Passing the Vanguard Flight Simulator in Starfield can be a real challenge, especially on the higher tiers. It's not just about raw piloting skill; it's about understanding the mechanics, exploiting the environment, and, if you're willing, using some clever tricks to gain an advantage. Let's break down exactly how you can ace this test and earn your stripes with the UC Vanguard.
So, you've decided to become a certified pilot for the United Colonies, have you? Excellent! The path ahead isn't easy, but with this guide, you'll be navigating asteroid fields and blasting enemy ships like a seasoned veteran. Are you ready to become a legend of the stars? Let's get to it.
Step 1: Get Your Hands on the 'Secret' Keycard
Before you even step into the simulator, there's a crucial, and a bit sneaky, step you can take to make your life a whole lot easier. The game actually encourages you to use every advantage you can get, and this is the biggest one.
Sub-heading: Where to Find the Keycard When you enter the large room with the two flight simulators, look for a yellow utility toolbox. It's usually located underneath the flight simulator on the right side. On that toolbox, you'll find a Simulator Admin Systems Keycard. It's not considered stealing, so you can just pick it up. This keycard is your golden ticket to bypassing a lot of the difficulty.
Sub-heading: What the Keycard Does Once you have the keycard, you can use it to access a debug console within the simulator itself. This console allows you to enable powerful buffs for your ship, and even spawn allied ships to help you out. It's a game-changer, especially for the later, more challenging tiers.
Step 2: Master the Fundamentals of Space Combat
Even with the buffs, you still need to know how to fly. The Vanguard simulator is designed to test your combat skills, so let's go over the core principles.
Sub-heading: Power Management is Everything Your ship's power can be distributed between three main systems: Engines, Weapons, and Shields. In the heat of battle, you need to constantly adjust this.
For chasing down a foe, divert power to your engines for a speed boost.
To deal maximum damage, pump power into your weapons.
If you're taking heavy fire, redirect power to your shields to absorb the punishment.
A pro tip: You can pull power from your Grav Drive since you won't need it in the simulator.
Sub-heading: Use Your Thrusters Wisely The thrusters are essential for evasive maneuvers. Don't just fly forward in a straight line. Use your thrusters to strafe, drift, and change direction unpredictably. This makes you a much harder target to hit.
Sub-heading: Break Missile Locks and Stay Mobile When you hear that dreaded missile lock warning, don't panic! Use your thrusters and boost to break the lock. Flying in an erratic pattern and using asteroids or the space station as cover can help you evade enemy fire.
Step 3: The 'Cheater's' Method - The Space Station Exploit
If you're still struggling after using the keycard, or you just want to get through the mission as quickly as possible, there's a widely known exploit you can use. This is less about skill and more about clever positioning.
Sub-heading: How to Use the Exploit
Start the simulation and immediately fly towards the abandoned space station.
Position your ship inside the framework of the station.
Once you're safely tucked away, exit your pilot seat.
The enemy ships will try to get to you but will crash into the station and destroy themselves.
You can literally just wait it out until all the enemies are destroyed.
This method works because the enemy AI's tracking gets messed up when you leave the pilot seat. While it's not the most glorious way to pass, it's a reliable method for those who are having a tough time.
Step 4: A Tier-by-Tier Guide to Victory
The simulator has six tiers of increasing difficulty. You only need to pass three to join the UC Vanguard, but you can go for all six for a bigger signing bonus.
Sub-heading: Tiers 1-3: The Basics
These tiers are designed to teach you the fundamentals.
Focus on power management and target prioritization.
Take out the weakest enemies first.
Practice using your thrusters to avoid incoming fire.
Don't be afraid to restart if you fail. You can try as many times as you like.
Sub-heading: Tiers 4-6: The Real Test
This is where things get serious. The enemies are more numerous and more aggressive.
This is where the debug console you unlocked with the keycard becomes your best friend.
Before each wave, exit your seat and go to the console.
Activate all the buffs, including upgraded shields, weapons, and allied ships.
Save the allied ships for the last, most difficult tier to ensure they can help you when you need them most.
Use the asteroids and the space station for cover. Pop out from behind them, fire a few shots, and then duck back in. This "peek-and-shoot" strategy is highly effective.
Stay mobile and don't get surrounded.
Step 5: The Final Steps
Once you have defeated the required number of waves (or all of them!), you'll be given your results. You can now leave the simulator and complete the mission.
Congratulations! You have successfully passed the Vanguard Flight Simulator and are now one step closer to becoming a full-fledged member of the UC Vanguard.
Talk to Commander Tuala and he will welcome you to the organization. You'll receive a signing bonus and the next quest in the chain.
10 How-To FAQs About the Vanguard Flight Simulator
1. How to find the Simulator Admin Systems Keycard? You can find the keycard on a yellow toolbox underneath the flight simulator on the right side of the room. It's not a stolen item, so you can just pick it up.
2. How to use the debug console? Once you have the keycard, enter the simulator and start a wave. Then, get out of your pilot seat and go to the console inside the simulator. You'll now have access to a debug menu to activate buffs.
3. How to allocate power to my ship? Open your ship's power menu. You can use the D-pad on a controller or the arrow keys on a keyboard to move the power between your Engines, Weapons, Shields, and Grav Drive.
4. How to break a missile lock? Fly erratically and use your thrusters to change direction quickly. Boosting and using cover (like asteroids) can also help break the lock.
5. How to use the space station exploit? Fly into the framework of the abandoned space station and then exit your pilot seat. The enemy ships will crash into the station trying to reach you.
6. How to get a better ship for the simulator? You can't. The simulator provides you with a basic ship for the test. The only way to improve your ship's performance within the simulation is by using the debug console.
7. How to restart a tier in the simulator? If you fail a tier, you can use the console in the flight simulator to restart the current tier without having to go back to the beginning.
8. How to get the most credits from the simulator? To get the maximum signing bonus, you need to complete all six tiers of the simulation.
9. How to use my allied ships? If you spawn allied ships from the debug console, they will automatically engage the enemy. It's best to save them for the more difficult waves (Tier 5 and 6) to ensure they are available when you need the most help.
10. How to practice my piloting skills? The simulator is an excellent place to practice without any real risk. You can re-enter it at any time to hone your skills and try different tactics.
