Star Citizen Perseus Weapons Guide: S8 Guns, Torpedoes & Combat Strategy

The RSI Perseus is built around four Size 8 Medusa ballistic cannons split between two manned turrets, but the released ship has a much deeper weapon package than its main guns alone suggest.

Current Alpha 4.10 data gives it eight S3 Mantis Gatlings, six automated M2C "Swarm" point-defense turrets, and two Size 5 torpedo racks carrying 20 Reaper V torpedoes. CIG's current Perseus Q&A confirms another 20 S5 torpedoes can be stored aboard and manually transferred to the launchers, giving the ship a maximum carried capacity of 40.

The weapon layers have different jobs. The S8s provide sustained heavy direct fire. The S5 torpedoes create a separate strike option. The S3 Gatlings help cover faster threats, while the PDT network protects the ship against incoming ordnance and other high-speed dangers.

For the complete ship overview — including cargo, crew, price, engineering, and current acquisition — see the Star Citizen Perseus Guide. This page focuses specifically on how the released weapon system works.

Perseus Weapons at a Glance

Weapon SystemCurrent Alpha 4.10 LoadoutPrimary Purpose
Main battery	4 × S8 RSI Medusa ballistic cannons	Heavy direct fire against large targets
Main-turret secondary guns	4 × S3 Mantis GT-220 Gatlings	Supplemental fire / faster targets
Remote weapons	4 × S3 Mantis GT-220 Gatlings	Secondary defensive coverage
Point defense	6 × M2C "Swarm" laser PDTs	Incoming ordnance / high-speed threat defense
Loaded torpedoes	20 × S5 Reaper V	Guided heavy ordnance
Reserve torpedoes	20 × S5 storage capacity	Manual launcher replenishment
Maximum S5 capacity	40	20 loaded + 20 reserve

CIG summarizes the released armament as four S8 cannons, eight S3 Gatling guns, two S5 torpedo launchers, and six PDTs.

That structure is more important than the raw weapon count. The Perseus does not attempt to make every weapon equally useful against every target. Its main battery is highly specialized, while the smaller systems exist to keep that specialization from leaving the ship completely exposed elsewhere.

S8 Medusa Cannons: The Weapons That Define the Perseus

The four RSI Medusa Cannons are bespoke Size 8 ballistic weapons and the main reason the Perseus exists as a Heavy Gunship.

They are arranged as:

• 2 × S8 Medusas in the upper manned turret

• 2 × S8 Medusas in the lower manned turret

Current version-locked Medusa data lists each cannon with:

Medusa StatAlpha 4.10 Value
Size	S8
Type	Ballistic Cannon
Ammunition	900 rounds
Rate of fire	50 RPM
Alpha damage	5,400
Listed burst DPS	4,500
Projectile speed	1,016 m/s
Listed item-data range	9,703 m

These are game-data values, not a guarantee that a gunner will produce 4,500 DPS at nearly ten kilometers in a real engagement.

Target movement, firing angle, projectile travel time, turret tracking, pilot positioning, server conditions, and the target's defenses all affect practical output.

The useful numbers for gameplay planning are simpler.

Each shot hits hard. Each gun carries finite ammunition. Four guns can produce a substantial salvo if both turrets can maintain a firing solution.

If all four Medusas land one synchronized shot, their combined listed alpha is 21,600 physical damage before target-side mitigation and other combat effects.

That is why the Perseus benefits from disciplined target selection rather than simply firing at whatever appears first.

900 Rounds Per Gun Changes How You Should Think About the S8s

Each Medusa currently carries 900 rounds.

That is enough ammunition to give the Perseus sustained gunship capability rather than making the main battery a tiny magazine reserved for a handful of attacks. At the same time, the guns remain ballistic.

Every missed S8 shot consumes a round that eventually has to be replaced.

The current data also models weapon heat, so the 900-round magazine should not be interpreted as permission to hold the trigger indefinitely without considering firing rhythm.

For the crew, ammunition management becomes a target-priority problem.

