Kalran: Tales of the four nations/Defender

"Defender ready to fight!"

-A Defender exiting the mustering hall

The Defender is the standard infantry of the VEG. Planned to be voiced by Udo Kier.

Tactical analysis

 * At the ready: Made up of volunteers trained in defensive warfare. The Defenders are ideal defensive troops. Their modified rifles lobbing grenades capable of blasting infantry and vehicles from farther than average range, though they are too inaccurate to take out garrisoned forces, while their warhammer lets them handle light and heavy infantry in melee
 * Mobile HMG nest: But when deployed into their personal bunker or garrisoning a building, however, the Defender truly comes into their own. Their machine gun tearing straight through infantry, light vehicles, and aircraft with enough range to cut down most attackers without fear of retaliation. And when garrisoned in a structure, they fire even faster with greater accuracy. However, it takes time to deploy their bunker, during which they are vulnerable, and once inside they have a firing arc that must be directed
 * Tank punch: If the Defender faces against armored vehicles they can fire their light anti-tank weapon (LAW), while it does little damage to more modern armor the squads training with it means that their shot always damages the engine
 * Where's the garrison: But because of the weight of their heavy armour and extra equipment, Defenders travel much slower than most infantry, and while their rifle is powerful its only good against infantry and the unit must be still to fire

Overview
In times of war, the council of a commune will call upon any Dwarf old enough to fight to form together into regimental militias. Most of the individuals that will answer the call to arms are craftsmen of some sort - blacksmiths, brewers, minters, and the like, though many also had volunteered for basic military training beforehand. But once they don their well-forged plate, put on their steel helm and heft a rifle and hammer in hand, they leave behind the artisan and worker, turning that same industrious nature to their other calling, battle.

History
"Word of advice. NEVER charge at an entrenched Defender head on. Those machineguns they wield in a building or those bunkers aren't called the dwarven buzzsaw for nothing."

-A Orc veteran retelling his experience of facing against the Dwarves

Tactics
Defenders acts as the both the basic infantry and early defense force for the VEG. With their heavy armor allowing them to weather attacks and their rifle able to fire at farther range then most, though its rate of fire is slow.

But once they set up their bunker or garrison a building they truly shine. As in this state they will use their HMG, which fills the area with a hail of lead that instantly mulches incoming infantry, suppressing any survivors, and aircrafts that flies in range. With a Defender capable of turning a zone into no-mans land if they dug into a good spot. And if they ever face tanks they can use their LAW to stop them, though its only effective when massed.

However they are expensive, slow, and when not garrisoned their rate of fire is slow and they can't target aircraft means they're vulnerable to aircraft and getting overwhelmed when not garrisoned. Not to mention that having to be garrisoned also makes them vulnerable to anti-garrison weaponry.

Rank upgrades
Power: Defender rifle grenade is upgraded to assault rifle with an underslung grenade launcher, giving them a faster firing secondary attack that deals heavy suppression and light damage, HMG is upgraded with heavier rounds, dealing double damage and gains line damage, and LAW now deals more damage

Defense: Defender gains garrison expert and increased health, armor, and regeneration

Utility: Defender HMG attacks now blinds and slows vehicles and aircraft, and LAW now caused the jammed weapons critical damage, cooldown is halved, and attack range when garrisoned is increased

Ultimate: Defender HMG now deals light damage to tanks and fire a grenade at the end of attack burst, assault rifle gains increased range, double damage, and grenades now fires in a burst of three, and LAW now also stuns vehicles and makes it frail

Trivia

 * Their rifle grenade is based of the Kar98 and Lee Enfield with the Schiessbecher, their assault rifle is based off the stg 44, while their machinegun is based for the MG42 and their LAW is based off the panzerfaust.
 * They are based off the gi from red alert 2 and the heavy defender from red alert paradox.

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
 * Shock trooper
 * Marauder
 * Shredder