Ministering to Vampires "To break the heathen and uphold the Christ; To ride abroad addressing human wrongs; To speak no slander, no, nor listen to it; To honour his own word as if his God's; To lead sweet lives in purest chastity... Not only to keep down the base in man; But teach high thought, and amiable words..." - Idylls of the King, Tennyson It is a common misconception that the Church Knights are nothing more than a highly trained, heavily equipped band of vampire assassins. Wherever the warrior monks declare their presence, rumours spread thick and fast among vampires about their efficient hunting and killing techniques. This self-perpetuating fear is encouraged by the knights as frightened Kindred sometimes become desperate - and make mistakes. Conversely, it can also be a hindrance - enforcing Kindred adherence to the principle of the Masquerade. But the religious component of the Church Knights must not be forgotten. The belief that a vampire has lost its soul, and is doomed to eternal damnation, is only partially correct. It is hard for a knight to consider a vampire evil if it conducts itself in as civil and humane manner as possible. Having to kill such Kindred can cause a crisis of faith. For this reason, ministration is considered a viable alternative. Blessings: Because of their True Faith, a knights blessing is not simply a collection of empty words. A blessing of good heath and happiness can result in just that - a heightened sense of serenity and peace. The example provided by someone with True Faith can act as an inspiration and encouragement to others. A knights own joy in life can help lift others out of the depths of despair. The whole purpose of a knight's presence is to make the world a safe place for normal people to live and worship. Encouraging the general populace must never be neglected - or else the fight against Corruption may end up for nought. Repentance: The Militant Orders - Hospitallers in particular - believe that a repentant vampire can, with a knights blessing, have its soul freed to be judged like any other mortal. The knight cannot convey judgement or forgiveness. But he can provide a chance for mercy. The fact that this option requires the death of a vampire limits its popularity, but any Kindred burdened with guilt and horror at what it is should see this as a viable alternative. Golconda: Vampires actively seeking Golconda (vampire-heaven) are encouraged - to an extent. While still essentially corrupt, such a quest involves renouncing much of a vampires evil nature. This reduces the need for the knights to "cleanse" the world of that particular vampire. The Church Knights have their own definition of Golconda - that of pious worship, repentance and service. Vampires may find solace and security within the Church, though they must devote themselves to a monastic life and cease feeding on human blood. Such Vampires can serve as consultants and instructors for the Militant Orders, but they cannot join in on any mission. The risk of wanting to re-join their kind is considered too great. Red Mass: In its lesser forms, the Mass involves the breaking and forgiveness of Vampiric domination. Ghouls can have their blood-bond removed and, if repentant, forgiven for their actions while under Kindred influence. In such situations, the knight is simply the vessel for God's will. The outcome can never be guaranteed. In its highest form, the Grand Masters of each order can meet and conduct a ceremony to restore mortality to a deserving vampire. The blood of Cain can be removed, restoring the creature to the same mortal state as when embraced. Once again, the knights are only a vessel for God's will. When the Grand Master of each Militant Order believes a supplicant vampire has proven beyond earthly doubt that it desires repentance, the ritual known as Red Mass can be performed. The vampire is taken to one of the different Order's most Holy places and asked to bow before the altar before a full chapter of knights and each of the three Grand Masters. During the course of the ceremony, the vampire is required to place some of its own blood in a crystal chalice. As the assembled knights and the vampire prey, the Grand Masters observe the chalice for any changes. If the blood remains unchanged, then the vampire has not yet fully atoned for its sin or demonstrated genuine faith. It has not yet earned God's attention. If the blood turns to wine, his repentance is accepted and his earnest desire to cease being a vampire granted. At the same time the blood in the chalice changes to wine, the vampire will "die" peacefully, and his soul raised to heaven for judgement. If the blood in the chalice turns to water, the vampires blood will be purged of its taint and returned to normal. The now mortal, ex-vampire, will be weak and is unlikely to be capable of standing. He must be given medical attention to ensure his blood and body chemistry levels are restored fully. The state of ageing picks up from the time of embrace - not counting the years as an undead creature. The