Large, slow ships give the gunners more opportunity to turn each shot into useful damage.

Small, agile targets ask the S8 gunners to spend finite ammunition on difficult firing solutions.

CIG's own role description matches that trade-off: the Perseus is intended to engage larger, slower targets, while the Hammerhead is the more dedicated anti-fighter platform.

If fighter screening is the deciding requirement for your fleet rather than heavy direct fire, the Perseus vs Hammerhead comparison examines that difference in detail.

How the Main S8 Turrets Change Combat

The Medusas are not fixed pilot-controlled nose guns.

Both large batteries are independently aimed from manned turret positions. CIG contrasts this directly with weapons such as the Idris's fixed main cannon: the Perseus does not need to rotate its entire hull every time a gunner needs to adjust aim.

That changes the pilot's job.

The pilot should think less like the operator of a giant fighter cannon and more like the person creating firing geometry for two separate heavy batteries.

Good positioning can:

• keep a large target inside one or both turret arcs;

• reduce how aggressively the gunners need to chase the target;

• manage range while preserving usable angles;

• limit exposure to threats the Perseus does not want to fight directly.

The turrets still have physical firing limitations. "Turreted" does not mean every gun can shoot through the hull or cover every direction at once.

The important advantage is that the guns can aim independently of the ship's exact nose direction.

That gives the Perseus more freedom to maneuver while maintaining direct-fire pressure.

Who Controls the Perseus Weapons?

Weapon control is divided across several crew positions.

CIG's current layout states:

• the pilot can fire the torpedoes;

• the pilot also has slaved control of the upper remote turret;

• the copilot can control the upper remote turret from the copilot seat;

• another gunner controls the lower remote turret;

• the upper S8 main turret requires a seated gunner;

• the lower S8 main turret requires a seated gunner.

This is why three players are such an important combat breakpoint for the ship.

A pilot plus two main-turret gunners can activate all four Medusas. Additional crew can then cover secondary weapons, engineering, and other combat tasks.

The Perseus Crew Guide breaks down what actually changes at one, two, three, four, five, and six players.

For a weapons-focused crew, the basic priority is straightforward: keep both S8 seats occupied whenever the main target justifies heavy fire.

Eight S3 Mantis Gatlings Add the Faster-Firing Layer

The released Perseus carries eight S3 Mantis GT-220 ballistic Gatlings.

Four are attached to the two large manned turret assemblies — two per main turret.

Another four form the ship's upper and lower remote secondary weapon layer.

Current Alpha 4.10 Mantis data lists:

• 4,314 rounds per gun

• 1,600 RPM

• 32 alpha damage

• 853.3 listed burst DPS

• 2,398 m listed range

• 1,332 m/s projectile speed

These guns solve a different problem from the Medusas.

Their high rate of fire and faster projectile speed are better suited to smaller or more mobile targets than the slow-firing S8 cannons. They also allow the main-turret gunners to contribute smaller-caliber fire without spending a Medusa round on every target.

The eight S3s do not make the Perseus an anti-fighter specialist.

Their placement, control assignments, and firing arcs still matter, and not every S3 can simultaneously fire at the same target.

They instead provide a defensive and supplemental weapon layer around a ship whose main guns remain optimized for much heavier opponents.

Six PDTs Give the Perseus Automated Point Defense

The released design added six point-defense turrets around the hull.

Current Alpha 4.10 data identifies the installed weapon as the M2C "Swarm", an S1 laser point-defense turret.

The current item description specifically frames the M2C around detecting and engaging incoming missiles, torpedoes, and other high-speed threats. It uses energy fire rather than a finite ballistic magazine.

That is an important part of the Perseus's defensive design.

A ship carrying heavy ballistic guns and a large torpedo magazine does not want its crew spending every moment manually responding to incoming ordnance. Automated PDTs add another defensive layer while human gunners remain focused elsewhere.

They should not be confused with the Hammerhead's anti-fighter turret network.

Six small PDTs can help protect the Perseus from incoming threats. They do not turn it into a ship built to dominate fighter swarms.

