The Crusade

The Crusade, established in 2095, was an extremist organization, dedicated to the eradication of all ghouls, super mutants, and anything else they considered "abominations"; in this case, anything that wasn't interested in being drafted into the Crusade's military wing. The Crusade's former DC base of operations was located in the Capital Wasteland, inside a former military base known simply as "Jerusalem", with an additional New York main base at Thermopylae. The bases were loaded with pre-War American technology, on a scale that almost rivaled that of the Enclave. The former commander was Crusade Field Marshal Alfred R. Moore. Other notable soldiers included Crusade Captain Frederick Thomas. The Crusade's colors were Black and Gold, with some occasional instances of Olive Drab. Airborne wore camouflaged power armor.
There was also a Crusade army group in the former country of Germany, far away from their American detachment brothers. This group, known as the massive Army Group Europe, established the German Coalition. Army Group Europe is now known as the splintered German Crusade. It is common knowledge that the American branch was widely ashamed of their German Branch counter-parts.
==History==
Founded on February 19, 2095, the Crusade was formed by a division of the U.S. Military, known as the 82nd Airborne. Having been moved to Washington, DC in the event of a declaration of martial law and national emergency, the airborne division was placed in military Vault barracks, linked to each other by a complex system of tunnels. This would form the underground section of Jerusalem.
From 2070 all the way up to October 23, 2077, the 82nd Airborne and other military units would be called upon to put down riots and rebellions, ranging from the standard food riot to unconventional warfare against Chinese sympathizers. Already being an unconventional fighting force as an airborne division, this role suited the 82nd Airborne much better than more conventional fighting units, although it was seen as an insult by many commanders to not be placed in the Chinese War Theatre. However, the 82nd remained loyal to the end, completing its reign of terror on the anarchists of DC and Maryland. Riot after riot was put down, time and time again. Pictures of power armored soldiers executing Canadian rebels was soon followed by pictures of power armored soldiers of the 82nd executing and killing numerous riot activists and Chinese sympathizers and enthusiasts in the years of 2075, 2076, and 2077. Then "those damned bombs dropped", and all hell, rather than continuing to break loose, disappeared under the many nuclear suns appearing across the country. An entire fourth of the 82nd Airborne above ground was completely annihilated, their useless power armor doing nothing to help them, as extreme fire and heat did not work the same way as bullets.
Fortunately, the main commanders and elements of the 82nd had survived, and it was fairly an intact unit. Continuing on, the 82nd Airborne would eventually make their way to the surface, registering the dangerous wasteland their home had become. The commanders realized that pre-War America no longer existed, and that if their children's children's children would experience what they had felt as children, they needed to make it a priority to rid the nation of all scum and villainy; in this case, anything that didn't look remotely human. Hence, was the Crusade born, formed to reclaim America and remove all disgusting abominations and visible mutation from the good ol' U.S of A. Taking its name from the large raids organized by the Pope during wars with the Muslim kingdoms in the Holy Lands, the 82nd felt it was an appropriate name befitting of their mission, the Cause.
Although the Crusade is primarily made up of descendants of the 82nd Airborne, it also contains the descendants of other military units that were stationed in its area at the time. This includes small elements of the 101st Airborne, the 2nd Ranger Battalion, elements of the 3rd Marine Division, and other units; the 3rd Marine Division actually makes up the largest percentage of Crusaders outside the 82nd, and it is also the source from which many Crusaders have been referred to as marines. Still, the 82nd Airborne remains the Crusade's chosen heritage to call from.
===2095 to 2239===
The Crusade was largely inactive during this time-span. In 2095, the 82nd Airborne and all of its associated units declared itself free of all ties from the United States Government, breaking free from anything that might force it to fight in post-War conditions. 2150 was the year when the mixed rabble unit known universally as the 82nd Airborne first sent scouts to the surface in the wake of the nuclear fallout. Reconnaissance units reported untold amounts of radiation, strange beasts, and humans; lots of them, alongside flappy-skinned 'abominations' and other 'mutated freaks'. Commanders at the highest levels were disgusted with the video reports that had been recorded from helmet cameras, and a meeting was held to discuss possible courses of action. Two top generals decided on a single course of action: complete subjugation of visible mutation. Doing so would allow for a better chance of normal life for the citizens of the wastes, as it was called. It would also, more importantly, allow military children to experience what they had felt as children, just in a more irradiated format.
However, this course of action, known as 'the Cause', would be followed to the letter. Any mutation that could be seen would result in an immediate execution, along with other sanctions of the associated populace. At this time, the 82nd Airborne had no idea what the ramifications of such absolutes would be in the future. However, they had no concern for it, and decided on an appropriate name for an appropriate Cause: the Crusade. A motto inside a revised soldier field guide including new regulations was issued to every soldier detailing changes and rules, as well as the new mission.
As Crusaders began settling into their new role for the Cause, the newly restructured High Command, now named conveniently as HighCom, began planning their first foray back into the surface world. They ultimately decided that there was no better way other than to reinitialize battalion training across the seaboard, then spread out and control surface areas in the coming years: Operation Liberation, the Blitzkrieg of 2239 and 2240. However long off, the Crusade deemed that this time would be necessary if the Crusade was to regain the legendary combat status, training, and readiness of its pre-War forefathers, such as the 82nd, 101st, 3rd Marine Division, and other units, all of which served combat terms in various offensives all over the world.
The Crusade, now reorganized, began mobilizing and preparing for the planned Blitzkrieg of 2239 and 2240, which would grant them access to several cities and military sites in the future. Doing so would cement the Crusade in the local populace and give them seats of power from which to work with. The Crusade automatically began re-initializing its military training program, issuing weapons and ammunition, and fitting troopers for new uniforms and armor sets. At the time, power armor was not an issue, so almost three in every five troopers had some type of power armor, usually T-4x over T-51b armor simply because of greater availability. Weapons, most of them having been unused for several dozen years, were re-issued as foreign concepts to the shadows of former soldiers.
Realizing how dire the military situation had become, HighCom passed a new resolution operation, code-named Operation Toccoa. Named after a pre-War military training camp, this resolution operation set about revoking weekend passes, stepping up training, releasing safeguards on officer punishments to maximize the fear factor and step up discipline, and increasing daily training hours, amongst other things. This massive training operation, coupled with the fear of what officers would do to offenders who didn't comply with orders and the new operation, produced a series of superior soldiers in both Thermopylae and Jerusalem. The price was several more dozen years. However, by this time, the Crusade was well suited for a new, 'spring-time' offensive. With patience in mind, training and mobilization continued as the countdown to 2239 continued, with the Crusade still far off from its desired mobilization goal.
===Heretics and Up to 2277===
The Crusade, in all its glory, is not without fault and impurity. In the year 2239, a splinter group broke off from the Crusade, in the belief that the the field marshals had the wrong idea in that all things mutated and disfigured were evil and imperfect. This group, known as the Reformists, had a more humane idea of the wasteland, thinking that while they had the unified mission to rid the world of mutation, it would be never be at the cost of those of righteous heart who had been marred by the cost of the war: radiation. Hence, their ideals were almost in line with the BoS and MOS, except that humane mutation eradication had replaced the hunger for technology. The Reformists were led by former Crusade Captain Johnny T. Ramirez. He would come to be known as the current grand master of the Reformists.