restored mortal is then allowed to choose its own destiny, free to be judged upon his death like any other person. Investigation Techniques "You could not afford to allow someone like Lord Ruthven to survive. He might after all eventually persuade too many people that being a vampire was just fine." - Vampire, a Complete Guide to the Undead, Manuela Dunn Mascetti, 1992. Tracking down the Kindred is a complex and arduous task. Only a coordinated, multi-disciplinary approach can bear fruit. While all knights and novices are thoroughly trained and equipped for combat, they are also versed in investigative techniques. No one method is enough on its own. Just as a combat team must contain a mix of heavy weapons, explosive, security and communications skills - so to must it have a variety of hunting skills. Specific skills are broken down into the following categories: Research, Forensic, Contacts, Interrogation, Occult Knowledge and Tracking. Each skill is specific and complex - taking years of study to obtain the highest standards. Holding multiple skills is possible, just as it is possible to have more than one university degree. However, specialisation is more likely. Once a combat team has been placed in a new city, each knight branches off to investigate their own area of expertise. Once a week, knights will meet at a pre-arranged safe-haven to discuss their findings, and compare notes. Utmost security is paramount. No knight must know another's movements or lodgings. If one is discovered, this reduces the chances of the whole groups integrity being destroyed. Regular contact must be maintained, however, often through the use of mobile phones, pagers, dead letter boxes and pre-arranged signs. Telemetric units are only operational during combat operations, but may be switched on by individual knights during moments of crises - to transmit the circumstances for later analysis. RESEARCH Physical collection of all available data is a complex and time-consuming process. Knights skilled in this process would analyse the content of local newspapers, church newsletters, police and court records dating back several years. Use of computer databases is a vital component - especially as most newspapers now record all articles on such systems for reference. Hospital and police demographic records can also be helpful, revealing concentrations of particular types of crime or medical conditions (such as low-blood levels). Each lead, as it is uncovered, must be exhaustively followed up. It is possible for a paper trail to lead directly to a suspect. However, more often research is a means of proving or fleshing out existing suspicions. Public records such as business' annual reports, land registry documents, births, deaths and marriage files can provide vital clues and leads. School records are a valuable source of an individual's history, especially year-books. Once the paper trail has been exhausted, the process of interviewing sources and monitoring suspects begins. INTERROGATION Interrogation does not necessarily mean the red-hot coal and poker approach. In a watered-down form it is known as an interview. Knights skilled in extracting information from other people would be used to discuss events with witnesses, draw useful information out of uncooperative suspects - as well as interrogating captured minions and Ghouls. Reports found in newspapers and other documents may be spartan, biased or simply inaccurate. Contacting the source direct can remove this form of filtration and reveal more information of use to a knights investigations. CONTACTS Each militant order has support from different parts of society. Overall, the various church denominations are generally eager to help. Church knights hold senior ranks within their associated denominations - and are well within their rights to act as envoys from the Vatican etc. Most churches, when faced with such a senior visitor, would usually open their books (and hearts) willingly. Other sources of support are available on an international scale. The Templars have had a long association with the Freemasons, and may hold corresponding ranks within the secret society. Hospitallers are associated with the Order of St John - found in most Commonwealth countries as ambulance and paramedical associations. Teutonic links are much more general - usually relying upon the common bond found between soldiers and police the world over These institutional contacts can be among the most valuable sources of information. Masons may provide financial and legal support, along with access to otherwise secret information. St Johns can offer practical medical assistance, as well as the experiences and services of its members. Police and military contacts, once again can offer behind-the-scenes information and cooperation - such as access to their own investigation records. As experts in their own fields, Knights can win the support of other professionals. For example, a Hospitaller may be a highly trained surgeon. Other surgeons would feel comfortable discussing