Choose your Ship

To date, Star Citizen has a total of 224 ships and 52 vehicles listed on citizen-logbook.com, 227 of which are playable, offering activities such as exploration with 39 ships or vehicles, including 8 geared towards tourism, 13 others for reconnaissance or discovery of jump points, as well as competition (20), various industrial activities such as salvage (8), mining prospecting (12), cargo transport (42) on various scales, from simple mail to heavy haulers, and even passenger transport (10). Not to mention combat, which is the most represented branch with no fewer than 121 ships and vehicles, including all kinds of protagonists, such as 61 fighters, 8 gunships, 8 frigates, destroyers, corvettes, and minelayers, 9 landing or boarding ships, 7 aircraft carriers, support ships such as medical (7), repair (2), supply (3), and many others such as science, media...

Suffice to say that with such a multitude of choices, it's not easy to find your way around, especially since not all of them are available yet. Others are available, but their gameplay has not been implemented, or only partially. To compensate, CIG will lend you a replacement ship until yours is integrated into the game. This means that despite this diversity, it is very difficult to find your way around. So don't jump into the game without taking the time to make sure that the activity you're interested in is fully implemented, that the ship is available, and that it's really right for you.

To give you an overview, in this guide we'll take the time to explore the various activities offered by the game, as well as the ships and vehicles that correspond to them. We'll cover various basic concepts, such as Starter ships, multi-crew ships, etc. Then we'll take the time to study the major families of ships and vehicles, so you can find the one that suits you best.

One of the first ships you should have to get started in the game is none other than a "Starter" ship.

A "starter" is defined as a ship that can be played solo, is versatile enough to access basic missions, and, if possible, has some cargo space, although this is not a requirement as long as the ship has enough space to manually store a few mission crates.

Ships like the Aurora MR or the Mustang Alpha have long been reliable starter ships that let you get into the game at a low cost, but if you're looking for more versatility, an Avenger Titan from Aegis Dynamics or a 300i from Origin Jumpworks will likely be a better fit while still remaining affordable—although since the RSI Aurora Mk II was introduced, the latter has quickly established itself as the go-to choice.

But there is no shortage of choice, and these are not the only ships that can serve as starters. Although CIG has defined certain ships as starters (see list below), it turns out that many ships can serve this role without being an official starter.

Of course, you may be tempted to start the game with a more specialized ship, such as a fighter or a mining ship, but keep in mind that the more specialized the ship is, the more difficult it will be to use it for anything other than what it was designed for. Hence the importance of choosing your ship carefully, or considering a second ship if necessary.

Finally, remember that once you're in the game, you'll be able to buy other ships, or even rent them, so there's no need to purchase all your ships online. Focus on your starting ship, and you can do the rest later with UEC, the game's currency.

Whatever anyone says, Star Citizen is not a pay-to-win game!
Investing in a $725.00 Hammerhead will not make you stronger.

Choose your ship based on your desires and goals, not its size.

Keep in mind that the larger a ship is, the more expensive it will be to maintain and the larger the crew it will require.
Some ships will only reach their full potential once they have a full crew.
And the largest ships are intended for corporations.

If you mainly play alone or in a small team, there is no point in investing in a ship that is too large.

For example, the Cutlass Black or the Freelancer are versatile ships that are perfect for a solo player who wants to be able to invite one or two friends from time to time, and these ships are still reasonably priced online, as are the maintenance costs once in-game...

Finally, don't forget about engineering. Even though this part of gameplay affects all types of ships, regardless of their size, a large ship will benefit from having a player responsible for engineering to manage damage in an emergency. Remember that you won't be able to deal with a fire on board if you have to keep your hands on the stick to dodge enemy fire.

Minimum Crew for a Ship

One pilot is sufficient for any ship. Even if you are alone at the controls of a ship that requires a crew, you will still be able to fly it.

Despite this, a ship has a minimum crew, which represents the number of people required to begin exploiting the ship's capabilities. Without this prerequisite crew, you may not be able to use your ship to its full potential. This is especially true for some multi-crew ships, where the ship's full potential lies in the presence of its crew. For example, the Hurrican's main appeal lies in its turret, and there is little point in playing this ship without a teammate at the turret controls.