The Reformists are not nearly as well equipped as the Crusade, being cut off from the main supply dumps of their former faction. The Crusade considered these "heretics" to be false-hoods, and that they, not the Reformists, are responsible for carrying on the grander mission, much the same way that the Brotherhood Outcasts share a hatred for the DC BoS. The current leader of the Reformists is Grand Master Johnny T. Ramirez. One of the major battles between the Crusade and the Reformists was the Battle for Capitol Hill. After this, the Reformists were all but annihilated, low on men, supplies, and equipment.
The Crusade hailed it a victory, with the Reformists essentially disabled completely. However, the damage had still been done. Ripple effects were sent through the Crusade as new bases were seized, with open civil war being waged against loyalists and rebels, who had mistakenly become conflicted between following orders or their own traitorous comrades. However, HighCom would have none of it. A quick resolution act, code-named Operation Heretic, initialized the first combat deployment of the Crusade Airborne 'Legion' since 2077. Airborne soldiers were sent to every corner of these newly acquired bases, putting down the rebels, and executing them to prevent further insurrections. Those that weren't executed were tortured in open air as another, more unpleasant example to what would happen to traitors. This served to all but completely remove the traitorous dissident movement. It would become apparent with the Last Legion in the future that some soldiers and their immediate relatives and descendants still harbored resentment.
The Crusade would continue to limp along after this minor setback up until 2277 in Maryland, New York, Virginia, and DC. However, Operation Toccoa was still ongoing, so Operation Liberation had not yet been initialized. Training continued on usual, executions were the norm, and daily punishments were simple enough. The Crusade was rebuilding itself still, rising from the ashes of its very lax self in 2150.
===The Years of Control and Genocide===
From 2277 to 2281, the Crusade maintained an iron grip on the Capital Wasteland. Settlements were forced to pay tribute in anyway possible, be it through money, supplies, weaponry, or even people, usually women, as the Crusade was predominantly male with a slightly smaller female population. Other settlements were not so lucky. They were usually burned if their population contained any visible mutations or ghouls amongst their population. Thus began the Genocide, from the upper reaches of Manhattan, New York, all the way to Virginia and Maryland.
From late 2277 to 2280, the Crusade picked up momentum and zeal for the Cause at an incredible rate. Dozens of settlements were burned and pillaged in the name of the Field Marshal, and their populations were executed without remorse and left to the animals and cannibals of the wastes.
The land reeked with the stenches of death and decaying flesh, and it was said that you could smell corpses from New York to Virginia simply because there were so many. Others were buried in mass graves, where they, too, were unearthed, by animals and less hygiene-inclined wasters hungry for sustenance and food. It didn't occur at a fast rate, either. Ghouls were picked apart first. Their names were recorded, they were gathered in droves, and then they were finally sent to work as a malnourished, ill-treated work force that worked for the Crusade. They would take part in menial and labor tasks, and then would dig their own graves before finally being shot, falling into said graves, where they were covered up and concealed for fear of retribution from other factions. Then wasters were next. The women were raped, the men were killed, and the babies were used for target practice, launched into the air as unmerciful Crusaders fired at them to improve aim on moving targets. The remainder of whoever was spared was most likely killed at the end of the cycle as the Crusaders moved on to another village to start their vicious genocide once again. Anyone who resisted were executed without hesitation, and those that didn't resist had a fate much worst.
The wastes had already proven an inhospitable, cruel place, but the Crusade had made it into a third Holocaust, following that of the Jews and that of the world. 2278 was the worst of the Genocide/Control years. At its peak, the Crusade proved that no one was short of its hellish grasp, not even the rival factions of the Eastern Seaboard. The Cause, as it was known, would prove to be a most deadly adversary to anyone hoping to turn a war of attrition in their favor.
===The Decline and Fall: the Sack of Jerusalem===
Once the power-house faction of DC, the Crusade began to experience a major decline starting around 2280, the same year that the Crusade would fall from grace and collapse. Facing pressure from numerous faction, several military setbacks, and tribals from the northern wastes, the Crusade immediately began to pull back any troop unit not in New York back to DC.
However, this all changed when Nathaniel Roarke mutinied, forming the Last Legion. Troops rallied to him, and in a fit of rage, he crossed the Potomac, burning everything in his path and setting fire to the last stronghold at Gilead Point, where he destroyed all remaining Loyalist forces excluding the Airborne Legion. Afterwards, he marched on Jerusalem, annihilating the outnumbered and outgunned Airborne Legion. Jerusalem was sacked, and then formally taken over by the Last Legion. The Field Marshal, attempting to escape, was captured and personally executed by Roarke. Thus was the end of the DC Crusade. The New York Crusade, still alive and kicking, was severely weakened by this major setback, and was reformed to combat the new threats that accompanied less numbers and severe hate of the Crusade.
The Siege of Fairfax was mainly considered the largest reason for the decline and fall. Hailed as the largest of the Crusade's military setbacks, it destroyed half of 1st Legion, which make up the largest portion (albeit minority) of the Loyalist forces. It also deprived them on the one thing that could have saved the Crusade Loyalists at Jerusalem: the Airborne. An elite fighting force, the Airborne were constantly being used to punch holes in the Outcast defensive formations that, once taken, they could not hold. The Airborne was virtually maimed at Fairfax, and as such no longer became a factor in the Last Legion's odds count as to whether they could actually win.
Another problem that arose after Fairfax was the Vertibird problem. Before this, Vertibirds were already in short supply. After the battle, the few dozen Vertibirds left to the Crusade were either in disrepair, severely damaged, or gone, blown into every which way by anti-aircraft fire from the Outcasts. The other Vertibirds not damaged were captured when the Outcasts caught the Crusade's own defensive positions with their pants down in the morning, slaughtering many Airborne accustomed to the sounds of war. Sleeping quietly to the sounds of sweet artillery and gun-fire, they were executed in their sleep as the Outcasts laughed on and on.
After this battle, things deteriorated even worse as the Crusade was forced to fight more enemies in the DC Riots. Tribals, united with BoS troops and wasters, smashed again and again at the Crusade army sent down to put down the rebellion. One wasters described it as this before the arrival of the allied factions on a terminal in Rivet City:
There was fire everywhere. In the streets, open warfare raged. Corpses of the dead were scattered every which way; none of them Crusade. They spewed death, and their orange-red eyes showed fiery anger at the men and women they had tried to protect for so long. It was a massacre, and they were showing no mercy to the revolting.
