Greetings Citizens,

You’ve got questions, we’ve got answers! Last week, we kicked off a concept sale for two new variants of the Vanguard deep space fighter. This week, we’ll be answering questions collected on the forums on Wednesday and Friday. These questions have been reviewed by designer Calix Reneau and will hopefully clear up anything you’re wondering about the ship.

We will also be premiering a new piece of concept art with each Q&A post, available to the right below the blueprint. Enjoy!

Question & Answer

Before we address the other questions, we’d like to (hopefully!) clarify some of the confusion around the Battlefield Upgrade Kits. These kits are collections of components that can be mounted on the base ship to give it the specifications of one of the other models. For example, the Sentinel upgrade kit includes a set of nose mount guns, the turret-mounted sensor suite, an alternate escape pod (with a tech terminal and computer core) and components for the AR cockpit. These components can be installed together as one unit or they can be broken down into their individual pieces and used in that way (so you might change the nose gun but not the turret, or the escape pod but not the cockpit.)

With the Vanguard’s extended range, could one of the variants be used for exploration and/or scouting? Will we see any other swappable pods, such as cargo, medical or holding cells?

The Vanguard would be a good base for a scout and/or exploration ship, with the Warden being the best platform. We may make additional upgrade kits available in the future, although the goal is never to have ships pre-configured to do every role. We’d like ships to have strong identities, and we don’t want to stomp on that by making every ship a master of all trades. More likely, you’ll end up designing out your own Vanguard variants using individual components found in the ‘Verse, swapping them back and forth depending on their strengths and weaknesses.

Will the turret of the Vanguard Warden still be able to fully retract, like it was shown in the original concept?

This is still in the plans.

Just a quick one regarding the Sentinel, the first line states “The conversion features an AR cockpit”. How will this work/be different in comparison to the HUD system we have in place now?

The AR cockpit is a more complex interface, more akin to the tactical stations found on Star Citizen’s capital ships. It’s intended to give the Sentinel a broader view of the battlefield, providing the pilot and crew with enhanced information courtesy of their superior sensor array!

Will the Harbinger be slower than the Warden and the Sentinel because of the weight?

Yes, speed (and potentially maneuverability) will be decreased when in bomber configuration.

The stat page give no indication of a jump drive for all 3 models. So will they have a jump drive?

All three models include a jump drive.

Can I mix-match parts from the BUK’s? (Warden nose guns + Harbinger missile turret?)

Yes, the BUKs are simply collections of parts that can be applied to the different ships. Please note that once the BUK has been ‘broken up’ then the parts will all need to be installed separately as individual components.

Are the BUKs a permanent item in the store, or when the Vanguard sale is over, do these leave the store as well?

The BUKs are not a permanent item in the store, but they will be available in-universe once the game launches. (That’s the key difference between a BUK and a CCU; the CCU is a permanent conversion which exists outside of the Star Citizen world, the BUK is something you might buy in a store on ArcCorp for your ship.)

My question is how can it dock with other craft? Can other vessels like Constellations, Retaliators, Redeemers etc with an extendable docking collar match up with a Vanguard?

The Vanguard is designed for landing rather than on-orbit rendezvous. As such, it does not have a ring for ship-to-ship docking. (It can still be boarded, or manually exited… but both will involve EVA.)

Is the Harbinger more heavily armored than the Warden and Sentinel?

Yes, the Harbinger has additional armor.

Are the cockpit differences purely cosmetic or are they functionally different? (Sentinel’s AR cockpit, Harbinger’s armored panels)

The cockpits are functionally different. The Sentinel features an AR cockpit, discussed above, and the Harbinger’s cockpit includes additional armored panels to protect the pilot. These upgrades are included in the BUK packages.

What would be the benefit of keeping the Warden whose interior module is essentially only a fancy escape pod over switching to the torp bay or electronic warfare module?

The Warden escape pod is the only one with long term life support and beds – escaping in this will give a greatly improved chance of being recovered without the cost of a ‘life’. The escape pod of the other variants will only give slightly improved chance over standard ejection.

Does the rocket turret on the Harbinger have guidance for the rockets, or are they dumb fire?

The standard rockets are dumb fire. It’s possible that other options will be available in the ‘Verse.