CIG still distinguishes the roles clearly: Hammerhead for anti-fighter work; Perseus for larger, slower targets.

The Perseus Has 20 Loaded S5 Torpedoes, Not 40 Ready to Fire

The Perseus torpedo count is one of the easiest specifications to misunderstand.

Current Alpha 4.10 vehicle data shows:

• Missile Count: 20

• 2 × S5 torpedo racks

• 10 Reaper V torpedoes in each rack

• 20 S5 torpedoes currently loaded

CIG's 2026 Q&A confirms another two storage rooms adjacent to the launcher area can carry 20 additional S5 torpedoes.

Those reserve weapons must be manually loaded onto the launchers.

The correct current interpretation is therefore:

20 loaded + 20 reserve = 40 maximum carried capacity.

It is not forty uninterrupted launches from the pilot seat, and the reserve torpedoes should not be added to the current vehicle-data Missile Count.

That distinction becomes important during long operations. A crew can carry twice the launcher capacity, but accessing the second half of the magazine creates physical crew work inside the ship.

The same mechanic is one reason additional crew continue to matter after both S8 turrets are already staffed.

Current Reaper V Torpedo Performance

The current standard loadout uses Reaper V Size 5 torpedoes.

Version-locked Alpha 4.10 item data lists:

Reaper V StatCurrent Value
Size	S5
Tracking	Electromagnetic
Damage	15,500 physical
Lock range	2,000–30,000 m
Listed maximum range	33,600 m
Arm time	2 seconds
Flight speed	560 m/s

Those figures help explain why the torpedoes and Medusas should not be treated as interchangeable ways of doing the same thing.

The Reaper can threaten a target well beyond normal gun engagement distance and does not require a turret gunner to fire — the pilot can launch it.

It can also be intercepted.

CIG specifically highlights this contrast when discussing the Perseus's main battery: the S8 cannon rounds do not have a torpedo minimum-range requirement and cannot be intercepted by point-defense systems in the same way guided ordnance can.

That gives the ship two distinct heavy-attack options.

Guns vs Torpedoes: When Each Weapon Layer Makes Sense

The Perseus does not need to choose permanently between being a gunship and a torpedo ship.

The more useful approach is to treat the torpedoes as a tactical layer around the S8 batteries.

A torpedo can make sense when:

• the target is still outside useful gun range;

• the target presents a favorable lock;

• forcing defensive reactions has tactical value;

• the crew wants another damage source while closing distance;

• a damaged target presents a worthwhile finishing opportunity.

The S8s become more attractive when:

• the Perseus has established a stable firing position;

• both gunners can maintain useful angles;

• point defense makes additional torpedo expenditure unattractive;

• the fight moves too close for guided ordnance to be the preferred solution;

• the crew wants sustained pressure rather than another missile attempt.

This is also where the Polaris comparison becomes relevant.

The Polaris builds much more of its offensive identity around S10 capital torpedoes, while the Perseus centers itself on turreted direct fire and uses S5 ordnance as a secondary layer.

The Perseus vs Polaris comparison covers that strategic difference without turning this weapons guide into another full ship comparison.

Target Priority Matters More Than Raw DPS

The Perseus's weapon package rewards crews that decide what not to shoot with the Medusas.

A large multicrew ship, sub-capital target, heavy support vessel, or other slow target gives the S8 gunners time to land meaningful ballistic hits.

A light fighter moving aggressively across the firing arc presents a very different problem.

The smaller weapon layers exist partly to prevent the ship from having to solve every threat with S8 ammunition.

A useful weapon-priority framework is:

S8 Medusas: preserve them for targets that justify heavy ballistic fire.

S3 Mantises: use them for faster targets and supplemental pressure where their higher fire rate is more appropriate.

PDTs: let the automated layer handle the incoming threats it is designed to intercept.

S5 torpedoes: use them when guided ordnance creates an advantage that direct gunfire does not.

That is a stronger approach than simply telling every gunner to engage whichever target is closest.