That was before the arrival of the Las Vegas Brotherhood. Where the hell they came from is a different matter. The main issue was Liberty Prime, the BoS' massive robot. Persuaded to use it against the Crusade, it marched towards the Anchorage War Memorial Bridge, crushing opposition until the Crusade could rally. Using a massive Fat Man Launcher (Editors Note: That was from an RP), they fired from across the bridge, barely missing Liberty Prime and hitting a building behind it. The result? Extreme radiation, a pile of slag known as Liberty Prime, and hundreds of dead Crusade soldiers, both Airborne and regular, who had been across the bridge, as well as the wasters who had accompanied Liberty Prime. Normally, the Crusade would have been cheering. But it was not so, for even though the riots been had put down, it had stretched the Crusade dangerously close to collapse. The Crusade wouldn't be able to keep this up for long, which would become apparent in the months after both Fairfax and the DC Riots.
===2281-2286===
The DC Remnant is what remains of a shattered, once proud branch of the Crusade. Numbering only a few dozen, it resides in a small, fortified area known as Yosemite, which is basically a small town a few dozen miles away from Jerusalem to the northeast. It is comprised mostly of Airborne soldiers who managed to escape Jerusalem before it was completely overrun. These men, led by Airborne Captain Terrance Hannover, more commonly known as "Terre", are the only surviving, organized soldiers of the DC Crusade; the remainder who escaped either became freelancers, retired, or regrouped and headed for Thermopylae, where it is presumed that they re-joined the New York Crusade.
Following the DC Crusade's decline and fall, the New York Crusade reorganized into a single legion; it was the only number of the soldiers the NY Crusade could muster for defense. Pressure mounting by numerous factions seeking the long-awaited destruction of the Crusade, the leadership was reorganized into two Consuls, rather than a Field Marshal, which the NY Crusade has now seen as too risky for a single man to rule.
The Crusade would limp along for several more years until 2285, when it would become a major faction in one of three sides in the Northeast Theater of War, involving the MOS, AWA, GPA, and the Reformists. Beating back an attack by the supposedly allied coalition, the NY Crusade would continue to expand alongside the Virginia Crusade branch until 2286, when an alliance with the Republic of the Enclave was formed at the behest of Allen White, President of the United States.
In 2286, President White decided to offer an alliance and integration of the Enclave and the Crusade. Running low on armor, equipment, and supplies, the Crusade could hardly refuse such an offer to bolster their strength and get another chance at East Coast domination. Full amnesty was given to the Crusade for previous wars and engagements against the Enclave. Supplies and soldiers were sent to bolster Crusade numbers, supplementing the remaining veterans of the Crusade with Enclave GI reinforcements who would serve under Crusade commanders and swear their allegiance to them as loyal soldiers and purists. Power Armor was supplied in various amounts and types, allowing for a small number of non-Airborne troops to replace their Ballistic Raid Armor with either T-4x or Advanced Power Armor, older versions that the Enclave kept in stock. Consul Chapel and two of his generals, Tiberius Kirk and Curtis Wembley, were even made honorary Senators. In exchange, the Crusade was now an official wing of the Enclave Armed Forces, and it was subject to the control of the President, overall leader of the Republic of the Enclave. Virginia was made the 18th district in the Republic, Enclave Ambassadors were sent to various Crusade controlled areas, and Enclave troops now mixed and socialized freely with Crusade soldiers inside their own bases. The Crusade was now part of the Enclave.
===The Rain of Fire===
The Rain of Fire, which was a massive set back to both the Enclave and the Crusade, completely shattered what had been aspired to be a reunited territorial power in the United States. Massive parts of the space station and neutron bombs served to all but annihilate the Crusade's military power. Annapolis, the premier Crusade training center, was completely taken off the map, with not a single survivor from the entire base. Thermopylae suffered a massive blow, with much of the pre-War outer defenses destroyed and the cargo elevator leading into the lower levels destroyed, leaving but a few other auxiliary entrances and actually leaving a majority of the soldiers trapped inside. Entire Crusade garrisons were completely destroyed, and in the ensuing aftermath many people took advantage of this to rise up and against their trained, albeit disorganized, rulers, seizing weapons and armor and going on crusades of their own. The Crusade was in shambles to a large extent, disorganized and weakened. What remained of its Enclave allies tried to reorganize with the Crusade, but attempts to reestablish contact with any type of friendly forces failed to a large degree.
All-in-all, the Rain of Fire devastated the Crusade to the point where it was just a memorable foot-note. The only thing that remained of the Crusade were isolated units which regrouped at Thermopylae and what remained of Annapolis. High Command was gone, all killed in the blast. 90% of the Crusade was dead, dying, or missing, with the remaining troops being hardly recognizable as the coherent fighting force that had once been the terror of the wastes, with their glowing, fiery-orange goggles and weird, clattering weapons.
===Effects on the Capital Wasteland===
The only thing that the Capital Wasteland lost in the Crusade's collapse was the fact that it had maintained order. The Crusade had virtually destroyed the feral ghoul population, forced the Super Mutants into submission, and maintained a cap on slavery and animal hunting. When the Fall happened, the DC area once again reverted to anarchy and chaos as raiders and other groups vied for control of areas once protected or maintained by Crusade garrisons. Slavers rampaged throughout the city, the Last Legion sacked Jerusalem, and the wasters who had grown accompanied to the tribute-protection system of the Crusade were now at the mercy of the threats of the wastes: raiders, slavers, mutants, animals, and more importantly, other factions now invading DC. The few loyalist soldiers who escaped Jerusalem and Gilead Point either became mercenaries, slavers, raiders, or regrouped and headed for New York. The vast amounts of tech and equipment left behind, as well as the now burning or abandoned garrison bases, were stripped of everything. Crusade equipment can now be found and bought from merchants, scavengers, and other traders of sorts. It is now not uncommon to see raiders wearing modified, stripped down BRA suits formerly worn by the soldiers of the DC Crusade.
==Appearances in the Wasteland==
Note: The following information under this heading assumes that the Crusade is still active.
The Crusade became the major faction to destroy during 2277 to 2781, when it was at its peak. Crusade forces, up until 2280, were completely destroying almost all other enemy factions in every land engagement imaginable, and the Cause's men and women were seemingly invincible. However, the tables turned when the DC Surgical Assault Unit, led by Jacob Vaughton and Dutch Holmes, infiltrated the home base at Jerusalem, considered the closest thing to "holy ground", and destroyed 90% of the Crusade HighCom. As a result, all brigade level commanders and above were killed during a meeting when the DCSAU burst inside, killing the guards and everyone except for Crusade Captain Thomas and Crusade Field Marshal Moore, who would both be later killed in the Battle of Jerusalem. The few current bases of operation near or inside Manhattan is York and Bregrod. Some of the Crusade's major appearances besides the Battle for Capitol Hill are the Siege of Fairfax and the DC Riots. After these, the Crusade was seriously undermanned and on the verge of defeat at the hands of other organizations and tribal forces putting pressure from the north and west. The Crusade currently maintains a sphere of control and influence in large parts of Maryland, all of Virginia, and areas of New York. They no longer have anything to do with the DC area.
==Former and Current Crusade Territories==
*Bastion
*York District - As of 2280, no longer a part of the Crusade.
