Kalran: Tales of the four nations/Sword

"For our masters!"

Tactical analysis

 * Break them down: Sword clones of the Reclaimers don't get much training, but comes in huge waves to attack enemy positions by simply drowning them in numbers. Being ridiculously cheap and created instantly
 * Death by a thousand cuts: The Sword rifle are hideously weak against anything; at worst they cause a light cut with an atrocious rate of fire. However, the sheer mass of bullets when a large number of them fires will eventually makes enemy infantry bow down and die
 * The unending storm: Before battle they are psyched up by their chosen masters, and go into battle accompanied by a huge wave of their fellow clones. As long as they are fighting alongside at least four other clones, Swords are resistant to being suppressed, run faster, and attacks harder
 * Completely useless alone: Swords, and their fellow clones, are close to useless by themselves, especially without their horde bonus. Due to their weapon range, abysmal damage and rate of fire, and their barely existent armor and morale. Means when they're forced to fight against foes on equal numbers and/or without any support they will die. Especially against anti-infantry or demoralizing weaponry

History
"Six mile of ground has been won. But a million of my comrades are gone… What is the price of a mile?"

-Last journal entry of Sword MA113W (Matthew). It was recovered, and kept, by KL311I (Klein), the Trueborn would have sent it to the grinder otherwise

When a reclaimer clone is decanted they have a mind of a child, which can be easily manipulated.

The most basic clones, labelled Swords, are trained in basic range combat, utilizing cheaply made grenade launcher and are forced to close in a mad frenzy, due to their weapons pitiful range. And those who refuse suffers a painful shock from their collars, with the chosen berating them for defying orders and saying they only hurt themselves by refusing, and if they still refused the chosen then the chosen throws those "defective tool" into the grinder, feet first, under the guise of allowing them to take up another job. And by the end those clones who follow orders become nothing more then the chosen obedient hounds, willing to do anything to make them happy and fight in the hopes of bringing glory. Charging upon their foes and raining down explosives.

This often means that many of them are forced to watched as their fellow clones, friends that trained and fought together, are shred by bullets, or worse, often reducing them to the crying children they truly are. And if any of them tries to escape tends to suffer a bloody death at the hands of the Whips or the Aristocrats, and in the end any corpse or crippled clones, whether missing an arm or a finger, left are either sent to the grinder, where their body are reduced to raw materials to either make blood diamonds or new clones, or be forcibly remade into a Longbow unit.

And for any swords who survived their first combat tend to be irrevocably changed, often beginning to refuse the chosen orders, too traumatized to fight properly, or realize that the chosen never loved them and defect. This mean the Reclaimers tend to want most of their shields to die in battle, since they don't want to waste resources helping the survivors. For the Reclaimers view the clones, despite being as human as the next person, as a resource, since they can make thousands of clones in a snap. And care for them as much as a soldier cares for their bullets.

Short Story
“What you’re writing there?”

Klein’s question snapped Matthew out of his melancholy.

”Oh, just some thoughts on a journal.”

Klein smirked.

“Oh, what is it about? Someone you fancy?” He teased.

“W-what! NO! I-I’m just writing so that we have something to remember once we win.”

Klein laughed and pat Matthew’s back.

“Your a genius Matt! Making a tale we could tell our grandchildren. But we have to go in a few minutes. Not to mention Lia, Mina, and Rico are waiting for us.“

“Of course.” Matthew stood up, grabbing his rifle and stowing his journal, and followed.

In truth Matthew half lied to Klein about what he wrote. In truth a part of it was questioning the loss of life through the battles they fought.

The previous battle was still fresh in his mind. The scream, the explosions, and the sound of clashing steel echoed in his head. In the end they did pushed back the UCA forces, with help of their masters. But it costed around half a million of his fellow soldiers, fellows whom he knew and befriended, even with the help of their goddess Talia.

(insert rest of story here)

Soon he saw one of the UCA dogs, a man wearing plates of grey and hefting a zweihander, and fired.

The shot deflected and the man now charge towards him. He pulled back the bolt to reload, only for it to jam, and as the man drew closer he threw down his rifle and charges, knife unsheathed.

The mans blade impaled him with ease before he could get in range. And with a twist and pull Matthew fell, trying to hold his guts in, as the soldier began fighting the others.

Pain wracked at Matthew as he lied on the ground and time passed.

(insert rest of story here)

Talia stared upon the corpse of Sword MA113W, or Matthew as the aftermath of the battle sink in.

Were it the first she saw of a dying friend she would have wept. But she already witnessed it many times that she became numb, and even if she wanted to the Trueborns had replaced her eyes with cameras. She then heard rapid footfall.

“No. Nonononono!”

She then saw another Sword, KL311I or Klein, ran up to Matthews corpse. And fell to his knees upon seeing him, tears welling up as he grabbed a journal on the corpse belt.

“No. Matt…” was the only words he could utter before he wept, clutching the journal to his chest.

Talia soon heard another voice and three figures in the distance. Bow, Spear, and Shield clones, RY711A, Raylia, and FI703E, Filomena, and RI347O, Ricardo, came running.

“Klein! Why did you-” Raylia called before gasping at what she saw, uttering a no, and ran.

“M-Matt…” was the only thing she could utter, covering her mouth to back tears. Filomena fell to knees and wept.

Talia wished she could cry with them, wished that this was the first, and only, tragedy she saw. But, sadly, she couldn’t, as she had witness such pain many times before, not to mention the clones dying thoughts, that she was basically desensitised to it.

“I’m sorry for your loss.”

Klein sniffed, looking towards her, and forced a smile.

“Don’t be goddess. In the end he fought as a true soldier. And he, alongside our brothers and sisters who died, will be remembered. Right?”

Talia wanted to tell them the bitter truth, that in the Trueborns eyes their actions amount to nothing and will be forgotten, but in the end, knowing that the knowledge won’t improve the situation their stuck in, forced a smile and said.

“Yes, of course.” And left them to mourn their fallen friend.

In the end it would be the only chance they can to grieve, as Matthew body will become raw materials in the grinder.

Trivia

 * The unit is a fusion of the riflemen from C&C/red alert 1 and C&C 2, the red guard from C&C generals, except their equipment is even worst like the rifle units from Cossacks 3, and the Electronical Protectorate Aggressors from C&C paradox mod.

Arkalion

 * Legionnaire
 * Defender
 * Voltigeur
 * Warrior
 * Guardian
 * Ascendant

Alcradia

 * Vanguard
 * Lancer
 * Trooper
 * Huntress
 * Talon
 * Sword

Axio

 * Ashigaru
 * Privateer
 * Fusilier
 * Raider
 * Rebel
 * Enforcer

Askrian

 * Footman
 * Partisan
 * Dervish
 * Grenadier
 * Mercenary
 * Draugr