Now that the Spartan from Anvil Aerospace has been added to the 'Verse, we posed a few questions to the vehicle team about the new armored personal carrier. Here are the answers, straight from the designers themselves.
Also, check out this week's Inside Star Citizen episode "Spartan Warrior", as it also takes a look at Anvil's latest.
Why would one choose to transport infantry in the Spartan rather than a dropship like the Vanguard, Prowler, or Valkyrie?
In the short term, the Spartan has a much lower signature than other ships, allowing it to go “under the radar” of ground base defenses and aerial threats. Longer term, when weather has serious gameplay implications for flight, it may simply be too risky to commit air assets to drop troops into battle compared to ground entry.
What is the vehicle's speed compared to other ground vehicles?
The Spartan has a top speed of 35m/s, which is the same as the Ballista. The mass saved by removing the turret is negated by adding an armored cabin for transporting troops.
What are the shields and armor levels for the Spartan, and where do they sit compared to other ground vehicles?
The Spartan comes with 2x S0 vehicle shields and is relatively well armored for its size (more than other vehicles but less than the Nova tank).
In addition to the turret, does the Spartan have any passive self-defense equipment, like smoke launchers? Any plans for the future?
There are no other defenses beyond the turret. The Spartan is best used in a group alongside other vehicles providing a variety of threat counters.
Can a small vehicle fit in the Anvil Spartan?
It is not designed to support any vehicle being loaded inside it.
Can a passenger take control over the remote turret, or is the driver supposed to drive and control the turret at the same time?
The driver has sole control over the turret, so can drive and fire across a limited arc or stop and take full control to provide more accurate fire.
Can one wear a backpack and/or heavy armor when sitting in the jump seats? If the answer is no, is there a place to store the gear?
The seats are designed for players wearing armor and backpacks, and there is onboard storage if you don’t want to be fully geared up for the entire journey.
Is the driver's area accessible from the troop area? Is the driver's area protected by a door opening onto the troop area to prevent the driver from being shot through the rear ramp?
It is separated by a door to prevent exactly this scenario. In addition, there are three exits from the vehicle to provide exit routes on most sides of the vehicle.
Can the jumpseats fold out of the way to accommodate cargo?
The jumpseats are rigid and do not fold. There is no official capacity or grid in place for dedicated cargo transport.
How many guns can the weapon racks hold?
Each seat has its own individual gun rack and there are an additional four spaces in the front cabin that can hold a mixture of small and long arms.
Can we access the Spartan's roof via the side ladder?
Not in the initial release due to tech limitations, though we plan to add this later.
Does the Spartan have any medical equipment on board?
There are no medical facilities or equipment on board.
Are the Spartan and Ballista using Anvil's Atlas Platform chassis, as mentioned on the Anvil Liberator page?
Yes, they are two examples of the Atlas Platform.
The Ballista does not shine with its off-road capabilities at times. Are there plans to give the Ballista and Spartan a more appropriate off-road handling profile?
Since its release, the Ballista has received many improvements to improve its handling and the Spartan benefits from those out the box. We also have more long-term plans to rework ground vehicles as a whole but, as it stands now, it’s in an appropriate position handling-wise for a vehicle of its size and axle layout.
Disclaimer
The answers accurately reflect development’s intentions at the time of writing, but the company and development team reserve the right to adapt, improve, or change feature and ship designs in response to feedback, playtesting, design revisions, or other considerations to improve balance or the quality of the game overall.