*Bregrod District - As of 2281, no longer a part of the Crusade.
*The German Coalition
*Thermopylae
*Norfolk Naval Base
*Fort Detrick
*Richmond
*Annapolis
*Kent Island is the location of a small thirty-man Crusade outpost inside the former Bank of America. It is located on the southern edge of the island in a small fortified perimeter, defended by the men and several automatic emplacements, mainly .30 caliber LMGs.
*Jerusalem - As of 2280, no longer a part of the Crusade. The massive, supposedly impenetrable former home of the Crusade for almost two whole centuries, it was overrun and sacked by the Last Legion, which was subsequently overrun by united wasters and tribals from the north and west.
*Yosemite: What remains of the DC Crusade resides here. Numbering a few dozen, they are led by Airborne Captain Terrance Hannover, known as "Terre".
==War with the Manhattan Order of Steel and its Allies==
2283 and 2284 has seen numerous setbacks to the Crusade in New York; 2285 has been no exception. After losing Yorkrod, which is the combined settlements of Bregrod and York, the Crusade has withdrawn to its only remaining base at Thermopylae. Once both Crusade-controlled, that combined pair of towns have since fallen into MOS hands. Although the MOS is extremely small compared to Crusade forces, what they lack in numbers they make up for in tactics and allies, the one weakness of the Crusade. Whereas Crusade forces still employ standard U.S. military tactics of the 2000s, the MOS and its respective allies have adapted to fighting in the post-apocalyptic world of the 2200s. Failure to change strategy to fight an unconventional enemy has resulted in even more military setbacks than the spring, summer, fall, and winter seasons of 2280 and 2281 combined. Because of this, the Crusade simply has been unable to counter the attacks of the MOS and its allies.
==The Horde==
After the Crusade was "evicted" from Jerusalem, a similar event happened to the Last Legion. Something called the Horde, led by several crazed wastelanders, stormed Jerusalem again, culminating in the Second Battle of Jerusalem, which would end in disaster for the Last Legion. The Horde, who's name was very misleading, was more than just a worthless conglomerate of wasters attempting to pillage and burn. They had found a general consensus amongst themselves that the Crusade and its disgusting spin-offs were getting out of hand. Arming themselves with primitive weaponry, large amounts of their numbers moved out from Jerusalem, abandoning their leadership, and headed for other, much smaller Crusade garrisons, where Crusade Marines were easily cornered and destroyed, since they were in disarray. Following their initial goal of the DC Crusade's destruction, they headed for New York.
==Notable members of the Crusade==
*The Director: The man in charge of CCI, he held real control from what CCI really is: a shadow government. In reality, he held the ultimate power over the entire Crusade. This man also held direct control of C.R.S.O, the Crusade's shadow operations group. It is completely unknown if the Director is alive or not.
*Lord Marshal Kevin J. Bandoy: The leader of Army Group Europe, Bandoy oversaw the creation of the German Coalition, authorized by Moore. After his return to the U.S., the GCDF, or German Crusade, fell into dis-unity. It is presumed that Bandoy died during the First Battle of Jerusalem.
*Senior Consul Champagne Chapel: A man with French wine in his ancestry, Chapel was the right hand man of Taggart, and served Taggart without question. Most soldiers swore fealty to the Field Marshal; Chapel swore his to Taggart. Chapel is the equivalent of the rumored-to-be-deceased Colonel Autumn: ruthless, tough, and one crazy shot with a sidearm. He is currently the senior Consul of the New York Crusade.
*Crusade Field Marshal Alfred R. Moore
*Airborne Marshal Henry Taggart: The current Airborne Marshal, Taggart oversaw all Airborne Legion operations, including military sorties in the Mid-West and Northeast. He was noted with having a quick temper: he was quite fed up with Alfred's policies, but didn't have the will to try and betray his long time friend a second time. He was killed in the First Battle of Jerusalem.
*Crusade Captain Frederick Thomas
===Other Notable Members===
*The Good Colonel - The Colonel, as he is known, is also referred to as the Good Colonel. Curtis Wembley's right hand man in Annapolis, the Colonel is a field commander. He wears Advanced Power Armor, minus a helmet, sports a military mohawk, or "Warhawk", for a hairdo, a ballistic face mask, and a Field Ripper. It should also be noted he is almost seven feet tall, a true giant of a man. Although truly awe inspiring and almost fearless in battle, he is easily outmatched by Enclave Warrior Weapons. His real name is a mystery, although some older members say it was originally Scotty MacKnight.
*Virgil Deacon
*Marine Sergeant Taylor Emmett - Another second-in-command of Thomas', and his favored henchman, Taylor shared a hatred of all thing mutated, whether it be a ghoul or a simple disfigured wastelander. Taylor was...rash, and usually didn't think things out before he acted. Emmett joined the RYF during the York split, and was killed when the GECK was activated.
*Airborne Lieutenant General Tiberius Kirk - During the Northeast Theater of War with the Enclave, MOS, AWA, GPA, and the Reformists, Kirk led the subsequent defense of Thermopylae and all counter-offensives under the command of Consul Chapel. Kirk is currently the acting commander in chief in New York.
*Airborne Crusade Captain Robert H. Lance - Lance was the leader of a number of forces in the Crusade attack on GNR. Lance was hesitant in his actions, and failed to complete his mission on taking the GNR building complex. He was court-martialed and executed, proving that there is no room for incompetence in the Crusade.
*Airborne Major General Revan Malleus - The overall commander of operations in Virginia, Malleus commands Virginia's Crusade forces with authority from his command HQ in Richmond.
*Marine Captain Ebon Randall - Captain Randall is currently the commander of the garrison at Norfolk Naval Base.
*Marine Colonel Sander Redfield Sr. - The father of Sander Redfield, Redfield Sr. was killed in action sometime between 2270 and 2285. The exact date is unknown. Redfield Sr. was a former Airborne, although his last tour of duty was with the 1st Legion.
*Sander Redfield
*Marine Captain Chris Reust - Captain Reust is currently the commander of the garrison at Fort Detrick.
*Marine Lieutenant Colonel Paul Sorensen - The former leader of 7th Hell's Zulu Company, Sorenson was killed during the Battle for Capitol Hill. Nathaniel Roarke replaced him, and would subsequently create the Last Legion.
*Airborne Chief DI Andrey Taggart - The son of Airborne Marshal Henry Taggart, Andrey is the chief drill instructor for all future Airborne troops, far and wide. He is extremely proficient at his job, almost deadly. His training program has cost around 374 recruits their lives...in one week. He died during the attack on Fairfax, in which he was tortured and executed by defending Outcast soldiers.
*C.R.S.O. Exemplar James Thomas - The brother of Frederick Thomas, James is the leader of C.R.S.O. GREEN Team, and was leading a mission in far away New Mexico. His status is unknown.
*Airborne Major General Curtis Wembley - During the Northeast Theater of War with the Enclave, MOS, AWA, GPA, and the Reformists, Wembley was responsible for counter-attacking the Reformists and AWA specifically and removing them from the equation. Curtis is currently residing in Annapolis as commander of the Maryland Crusade forces.
