Griffin & Kryuger

Griffin and Kryuger Private Military Company and Security Consultant Company (克鲁格和格里芬军事承包与安全顾问服务公司) or Грифон & Крюгер (Grifon & Kryuger) in Cyrillic, usually called Griffin (格里芬) or G&K (“GK”), is a private military company founded in 2053 by former Ministry of Internal Affairs officer Berezovich Kryuger and Rossartrist agent Griffin Lyons, and is the main protagonist faction of Girls' Frontline. Griffin's headquarter is in the fictional location of Endfyld (Эндфилд, also written Endfield or Endshire), at 279B Verkhovnoi Rady Boulevard, Ploshad 4 (Площадь 4), most probably within the Neo-Soviet Union in Eastern Europe. It has additional branches in Glasgow, Vladivostok, Konya and Dijiang (帝江).

"The truth is much more complicated than you think."

This article is written from a Lore perspective. It contains spoilers and different reference materials might be contradictory.

"This is classified information!"

This article contains unmarked spoilers. You have been warned.

G&K is known for mostly employing Tactical Dolls and has been an important sponsor of IOP and 16LAB, directly influencing several design decisions in their T-Dolls standards. By Kryuger's preferences, all Griffin T-Dolls are designated by the weapon they use in combat. Due to restrictions on PMC equipment, G&K T-Dolls cannot use weapons manufactured within the last 50 years, which can lead to some issues when restocking ammo. After the Butterfly Incident of 2061, G&K was put in charge of destroying the rampaging Sangvis Ferri T-Dolls in Area S09. This is where the player takes the role of the Commander in Girls' Frontline.

G&K strives to be, as their motto says, “the shining beacon in a brave new world”.

History

Founding

Berezovich Kryuger was a former member of the Soviet Army and Ministry of Internal Affairs who participated in the rescue and escort operation of scientist Persicaria as a tactical commander during World War Three. Kryuger had witnessed many deaths during his military career and wanted to dedicate his later years to less destructive purposes, like protecting populations lacking government protection.

Sometimes in 2052, Kryuger received a visit from his acquaintance Griffin Lyons, who asked him to retire and create a private military company named Griffin and Kryuger, staffed with armed civilian Tactical Dolls purchased using the financial backing of a mysterious group interested in promoting T-Dolls for the paramilitary market. Griffin would keep a share of the profits but relinquish all management decisions to Kryuger, trusting that their interests would naturally align. Kryuger's reputation would also attract military veterans to command the T-Dolls and his connections would enable him to get early contracts from the Soviet military. While Kryuger was reluctant to use T-Dolls at first, he accepted since this would also let him work with his friend Persica and would save money compared to hiring humans soldiers.

Despite working under the purview of the Ministry of Defense and the Neo-Soviet Union's official stance against the promotion of Rossartrism, G&K openly used the Rossartrist slogan.

Early years

G&K developed good relations with T-Dolls manufacturer IOP. Kryuger and IOP's director Havier Witkin maintained good personal relations and Kryuger himself took an interest in the development of Second Generation T-Dolls.

One of the 16 Lunasia clones responsible from the 2057 attacks.

This close partnership let Kryuger provide direct data feedback about T-Dolls efficiency to IOP's main R&D subcontractor, Hermit (in reality a shell corporation used by IOP to protect its employees Persicaria and Lycoris from their former colleagues of 90WISH). G&K's collaboration was instrumental in further improving T-Dolls and meant that IOP was willing to occasionally take back dolls from G&K to return them to the civilian market. At some point, IOP even designed a batch of T-Dolls especially for G&K. G&K was later hired by IOP's competitor Sangvis Ferri to escort Lycoris to their underground research facilities, after the scientist decided to leave Hermit. Kryuger accepted only if SF would share Lycoris' future results with him. G&K's influence as a partner prevented Witkin from seeking retribution against Lycoris.

Aside from IOP, G&K also benefited from the support of KCCO's General Carter, a former superior of Kryuger who exerted his influence to provide G&K with better quota of maximum T-Doll employment numbers, smuggle weapons and organize media blackouts. In exchange, Kryuger handed Carter data about Sangvis Ferri T-Dolls, which Carter could use to further his own interests by developing more powerful military androids and secure his place within the Neo-Soviet Union military. This secret partnership eventually led to G&K being chosen as KCCO's scapegoat for their own plans involving Elisa.

