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With all of the hype in recent months surrounding CitizenCon and Alpha 2.0, I've decided to write a comprehensive ship buyer's guide that is intended to help new backers with their first purchases and assist veteran backers looking to expand their hangar. I will be updating this guide iteratively, using the latest available information from the CIG community.
If you are new and plan on pledging to Star Citizen, I would appreciate if you could use my referral code: STAR-TBGJ-L2K7. This will give you $5 of in-game currency, and will help me progress towards referral rewards! Since there is no method of retroactive referrals, you guys are now my only hope :)
You can create an account here: https://robertsspaceindustries.com/enlist?referral=STAR-TBGJ-L2K7
Packages vs. Ships
The first distinction to make is the difference between packages and ships. All currently available packages come with Star Citizen Digital Download and Squadron 42 Digital Download. These are the 2 essential items that you need to "own" or "pre-order" the game. "Star Citizen Digital Download" refers to the Persistent Universe (PU), which will be the MMO component of the game, as well as all currently playable modules in the game. "Squadron 42" refers to an episodic single player campaign with an all-star Hollywood cast. Any package also grants to access to all current and future playable modules (including Alpha 2.0, Arena Commander, and the upcoming Star Marine). Eventually, Squadron 42 and the Persistent Universe will retail separately, so by being an early backer, you are getting quite a discount.
In contrast, ships are more commonly sold as stand-alone and are essentially pledge add-ons once you own a game package. When buying ships, please keep in mind that there is no 'best' ship in Star Citizen, so instead, look at the ships that fit your preferred playstyle.
You only need one package, but if for whatever reason you end up owning more than one package, one side-benefit is that each extra package will generate an extra character slot for the PU. Extra character slots can either be used to create extra Player Characters or Crewman NPCs (not implemented yet). Extra character slots will also be sold separately at game launch, so do not buy extra packages for the sole purpose of getting extra character slots.
Budget/Value Packages
Star Citizen currently offers pre-orders and alpha access to a AAA gaming experience at a below-market price. Here are the absolute cheapest options to buy into the game and play the alpha modules right away:
(Note: the following prices are in USD and do not include taxes. Most states in the US are not taxed, but if you live in Texas, California or in Europe, you are also taxed on your purchases).
| Price | Ship/Link | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Discount Aurora MR Starter | These are limited quantity discount starter packages that CIG has been recently promoting due to the holiday season. If you are brand new, try to pick one of these up while you still can, as it is the cheapest pledge package and therefore the best value! Note: Limited to one per account | |
| $45 total | Mustang Alpha Starter, Aurora MR Starter, or SQ42 Preorder Package | The SQ42 Preorder Package is identical to the Aurora MR AC Package, except it's green. The Mustang Alpha is arguably more fun to fly at the moment however, so I would recommend picking up the Mustang Alpha AC Package. Also, the Mustang Alpha standalone is priced at $30, whereas the Aurora MR standalone is priced at $25. So the Mustang Alpha is the better bang for your buck at this price tier! Do not buy this package right now, as the Aurora LN package is definitively better |
| $45 total | Aurora LN Package | This is the package that I've personally recommended the most to friends. You get an Aurora that is the strongest of its class and sports considerably more weaponry, while still having enough cargo space for utility. The Aurora LN is the cheapest, multi-role ship you can purchase. Currently the best value at the $45 entry price tier, grab one while you still can! |
| $75 total | Avenger Package | The $75 price point is the highest end of what I would consider budget/value packages, and the Avenger package is a good option. The Avenger is a combat-oriented multi-role ship and comes with a containment unit that allows you to hold and transport prisoners on the ship, facilitating entry level bounty hunting that require live captures. The package also comes with the Aeroview Hangar and 6 months of ship insurance. Note: The thrifty buyer can use the ship upgrade system to upgrade an Aurora LN package to the Avenger Titan or Avenger Stalker and save $5 to $15 overall, lowering the price. You miss out on the 6 months of insurance, but you will still be able to access the Aeroview Hangar. |
Current Ongoing Sale (Concept or Limited Ships) (Subject to Change)
In this section, I will go my favorite picks from the current ongoing sale.