Of course, even if you are playing solo, it will normally be possible to hire NPCs to make up your crew (see Multiple Package Clarification on RSI webstie). But keep in mind that this AI-controlled assistance will probably not be as effective as a real player, and that it is still not implemented and has been in the "conceptual project" stage for 13 years now...

Playing in a Group

It might be tempting to acquire a larger ship with the sole intention of paying for it collectively and then playing it as a group. But consider the impact this choice may have over time, and keep in mind that there is no guarantee that you and your friends will always be together to enjoy the ship.

Especially since playing in a group in Star Citizen does not necessarily mean that all members of the group are in the same ship... each member may very well have their own ship in order to combine everyone's efforts.

For example, it may be tempting for a group of players to acquire a Mole so they can prospect together, but what will happen if you are attacked? The Mole's ability to defend itself is virtually nil, and you may regret not having one or two escorts with you. In this case, the group of friends would be better off investing in two Prospectors and two escort ships. Or why not one Prospector, one Expanse for refining ore, one Hull A for transporting refined materials, and one or two escort ships...

Certain activities such as mining, scrap metal collection, or medicine require a specialized ship, and these ships are generally expensive. It is therefore best not to make the wrong choice, as you are likely to pay close to $140.00 excluding tax for such a ship, or even more, with some specialized ships costing over $200.00.

Don't forget that, in addition to the cost, specialization can very quickly limit your activities. A Prospector can hardly be used for anything other than mining, a Herald can hardly do anything other than data running, etc. Specialized ships are excellent as a second choice, but not very suitable as a first choice. If this is to be your only ship, it is better to opt for a versatile ship and keep the acquisition of a specialized ship as a goal to achieve once you are in the game.

Star Citizen and PVP

Even though the game offers you the possibility of killing your fellow players, keep in mind that there are many constraints that come into play, such as the bounty system, the permanent death of your character, costs such as ship insurance and maintenance, reputations, etc. Understand that PvP is possible, but it is not without risk. And it can quickly become an expensive (in-game) activity, or even restrictive due to the many gameplay elements that affect PVP.

Of course, it remains an activity in its own right, and many ships are available for this purpose, but again, some are expensive, even very expensive, and like specialized trade ships, it is not uncommon for a combat ship to be unable to do anything other than combat.

The Verse is dangerous

Due to the PVE danger of the Verse and the omnipresence of PVP, most Star Citizen ships are armed, but on some, this armament is purely symbolic, which is often the case with specialized industrial ships such as the Prospector, the MOLE, or the Vulture, and even some cargo ships such as the Hull series.

Overall, these ships could very well be supplied without weapons, as it would not change much in the outcome of a battle against a real combatant. If you are concerned about bad encounters, get yourself escorted by a fighter, but don't rely too much on your own weapons.

You might be tempted by an alien ship, such as the Defender from the Banu Protectorate, a replica of Esperia from the Teravin Prowler, or even a Khartu-al from Aopoa, but all these ships have one thing in common: they are overpriced. At least that's what people say, even if CIG seems to want to claim the opposite.

However, it is not uncommon for the price of an original or Alien-designed ship to be higher than that of an equivalent human ship due to its originality. This is referred to as the "Alien Tax." This tax is not necessarily found only on exotic ships, but can apply to many ships, such as the Terrapin, which is significantly overpriced compared to other ships in the same category, even though it is not of Alien origin.

Star Citizen ships and vehicles are classified into broad career families, which are then divided into various role subfamilies.
There are currently five broad families, or careers:

• Combat
• Transport
• Exploration
• Industry, Support, Science and Media
• Competition

In addition to these careers, there is the "Multiple Roles" family, which includes ships that can take on several careers either because they are sufficiently versatile or because they are modular, allowing them to switch from one career to another.

Finally, each ship corresponds to one career and one to three roles within that career. We won't go into detail about the roles here, as it's best to study the different careers that are currently available, starting with the most common one in the game, "combat".

In Star Citizen, "combat" is a big word.

On the one hand, you have individual PVP/PVE activities such as bounty hunting. On the other hand, you have large-scale armed conflicts, which will be rare and not necessarily easy to participate in, and which will probably require you to join a hardcore corporation whose main activity is combat. But keep this in mind: "investing in a fighter" can be useful because you'll find opportunities to use it, but "investing in a bomber or dropship" means you'll likely see it rusting away in your hangar.

