"The design of the Artemis tank perplexes me. You want a mobile tank that can withstand the largest guns, yet they give it a fragile transmission with shot traps. I'm no engineer, but that doesn't sound like a good design."

Nicknames: "Brown Devil" (Olympian), "Shorty" (Pilotmarian)
Sex: Male
Age: 35
Relations: Yvonne Akihara (girlfriend), Esperanza Cruz (sister)
Allegiance: Pilotmario Republic
Service: Pilotmario Army Armored Corps
Rank: 1st Lieutenant
Vehicles driven: Avenger Mk 1, Victoria I, Victoria II
Tally: 173 unarmored vehicles, 87 light armored vehicles, 52 tanks, 2 aircraft, 1 river patrol boat

Victor Rafael Cruz was born in 135 in the industrial city of Peptown to a family of four. His father was a machinist and army veteran and his mother a stay-at-home type. Following his father's footsteps, he joined the Pilotmario Army. During basic training, he earned the name "Shorty" due to his short height of 5 feet 4 inches; the average height of a Pilotmarian man is 5 feet 8 inches, and for women 5 feet 5 inches.

Because of his height, he was chosen to become an armored vehicle crewman, initially assigned as a loader due to his disproportionate strength. He was deployed to the 5th Armored Division.

During his first encounters with Olympian armor, his vehicle was knocked out, which he attributed to the "brittle metal they call armor", and was wounded. He was able to escape the vehicle and helped out the other crewmembers before taking charge when the vehicle commander "lost his nerve".

Due to his conduct, he was suggested to enter NCO school, which he accepts. He performs well, and is promoted to Sergeant.

He is then sent to the 3rd Armored Division during the Styx River campaign, where he proved his skills, knocking out twelve tanks. In one instance, he ambushed a column of four, and despite the fact he was outnumbered, decided to engage them, destroying all four of them in quick succession.

Due to this performance, he was assigned to the 1st Armored Division, considered an elite division due to their high skill and morale. There, he was assigned with his crew to the new Victoria I main battle tank. He immediately took a liking to the Victoria tank, liking its firepower and protection.

The power of the new Victoria was aptly demonstrated when he and a second tank under his command engaged two whole companies of Artemis I heavy tanks. The two vehicles recorded over two hundred hits each, yet none of them penetrated the armor. The two companies, a total of 30 Artemis tanks, were destroyed in the ambush. He was credited with 22 of these machines, bringing his total of 27.

His unit was highly successful, and contributed valuable support for infantry advancing across the Acheron River. It was during this encounter he claimed two helicopters with the main gun, in what he considered "one of the finest examples of gunnery I have ever seen." He is also credited with sinking a river gunboat with the main gun as well.

Their Victoria I was soon upgraded to the Victoria II with a more powerful 105mm coilgun in order to deal with the upgunned Artemis II. Despite the upgrade, his machine was knocked out, killing everyone inside but him.

When he arrived at the hospital, he was notified that his sister has died from an Olympian cruise missile, in what he called "the worst day of my life."

However, despite this, he decided to move onward, and rejoined his unit with a fresh crew when he recovered. There, he continued to perform well, bringing his tally up to its current state.

It was at this point the Pilotmarian Army realized just how skilled he was, and decided to send him back to help train new tankers, which he continues to do to this day.