Model Write-Up #21 - Gaza Clan Mandalorians

"The Gaza Clan Mandalorians were the oldest of the clans still in significant power. They had achieved this not through superiority, as they were not the conquering type; rather, their adaptability and much more technologically advanced weaponry, compared to the other clans, allowed them to modernise, and remain in tune with the times. Their very first leader, Trakus Gaza, was the son of a Mandalorian Neo-Crusader who lived two and a half thousand years before the Battle of Yavin. His father had been an expert mechanic, and had built many of the weapons the Neo-Crusaders had used. Trakus did not inherit his father's conquering tendencies, but did take in his technological genius, and developed revolutionary technology which attracted other Mandalorian mechanics and engineers towards him. Thus, Gaza Clan was born, but it was a long road to establish itself as a key one.

Gaza Clan may have maintained their edge with their advanced ships and weaponry, but they were not conquerors and thus most of their land was gained through diplomacy and negotiation. Most other clans throughout Gaza's time in power saw this as "un-Mandalorian", and many attempted to conquer and subsume Gaza Clan into their own. Their attitude meant Gaza could never rise to the might of Victus Clan, the second oldest Mandalorian clan still active, as whilst Victus expanded on an almost constant basis, Gaza's expansion was slow and methodical. They lacked the manpower and respect commanded by Victus, and so it was only their ability to defend themselves against almost any attacker and sheer technological superiority which really prevented them from being defeated by other Clans sooner. Terroid Gaza, the present leader, was accused of not even being Mandalorian upon taking the role as Clan Leader - his mother was a Twi'lek, although the Mandalorian genes were dominant and so anyone not aware of his background would have no idea he was not pure Mandalorian. The leader of a smaller clan ousted him, however, and it was believed that Victus Clan would respond by declaring war on Gaza. Instead, Victus Clan's leader, Maladan Victus, challenged Terroid to a one-on-one duel. Terroid was losing, but not badly - he had stood his ground despite his lesser training to Maladan, and the Victus Clan leader declared that any man capable of standing his ground was worthy of being in brotherhood with Mandalorians, pure or not. Maladan's word being treated with the respect it is, attitudes towards Gaza Clan began to change, a fledgling friendship between Terroid and Maladan formed. This friendship was tested when Gaza Clan was called to join with Mandalore the Crusader in their war. When the Hyperspace Malfunction occurred, Gaza Clan adapted to the situation by repairing their ships with wreckage from other clans and had the strongest intact fleet by the time all losses were counted. They worked with Victus Clan initially, but eventually struck out to join Nidas Fett. It is unknown to what extent Victus and Gaza are now rival clans again - they have avoided confrontation, but one false move could throw both clans into all-out war..."

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