The Perseus Is Ballistic-Heavy, So Resupply Is Part of the Weapon System

Almost every manually operated gun on the current Perseus loadout is ballistic.

The four Medusas have finite 900-round magazines.

The eight Mantises have finite 4,314-round ammunition capacities.

The Reaper V torpedoes are finite ordnance.

Only the six M2C point-defense guns use an energy-based weapon system.

That means the Perseus cannot treat extended combat as an unlimited firing exercise.

A crew that fires every weapon at every possible contact will eventually turn the ship's strongest features into a resupply problem.

This does not mean ammunition should be hoarded to the point that the ship stops doing its job. It means the weapons should be matched to targets.

The ownership impact is covered more broadly in the Perseus Review, but the weapon-specific lesson is simple:

accuracy and target selection preserve combat endurance.

A missed S8 round and a wasted S5 torpedo both have a logistics consequence after the fight.

A Practical Engagement Sequence

There is no single official combat rotation for the Perseus. The following is an editorial framework based on the current weapon layout rather than CIG doctrine.

1. Identify the target worth the S8 ammunition

The main gunners should know which ship is their priority before several different contacts begin pulling their attention apart.

2. Decide whether the torpedoes add value before closing

The pilot has direct access to the S5 launchers. A torpedo attack can force a response or add pressure while the Perseus approaches, but firing ordnance into strong point-defense coverage may simply spend ammunition.

3. Position for both main turrets

The pilot's most valuable contribution once the heavy guns are required is giving both S8 gunners workable geometry.

A position where only one main battery can contribute leaves half of the defining gun system unused.

4. Use the S3 layer against faster threats

The Mantises have a much higher rate of fire than the Medusas and are better matched to targets that do not justify repeated S8 shots.

5. Let the PDT layer perform its defensive role

The point-defense system is designed to reduce the crew's workload against incoming ordnance and other appropriate high-speed threats.

6. Reassess ammunition before the next engagement

A Perseus carrying reserve torpedoes still needs someone to reload them physically. A ship with heavily depleted Medusa magazines may have less combat endurance than its hull and shields suggest.

The weapon system therefore shapes not only the fight itself but how long the ship can remain useful before resupply.

PvE Weapon Use

PvE gives the Perseus crew a relatively controlled environment for learning its weapon layers.

Against larger AI ships, the two Medusa gunners can work on maintaining hits while the pilot learns which positioning keeps both batteries useful.

Torpedoes provide another attack option without requiring the pilot to give up flight control. Smaller hostile ships can be handled with the S3 layer while PDTs provide automated protection against appropriate incoming threats.

The ship becomes less weapon-efficient when every target is small.

In that environment the crew is carrying four S8 cannons, reserve torpedoes, and a large ballistic magazine for a problem that may be better solved by a ship with faster anti-fighter weapons.

That does not stop the Perseus from participating. It simply means its most valuable weapons are not being used against the targets they were built around.

PvP Weapon Use

PvP makes coordination between pilot and gunners more important.

Human pilots are more likely to move out of favorable arcs, exploit range, pressure the Perseus with smaller ships, or force the crew to change target priorities.

The S8 turrets are dangerous when they can maintain hits on a substantial target, but their projectile travel time means the crew cannot assume that a theoretical range figure equals a practical hit range against every player-controlled ship.

Torpedoes face their own problem: active counterplay and point defense.

This makes a mixed fleet valuable. Fighters and anti-fighter ships can limit pressure on the Perseus while the S8 gunners concentrate on the larger threat they were brought to attack.

The weapons guide and the Perseus vs Hammerhead comparison arrive at the same conclusion from different directions: the Perseus has defensive tools against fighters, but those tools do not redefine its primary combat role.

What Happened to the Planned Custom Perseus Ammunition?

Older Perseus discussions sometimes mention selectable ammunition types for the main cannons.

That comes from the December 2020 concept Q&A.

At the time, the Perseus was still a concept ship with S7 main guns. CIG said those planned bespoke S7 ballistics were intended to have customizable ammunition types.

That statement should now be treated as historical design intent, not a description of the current released weapon system.

