“The Emperor’s wrath given wings.”
The Vanguard-class Gunship is the Arkanis Imperium’s standard heavy assault craft, bridging the gap between starfighters and capital ships. Built for close-range firepower, troop delivery, and precision strikes, it is a versatile workhorse used across the galaxy in Imperial fleets.
Unlike the swift Angel-class Starfighter, the Vanguard is a brutal frontline craft, heavily armored and shielded to survive enemy fire while delivering devastating payloads. Its primary role is supporting larger fleet actions and deploying small squads of Imperial troops directly into the heart of battle zones—whether boarding an enemy vessel or assaulting ground fortifications.
The Vanguard can be deployed from carriers, destroyers, and cruisers, though some planetary garrisons maintain them for rapid strike and defense missions.
Crew: 6 (pilot, co-pilot, gunner, engineer, and 2 system officers)
Troop Capacity: 20 Imperial soldiers or 5 Stellar Knights in full warplate.
Cargo Capacity: Limited, but capable of carrying equipment, light vehicles, or extra ordnance for extended missions.
The Vanguard packs heavy firepower for its size, making it a dangerous opponent even to larger ships:
1x Forward Plasma Cannon (medium hardpoint) – devastating against enemy hulls and ground fortifications.
2x Side-mounted Heavy Laser Turrets (small hardpoints) – providing anti-fighter and suppression fire.
1x Missile Bay (4 launch tubes) – capable of fitting concussion missiles, anti-capital torpedoes, or plasma warheads.
Optional Ventral Railgun Pod – carried on specialized assault variants.
The Vanguard is built to withstand heavy fire, with reinforced hull plating and shields stronger than most starfighters. However, this comes at the cost of speed and maneuverability—it is slower than fighters, relying on escorts or its own firepower to break through.
Assault Gunship – standard loadout, optimized for troop deployment and boarding actions.
Bomber Gunship – trades troop space for expanded missile bays, carrying heavy torpedoes for capital ship strikes.
Siege Gunship – fitted with a ventral plasma mortar, used in planetary assaults.
Knight Transport – customized for Stellar Knights, with warplate docking racks and meditation chambers.
Strengths:
Durable and heavily armed for its size.
Can carry troops directly into combat zones.
Flexible weapon loadouts allow it to specialize.
Weaknesses:
Slower and less agile than starfighters.
Vulnerable to swarms of interceptors if not escorted.
Limited operational range compared to capital ships.
The Vanguard is often seen spearheading boarding actions, planetary assaults, and precision strikes. To Imperial troops, it is their iron steed; to enemies, the sight of its red-trimmed hull cutting through the void heralds doom.
When the Starjack-class Battleship or Praetorian-class Destroyer deploys Vanguards, it signals that the Imperium is not just winning space superiority—they are about to take the fight directly to the enemy’s heart.