“	Live with honor, die with glory!	„
	~ Crusader motto

The Crusader Initiative,^[3] more commonly known as the Crusaders, are a military order of modern knights aligned with the German Armed Forces.

Backgrounds

Resembling Medieval knights, the Crusaders are equipped with rocket hammers and barrier shields; the latter of which are used to provide cover for soldiers and advance under fire.^[4][5] While technically a unit within the Germany military, the Crusaders' code of conduct differs from that of a standard military organization. Crusaders accord themselves to a strict code of conduct that places chivalry, honor, and dedication to service above all else. Each Crusader must recite The Crusader's Oath before being viewed as a true Crusader themselves.^[3]

High-ranked Crusaders are given more ornate sets of armor, rendering them more easily identified on the battlefield.^[3]

History

Origins

The Crusader Initiative has its roots in the decade prior to the Omnic Crisis. Deep-sea exoskeletons designed by Leon Honisch caught the attention of Major Greta Klein of the German Armed Forces. At the time, growing instability in Europe had Germany looking to improve its national security. Honisch's design for deep-sea suits seemed, to Klein, like next-generation defensive technology. Klein was able to recruit Honisch into the nascent Crusader Initiative, along with another scientist, Emilia Fischer.^[3]

The program's name belied its focus on defense. Klein turned Honisch's expertise on crafting specialized armor that could both withstand heavy artillery fire and dig out from destructive battles. Hard-light shields developed by Fisher were added to the suits, allowing portable protection for Crusaders and their supporting detachments.^[3]

As the project continued however, Honisch and Fisher's views differed. Honisch argued that given the events of the 20th century, a fully militarized Germany would still be a terrible specter in the eyes of the world. Fischer's counter (and that of the military) was that Germany still had to defend itself should the need arise. Of note, from its inception, the Crusader Initiative was heavily propagandized, to sell the idea to the public that the Crusaders were a deterrent against regional aggression rather than a viable military force.^[3]

As developed continued, the two found a compromise, and the Crusader armor was restyled in the image of medieval knights. Focus was given to defense, with the Crusaders' barrier shields becoming their main selling point. Many early proposals for Crusader weaponry were scrapped due to practical reasons, given the weight the wearers of Crusader armor had to bear.^[3]

Early Service

Now an official unit, the Crusaders began to think of themselves in the chivalric context their unit harkened back to, diverging from standard military operating procedure.^[3]

The Crusaders took part in parades, ceremonies, and civilian events. They only took part in a handful of missions, with the protection of infantry troops serving as their prime directive.^[3]

The Omnic Crisis

When the Omnic Crisis began, the Crusaders were deployed in battle, and became the anchor of all German military operations. To meet the need for new Crusdaers, Germany allowed any member of its military to join them, provided they could master the equipment. Recruitment centers were set up and applicants surged from all walks of life. So many people wanted to be a Crusader, almost three days were lost in setting up a clerical pool. Once outfitted however, the Crusaders rapidly became a viable fighting force.^[3]

Despite this, Anubis's forces still outnumbered Germany's military 10:1. Straying from their purely defensive role, the Crusaders were given rocket hammers and axes, and their suits were retrofitted with thrusters, allowing them to charge into battle if needed. As months passed, the mere presence of a Crusader unit boosted morale more than any number of victories. People saw the Crusaders as a sign that humanity was fighting back, and still had a chance of winning. The Crusaders successfully held the line across Europe's eastern front.^[3]

The Crusaders suffered a blow in the Battle of Eichenwalde.^[3] The town of Eichenwalde had come under attack by omnic forces,^[6] and all active-duty Crusaders were called to the town's defense.^[3] General Balderich von Adler took a handful of Crusaders to the village in an effort to outflank the omnic army. Balderich's soldiers were able to break down the enemy forces, giving the German military an opportunity to push back, but Lieutenant Reinhardt Wilhelm was the only Crusader to make it out of the battle.^[6][7] While the battle was technically a German victory, many veteran Crusaders had been killed, along with 70% of the troopers they'd been assigned to protect.^[3]

Later in the war, the Crusaders took part in the Siege of Leipzig.^[3]

Recent History

“	Do you ever wish you were back in medieval times? A true knight's valor is timeless, little historian. The world needs us now.	„
	~ Sloan Cameron and Reinhardt Wilhelm

The Crusaders remained active after the end of the Omnic Crisis.^[3] Their current armor design was created by Torbjörn Lindholm.^[2]

Known Members

Civilian

• Emilia Fischer
• Leon Honisch (deceased)

Military

• General Balderich von Adler (leader, deceased)
• Major Greta Klein
• Lieutenant Reinhardt Wilhelm (formerly)

Trivia

• The founding of the Crusaders differs between sources. According to the Intel Database in Overwatch 2, the Crusaders were formed early in the Omnic Crisis.^[8] According to Overwatch: Declassified however, the Crusaders existed prior to the war.
• The Crusader poster tagline ("Die Crusader stehen Wache."), when translated, reads as "The Crusaders guard."
• The Charge of the Crusaders movie series is apparently based on them.

Cultural References

• The Crusaders may be named in reference to the Crusades. Germany itself played a role in the Crusades of the 12th century.
• Crusaders similarly exist in Blizzard's Diablo universe.
• In a way, the Crusaders are similar to the Doppelsöldners, 16th century bounty hunters who represented German nobility. They earned double payment for taking the extra risk of fighting on the front lines in armed battle and were infamous for carrying 15–45-kilogram longswords called zweihanders, not unlike the rocket hammers the Crusaders use as their signature weapons, or Reinhardt, on a lesser extent.

References