This family includes ships designed exclusively for combat.
These range from "snub fighters" to destroyers, including fighters of all sizes, bombers, etc.

Fighters

We start with fighters, whose main role is focused on pure combat, escort, and bounty hunting, generally resulting in the death of the target or, in some exceptions, its capture.

These ships come in a wide range of sizes, from light fighters to heavy fighters, while others may have a greater ability to conceal themselves by offering stealth equipment and coating, not to mention the smallest, the snub fighter, which will need to be transported as it does not have a QT generator.

There is no shortage of choices, but most of these ships are essentially single-seat, single-purpose vessels that are not really suited to anything other than combat. There are a few exceptions, such as the Cutlass Black and the Shiv, which are versatile (and multi-crew), or others such as the 325a, the Avenger series, etc., which have the capacity to carry a few crates and/or have living space to store equipment or your discoveries.

In terms of price, entry-level ships start at $30.00, excluding the P-52 Merlin, which is a snub ship, and end with fighters costing over $300.00. But expect to invest close to $100.00 to get something decent, if not much more...

Law enforcement vessels (Interdiction).

These vessels are generally designed for interception, capture, and/or transport of prisoners.

Their purpose is either to neutralize the target without destroying it, or to force it out of its quantum journey and/or prevent it from returning, blocking any hope of escape. an interdiction ship is therefore characterized by the fact that it is either equipped with an EMP generator that can neutralize the electronic systems of other ships, or equipped with Quantum jamming to intercept ships during their Quantum travel. Some may be equipped with cells to hold captured criminals.

Apart from the Avenger Warlock, which remains "affordable," such ships are generally expensive to purchase online, and the Cutlass Blue is probably the most versatile.

If you opt for a interdiction ship, take the time to study each one carefully, as each ship has its own specific characteristics, and you will need to clearly define what you expect from such a ship.

Bombers

As their name suggests, they are designed to drop bombs and/or torpedoes.

These ships can be formidable in combat, as they are equipped with explosive charges capable of destroying large targets. They are ships with a very specific use, which will be of interest to military corporations. They are expensive ships that are best chosen as a second or even third option.

Initially offered in two variants, the Retaliator is now a single modular ship sold without any modules. Modules must be purchased separately, with one bow module and one stern module. Note that although not indicated here, it is still possible to purchase the "Retaliator Bomber" variant in its standalone version, or as an upgrade, via the grey market. In this case, you will receive a modular Retaliator accompanied by the Bow and Stern Torpedo modules.

Dropship & Boarding

Troop management may sometimes require a dropship or boarding craft. Both are specialized military vessels that come at a high, even very high, price. While most of these ships are intended for very occasional use, there are a few, such as the Valkyrie and especially the Asgard, which offer respectable transport capacity and combat capabilities, to the point that many players do not hesitate to make them their everyday ships.

Gunships

These are primarily escort or support vessels during conflict, but their maneuverability makes them vulnerable to fighters and bombers. Keep in mind that no matter how powerful a gunship's weapons may be, it can quickly be overwhelmed if it doesn't have a minimum level of support. These ships are generally medium-sized or larger and require a crew of at least three people to reach their full potential.

Be sure to study the design of each gunship carefully. Some, such as the Hammerhead, have an anti-fighter support role, while others, such as the Perseus, have a fire support role intended to counter medium and/or large ships such as the Hammerhead.

Destroyers, Frigates, Carriers, and Minelayers

It is difficult to say at this point whether such ships will be truly useful in the game.
These ships are intended for corporations that have real ambitions in the game.
Before investing in such a ship, make sure you have the full support of your corporation, as many players rush to buy these expensive ships and end up regretting it later...

Transport ships are often underarmed and rely primarily on their armor to flee combat, or their ability to slip under the radar for some. But it is better to rely on an escort for effective protection.

Freight or Cargo Transport

From simple mail carriers to large transport ships, there is a wide range of vessels that can carry freight, and some can even be repurposed from their original role to take on this career path, such as the Valkyrie and the Asgard. In fact, the basic rule for transporting goods is that any ship "with cargo capacity can transport goods," which includes Starter ships such as the Aurora MR or the Avenger Titan, but their capacity is such that it is difficult to consider them true cargo ships.