The production Perseus uses S8 Medusa Cannons, and current Alpha 4.10 version-locked data exposes the present ballistic weapon and ammunition profile. The 2026 release-era Q&A confirms the S8 upgrade but does not state that selectable HE/AP-style ammunition is currently implemented.

Until current Live mechanics explicitly support such ammunition switching, it should not be presented as an available Perseus feature.

This is one of the clearest examples of why old concept information should not be mixed into current weapon guides without qualification.

Can the Perseus Main Guns Be Pilot-Controlled?

Not under the current Alpha 4.10 control layout.

The pilot can launch torpedoes and has slaved control of the upper remote turret.

The two main S8 turrets require players seated in those turret positions by default.

That means a solo Perseus cannot access its four Medusa cannons from the pilot seat.

For the complete staffing implications — including exactly what changes with one, two, three, four, five, and six players — see the Perseus Crew Guide.

Final Verdict

The Perseus weapon system works because its layers have different responsibilities.

The four S8 Medusas are the centerpiece: hard-hitting, turreted ballistic cannons intended to pressure heavy targets without depending on missile guidance or point-defense penetration.

The eight S3 Mantises give the crew a faster-firing secondary layer.

Six automated PDTs help protect the hull from incoming ordnance and other high-speed threats.

The two S5 launchers carry 20 Reaper V torpedoes in the current loadout, while another 20 can be stored aboard and manually transferred for a maximum carried capacity of 40.

The most effective Perseus crew is therefore not simply the crew that fires the most ammunition.

It is the crew that knows which weapon should solve which problem.

Use the Medusas where their heavy hits matter. Let the S3s handle targets better suited to high-rate ballistic fire. Treat the PDTs as a defensive layer rather than a replacement for an escort. Use torpedoes when they create a tactical advantage instead of launching them simply because forty can be carried.

That discipline is what turns the Perseus from a large collection of weapons into a coherent Heavy Gunship.

Compare Current Perseus Options

Players who already know the Perseus weapon and crew model fits their fleet can view current third-party Perseus listings on LTI Hangar.

Marketplace note: LTI Hangar listings are third-party offers rather than official RSI pledge-store transactions. CIG states that third-party or grey-market pledge transactions are not authorized, supported, or condoned by CIG, and it does not provide transaction protection when third-party trades go wrong.

FAQ

How many S8 guns does the Perseus have?

The Perseus has four S8 RSI Medusa ballistic cannons. Two are mounted in the upper manned turret and two in the lower manned turret.

How much ammo do the Perseus S8 guns carry?

Each Medusa currently carries 900 rounds in Alpha 4.10. Across four guns, the complete main battery carries 3,600 S8 rounds.

Can the Perseus pilot fire the S8 guns?

No. Both large S8 turrets require seated players by default. The pilot can launch torpedoes and use slaved control of the upper remote turret.

How many torpedoes does the Perseus carry?

The current vehicle loadout contains 20 S5 Reaper V torpedoes in the two launch racks. Another 20 can be stored in adjacent reserve rooms and manually loaded, giving the ship a maximum carried capacity of 40.

What torpedoes does the Perseus currently use?

The Alpha 4.10 standard loadout uses S5 Reaper V torpedoes with electromagnetic tracking.

Does the Perseus have anti-fighter weapons?

Yes. It has eight S3 Mantis Gatlings and six PDTs in addition to the S8 main guns. Those systems improve defense against smaller threats, but CIG still defines the Perseus around attacking larger, slower targets rather than serving as a dedicated anti-fighter gunship.

Does the Perseus have point defense?

Yes. The released ship has six M2C "Swarm" point-defense turrets. Current item data describes the system as an automated laser defense against incoming missiles, torpedoes, and other high-speed threats.

Can the Perseus currently switch between HE and armor-piercing S8 ammunition?

Current Alpha 4.10 data does not establish that as a live feature. Customizable ammunition was discussed for the old S7 concept weapons in 2020, before the released ship moved to S8 Medusa Cannons.