As a solo player I really hope they remove Thumpers for the next Plague Star event. They are extremely annoying in what is otherwise an enjoyable event.
In a group Thumpers are an annoyance, but playing solo they are an absolute pain. The damn things can turn faster than a player in an archwing, and will always shield the remaining good leg from a player.
By myself I can do the advanced Plague Star event fairly easily, but add in a Thumper and I can add at least 50% to a run time.
It doesn't help that the buggers will follow you across the entire map. Perhaps a compromise would be if they had their own patrol area that they wouldn't go beyond?