Helian joined G&K in 2054 as Kryuger's adjutant. Some time during her first year on the job, an extremely stressed out Helian led out a team of first generation T-Dolls on a supply recovery mission in a contaminated area, a difficult mission for early-gen Dolls that other PMCs expected her to fail, and prove that Dolls mercenaries were not viable. The mission was a success, and G&K officially began to take security contracts in 2055, quickly gaining reputation as a PMC.

In 2057, 16 attacks were conducted by child soldiers against G&K bases. Through G&K's connections with IOP and 16LAB, Persica realized the attackers were clones of Lunasia and made scans of their brains for her research. The attacks stopped shortly after Persica acquired the scans. In 2060, G&K directly requested IOP to integrate Neural Cloud technology into their T-Dolls, becoming a standard. The same year, multiple G&K branches were attacked under unknown circumstances and several high-ranking human employees were killed, but not Kryuger himself. In late 2061, G&K lent a contingent of T-Dolls to Statesec to conduct Operation Butterfly, which failed disastrously and became the Butterfly Incident, where Lycoris was killed and Sangvis Ferri dolls turned against mankind.

Against Sangvis Ferri

G&K Dolls interrogating Scarecrow to find AR Team.

In 2062, the year after the Butterfly Incident, the weakened G&K took up the contract to keep Sangvis Ferri T-Dolls within Area S09. The contract, issued by the Neo-Soviet Union military, stated that G&K's main force would focus on protecting wealthy areas within their jurisdiction, while expeditionary units would operate in SF territory and provide support for military units on case-by-case basis. G&K was given little intel on SF and the reason of the Doll uprising.

Six months into the contract, the PMC was in desperate need of extra personnel to face SF forces and urgently recruited a new batch of human commanders, among them the Commander. The Commander first operated under Helian's command in order to identify the cause of a recent increase in SF attacks harming G&K's reputation, which led to the recovery of AR Team. Due to their performance, Helian added the Commander to G&K's Tactical Reserve, a pool of outstanding employees used to handle urgent missions.

During the retrieval of AR Team, G&K learned about SF's Plan Parapluie and Kryuger called a task force of commanders to a secret base near Area S09 to mount a counter-operation, but the base was located and attacked by SF to try and kill Kryuger, due to ^AR ST AR-15ST AR-15ST AR-15 having been infected with the Parapluie virus. The assassination failed, the SF forces retreated and AR-15 escaped to retaliate against SF alone, causing major losses for G&K in the battle. A counterattack was mounted nevertheless, with Squad 404 being contracted to assist in a counter-jamming operation dubbed Operation Cube. The counterattack was called off after massive convergence of SF troops were detected due to the arrival of the Sangvis Mastermind. Area S08 was lost in the retreat, further harming G&K's reputation.

Some time after Plan Parapluie, G&K scored a long-awaited victory against SF during Operation Hypothermia, when AR Team's rescue mission in Area S03 led to the capture of a Jupiter Cannon and the enemy ringleader Architect. Carter however demanded faster progress on the recovery of Lycoris' data, as next-gen military T-Doll development was key to keep his status through the upcoming reshuffling of the Neo-Soviet Union military command amidst the foundation of the Union of Rossartrism Nations Coalition. AR Team was deployed in a high-risk operation at SF's Base 0 in Area S02, during which they recovered Lyco's File 7 to meet Carter's demand but lost ^AR M16A1M16A1M16A1.

At some point during the contract, SF tried to use biological weapons to destroy G&K.

KCCO Joint Operation

In 2064, with File 7 having revealed the location of Elisa's main computer cluster and thus the location of Sangvis Ferri's HQ in Area S09, Carter organized a joint operation with G&K to destroy the menace permanently. While Carter and Kryuger would handle general command and synchronization, the Commander and Captain Yegor would conduct operations in the field, with three special mixed squadrons of KCCO spec ops infantry and military T-Dolls assisting G&K T-Dolls as they captured Elisa. KCCO would provide high-tier active defense systems against the Parapluie virus. This would become G&K's most ambitious operation in its history, and Kryuger expected it would not last over three days due to the KCCO's brute force. The operation was announced to the press as a live-broadcast military exercise to display the benefit of cooperation with PMCs for security purposes, enabling the government to focus on redevelopment. In reality, the operation was a mean to accelerate the maturation of Elisa by bringing her in contact with ^AR M4A1M4A1M4A1. Havier warned Kryuger during the press reception that Carter's goal was not to capture Elisa but to secure her OGAS system for his own plans to resist the integration of the NSU into the URNC.

