The VZUS ambwe is specifically crafted for those long journeys on the trail of your next bounty. This small bounty hunting ship has full life support amenities for you and your captures. The ambwe’s onboard firepower is enough to make quick work of your cornered target. VZUS branded stealth features reduce overall energy output to fly under the radar and execute that surprise attack.

Find the VZUS ambwe on the Start Atlas Marketplace.

Manufactured by VZUS

VZUS is one of the 3 ship manufacturers that have firmly aligned themselves with a single major faction – in this case the USTUR. Their blueprints and designs are focused on mixture of military and stealth technology.

VZUS ships are made mainly of the resources that can be found in higher abundance in the USTUR faction space (Viscovite, Dodiline, Lithium). These materials translate into highly nimble thruster tech and top tier hull reinforcing pipelines.

If you ever want to build a VZUS ship yourself, you will need the according blueprint. How to get one? You will need to get in a manufacturer’s good graces. To get there, you will have to prove that both your interests are aligned and/or that you’re supporting them. In in-game terms, you will need to gain loyalty (aka reputation) with them, before they judge you worthy of building ships with their logo on them (accruing loyalty won’t be possible before the SCORE v1 and CREAM v1 modules have been released).

Gaining loyalty with VZUS requires completing their missions. To gain access to these missions, you will either have to be a member of the USTUR faction or you will need a faction passport. These passes function a little like real-world visas, allowing you to visit another factions’ territory and trade with them. More importantly, in this case, a faction pass will allow you to accept and complete missions for the manufacturers that are aligned to that faction. You can learn more about shipbuilding and blueprints in our in-depth guide.

Component overview of the VZUS Ambwe

None of the basic components such as the Power Supply, Impulse Engine, Warp Drive, Radar or Tractor Beam particularly stand out on the ambwe. All components are classified as “small” according to the size of the ship.

The situation is similar for the defensive components. The fighter is equipped with a small Shield Generator, Maneuvering Thruster and a Countermeasure unit. When it comes to hull strength, this is also categorized as “small”.

Even though the manufacturer’s description classifies the onboard firepower as “enough to make quick work of your cornered target” – the clue here is still probably “cornered”. 2 small Weapon Hardpoints and 2 x-small Weapon Hardpoints might not be enough to take out larger enemies.

So for juicier targets, an escort with more firepower might be needed. However, the ambwe does have a small Missile Bay.

Modules of the VZUS ambwe

When it comes to the modularity of the VZUS ambwe there is not much room for maneuver. The ship has exactly 1 single module. However, this includes probably the most important aspect: the small brig. Where else would you lock up your prey to deliver it safely?

According to our estimations, this module seems to be not only unique, but very few other ships are compatible in their possibilities to install a brig. What else would justify the ambwe’s “bounty hunter” role designation.

As the manufacturer’s description already revealed, the ambwe is supposed to have “VZUS branded stealth features”. However, neither stealth components nor modules can be found in the ship’s marketplace statistics.

Daniel Floyd, Star Atlas chief product officer, clarified that “barebone ships will have an energy output suppression factor baked in as well as the default components that come with it will have stealth class attributes assigned.”

Crew of the VZUS ambwe

As with the modules, there is little leeway with the crew: a single pilot is provided as crew. This makes the ambwe ideal for lonely wolf play in deep space.

However, this circumstance also means that only one crewmember collects experience points during the missions. Even smaller ships from the X-Small class like the Opal JetJet or the Pearce X5 still offer enough space for a co-pilot.

A fully equipped Generation 1 model

Remember that all ships bought through the GAO (Galactic Asset Offering), are delivered fully loaded. In later game stages, new ships will be barebone and only limited components are bespoke and fixed. So – you’re not only getting a Generation 1 model, but you’re also getting more bang for your buck!

However, the ships will still fully customizable. All the various modules can be changed/sold as needed as confirmed by Bunthius (Star Atlas CPO):  “The plan right now is that all GAO ships come with filled crew/component/module slots. You’ll be able to un-slot all these GAO filler items and sell them, and respec individually.”

Earning potential of the VZUS ambwe

If you’re wondering how much you can earn with your VZUS ambwe in Star Atlas, here are some facts:

Before Star Atlas releases the full game in the Unreal 5 engine, all players have the opportunity to participate in the browser game (called SCORE) with their ship NFTs to generate revenue (learn all the details about the Star Atlas mini game in our guide).

If the player provides his ship to his faction (ONI, MUD or Ustur), he will receive ATLAS, the in-game currency of Star Atlas, in return. This amount is measured by the VWAP (the “volume weighted average price” at which the ship was offered in the Galactic Asset Offering) of your ships. For the VZUS ambwe, the VWAP is $1,200 USDC.

So if you have the opportunity to buy this ship at a price below the VWAP, this could be a good deal for you (of course no financial or ship advice).