Footsoldier

The Footsoldier is one of the character types in Clockwork Empires. These stout men and women will defend your colony against any and all intruders that wish to harm their fellow citizens.

A Footsoldier is a member of a military squad (work crew), managed by a NCO overseer. As a member of the Clockwork military they can use a variety of weapons as well as build fortifications. Unlike civilian work crews, Footsoldiers are unable to perform civilian jobs (farming, foraging, hauling, etc.), however, they are able to hunt. Soldiers can also administer Frontier Justice to colonists that have been marked due to their heinous crimes against the colony.

When conscripted, they will try to pick up a weapon and combat supplies containing twenty rounds of ammunition from the stockpile to complete their load-out. Footsoldiers are slightly less likely than NCOs to draw pistols and more likely to draw muskets from the stockpile.

Since Revision 42 there has been a change to how Footsoldiers are recruited and trained. Previously, a civilian work crew could be conscripted from the 'Work Crews' tab, with any workers becoming Regular Footsoldiers if they had the Military Training trait or Militia Footsoldiers if they did not. The overseer would become a regular NCO if they had the trait and a militia NCO if they did not. Post-Revision 42, this was changed with the addition of the Barracks, enabling a civilian work crew to be assigned and train through the building to become Redcoat Footsoldiers.

Redcoat Footsoldiers
Redcoat Footsoldiers are identified by their red uniforms, and are more disciplined and skilled at combat than their untrained counterparts. With the exception of the initial NCO and any footsoldiers assigned to them that arrive at colony start, all Redcoats were originally untrained brown-coated footsoldiers, who were assigned to a Barracks, where they begun a rigorous training program of push-ups, musketry, and the finer points of military discipline. Once they have undergone sufficient training, the untrained footsoldiers exchange their brown uniforms for red and become regular Redcoat Footsoldiers, granting them improved accuracy with their weapons and better morale.

Untrained Footsoldiers
While they are undergoing training at a Barracks, squad members wear the brown uniform of the untrained Footsoldier. They will still defend the colony to the best of their ability, but lack the elan and skill at arms of their Redcoat counterparts. When they have completed their training, a notification of completion is displayed in the message bar, and they automatically don their red uniform and become a Redcoat, joining the thin red line between your colonists and the sinister foreigners, abominable fishpeople, and dastardly bandits that prey upon them.

Rallying
Soldier work crews also have the ability to rally at a point set by the player. This is done by opening the work crew tab and using the "Set rally point" button for the crew in question. Once a marker has been placed, the soldiers will run near the point and stay there. This will also provide them with a morale boost, which enhances their effectiveness in combat.