Templar Lord

**Key Features** | »*"Leonardo"* L-25 thermobaric cannon»Heavy-duty thermobaric jumpjet»Plate armour forged from Talon Steel»Ambiarically-heated sword (ceremonial)»Sash of Shame

*"We are servants of our Lady."*

- Templar Lord
## Tactical Analysis

* **Fireblast:** Armed with mighty thermobaric cannons, Templar Lords are powerful, versatile infantry capable of taking on all comers - so long as their foes are on the ground. They cannot strike at aircraft and has a minimum range, but anything on the ground, be it man or machine, will be in for a world of hurt. The cannons take a moment to recharge between shots as well. And those who think they can exploit their minimum range in melee would remember that each Templar Lord is a master of melee combat as they are knocked back by a brutal, Talon Steeled, punch.

* **Fly:** Templar Lords are shielded from the exhaust of their mighty jetpacks by their heavy armour, though said armour makes it impossible for them to fly, but they moves fast enough to be considered a freight train when activate. With infantry and walls unfortunate to be in their way becoming a smear on the floor.

* **Outnumbered and taken down:** Clad in heavy Talon Steel plate armour, only the largest war machines can crush Templar Lords, and only the mightiest weapons can reliably pierce their steel skin. However, such might does not come cheap: Templar Lords are expensive. As a result, Templar Lords should never be fielded unsupported. While powerful, they can and will be overwhelmed and killed alone, or bombed into oblivion.

* **Man of Steel:** As Templar Lords rise in the ranks their equipment is upgraded. Special landing boots that let them run across any terrain, shoulder-mounted SAM launcher, improved booster, and specially treated Talon Steel armour and thermobaric ammunitions.

## Background

As the Soviets examined the wreckage of a shrine in Sarajevo, field engineers recorded evidence of 4th degree burns to nearly all of the horrifically disfigured corpses. This extreme injury is caused by temperatures well over 2500 degrees Celsius. The burns were so severe that most victims were nearly reduced to ash. Unbeknownst to the Soviet investigators, these horrific burns were caused by the *"Leonardo"* L-25 themobaric cannon, a devastating weapon system fielded by the Order of the Talon's **Templar Lords**.

The position of Templar Lord is among the more senior in the Knights Templar. They are the elite cadre of the Templar Order, commanding groups of their fellow brethren in battle. A Templar Lord will have given many years of service to the Talon, and slain countless foes in battle. The one consolation that foes of the Talon have is that these formidable warriors are few; one is unlikely to see more than a few dozen of them on the battlefield at any one time.

This doesn't limit their effectiveness in battle, however, and each Templar Lord is a deadly foe in their own right, capable of vanquishing many times their number of foes before going down. Up to the 20th century, most of their equipment was the same as it had been for centuries; a sword and a shield. However, with the First World War, Templar Lords received several powerful additions to their arsenals. Their swords and shields are no longer used; though Templar Lords still have swords, they are now used for ceremonial functions (at least on paper).

Instead, Templar Lords are armed with the aforementioned L-25 thermobaric cannon, a weapon capable of delivering powerful fuel-air blasts that can extinguish the life of anything foolish enough to get to challenge a Templar Lord. The power this weapon affords has seen that Templar Lords need no other (though more experienced Templar Lords often add extra weapons to their arsenal), it can roast infantry, melt tank armour, and demolish buildings with ease. The only failings of the *"Leonardo"* are its inability to target aircraft and its minimum range, but the Templar Lords experience in close combat means they can easily punch back those who get too close, often breaking a bone or two seeing as said fist is armoured in Talon Steel.

In addition, Templar Lords are also outfitted with powerful themobaric jumpjets; using the explosive power of a directed fuel-air blast, the jumpjets can propel the heavily armoured Templar Lord long distances. Unfortunately, their armour is simply too heavy to lift the Templar, so instead they use specially treated boots that let the Templar glide on the ground. The force created by the jumpjets is strong enough to jet the Templar forward like a high-speed freight train, combined with their armour, and the result is that any infantry and frail structures standing between them and their destination are often reduced to chunks, while also wreathing the ground that a Templar Lord is moving through in deadly flames. This allows a Templar Lord to ram headfirst into the enemy and break their line, or, shamefully, retreat if they find themself in an unfavorable situation, while also giving the enemy a send off, with those dumb enough to give chase seeing their feet getting burnt off by the flames.

The Templar Lord themself is protected by the thick armour that they wear; each suit a carefully crafted masterpiece, with plates of Talon Steel covering a complicated steam-powered, clockwork exoskeleton that enhances the wearer's strength and mobility. The thick Talon Steel plate armour of Templar Lords is capable of weathering hundreds of blows and sustaining tremendous temperatures and pressures without visible signs of damage, granting a Templar Lord unparalleled protection for an infantryman, surpassing even that of the Syndicate's battlesuits.

## Behind the Scenes

* The Templar Lord is based on GDI's Zone Trooper from Command and Conquer 3.
* The Templar Lord is also inspired by Assault Space Marines from Warhammer 40,000.