
A Crusader was the basic infantryman of the Army of the Neo-Infinite Empire who was not a member of the Rakata species. Millions of Crusaders of various races from throughout the galaxy made up the backbone of the Neo-Infinite Army, initially including only volunteers but many conscripts later on during the Rakatan War. Not as strong or well-armed as Rakatan Warriors, Crusaders primarily relied on overwhelming numbers and firepower to defeat their opponents. The Crusaders underwent harsh training on worlds with difficult environments to build their mental and physical endurance, in order to be able to continue fighting even in the face of tremendous casualties. Additionally, Crusaders underwent a lengthy indoctrination by Commissars to ensure their loyalty to the Neo-Infinite Empire and the Emperor of Rakata. The end result was a force of well-trained and highly devoted soldiers, capable of fighting in the most hazardous of environments and in the face of overwhelming odds.
Although the quality of Crusader units varied, they were generally considered dependable by Rakatan commanders. The basic unit that Crusaders were organized into was the regiment, which could contain as many as 20,000 men. During large-scale campaigns, the regiments were organized into a corps, which themselves could become part of field armies.
All Crusaders were indoctrinated to believe that the Rakatans were saving their galaxy from the incompetent leadership of the Galactic Federation Triumvirate, and that they would grant a measure of independence to all of the worlds in their Empire. They were told that they were part of a "Great Crusade" against the oppressive regime on Coruscant and thus were fighting for their own freedom. The propaganda had a great effect, due to the fact that the Triumvirate had been suffering from many internal problems and corruption up until the Rakatan War. However, as more conscripts were drafted to fill the ranks, many dissidents ended up as Crusaders and thus caused some morale problems among a few units. By and large, however, the Crusaders remained a reliable and loyal force of soldiers during the conflict.