Defender

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*"At first we thought we were done for. The sun was setting, we couldn't see three feet in front of our eyes. But the weather was backing us. The storm made the ground in front of us a killing field for any man foolish enough to come at us. But sure enough they did, and every time we would just toss a Flash-Bang grenade out and they would stop in their tracks, and after that we would gun them all down."*

- Captain Colin Powell, Allied Defender
## Tactical Analysis

* **Blue Shield**: Defenders are the primary infantry of Reservist militaries. Highly trained, mobile and well equipped, they are well suited for throwing back enemy infantry advances and digging them out of structures, clearing the way for Reservist armour or Rocket Defenders to take up positions.

* **New Age Rifle**: The Defenders are equipped with the space age MX-15 assault rifle, made out of plastics and aluminium and firing the 5.56mm round. It is incredibly light and accurate when compared to other rifles like the ARM-12 and its direct competitor, the ADK-45. This allows the Defender to move faster from cover to cover and hit her target from further away.

* **The Sun in your hand**: Another advancement in Allied technology is the *"Blinder"* Flash-Bang grenade, it allows a single Defender to take on an enemy squad many times her number or clear a apartment complex nearly single handedly. When thrown, the *"Blinder"* explodes with a fury of light, sound and concussive force that will even blind and disorient even the most hardened enemy soldier.

* **Stop right there!**: Armour plating is too thick for the 5.56mm round to even dent, and vehicle crew compartments are too well insulated from the sound and force of the *"Blinder"*. However, elite Defenders have been issued with experimental EMP grenades, which in addition to stunning infantry can also shut down vehicles.

## Operational History

**Defenders**, the Allied light infantry during peacetime, are some of the most elite infantry of the Allied Reservist divisions. They're the toughest, best trained and (second) most well equipped infantry in the Allied Reservists. Defenders are often supported by Rocket Defenders when engaged and opposed by enemy fortifications or mechanized/armoured units. They are armed, armoured, and trained to use the best tactics and technology available to them.

The MX-15 assault rifle was intended to be the replacement for the legendary USM-01 carbine, and it didn't disappoint. Out of the box, the MX-15 is capable of firing a 5.56x45mm round, which produces massive wounding and hydrostatic shock effects because of tumbling in soft tissue when the bullet penetrates, leading to fragmentation and the rapid transfer of energy.

The *"Blinder"* Flash-Bang grenades on another hand are a combination of battlefield tactics and sheer simplicity. Unlike fragmentation grenades, they work by completely disorienting the target's senses with an overwhelming burst of sound and light, and allowing the user to neutralize the target while they are blinded & deafened by its effects. They are also used in tactics involving the clearing of buildings garrisoned by the enemy to a great degree of success.

In combat, the Defender is surgically proficient in the art of war, and can easily dispose of any other infantry fielded, so long as the weight of enemy numbers is not overwhelming. Her only limitation is that unlike the Peacekeeper, the Defender is limited by a relative lack of personal body armour and the Peacekeeper's trademark Legion Riot Shield, meaning that successful engagements are decided by flanking and terrain advantage, not diving into the enemy's proverbial teeth.

## Behind the Scenes

The Defender will seem very familiar to players of Generals, as they are in essence the Ranger infantry of that game.

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