Supra et Ultra is the first UC Vanguard faction mission in Starfield. Starting this mission will complete the activity Speak to John Tuala.
Quick Walkthrough[]
- Register for the Vanguard
- (Optional) Explore the Orientation Hall
- Proceed to the Vanguard Exam
- Enter the piloting simulator
- Speak to Commander Tuala
- Follow Commander Tuala
- Speak to Commander Tuala
Detailed Walkthrough[]
After speaking to Commander Tuala about signing up for the UC Vanguard, proceed into the elevator behind the MAST Resource Officer to enter the Vanguard Orientation Hall. Within the registration area, activate any Vanguard Registration computer. If you (the Spacefarer) has any bounties, pay them the consent to risking “your life” for the United Colonies.
Once the initial registration is complete, travel down the hallway. If desired, complete the optional stage of exploring the Orientation Hall by pushing the buttons on the displays on each side of the corridor. Doing so will reveal details on the history of humanity leaving Earth along with the United Colonies. The background story is narrated by the United Colonies - so take it with a grain of salt and consult multiple sources for a more well-rounded version of the story. Constellation companions will have comments throughout listening to this narrated history.
Upon reaching the end of the hall, enter the Vanguard Exam Center. From here, climb the stairs immediately to the left and turn left to enter the simulator pod. Before entering the simulation, you can talk to Proctor Samuelson for more details on the simulation along with some helpful hints. If you walk over to pod #2 and speak with the vanguard applicant, they will also give a few helpful hints/spoilers about ways you can make your life easier during the simulation. Before or after completing the simulation, you can find a skill magazine in the room opposite simulation pod 2 - see the Notes/Trivia section for the specific location.
Once in the pod, sit in the pilot's seat to initiate the examination, which involves defeating the first three waves of ships of a six wave simulation. Once the three waves have been defeated, either exit the pilot's seat or attempt the remaining waves. The pilot's seat must be exited to continue mission progress.
There are multiple ways to improve your success rate in waves 4-6 of the simulator. Waves 1-3 are generally easy and don't require any modifications to the default ship. However, for waves 4-6 (specifically waves 5 and 6), using the debug terminal is vital:
- Access the terminal on your ship, and use the menu “Debug tools”:
- Shield upgrade — upgrades your shields by one tier
- Damage upgrade — upgrades your weapons systems by one tier
- Generate ally (1) — generates one ally ship to assist you
- You can also digipick into the “Authorized users only” section of the terminal for two additional options:
- Infinite upgrades (any upgrades you made persist between tiers)
- Generate debug ally (generates an additional ally — you can have a maximum 2 allies using this option and the option from the previous menu)
On exiting the simulator, Exam Proctor Samuelson will direct the Spacefarer up the elevator to Commander Tuala, where he will review your final score and give you your probationary assignment. Commander Tuala will review your results based on several factors:
- Dedication of the orientation hall
- Physical exam
- Flight test
After his review, the opportunity will be given to change one's decision to become part of the UC Vanguard. If the decision is made, John will ask the Spacefarer to follow them, leading down the steps away from the MAST Building towards the wall overlooking the ramp to the NAT Station. Here the final affirmation is made and the motto of the Vanguard “Supra et Ultra” (Above and Beyond) is learned. Finally, John will give the Spacefarer their first official task as part of the Vanguard - a "routine" comms repair on Tau Ceti II.
Notes/Trivia[]
- Commander Tuala will comment on your physiological exam (vital signs).
- He has a specific comment if you are Starborn, stating "You get your kicks flying too close to stars? Because you're giving off some... interesting radiation. Don't worry though. It's not going to affect your score. It's just, uh, different, is all."
- Commander Tuala will have comments depending on if you did multiple things, including: Review every mural in the orientation hall, check if you accessed the debug tools, and a unique comment dependent on which tier you reached in the simulator.
- The reason you may want to try to complete waves 4-6 is that you will receive an additional bonus on joining the Vanguard (this is revealed in a conversation with the Proctor).
- Remember to pick up the skill magazine Vanguard Space Tactics 01 from the Vanguard Exam Center. You can find this magazine near flight simulator #2 — in the room marked "Authorized personnel only” opposite the flight simulator.
- If you pass Tier 6, the exam proctor will have some unique dialogue:
- "Haven't seen someone clear Tier 6 in some time. The Vanguard needs skills like those.”
- If you pass, the Vanguard applicant NPC outside the flight simulator #2 will have one line of unique dialogue reflecting your passing.
- "Wait did you... did you actually pass? Well if you can do it, I can... after I gather my thoughts.”
- During the flight simulator, there seems to be a hidden mission titled “Vanguard Piloting Exam” which does not show up in the actual quest log but will be active during the piloting exam.
- Constellation companions will have some unique dialogue if you pass Tier 6. They will also have some unique dialogue with John Tuala when he is discussing the agreement to join the Vanguard.
Rewards[]
- Levelled credits (Dependent on both how you did on the exam + your character level)
- 250 XP