Following the launch of the Centurion from Anvil Aerospace, we posed a few questions to the vehicle team to give you more information about the recently unveiled mobile perimeter defense system. The Anvil Centurion is driveable in Star Citizen Alpha 3.17.2.
What is the Centurion’s speed compared to the other ground vehicles that use Anvil’s Atlas Platform (Ballista and Spartan)?
Due to the higher mass of the weapon system and extra components, the Centurion is slightly slower than the Ballista. In the future, the Ballista will have the “benefit” of reduced mass when its ordnance is depleted, so will gain improved speed and handling when out of ammunition.
As a close-range defensive ground vehicle, how is its radar emission compared to the other Atlas Platform vehicles?
It has a slightly higher EM/IR emission compared to the other Atlas Platform vehicles due to the increased number of components necessary to power the default energy weapon loadout.
In addition to the main anti-aircraft turret, does the Centurion have any other self-defense equipment, like decoys or noise launchers? Any plans for the future?
It does not have any additional self-defense equipment, nor is currently planned to have any in the future.
How well is it armored/shielded against incoming fire from attacking fighters compared to other vehicles or stationary turrets?
It shares a lot of common DNA with the other Atlas Platform vehicles and, as such, is comparably armored and shielded.
)/75/star-citizen-centurion-feature-1-aa-turret-4k.jpg)
How good are its radar range and scanning capabilities when, for example, targeting stealth fighters at close range?
As it shares a lot of components with the other Atlas platform vehicles, it’s set up to detect vehicles at the same distances as those with the default components equipped.
Will both turrets be able to move fast enough to keep enemy fighters on target even at short range?
While we can’t guarantee that due to the near-infinite combination of factors such as the target ship, its distance, and the atmospheric density, the turret moves fast enough and with as much range as we can allow to keep its targets in sight.
Will the Ballista, Centurion, and other ground vehicles be able to share targets to optimize the transition between short and long-range defense?
The sharing of target data is a feature we plan to have in the future but will not be available at the vehicle’s launch.
Is the driver-controlled front turret suitable for engaging ground targets at close proximity, or is its tilt angle primarily oriented for engaging aerial targets?
Due to the position of the weapon, it is capable of engaging ground targets. However, at close range (sub 25m), it may struggle to hit them due to its height and fire arc.
Does it offer armor lockers or weapon racks for the driver and the main-turret gunner?
There are personal storage lockers and weapon racks for both crew members.
)/75/star-citizen-centurion-gallery-02-4k.jpg)
What are the Centurion’s advantages and disadvantages compared to other air defense vehicles like the Ballista or Tumbril Cyclone AA?
Compared to the Ballista, it trades engagement range and alpha-strike damage for sheer damage-per-second output at closer ranges. Compared to the Cyclone AA, it provides a much greater engagement distance and superior firepower.
Do the turrets also have a searchlight or other markers to help players visually detect enemy aircraft?
No lights are equipped to the turrets by default; all identification is done by scanning/targeting. We are aware that remote turret views currently do not have MFD screens on them - this will be fixed in a future patch for all vehicles.
Are the coolers powerful enough to allow sustained firing in extremely hot environments?
The additional coolers equipped to the Centurion allow it to fire with its default loadout in a range of environments.
Will the maximum number of shots limited by the weapon capacitor be higher than in comparable ship turrets to compensate for the lower mobility? Can I somehow reduce the weapon capacitor limits or increase my rate of fire?
Adjusting the priority of the capacitors will adjust the number of shots the weapons have at the expense of the other items controlled by the capacitor system. The number of shots the capacitor allows by default, like ships with turrets, is higher than normal but not significantly different from those same turrets/ships.
Can I exchange the turrets’ lasers for other weaponry, such as ballistic cannons?
Absolutely, although naturally the tradeoff for the increased damage and penetration of ballistic weapons is the finite ammo capacity.
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.