Militant squad

"Down with GDI!"

- Militants, never too happy about the GDI


 * You may be looking for the militant rocket squad article

The Brotherhood of Nod militia are then millions-strong irregulars of the Brotherhood following the Second Tiberium War and the Firestorm Crisis. They are primarily disillusioned (or is it ecstatic) men and women, who have suffered from harsh lives in Yellow Zones and have been attracted to service in the Nod armed forces by the latter's relief efforts in the zones. The use of militia plays an important part for Nod, as the Inner Circle secretly regard them as expendable, the inevitable product of the "Control The Media, Control The Mind" social doctrine, with commanders preferring to waste their militant auxiliaries rather than endanger the thin ranks of the surviving Nod regulars and "true believers" who comprise the Brotherhood's cherished elite troops such as shadows and Black Hand.

Militia wear drab, gray hooded jackets and pants, with bandoleers, backpacks, and goggles. Most of them wear captured GDI body armour, but some also wear old worn Second Tiberium War Nod combat armour. Some only have civilian body armour vests, and some militias even wear no armour at all; they merely run into battle with the shirts on their backs. The Militants use a variety of small arms, ranging from old 20th century assault rifles such as the AK-47 or GAU-3 Eliminator 5.56mm assault rifles and Uzi's to new stolen GD-2 rifles. Militia are poorly trained and equipped when compared with their GDI counterparts, but their fanatical zeal and sheer numbers make up for their weaknesses. In some Nod regions, commanders have issued militants that have proven their dedication to the cause with the old, but battle proven Nod combat armour used by Nod light infantry during the Second Tiberium War.

These squads are the backbone of Nod's army and their performance can be greatly improved with the aid of the Secret Shrine and the upgrades it provides. The first is the Tiberium infusion, which provides all militants with Tiberium-based biological enhancements, which are based on Nod's Divination technology. These stimulants have the permanent effect of enhancing the user's endurance and making him permanently immune to Tiberium's effects. Militias upgraded with the tiberium infusion upgrade can even heal themselves over time, eliminating the need for Medics (as GDI does for its infantry).

The other is the inclusion of a Confessor, a heavily armed Nod officer who coordinates the work of militia squads and provides additional firepower with his strong Nod assault rifle and Hallucinogenic grenade. They also wear the newest Nod combat armour. The confessor is unlike the other militias, training their lesser brothers in the field about a myriad of subjects ranging from warfare to Nod's religious beliefs. With the Redemption ability, deceased Militants can continue to serve the Brotherhood after death. Their bodies are reanimated and their forces reformed into stronger Awakened cyborgs.

Tactics and Counters
"In the name of Kane!"
 * Guess what Militants do want

Unfortunately, militia have universally bad armour and are the weakest units in the conflict. They are also usually very poorly trained compared to their GDI counterpart, the riflemen squad. But this can be a benefit, too, as they are the cheapest unit to completely arm and train in the conflict. This distinct advantage can often be seen utilized by Nod commanders by simply overwhelming their opposition in bodies, using their dedicated foot soldiers as nothing but meat shields while more advanced (and expensive) war machines march forward. They can be trained in a short time, making them favored in Rushing Strategies.

Effective counters to these infantry formations have been developed by GDI in the course of their engagements in Yellow Zones in the form of advanced grenadier units garrisoned in Guardian APCs and heavy anti-infantry units.

The Black Hand and the Marked of Kane prefer to rely on well trained squads of elite soldiers, respectively Confessor Cabals and Awakened cyborgs.