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.[1] 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.[2]
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 Chieftain, 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.
Its hardpoints are arranged almost identically to the Chieftain, albeit it exchanges the top-most Large Hardpoint for two Medium Hardpoints that are located directly behind the forward landing gear. Utility slots are well-distributed and have minimal obstructions, with two on top roughly in the middle of the craft, and two on the underside slightly further back. Like the Chieftain, the Challenger has a second seat for Multicrew, but with no capability for Ship-Launched Fighters the only option for secondary crew is as a turret gunner and operator for other subsystems.
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 | Sept. 25, 2018 | Not Available |
| 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 | Oct. 16, 2018 | |
| LHS 3356 | Pytheas Orbital | August 08, 2018 | |
| Kaushpoos | Neville Horizons | August 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.
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
Gallery
- Alliance Challenger
- Alliance Challenger docked
- Alliance Challenger firing weapons
- Krait MkII and Alliance Challenger
- Challenger showing Large & Small Mounts deployed
- Challenger showing Medium Mounts deployed
- Alliance Challenger and Chieftain and Crusader
References
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