Frontier Vanguard

The Frontier Vanguard is arguably the most powerful element of the Terran Mandate, an independent military force spearheaded by the Augments, heroes of the Occupation Wars. It operates a fleet of superheavy Motherships on the edge of known space, tasked with the exploration and exploitation of new worlds, ancient remains, and their technologies.

Vanguard Motherships
There are only a few Motherships in existence, but each represents the joint effort of all Mandate powers to push the boundaries of human technology and engineering. They are colonies onto their own, operating entire industrial complexes and scientific communities to single-handily explore new systems and establish a lasting Terran presence.

Each a unique and purpose-built vessel, the Motherships all specialize in certain tasks, such as the search for Lifeseeder artifacts, the exploration of settled worlds, or the unraveling of spatial phenomena. Their focus is reflected by their leaders, who are some of the last known augments in the Terran Mandate space.

Should an all-out war against the Confluence ever erupt, the Vanguard vessels would surely serve as the flagships under these heroes' command.

Successor to the Resistance
In many ways, the Frontier Vanguard is the successor of the Terran Resistance. While it is viewed with great skepticism by many, a circle of loyalist supporters in all Mandate powers will unlock considerable resources for the organization, provided it produces satisfactory results. Alongside the Augments, this elusive circle directs the movements and assignments of the Frontier Vanguard, pursuing plans beyond the purview of even high-ranking Mandate officials.

Far from the inner worlds, ships and bases of the Frontier Vanguard are a rare sight and have gained almost a mythical status themselves among Terran pioneers. But for hundreds of thousands, they are home. Often, the most ambitious minds and most disillusioned idealists of the Terran Mandate join the Frontier Vanguard, seeking to recapture the righteous fight associated with the days of the Resistance.

Terran Pioneers
The fruits of the Vanguard's labor are returned to the Terran Mandate in secrecy. Stories of technological breakthroughs, crippling blows against client species of the Confluence, discoveries of artifacts, and ancient knowledge all surface only months after they were achieved. Rarely are such successes attributed to the Frontier Vanguard directly.

In the public eye, the Vanguard is seen as an organization of ideals, misguided and obsolete to some, the only true future to others. To this day, it retains an undeniable attraction, drawing people to serve with the last heroes of the old wars, in pursuit of an ultimate victory.