What to know before buying a ship
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Since Star Citizen is a sandbox supporting a multitude of roles, there is no such thing as a “best ship”.
Some ships excel in combat, while others will be suited for freight transport, exploration, scientific research, etc….
Generally speaking, a multi-role, versatile ship will always be inferior to a specialized one in its specific field. Both having their advantages and disadvantages, depending on your goal.
Everything will therefore depend on what you’re focusing on in game, as well as the size of your crew.
Indeed, some ships will need only one pilot to be operational, while others will require a full squad to operate to their full potential.
Playing alone or as a team will thus have an impact on your choice.
Also remember that the ships will have a maintenance cost and insurances to pay. Maintaining an armada in good condition will be particularly expensive, a cost which a single player will probably not be able to bear on his own. It is therefore important to define your priorities from the outset and to orient yourself towards the purchase that best suits your interests.
A criteria that players neglect when choosing a ship is the layout and driving comfort. All ships have their own designs, so think long term and don’t hesitate to test your ships (through RECs, the currency of the Arena Commander module, allowing you to temporarily test ships).
You will spend a lot of time in your vehicles, so don’t neglect this aspect!
Note for solo players: “Solo ships” (“min crew” 1 players) are the most appropriate for your game style, but ships designed for 2 to 3 players are also considered to be practicable by a single player, generally speaking.
Beyond that, you will not be able to operate your ships properly.
While it is quite possible to recruit NPCs to support you, be aware that that their recruitment cost will be a definite handicap over time and that, as a solo player, it will be complicated to maintain regular incomes allowing you to operate large ships at all times.
That being said, here is a list of the best ships at the moment, by game styles (not exhaustive) :
Notes : For more informations on the vehicles, you can click on their names, which will redirect you to their pages on RSI.
Please remember that not all ships listed below are “flight ready” (which stands for “playable right now in the alpha”), so pay extra attention to this.
Also take into account that your ship can carry more than the maximum crew, as stated in the specifications. It just means that extra passengers won’t have a seat of their own.
Starter ships
Starter ships are perfect for beginners. Inexpensive and versatile, ideal for taking your first steps into the Star Citizen universe in a smooth way.
Minimum Crew | Maximum Crew | |
Aurora MR | 1 | 1 |
Mustang Alpha | 1 | 1 |
Versatile ships
Multi-purpose ships do not excel in any particular role but are strong enough to operate as transport, combat or exploration vehicles. Good auxiliary ships, in short.
Minimum Crew | Maximum Crew | |
Aegis Avenger Titan | 1 | 1 |
1 | 1 | |
1 | 2 |
Dogfight ships
Because having the biggest gun is not necessarily the most suitable solution for space clashes, Star Citizen features a wide range of fighters, allowing a wide variety of strategies.
Small fighters ships
Minimum Crew | Maximum Crew | |
Aegis Gladius | 1 | 1 |
1 | 1 | |
1 | 1 | |
1 | 1 | |
1 | 1 | |
1 | 1 | |
1 | 1 |
Medium fighters ships
Minimum Crew | Maximum Crew | |
Aegis Sabre | 1 | 1 |
1 | 1 | |
1 | 1 | |
1 | 1 | |
1 | 2 | |
1 | 2 |
Large fighters ships
Minimum Crew | Maximum Crew | |
Banu Defender | 1 | 2 |
2 | 2 |
Bombers ships
Minimum Crew | Maximum Crew | |
Aegis Eclipse | 1 | 1 |
4 | 7 | |
1 | 2 |
Bounty hunters ships
Minimum Crew | Maximum Crew | |
Aegis Avenger Stalker | 1 | 1 |
1 | 1 | |
2 | 2 |
Transport ships
There is little ambiguity about the role of these ships, which are built to carry freight, vehicles or troops. The small cargo ships will be perfect for solo players, while the higher categories will require investing in a crew.
