You're sitting in the pilot's seat of an Anvil Hurricane, staring through the struts at a target that’s about to have a very bad day. It’s cramped. It’s loud. It feels like you’re strapped to a pair of oversized engines with a massive turret glued to the top. If you’ve spent any time in the Verse lately, you’ve probably seen these things buzzing around Orison or terrorizing Bounty Assessment missions. But when people ask, "Is the Hurricane good?" they aren't usually looking for a simple yes or no. They want to know if it's worth the 1.2 million aUEC or the real-world pledge.
Honestly, the Hurricane is a glass cannon that demands a friend.
If you're flying this solo, you're basically flying a worse version of an Arrow or a Gladius. You lose the agility and you’re missing 75% of your potential damage output because that massive remote turret is just sitting there, cold and useless. But the moment you bring a co-pilot into the mix? The math changes instantly. It stops being a mediocre heavy fighter and turns into a terrifying orbital delete button.
Why the Hurricane Dominates the Current Meta
The Hurricane has been a staple of the Star Citizen meta for years now, and for good reason. Anvil Aerospace designed this ship with one specific philosophy: "Who needs armor when you have six guns?"
The Turret Factor
The heart of the ship is the Size 4 remote turret. In Star Citizen's current flight model, turrets are incredibly powerful because they have their own independent capacitors. While the pilot is maneuvering and managing their own energy, the gunner is consistently laying down fire. When you've got two Size 4 weapons (usually Rhino Repeaters or AD4Bs) being manned by a human who doesn't have to worry about where the nose of the ship is pointing, you become a nightmare for light fighters.
The pilot gets two Size 4 hardpoints on the nose. Most people swap these out for gimbaled Size 3s if they aren't confident in their aim, but "pro" pilots stick to fixed Size 4s. That gives the ship a combined DPS that can melt a Cutlass Black in seconds. It’s brutal. It’s efficient.
Agility vs. Durability
Don't let the "Heavy Fighter" label fool you. It isn't a Vanguard. It doesn't have a bed, a kitchen, or a bathroom. It barely has a hull. If your shields drop in a Hurricane, you’re usually one well-placed missile away from seeing the "Insurance Claim" screen. It relies on two Size 1 shields. Compared to the massive Size 2 shield on a Vanguard Warden, the Hurricane feels fragile.
However, it’s surprisingly nimble. It can pull maneuvers that would make a Scorpius pilot jealous. You can't out-rate a Gladius, but you can certainly stay on target long enough for your gunner to finish the job. It's a ship built for aggressive, high-speed passes rather than long, drawn-out dogfights.
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The Competition: Hurricane vs. Scorpius
You can't talk about the Hurricane without mentioning the RSI Scorpius. It’s the Coke vs. Pepsi of the Star Citizen world. The Scorpius looks cooler—it has those X-wing folding fins and eight Size 3 guns. On paper, the Scorpius has more total hardpoints. But in practice? Many veteran pilots still swear by the Hurricane.
The Hurricane is a smaller target. It’s harder to hit. It also feels "snappier" in a roll. While the Scorpius has that fancy rail-mounted turret that can move to the underbelly, the Hurricane's turret has a better field of view for most engagements. Plus, the Hurricane is significantly cheaper in-game. Why spend nearly 3 million aUEC on a Scorpius when the Hurricane does the same job for a fraction of the cost?
Loadout Choices That Actually Matter
If you want to make the Hurricane "good," you have to stop using the stock loadout. The default weapons are okay, but they aren't great for the current patch's physicalized armor testing and shield health.
- The "Meta" Build: Put two Size 4 Attritions or Rhinos on the nose and four Size 4 Rhinos on the turret. This gives you a pure energy build that never runs out of ammo. Great for grinding VLRT to ERT bounties without stopping at a station.
- The "Delete" Build: If you’re hunting players (PvP), go with Ballistic Cannons. Specifically, the AD4Bs. The ammo count is high enough to last through a few fights, and the shield penetration is legendary.
- The Shield Setup: Always swap the stock shields for FR-66s or Paladins. You need the fastest regeneration possible because, again, your hull is made of paper and prayers.
Living With a Glass Cannon
There are downsides. Real ones. The Hurricane has zero interior space. You can't carry a delivery box. You can't store a backup suit of armor. You can't even log out in the ship because there’s no bed. It is a dedicated combat tool. Using it for anything else is an exercise in frustration.
There's also the "Gunner Requirement." If your friend logs off, your effectiveness drops by 70%. Sure, you can slaved the turret to the pilot in some future update (maybe), but right now, a solo Hurricane is a "kick me" sign in a dogfight. It’s too slow to escape a skilled interceptor and lacks the defensive utility to tank damage.
The Verdict: Is the Hurricane Good?
Yes. In the hands of a duo that communicates, it is arguably the best "bang for your buck" ship in the entire game. It teaches you how to fly together. The pilot focuses on positioning and staying in the "blue zone," while the gunner focuses on keeping the pressure on the target.
It’s a ship that rewards skill but punishes arrogance. If you think you can fly into a group of five pirates and just tank the hits, you’ll be waking up in a hospital bed on Grim HEX before you can say "Shields failing." But if you use its speed and coordinate your fire? Nothing in its size class can touch it.
Step-by-Step Optimization for New Owners
If you just picked up a Hurricane, don't head straight into a High-Risk Combat Service Beacon. You'll die. Instead, follow this progression to get the most out of the ship.
- Upgrade the Quantum Drive: The stock drive is painfully slow. Buy an Atlas or a Voyage. It’ll allow you to cross the system without stopping four times for fuel.
- Find a Dedicated Gunner: Go to the global chat or your Org discord. A Hurricane with a random person is okay; a Hurricane with a partner you use voice comms with is a god-tier weapon.
- Practice "Leading" for your Gunner: As a pilot, your job isn't just to shoot. It’s to keep the enemy in the upper hemisphere of your ship so your gunner has a clear line of sight. Stop rolling constantly; it makes your gunner dizzy and ruins their aim.
- Master Decoy Timing: Since you only have two Size 1 shields, you cannot afford to take missile hits. Learn the keybinds for "Burst" decoys. When you see a missile warning, don't just tap H; dump a handful and break your flight path.
- Focus on Power Management: Set your power triangle to 100% weapons when you have a clear opening, but be ready to slam it into 100% systems the second your shields take a hit. The Hurricane's small capacitors mean you have to be active with your power management to stay competitive.