Fiction:Vanguard

"Vanguards are a quiet and mysterious people, preferring to keep to themselves. They seek only to grow their nation as well as their knowledge and have a difficult time making permanent alliances."

Vanguards are one of the few archetypes that are not normally obtained by means of consequence traits. Their consequence card is a deep black. (Note: This is a fake archetype.)

Personality
Vanguards share many personality traits with Warriors and the Grox. Both are naturally distrusting of other Empires (they always have a -30 "You are a stranger" for relationships) and tend to be very war-driven nations. They speak little and are hard to ally, as they receive less bonuses from doing things they like.

Vanguards differ from Warriors in the sense that they are not entirely focused on war. They are driven more by expanding their knowledge of all things in the universe, a trait shared by Scientists. They don't actually say any trivial facts or phrases until you are allies with them.

Communication & Diplomacy
Vanguards won't tell you about their archetype until you have at least a +30 relationship with them. Gifts do not sway them, and they will only get a maximum of +20 (as opposed to +50) for bribing them. Trade also does not open until you have +30, and they have almost the same amount of offered items for trade as your own colonies. They also overpay for spice depending on the spice on their claimed planet, but will underpay for others. The easiest way to bring them up to +30 is to use friendly tools, improve the T-score of their planets, and bribes.

Vanguards ask for a lot of money if you request them to attack another empire's planet. On the bright side, they have ships rivaling health with the Grox's and attack that far surpases other's (at the cost of sluggish speed; they won't attack them immediately). If they fail to take over the planet, you will receive a -10 penalty for "We fought in vain".

Vanguards won't lend you their ships to your fleet until after you've allied them.

Archetype change missions are extremely costly, ranging from $6.0 M to $10.0 M. On the bright side, you will get an achievement for becoming a Vanguard, as well as the Vanguard's unique ability, TBC