Interested in a Vanguard

AstroSam

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A Vanguard Harbinger is currently offered within a german forum. I'll send you a pm.
 
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Shadow Reaper

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You might check into flying a Warden. Last I heard was that it flies terribly, and no one knows if it will be fixed. If it really is as sluggish as it sounds, and those fixed S2's can't be put on smaller targets, that would mean its role is hugely reduced. I suggest ask around and see what people think who have flown it.

Tactical Advance loves it:

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_5D8u1GBZ_U


but he is flying with ballistics as primary. Most people want energy weapon as primary and you'll note the fixed weapons are sluggish since the ship is sluggish, so you're not going to use the secondaries very often.

TA's complaint is it needs more missiles, and the Harbinger has that. The Sentinel also has a useful load, and one hopes could even be used for exploration. Questions remain over whether you can swap out the 4 S2's in the nose or if you're stuck with them. Personally I would certainly want to swap in energy for the S5 and ballistic for the 4 S2's. Note what TA says about the missile lock system in the vid above.
 
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AstroSam

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Yeah, good that you are mentioning this! Invest some REC - OR ask a TESTie for borrowing a Warden - and try her out before investing hard earned, real life money!!
 
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Metal-Muffin

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I just melted my harbinger before 2.4. I had no issues with its flight characteristics in 2.3. They seemed in-line with a ship its size, if not a little better. I liked the idea of a modular, forward fighter. The harbinger was $280, and warden and sentinel 'packs' were $30 each if I remember correctly. Depending on how well I like the buccaneer, I may end up getting my vanguard back. Who am I kidding, I'll probably get it back anyway.
 

Shadow Reaper

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I just melted my harbinger before 2.4. I had no issues with its flight characteristics in 2.3. They seemed in-line with a ship its size, if not a little better. I liked the idea of a modular, forward fighter. The harbinger was $280, and warden and sentinel 'packs' were $30 each if I remember correctly. Depending on how well I like the buccaneer, I may end up getting my vanguard back. Who am I kidding, I'll probably get it back anyway.
If you buy the packs you can then swap in and out the EM and extra missiles at will, yes? And did you use the nose guns much?

I love the look of that bird, and its range and variability with different loads makes it very interesting to me; but I am concerned that the 4 secondaries not be swappable. There was a note about how they're a part of the ship and can't be replaced--is this true? Honestly if you have a big S5 gimbaled laser that never runs out of ammo, never overheats, etc. then that might be all you need but if you could put 4 ballistic gattlings or Sledge II's on the nose, that would just be devastating should you ever use it.
 
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Super Jayhawk

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Hey everyone, just wanted to jump back in and say thank you! I have been around for less than 24 hours and already blown away with how friendly and helpful everyone is.

I will be burning some REC soon to test the Vanguard. Been following the concept to actual execution news and now the rework so I have faith it will get there.

Thanks again!
 
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marcsand2

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Base is fine. Not sure how this works or expected price.

I'm new here... [Looks around] ... [Gets ass kicked].
Get some flight lessons, start with the Vanduuls. There you will learn to avoid asteroids, evasive flight, dealing with missiles.
Good configuration and use of controls also is very useful.
 
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Shadow Reaper

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Get some flight lessons, start with the Vanduuls.
Do you know what the skinny is on swapping out the guns on the Vanguard so you have energy for primary gimbaled, and ballistic for fixed? Would that be your build?

I still don't know what the "power limited DPS" means in the chart here:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1nU2Ten4SWLfPrB92PsuJ2xNEevBDc5Rkqr7jsusGUAE/edit#gid=278523881

but given it is not a total nerf of the weapon, I would be very interested to see the S5 MXOX Gatling Laser as primary on the Vanguard and 4X VNCL Plasma Cannon for secondaries. That means no ammo and if the ship can power that much energy weapon, you would really have the very high range of the ship optimized. I would want to use it for exploration and EM Warfare. I still don't see a need for the turret. Could be cargo. Could be equipment, like better sensors, EMP, etc.
 
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Metal-Muffin

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If you buy the packs you can then swap in and out the EM and extra missiles at will, yes? And did you use the nose guns much?

