a tusked porcine head, which is topped with a mo-hawk of short spines that trail down their neck and cover their back. Their skin is usually thick and dark brown, with small rough patches of constantly shedding fur. In the past their fur used to cover the entirety of their body and be incredibly fine and smooth, but over the generations of nuclear bombardment (using nukes purchased from humans) on their home world and the subsequent radiation slowly poisoned them, and modern Hochog have still not recovered. Roughly half of all Hochog children die at childbirth due to mutation or complications, and life expectancy (when not factoring in violent deaths) is often rarely past 45 years old.
There is very little sexual dimophism in Hochog, and as such it is nearly impossible for humans not very familiar with Hochog to differentiate, leading to many embarrassing situations. Hochog reproduction system is very similar to humans, aside from the fact Hochog give birth to litters of 4-8 (of which 50% survive now) and as such Hochhog have 4 pairs of nipples down their chest and stomach. These children reach adulthood in around 12 years old, but can often be found fighting on the front line when 7 or 8.
Society and Psychology
Hochog are surprisingly cheerful and good natured beings for entities of such violence. They are boisterous, brawling, joking, violent creatures, and will fight and kill among themselves when their more ritualized struggles fail to settle a point, but Hochog do not hate the beings they kill and never feel remorse. A Hochog can trigger the viral extermination of all life on a planet, and then retire for the night and sleep untroubled, as long as the action seemed most effective for the advancement of themselves and their pack. Many Hochog prefer Gunnery and Projectile weapons as their personal favorites, and despite their space faring nature, their back spines make it very hard for them to wear exosuits without a great deal of discomfort.
The one thing Hochog hate however, is sadism and cruelty, to the point the find it physically sickening. They will kill enemies in any way, but torture and infliction of needless pain is viewed as incipient insanity, and beings that inflict such pain are often "put down" by friendly Hochog concerned for their well being.
It is this very characteristic that means many Hochog coming to conquer a planet have been welcomed as liberators by a people under tyrannical rule. Hochog conquerors may kill all rebels without a moments hesitation, but they will ensure a populace is fed and taken care of as long as they work diligently and obey orders. Hochog spare non-combatants, and usually leave enough supplies when raiding that the natives can survive.
Most Hochog live in mobile packs, usually made of 50-200 members spread across 2-6 ships, who travel around the sector working as mercenaries, pirates, raiders and security guards all in one. Utterly pragmatic (and usually lacking in technical skills) Hochog will fight on the side of whoever pays them the most, be it credits, technology or repairs to their often patchwork technology.
Playing as a Hochog
First of all, you must be at least level 2 and must be a Warrior. To play as a Hochog you must also have a +1 or better in Str and Dex, and a -1 or worse in Int or Wis. Additionally you cannot put any skill points into Science, Bureaucracy, Computers, History or any Culture. Last you are at a -1 to all skills and to hit rolls while in a Vac-Suit, Power Armour or Assault Suit due to your spines. Under no circumstances may you ever develop any Psychic powers.
Instead of a Training Package and Background, you gain the following skills at the following levels:
- Culture Hochog +1
- Combat Projectile +1
- Combat Unarmed
- Combat Gunnery
- Tactics
- Athletics
- Combat Any
- Vehicle Any
Your Class skills are the following:
- Athletics
- Combat Any
- Perception
- Stealth
- Tactics
- Survival
- Vehicle Any (Must choose one on character creation)
For being a Hochog you gain the ability to use Heavy Machine Guns without a brace at no penalty, and also suffer no penalty for firing a Rocket Launcher at a human or smaller target. Whenever you put on non-exosuit armor, your back spines pierce through the back and increase its AC by 1 for any non-Hochhog unless it is repaired. Additionally, when you are attacked in melee from behind, you may make a free attack against the with Combat Primitive, dealing 1d6 damage.