Vanguard is an all-terrain experimental long range artillery mech, the pinnacle of ARMADA technologies.

Equipped with a heavy plasma cannon, they can outrange all mobile land units in the game, with the exception of its CORTEX counterpart - Catapult. The cannon shoots powerful plasma shells with high damage and area-of-effect, though with a long reload time (8 seconds). 

Vanguards are one of the most effective units at dismantling T2 defences, even a small group can quickly make an opening in the frontline. However, their slow movement and lack of effective close quarters weapons makes them vulnerable to raids with fast units.

Therefore, always make sure they are escorted by close-range support units, like Zeuses or Razorbacks, and some anti-air units. 

Vanguards are able to outrange most defences, with an exception of Annihilators, T2 coastal defence cannons, tactical nuke launchers, long range plasma cannons and Behemoths. However, their all-terrain capability and high-trajectory weapon option often lets them target those defences while staying covered by natural land barriers.