AEGIS DYNAMICS™ Manufacturer Conglomerate

Aegis Dynamics began life in a merger between Earth-based Aegis Macrocomputing and Davien-based Dynamic Production Systems. The former constructed computing systems for the burgeoning spacecraft industry and the latter maintained four systems worth of production yards (including the specialized component factories on their home system). The goal from day one was to build naval spacecraft, and the resulting company was tailor-made for military contract bidding in an era when mankind was marshalling its forces. As Messer consolidated power, Aegis was there to supply spacecraft to his legions. Craft like the Retaliator became synonymous with the government’s iron hand.

With Messer’s fall, Aegis Dynamics seemed destined to fade away. The once-popular hardware supplier of Ivar Messer’s tyrannical regime — closely associated with the horrors of those years — Aegis was all but consigned to the dustbin of history. The company began a significant makeover after the fall of the Messer era; gone was the hard-edged and militant ‘AD’ lighting strike logo, replaced with a softer and less distinctive signifier. The damage of the association was done, however: contracts were cut and the company suffered massive layoffs as military spending went to newer and less-politically-dangerous corporations like Anvil Aerospace and MISC.

Then, a funny thing happened: the civilian world began to adopt Aegis’ military designs for their own purpose. Whether a testament to the increasingly dangerous galaxy or the sheer reliability of Aegis’ weapons of war, the company once fueled by dictatorial government contracts now thrived on the population it once helped oppress. Retaliator bombers were no longer the feared symbols of government power; instead, they became personal transports, mobile homes, mining spacecraft and even firefighters. The burdens of Aegis’ past began to lift and the company began to focus on civilian variants for their current-generation designs.

Avenger

The Avenger began its life serving dutifully as the premiere front-line carrier plane of the late 28th century. Avengers racked up a number of impressive space-to-space victories in that era, but were ultimately supplanted by more maneuverable designs like the Hornet. With space combat focusing more on skilled maneuvering than pure weapons storage, the Avenger fell out of active duty with the military and was repurposed as the standard ship for Advocacy and local law enforcement. Today, the military will still use Avengers as trainers; the two-seat variant is a forgiving first spacecraft for new pilots.

The current civilian model Avenger is marketed towards bounty hunters, with the second seat removed for direct access to the hold. Munitions storage has also been replaced with traditional cargo hooks, and (perhaps most importantly) the standard exterior flight line ladder entry system has been replaced with an internalized solution that allows the pilot to more easily maintain control of access (and egress).

Retaliator

The Retaliator, once the symbol of Messer’s iron fist, has transitioned along with the company to become an all purpose spacecraft design. With over two centuries of design evolution, modern day Retaliators barely resemble the original model. Built first as a ground-based strategic bomber, the Retaliator is capable of delivering a heavy payload of bombs to a planetary target or an array of shipkiller torpedoes to any size of capital ship. It was exactly this modularity that allowed civilian pilots to adapt the Retaliator for their own purposes: adaptable bomb bays could be swapped for after-market living quarters, cargo racks or other, more exotic options. Added to this was the vast quantity of surplus Retaliators stored in low-humidity conditions around the galaxy, making them a cost-effective option for pilots looking to make a start with a larger crewed spaceship.

The resulting ‘do it yourself’ nature of Retaliator ownership has caused an interesting, ship-specific culture to flourish. Though they come from all walks of life, civilian Retaliator pilots have formed something of a brotherhood around their love of their “Talis.” So-called ‘bomber boys’ organize Retaliator conventions and compete to find the most interesting new uses for the spacecraft. BB gatherings may bring thousands of the ships together at once, and provide an interesting sight for anyone caught in the middle.

Idris

Idris corvettes are one of Aegis’ larger present-day designs (in prior years, the company’s shipyards turned out everything up to battlecruisers.) The original Idris-M is a warship that serves alongside ships-of-the-line in the UEE Navy. Fast, armored predators, Idris-Ms are used for everything from long duration patrols to scouting dangerous jump points to inderdiction. A properly-outfitted Idris with an effective crew can serve as a torpedo boat; in rare instances, the Idris has even used its speed and maneuverability advantages to scuttle opposing cruisers.

Militia units have also adopted the Idris, in its lighter Idris-P variety. The Idris-P removes the spinal mount weapons platform found on the M, in exchange for additional cargo storage and a higher effective top speed. Idris-Ps frequently carry several light fighters and are used for antismuggling operations. It is not uncommon to come across an Idris-P laden with multiple prizes. The most brazen pirate clans are even known to target non-military Idrises for this reason!

The Idris-P patrol design is available in limited quantities on the civilian market, and it continues to rehabilitate Aegis’ reputation, having become something of a luxury item. Idris captaincy is considered a prestigious position and Citizens frequently compete to purchase the limited number of civilian craft the company can produce. An Idris isn’t just a luxury item: these crewed ships can effectively transport cargo, explore distant worlds or take on any other role, all while involving a larger crew than a Freelancer or a Constellation.

Gladius

The Aegis Gladius is the UEE’s reigning light short-range patrol fighter. A single-seat ship with no room for expansion, the Gladius is fast, maneuverable and capable of punching far above its weight. The main advantage to the design is simplicity: cheap to produce, easy to repair and outfit and quick to train new pilots on. The Gladius is an aging design nearing the end of its life-cycle, although iterative updates have kept it the most nimble fighter in the active fleet.