The operation started the same day, with the Commander operating from a command post in the nearby Area S11. Elisa recalled all SF troops once she noticed the unusual enemy movements and began targeting logistics lines with artillery. While the KCCO troops served as vanguard, G&K Dolls were tasked to protect the interference neutralizers set up by the military on the way. Trying to catch up with the military troops, AR Team was surrounded by SF troops commanded by Judge, and Elisa attacked M4A1's Neural Cloud just as a G&K force led by ^RF Carcano M1891Carcano M1891Carcano M1891 and ^RF Carcano M91∕38Carcano M91∕38Carcano M91∕38 reinforced them. A military squad led by Yegor then reached the encirclement and eliminated all SF and G&K Dolls except for M4A1.

The Great Retreat

Military soldiers arrest Kryuger.

G&K command received reports that the command system had become infected with a new strain of Parapluie, causing G&K and military Dolls alike to attack friendly targets, and Helian ordered to withdraw all G&K troops from Area S09 to Area S11. Due to the KCCO retreating at the same time, anti-Parapluie equipment was deactivated, causing further losses of G&K troops as they became lost in the Parapluie jamming, while the KCCO HQ stopped responding to G&K's communications. Dolls from other G&K tactical commanders involved in the battle managed to find their way to the Commander's base of operations in S11, but the status of their own commanders were unknown. Because the Parapluie jamming prevented new orders to be received from G&K HQ, the Commander dispatched ^SMG MP7MP7MP7 as a mule. Helian ordered to hold fast in S11 and rescue as many Dolls as possible from the battlefield. Several groups were rescued by Squad 404 and Task Force DEFY, though their memories of their saviors had been deleted.

Meanwhile, Carter declared that Griffin & Kryuger had gone rogue and launched a terrorist attack on the KCCO troops during the exercise, causing the arrival of more military troops to capture the PMC for trial and take control of the region. Kryuger ordered G&K HQ to be evacuated, hoping that Carter would be satisfied with using him as a scapegoat and wouldn't be going after every G&K frontline base, and left Helian in command of the PMC. Military personnel then arrested Kryuger on various charges including weapon trafficking and illegal modification of civilian Dolls. Carter respected the wish Kryuger had once shared with him and did not charge him with terrorism. Over three hours after Kryuger's arrest, the G&K forces were attacked by Gager, who used her own troops and reinforcements from Agent to cut their retreat, but offered to let them through if they told her where to find Architect. At that time, a new electronic attack from Elisa took down all electronic communication on the battlefield, preventing every Doll from receiving new orders. Using Gager's sudden loss of control over her troops, G&K personnel hastened their retreat using voice communication and Elisa ordered Agent to conduct an attack to destroy the G&K troops. Agent nearly killed the Commander before Angelia offered to arrange an encounter between M4A1 and Elisa if she spared them.

In exchange, Angelia requested the Commander's help to hold back the KCCO troops and give DEFY time to capture Elisa. The Commander went deeper in the field, leaving Kalina to direct the retreat while fending off the KCCO troops. By that point, the battle had been going for a full day and the last G&K troops on the field were the ones under the Commander, assisted by the Heavy Ordnance Corps airdropped by IOP. When the capture failed, DEFY detonated a Collapse bomb to counter the military troops. Both civilian settlements and G&K positions were hit, but the Commander survived in a safe house. A few hours later, Paradeus troops attacked the S11 command post but were pushed back and the G&K troops evacuated to a temporary HQ by air. A few Dolls stayed behind to rescue Angelia and the Commander, but the latter was captured by Paradeus.

The G&K Dolls would come to call the events of the Area S09/S11 battle “the Great Retreat”. All of G&K's long-range transport vehicles, especially the helicopters used for sorties, were lost in the battle.

Exile

Surviving Dolls from the Paldiski Submarine base battle.

