Gunship MK-II
The Gunship MK-II is the archetype of sustained combat power in the mid-tier of CONTRABAND: Edge of the Fold. Where the Skiff sidesteps damage and the Strike Fighter avoids it with speed, the Gunship simply eats it. With 200 HP and 150 shield it has the highest combined durability of any Rare-tier hull, offset by speed and agility both below 1.0 — the first hull in the game where the pilot is slower than the average opponent. In combat, the Gunship is happy to take hits; in every other context, it is slow and cumbersome.
The MK-II designation indicates this is the second production generation. The original Gunship MK-I was discontinued decades before the game after a series of structural failures; the MK-II addresses those flaws with reinforced framing at the cost of additional mass. A few original MK-I hulls still exist in private collections and occasionally appear in the used market, but most players will only ever see the MK-II.
Strategy and role
The Gunship MK-II excels in one context: single-target sustained combat. It is the ship you bring to a boss fight. Against the Scourge Dreadnought — the boss-class enemy that unlocks the Giant-Slayer achievement — the Gunship's durability and twin-cannon damage output make it the most reliable hull below the Epic tier. Against fast, evasive enemies (Interceptors, Phantoms, Fold Echoes), the Gunship struggles: its low agility means the enemy hits first and strikes its weakest statistic.
Abilities:
- Twin Cannons (enhanced) — Higher damage than the Raider version. Fires twice per activation.
- Overcharge — Next attack deals +50% damage. Stacks with Kairos's damage bonus for devastating alpha strikes.
- Sustained Fire — Deals low damage every turn for three turns automatically while allowing the pilot to use other abilities in parallel. Unique to Gunship.
- Heavy Plating — +30 HP regeneration over next three turns. Two uses per combat.
How to acquire
The Gunship MK-II is sold at most major Core Worlds shipyards: Verge Station, Tellen's Rest, and Core-aligned Keros outposts. It is not sold in Weaver or unaligned space. Used Gunships occasionally appear in the Scourge Reach border markets, often with minor salvage modifications from previous Scourge encounters — these modifications can be removed at a Core Worlds shipyard for a small fee, or kept as cosmetic oddities that grant a minor psychological intimidation bonus on other pilots (mechanical effect: -5cr discount on Core Worlds market negotiations from sellers who notice the scars).
Upgrade path
The Gunship MK-II upgrades naturally to the Assault Frigate (120,000cr Epic), which preserves the durability doctrine while gaining military-grade weapon arrays. From there, the Capital Warship (450,000cr Legendary) is the endgame continuation for pilots committed to the heavy-hull playstyle. Players less willing to spend legendary money can stay on the Gunship through Chapter 3 without significant disadvantage — its durability curve holds up remarkably well against scaled-up enemy encounters.
Best crew pairings
- Kairos (Gunner) — +15% damage on the twin-cannon attack is monstrous. Combined with Overcharge, a Gunship-Kairos build one-shots most Rare-tier enemies.
- Brood-7 (Engineer) — +10 HP per jump compounds the Gunship's durability advantage. Makes the ship nearly unkillable.
- Veth the Defector — +25% Scourge damage on the Gunship makes it the premier Scourge-killer in the game below the Epic tier.
Lore and design notes
The Gunship MK-II's model file (Spaceship (5).glb) shows an angular, blocky silhouette with visible armor plating and prominent weapon pods. This is design-by-intimidation: the ship looks like a threat from any angle. Core Worlds patrol fleets often deploy Gunships specifically for this visual effect, even in contexts where the Gunship's combat profile is overkill. A single Gunship parked at a contested trade hub is worth three Interceptors in terms of deterrent presence.
Flying a Gunship MK-II triggers a unique Chapter 3 side quest if the player visits Keros-2: a retired Gunship pilot named Oren offers to teach the player a hidden ability called "Bulwark Stance" in exchange for a successful delivery of medical supplies. The ability reduces incoming damage by 75% for one turn but locks out all offensive abilities — a defensive capstone that no other ship can learn.
Comparison with other Rare-tier ships
The Gunship MK-II has the highest HP in the Rare tier but the lowest speed and agility. Against the Weaver Skiff (similar price), the Gunship wins straight slugfests but loses to evasion-based Skiffs. Against the Corvette (78,000cr), the Gunship has more HP but less versatility. Against the Strike Fighter (68,000cr), it is the opposite profile — Gunship is "take hits and return them," Strike Fighter is "avoid hits and deliver them precisely."