| Price | Ship/Link | Description |
|---|---|---|
| $50 total | Misc Reliant Kore - Mini Hauler | Trade/Mercantile: Advertised as the 3rd starter ship alongside the Mustang Alpha and the Aurora MR, this ship carries a larger price tag because not only is it more multi-role, but it is also a two-seater, making it the cheapest multi-crew ship available. The Misc Reliant series of ships are more or less miniature versions of the Misc Freelancer series of ships, and sport a cool Xi'an-Human hybrid look due to re-purposed Xi'an technology. The Reliant Kore also comes with a Tractor Beam fixed to a S3 gimbal, which could be useful for salvage, or could be swapped out for a S3 weapon. Note: this is currently the only Reliant variant with a S3 weapons hardpoint and a S2 missile pylon. For Aurora LN owners looking to upgrade, the Reliant Kore is a better choice if you want more cargo space while maintaining the same level of combat effectiveness; whereas the Avenger Titan is the better choice if you want better combat effectiveness but less cargo space |
| $65 total | MISC Reliant Tana - Skirmisher | Great Value - Combat: The Tana is amazing for its price tag. By sacrificing 2/3 of its cargo (which still means it has the same amount of cargo space as the Avenger Stalker), it becomes an absolute beast of a ship. Unlike all other Reliant variants, it can equip a S4 shield and has a total of 6 turret hardpoints!! This is absolutely incredible because it basically has the same shield output as a Hornet and can potentially output more damage than a Gladius. It is balanced out by a slower top-speed due to a S2 engine, but I think it still punches far above its weight and is essentially a miniature Super Hornet. I would recommend Avenger Titan, Avenger Stalker, Aurora LN, and even Mustang Delta owners to at least consider upgrading to this ship. |
| $75 total | MISC Reliant Sen - Researcher | Exploration/Science Hybrid: The Reliant Sen also brings great value with its price tag. Like the Tana, it also sacrifices 2/3 of its cargo, but instead comes with a mounted sensor suite as well as an onboard science/research workstation. This is currently the only known ship below $200 that will be able to perform science/research, and makes for a great pairing with its exploration capabilities. I would definitely recommend upgrading Origin 315p's or Aurora LN's to the Reliant Sen. |
| $85 total | MISC Reliant Mako - News Van | Niche: The Mako carries the largest price tag among the Reliant variants, and not enough is really known about the ship to understand whether it justifies that price tag. It is definitely a very unique ship with its imaging suites and turret-mounted optics, and it sports a luxury look that likely qualifies it for touring as well. Being a speedy ship with great optical viewing and capable scanners means it could potentially be decent as a Command and Control ship for smaller battles. |
| $170 total | Aegis Sabre | Combat/Stealth Hybrid: This is the spiritual successor to the Aegis Gladius, and features double the amount of weapons hardpoints and two extra shields. It is advertised as a dogfighter with stealth characteristics; however, it is quite a bit larger than the Gladius, suggesting that the stealth will come from additional equipment rather than a small ship profile. It also possesses 0 cargo capacity, meaning it is designed for short-range combat missions, just like the Gladius. Overall, a sleek dogfighter with an offense-oriented design. |
| $165 total | Freelancer MIS | Fleet Escort: This has always been a pretty strange variant within the Freelancer series. The cargo capacity is deceptive because a large portion of it will always be occupied by missile ordinance. This makes it rather unsuited for the traditionally mercantile role of the Freelancer series. Like the DUR, it features 2x S5 turrets, but sacrifices the smaller S3 turret hardpoints for extra missile pylons (6 total), making the MIS a missile gunboat. I believe the best role for the MIS will be as an escort ship for larger vessels. |
Notable Standalone Ships and Packages (WIP)
In this section, I will go over select ships or packages that I find noteworthy to mention.