*Marine Dignitary Parker Wilhelm - The second-in-command of Crusade Captain Frederick Thomas, Parker was head-strong and criticizing. He is similarly fed up with Thomas in the same way that Taggart dislikes Alfred. When the forces in York split, Wilhelm decided to join the AYF.
*C.R.S.O. Lance Corporal Donald Yale - One of James Thomas' GREEN Team members, he and James are the only members of C.R.S.O. that are currently not on a mission or MIA. Yale is prone to fear and
==Threats to the Crusade==
Please note that except for a few notable factions, such as the Brotherhood Outcasts, the Crusade is hostile to ALL factions that they consider accept visible mutation in their society or do not contribute to the Crusade war effort, such as serving in the military or paying tribute to the Crusade in terms of ammunition, technology, and medical supplies. The Crusade does technology trading with the Brotherhood Outcasts, on occasion. The enemy of their enemy is their ally, and both factions despise all sects of the BoS. However, the alliance between the Outcasts and the Crusade should be considered as a "love-hate" relationship. More often than not, the Crusade is usually hostile, unless the Outcasts approach one of their settlements. Wasteland detachments that "roam" usually fire on anything that moves; in this case, the Brotherhood Outcasts. That was the former policy. After the Siege of Fairfax, the Crusade was automatically hostile to almost all and every wasteland faction.
*Manhattan Order of Steel
**Although small, the Crusade actually considered these few men as formidable opponents.
*The Reformists
**Heretics. Liars. Traitors. Fools. [EXTERMINATED]
*Red Faction
**Yellow-bellied guerrillas with their fancy AKs and what not...
*Wade's Trail Blazers
**More caravan raiders...
*United Armed Forces
**Hmm...united?
*The Brotherhood of Steel, all branches.
**Brotherhood of Steel? More like "Lyons' Bunch of Mis-fits." These men don't even deserve the title of their western counter-parts.
*The Outcasts
**Attacked Taggart's squad? Weapons free: prioritize targets. These men and women were prime enemies once the Siege of Fairfax took place.
*Ghouls People Army
**Disgusting vermin.
*The Claws
**"Ghoul Lovers." [EXTERMINATED]
*American Wasteland Army
**Sadly, there was never any main combat with them in DC.
*Fraternity of the Landscar
**Some bunch of lumpy-ass religious whackjobs from Tennessee. They don't pose any real threat, but still KoS.
*Last Legion
**When brother met brother, no words of kindness or love were shared. It was to be the darkest day in either side's history.
*Allied Yorkrod Forces
**How many mutineers are there?
*The Free People
**Blood hell, more mutineers!
===Personal and Notable enemies of the Crusade===
====Priority One Targets====
The following are considered Priority One targets, and as such, huge bounties have been placed for the death or capture of these people. If you have any information, please report to your nearest Crusade military official. The following are directly responsible for numerous military casualties, millions of cap costs in damage, and pissing off the High Command in Jerusalem.
*Cerebral Jack Damask [DECEASED]
*Brian Harmon [DECEASED]
*Dutch Holmes [DECEASED]
*Jackal
*Protector Jackson
*Defender Wallace Ranik
*Former Crusade Colonel Nathaniel Roarke [DECEASED]
*Superior Joseph Stigma
*Conor Strauss
*Jacob Vaughton
====Priority Two Targets====
The following are considered Priority Two targets, and as such, rather large bounties have been placed for the death or capture of these people. If you have any information, please report to your nearest Crusade military official. The following are guilty of carrying out the orders, works and deeds of Priority One targets, aiding in the murder of and/or directly killing and maiming innocent civilians and military soldiers, damaging the delicate infrastructure of the Crusade, and other high level crimes.
*Riley Alan
*Paladin Marcus Andrews
*Defender Hal Carter
*Weston "Henchmen" Foster
*Praetor Wesley Gibson
*Deek Harris
*Defender Timothy Hughes
*High Paladin Daniel Kruger
*Elder Owyn Lyons
*Stefanie McRae
*Scribe Oleander
*Jay P. Ramsey
*Kain Ruger [DECEASED]
*Skyler [DECEASED]
*Alexander Vain [DECEASED]
*Samantha Vain
*Silas Webb
==The Crusade Armed Forces==
The Crusade maintains a formidable fighting force, dedicated to all forms of combat fighting and engagements. All Crusade soldiers are trained in the arts of conventional and unconventional styles of warfare to meet the needs of adapting to newer, more modernized enemy forces. Crusade soldiers are trained in Marksman skills, CQC skills, hacking, military history, combat techniques, open warfare tactics, and other important subjects, most important of which is martial arts. All soldiers are trained in styles such as MCMAP, US Army Combatives, Jujutsu, and Krav Maga, a style originating in Israel. All forms of firearms are used in firearm training, and a standard soldier is proficient with the .44 Repeater, .357 Desert Eagle, G36Cs, and R91s, with standard knowledge of energy weapons and heavy weapons, where more advanced training is required.
In military education, soldiers are taught proficient knowledge of English and German, as well as combat tactics with enlisted, with an addition of strategy to officers in training. Military history is also taught. Teachers do maintain a basic knowledge of science concerning technology, as well as mathematics. Most training occurs at Annapolis.
===DC Crusade Armed Forces===
This was basically the DC lineup for Crusade operations regarding number strength. After the destruction of the DC Crusade, New York and Virginia Crusade forces classified their number strengths. However, it is widely speculated that, although they recovered from these losses, they inflicted considerably more damage. The Crusade Armed Forces generally follow the same organization of the pre-War U.S. Military, although some names have been changed. Brigades, now called Legions, a throw-back to the Roman military, are comprised of battalions, which are comprised of companies, which are made up of platoons, squads, and at the smallest level, fire-teams and support-teams.
*High Command: Essentially the leadership of the Crusade, these frail old men and women are considered tactical geniuses even by their enemies.
*1st Legion: Standard Land Brigade. 1st Legion was essentially destroyed following the battle of Jerusalem. It comprised the largest amount of Loyalist forces, and was completely annihilated following the Battle of Jerusalem. Even though it comprised the largest amount of Loyalist forces, it was still a major minority.
**Forsaken Battalion, Midnight Battalion, each consisting of the following:
***Alpha Company
***Bravo Company
***Charlie Company
***Delta Company
***Sierra Company
*2nd Legion: Standard Land Brigade. Following 7th Hell's complete defection, the majority of 1st Legion and all of 2nd Legion rallied to Nathaniel Roarke, destroying the Loyalist forces at Jerusalem.
**Mephistar Battalion, 7th Hell Battalion, each consisting of the following:
***Romeo Company
***Tango Company
***Victor Company
***X-Ray Company
***Zulu Company
*Airborne Legion: Air Brigade, dropped into combat situations via Vertibird drop pods. The DC Airborne Legion, the pride and joy of the Crusade, was completely outnumbered and outgunned at Jerusalem. It was completely destroyed, and fought to the last man.