any "strange" afflictions they have discovered. However, knights must constantly be aware that all these organisations are open to Kindred infiltration. As a result, their true identity must remain concealed. Each knight must only act in the capacity of member or affiliate of these organisations. Only the most senior officer of each group - if he/she is trusted - is allowed to know the full truth. Other organisations may also be sources of information. The Salvation Army (another Militant Order), the Red Cross: just about any humanitarian organisation concerned with public welfare. FORENSIC This scientific approach is much more limited in its application than the above, though more likely to produce positive results. The areas of knowledge that come under the term forensic-science practices include pathology, toxicology, anthropology, odontology, psychology, and criminalistics. A forensic pathologist will conduct an autopsy on a victim to locate any signs of injury or disease. Toxicology is linked to pathology but specifically concerned with the presence of poisons or drugs. Even vampires can bleed (though only a little). Blood and skin samples may prove or disprove a suspects vampiric nature. Criminalistics applies to the use of physical and natural sciences - such as analysing objects found at the scene of a crime. This evidence includes a variety of materials - drugs, hair, fibres, soil, blood, paint chips, firearms, fingerprints, documents, bullet distortions, type of wounds - all can reveal a great deal of information. Identification of bones and skeletal remains is the responsibility of forensic anthropology, which uses comparative body and bone measurements - along with morphology. Odontology uses dental evidence to identify remains and can be helpful in summarising bite-mark impressions. Forensic psychiatrists analyse human behaviour and personality in connection with crime. Psychiatric examinations may serve to determine whether the state of mind of an individual may have been affected by or contributed to the incident - deliberately or otherwise. Knights trained in Forensics have a good understanding of all these areas. They are trained to recognise and draw conclusions where they can and use their limited resources to the full. Anything beyond their capabilities can be forwarded to their Headquarters for greater analysis. This includes DNA "fingerprinting" of semen or blood stains. No field packs are yet available to Ôtag' particular strains or types - they are still under development. So far only the Brujah, Gangrel, Malkavian, Nosferatu, Toreador, Tremere and Ventrue blood types can be recognised in the underground labs of the Hospitallers in Valletta, Malta. The Militant Orders are also researching what exactly it is in vampire blood that makes them what they are. Other areas of research include vampire repellents, sources of aggravated damage and how to nullify their supernatural powers. Every piece of information helps. TRACKING While all of the above help identify individual vampires, reveal their abodes and their habits - actually finding the creature is another matter altogether. Tracking is usually associated with hunting in the wild, identifying and following the spoor of specific creatures. This also applies to hunting vampires and lupines - though involving different techniques in a metropolitan environment. Vampires can leave traces of their presence. The mind's and aura's of passers-by may still show the effects of Dominate and Obfuscate. Vampires using physical powers will leave marks different to humans such as shoe scuff marks, deeper-than-usual imprints, oil-less fingerprints and no residual body heat (just sit on a leather couch that a vampire has vacated - you'll see what I mean). Other giveaways are: *Lack of insect activity about the person (especially in tropical regions). *Insect bites do not swell (the old "fake wasp on your shoulder trick" should apply here). *Behaviour of nearby animals. *Effect upon trodden grass, plants etc. *Lack of breath vapour on a cold night. Fingerprints taken from the scene of known vampire activity may help narrow the field of suspects and scuff- marks on the floors or ground may prove whether Celerity has been used. The full range of traditional tracking techniques also apply such as identifying particular sets of shoe or tire prints, walking styles and other tell-tale signs. Dogs: The canines extraordinary ability to sense kindred, lupines and spirits has been well documented throughout history. Dogs appear to go into a frenzy whenever such evil is nearby. The Church Knights have learnt to control and train this sense, using suitable dogs to follow the spoor of vampires for great distances. Like police tracker dogs, these animals can sense the smell and corruption of a vampire for up to four hours. After that time, the dogs would have to rely upon sensing objects strongly associated with the prey - such as a discarded shoe or item of clothing, a trail of blood or a place where they have spent enough time to leave