Alliance Challenger

Template:Quote The Alliance Challenger is a variant of the Alliance Chieftain manufactured by Lakon Spaceways for the Alliance in response to the Thargoid threat. Capitalizing on the Chieftain's strengths, the Challenger boasts enhanced specifications in the form of additional weapon hardpoints and more durable armour without making significant alterations to manoeuvrability.

Overview

For owners of the Alliance Chieftain looking for a similar ship with added firepower and durability, the Alliance Challenger delivers.

The Challenger trades one large hardpoint for two additional medium hardpoints, increasing its overall damage output in combat. It also retains the same manoeuvrability of the Chieftan, letting it keep its hardpoints on target and dodge fire. Its true power comes from its increased shield and armour health, which when combined with its mobility lets the Challenger become a very tricky ship to take down. Its extra Class 6 compartment lets it bring along a much larger Shield Cell Bank, which significantly boosts the power of its defences. The Challenger is more than capable of taking down any other medium ship, and even large ships like Anaconda are easy to defeat with the high mobility and damage output of the Challenger. Finally, the Challenger is even better against Thargoids with these buffs, letting it become an incredibly effective anti-Xeno vessel.

The Challenger has an increased cargo capacity of 152t over the Chieftain's 120t. This makes the Challenger a very good trader and Pirate as it is only outdone by the Federal Gunship, Krait MkII and Python for medium ship cargo capacity.

The only real downside other than cost compared to Chieftain is its jump range, taking a significant dive to just under 24LYs before engineering. The Challenger does boast much better internals, and Guardian Boosters will let it outdo the Chieftain.

Although the Challenger's upgrades come with a higher purchase price than the Chieftain, it is still substantially cheaper than a number of other medium vessels, such as the Federal Gunship, Krait MkII, Python, and Fer-de-Lance, while still being able to take on each of those ships in a firefight.

The Alliance Challenger is most commonly available in Alliance systems. Despite its name and affiliation, it requires no rank or reputation with the Alliance to purchase.

Purchase Locations

System	Station	Date Seen	Discount
Shinrarta Dezhra	Jameson Memorial	Always available	10% discount
Brestla	i Sola Prospect	Always available	20% surcharge
Alioth	Golden Gate	Always available
LTT 4772	Shelley Terminal	Jul. 6, 2018
10 Canum Venaticorum	Alvares Bastion	Jun. 28, 2018
Zaonce	Ridley Scott Station	Jun. 28, 2018
G 122-60	Watts Enterprise	Jun. 29, 2018
Furuhjelm III-674	Tshang City	Jun. 29, 2018
LHS 2771	Sarafanov Vision	Jun. 30, 2018
Wolf 406	Hamilton Gateway	July 24, 2018

Outfitting

Main article: Outfitting

All ships are highly customisable through the Outfitting menu of Station Services. Listed below is the default load-out for the Alliance Challenger.

Category	Default System	Default Rating	Default Class	Max Class
Small Hardpoint	Empty	--	--	1
	Empty	--	--	1
	Empty	--	--	1
Medium Hardpoint	Pulse Laser (L)	F	1	2
	Pulse Laser (L)	F	1	2
	Empty	--	--	2
Large Hardpoint	Empty	--	--	3
Utility Mount	Empty	--	--	0
	Empty	--	--	0
	Empty	--	--	0
	Empty	--	--	0
Bulkheads	Lightweight Alloys	C	1	8
Reactor Bay	Power Plant	E	6	6
Thrusters Mounting	Thrusters	E	6	6
Frame Shift Drive Housing	Frame Shift Drive	E	5	5
Environment Control	Life Support	E	5	5
Power Coupling	Power Distributor	E	6	6
Sensor Suite	Sensors	E	4	4
Fuel Store	Fuel Tank [x16]	C	4	4
Internal Compartments	Cargo Rack [x32]	E	5	6
	Shield Generator	E	6	6
	Cargo Rack [x4]	E	2	3
	Cargo Rack [x4]	E	2	3
	BDS	E	1	2
	Empty	--	--	2
Military Compartments	Empty	--	--	4
	Empty	--	--	4
	Empty	--	--	4

• (L) = Loaned
• [x#] = Capacity
• BDS = Basic Discovery Scanner

Notes

• The Alliance Challenger was released with the Chapter Two (3.1) update of Elite Dangerous: Beyond on June 28, 2018.
• When editing the Ship ID livery logo the camera will zoom to the wrong side for each option.
• When landing, the landing gear will clip through the floor during the landing animation.

Trivia

• The Challenger is the third ship to be manufactured by Lakon Spaceways for the Alliance, after the Alliance Chieftain and Type-10 Defender.
• Like the Alliance Chieftain, the Challenger is named after a British tank, specifically the FV4O34 Challenger 2.
• The design of the Challenger seems to be based off an Attack Helicopter; with a notably similar cockpit and weapon locations to various models (below the nose, and two symmetrically placed on the underside).
• An early model of the Alliance Chieftain is virtually identical to the design of the Challenger.

Videos

• 3.1 Content Showcase with Alliance Challenger preview
  3.1 Content Showcase with Alliance Challenger preview
• File:Sagittarius Eye Bulletin - Alliance Challenger Debut

Gallery

• Alliance Challenger
  Alliance Challenger
• Alliance Challenger docked
  Alliance Challenger docked
• Alliance Challenger firing weapons
  Alliance Challenger firing weapons
• Krait MkII and Alliance Challenger
  Krait MkII and Alliance Challenger