**Avenged Battalion, Unforgiven Battalion, each consisting of the following:
***Foxtrot Company
***India Company
***Juliet Company
***Kilo Company
***Yankee Company
*C.R.S.O.: The C.R.S.O. was disintegrated after the Second Battle of Jerusalem.
**BRAVO Team
**FEAR Team
**GREEN Team
Standard Crusaders have access to the basics: standard equipment, standard supplies, average housing, and a ready supply of food and water. Generally, they are armed with a multitude of weapons and equipment, with the most common Crusade trooper wielding a standard submachine gun or assault rifle, with the trooper's combat role being edited on the fly should the NCO or another higher authority request it.
A sandbox garden standard grunt in the Crusade Armed Forces wields the following; his skills allow him to switch out for other weapons and equipment at any time.
*SCM Ballistic Raid Armor V.A1, or V.A1 NCO or V.A2
*SCM M1A8 Thompson SMG
**Is most likely changed to fit combat role, may be switched to the SCM .44 Repeater, SCM .30 caliber Light Machine Gun, SCM APAR, and other weapons
*SCM .357 Auto-Revolver or SCM .357 Desert Eagle
*Three Frag Grenades, increased yield
*Seven magazines of .45 ACP ammunition
**Standard for the M1A8. Ammunition may vary depending upon weapon
*Five magazines of .357 Magnum ammunition
*First Aid Kit
*E-Tool
*M1 Trench Knife
*One week's worth of rations
====The Airborne Legion====
Credited with being the most elite fighting force in the entire Crusade, the Airborne Legion could be considered the equivalent of many pre-War professional units times two. First commissioned for fighting in the year 2101, the Airborne quickly proved themselves as extremely effective soldiers. Commanded by Airborne Marshal Taggart, the Airborne go through a strict training regimen that lasts one month. After this, they graduate at the rank of Airborne PFC, and are issued equipment and immediately sent to the front line. Airborne platoons have recently been in short supply due to various major operations in Fairfax and in New York. Constantly being sent as support for standard forces, the Airborne are the first into battle and the last to leave. Airborne do not associate with other Crusade soldiers; their training leads them to believe that they are superior in every which way, and rightly so. When dropped into combat, they are usually dropped via Vertibird drop pods. However, due to lack of resources, in recent times, and after the Battle for Capitol Hill, Airborne have been constantly moving by foot. As a result of the shortage, air support is also in short supply. Since the Crusade rely on pre-War manufactured Vertibirds, the Crusade has no means to keep reproducing these vehicles, and so they have become permanently stationed to certain garrisons and only used in the most dire of military engagements at the urge of a high official. The anthem of the Airborne is Blood upon the Risers.
A standard Airborne trooper of any caliber carries the following for a standard load out on a day in the field:
*T-4x Power Armor or Advanced Power Armor
*SCM M1A8 Thompson SMG
**Is most likely changed to fit combat role, may be switched to the SCM .44 Repeater, SCM .30 caliber Light Machine Gun, DKS-501 Sniper Rifle, SCM APAR, and other weapons
*SCM .357 Auto-Revolver
**As of 2281, the .357 Auto-Revolver has replaced the .357 Desert Eagle as the standard sidearm for Airborne
*Three Frag Grenades, increased yield
*Seven magazines of .45 ACP ammunition
**Standard for the M1A8. Ammunition may vary depending upon weapon
*Five magazines of .357 Magnum ammunition
*First Aid Kit
*E-Tool
*M1 Trench Knife
*One week's worth of rations
====The Third Echelon====
The Third Echelon is the sole remains of the original DC Airborne Shock Trooper detachment that was annihilated by the far bigger Last Legion. These men, numbering no more than fifteen, are all that remain of one of the Crusade's greatest fighting forces. They are the elite of the elite of the elite; the most fearsome the Crusade has to offer in service to the President and his forces. Their motto is "We who are Alive and Remain."
Third Echelon Airborne soldiers have red and white colored power armor, with a personalized crest that contains their motto on it. Being the best of the best, the Third Echelon has access to weapons, supplies, and both artillery and air support whenever required. They are currently stationed in...
====C.R.S.O.====
C.R.S.O., or Crusade Recon Special Operations, is the Crusade's residence elite recon and special forces team. Comprised of hand-picked soldiers chosen by the Director, C.R.S.O. is an affiliate division of CCI. C.R.S.O., established in 2108, was organized when the Crusade's High Command saw the need for an infiltration team that could enter enemy lines, complete their mission, and safely extract with no botches during the operation. The unit is organized into three fire teams, FEAR, BRAVO, and GREEN. FEAR Team is located in New York, BRAVO Team is located in the Capital Wasteland, and GREEN Team is located in New Mexico, on a mission directly ordered by the Director. As stated before, both sections are comprised of hand picked soldiers, whether these men be former VTOL pilots, front-line infantry, or Airborne. Each soldier is given a specific combat role and assigned to jobs during a mission briefing. C.R.S.O. is directly under the command of the Director, and acts as his personal shadow unit when not engaged in other more public mission that are known to other officers. Three more subsequent teams were created in 2284; ALPHA, KILO, and ORION. C.R.S.O teams generally handle the post-War duties that might have been filled by Green Berets, Navy SEALs, and other pre-War special forces. More specific duties of these teams include search and destroying specified targets, eliminating high-priority targets (i.e. assassination), destroying enemy supply depots, acting as security to leadership, and other missions along those lines.
A standard C.R.S.O. Operative may use the following as a standard equipment layout on his missions; however, it is widely believed that they usually modify their personal gear:
*SCM Ballistic Raid Armor V.A4 or CCI Operative Clothing (See CCI Operative Rank)
*SCM M1A8 Thompson SMG (Silenced)
**Is most likely changed to fit combat role, may be switched to the SCM .44 Repeater, SCM .30 caliber Light Machine Gun, DKS-501 Sniper Rifle, and other weapons
*SCM .357 Auto-Revolver
**May be changed to SCM .357 Desert Eagle upon request, although it has been phased out
*Three C4 charges, detonators, fuses
*Seven magazines of .45 ACP ammunition
**Standard for the M1A8. Ammunition may vary depending upon weapon
*Five magazines of .357 Magnum ammunition.
*First Aid Kit
*M1 Trench Knife
*E-Tool
*One week's worth of rations
=====Current Team Status=====
It is believed, that while these locations are classified to anyone below the rank of Colonel, that FEAR Team is currently located in Thermopylae, on a mission for Colonel Champagne Chapel. The contents of the mission are currently under wraps, but it is believed that the purpose will be revealed soon enough. BRAVO Team, which fought in the DC Riots of 2278, was killed when Crusade Captain Thomas, who had been placed temporarily in DC to command the forces putting down this massive riot, ordered the team operating the massive Fat Man OMEGA to fire at the advancing Liberty Prime, which was across the Anchorage War Memorial Bridge. The nuke missed by centimeters, striking the building that BRAVO Team was housed in only mere yards away. Needless to say, Liberty Prime was heavily damaged, and BRAVO Team, several platoons of airborne, and the entire enemy ground force were killed. GREEN Team is currently listed as KIA except for the commander James Thomas, and the platoon sniper, Donald Yale. Three more subsequent teams were created in 2284; ALPHA, KILO, and ORION. These three teams are all currently commissioned.
