Lance

Lore & Background

Lance rose through the ranks of Green Earth's military due to his exceptional ability to coordinate artillery barrages and fortify positions. Unlike his more aggressive peers, he believes that patience and careful positioning win wars, often setting up kill zones that decimate advancing enemies before they can engage his front lines. His calm voice and methodical orders have earned him the nickname 'The Iron Calculator' among his troops.

Reader's Guide

The fire lance was a gunpowder weapon used by lighting it on fire, and is the ancestor of modern firearms. It first appeared in 10th–12th century China and was used to great effect during the Jin-Song Wars. It began as a small pyrotechnic device attached to a polearm weapon, used to gain a shock advantage at the start of a melee. As gunpowder improved, the explosive discharge was increased, and debris or pellets added, giving it some of the effects of a combination modern flamethrower and shotgun, but with a very short range (about 3 meters or 10 feet), and only one shot (although some were designed for two shots). By the late 13th century, fire lance barrels had transitioned to metal material to better withstand the explosive blast, and the lance-point was discarded in favor of relying solely on the gunpowder blast. These became the first hand cannons. The earliest evidence of fire lances appeared in China in the year 950. However usage of fire lances in warfare was not mentioned until 1132 when Song garrisons used them during the Siege of De'an, in modern-day Anlu, Hubei, in a sortie against the Jin dynasty (1115–1234). In 1163, fire lances were attached to war carts known as "at-your-desire-carts" used to defend mobile firebomb trebuchets. In the late 1100s, pieces of shrapnel such as porcelain shards and small iron pellets were added to the gunpowder tube. At some point fire lances discarded the spearhead altogether and relied solely on their firepower. By 1232, the Jin were also using fire lances, but with improved reusable barrels consisting of durable paper material. According to the History of Jin, these fire lances had a range of roughly three meters. In 1233, Jin soldiers used fire lances successfully against the Mongols. Pucha Guannu led 450 Jin fire lancers and routed an entire Mongol encampment. The Mongol soldiers were apparently disdainful of other Jin weapons, but greatly feared the fire lance. In 1259, a pellet wad that occluded the barrel was recorded to have been used as a fire lance projectile, making it the first recorded bullet in history. By 1276, the character used for "lance" (槍/鎗) in fire lance had switched from using the "wood" radical (木) to "metal" (金), suggesting that fire lances had transitioned to metal barrels. Fire lances were also being used by cavalrymen at this point, as evidenced by the account of a Song-Yuan battle in which two fire lance armed Song cavalrymen rushed a Chinese officer of Bayan of the Baarin. The Huolongjing also mentions a gourd fire lance which was used by cavalrymen as well as foot soldiers. The metal-barreled fire lance began to be used independently of the lance around the mid to late 13th century. These proto-cannons which fired co-viative projectiles, known as 'eruptors,' were the forerunners of the hand cannon.

Did You Know?

• Lance's CO theme incorporates a slow, marching drumbeat to reflect his deliberate command style.
• In early development, Lance was originally designed as a naval specialist before being shifted to indirect ground units.
• His signature phrase, 'Patience is a weapon,' is a direct quote from the game's script.
• Lance's design was inspired by historical artillery officers, though no specific real-world figure is referenced.