Discover the Top 10 Fighter Ships in Star Citizen That Will Change Your Game!

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Summary

  • Star Citizen offers various fighter ships catering to different playstyles and group dynamics.
  • The Drake Buccaneer and Anvil Hurricane shine in different aspects despite their drawbacks.
  • Aegis Vanguard Warden stands out as a tanky heavy fighter offering unmatched firepower potential.

Star Citizen gives players multiple star system with worlds and planets to observe, with endless missions and objectives to complete. With a breathtaking amount of exploration, this universe gives us a peek into what the future of air and space combat may look like.

The large roster of fighter ships in Star Citizen can be daunting for players looking to make their first purchase in this category. This list should help players narrow down their choices and choose one depending on a few different factors. Whether the user is a solo player looking to spare money or part of a group that takes on the Stanton System, this guide will have a great option.

In Star Citizen, numerous elements influence dogfighting, including a ship’s maneuverability, its combat strength, and its durability during battles. No single ship excels in every area, making the skill of the pilot decisive!

10. Drake Buccaneer

Light Fighter

  • Raw Sustained DPS: 1,698
  • Raw Alpha: 166
  • SCM Speed: 240 m/s
  • Pitch/Yaw/Roll Speed: 50/42/160 deg/s

In the universe of Star Citizen, the Drake Buccaneer often gets overlooked compared to the Anvil Arrow, but don’t let its size fool you. This unassuming light fighter from Drake Industries delivers a powerful blow, with its continuous damage per second (DPS) on default loadout coming remarkably close to that of hefty fighters.

In simpler terms, the main issue that prevents Buccaneer from excelling as one of the top fighters in the game is its sluggish maneuverability when turning. Compared to other lightweight fighters, Buccaneer lacks agility and quickness to make sharp turns quickly, a skill that Arrow demonstrates exceptionally well.

9. Anvil Hurricane

Heavy Fighter

  • Raw Sustained DPS: 846
  • Raw Alpha: 131
  • SCM Speed: 220 m/s
  • Pitch/Yaw/Roll Speed: 38/32/120 deg/s

The Anvil Hurricane is sometimes overlooked by those trying to purchase a fighter ship; however, with an extreme amount of firepower and hull HP, it’s a very good choice for those traversing the System as a duo.

If you prefer to play solo, this ship may not be ideal because its primary firepower might not be strong enough. However, the main pilot does have a moderate amount of weaponry, with two size-4 hardpoints located at the front of the vessel. This could help in engaging enemy ships.

Once another player assumes command over the turreted weapons, the Hurricane truly excels. Armed with four size-3 hard-points, it essentially offers the firepower of two vessels combined. This destructive power can be aimed independently at different targets due to the separate mounting of the turrets.

8. Aegis Sabre

Stealth Fighter

  • Raw Sustained DPS: 1,164
  • Raw Alpha: 175
  • SCM Speed: 206 m/s
  • Pitch/Yaw/Roll Speed: 55/55/160 deg/s

In contrast to ancient warfare eras, stealth fighting wasn’t particularly advantageous; however, as emission rates have been modified, stealth fighters are increasingly gaining recognition. Among these advanced aircraft, Aegis Sabre stands out!

Despite being fatter than a light fighter, Aegis Sabre is an agile ship, and it has better stats on Pitch, Yaw, and Roll compared to a smaller ship like Buccaneer. There are multiple variants of Sabre available for different purposes, but the base model still remains quite effective with a decent default loadout and quite low emission rates.

7. Mirai Guardian

Heavy Fighter

  • Raw Sustained DPS: 1,874
  • Raw Alpha: 1,844
  • SCM Speed: 213 m/s
  • Pitch/Yaw/Roll Speed: 38/38/130 deg/s

The latest fighter to join the party, as of updating this article, is Mirai Guardian or Fat Fury, as the community likes to call it. What makes this ship quite special is that it comes with a small habitation area and a bed that allows players to log out wherever they want, something that very few fighter ships would allow in Star Citizen.

However, this ship comes with a less customizable loadout, as all players have to play with two size-5 weapon slots for the pilot, along with four size-4 missile racks. That being said, Guardian is a good pick for PvE battles, but it might not have the requirements for high-stakes PvP battles, as the ship is not as nimble.

6. RSI Scorpius

Heavy Fighter

  • Raw Sustained DPS: 1,008
  • Raw Alpha: 175
  • SCM Speed: 220 m/s
  • Pitch/Yaw/Roll Speed: 38/35/140 deg/s

The love of Star Wars fans and one of the best heavy fighters in the game, RSI Scorpius, comes with an additional seat for a co-pilot that can control a remote turret to provide better support for the pilot and punish anyone who tries to sneak behind this X-Wing-inspired fighter.

