KODA Works traces its history back to 1987 and a small machine shop in the town of Katch just outside of the Rach capital Shominh, a place known as the Gunwerks. There, the legendary engineer Shar Taupin began designing firearms that some considered the ultimate expression of the art. Taupin's weapons quickly gained a reputation as durable, heavy-duty and reliable, the very reputation all KODA Works products enjoy today. After the death of Taupin in 2003, Sumata Khan annexed the small company for the Rach Empire, and it was renamed Taupin Works in honor of its founder. The small machine shop's production output was vastly expanded, and a new focus on the design and production of all types of weapons systems was undertaken. Several years of dramatic growth saw the expansion of Taupin Works into the Rach Empire's largest defense contractor. In 2178, the Grand Council of the Empire sold Taupin Works to the partnership of Kang-Okanza-Diensh Associates in an attempt to raise hard currency during the Vela Wars (2176 - 2183). Taupin Works was renamed KODA Works, and during the remaining war years KODA Works supplied and developed armaments of all types to the Rach Empire. KODA Works organized itself as a UCOR in 2184, but the company revoked its own charter in 2229 during an investor-led coup. After the attempted takeover was put down, the board of directors adopted sweeping changes to the UCOR's bylaws and rechartered KODA Works as a new UCOR. KODA Works embraced its new codes of operation and became a role model to all UCOR's chartered in the Rach Empire. Today KODA Works is a galaxy leader in providing transportation, mining, armaments, and starships. It is the reputation of KODA Works' products for design simplicity and ease of maintenance that makes them the devices of choice in the vast majority of the galaxy. KODA Works has rarely become directly involved in a conflict, although its forces see more than the usual UCOR's share of battles. As part of a UCOR chartered by the Rach Empire, the KODA Works military is often called up to play a large role in the empire's aggressive operations throughout the galaxy. In fact, KODA Works soldiers played a large part in the Vela Wars, which pitted the Rach Empire against the newfound Terrans. In the Pictor War, KODA Works forces fought alone, without the support of the larger Rach military. They distinguished themselves by their tempered savagery on the field of battle. They were slow to engage in a skirmish, but once the battle was met, they refused to leave the field until only one side was left standing. Due to the solid, durable nature of the KODA Works ordnance, the KODA warriors were the victors far more often than not.