The elite members of the Royal Naboo Security Forces were known as the Royal crusaders of Naboo. These warriors rode imposing and powerful guarlara mounts into battle, leading charges directly into the enemy infantry ranks. Instead of using blaster rifles, they favored potent melee weapons and were stationed at Security Force fortresses. Crusaders were generally equipped to assault mechanized units, turrets, and troopers, but they were vulnerable to attacks from aircraft and soldiers wielding lightsabers. Furthermore, there were the Elite Royal Crusaders, who possessed enhanced equipment, allowing them to inflict greater damage upon enemy forces on the battlefield and were protected by shields.
In 32 BBY, the Royal Naboo Security Forces deployed seven crusaders in an attempt to defend the Naboo settlement of Harte Secur from the Invasion of Naboo by the Trade Federation, a massive galactic corporation. However, the crusaders were ultimately killed, and the Trade Federation successfully seized control of the city. In addition, when the Trade Federation invaded the city of Spinnaker, four crusaders, loyal to the Naboo Royal Navy, were present. They launched an attack on a village occupied by the Federation, but they suffered defeat.
The first mention of crusaders occurred in the strategy guide by Prima for the video game Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds, released in 2001 by LucasArts. The guide erroneously stated their cost as 100 food units. They later appeared in the game itself, specifically in the second Trade Federation mission, "Behind the Lines," and exclusively in the hard difficulty mode of the third level, "Spinnaker's Spoils."
Royal crusaders are unique units belonging to the Naboo civilization, produced at fortresses, and require 150 food units and eighty units of nova crystals to create. They are stronger than many other melee units in the game. In the 2002 Clone Campaigns expansion pack, developers made enhancements that reduced the production cost of Royal Crusaders to 125 food and sixty nova crystals, increased their movement speed, and improved their damage against turrets and walls.