Category:Vanguard series

The Aegis A3G Vanguard series are the United Empire of Earth’s dedicated deep space fighters. Each Vanguard variant serves its own purpose.

Vanguard Warden
The Vanguard Warden is a hard-charging bulldog of a fighter which features extensive forward-mounted weaponry designed to tear through the shields and armor of other spacecraft. So-named because their multiple-jump range allows them to form the vanguard of any military expedition, Vanguards have seen extensive service against the Vanduul.

Vanguard Harbinger
The Vanguard Harbinger is Earth's standard fighter-bomber, converting the standard Warden model’s escape pod into a potent bomb bay. The extended range of the Vanguard and the relatively small profile mean that it can go where carrier-based planes or larger strategic bombers don’t... and then strike hard and make it back to frontier bases. The Vanguard Harbinger is a powerful bomber that can operate out of the roughest forward operating bases.

Vanguard Sentinel
The Vanguard Sentinel is a ship that's designed to fight smart instead of taking enemies head on. The conversion features an AR cockpit, an external e-War pod, decoy missiles and a set of EMP charges. Vanguard Sentinels often provide necessary combat support for combined operations. A lone Sentinel assigned wild weasel tasks is frequently paired with Harbinger bombers and Warden escorts for large attack missions.

Vanguard Hoplite
The Aegis Vanguard Hoplite is a cross between the winning Vanguard deep space fighter and a dedicated boarding ship. Adapting the reliable design for amphibious operations, the Hoplite is the perfect tool for inserting an armored strike team with enough firepower to get them out again.

Features
The Vanguard trades the maneuverability of the Hornet, Lightning and Gladius for extended range, armor and durability. With more hardpoints and increased space for onboard computer systems, the design can boast improved radar and a credible electronic warfare suite. It is best known for its distinctive twin X-Forge engines, which allow for both an impressive top speed and an extensive backup system for enhanced combat survivability. Coupled with a superstructure composed from a distinct tungsten alloy, more than one Vanguard pilot has returned to base with little more than a single engine and the charred remains of a fuselage.

Tactics
In combat, the Vanguard’s roles are extensive: long range jump scout, extended duration patrol/reconnaissance ship, fighter-bomber (when equipped with torpedoes), tactical command and control ship, bomber interceptor and, in the proper hands, even a fighter-killer. The Vanguard’s extensive range can allow for missions lasting days or even weeks. Internally, the ship is fitted with sleeping berths and reclamation facilities to support such missions.

Development
The Vanguard is the promised twin-engine deep space fighter of the 60 million stretch goal. It is originally known as Bulldog. The concept was inspired by the twin-engine aircraft of World War II, like the and the.