Will you address the issue with cockpit visibility?

Short Answer: Yes.

Longer Answer: As we discussed on the Subscriber’s Town Hall (helpfully included down below) we’ve been looking at several solutions for the visibility issue since before the sale was announced, as indicated in this month’s Jump Point. While we’re exploring several options, none of them should majorly impact the overall look or aesthetic of the ship, but we anticipate will greatly improve pilot and co-pilot visibility.

Will the front prongs fold back during combat to offer a better view forward?

The mechanisms on the prongs offer a lot of movement flexibility, so this is certainly one of the likely avenues for improvements to the visibility we’re exploring, possibly by angling them down/outwards more.

How will the range and mobility of the Defender compare to other fighters?

The Banu developed the Defender to provide protection and fly alongside the Merchantman, so its design includes a much improved range over other fighters of similar size due to its fuel intakes, dual fuel tanks, and large quantum drive, as noted in the brochure.

We intend it to have an edge in mobility for a fighter of its size, due to a light hull construction and its use of Xi’An engine tech. As often happens in game design, all this mobility and range must come at a price, for this case in armor protection, so you’ll need to use that agility to your advantage.

Are the four S3 gimbal mounts including the size reduction for the gimbal or not? (Four S3 or Four S2 weapons on gimbals?)

The size indicated in the stat block is for the hardpoint as a whole, so it doesn’t include the size reduction. Therefore, these S3 hardpoints are fully utilized, fitted with gimbals capable of mounting S2 weapons.

Can the Defender mount fixed S3 guns instead of using gimbals?

Yes, the current plan for the Defender’s gun hardpoints is that you can choose to mount either a S3 fixed weapon or a S2 gimbaled weapon. We expect this sort of loadout to be favored by solo pilots or used in a crew arrangement where the co-pilot is completely focused on other tasks, like shield or power management, as a fixed weapon loadout for this ship would make life harder for a co-gunner who doesn’t have independent control of where they’re pointing.

Does it come with a jump drive as standard?

It does!

While not every fighter-sized ship comes with a jump drive, since escorting Merchantmen on their journeys is part of the Defender’s job description, it’s natural for them to have one as standard equipment.

Will it be possible to store a Defender inside a Merchantman’s cargo hold?

We’re considering options for this but haven’t decided one way or another whether the Defender will be able to be carried internally in the Merchantman at this time.

How does the Banu weaponry differ from other weapon types?

The Defender introduces a brand-new weapon to our in-game armory, the tachyon cannon!

It is an energy weapon that fires its projectiles at an extremely high velocity, making it both very long-ranged and accurate relative to its peers, while we are still working out what its other performance characteristics and balancing characteristics will be. As some of you may have noticed from our newsletter sneak peek several weeks ago, the tachyon gun deviates from other Banu engineering choices, and UEE historians suspect that the Banu assimilated this weapon technology from some other culture.

In terms of combat capability, how does it compare to ships like the Anvil Super Hornet or Aegis Sabre?

The Defender has an edge in maneuverability over human mainstays like the Super Hornet and Sabre, which themselves have edges in durability and armament, respectively. Defenders excel in distracting and confounding would-be attackers, giving their charges (like the Merchantman) the chance to slip away to safety. Their speed and mobility make them good for holding the point position, intercepting threats, and reacting quickly to flanking maneuvers. These traits make the Defender an excellent… well, defender. They present attackers with a dilemma; expend precious time and fuel trying to pin down an agile escort, or try to weather their fire while focusing on the Merchantmen? Since raiders often favor fast, heavily armed, but lightly armored ships, the choice can be a difficult one.

The Defender’s robust shielding combined with its agility make it an enduring adversary when piloted well, but in a straight up brawl, the Sabre and Super Hornet might have the edge. Both of these fighters are designed with a heavy focus on attack, and particularly when the attackers are less concerned with another objective, they’ll present a hearty challenge to Defenders and their crews. Between the three, we’d bet on the skilled pilot that knows how to utilize their ship best more than just the ship.

Can this ship be used effectively in combat by a solo pilot?

Yes – the Defender is completely functional with a crew of one. There is no reason you must have a second crewman for a Defender any more than you would for the currently flyable Super Hornet, with the pilot tasked in managing all ship functions. The main edge granted by a second pilot in the Defender would be having someone to manage ship systems optimally during combat, whether handling the weapons and/or shields while the pilot focuses on maneuvering, or jumping into the back and conducting repairs or damage control on the fly to keep this long-ranged fighter in play over a long haul.

The Banu prefer to fly their Defenders with two-person crews, but as a player, the choice is in your hands. Because the Defender relies more on its shields than it does on its armor, it can pay handsome dividends to have a crew member dedicated to getting the best performance out of them.

Will it have cargo space?

No – the Banu predilection for specialization leaves the cargo hauling to the Merchantman, which has more than enough space to go around. =) Once we’ve blocked out the Defender’s needs for internal space and equipment, it’s possible we might have some space on the ship for storing personal items, but that’s not the same as setting aside dedicated space for more serious haulage, like cargo pallets or crates.