a heavy scent. A knight who knows his dog well would be able to sense or notice the effects of the vampiric discipline Animalism. KINDRED LORE This is direct knowledge of vampire habits, customs and internal politics. By knowing such factors, the behaviour and activities of a group of vampires can be anticipated and predicted. If you're lucky. It is an imprecise science as not all vampire Clans are known or understood. Inter-clan politics is also a murky business and can often confound carefully laid traps. Much knowledge has been gleaned from repentant vampires. However, these vampires are usually young and know only about their own bloodline. Not all Clans are likely to produce vampires with high humanity and faith - reducing the sources of information considerably. These gaps are constantly being researched and new information often comes to light. Inter-clan politics is a fluid thing, however, and what was once an enmity may now be an alliance. Uniform and Equipment "The Templars are ready and armed at whatever time of the day or night they may be called, either to fight or to accompany travellers; and when they pursue the enemy, the do not ask Ôhow many are they?', but only, Ôwhere are they?'." - Jacques de Vittry, 12th century. CEREMONIAL DRESS Formality, ceremony and ritual is much a part of a knight's and novice's daily life. An integral part of such formality is dress - a means of proclaiming identity, philosophy and status while generating a strong sense of esprit-de-corps. Clothing can also re-enforce in the wearer's mind a sense of purpose and mood: thus the designation of ceremonial and combat uniforms. Monastic habit for all Orders is simple but of good quality. The spartan robes merely reflect the Order to which they belong - signs of rank being considered unnecessary. Once Outremer fell about 1300, a crusading treatise established by the Church recommended all three Militant Orders be combined. A similar move was made during the Malta Synod of the 1980s. Both proposals saw the new order wearing black robes with a red cross. Neither move was successful, however, and the Orders remain independent. Templars: The monastic habit of the Templars is basically a white woollen tunic, white mantle and a skull-cap. This uniform was granted to the Order upon their papal recognition in 1128. In 1146, the Templars were given the right to wear a red cross on their left breast or shoulder. Initially a simple intersection of lines, the cross later developed to become what is known as the "crosse formee". Sergeants (now novices) wore a similar habit, though it was colored brown. Hospitallers: Monastic dress is a black hooded mantle known as the cappa clausa. The white eight-pointed Maltese cross is sewn on either the left breast or across the whole chest. Officers of the Order have the right to wear red in place of black, though the cross remains the same. Sergeants (now novices) wore the same black garb as the knights. Teutones: The white habit of the Teutones was very similar to that of the Templars (much to the latter's disgust). This right was granted them by the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II. Their black cross (sometimes with yellow border) was similar in shape to that of the Cross of Jerusalem (four T's radiating from a centre-point). In the late-13th century they were also granted the right to place the German Royal Eagle at the heart of the cross - though this practice has since been discontinued. Teutone sergeants (equivalent to modern novices) wore a Tau cross (looking like a single capital T). This cross was also known as a crux commissa. STANDARDS OF THE ORDERS As all Militant Orders are derived from cavalry fighting units, each has its own battle standard which acted as a rallying point after the charge. The standards still exist, though are used only for ceremonial purposes such as "showing the flag". Templars: The Templars held particular reverence for their battle standard, otherwise known as Bauseant. It was in use from at least 1128. The standard is a simple one - a white field with the upper quarter filled in black. It was the responsibility of the Gonfanonier knight who was supported and protected by the squires. In battle the standard was often protected by up to 10 knights and its loss by a brother would result in his expulsion from the Order. Secondary commanders and preceptories used a flag of a red cross on a white field. Both designs were used on individual knight's shields. Hospitallers: The standard of the Knights Hospitaller was a white "splayed" cross on a red field - or the reverse. The most common example is set rigid between two light poles with five red tails hanging from the trailing edge. The standard, first seen in 1182, was the responsibility of the Orders Gonfanonier, but generally carried by a squire. The colour of the knight's shield depended upon the colour of his surcoat. Originally, the eight-pointed cross was only worn by non-combattants. Teutones: In the early days of the Order the Teutones battle standard was