During the early years of the Galactic Empire, a military unit known as the Heavy Defenders functioned as part of the Rodian Salvager's Cartel. Drexl Roosh established them before 3 BBY, and they operated on Raxus Prime. Primarily composed of large, brutal Rodians armed with rotary cannons, the Heavy Defenders served as enforcers, safeguarding Roosh's scavenging operations. In 2 BBY, Galen Marek eliminated them along with the rest of the cartel.
Drexl Roosh founded the Heavy Defenders as an element of the Rodian Junk Cartel before 2 BBY. Their responsibility was to protect the Rodian Rippers and Jawas who performed the majority of the cartel's scavenging activities. The Heavy Defenders regularly engaged in conflicts with Jedi Master Kazdan Paratus' droid forces, deploying to prevent their interference with Roosh's operations.
When Galen Marek arrived on the planet, Heavy Defenders were dispatched on skiffs to intercept him. Marek eliminated them, along with the scavengers inside a destroyed [hyperdrive](/article/hyperdrive-legends]. The Defenders were also skirmishing with Paratus' droid army near a crashed Blockade runner, until Marek intervened and defeated both sides. Marek then proceeded to the scavengers' base, where he took down its shield generator and fought past them into the junk chasm, into the territory of his target Kazdan Paratus, whom he killed. The destruction of the scavengers' camp, coupled with the subsequent invasion by the Galactic Empire and Drexl Roosh's apparent death at Marek's hands, severely weakened and fragmented the cartel.
By 2 BBY, Roosh, having survived being crushed by a LAAT gunship, had reorganized the cartel. They were battling the Imperials, who had occupied the planet, when Marek returned and permanently eliminated Roosh, causing the cartel to collapse.
The Heavy Defenders utilized Z0-16 rotary cannons, which discharged blaster bolts across a wide area but lacked precision and required a warm-up period before firing. When trapped at close quarters, the Defenders would employ their cannon as a melee weapon, attempting to strike their opponents.
In addition, the Heavy Defenders wore durable, heavy armor that provided them with considerable protection against melee attacks.
Their substantial size and stamina enabled them to easily manage the weight of both their armor and cannons.