Since it is a nimble ship where does it compare to other ships like the Sabre, Buccaneer or Khartu-al?

The Khartu-Al emphasizes mobility in general; it’s hard for most ships in its size category to compete with, especially the lightly-armed Scout variant. In terms of straight SCM or AFB speed, the Defender will edge out the Sabre. With the Buccaneer, the Defender should outperform slightly in terms of general maneuvering, but have to contend less favorably with the Buccaneer’s strong retro-thrusters and better strafing ability.

Since we seem to get access to most components in the ship from the inside, does it have the benefit of easier maintenance over other fighter ships?

Yes – internal access to components should provide an advantage when it comes to maintenance and repair, especially while on the move or in space. With other fighters, particularly single-seat fighters with no walk-able interior to speak of, or whose component access is strictly by way of external access panels, a crew member would have to exit the ship in order to perform most repairs on damaged components. In space, this means EVA, and it would be extremely difficult if not impossible to manage these things in pitched battle, or while speeding along towards a destination! For a Merchantman on the move, having to stop to make repairs isn’t ideal; an escort that can keep pace is worth its weight in… well, anything you’ve got in the cargo hold, potentially.

Do the shields perform better because of their Tevarin origins?

Another point discussed in the Town Hall this week! (See below if you haven’t already…) The Tevarin were masters of shield technology, especially for their time. Their Phalanx and air shields are far more capable and sophisticated than the shields fielded by the UPE during the Tevarin War. The Defender’s shield generators, while not Phalanx in design, are still of Tevarin origin, considered large for a ship of the Defender’s size, and are backed up by an impressive dual power plant system which feeds the necessary juice to keep those exotic shields going while powering the Xi’An propulsion system as well.

How good is this ship’s range? How will its range compare to that of the Merchantman and other vessels in need of escort?

For a fighter in its size class: very good indeed.

While the Defender should never quite be able to match the long-range endurance of a Merchantman, as it’s size gives it ample room for a powerful, efficient jump drive and lots of fuel, a Merchantman that wants to keep its escorts around for the entire trip might need to stop more often for resupply and make fewer jumps at a time than it might be able to do on its own. Even so, if you want to make a long, multi-system journey, the Defender should have the the best range of same-size fighters, and be your best option for longer hauls.

Does the Banu Defender come with an ejection system?

It does! The Banu are highly skilled in their roles and therefore put a lot of value on the safety of their crew. Both cockpits will have ejection capability, with the compartmentalized ejection systems allowing each crewmember to eject independently.

Features like the Xi’an engines, Tevarin shields, and tachyon guns are discussed as central features of the ship. Will these be hull-locked like the nose guns on the Vanguard?

The engines, shield generator and all weaponry can all be swapped out as usual. The component interchangeability will be normal.

How will the Banu Defender perform in atmospheric flight?

It’s sleek enough to not suffer too much from drag, but the maneuverability might take a slight hit compared to what it can do in Zero-G. The ideal is that it is able to accompany the Merchantman from ground to space and space to ground without having any problems to remain an effective escort.

Is this ship intended to be used with long range and high damage weapons?

The Defender is quick and agile and able to maneuver its way into position where it’s out of harms way but still able to fire, so the tachyon cannons are a good fit. Of course, as always, should these weapons not suit your style of play you can swap them out for something you might find more in tune with your own preferences.

Why does the ship only have 1x S1 shield listed, and only 1x S1 power plant?

It has an S2 shield generator and 2x S1 power plants.

As noted previously in the Monthly Reports, Around the Verse and most recently this week’s Town Hall, we are still in progress on a major revision to the presentation of ship stats on our website, due to the changes inherent in the continuing development of Item System 2.0. As such, they don’t translate too well to the current display. The information given in this answer tracks properly with what is shown in the Defender brochure here.

Will there be size 3 and 2 versions of the tachyon cannons available in the EA store when the ship is flyable?

We intend for the full range of sizings to be available in time, but dependent on resources only the S2 may be available from the start.

Introducing the Banu Defender

In the Banu Protectorate, tradesmen are known for hauling precious cargo across long distances in their Merchantman ships. While the Merchantman boasts a cavernous cargo area, it lacks the offensive capabilities to ward off large numbers of attackers.

Meet the Banu Defender, a multi-crew fighter whose patchwork design features both Xi’an thrusters, Tevarin shields, and four Singe tachyon cannons. Though cargo space is limited, the Defender features modest accommodations for its crew and provides easy access to components. The Defender gets its name from the role it serves: the first line of defense against enemy attacks.

That’s why the Defender makes the ideal companion to the Merchantman: one to do the heavy hauling and the other to perform the deadly dogfighting. Every Banu merchant knows an investment in defense is an investment in their livelihood.

Now, you can purchase both ships as part of the Banu Pack! This exclusive 2-ship pack is available for a limited time. The Defender and Merchantman can also be bought individually in two models: Standard and War Bond. This special sale ends on May 1, 2017.