Star Citizen Perseus vs Retaliator: Heavy Gunship or Torpedo Bomber?

The RSI Perseus is a 100-meter heavy gunship built around four crew-operated Size 8 ballistic cannons. The Aegis Retaliator is a 70.5-meter modular combat ship that can carry six Size 9 torpedoes when equipped with both ordnance modules.

The Perseus attacks large ships with heavy direct-fire weapons, using S5 torpedoes as a secondary strike option. The Retaliator reverses that emphasis: its S9 torpedoes provide the heavy strike, while five manned turrets supply conventional gunfire and defensive coverage.

The distinction becomes important once the weapons are expended. A Perseus with ammunition remaining can continue applying heavy cannon fire after launching its torpedoes. A Retaliator that has fired all six S9 torpedoes must rely on its turret weapons until it rearms.

The Retaliator costs considerably less in the version-locked ship records, but buying the unladen hull is not the same as acquiring a fully equipped bomber. Its torpedo modules need to be accounted for separately.

Perseus vs Retaliator: Quick Comparison

Prices are dataset reference values, not verified September 18 pledge-store offers or complete configured-bomber prices.

The most consequential difference is not the number of weapons. It is how each ship delivers damage and what remains available after its primary ammunition has been used.

S8 Cannon Fire vs S9 Torpedo Strikes

The Perseus's four Medusas are its primary anti-ship weapons. The Alpha 4.10.0 data lists 900 rounds per S8 cannon. Both twin-gun turrets need operators, so the ship's heavy direct-fire capability depends on two gunners maintaining useful firing angles. The pilot can also launch its 20 loaded S5 torpedoes.

The Retaliator's defining attack is different. With both torpedo modules installed, it has six S9 torpedo slots. The pilot can conduct a torpedo attack without staffing all five manned gun turrets, but launching ordnance does not make those turrets pilot-controlled. Its ten S3 laser repeaters are distributed among the five gunner positions.

A direct-fire cannon and a guided torpedo also face different obstacles. The Perseus's gunners must hit their target and manage finite ballistic ammunition. A Retaliator crew must secure launch opportunities and account for defenses that can defeat or intercept incoming torpedoes. Neither a larger weapon-size number nor a theoretical damage figure establishes which ship will perform better in every engagement.

After a fully loaded Retaliator has launched six S9 torpedoes, it no longer has that heavy-strike option until it rearms. The Perseus can continue firing its Medusas after expending its loaded S5 torpedoes, provided its gunners still have cannon ammunition. This favors different mission rhythms: a concentrated torpedo attack versus repeated opportunities for heavy direct fire.

Retaliator Modules: The Detail That Changes the Buying Decision

The Retaliator's two modular bays are not cosmetic. CIG describes the base Retaliator as a flyable ship with five turrets but no equipment fitted to its two module positions. The bomber configuration adds torpedo-bay modules. CIG subsequently listed the torpedo and cargo rooms as part of the initial vehicle-modularity implementation for Alpha 3.23.1.

The versioned module records specify the torpedo arrangement:

The front and rear module records list four and two S9 slots, respectively. The base vehicle record has two module positions but no standard torpedo loadout.

Cargo modules are another available use of those spaces. Installing a cargo room in a bay means that bay is no longer carrying its torpedo room. A mixed configuration can preserve some torpedo capacity while making room for cargo; it should not be described as carrying six S9 torpedoes and both cargo rooms simultaneously.

This makes “Retaliator” an incomplete description of what a buyer receives. An unladen hull, a hull with one ordnance module, and a fully equipped bomber have different combat capabilities. Check the included modules on the specific ship or package rather than assuming the base-hull price purchases a six-torpedo bomber.

Crew: A Solo Strike Is Not a Fully Crewed Gunship

A solo Perseus pilot cannot fire the S8 main batteries under CIG's published default control arrangement. One additional player activates one twin-S8 turret; a pilot and two main gunners can operate all four Medusas. That three-player arrangement does not staff every secondary weapon or support position.

A torpedo-equipped Retaliator presents a different solo proposition: the pilot can launch its carried ordnance without occupying a manned gun turret. Once the torpedoes are gone—or if the ship has only its unladen modules—the pilot does not gain five turrets' worth of independent conventional gunfire. Each turret needs an operator to contribute its twin-S3 repeaters.

With three players aboard, a Retaliator can have a pilot and two turret gunners, leaving three of its five manned turrets unstaffed. The same headcount can operate both Perseus main batteries. That is a comparison of accessible weapon positions, not a claim that three players are sufficient to handle every engineering, damage-control, or defensive task on the Perseus.