Nine weeks after their capture, the Commander was rescued by the G&K Dolls led by Kalina and Squad 404 during a raid against the Paradeus base they were held in, and settled in the temporary base provided by IOP. Due to the massive transfer of confidential data Angelia had made to them in case she died in battle, the Commander became a person of interest to Statesec, who decided to enlist their help with clandestine work rather than have them executed. Director Zelinski promised payment, intel and, in time, the rehabilitation of Griffin & Kryuger and liberation of Kryuger from prison in exchange for this work. In the following months, the Commander operated under Statesec orders in Belgrade, Tallinn and Paldiski, with logistics and financial support from IOP and WAVE. At Paldiski, their forces took over 95% losses while successfully preventing the KCCO to take the military base.

Meanwhile, Havier plotted to break Kryuger out of prison. A team of G&K commanders and their Dolls successfully conducted the mission with some losses, and Kryuger returned to the Area S09 base at the same time as the Commander. There, he offered them a Green Zone ID to leave G&K and find a more peaceful life, but they rejected the offer. While restoring the hundreds of Neural Cloud backups from destroyed Dolls into new bodies, G&K also entered a partnership with Svarog Heavy Industries to capture the Sangvis Ferri Dolls now roaming the region without their leaders while Persica moved her lab to S09 to analyze the Paradeus assets recovered at Paldiski. In September 2064, the Commander was sent to Germany to assist Griffin Lyons and Angelia with their investigations, and requested reinforcements to be sent. This left the base vulnerable without its contingent of Assimilated force as only 50% of S09's forces had been rebuilt with Persica's help.

Operation Marduk

The Assimilated Sangvis Ferri T-Dolls assisting the Commander in Berlin.

As part of their general offensive against PMCs guarding the borders of the Neo-Soviet Union during the Fireworks Incident, the KCCO under General Carter's orders conducted Operation Marduk: late in the night, after a rockets strike, an elite military force was dropped by air on the Area S09 G&K base in order to destroy it with its Neural Cloud servers, and kill Helian and Kryuger. After digging Helian out from the debris of the initial strike, Kryuger assumed command of ^SMG ThompsonThompsonThompson's Frontline Combat Team to meet the enemy at the gates of the base while Helian organized the evacuation. With ^HG GSh-18GSh-18GSh-18 in charge of damaged Dolls, ^RF NTW-20NTW-20NTW-20 tasked with breaking through the electronic blockade and ^HG Welrod MkIIWelrod MkIIWelrod MkII conducting assets evacuation and denial, Helian convened with Persica to urgently evacuate the Neural Cloud servers. With support from attack helicopters, the KCCO forces broke through the base's defense, and Welrod sacrificed herself to enable the other Dolls to survive the battle in the ammunition warehouse. Only 50% of the Dolls survived the initial assault.

With the Neural Cloud backups perilously compressed into a single heavy and cumbersome server, the Dolls retreated in the underground levels of the base's factory. While all other PMC bases had fallen in minutes, G&K's Area S09 base, where no surface structures were left standing, had still inflicted heavy casualties on the attackers and mounted a successful underground resistance, pushing Carter to reallocate assault teams from other fronts to eliminate Kryuger and ensure G&K's destruction. After another 50% of the defense force was downed defending sub-level 1, Kryuger assigned heavily wounded Dolls to the defense of Helian, Persica and the server, and left the rest of the survivors to decide whether to join the escort or the combat team. To his surprise, all able Dolls chose, even reluctantly, to make a last stand in sub-level 2 while the escort team would retreat to sub-level 4. However, the elevators were stopped when the KCCO troops cut the power in the base and wounded Kryuger, leaving Helian in charge.

While the rest of the defenders would retreat with Kryuger, ^HG TokarevTokarevTokarev's team of volunteers would remain in sub-level 2 to delay the attackers and restore power to the base. Just as their sacrifice brought back power, bomber planes sent with Mikhail Tsvigun's authorization wiped out the attackers on the surface, and Helian led the remaining Dolls to flush out the enemies remaining in the base. The surviving G&K personnel was transported by IOP to Germany, taking part in the Battle of the Dead Sea.