Javelin

The Aegis Javelin is here! Designed for use by the UEE military (and featured prominently in Squadron 42) the Javelin is a massive, modular capital ship that can be appropriated for entrepreneurial use. With a detailed interior, plenty of modular room options and a high crew capacity, the Javelin is a ship intended for group play.

In the “real world,” the Javelin is well on its way through the development pipeline! Designed by David Hobbins, the Javelin has since been implemented by the team at Foundry 42 for the opening of the Squadron 42 single-player campaign. The ship features a total of five decks, each with a variety of crew positions and areas to explore and utilize.

PLEASE note before buying that the Javelin is not a free ride to interstellar domination. While it’s the largest ship we have made available to backers, it’s actually the smallest UEE ship-of-the-line. Additionally, Javelins sold to players are “used” by the UEE. They are surplus ships with their military weapons removed. Purchasing a Javelin means a new quest for your Org or team as you rearm and upgrade it for your needs! The ship will also be available in the finished game for players who wish to earn it.

Reclaimer

The Reclaimer, from noted military contractor Aegis, is an industrial-quality salvage ship. Equipped with a reinforced cargo bay, a long-range jump drive and launch pods for unmanned drones, the Reclaimer is an ideal ship for taking advantage of deep space wrecks. Tractor beams, floodlights, scanner options and docking ports round out the tool chest on this capable, utilitarian spacecraft.

Today, the Aegis Reclaimer is the company’s best-selling remaining military contract ship. Reclaimers are heavy-duty space salvage ships designed for a strong support role. The design isn’t pretty to look at, but it features a variety of rugged specialized tools, all designed for operation in a combat theater: long-range jump drives, launch pods for drones, tractor beams, floodlights and more. Civilian Reclaimers are also a common sight on the frontier, where they are adapted as dedicated salvage ships and explorers. A crew traveling deep space in a Reclaimer should be capable of taking home some of whatever mysteries they happen across!

A dedicated salvage and reclamation platform, the Reclaimer is the perfect ship for venturing into the ‘Verse in search of riches and secrets. Whether you’re churning debris fields for raw ore or searching for lost artifacts, the Reclaimer is built for utility. The life of a salvager can be tough, but with technology like the Reclaimer behind you it can be a profitable way to make your living among the stars.

Aegis has built the perfect ship for those that want to write their own Star Citizen story. Equipped with a massive multi-tool arm, the Reclaimer can grab spaceborne salvage and then carry it aboard for processing. In addition to a large cargo hold, the hull is packed with reclamation equipment capable of processing and storing up to a Constellation worth of salvage!

The Reclaimer’s turrets are multi-use hardpoints which can be mounted with defensive guns, missile batteries, additional tractor beams, floodlights, scanners or other salvage-specific options. The ship carries an array of Surveyor-class drones for seeking out valuable items in the distant depths.

Additionally, it includes a manned cutter which may be deployed for EVA/recovery operations. We intend the game’s salvage mechanic to include a ‘search and recovery’ function in which players will exit their spacecraft in suits and maneuvering units to explore wreckage. Pocket spacecraft like the cutter will carry tools and supplies and transport recovered artifacts back aboard ship.

Redeemer

The Aegis Dynamics Redeemer was chosen as the first place winner of The Next Great Starship competition.

This gunship is designed to be capable of performing both frontline assault tasks as well as boarding tasks. Equipped with strong shielding and a plethora of weapon systems, this ship can engage a wide range of enemies and start to board larger enemy vessels or space stations after it has broken through the enemies defense perimeter.

As this ship is heavily focused on combat, it is more efficient in that task than other ships, like for example the Constellation, which is larger and less agile for an equivalent amount of overall combat capacity. The drawback for such a focus is a reduced multi-purpose ability and thus, the Redeemer only supports a small cargo bay.

This ship features two turrets that can be manned with either NPCs or real players.

Sabre

Part of Aegis Dynamics’ Phase Two of new ship models, the Sabre was designed as a space superiority fighter for those situations where you need to leave a lighter footprint. The Sabre is more than capable of establishing battlefield dominance for any number of combat sorties.

Vanguard

The Aegis Dynamics Vanguard, originally known as the Bulldog, is a Twin-Engine Deep Space Fighter. Deep space fighters are typically used to pursue engagements in outlying areas when support from a carrier is not available.

Strike hard from a distance! The Vanguard, a recent design from Aegis, has quickly become Earth’s premier deep space fighter. Deep space fighters are typically used to pursue engagements in outlying areas when support from a carrier is not available. Vanguards are usually flown by ground- and station-based naval forces, and are widely used by militia squadrons. Specifically designed to operate from planetary bases and engage targets up to a star system’s distance, the fighter trades some maneuverability for an extended supply of fuel and munitions as well as basic survival accommodations for a pilot and radar operator. The Vanguard’s RIO operates a turret, the ship’s missile loadout (optionally) and its highly advanced sensor suite. This distinct scanning array gives the Vanguard a particular advantage when fighting in and around an obstacle such as an asteroid field or nebula! Finally, the Vanguard is known to be an extraordinarily sturdy spacecraft, with multiple backup systems not commonly found in single-seat ships; stories of Vanguards limping back to base with a single engine and half their fuselage exposed to vacuum have become common as the battle against the Vanduul has heated up.