Sergeant Willard

Sergeant Willard is the Human commander of a M1A2 Battle Tank and a human hero, at least in the tutorial. His special tank is an experimental tri-barreled gatling tank, stronger than others and able to dish out more damage, codenamed Thumper. Thumper is roughly half as strong as a Peacebringer.

Biography

Willard is called in to support Colonel Moore's forces when they rescue The President. Moore is surprised at this, because Willard had been retired from service for some time. Moore figures that Willard was called back because of how badly the fight was going, but in reality, Willard volunteered for service and managed to commandeer Thumper.

After evacuating the President, Willard stays back to keep the Habitat Walkers and other forces away from Moore and the President. Moore has more faith in Woolard now, and trusts him with the information that the Joint Chiefs are dead, the Vice President is hiding in a bunker, and the United States' armed forces may have suffered up to 90% casualties.

Willard and his forces are eventually forced to fall back to Fort McNair, and the walker follows them. Their retreat is covered by Apache gunships commanded by Moore. Willard and Moore are unable to formulate a plan against the walker that has not already been tried as it approaches Fort McNair and while a more conventional Heirarchy force of infantry attacks from the east. When the Novus arrive to destroy the Heirarchy attackers, Moore calls a retreat into the hills. Willard was among the soldiers who managed to escape Fort McNair.

Special Abilities

He has one special ability, Saturate Area - when activated, Thumper spins its firing barrel up and rapid-fires many shells into the selected area. The attack is inaccurate, but incredibly devastating against any enemy unlucky enough to be in the target area.

Trivia

• Developers' posts on the forum indicate that he was named after the protagonist of Apocalypse Now, Captain Benjamin L. Willard, who was played by Martin Sheen.

• Willard's tank, Thumper, may be named after a character from Bambi.

• There seems to be some confusion on the pronounciation of his name; Com says "Willard", wheras Moore says "Woolard". Presumably this is a pronounciation mistake on Moore's part.