| Price | Ship/Link | Description |
|---|---|---|
| $20 & $30 | Kruger P-52 Merlin & Kruger P-72 Archimedes (in concept) | Snub Fighter Specialization: The P-52 Merlin rivals the Aurora ES for the cheapest ship in the store, but is a considerably better ship when it comes to combat, and is the clear choice for Arena Commander. It's light, fast, and can holds its own against more expensive counterparts. However, its main drawbacks are vulnerability to tracking missiles and an extremely limited range, since it is designed to be a snub fighter paired with a medium-sized vessel (like a Constellation), and therefore relies on docking with these ships in order to travel. The P-72 is a direct upgrade and outperforms the P-52 in all specs, and can compete as a racer. Note: both of these ships lack cargo capacity, quantum-drive capability, and jump-drive capability. Without a quantum drive, your range will be limited to the vicinity of the hangar or parent vessel. |
| $55 total | Consolidated Outlands Mustang Gamma | Racing Specialization: This ship is unique in that it is the first entry-level racing ship, and is fundamentally different from all the other Mustangs. You should only consider purchasing this particular Mustang variant if you are interested in career racing, as it sacrifices weapons for an extra engine, in order to generate more speed. It also comes without a jump-drive, although it is jump-drive capable if you decide to remove an engine. Note: The Mustang Gamma specs are identical to the AMD Mustang Omega. Update: With the introduction of the P-72 Archimedes, I no longer recommend this ship as a dedicated racer. According to CIG, the $30 P-72 Archimedes will outperform the Gamma/Omega in racing. |
| $55 total | Origin 300i | Touring Specialization: This is an entry-level ship dedicated for the touring services profession. The touring profession is essentially PVE mission-running where you transport VIP-level NPCs from Destination A to Destination B, with possible detour waypoints along the way. It could prove to be a steady source of income, and could be quite dynamic as well, since I would expect some VIP NPCs to be targeted by hostile factions. As such, the 300i is quite a versatile ship for this role, with a luxurious look, fast speed and a decent weapons loadout. The 300i package also has decent value ($65), because it is only $10 more than the standalone ship, and it comes with 4 months insurance. |
| $65 total | Origin 315p | Exploration Specialization: The 315p is a multi-role ship with adequate combat capability, though its versatility really shines in its non-combat features, especially for exploration. The 315p comes with a stock jump engine, a long range scanner, and is well-suited to long range travel due to its S3 power plant and S4 engine. Interestingly, the 315p also comes with a tractor beam, which is useful for picking up salvage but could also be re-purposed for light piracy. Curiously, the 315p package gives less insurance than the 315p standalone ship. |
| $90 total | Aegis Gladius | Dogfighting Specialization: Currently the best dog-fighter under $100. Can punch above its weight in the hands of a skilled pilot, though the same could be said of both the Avenger and the 325A. However, the Avenger is a bit more multi-role, and the 325A is currently undergoing a ship re-design. The Gladius will have no problem going toe-to-toe with the iconic Anvil Hornet. |
| $100 total | Drake Cutlass Black | Piracy Specialization: This is a medium-sized multi-role ship that strikes a good balance between dogfighting and cargo space. It also possesses boarding action capability, and is therefore advertised as the premier, entry-level piracy ship. The max crew size is 3, but it comes with 2 extra passenger seats, which means during a boarding action, each ship can deploy a maximum of 5 players. Additionally, the Cutlass Black comes with the VFG Industrial Hangar, which has the side benefit of unlocking all the other hangars within the hangar module. If you're interested in the piracy profession in Star Citizen, consider applying to my player organization here: http://bit.ly/1NLSb7t |
| $120 total | Drake Cutlass Red | Medic Specialization: The Cutlass Red overhauls the base Cutlass by re-purposing it for search and rescue with an on-board medical facility, a transponder, and a long range scanner. This makes it ideal for players interested in being medics, although it can still be a potent boarding ship or exploration ship. The max crew size is increased to 4, and still comes with 2 extra passenger seats. It also features a better stock power plant. Additionally, the Cutlass Red comes with the VFG Industrial Hangar, which has the side benefit of unlocking all the other hangars within the hangar module. |
| $125 total | Anvil F7C-S Hornet Ghost | Stealth Specialization: The Hornet Ghost is the entry-level stealth fighter, sacrificing the base Hornet's cargo capacity for a stealth armor re-fit. It also features a unique shield, power plant, and ship engine that is designed to reduce its ship signature. The Hornet Ghost will be a great ship for scouting and ambushing, and holds up well in dogfights as it still retains its iconic Hornet weapons loadout. |
| $110 total | MISC Freelancer | Trade Specialization: The Freelancer is a true jack-of-all-trades, featuring a medium-sized ship with a sizeable cargo capacity and a stock jump-drive. This makes it very well suited as a trading vessel, because it is capable of travelling long distance routes and defending itself from hostile threats along the way. It also sports a crew size of 2, with extra passenger seats to boot. |
