// ITEMS
Stratum Field
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See the faction page for lore, voice, and standing details.
Shields
| Name | Tier | Level | Price | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stratum Bulwark Mk I | I | 1 | 1000 | Varath-spec shield. Lower capacity than Wayfarer equivalents but built with resistance layering that reduces kinetic impact. Preferred by Vanguard pilots. |
| Stratum Bulwark Mk II | II | 15 | 4800 | Mid-tier Varath shield. The resistance layering is a Stratum specialty — they build equipment that takes punishment, not just absorbs it. |
| Stratum Bulwark Mk III | III | 30 | 16000 | Combat-tier Varath shield. Slower regen than Meridian equivalents but the resistance profile makes sustained fire less effective against it. |
| Stratum Bulwark Mk IV | IV | 45 | 50000 | Upper-tier Varath shield. What it lacks in regen speed it compensates in raw resistance. A sustained engagement favors this over faster-regen alternatives. |
| Stratum Bulwark Mk V | V | 60 | 138000 | Endgame Varath shield. The composite resistance architecture has been quietly licensed to three other manufacturers. None of them have managed to replicate the full profile. |
Engines
| Name | Tier | Level | Price | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stratum Drive Mk I | I | 1 | 1100 | Varath-spec engine. Highest raw thrust in the entry tier. The warp efficiency is worse than Wayfarer, but Vanguard pilots aren't shopping for fuel savings. |
| Stratum Drive Mk II | II | 15 | 5200 | Mid-tier Varath engine. The boost duration at this mark is where Varath pilots start to feel the difference. Hard to outrun in a straight line. |
| DR-3 Plasma Drive | III | 30 | 10000 | Plasma injection system. Significant improvement over ion; preferred by combat pilots who can afford the maintenance. |
| Stratum Drive Mk III | III | 30 | 17500 | Combat-tier Varath engine. The Stratum Drive line is why Vanguard ships can close distance on anything they decide needs to stop moving. |
| DR-4 Fusion Drive | IV | 45 | 35000 | Compact fusion propulsion. High thrust-to-mass ratio. Stratum Corp's preferred engine for frontier extraction vessels. |
| Stratum Drive Mk IV | IV | 45 | 54000 | Upper-tier Varath engine. At this thrust level, a Vanguard in boost is not something most ships can outmaneuver before it closes to engagement range. |
| DR-5 Antimatter Drive | V | 60 | 100000 | Antimatter annihilation thrust. Military-adjacent technology; technically requires a permit in Varath core sectors. |
| Stratum Drive Mk V | V | 60 | 152000 | Endgame Varath engine. The speed gap between this and DR-5 is larger than the stat sheet suggests. Stratum builds for sustained high output, not just peak numbers. |
Reactors
| Name | Tier | Level | Price | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stratum Core Mk I | I | 1 | 1050 | Varath-spec reactor. Higher sustained output than baseline. The overclock path is why Vanguard deployable turrets keep firing when everything else runs dry. |
| Stratum Core Mk II | II | 15 | 5100 | Mid-tier Varath reactor. The overclock capability starts to differentiate from baseline PG units here. Sustained combat is where this pulls ahead. |
| Stratum Core Mk III | III | 30 | 17000 | Combat-tier Varath reactor. Long fights favor this. The sustained output advantage over Praxar Surge becomes clear past the two-minute mark. |
| Stratum Core Mk IV | IV | 45 | 52000 | Upper-tier Varath reactor. The Fortify deployable network that makes a Vanguard a walking fortification runs on this. It is not subtle. |
| Stratum Core Mk V | V | 60 | 145000 | Endgame Varath reactor. Stratum's industrial heritage shows here — this was designed for the kind of sustained output that capital ship combat demands. |
Scanners
| Name | Tier | Level | Price | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stratum Array Mk I | I | 1 | 900 | Varath-spec scanner. Standard tolerances; built for combat utility rather than deep-field survey. |
| Stratum Array Mk II | II | 15 | 4300 | Mid-tier Varath scanner. The target-lock acquisition time at this mark starts to matter in fleet engagements. |
| Stratum Array Mk III | III | 30 | 14500 | Combat-tier Varath scanner. Vanguard pilots use this to maintain target locks through evasive maneuvers that defeat lesser arrays. |
| Stratum Array Mk IV | IV | 45 | 44000 | Upper-tier Varath scanner. The Varath approach to scanning: see the target, lock the target, hit the target. All three are faster with this fitted. |
| Stratum Array Mk V | V | 60 | 122000 | Endgame Varath scanner. Built for capital-ship fleet coordination. The target-mesh output feeds a Vanguard's Fortify network directly. |
Weapons
| Name | Tier | Level | Price | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stratum Mk I | I | 1 | 1400 | Stratum's entry missile. Built to the same tolerances as their warp cells — overengineered for the tier. |
| Stratum Mk II | II | 15 | 4800 | Mid-tier standard missile. Stratum's manufacturing quality shows in the detonation consistency. |
| Stratum Precision Mk II | II | 15 | 3200 | Light Stratum missile for energy-constrained builds. Single warhead, tight detonation radius. |
| Stratum Mk III | III | 30 | 14000 | Combat-tier Stratum missile. The blast profile at this mark starts to affect grouped targets. |
| Stratum Mk IV | IV | 45 | 42000 | Upper-tier Stratum. Requires Varath corporate standing. Not available on the open market. |
| Stratum Mk V | V | 60 | 120000 | Top-line Stratum assault missile. The yield at this mark is classified. Stratum declines to elaborate. |
| Stratum Siege Mk V | V | 60 | 145000 | Stratum's maximum-yield missile. Rarely seen outside major fleet engagements. The blast radius test log reads like a damage report. |
Hull Plating
| Name | Tier | Level | Price | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stratum Armor Mk I | I | 1 | 1300 | Varath industrial plating. Heavy, uncomplicated, effective. Stratum does not pretend to elegance — they pretend to survival. |
| Stratum Armor Mk II | II | 15 | 5800 | Mid-tier Varath plating. The layered composite stops projectiles that punch through competitor hulls. |
| Stratum Armor Mk III | III | 30 | 19000 | Combat-tier Varath plating. Vanguard pilots use this as their standard hull fit — the resistance profile trivializes sustained kinetic fire. |
| Stratum Armor Mk IV | IV | 45 | 58000 | Upper-tier Varath plating. A Vanguard with this on and a Stratum Bulwark shield is built to take fire for the team. |
| Stratum Armor Mk V | V | 60 | 162000 | Endgame Varath plating. Stratum built this for the kind of fleet engagement where the last ship standing wins. It usually is theirs. |