With four size-3 weapon slots for the fighter and one size-3 turret for the co-pilot, the loadout for Scorpius can be deeply customized. While standing far behind the light fighters, Scorpius is also one of the most agile heavy fighters in Star Citizen by a tiny margin.

5. Aegis Vanguard Warden

Heavy Fighter

  • Raw Sustained DPS: 2,273
  • Raw Alpha: 2,116
  • SCM Speed: 215 m/s
  • Pitch/Yaw/Roll Speed: 40/33/124 deg/s

This huge fighter is tanky, yet surprisingly nimble when compared to other fighters in this class and size. The potential firepower in Aegis Vanguard Warden is absolutely unmatched, especially with a second player in the turret. With one size-5 hard-point and four size-2 guns built into the nose, the pilot has some extreme potential to take on both player enemies and bots. The manned turret has a pair of size 2 guns and missiles that can hold four size 3 and eight size 2 missiles.

The Warden also comes with an interior for storage and beds for both crew, but sadly, there is not enough space for a vehicle. If players can afford it, the Warden can feel like the unstoppable force all players are searching for.

4. Aegis Gladius

Light Fighter

  • Raw Sustained DPS: 891
  • Raw Alpha: 106
  • SCM Speed: 225 m/s
  • Pitch/Yaw/Roll Speed: 70/52/200 deg/s

After a range of tweaks and tuning over the game’s development, the Gladius has found itself in a good place within the meta. This small and nimble fighter is extremely difficult to hit when in a gunfight. As long as players use this maneuverability to avoid incoming gunfire, they can easily take out larger ships that lack this speed and agility.

If players are looking for an extremely tanky ship to dive straight into the crossfire and take on an army, this may not be the ship to do so. However, with three size-3 hard-points, this fighter comes with some heavy firepower to take on even the strongest of ships. These can be changed and customized to fit the user’s needs, but even the stock weapons here are a great start for those diving into the criminal or bounty hunter lifestyle.

3. Anvil Arrow

Light Fighter

  • Raw Sustained DPS: 854
  • Raw Alpha: 102
  • SCM Speed: 232 m/s
  • Pitch/Yaw/Roll Speed: 74/55/189 deg/s

The Anvil Arrow reigns supreme among light fighters, particularly when it comes to maneuverability. A seasoned pilot at its helm would make any opponent’s life a living nightmare during a dogfight. This ship is incredibly agile and has the ability to extricate itself from tight spots with remarkable ease.

Using the Arrow isn’t something beginners can pick up quickly. It takes a lot of practice to learn how to fly it skillfully and use its agility effectively in battles. The basic setup of the Arrow doesn’t deal as much damage as the Bucaneer, so mastering flight techniques is crucial.

2. F8C Ligtning

Heavy Fighter

  • Raw Sustained DPS: 1,966
  • Raw Alpha: 596
  • SCM Speed: 210 m/s
  • Pitch/Yaw/Roll Speed: 35/35/120 deg/s

F8C Lightning is a dream ship for anyone who wants a highly customizable loadout. The ship comes with four size-3 slots, two size-2 slots, and one size-2 turret, all of which are at the service of the pilot. This is one of those ships that never runs out of bullets to fire if the pilot manages the weapons correctly.

That being said, a series of nerfs has hit F8C Lightning since Alpha 4.0 to make this ship more in line with the rest of heavy fighters, knowing what massive firepower it carries. When it comes to agility, F8C Lightning might not feel nimble enough, and a lack of a co-pilot makes it vulnerable from behind.

1. Anvil F7C Hornet Mk 2

Medium Fighter

  • Raw Sustained DPS: 1,688
  • Raw Alpha: 127
  • SCM Speed: 220 m/s
  • Pitch/Yaw/Roll Speed: 56/45/150 deg/s

The new version of the Hornet series is a miracle that must be celebrated. The Mk 2 series just took Hornet’s flight experience to the next level, added a little bit more firepower into it, and made the design look slicker and softer than the first series.

The base version of Hornet Mk 2 comes with four weapon slots, but only two of them are occupied in the default loadout. That means with two empty slots, the ship is capable of dealing a decent amount of DPS, which can be improved significantly by getting two extra weapons.

When it comes to the flight experience, the Hornet Mk 2 is ruling, again! The agility that the ship delivers compared to its firepower is amazing. It also has a decent fuel tank size, which makes it good enough for roaming around the star system.

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2025-03-16 08:57