So it will mainly depend on your objectives...

Are you just going to transport a few crates?
Or engage in large-scale trade?
Smuggling?
Playing alone or in a group?
With or without an escort?

These are all questions you need to answer, as they will influence your choice of ship.

If you just want to transport a few crates from time to time, a simple "courier" will suffice, as the Avenger Titan.
If you want to transport large quantities and are guaranteed an escort, take a chance on a Hull.
But if you don't have an escort, opt for the robustness of the Caterpillar, Freelancer, or Hermes.
If you're the daredevil or pirate type, the Cutlass Black will be your partner.

As you can see, there are plenty of possibilities, especially since nothing is stopping you from breaking ranks and looking elsewhere if other ships don't suit your career plans...

The Galaxy is a modular ship that can be equipped with a cargo transport module, which is why it is here.

Data Transport

Once numerous systems and exploration have been established, we will begin to see missions involving the transport of important messages, coordinates, etc. This is where data transport ships will come into play.

Currently, there are only a few ships of this type, such as the Herald, whose sole function is data transport, and the Mercury Star Runner, which is both a cargo and data transport ship.

Passenger Transport

The career path for passenger transport is currently still awaiting approval from CIG. There are vehicles that offer this option, but most of them are single-seaters whose only transport capacity is limited to "transporting the pilot." As for ships, you'll have to wait until the main players, such as the Spirit E1 and Genesis Starliner, are ready to roll off the production line and join the Star Citizen Persistent Universe...

Military Transport

Military transport is not much different from cargo transport, since these are ships that have the capacity to transport cargo, but with the added ability to transport vehicles. As a result, the Hercules and Asgard stand out for their ability to transport heavy vehicles, such as the Nova Tank. And the Liberator can transport ships.

Trade

These ships are equipped with one or more shops.
There is little information available about this gameplay, and it is subject to a great deal of speculation, so it is best not to dwell too much on this type of ship.

Small internal bug on the site: the Kraken isn't supposed to be here; only the Kraken Privateer is supposed to have access to shops.

It is still difficult to get a real idea of what exploration will actually be like. Many people hope to set off on adventures to explore the universe, but first they need to find the right ship. Exploration can be divided into three sub-categories: Expeditions, Tourism, and Searching for Points of Interest with Pathfinders. Let's start with the latter...

Pathfinder Ships & Reconnaissance Vehicles

This activity could be military and could belong to the combat category, although the role of the pathfinder is not to go out and face danger, but rather to find the best way to avoid it. The role of the scout can be distinguished by infiltration, an ability to explore enemy lines, or simply be a first step in finding jump points and other points of interest. In the lore, many discoverers of jump points had only a simple "Pathfinder"...

Scout ships are generally small in size, comparable to light fighters, but less well armed and equipped with a better scanner. There are ships such as the Mustang Beta or Aurora, but the ultimate scout ship is undoubtedly the Terrapin, except that its price of $220.00 is beyond comprehension, which ultimately relegates it to one of the least profitable ships to buy online.

Although defined as a single-seat ship, I preferred to classify the Terrapin as a ship for 1 to 2 crew members because access to the long-range scanner requires leaving the cockpit. As for the Pisces C8, it accompanies the Carrack. If you want to acquire a Pisces without having to go through the Carrack, you will need to opt for the Pisces C8X Expedition.

Expeditions

When it comes to exploration, the Freelancer DUR offers the best value for money for a small group of players, especially since the Freelancer can serve as a starter ship. The Carrack is the benchmark for exploration ships with its shuttle (the Pisces) and Rover, but its price makes it difficult to afford. Finally, the Constellation Aquilla is a happy medium with its P-52 Merlin and Rover. As for the Corsair, it could be a good alternative to the Freelancer DUR for those who prefer the DRAKE manufacturer to Misc. It should be noted that the Corsair can make an excellent gunship due to its weaponry. In fact, many like to joke that the only thing a Corsair can explore are the still-smoking carcasses of the unfortunate souls who cross its path...

Touring

The concept of touring is not always very clear. The fact is that it encompasses several ships that are quite different from one another, and for some of them, one might wonder whether the term "touring" is not just used to emphasize the luxury of a ship that is just another Pathfinder or Expedition ship...

