Craig Randall

"I've killed a goddamn Butcher with my bare hands. You? You're practice to me."

- Craig to a disobedient Gear.

CW2 Craig Randall was a Gear who fought in the Locust War. He was transferred to the 26th RTI shortly after E-Day, and put in command of his own squad, Yankee-Two, just following the Hammer of Dawn Counterattack.

Pre-Emergence
Craig was raised in the former COG capital of Ephyra. Though his family had no military background, his parents were supportive of his aspirations to become a Gear. Craig enlisted on his 18th birthday, and quickly completed basic training. However, he saw no action during his first two months on duty.

E-Day
E-Day was Craig's first taste of combat. He was deployed into Gorasnaya, where his heroic actions earned him the rank of Private First Class and a transfer to the famed 26th RTI.

Unfortunately, Craig's family and a number of his friends were in Jannermount when the attack began, and all but his sister, Madeline, were killed by the Locust. Madeline went to live with Craig, and was mute for almost six months.

Early Service in the 26th RTI
After his transfer, Craig continued to perform admirably, advancing to the rank of Staff Sergeant.

Hammer of Dawn Counterattack
In 1 A.E., Craig participated in the Hammer of Dawn Counterattack. He used the Hammer of Dawn to bombard the Locust Horde back into the Hollow. He fired the destructive weapon several hundred times over the course of the operation, unaware that he was killing thousands of innocent civilians. Craig acquired the rank of Sergeant First Class for serving in the counterattack, and was put in charge of Yankee-Two.

Aftermath & Guilt
Shortly after, Craig saw firsthand the horrors that the counterattack had caused. Shocked and appalled by his own actions, it would be two years before he ever spoke of the Hammer of Dawn Counterattack again.

Yankee-Two
Craig fought the rest of the war as the leader of Yankee-Two, forging strong bonds with its members. He would come to regard the squad as his family, and also considered anyone else he was close to, such as Madeline and Amanda, as honorary members of the squad.

Personality & Traits
Craig was a fearless and dependable soldier, and believed it was his duty as a Gear to put his life and reputation on the line to protect the lives of his comrades and helpless civilians. Though smaller and somewhat weaker than most Gears, his "go big or go home" mentality combined with his no holds barred fighting style made him a force to be reckoned with, as he would risk anything to achieve his goal once he set his sights on it.

Trivia

 * Unlike most experienced Gears, Craig favors the combat helmet.
 * He was a strong opponent of the Fortification Act, feeling that people should have the right to enjoy freedom at the cost of decreased safety, as long as they did not endanger others with their actions. His dislike of the act turned to hatred when he was forced to impregnate seventeen-year-old Amanda Morrison or face court marshall in 2 A.E. He was horrified by the breeding farms, seeing them as misogynistic, corrupt, and degrading, and that the so-called "impregnation" was simply government-sanctioned rape (like many of the "patients" at the farms). Fortunately, at his request, he was given time to build a relationship with Amanda before the impregnation. And in 5 A.E., when the farm came under attack by Locust, he smuggled her out amidst the confusion and bloodshed. They later married
 * He painted the names of his deceased friends and family on the right seal of his armor, the names of fallen comrades on the left, and the name of his traumatized sister on the sternum area. He later added Amanda's name alongside his sister's, as Amanda had suffered many hardships in the breeding farm where they first met.