The Vanguard is the elite infantry unit of the Cartel.
Gameplay[]
Vanguards are incredibly deadly infantry units, with high durability, stealth, high close combat proficiency and decent speed. Aside from general benefits of health boosts and life insurance, Vanguards are able to capture enemy vehicles.
The only other stealth infantry in the entire game, Vanguards are much easier to use, as they only cost credits, can be built as soon as the Stealth Lab is ready, and are easy to amass. Their ability to capture banks are unmatched, as their stealth gives them a safe approach and they can quickly wipe out any infantry present in a building. When combined with Punishers to keep them topped up, Vanguards can then continue hold the bank and prevent the enemy from easily retaking it. Their speed and stealth makes them the ideal unit for capturing stray POWs and for performing recon to assist artillery units. Though stealth doesn't work when on structures, Vanguards tend to live long enough and fare much better than Contractors. The same can be said when used to steal enemy vehicles, with their stealth giving them a much higher success chance in practice as many vehicles lack stealth detection. Their high health and general efficiency can reach or exceed that of the Delta/FÉLIN, ensuring even outside of stealth, they can hold their own rather well.
In terms of weaknesses, it's suffice to say Vanguards would have been nothing outside of their stealth. The few stealth detection units of each faction usually have some way of dealing with Vanguards on their own, such as Delta, Jackal and Tigre, which Vanguards cannot take down as easily. Since stealth does not apply when they're inside a building, Vanguards can also be easily sniped if any anti-infantry specialists like SAS are around. While they are good forward scouts, Vanguards are still outclassed by specialized vehicles like Scout CGS since they cannot detect enemy stealth units, and are of limited use to even ambush enemies, let alone direct action. This sometimes makes their high cost a little difficult to justify, as for the price of 4 Contractors there could have been so much more. In spite of their obvious weaknesses, however, Vanguards remain highly viable with their utility as an infantry unit.
Upgrades[]
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Life Insurance Refunds half of a Cartel infantry unit's production cost when it is destroyed. Costs
 1000. Researched at HQ. Requires Barracks & Prison Module. |
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PsyOps Training Grants Contractors and Vanguards the ability to assault and capture enemy vehicles. Costs
1500 and  500. Requires Black Ops. |
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Nanofibers Jackets Costs
500. Researched at the stealth lab. Increases the Vanguard's hitpoints. |
Quotes[]
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When selected[]
- Your problem requires some delicacy?
- Optical camouflage activated!
- Whatever you want.
- Vanguard, good to go.
- Anything you want!
When Attacking[]
- I'm taking my shot!
- Don't try running, you'll only die tired!
- Let's give 'em hell!
When Moving[]
- Blending into the shadows!
When Capturing A POW[]
- I normally don't take prisoners!
When Ordered To Get In[]
- How nice of you to give us a ride!
When A Target Has Been Eliminated[]
- Target eliminated, nice and clean!
When Under Attack[]
- I'll Survive!
Trivia[]
- Vanguards are a direct successor to the Optical Camo Soldier used by the Consortium in Act of War.
- The fact that Vanguards and Spectre require the Stealth Lab is a reference to how the Optical Camo Soldier and Akula both require the Stealth Armor Lab to be produced.
- In When the Wolves Howl, it's implied that Vanguards' stealth are powered by nanotech.
- The Vanguard and Shershen are tied with the highest credit costs for all infantry units at
600.
See Also[]
 Cartel Operation Eclipse Arsenal | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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