The Retaliator's vehicle-data crew field should not be converted into a claim that every recorded onboard station must be occupied. For either ship, practical staffing depends on whether the immediate task is a torpedo run, sustained gunnery, or a longer operation requiring repairs and support.

Mobility and Defenses

The Retaliator is smaller and faster in the recorded flight data, while the Perseus has a substantially larger listed shield pool.

The Retaliator's higher SCM speed can help its pilot adjust position for a torpedo launch or leave an unfavorable approach. The Perseus's much larger shield pool supports a different role: remaining in a heavy-ship engagement while its gunners work to maintain hits.

Shield HP is not a direct survival-time comparison. Shield geometry, armor, incoming weapons, maneuvering, and damage response all affect what happens in a fight. Nor does the Retaliator's speed figure guarantee that it can escape a particular opponent. These are configuration and flight-data differences, not results from a controlled 4.10.1 duel.

The Perseus also carries six point-defense turrets in its recorded loadout. The Retaliator's standard vehicle record instead describes five manned twin-S3 turrets; it does not establish an equivalent automated point-defense network. That affects how much conventional defensive coverage depends on players being present.

PvE and PvP: What Happens Between Attacks?

For a short attack on a large target, the Retaliator's appeal is clear: a torpedo-equipped ship can bring S9 ordnance without first assembling five turret gunners. But six launch slots are a finite magazine. Whether all six torpedoes reach a target depends on the engagement, and the ship must rearm to repeat a full attack.

The Perseus offers another way to participate in large-target PvE. With its main turrets staffed, it can make repeated S8 firing passes and use its loaded S5 torpedoes as an additional option. It remains dependent on cannon ammunition, firing angles, and a crew willing to stay aboard for a longer engagement.

In PvP, a torpedo launch can force an opponent to respond, but a target's movement, countermeasures, and defensive fire complicate the attack. The Perseus does not face torpedo interception when firing its cannons, but its gunners still have to hit a moving opponent. Neither ship's weapon list proves a universal advantage against player-controlled targets.

The operational question is what your group does after the first attack. If the plan is to deliver a small number of heavy torpedoes and return to rearm, a configured Retaliator directly serves that task. If the plan calls for continued heavy-gun pressure and the group can supply two main gunners, the Perseus provides a distinct form of sustained combat. Those are role-based conclusions from the recorded configurations, not claims of measured 4.10.1 mission efficiency.

Price: Compare a Complete Combat Configuration

The Alpha 4.10.0 records list the Perseus at $800 MSRP and 39,690,000 aUEC. They list the unladen Retaliator hull at $275 MSRP and 7,541,100 aUEC. These are database reference prices, not independently verified September 18, 2026 pledge-store offers or 4.10.1 purchase transactions.

The Retaliator's lower hull price does not establish the total cost of a six-S9 bomber. The front and rear ordnance modules must be included with the acquisition or obtained separately. No verified, version-matched total for the hull plus both modules is available here, so assigning one would risk mixing price types or purchase methods.

Before buying either ship, check exactly what the listing includes. For the Retaliator, the decisive question is whether the package supplies both torpedo modules, just one, or neither.

Which Ship Fits Your Fleet?

Choose the Perseus if your regular group can field a pilot and two S8 gunners and wants to keep applying heavy direct fire against large targets. Its main battery remains useful after its loaded S5 torpedoes are spent, but the ship's defining weapons are unavailable to a solo pilot.

Choose a torpedo-equipped Retaliator if your priority is delivering a concentrated S9 strike without needing a full turret crew for the launch itself. Its smaller hull and higher recorded SCM speed suit a different operating pattern. The limitations are a six-torpedo loadout with both ordnance modules, the need to rearm for another full strike, and manned turrets that a solo pilot cannot simultaneously operate.

If a Retaliator's modular flexibility is part of the appeal, compare the actual package contents before comparing prices. An unladen hull and a fully configured bomber are not interchangeable purchases.

Explore Ship and Module Options

You can view the Perseus standalone ship or compare Retaliator module listings at LTI Hangar. Confirm the included hull, modules, insurance terms, and current availability on the individual listing.

LTI Hangar is a third-party marketplace, not the official RSI pledge store. CIG states that third-party pledge transactions are not authorized or supported by CIG and that it may be unable to assist if a transaction goes wrong. Review its Gifting FAQs before considering a third-party purchase.