Alliance Crusader: Difference between revisions

| seats              = <abbr title="This ship gains a 4th seat only if Odyssey is installed.">3-4</abbr>

| jumprange          = 8.24

| maxjumprange        = 21.76

| maxcargocapacity    = 122

| reservedic          = 3× Class 4 [[Military Compartment]]s

|scooptimised=No}}

{{Quote|A modified version of the Alliance Chieftain, the Alliance Crusader's main point of distinction is its fighter bay. The Crusader also offers three internal military compartments and space for up to three crew members, making it ideally suited to combat situations.|In-Game Description}}

The '''Alliance Crusader''' is a medium [[Ships|ship]] produced by [[Lakon Spaceways]] for the [[Alliance]]. It represents a middle-ground between the [[Alliance Chieftain]] and the [[Alliance Challenger]],<ref>[https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php/443558-3-2-Launch-Announcement Frontier Forums: Beyond - Chapter Three Launch Announcement]</ref> combining heavy firepower with a [[Fighter Hangar]] for [[Ship-Launched Fighters]] and additional pilot seats to accommodate [[Multicrew]].<ref>[https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/99h56d/spoilers_leaked_presentation_footage_from/ r/EliteDangerous: Leaked presentation footage from Frontier's Gamescom Community Meet]</ref> While the inclusion of the Fighter Hangar has resulted in a noticeable decrease in overall speed and manoeuvrability, Lakon is confident that the Crusader can hold its own in any combat situation, especially against the [[Thargoid]]s.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5b7fedf14d1824475d5fbaaa GalNet: Lakon Releases Alliance Crusader]</ref>

The third ship to release in the [[Alliance]] faction ship series and the second variant of the [[Alliance Chieftain]], the Alliance Crusader's primary advantage over the other two Alliance ships is its ability to equip a [[Fighter Hangar]] for [[Ship-Launched Fighters]], a feature that both the Chieftain and the [[Alliance Challenger]] lack. Consequently, it also boasts two additional pilot seats for [[Multicrew]], giving it a total of four seats versus the two of its companion ships.

The Alliance Crusader possesses an almost identical hardpoint layout to the Alliance Chieftain, but trades one Class 3 hardpoint for one Class 2 hardpoint, making it comparable to a [[Federal Assault Ship]] in terms of base firepower. Its increased mass drags its manoeuvrability and speed down when compared to the Chieftain and Challenger, although it does retain the trademark handling features of the ship series. Its agility surpasses that of every other medium-size ship able to launch fighters, including the [[Krait Mk II]].

The reduced number of hardpoints of the Crusader is compensated for by its ability to deploy Ship-Launched Fighters, resulting in it potentially being a stronger option for combat than it would appear to be at first glance, if a player is utilising a fighter bay.

The jump range of the Crusader is even lower than that of the Challenger. This makes the Crusader a less than ideal option for exploration and further emphasizes its specialized combat use, as most combat ships tend to have greater mass values and consequently lower jump ranges.

Compared to the Chieftain and the Challenger, the Crusader has lower mobility and multipurpose potential, as well as reduced weapons loadout versatility due to its lower number of total hardpoints. However, its ability to deploy up to two fighters simultaneously is something that should not be underestimated, especially when these are flown by skilled pilots. Therefore, the Crusader is a decent option for commanders who make good use of ship-launched fighters, but for others, the Chieftain and Challenger may be better suited to their needs.

When compared to the Krait Mk II, the Crusader features a significantly lower top speed, superior agility, weaker shields, and a far more durable hull. Compared to the Federal Gunship, the Crusader is faster and far more agile, with relatively higher hull durability and similar but potentially lower shield capacity depending on the loadout; the Crusader must be fitted with a Class 5 shield generator if one wishes to make use of a Class 6 Fighter Hangar and 2 SLFs, thus trading defence for firepower.

| (PAS) || I || 1 || 1

*''(PAS) = Reserved solely for the [[Planetary Approach Suite]] or [[Advanced Planetary Approach Suite]]''

*''(M) = [[Military Compartment]] reserved for [[Hull Reinforcement Package]], [[Module Reinforcement Package]], [[Shield Cell Bank]], [[Guardian Shield Reinforcement Package]], [[Guardian Hull Reinforcement Package]], or [[Guardian Module Reinforcement Package]]''

File:Alliance Crusader Ship Front.jpg|Alliance Crusader Ship Front.jpg|Alliance Crusader Ship Front

File:Alliance-Crusader-ship-in-ED.png|Alliance Crusader in space

File:Alliance-Crusader-and-Guardian-Javelin-SLF.png|Guardian Javelin and Alliance Crusader