====CCI====
The Crusade Center for Intelligence, or CCI, was the executive and intelligence division for the Crusade. The CCI was basically the leadership division, and handles all negotiations with wastelander settlements and other factions. The CCI also handled all intelligence reports and information, and kept the military wing well supplied with recon data on enemy troop movements, etc. The CCI could be compared akin to the CIA of pre-War America, except that their operations were not on as a large of a scale. This group was responsible for assassinations of several former Field Marshals they deemed too radical or passive; basically, if they didn't like someone, that person would be dead within the hour. The CCI was almost like the Enclave; a shadow government of a much larger organization. CCI Agents handled all forms of espionage and infiltration when C.R.S.O. teams were not required, and when the mission could be completed by a team of two. This section of the Crusade was led by the Director. After Jerusalem, CCI was severely hampered, but still continues its shadowy purpose.
===Equipment===
The Crusade employs several different weapons, armor, and equipment in their quest for a mutation-free America. Due to the vast stores of ammunition in their Capital Wasteland base, "Jerusalem", it could be said that the amount of technology and armaments available to the Crusade is all but unlimited. The Crusade heavily favors ballistic weaponry, which should be noted. Having a strong tradition of using projectile-based weapons, they have found that energy weapons cannot always be relied upon as commonly as a good ol' fashioned assault rifle with an extended magazine. This isn't to say that the Crusade doesn't use energy based weapons; in fact, whole guard units of MPs have been seen wielding laser pistols and police batons. It's just that the ballistic weapon is favored in the Crusade.
====Armor====
Crusade Marines and Airborne employ a variety of armor types:
*T-51b Power Armor (Black, Gold)
**This armor, even for the Crusade, is considered extremely rare, and mostly reserved for Airborne DIs and Airborne Shock Troopers if available.
*T-4x Power Armor (Black, Gold)
*Combat Armor (Olive Drab)
*Advanced Power Armor (Black and Gold)
*SCM Ballistic Raid Armor (Color schemes noted in article)
**This is intended to phase out combat armor by 2300.
*SCM Military Fatigues
**Originally designed for simple guard duty and on-base patrols, increasing armor shortages has led to these outfits becoming standard on the battlefield.
*MR-.7 Power Armor
**A variant of MR Type Power Armor, MR-.7 is an original prototype design with increased mobility. It is used by Airborne Shock Troopers in very limited quantities. After the bombs fell, three original .7 suits were discovered inside a military storage facility raided by the Crusade. Having never been transported to the A-P4 Military Storage before the bombs fell, the suits were transferred to Jerusalem, replicated, and reproduced in small quantities.
=====Power Armor Supplies=====
Although power armor is a staple of Crusade forces, it is not infinite. Much the same with the VTOL supply problem, it has become increasingly difficult to obtain and maintain individual suits of power armor in operational condition. This is much like the VTOL problem because the Crusade cannot manufacture this pre-War luxury. All power armor suits currently in possession came from either Jerusalem, Thermopylae, or an outside source. Because of this problem, many soldiers are being seen wearing SCM Ballistic Raid Armor suits, which the Crusade does have the capacity to produce in specific quantities. Already, the Crusade has been withdrawing most of its power armor stores for the Airborne only, leaving other standard troops with ballistic raid armor suits. After the Siege of Fairfax, a substantial number of power armor sets were lost, furthering this problem even worse. After 2286, the Crusade was supplied with outdated Advanced Power Armor and more T-4x suits by the Enclave. An exception to this supply fault would be the MR-.7 armor, as it is easily manufactured, but only in limited supplies.
====SCM Weapons Incorporated====
 
Crusade Marines carry a variety of the following weapons. This list includes, but is not limited to:
*Fat Man
*SCM All-Purpose Assault Rifle (APAR)
*SCM Base Personnel Rifle (BPR)
*Police Baton
*Paulsen Triple-Barreled Shotgun
*SCM .357 Auto-Revolver
*SCM G36C Assault Rifle (Pre-War design, manufactured at Crusade military bases) PHASED OUT
*SCM .44 Repeaters
*SCM M1A8 Thompson Submachine Guns
*Field Rippers (Rare)
*GAI Pulse Rifle
*SCM Officer Sword
*Mini-Gun
*Flamer
*BCR-4 Laser Cannon
*SCM .357 Desert Eagle (Pre-War Design, manufactured at Crusade military bases) PHASED OUT
*SCM .30 caliber Light Machine Gun
*.44 Magnum (Scoped and non-scoped Variants)
*M1 Trench Knife
===Ranks===
*The Director
**The leader of CCI, this mysterious individual is the real person in command of the Crusade, since CCI almost acts like a shadow government. He ultimately holds control of the entire faction. Not much known about this person, and even fewer have met him.
*Senior and Junior Consul
**After the Field Marshal's deposition, the New York Crusade reorganized to form a single leadership of two Consuls, one senior and the other junior. Wear military fatigues.
*Field Marshal
**The highest rank of the Crusade, this rank identifies the occupant as commander in chief of all armed forces. The former field marshal carried a modified .44 Magnum as his weapon of choice. Wore a dress military uniform.
*Lord Marshal
**A former High Command rank. After the destruction of the DC Crusade, all occupants of this rank were given new ranks. Equipped with .44 Magnum revolver. Wore a military dress uniform.
*Colonel
**Officer rank. Equipped with SCM .357 Auto Revolver and M1 Trench Knife. Wears BRA A2 armor or military fatigues.
*Major
**Officer rank. Equipped with SCM .357 Auto Revolver and M1 Trench Knife. Wears BRA A2 armor or military fatigues.
*Captain
**Officer rank. Equipped with SCM .357 Auto Revolver and M1 Trench Knife. Wears BRA A2 armor or military fatigues.
*Dignitary
**The lowest officer rank for the Crusade, and the only junior officer rank. Equipped with SCM .357 Auto-Revolver and M1 Trench Knife. Wears military fatigues.
*Sergeant, Exemplar
**The NCO ranks for the Crusade. At these ranks, SCM Ballistic Raid Armor is replaced with T-4x power armor, if military stock is available. Equipped with M1A8 Thompson SMGs, APARs, .357 Auto-Revolvers, and M1 Trench Knifes.
*Templar
**The standard rank for most soldiers of the Crusade. Same armor and weaponry apply from the Corporal rank. The Templar also carries the SCM APAR, or All-Purpose Assault Rifle. These men also on occasion carry SCM .44 Repeaters.
*Lance Corporal and Corporal
**At these ranks, SCM Ballistic Raid Armor is used and combat armor is replaced if in use. The assault rifle can also be replaced with a DKS-501 Sniper Rifle, or Gauss Rifle, depending on the trooper's specific training type, should it demand a change of weaponry.