| $125 total | MISC Freelancer DUR | Trade/Exploration Hybrid: For $15 more, you upgrade 2x S4 turrets to 2x S5 turrets, and you get a better jump drive, a long range scanner, and an expanded fuel tank. That is a decent boost in combat capability and you come pre-loaded with the tools you need as an explorer. Definitely a worthwhile upgrade. |
| $140 total | MISC Freelancer MAX | Trade Specialization: Sacrifices two turrets and downgrades a S5 shield slot to a S4 shield slot, in exchange for 130% more cargo capacity. It is also the only Freelancer variant to feature a S6 power plant. This ship is pretty much the best armored hauler that can still fit into a small jump point (unique to the Freelancer series). It's a Hull B on steroids, though with less cargo capacity due to all the extra equipment and hardpoints. |
| $150 total | RSI Constellation Taurus | Trade Specialization: This is the poor man's Constellation, and is a 4-crew, medium-sized armored freighter. Unlike the Freelancer MAX, the Connie Taurus will need to use medium-sized or larger jump points, which reduces its flexibility in routing & travel. However, it does have about 70% more cargo capacity than the Freelancer MAX. Its damage output is slightly higher than a Freelancer MAX, though not by much. As far as I'm concerned, the purpose of this ship is to jump-start your UEC earnings in-game so you can re-outfit into a better Connie. Note: The Taurus does NOT come with a P-52 Merlin. Do not buy the $200 digital game package for the Connie Taurus, I would recommend buying the Cutlass Red game package and then use ship upgrade system to upgrade to the Connie Taurus for a total cost of $165. |
| $225 total | RSI Constellation Andromeda | Multi-role Combat Specialization: This is easily the most popular Constellation, as it's a versatile multi-role, multi-crew, combat freighter. Its default loadout is well-suited for combat, and it features more weapons hardpoints than any other Constellation variant (yes, even the Phoenix, which has fewer missile pylons but does instead have a Point Defense System). The Andromeda features a 5-crew capacity, and is the first multi-crew ship that requires extra crew members to fly and fight effectively. It also comes with a P-52 Merlin Snub fighter on-board, which is a bonus $20 value. Do not buy the $275 digital game package for the Connie Andromeda, I would recommend buying the Cutlass Red game package and then use ship upgrade system to upgrade to the Connie Andromeda for a total cost of $240. |
Ship Upgrades
https://robertsspaceindustries.com/pledge/ship-upgrades
Star Citizen has a newly re-vamped ship upgrade system that allows you to switch between ships with the same price for $0, and allows you to upgrade any ships you own to any ship on sale for the price differential (ie. upgrading a $40 to a $60 ship would cost you $20).
The key bit of information to keep in mind is that you can only upgrade to ships with equal or higher price tags, and the ships you are upgrading to must be available for purchase in-store.
When upgrading, you keep the original extras of the base ship/package, including its insurance policy. The only things that will be upgraded are the ship itself and hangar unlocks (if applicable).
Ship Upgrades Intermediate Tip - Upgrade vs. Melt for Store Credit
You are able to exchange your ships and packages for store credit (commonly known as "melting). Therefore, when it comes to ship upgrades, you should also consider whether it is more beneficial to buy a ship upgrade, or whether it is more beneficial to melt your existing ship and buy your target ship directly. Use this method when your target ship offers better insurance and extras. Avoid using this method if your base ship has better insurance and extras.
Ship Upgrades Advanced Tip - Layaway Upgrades
With the new ship upgrades system, prudent buyers can purchase ship upgrades for limited sale ships first, and then buy the base ship later. (making what is effectively a layaway purchase)
You can find every possible CCU here, and just use search to find your layaway upgrade options!
https://robertsspaceindustries.com/pledge/extras
For example, during the Sabre concept sale ($170), I could first buy a $20 ship upgrade from the Constellation Taurus to the Sabre. And then, anytime in the future, I could buy the Constellation Taurus in order to apply the upgrade and get a Sabre.
Ship Insurance
When purchasing a ship or ship package, you will notice a term called ship insurance. Ship insurance is a monthly in-game expense to ensure you reimbursed in the event of a catastrophic loss or theft of your ship. These are meant to be a relatively small part of your expenses; therefore, if you only own a single ship or even a couple of ships, the insurance expenses will likely have very little impact on your financial health as a player.
Ship insurance only covers the base hull of the ship and its default starting equipment. Any cargo, weapons or upgrades you make to your ship in-game will require additional in-game insurance.
The benefits of 2 year, 3 year, and Life-Time Insurance are mostly for players who own or plan on owning a large personal hangar of ships, as the cumulative costs of all that insurance could otherwise be quite high.