Small cargo ships
Minimum Crew | Maximum Crew | |
Drake Cutlass Black | 2 | 2 |
1 | 1 | |
2 | 4 | |
1 | 2 |
Medium cargo ships
Minimum Crew | Maximum Crew | |
Mercury Star Runner | 2 | 3 |
2 | 4 | |
3 | 4 | |
3 | 4 |
Large cargo ships
Minimum Crew | Maximum Crew | |
Drake Caterpillar | 2 | 4 |
1 | 1 |
Huge cargo ships
Minimum Crew | Maximum Crew | |
Banu Merchantman | 4 | 8 |
2 | 4 |
XXL cargo ships
Minimum Crew | Maximum Crew | |
Misc Hull D | 3 | 5 |
4 | 5 |
Liquids transport ships
Minimum Crew | Maximum Crew | |
Misc Starfarer | 4 | 6 |
4 | 6 |
Troops transport ships
Minimum Crew | Maximum Crew | |
3 | 5 | |
1 | 5 | |
2 | 2 | |
1 | 3 |
Exploration ships
Exploration ships are ideal for travelling through the deep universe thanks to their extraordinary travel capabilities. Suitable for both solo players and groups.
Short-range exploration ships
Minimum Crew | Maximum Crew | |
Anvil Terrapin | 1 | 1 |
2 | 4 | |
1 | 1 | |
1 | 1 |
Long-range exploration ships
Minimum Crew | Maximum Crew | |
Anvil Carrack | 4 | 6 |
3 | 4 | |
3 | 5 | |
2 | 5 |
Industrial ships
Industrial ships will meet the needs of entrepreneurs looking for lucrative opportunities. On the agenda: Mining, ship repairs and debris recycling.
Mining ships
Minimum Crew | Maximum Crew | |
Prospector | 1 | 1 |
4 | 7 |
Repair ships
Minimum Crew | Maximum Crew | |
Anvil Crucible | 3 | 8 |
1 | 3 |
Salvage ships
Minimum Crew | Maximum Crew | |
Aegis Reclaimer | 4 | 5 |
1 | 1 |
Racing ships
What could be better than a good old-fashioned race to decide which of a group of players is the best driver in the quadrant? Racing ships only play one role, but they excel in this field.
Minimum Crew | Maximum Crew | |
Mustang Gamma | 1 | 1 |
1 | 1 | |
Origin 300 Series 350R | 1 | 1 |
1 | 1 | |
P72 Archimedes | 1 | 1 |
1 | 1 |
Support ships
Support ships offer a variety of atypical gameplays, from support troops in combat to less confrontational roles such as taxi.
Medical ships
Minimum Crew | Maximum Crew | |
Drake Cutlass Red | 2 | 2 |
1 | 2 | |
1 | 2 |
Recon ships
Minimum Crew | Maximum Crew | |
Anvil Terrapin | 1 | 1 |
1 | 1 |
Sabotage ships
Minimum Crew | Maximum Crew | |
Aegis Avenger Warlock | 1 | 1 |
2 | 2 |
Refuel ships
Minimum Crew | Maximum Crew | |
Aegis Vulcan | 1 | 3 |
4 | 6 |
Taxi ships
Minimum Crew | Maximum Crew | |
Argo MPUV Personnel | 1 | 1 |
2 | 8 | |
1 | 2 |
Communications & Datas ships
Minimum Crew | Maximum Crew | |
Drake Herald | 1 | 1 |
2 | 3 | |
1 | 2 |
Luxury ships
Ships without any particular purpose except to display your wealth.
Minimum Crew | Maximum Crew | |
Origin 600i Touring | 3 | 5 |
3 | 5 | |
3 | 4 |
To learn more about Star Citizen ships and their specificities, feel free to visit this address to explore the complete list of ships:
https://robertsspaceindustries.com/pledge/ships
Which starter pack to choose?
The Mustang is worth $30 and the Aurora $25. If your objective is not to keep the starter but to upgrade it at some point, the Mustang is the right choice.
Overall, the Mustang is more agile, more nervous, better armed, good for dogfights, but very frail, with more exposed propeller. Also, its freight capacity is quite limited.
The Aurora on the other is more resilient, more compact, but less manoeuvrable. Good cargo space, however.
With all these informations, you should have an idea as to which ship suits you the best.
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