simply a black cross on a white field. But as they successfully established a principality in the Baltic States, the cross was dressed up. By 1330 the Order had adopted the yellow cross of Jerusalem bordered in black for their standard, with the German royal eagle at its heart. This was placed on a white field. Shields mostly held a simple black cross on white. MODERN COMBAT EQUIPMENT Knights require proper clothing and equipment for a successful conclusion in a "cleansing" operation. All weapons, clothing and equipment are supplied by the knights Order - and remain the property of the Order. For fully-ranked knights, personal possessions are forbidden. Novices may use privately owned equipment - if they have demonstrated both proficiency and need. The troops wear a dark grey one-piece suit, made from fire- retardant material, together with heavy combat boots. A bullet-proof, sleeveless jacket is still often worn, comprising a casing into which ceramic kevlar armoured plates are inserted front and rear. Similar to flak-jackets in basic design, they are tailored to meet individual requirements. This includes pockets for to contain ancillary equipment such as radios and grenades. This body armour is being replaced by a new, individually moulded armour which also covers the arms and legs while allowing full freedom of movement. Gloves are worn to ensure a good grip on weapons and other items of equipment. In addition, a belt rig, usually made of ballistic nylon or tough hide is worn around the waist and comprises a personal selection of pouches - usually for St George's oil dischargers, air- dart flingers, sun-torches etc. The ballistic-belt also has clips to allow a sword scabbard to be attached, though most knights prefer to have their sacred weapons slung on their back over the right shoulder. A drop holster for the Glock 18a rides low on the right leg, with spare magazine pouches worn on the other leg. In addition, a spare magazine is often worn on the left wrist for a rapid magazine change. Strap-on seat-type harnesses are often worn in case abseiling is necessary. Used in conjunction with stabilised descenders, quick-release fittings and a rope bag on the leg (to prevent those below seeing the rope), it is worn only when its use is likely. Other items of equipment placed on the body and webbing include spare magazines for the SMGs, bolt-cutters, hand hammers, axes and glass cutters. Sewn-on patches for bayonet scabbards complete the rigs and are attached either to the upper arm or thigh, upper chest or body armour waistcoat. Specialised equipment such as flares, flash darts etc are stored in a similar manner. Experience has taught that only materials of the highest quality are suitable for anti-vampire operations. Knights are often fighting in situations where they are physically inferior to their quarry. Only the best quality equipment can reduce this deficit. BASIC ISSUE EQUIPMENT: The following is a list of basic equipment, issued as standard to all knights. Further weapons and items are available from each Order's stores upon request, and are outlined in Apendice 1. Equipment: MPK2000 - submachinegun Glock18a - automatic pistol Sword Bayonet Dart Knife Small wooden stakes Bodymould armour Night vision goggles/scopes Telemetry unit Flashdart pack (6x2) Flare pack (6x2) Stun Grenade (x2) Grenade (x2) Combat coveralls Belt rig / webbing First Aid Kit Gloves Monastic habit and dress SETUP Each knight is responsible for his personal kit, while the commander is responsible for checking each man's individual equipment and dividing the specific-to-task kit throughout the patrol - ensuring each man knows what the others are carrying. Individual check lists would include personal weapons, ruck-sack and belt kit and spare ammunition for their personal weapon (normally carried in pouches in belt kit or in webbing). Other equipment such as "bang" darts and stick flares are usually attached to various parts of the arms and legs. Each man's personal belt kit would also contain additional survival and medical gear, stun grenades, water bottles and emergency rations. Passive night vision goggles are strapped here when not in use. The ruck-sack carries everything else: radios, batteries, ammunition, explosives, rations, water, sleeping bags and clothing. The knight-lieutenant and the second-in-command would usually carry items specific to their roles, like command and navigational equipment. Detailed maps, night vision binoculars and a hand-held thermal imaging device or sunlamp/camcorder unit. The point man carries more night vision aids than the standard low-light goggles, wire cutters and an electronics kit to defeat high-tech security devices. He may also have a grenade launcher attached to his weapon to put down suppressive fire in the event of a contact. When contact is made, the other knights must get into position as quickly as possible - ensuring their point man is not left alone. Fighting Techniques "At the will and command of their leader, they proceed to battle, not in an