Disbandment and reorganization

When the URNC was established in 2064 and the Neo-Soviet Union was incorporated in it, G&K had become an powerful organization due to its large number of T-Dolls and close cooperation with IOP. With the stabilization of global affairs, the URNC took action against powerful PMCs, including G&K, leading to its disbandment and reorganization into a smaller PMC of strictly controlled size, under Helian's command. Some G&K personnel like Kalina were transferred to the URNC's Non-Military Forces Administration and some of their T-Dolls were reassigned to White or Green Zones. Some T-Dolls went their own way, and the Commander joined the many former PMC members who became bounty hunters.

Tactical Commanders

Because of the particularity of G&K troops being T-Dolls, the main factor of recruitment for human commanders isn't professional training or experience, but being able to pass a psychological evaluation dedicated to measuring interpersonal compatibility with T-Dolls, and general traits of character like patience, courage and loyalty. Human orders are necessary for a T-Doll to take action, so commanders are truly the brain of any G&K deployment, and a prime target for the enemy.

The standard uniform of G&K commanders is a knee-long military coat with pouches, collar and cuffs, gold buttons, a red exterior and a black interior, a golden insignia on the right shoulder and a large black belt with side straps. A white shirt and black tie is worn under the coat, with black pants and shoes and a red beret with a bronze G&K insignia. High-ranking officers Helianthus and Berezovich Kryuger wear variations of this uniform.

Members

For the assignment of each Doll at the Area S09 base, read Organization Overview.

• Berezovich Kryuger (co-founder and CEO)
• Griffin Lyons (co-founder)
• Helianthus (second-in-command)
• The Commander (Area S09 regional tactical commander)
• Kalina (Area S09 logistics officer)
• Angelia (tactical commander, temporarily)
• ^SMG UMP45UMP45UMP45's former commander
• ^SMG Cx4 StormCx4 StormCx4 Storm's former commander
• ^AR HK416HK416HK416's former commander
• Commander Novikov (might be fictional)
• Intern commander who participated in Persica's Maze Cage experiment
• Various Tactical Dolls (mercenaries)
• Various Technical Fairies (UAVs)

Griffin & Kryuger also employs human personnel for various tasks such as Doll maintenance. They are seldom mentioned in the game but can be seen in Girls' Frontline: Doll's Song.

Life at the base

Most G&K Dolls are procured through IOP, but a few of them are bought from other sources. Regardless of how they joined G&K, they receive a salary and holidays like human employees. Most of them spend it on their hobbies, in activities in the towns outside the base, or on food and drinks at Springfield's cafe. G&K provides dorms for the employees and pays for the basic expenses of life at the base including ammo and cafeteria food as long as they fit a certain quota. Depending on the branch they are working for, Dolls may select assignments they want to participate in on a first-come-first-served basis and follow no set schedule, or be selected for specific assignments. Unless they are provably related to a work injury, repair costs are deducted from the Doll's salary.

While all Dolls can potentially participate in direct combat, not all of them are regularly deployed. The Base Overview assigns Dolls to the Frontline Combat Team and Response Combat Team, but also to the Border Surveillance Corps, Integrated Logistic Department and T-Doll Club. Some act as a reserve force while others patrol the region or help run the base, and even the ceremonial guards at Griffin HQ can be Dolls. Dolls can request to change job. Aside from their day job, some Dolls also have side gigs, like ^HG GSh-18GSh-18GSh-18 and ^RF Type 4Type 4Type 4 who are published manga artists.

Grifchan is an anonymous forum website for G&K employees moderated by G&K command, where they can discuss and share gossips. ^AR MDRMDRMDR is an avid user of it. G&K also often organize events for employees to relax and deepen their friendship.

A G&K Doll can receive a Neural Upgrade either by being selected by the Commander as a reward for good performances and the will to grow past their limits, to solve a dangerous issue with their body or neural cloud, by submitting an application to be approved or by paying for the upgrade with their own money. (The upgrades performed on the main characters of AR Team, Squad 404 and Task Force DEFY are ad-hoc modifications rather than an official process.)