I love the look of that bird, and its range and variability with different loads makes it very interesting to me; but I am concerned that the 4 secondaries not be swappable. There was a note about how they're a part of the ship and can't be replaced--is this true? Honestly if you have a big S5 gimbaled laser that never runs out of ammo, never overheats, etc. then that might be all you need but if you could put 4 ballistic gattlings or Sledge II's on the nose, that would just be devastating should you ever use it.
I was not able to swap out the 4 nose guns when I had it, and there wasn't anything available at the time that I would have used to replace the gimbaled S5. I would hope that they could be replaced in the future. The one thing I really disliked was the lack of fire power it seemed to have, despite all of those weapons. The ability for a pilot to link the turret without a second person manning it would have made the ship indispensable to me. Instead, I melted it in favor of the saber that seems to hit much harder and is more customizable. The one thing that keeps me interested in the Vanguard, however, is the torpedos of the Harbinger. I have visions of a group of Harbingers and Retaliators forming the muscle of an anti-Capitol ship mission or QRF. I think that it would be perfectly suited for that role.

Edit// I forgot about the packs. It was stated that you could switch out the packs as desires, which makes a den versitle ship, however I don't believe you can mix and match components from the packs, thus continuing to limit your customization. The idea behind buying the harbinger and the 2 packs was that the harbinger had better armor, however it remains to me seen if, say- when you switch to the sentinel pack, it reduces your armor rating as a part of the pack.

As for the look, I think it is suppose to resemble the P51 from WWII, which is by far my favorite war bird. This makes sense with the 4 fixed nose guns.

Edie edit// missiles were swappable, but I don't think it was ever stated if you could swap the torpedos in the harbinger with same size (S3?) ordinance.
 
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marcsand2

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Do you know what the skinny is on swapping out the guns on the Vanguard so you have energy for primary gimbaled, and ballistic for fixed? Would that be your build?
I never had an energy problem because I rather use evasion then pumping up energy on my shields, only overheating problems.
Also I swap all my gimballed weaponswith fixed ones. (Hardcore flightstick fan)
That works fine with evasion tactics because you need to stay out of enemy gun fire and keep your guns pointed in the right direction.
Before I started to use zoom the ballistics where ineffective. Now I have an Avenger (which flies amazingly good) and the Gladius. Because of the different pips of energy weapons and ballistics, you can't effectively use both together unless at point blank range.
I find it verry effective to put more faster light guns on a target then a few slow heavy guns.
Heavy guns is heavy hit or no hit, repeaters is maybe allot miss, but the ones that hit do less damage. Sum of allot small ones still counts.
Hmmmm... Vanguard, 2 seater, just like the SH, so the turret still can be used in dogfight when flying single. I wonder if it is more or less manouvrable then a Gladiator. Gladiator is a light bomber, slow but still fun to dogfight.
Vanguard crosses my $200 limit. Didn't fly it yet. I collect fighters but I must set a limit.
 

Metal-Muffin

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Hmmmm... Vanguard, 2 seater, just like the SH, so the turret still can be used in dogfight when flying single..
In 2.3 the turret was not useable from the pilot seat.

In my saber I have 2 S3 tarantulas and 2 panther repeaters. i use the panthers at distance and everything when I have a good shot, and man does everything hit hard. I've heard talk of the broadswords being even more devastating, but I haven't tried them yet.
 
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PharaohSteve

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Rented a Warden for a week and ended up buying a Sabre instead....and then I bought a Warden because I'm a sucker for Aegis design.

Cosmetically the ship is beautiful, functionally it's a flying brick. The damage it could deal unfortunately is gimped by how horrible it is to fly.

Not trying to talk you out of it all, just giving my feedback as others have.
 
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Shadow Reaper

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I like the idea of setting up the Sentinel for exploration and EM Warfare. It's going to be really handy in a serious combat to have at least one ship with powerful active radar, IR and EM sensors, especially if that data can be shipped to comrades. I just don't want to fly it with the guns lacking. A big ship ought to have big guns and if they nerfed them so you have to use ammo for primary and energy for secondary, I'm sure they will get serious complaints. Either we get to pick our own weapons on ships or we don't. If they don't allow that, I will pass on this lovely bird.
 
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marcsand2

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In 2.3 the turret was not useable from the pilot seat.

In my saber I have 2 S3 tarantulas and 2 panther repeaters. i use the panthers at distance and everything when I have a good shot, and man does everything hit hard. I've heard talk of the broadswords being even more devastating, but I haven't tried them yet.
problem with mixed weapons is multiple pips. If you fly on the 6, then it would be OK, unless you strafe to keep your own 6 clear.
[EDIT] I have a 2 stage trigger. firegroup 1 or firegroup 1 and firegroup 2. It has its advantages and disadvantages.
 
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