The Vanguard-class Heavy Gunship is an assault vessel that was first manufactured by the Corellian Engineering Corporation shortly before the rise of the Galactic Empire. It packs an enormous amount of firepower for its size and was designed by CEC to be a long-range tactical assault craft capable of busting open capital ships. The solid design incorporates several redundant systems that allow the Vanguard to stay in the fight even after taking heavy damage.
While its heavy armament and redundancy are the most successful traits of the Vanguard, it has also proven to be its major downfall in the marketplace. The overabundance of weapons and the redundant systems necessitate at least six crewmembers to get peak performance out of the ship as well as an additional six to man the back-up systems. Since the mission profile for the Vanguard of going up against capital ships is highly dangerous, most buyers can’t see the cost-effectiveness of risking twelve lives on one ship when those same twelve could be used as a starfighter squadron and provide more versatility.
While the Vanguard never got the attention it deserved when it was first introduced during the waning years of the Galactic Republic, it eventually gained a loyal following after the Empire took power and Vanguards can be found in many planetary defense fleets. The ship has also found a place in the galactic underworld, both as a part of criminal enterprises and as vessel for mercenary teams and bounty hunters.
The most famous Vanguard-class is likely the Final Shot, which became involved in several battles during the War of Darkness.