• Dolls who were selected for a Neural Upgrade
  • ^RF FN-49FN-49FN-49
  • ^MG M1918M1918M1918
  • ^RF Mosin-NagantMosin-NagantMosin-Nagant
  • ^MG BrenBrenBren
  • ^AR G3G3G3
  • ^RF SV-98SV-98SV-98
  • ^HG Colt RevolverColt RevolverColt Revolver
  • ^SMG Sten MkIISten MkIISten MkII
  • ^RF M14M14M14
  • ^AR G36G36G36
  • ^AR AS ValAS ValAS Val
  • ^AR Super SASSSuper SASSSuper SASS
  • ^SMG PP-19PP-19PP-19
  • ^SG M1897M1897M1897
  • ^AR GalilGalilGalil
  • ^MG Type 80Type 80Type 80
  • ^RF XM3XM3XM3
  • ^MG MG4MG4MG4
  • ^RF OBROBROBR
  • ^RF Lee-EnfieldLee-EnfieldLee-Enfield
  • ^MG M1919A4M1919A4M1919A4
  • ^HG K5K5K5
• Dolls who were upgraded to resolve a dangerous health issue
  • ^HG GSh-18GSh-18GSh-18
  • ^HG Welrod MkIIWelrod MkIIWelrod MkII
  • ^SMG G36CG36CG36C
  • ^HG MP-443MP-443MP-443
  • ^AR Type 56-1Type 56-1Type 56-1
• Dolls who submitted an application
  • ^MG LWMMGLWMMGLWMMG
  • ^SMG StG44StG44StG44
  • ^SMG F1F1F1
  • ^SMG Beretta Model 38Beretta Model 38Beretta Model 38
  • ^HG C96C96C96
  • ^AR XM8XM8XM8
  • ^MG MG3MG3MG3
• Dolls who paid for their Neural Upgrade
  • ^SMG IDWIDWIDW
  • ^HG MP-446MP-446MP-446
  • ^HG StechkinStechkinStechkin
  • ^SG DP-12DP-12DP-12
• Dolls with unknown Neural Upgrade context
  • ^HG M1911M1911M1911
  • ^SMG Type 64Type 64Type 64
  • ^SMG MP5MP5MP5
  • ^RF NTW-20NTW-20NTW-20
  • ^SG Type 97 ShotgunType 97 ShotgunType 97 Shotgun
  • ^RF Type 56Type 56Type 56
  • ^HG MakarovMakarovMakarov
  • ^SG RMB-93RMB-93RMB-93
  • ^RF Gepard M1Gepard M1Gepard M1
  • ^SMG PPSh-41PPSh-41PPSh-41
  • ^HG PPKPPKPPK
  • ^HG Type 92Type 92Type 92
  • ^RF Kar98kKar98kKar98k
  • ^SMG Type 100Type 100Type 100
• Dolls who were upgraded nonconventionally
  • ^SMG Micro UziMicro UziMicro Uzi (picked up a power-up item from the ground)
  • ^HG M950AM950AM950A (magically upgraded by an Origin Fairy)
  • ^AR RibeyrollesRibeyrollesRibeyrolles (acquired an external body)
  • ^SMG SuomiSuomiSuomi (acquired compatible parts from ^SMG PPSh-41PPSh-41PPSh-41)

Trivia

• The griffin is often used as a symbol of nobility, courage and military might. Meanwhile, “Kryuger” is a variation of the German surname “Krüger”, meaning a tavern-keeper or potter. The two parts of the company's name are opposed in status, much like the roles of its two founders.

Gallery

• 
  CN logo.
• 
  Game start acceptance letter.
• 
  G&K branches promotional image.

References

General List of Characters (Minor Characters) · List of Locations · Timeline · Rossartrism · Eurosky Low-Emission Infectious Disease · Epiphyllum · GAVIRUL Technology Assault Artillery · Automaton · Collapse Technology · Magrasea · OGAS · Parapluie virus · Pike · Relic Technology · Shrike · Tactical Doll · Weight Bearing Events Beilan Island Incident · World War Three · Operation Couatl · Incident Zero · Butterfly Incident · Safe House 3 Raid · Plan Parapluie · Great Retreat · Paldiski Incident · Fireworks Incident · Battle of the Dead Sea · First Antarctic War Factions 90wish · Antarctic Union · Fox Sisterhood · Germany · Global Rescue Foundation · Griffin & Kryuger · KCCO · Neo-Soviet Union · Pan-European Union · Paradeus · Sangvis Ferri · Union of Rossartrist Nations Coalition · United Nations · United States Corporations 16LAB · 42LAB · Cyber Media · Galatea Corporation · I.O.P. · Svarog Heavy Industries · Ultilife · Universal Anything Services · WAVE