Insurance timers will only begin ticking down at the official launch of the game. Although not yet confirmed, it is widely speculated that the in-game time will be sped up by 4x or 8x or 12x compared to real-time. However, CIG has stated that insurance only ticks down when you are logged into the game. So even with 8x game speed, 3 months of insurance would still equate to approximately 275 hours of gameplay, or at 12x, approximately 180 hours of gameplay.
Rental Equipment Credits (REC)
By playing multiplayer Arena Commander, you will be able to earn REC, which are credits used to rent equipment and ships. This allows you to try out different ships and weapon loadouts that you do not currently own. You can even rent some very exclusive ships like a Captured Vanduul Scythe or the Esperia Glaive, though their rental costs are relatively high.
REC rentals come with a 7-day timer. However, the timer only ticks down in increments of 24hrs when you log into Arena Commander and begin playing. So if on a given day, you decide not to play Star Citizen or you only want to mess around in your hangar, your REC timers will not be affected. REC rentals can be renewed at anytime with a 20% discount, adding 7 additional days to the rental timer. REC is a currency that will persist into the game release, and it will be used for virtual simulations similar to Arena Commander within the actual game universe.
Voyager Direct Store and United Earth Credits (UEC)
The Voyager Direct Store allows you to spend United Earth Credits (UEC), which is the official in-game currency. UEC is distinctly different from REC, which is only used for rentals. Anything you purchase with UEC is permanent will carry over to game launch. Note: I highly recommend using REC for weapons and shields when playing Arena Commander, as the stats of these equipment vary from patch to patch
However, until the game is fully released, UEC can only be acquired through CIG promotions (like the referral code system), or by purchasing UEC from the Central Core Bank at the rate of $1 USD to 1,000 UEC. The majority of items in the Voyager Direct store are non-exclusive and will be earnable in-game after game launch. The only exceptions are event-tied items like Gamescom trophies.
There are also limits in place for acquiring and stockpiling UEC. You can only purchase 25,000 UEC per day and keep a maximum of 150,000 UEC on account in your ledger at any time. Note: The value of UEC will almost certainly decrease once the game launches due to inflation, so I wouldn't recommend spending money on the $1 to 1,000 UEC conversion except for limited event items.
Key Ship Specifications and Terminology
Multi-Crew
Multi-crew refers to ships that require multiple players and/or NPCs to run the ship that full effectiveness. While every multi-crew is still flyable by a solo-pilot, they will be missing out on potential key equipment features of the ship, such as individually manned turrets, real-time shield management, etc. Something to keep in mind is that are many two or three seat ships like the Freelancer or the Super-Hornet that can be flown and operated by more than one player; however, that is fully optional and all features can be fully utilized by a lone pilot. Ships with 4 seats or more are almost always multi-crew.
Weapon Hardpoints
Hardpoints are the weapon mounts available on a ship. There are 3 key specifications for each hardpoint: type, size, and pipe. There are currently 4 types of equipment to plug into a hardpoint:
>Fixed Weapon
>Unmanned Turret (aka Gimbal)
>Manned Turret
>Pylon
Hardpoints are often limited to fitting a subset of these types of equipment (ie, only one, only two, only three, etc.)
Next is size. Size values for weapons scale uniformly to all ships. The smallest possible weapons are Size 1 (1 meter) and the largest are Size 10 (40 meters). There are rules on fitting weapons based on its type:
>Fixed Weapon = Fits the Maximum Size of the Hardpoint
>Unmanned Single Turret (Gimbal) = Size of Hardpoint - 1
>Unmanned Twin Turret = Size of Hardpoint - Total Size of Weapons on Turret - 1
>Manned Single Turret = Size of Hardpoint - 2
>Manned Twin turret = Size of Hardpoint - Total Size of Weapons on Turret - 2
Lastly, there are pipes. These haven't been implemented in the game yet. Basically, these refer to supporting ship infrastructure next to the weapon called item ports. You will have to install corresponding pipes into the item port to fit the needs of the weapon. For example, an Auto-Targeting Turret might need two input pipes for Power and Data, and an output pipe for Heat.
Cargo Capacity
There are two key measurements units here: Standard Cargo Unit (SCU) and Number of Ports. Every container in the game uses these measurements to define how the game handles loading a container onto a pallet or attaching it to a ship. SCU refers to the exterior dimensions of the container in cubic meter increments, while the number of ports refers to the discrete slots into which items can be placed. Ports are 0.25 meters in length.
To be continued
All Feedback and Suggestions are Welcome
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