*Legionnaire, Marine
**The lowest ranks. The standard troopers carry an M1A8 Thompson, .357 Auto-Revolver, 10mm Pistol or .357 Desert Eagle, M1 Trench Knife, and combat armor or SCM Ballistic Raid Armor. Legionnaires are the official name, although most men refer to the standard soldier as a Marine, regardless of rank. Even some wasters refer to them as Marines.
====Special Ranks====
The following are not actual ranks, but have been earned by respect and actually been put into status by HighCom. Basically, they are what some in the Crusade consider titles; for example, a Captain might be a CCI Operative.
*CCI Operative
**Akin to pre-War CIA and FBI Agents, these men wear kevlar vests branded with the CCI logo, dark navy dress pants, slick dress shoes, and collared long sleeve shirts. They are typically armed with stealth boys, suppressed weapons, and combat knives. Special C.R.S.O. members wear BRA A4 armor.
*Airborne Praetorian/Praetorian
**Essentially Templars, these men have shown more success in battles and devotion to the Crusade. They carry identical equipment to Templars. These men acted as personal body guards to the Field Marshal. After the DC Branch's fall, the remainder went to serve the New York Crusade's consuls.
*Airborne Marshal
**Commanding officer of all Airborne Legions. Oversees all airborne operations, and answers only to the Field Marshal. Is equipped with the same equipment as a Colonel.
*Airborne Shock Trooper or "Men of the Sky"
**The elite of the Airborne, these men have been in the Airborne Brigade for at least several years, and have unrivaled combat experience when compared with all their counter-parts. Some of the younger troops call these "legends" old men; they usually don't make it past the next day, with officer turning a blind eye out of respect for these grizzled veterans. These men are equipped with T-51b Power Armor, if military stock is available, SCM Ballistic Raid Armor, or T-4x Power armor, Pulse Rifles, M1A8 Thompsons, APARs, Paulsen Triple-Barreled Shotguns, and .357 Auto-Revolvers. The Crusade pays a pretty penny to keep their elite well equipped.
*Airborne PFC, Corporal, Templar, Praetorian and Exemplar
**Those that stay true to the Crusade's origins join the ranks of the Airborne Shock Troops. These men are the bulk of the airborne, and carry the same weapons as the standard troops of the Crusade. Usually dropped in by Vertibird via drop pods. These men either wear the Crusade's standard colors, the camouflage of Airborne Shock Troopers, or wear black and white, with an American symbol on their shoulders.
*Airborne Chief DI
**The chief instructor for all future Airborne troopers. This man oversees all training, and is directly responsible with recruiting new members to join the airborne.
*Airborne DI
**These are the drill instructors. They are responsible for training all future Airborne troops, and are widely hated and respected for their ability to make men from even the most sissy of recruits.
*Military Police Guard
**These are base guards, and are responsible for maintaining daily order in the absence of standard troops. It is not to say, however, that these men are inferior; in fact, most of them have been hand-picked. MP's wear SCM Ballistic Raid Armor with their left shoulder painted white, and wield police batons, Auto-Revolvers, and BPRs or APARs.
==Quotes==
==Stories==
*The Crusades: In the Marshal's Name.
==Creation==
All thought not in the traditional Fallout spirit, the wasteland proved a very excellent setting for my nice little genocidal faction of deadly military troopers. I originally came up with the idea as a mercenary group; almost something along the line of the Claws, but minus the visions of grandeur and more the visions of money and women like the cliche groups we all know about in every day movies and stories. As some of my colleagues here have pointed out, the Crusade really in fact is a giant melting pot. They're like the Enclave with their genocidal purist extremities, yet as time progress, they more or less gain or lose technology and equipment, not to mention man-power. I didn't like the conclusion we had come to at first, but I gradually saw their way, and if it could be changed back, the Crusade might not have been the power-hungry faction that rampaged through fanon D.C., not to mention fanon New York, Virginia, and parts of Maryland.
Truth be told, I didn't really envision the Crusade as the totally evil bad asses they've been made out to be in role-plays, articles, and stories. I really wanted them to stand for something in the wastes; sorta akin to a shining light of justice. If that avenue had been taken, the entire timeline concerning every character on the east coast might have been changed from it is right now. The Crusade has become entwined with so many articles that the effect it has caused is almost ridiculous. I'm proud of this fact, although I hate to admit I'm not fond of what I've caused in the Crusade. I sorta feel responsible for the influx of independent bad ass characters and quasi-powerful mercenary companies, not to mention the various home-grown super militias that have risen up in defiance to the Crusade and other major factions that maybe shouldn't have existed. Coming back to one the original ideas, I actually wanted the Crusade to be a small group of ghouls (ironic, I know) that would go on a "crusade" for justice, helping those in need and fighting to make the wasteland a better place. I quickly found the idea quite boring, discarded it, and succumbed to the idea you now know as the Crusade of the Eastern Seaboard. I realized my mistake early on, if your wondering, but kept it to myself.
One of the things I'm proud of is the the rivalries and story lines the Crusade has caused. As stated before, the Crusade has inter-twined itself with dozens of articles. Where do I start? Well, rivalries are a good place to be. Two examples are Brian Harmon and Jacob Vaughton, both characters of my colleagues here, and rivals of the Crusade and each other. I claim responsibility for causing their split and ultimate hostilities, and am quite proud of the heart break I've caused in the wasteland. Brian...the lone wanderer version refined. Quite the vigilante. He had enough guts to declare in a hopeless war he knew he couldn't win. I use Brian as an example because the Crusade caused his fate. He started a war he could not finish, earned enmity and hatred from the wronged people of the wastes, fled to the west, and ultimately met death at the hands of his former friend and mentor, Jacob, who had considered him a friend until his costly mistake in D.C. Jacob? ...Jacob...It seems as if Jacob and the Crusade were destined for a tussle at birth, unfortunately; it's the way it played out. My indispensable legions of inept soldiers have failed time and time again in role-playing and article cooperation to stop this crazed lunatic with a boatful of guns. Here comes the Crusaders! Yay, anarchy and chaos! Then...*sigh* comes Jacob, my arch-enemy. here to save the days against the forces of evil in post-apocalyptia. Every where, the Crusade fights Jacob and fights and fights and loses and loses. Why? I suppose it's the eternal struggle of good and evil fighting for dominance, a word that doesn't fit in Fallout well most of the time. It's likes Jacob and the Crusade were twins born at birth who were separated. Jacob became the good brother, and the Crusade morphed into Scolar Visari and Helghan (lol, check out the armor, bro). I enjoyed that arc of story, and hope it continues.
More to come...
==Picture Copyright sources==
*http://www.fallout3nexus.com/downloads/images/706-2-1233268657.jpg
*http://lh5.ggpht.com/_wKrDVyjSMNE/Sa-mTharqZI/AAAAAAAAAlA/vvfEohESYXA/UncleHelghast.jpg
Crusade, The
Category:Roleplaying
Category:TL Archives