BIO
STATS
TACTICS
During the Zerg invasion of Aiur, countless masses of defenseless Protoss fell before the swarm. For the workers of the khalai caste were unequipped with power armor and energy shields and untrained in their use. Warriors of the Templar caste tried to draw the wrath of the overmind away from the fleeing refugees, but their numbers were pitifully few compared to the broods of the Zerg. The brave zealots despaired as their ranks were overrun, overcome by the prospect of failing their brethren.
The desperation of the remaining Templar was felt throughout the entire race through the link of the khala, giving pause to many of the Protoss of the Judicator Assembly. Most of them were too preoccupied with the notion of escaping their ruined homeworld to think about the less fortunate workers and families, but one low ranking official devised a plan. The multitudes of refugees could not all be equipped with shields and there was no time, but if a shield generator for a large vessel such as a shuttle could be jury-rigged with the psionic collection manifolds from a military shield battery, then it should be able to sustain a much larger energy field. Thus while the citadels were being overrun by the Zerg, one unnamed Judicator stayed behind, instructing the last Templar on how to ensure the safety of many of their race. Many groups of refugees managed to flee through the warp gates, overshadowed by all manner of modified civilian craft, protecting them from the Swarm.
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As the Protoss recovered from the loss of their homeworld in the years that followed, the idea of mobile shielding was expanded upon. Despite the boundless bravery of individual Templar, with the massive losses in numbers, Protoss commanders could no longer afford to be reckless with their troops. As the campaigns against the Zerg continued in the Brood War however, ships with additional shield projectors tacked on were hardly used due to inconsistent energy distribution and general unreliability. But now, some of the same khalai technicians whose lives were saved by the shields have succeeded in developing a robust craft utilizing khaydarin crystals to generate a steady output of shielding. Although it was designed with strength in mind, knowing that such ships would always be the target of their enemies, when they were put into production the Protoss installed in them robotic guidance systems, copying the designs of the shuttles. Christened the Phalanx, these ships now exist in enough numbers to be warped into bases right on the front of battle, where they are quickly becoming an invaluable asset to both High and Dark Templar armies.
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