impetuous or disorderly fashion, but prudently and with all caution, being the first to go forward and the last to retreat - which is why they became so dreaded by the enemies of the faith of Christ." - Jacques de Vitry, Bishop of Acre, 1227 The four-man team has historically been the basic fighting unit of the Church Knights. The unit of four originated during the Crusades when it was stipulated that each knight must equip from their own estate three armed sergeants. These sergeants were given basic weaponry and protection, as well as one or two horses each. While rarely fighting alongside their knight on the field, a knight and his sergeants usually formed a patrol. In large-scale combat, the sergeants fought as heavy troops and commanders among the mercenaries, while the knights grouped together and fought as heavy cavalry. It was quickly found that the small, self-contained nature of the four-man team was the most efficient and practical fighting unit - allowing high mobility, speed, surprise and hitting power. Less than this number is obviously too few, restricting what can be carried and limited in the amount of firepower brought to bear. Four warriors are capable of defending themselves if ambushed, as well as continuing the mission if one of their members is killed or wounded. More than four becomes unwieldy, harder to coordinate and conceal from the enemy. The unit is also an ideal size for large scale operations, with each group of four being the basic components of highly flexible larger forces. Most major assaults are actually conducted by four or five such units working in concert to a thoroughly pre-planned operation. The modern four-man team is made up of a leader, a pointsman, a defenceman and someone responsible for watching the rear. The leader is responsible for the team's assault, and also liaises with other combat units and officers. The pointsman leads the team during the approach and lays entry charges if necessary. The supportman does just that: back up one of the others as they carry out their task. The defenceman provides security for the pointsman and serves as second-in-command while carrying any additional equipment - typically explosives or high-calibre weapons. UNIT COMBAT SKILLS The four-man unit is designed to operate primarily on its own, often in remote areas and frequently on hostile ground. In addition to general reconnaissance and investigation, it can perform sabotage and ambush missions. While the four-man unit is not exactly an aggressive fighting unit, large scale ambushes can be conducted with eight or 16 man combined teams. Every unit member has his own speciality - such as signals, demolitions, medicine or languages. Communications is one of the most important skills among the Church Knights, acting as an efficient force-multiplier for their limited numbers. Every knight must have skills including high-standard field communications, code and ciphers. Despite this general knowledge, each unit has a specialist signaller responsible for calling in aerial support, casualty evacuation, patrol coordination and regular contact. Morse is the basic method of communications, allowing quick messages under difficult transmission circumstances. The Orders have adopted Latin as the standard language of communication as a simple measure of security. When combined with Morse, messages would be beyond the scope of most untrained cryptologists. Demolition skills are also an important part of the four-man unit. Explosives are useful in opening up secure entrances, sabotaging transport or supplies, as well as causing general confusion. The last of the four main skills is medicine. A unit's medic can perform surgery and cure common diseases, as well as helping win the "hearts and minds" of primitive societies. There are two basic medical kits carried while on operations: individual medical packs and patrol medical packs. The individual kit is usually a part of a knights webbing, containing essentials for first aid and mild drugs. Patrol medical kits are far more comprehensive and carry a wide selection of drugs, dressings and surgical packs. All members of the Church Knight units must have more than just one patrol skill. Therefore, a knight may be trained as an investigations specialist, but also have the ability to competently handle explosives. A communications officer may also be trained as a medic, supplementing or replacing the units official medico when necessary. Essentially, each unit member receives cross-training in each others individual specialisations. Tertiary skills such as sniping, hacking, shadow driving etc are trained according to the individual abilities of each knight. CLOSE COMBAT Individual knights are taught to take no chances. Given a clear shot at a vampire he will often empty an entire magazine into the target. There is good reason for this: the vampire can heal itself, given time. The more damage, the more time it takes to heal. If a knight is given enough time, he can reach a position to decapitate the creature. A double tap (two