Codex: Reapers
Beta Reader: Albert
List of Races in the Reaper Forces
Asari with mutations: banshee
Batarian: cannibal
Elcor: thrasher
Elf/human (plus dwarves): husk, kamikaze (formerly known as an abomination), scion (3 humans) and praetorian (30 humans)
Hanar: slasher
Harvester: harvester dragon
Krogans/qunari/yahg with turian/quarian: brute
Protheans/asari: collector
Quarian/salarian: minion
Rachni: ravager and swarmers
Turian: marauder
Vorcha: howlers
Collector's Forces List
Within the collector's forces, drones are the most common and numerous of the hive mind. With standard equipment of organic armor, collector rifle and an organic blade for close quarters combat, drones are a menace for most armies. Drones are the most basic unit of Collectors with specialized units with specialized labor and/or combat roles. They are easily identifiable as they have a different appearance their progenitor race and they have biotic/kinetic barriers.
Assassin: Assassins are specialized collectors that use a collector beam particle to strip away an enemy's shields and armor from a distance while using small webbing on their feet to hold them in place. They do not engage in close quarters combat or perform any necessary form of labor for the hive.
Biotic: Collector biotics are specialized collectors that use standard biotic attacks (pull, push and warp) to take down their enemies. They also use biotics to act as the collectors' heavy lifters in battle or outside to help the hive. They use a Collector SMG in battle.
Captain: Captains are specialized collector drones that command a collector unit within the field, including seeker swarms that they can deploy to pick apart enemy shields and stun their victims. They also are the first to be possessed by the Collector General/Reaper, increasing kinetic barriers, hardening their organic armor, and giving them the ability to launch a devastating biotic warp field that can shred through their enemies' kinetic barriers and armor.
Drone: Drones are the standard collector soldier in the field that often does the grunt work of the forces, while they deploy webbing in the battle to keep their targets within an area. They are also the cannon fodder of the collector forces, used to protect specialized collector units at the cost of their own life. They are also the second most likely to be possessed by the Collector General/Reaper, giving them kinetic barriers, hardening their organic armor slightly and provided them the ability to launch a powerful biotic warp that can shred through their enemies' kinetic barriers and armor.
Guardian: Guardians are specialized collectors that create helix barriers to give them cover as they snipe enemies from a distance using a Collector Sniper Rifle. They do not engage in close quarters combat or perform any necessary form of labor for the hive.
Technician: Collector technicians are specialized collectors that use standard tech attacks (cryo blast, incinerate and overload) to take down their enemies. They also use their technical skills to hack unfamiliar tech, and they perform the more technical repairs on a ship. They use Collector SMG in battle.
Howlers
When the Reapers began the extermination of the fast-reproducing vorchas, they created a mass number of cannon fodder for their forces. Howlers are Reaper units weaker then husks but make up for their weakness with their numbers and weapons. Alone, they are not much of a threat, but they have two sets of weapons. One is their sharp claws and teeth that can scrape off the armor. The second is their howl that causes psychological fear to organics. It also can serve to call in reinforcements as other nearby reapers join into the howlers' howl. A howler never fights alone as they swarm over their enemies. Confederation forces recommend caution against howler swarms and train troops to use fast repeating weapons or shotguns for close range combat with howlers.
Minions
Created from the harvesting of quarians or salarians, minions are the tech support and sniper units of the Reapers, often killing their targets from a distance while trying to stay behind other Reaper forces. Minions have little to no armor that depended on their kinetic barrier to stay alive. They often fall back when their barriers fail, a trait that caused many krogans to call them pyjak units, thinking they were weak until it was discovered how they support Reaper Forces.
On the back of a minion are Reaper barriers that are used to give or enhance the kinetic barriers of Reaper units within a small radius of a Reaper barrier. Reaper barriers are placed on a wall or the ground before using a chemical process created from the minion's stomach acid that changes the structure of the Reaper nanoprobes. The body acid released from a minion simultaneously breaks down the wall or ground material while Reaper nanoprobes reconstruct it on a molecular level, a two-prong process. This material alteration ensures that the barriers can never be moved by external means and make the Reaper barrier much harder to destroy.
Minions also help Reapers secure new territory outside of combat, by building Reapers barriers, various ground weapons, and organic turrets using material repurposed by their stomach acids. Materials also include parts from fellow Reaper units, mostly cannibals, howlers, husks or slashers for their organic turrets and barriers. The ability to build Reaper tech combined with their frequent tactic of poisoning the water and food supplies of a military installation during a Reaper siege make minions a priority target. Confederation forces also recommend shooting at Reaper barrier or organic turret as they are being built or place sufficiently large amounts of explosive that will not only destroy the device but kill any Reaper forces anywhere near them.
Slashers
Slashers are harvested hanar created to be ground forces similar to husks, though slightly faster on the ground and a lot faster in a liquid-base environment. However, unlike husks that serve as hound dogs that are able to sniff out their enemies and to take prisoners; slashers have only one purpose, to kill anyone that defies the Reapers. With many mechanical claws on tentacle arms that can cut into a tank easily, they are killing machines as they swarm over a target. Confederation forces recommend that soldiers kept their distance and used fast, repeatable weapons to take down a whole horde of slashers which is how they appear in battle, a horde. If melee combat must be used, it is best to strength kinetic barriers and strike quickly in the center for a quick kill. Slashers generally have less armor than regular husks and are more vulnerable to being blasted back by a shotgun.
Thrashers
When the Reapers invaded Dekuuna and began harvesting its local elcor population, they created a new tank unit to replace the dwindling ravager's population. Thrashers are harvested elcor turned into living tanks that can use their giant legs to bash and crush their targets including enemy fortifications. Thrashers also have gun turrets attached to their side to help take down troops. If its turrets are destroyed, they can be repaired, though slowly, through a chemical reaction applied by cannibals. Thrashers also have a large cannon on their back that can easily turn the tide of battle.
The Thrasher's main cannon fire a molten charge that can destroy any known ground vehicles, including the M-53A Varren Tomkah. Its only drawback is that it takes twenty seconds to recharge and another minute to cool down before it is able to fire. Combined with the Thrashers' low maneuverability and slow speeds makes them vulnerable to elite squads or a high-speed vehicle/heavy tank that can avoid its main cannon. Confederation forces recommend that it is best to attack thrashers with air support, or from behind, hitting the turrets first and burning away its armor. Confederation forces also recommended that soldiers keep an eye open for ravagers and scions that generally travel along with a thrasher.
