Greetings Citizens,
There’s only four days left to back with LTI! The grace period ends Saturday, July 6th at midnight PST. After that, a number of limited ships will no longer be available. If you’re an existing backer, log in to the new RSI Prime website, migrate your account and take advantage of this window. This is a rare opportunity to pick up some of the special addon ships!
And remember that anyone who backs for the first time after July 6th will not have LTI on their account. If you’re on the fence, the next four days are the time to join the Star Citizen project! It’s now or never for those seeking lifetime hull insurance. (For more information about LTI, check out this Comm-Link.)
Limited Ship Clarification
You may have noticed that ships like the M50 and Retaliator are available again in the RSI store. In case it was not clear, this is for a limited time only! T he following ships will be unavailable after July 6th at midnight PST: Aurora LX, 350r, M50, Starfarer, Caterpillar, Gladiator and Retaliator. After that, these ships go back in the hangar… so pick one up now, if you’d like to start Star Citizen with a tanker, a bomber or a ultra-fast racing ship. Other pledge ships, including the 315p and 325a, will remain available after July 6th.
Upgrade Clarification
There has also been a lot of confusion about the ‘upgrade packs’ sold for the Aurora LX, 315p and 325a. These were necessary at the old site as there was no way to ‘melt’ your pledge for credit. In the current site you can reclaim your existing hull and use the money towards an enhanced version. As such, the upgrade packs will be removed from the catalog immediately. If you’d like a 315p or 325a (or even a 350r!) you can reclaim your original 300i and then pay the difference for the special model.
Gladiator & Retaliator
There have also been requests from those interested in our two bombers, the Gladiator and Retaliator. Unfortunately, we’re not ready to release images of these ships yet, but we do have early specifications for both ships that will give you an idea of what you’re getting. The nuts and bolts of these may change as the game is balanced, but the role and the general relation to the other ships will not. The Gladiator and the Retaliator, patterned after carrier-based and strategic bombers respectively, are true heavy hitters… you’ll want them in your squadron!
Gladiator
Builder: Anvil Aerospace Crew (max): 2 Mass (empty): 38,000 kg Length: 18.6 meters Focus: Torpedo Bomber
The T8A Gladiator is the UEE Navy’s premiere carrier-based torpedo-plane and space-to-ground dive bomber. Operating with Hornet escort fighters, Gladiators have seen service with great success in battles across known space. Rugged to a fault, the Gladiator is the most capable bomber chassis ever designed. Extremely modular even in the military version, a Gladiator can be outfitted with a variety of bomb loads or as a support craft (trainer, targeting ship, SWACS.)
It is also the latest Anvil Aerospace design to be civilianized, with the private model being advertised for frontier-dwelling outdoorsmen… and the increasing number of private organizations in need of a mid-range bomber spacecraft. Gladiators support a crew of two: a pilot facing forward and a radar officer/turret gunner to his back. In the civilian version, the bomb bay is replaced by a cargo bay; a very simple aftermarket upgrade will reactivate it.
Upgrade Capacity: 8 Cargo Capacity: 10 tonnes
Engine- Modifiers: 2 Max. Class: Fusion Thrusters: 1 x TR4, 6 x TR2
Hardpoints- 2 x Class 1: Equipped 2 x MaxOx NN-13 Neutron Gun 6 x Class 3: Equipped 2x Proton Torpedo 2 x Class 4: None Equipped
Retaliator
Builder: Aegis Dynamics Crew (max): 6 Mass (empty): 89,000 Kg Focus: Strategic Bombing
The Retaliator is the United Earth Empire’s premiere, if aging, jump-capable heavy bomber. Massive formations of these spacecraft running long-range strike missions is not an uncommon site around the fringes of the empire. With a distinctive elongated silhouette that is dotted with turrets and carrying a massive bomb load, the Retaliator is an effective symbol of Imperial might. As such, they are the frequent centerpiece of Space Force recruiting posters. Retaliators are ground-based, with all but the largest carriers unable to operate them effectively. Heavily modified Retaliators are becoming commonplace on the civilian market as the design ages and earlier production runs are sold off en-mass. Outfitted to carry cargo instead of antimatter bombs and with the waste turret positions typically swapped for makeshift living quarters, they make a good medium freighter or a basic explorer. Some have even been converted into long-hop passenger spacecraft!
Upgrade Capacity: 8 Cargo Capacity: 30 tonnes (bomb-load)
Engine- Modifiers: 3 Max. Class: Antimatter Thrusters: 5 x TR5, 8 x TR2
Hardpoints- 0 x Class 1: n/a 0 x Class 2: n/a 12 x Class 3: Equipped 8x A&R Stryker (FoF) missiles (maybe a note that the Retaliator can carry anti capital chip torpedoes?) 5 x Class 4: 8x Behring M5A Laser Cannon (turret) – Ventral (underneath), dorsal (top), tail, left and right beam / waist (side)]