As an emerging field, a fully comprehensive relationship between composition, microstructure, processing, and properties is not yet completely developed. Therefore, there is a lot of ongoing research in this field to better understand this system and its ability to scale to implementation in extreme environment applications. A multitude of factors contribute to the elevated mechanical properties in CCC. Notably, the complex microstructure and particular processing parameters enables these systems to display improved properties such as higher hardness. A plausible reason as to why CCCs may exhibit even higher hardness than traditional UHTCs may be due to the integration of various transition metals of different sizes in the CCC high-entropy lattice, rather than just a single repeating element of the same size in the metallic sites. Plastic deformation in materials is due to the movement of dislocations. Generally speaking, increased movement of dislocations throughout the lattice leads to deformation, while inhibition of dislocation motion leads to less deformation and a harder material. In ceramics, dislocation motion is extremely limited due to more constraints in the ceramic bonding structure, which explains their higher hardness over metals. Since the CCC structure has a wider variety of elemental sizes, it will become even more difficult for any dislocations to move in these systems, increasing the strain energy needed to move dislocations. This phenomena may explain the further improved hardness that is observed. In addition to the direct effects that the microstructure has on enhancing properties, optimizing processing parameters for CCCs is crucial. For instance, powders may be processed using high energy ball milling (HEBM) which relies on the principle of mechanical alloying. Mechanical alloying balances competing mechanisms of deformation and recovery, including micro-forging, cold welding, and fracturing. With the proper balance achieved, this processing step yields a refined and homogeneous powder, which subsequently facilitates proper densification of the final part and desirable mechanical properties. Incomplete densification or an unacceptable fraction of voids diminishes the overall mechanical properties, as it would lead to premature failure. To conclude, high-entropy UHTCs or CCCs are extremely promising candidates for applications in extreme environments as evidenced so far by their enhanced properties.