New Ship (Imperial Vanguard)

Imperial Vanguard Class Cruiser (170 points)

The Vanguard class is not a common sight, not due to unpopularity, expense, or difficulty of manufacture, but due to having a specialist role. The Vanguard is popular on the outer rims of the galaxy, in systems vulnerable to the dark sectors beyond known space. Increasingly, forces on the Eastern fringe are commissioning a single Vanguard class per fleet, especially by regions left empty by the Tyranid Hive Fleets.

Vanguards replace the traditional armoured torpedo prow with an advanced array of sensors, probes, and communication systems. They act as scouts and patrol ships for extended voyages and periods beyond the endurance of an escort or light cruiser.

Most of the Vanguard class swap raw firepower for additional range on their weapons batteries, in order to act more self-sufficiently without requiring fleet support. Some admirals argue that retaining the lance arrays is a waste on ostensibly an oversized scout vessel, but the dual array helps the Vanguard class engage enemy destroyers and raiders who would otherwise slip through the inaccurate weapon battery fire. Such was well-proven when the Beacon single-handedly engaged and disbanded a whole squadron of pirate frigates, forcing them to abandon a valuable hulk salvage on the edge of the Aoso system.

 

Type/Hits	Speed		Turns	Shields	Armour		Turrets
Cruiser/8	20cm		45*	2	5+		2
Armament		Range/Speed		Firepower/Str.		Fire Arc
Port lance b.		30cm		2		Left
Starb. lance b.		30cm		2		Right
Port weapons b.		45cm		4		Left
Starb. weapons b.		45cm		4		Right

Famous Ships

Hawkeye, Beacon

Notes

Vanguard class ships count their Leadership as +1 higher than usual after rolling.

Any Vanguard may remove all their Lances to increase the firepower of each Weapon Battery to 8.

Modelling a Vanguard can be done by taking a Lunar class cruiser and filling in the torpedo tubes. Then, add additional antennae and sensors, especially to the prow of the ship.