Star Citizen’s ship manufacturers feature a vast lineup of unique ships with detailed lore. Crusader Industries started as a small company and has grown into one of the largest organizations we know in Star Citizen. With a wide range of ships from large cargo haulers to small capital-killing fighters, Crusader creates some of the best ships in the game. Crusader Industries are the only ship manufacturer in the Stanton system with its own privately owned planet. This gives them unique opportunities for growth and development allowing them to compete with the likes of Aegis, Anvil, and Origin.
Although Crusader features the smallest lineup of ships out of all the large manufacturers, there are plenty more on the way with the Spirit series and Genesis Starliner set to release very soon. This guide will showcase some of the best ships Crusader currently has to offer and how players can utilize them to dominate the system.
Crusader C2 Hercules Starlifter
The Hercules line of ships became infamous among the UEE Navy. Its accessible components and cargo capabilities made it the most popular craft for dropping troops and support units to the front line.
The three variants of Hercules are similar but play very different roles in the verse. The C2 is the cargo variant with the largest hold current available in the game. Most high-tier haulers have made this a staple among their fleets as it allows players to maximize profits and venture across the system without refueling.
With some upgraded components, the C2 is one of the best ships for making money fast in the verse. At a price point just shy of 5m aUEC, it may be hard for new players to gain access to this behemoth. However, players can rent the C2 for a short amount of time to begin making some profit.
Unfortunately, the lack of weaponry on the C2 can make it easy for experienced pirates to make short work of the Hercules. A support fighter such as a Warden or Hurricane can help mitigate this issue.
Crusader A2 Hercules Starlifter
The second variant of the Hercules is the A2, a dedicated bomber used to drop size 10 MOABs onto the battlefield.
There is no other ship currently in Star Citizen that is capable of delivering this payload. The only thing that comes remotely close is the Aegis Eclipse and Retaliator that feature size 9 torpedoes.
The A2 really shines when attacking ground targets during events such as Jumptown, so much so that players have taken real issue with those who choose to use the A2 to entirely obliterate those making a quick profit. The only way to counter this bombardment is to have fighters on hand ready to intercept the ship.
With 4 of these MOABs on board, the pilot can make multiple runs to dispatch the enemy. The A2 also features a few more turrets compared to the C2, giving it the ability to fend off enemies and pirates who may want to take control of the ship.
For those wanting a good middle ground between the cargo hauling C2 and the lethal bombing A2, there is the M2 drop ship. This comes equipped with plenty of turrets to fend off pirates and a cargo storage of 522 SCU. Although this is less than the C2, it does come close to the next best option of the Drake Caterpillar.
Crusader Ares Starfighter Inferno
The Ares Starfighter is equipped to tear through capital-class ships with ease. The Inferno variants feature an integrated size 7 Gatling. This size weapon is only seen on large, capital-size ships making it extremely lethal.
The Gatling is great for piercing through large ships’ hulls and armor or simply obliterating smaller fighters. Although this large weapon may seem simple to operate, it does take a fairly skilled fighter to make the most out of the damage capabilities.
The large weapon allows for extreme range but does massively affect the ship’s maneuvering capabilities. For this reason, the Ares should be used in a jousting style manner to quickly close the gap and break away while in space combat.
This ballistic variant can struggle with breaking through the shields on large ships. This is why Crusader have another variant of the Ares with a laser canon.
Crusader Ares Starfighter Ion
The Ion is the second variant of the Ares Starfighter. This model is extremely similar to its ballistic counterpart excluding the new color scheme and laser canon.
There are 2 main types of ship weapons in Star Citizen, these being ballistic and laser. Ballistic weapons are great at damaging a ship's hull, components and armor - whereas laser canons are better equipped for disabling enemy shields.
This is why the Ares Starfighter variants work so well in tandem. The Ion can remove ship shields with a single pass due to the massive power of the size 7 canon. This is when the Inferno can make a pass to damage the ship permanently.
It’s down to the player which ship they prefer to use individually as there are pros and cons to both.
Crusader Mercury Star Runner
The MSR has quickly become one of the communities favorite ships for various reasons. The Star Runner’s utility and functionality have been compared to that of the Millennium Falcon from Star Wars.
The onboard data storage computers are equipped to carry information safely across the system. Although this gameplay loop hasn’t yet been implemented into Star Citizen, the MSR is equipped and ready to go when data running is introduced.
The 114 SCU of storage makes this ship a great option for players looking to make money fast through cargo hauling. Although this may not compete with the likes of the C2, the versatility of the MSR give it unique capabilities that few other ships can compete with.
With 2 mounted turrets found at the top and bottom of the ship as well as 2 size 3 repeaters for the pilot, the MSR can easily fend off any oncoming attacks or compete with some extremely deadly ships in bounty-hunting missions.
Star Citizen is available on PC.