This family includes large ships such as the 890 Jump, the 600i Touring, and the Constellation Phoenix, which are specially designed to transport vacationers and wealthy dignitaries. Paradoxically, alongside single-seater ships such as the 300i, which is more like a simple luxury Pathfinder, the X1 base, a luxury motorcycle, and a luxury two-seater, the 85x, one is forced to wonder how lucrative this activity will really be in such ships...

This is undoubtedly one of the most straightforward families, as each sub-family corresponds to a specialization. It includes various professions, such as mining, refining, scrap metal, science, etc.

Mining Prospecting

Mining is one of the first industrial gameplay loops to have been integrated into the game, and since then it has offered a wide choice of ships and vehicles. From the Golem, a simple starter ship for discovering the profession, to the massive Orion, there is something for everyone, especially since most of these ships are already implemented in the game.

Refining

This category mainly includes ships whose role is to refine raw materials obtained from mining, with the aim of reselling them or transferring them to a transport ship.

The Galaxy is a modular ship that can be equipped with a refinery, hence its presence here.

Salvage

If you're interested in hunting for wrecks, salvage is definitely for you.

Over time, this activity has come to offer us at least one ship per size in the profession, from the simple profession starter to the massive harvester. All available in the game...

Rescue, Recovery

The only vessel of its kind, the SRV, or space tug, is capable of retrieving a vessel and bringing it back, while providing living space to accommodate the crew of the stricken vessel.

Repair and Refueling

With its array of drones, the Vulcan is specially designed to refuel and repair other ships, even during combat.
Next is the Starfarer, a heavy supply ship that requires an escort. Don't even think about flying it without a corporation behind you to back you up.
The Crucible, a heavy repair ship, again seems to require a corporation.

Science

This activity is still rather vague. On the one hand, we have the Reliant Sen, a two-seater ship that seems to be designed more for analyzing resources and possibly recovering them (manually), and on the other, the Endeavor, a flying farm that allows you to grow your own crops in space. Obviously, the latter is a heavy ship that is ideal for corporations.

Regarding the Endeavor, this ship requires modules to be functional.
The price corresponds to the base model without any modules, which must be purchased separately.

Medical Support

Respond to a call for help by rescuing a player who has unfortunately been forced to eject into space with the Apollo or Cutlass Red. These ships require two players, although it is possible for a single player to use them, but they will have to leave the cockpit to get to the medical console (or equivalent).

Please note that not all ships with a medical bay will offer the same services; this will mainly depend on the type of bed on board. I won't go into further detail about the medical support gameplay, but you should know that the Cutlass Red should be thought of as a space ambulance that is only capable of administering first aid and transporting the patient to a hospital, while the Apollo ships are defined as mobile hospitals that are therefore capable of providing real medical care to a patient.

The Apollo Triage and Medivac are modular ships with the ability to modify the configuration of the medical beds on board. However, unlike other modular ships such as the Galaxy and Retaliator, both variants of the Apollo come with all 6 modules, allowing for all possible combinations, so there is no need to purchase them separately from the ship.

Journalism

This activity currently has only one ship, the Reliant Mako. The only downside is that you must be two people, as the ship requires a pilot and a cameraman.

One might question the real value of such a ship. The Reliant Mako is probably one of those ships that was designed based on a vague idea of "fun" without taking the time to think about what that would imply in terms of gameplay. At one time, we could imagine filming various activities in the Verse via our camera ship, but with the evolution of streaming tools, this type of ship was quickly relegated to the trash.

Construction

The Pioneer, the ultimate construction ship, but exclusively reserved for corporations, as such a ship requires a crew of 8 people and will certainly need protection.

Once again, we find the Galaxy, for which a construction module is planned.
Even though CIG unfortunately forgot to mention it when announcing the Starlancer BLD...

A family exclusively dedicated to racing, whether in the air or on the ground.

A wide range of ships are available, but take the time to study them carefully. Some, such as the Dragonfly, are anti-gravity motorcycles designed for ground racing, while others, such as the P72 Archimede, are parasite ships that do not have a QT engine and need to be transported.

Notes & References

In order to avoid overloading this guide, all ships, vehicles, or modules that are not available for purchase on the RSI online store at least once a year have been hidden.

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