quick shots) on its own is often insufficient to stop even a mortal from detonating hidden explosives or pulling a weapon. Sustained and accurate firepower keeps the vampire or ghoul's hands away from his body, making it impossible to reach a gun or button. Knights employ body-line shooting in close combat situations, not head or heart shots. Where possible, shots are aimed at the trunk of the body (Vampires have no vital organs anyway). Head shots usually require only one bullet to kill a mortal or do severe damage to a vampire, but the target area is smaller. In a darkened, smoky room full of people the chances of shooting accurately are greatly reduced. However, knights are trained to shoot accurately at heads and hearts in ambush situations, and if such is the only target presented to them. BUILDING COMBAT Once the pointsman has defeated the building's security or blown open an entrance, the assault team will quickly and systematically begin to clear the rooms, hallways and stairs of enemy. Preferably, snipers from a second "perimeter" combat team will provide covering fire and prevent anyone escaping the building. The assault team will also be carrying stun/flash grenades to disorientate vampires, making them incapable of effective concerted action. Room clearance drill is simple. Each knight has his own arc of fire. He must be adept at calculating his arc of fire to encompass any area in which he is operating in. For example, in a corridor the field of vision is limited and consequently arcs of fire are reduced, but there are doors on each side - each a possible threat. Each room must be approached and cleared, under cover of a comrade. If any doors are locked, then one of the four-man team will blow off the door hinges using a shotgun; the door will be kicked in and shock grenades tossed in. A two-man team will immediately follow, killing any hostiles with almost full- magazine bursts. The initial action should be over within four seconds, with the two knights following up their action by decapitating all present vampires, ghouls and allied mortals. The team will then immediately move on to any other rooms, repeating the process.If in a large building, different teams will have specified areas to clear - assigned before the action. When attacking an aircraft or railway carriage, all entrances are attacked at the same time. WEAPONS ABILITIES A high standard of shooting skills is required from all knights, and all are expected to be marksmen with any weapon they may have to carry. They must be excellent shots from both the prone position, and also capable of sustained and accurate fire at close quarters. Ambush fire control procedures, contact drills, fire and movement routines and night firing must all be second nature. Specialist weapons skills are easily researched, but one is included here as an example of the careful integration of such training in a combat team. The sniper, operating either alone or with a partner, can pin down a large enemy force by killing its leaders and communications specialists. In a vampire "cleansing" action, snipers and support crew are often placed in buildings around the targets location. Snipers add to the confusion by firing through the windows as the assault team bursts in. Once the assault team is inside, snipers do not fire into the building. However, they are ideally placed to supply fire support under direct instruction of the assault team, and pick off any enemy trying to escape the building. They also provide a perimeter defence, warning the assault team of new arrivals. Marksmanship is not enough alone; a high level of camouflage and concealment skills, plus advanced field craft, are vital to a sniper if they are to be effective. Snipers must be able to move across open terrain without being spotted, select concealed firing positions and have an avenue of escape once the action is completed. RELIGIOUS POWERS In return for the sacrifices made through taking their monastic vows, and their high faith, the knights have been blessed with "supernatural" powers. These powers are a vital component in the war against Corruption, as vampires outmatch even the best trained mortal. However, these powers do not belong to the knight - but to God. The blessing of supernatural powers must only be used under the guidelines of the Rule - a knight cannot use them for selfish or vain purposes such as in revenge, laziness or personal profit. While some specific abilities are granted for specific purposes, they may not necessarily be carried out the same way every time. Miracles are a prime example of this. A desperate knight may beg for a miraculous obstacle to appear between him and an advancing vampire. This "barrier" could, by God's will, be anything from a wall of fire, a collapsing tree, a swarm of bees or the souls of the vampires victims. The powers embodied in Faith, The Gifts, Prayers and Rituals all assist in all aspects in the battle against the Cainites. Investigation of, protection from and combating vampires all benefit in different ways.