The Zann Consortium utilized Defilers, specialized soldiers acting as covert agents under Tyber Zann's command. These operatives were deployed across various systems with the express purpose of fostering piracy and sabotage, a strategy also referred to as "corruption." During the Galactic Civil War, Defilers infiltrated systems belonging to both the Alliance to Restore the Republic and the Galactic Empire, engaging in activities such as sabotaging military installations, establishing connections within the black market, creating slave labor camps, and stealing credits. Their persistent raids caused significant disruption and annoyance throughout the conflict. Their primary objective was to expand the influence of Tyber Zann.
Despite possessing a surprisingly well-equipped and structured military, the Zann Consortium typically favored employing criminal enterprises or guerrilla warfare techniques to extend its reach.
The Defilers' central mission was to disseminate Tyber Zann's brand of "corruption" throughout the galaxy. Many, if not all, underwent brainwashing to ensure unwavering loyalty to the Consortium. They were, in essence, the criminal world's counterpart to the infiltrators used by the Rebel Alliance.
Defilers consisted of numerous alien species, all rigorously trained and conditioned to prioritize service to Tyber Zann above all else, and identifiable by their distinctive red [armor](/article/armor-legends]. Throughout the Galactic Civil War, Defilers were dispatched to various planets to fulfill Zann's objectives, frequently collaborating with notorious figures like Urai Fen, IG-88, Bossk, and Silri. Training for their missions took place within the Consortium palace, where the Defilers were housed. Many defilers acted as Zann's most visible representatives, engaging in acts of sabotage, kidnapping, bribery, and other illegal activities. They were capable of establishing illicit casinos as part of racketeering schemes. They also participated in Zann's more clandestine military operations when the situation demanded it.
Typically, Defilers were equipped with a high-precision blaster rifle and thermal detonators, favoring combat at long range. They were effective in conjunction with the Droideka Mark II for destroying heavily armored vehicles, and their thermal detonators could eliminate entire squads of infantry. In close-quarters engagements, they were often vulnerable against species like Wookiees, whose superior strength enabled them to tear off a Defiler's arms.
Due to concerns about their own safety, Defilers usually operated covertly. After completing their assignments, most Defilers would disappear from the Zann Consortium, avoiding any risk of being identified by security forces. However, there were a few exceptions to this rule.
Steve Blum provided the voice for the Defilers, and also voiced the Empire HUD.