Drudge

## Tactical information

* **Tankslayer**: The drudge utilizes a potent hard-light ray to strike at vehicles and to a lesser degree buildings. Though certainly more specialized than say; a Javelin or Flak trooper, the Drudge makes up for it by being more focused in his anti-tank duties, and being both tougher and more damaging.

* **Charge up!**: If needed, Drudges can charge up their guns to deal considerably more hurt at the expense of rate of fire, allowing for devastating strikes once the battle is joined.

* **Not a Mankiller**: Lance guns are considerably less efficient against infantry, and Drudges are certainly unable to hurt aircraft at all. One must be careful when faced with such targets.

* **Look ma, a new toy!**: The best and most heroic of the Drudges are gifted with special penetrating hard-light rays that can pierce through multiple enemies simultaneously; always heading out to their maximum range regardless of what is in the way, allowing for multiple enemies to be threatened at a time.

## Unit History

Every modern army in history in every culture the Ecumene has encountered have used armoured vehicles. It's something of an inevitability; in order for militaries to counter the discovery of automatic weaponry and trenches, armoured units must be created. And for infantry to hold their own against vehicles to any degree, anti-vehicle weapons must be developed and be made man portable. The Ecumene is no exception, though the Imilki and their follower species have come a long way from the elephant guns and hastily down pointed artillery of old. The form of Anti-vehicle infantry best known to the Earth is the Drudge, a Drakul warrior carrying a powerful hard-light gun similar in design to the Jurassic's own hard-light weapon.

Essentially the equivalent of a directed energy recoilless gun, this potent shoulder mounted weapon is easily carried by the armor assisted and hugely muscular frame of the Drakul. Known as Drudges, these potent warriors became infamous throughout the stars due to their lethal efficacy against the armoured units of the Ecumene. One such people who would feel the sting of the Ecumene's attentions under the command of Orluk were simply known as "the People", beings of more than four dimensions. Possessed of extremely durable and quick units with mediocre firepower, the Drudges would prove instrumental in cracking the shells of their vaunted vehicles.

World by world was purged of the influence of the People as the Ecumene, and the Drudges in particular; smashed their heavy armor under the command of the almost cult-like circle that the so called Xyruh had built around himself. With the people fully smashed and in full retreat, the Ecumene annexed the worlds once held by them. Throughout the conflict, the charge function in particular proved to be highly valuable in punching right through their heavy armor while the usage of energy over physical projectiles meant that their high speed and agility would not let them properly dodge the Drudge's weaponry. Through continuous refinement of tactics, Orluk's generals created an ironclad method of utilizing their drudges, refinement that would become invaluable in later campaigns.

On the Earth, the Drudge has proven instrumental, even with lesser equipment than in Orluk's prior campaigns, in ensuring that the Ecumene's infantry are free of harassment from Earth native armored units. From engagements with the Talon back in the mud and blood of the first world war, to the eradication of the 101st and 82nd airborne divisions in the second world war, to the blasted hellscapes of China; the Drudge continues to let loose blasts of hard light from his or her shoulder mounted cannon. Wherever the Ecumenical troops must deal with armor, the Drudges are given a call and they have yet to disappoint as steady refinements to their equipment is made.