Of all the LLs mentioned in the recent potential leak, I’m most stoked for Ghark. Here’s hoping his own iron rhinox mount clocks in at 10,000 mass on the charge!
But what’s really interesting about his tribe are the relations with the Chorfs. I’d love for the Chorf resources system to be available for him, explicitly as a provider of labour & raw materials, in return for gold and armaments (which he would use to upgrade units, research, and build).
Several ways that the top layer could be implemented on an Ogre campaign. One way could be that periodically, he gets caravan escort options: select a route, and the LL is removed off the campaign map, assigned to a caravan. As the caravan makes stops, delayed from the usual 1 stop/turn (say three turns at a stop), Ghark’s army is released to wreck havok on the inhabitants of the stop. Raid, battle, sack, or raze for the option to amass labour or raw materials, that then are banked with the resting caravan, with several such stops on any given route.
Once the caravan completes, the total banked from the whole trip will be given to the Chorfs, who th then exchange gold/armaments as the payment for the escort duty. The LL is then returned to his lands, to resume sandbox play. Longer routes would mean your LL is away from the tribelands for up to 18-20 turns! A big trade-off to consider, whether the rewards are worth exposing the capitol.
Another aspect of the Ironskin tribe, is its myopic focus on ironworks and ogre elements of the army- gnoblars are disdained, to the point the tribe is renowned for exterminating these camp followers via the use of their titanic cannons ala punt guns. Gnoblars could have restricted recruitment for the tribe, and periodic gnoblar rebellions/infestations could trigger back in the tribe lands when the LL is out on caravan escort.
There’s a few ways to spin it, but Ghark should make for a natural co-op partner to a Chorf player in multiplayer campaigns, slinging resources at the Chorf and providing the super-heavy cav.