Knife fights at 150m. Rate fights. Fleet PvP.
The best pilots in the verse fly under this banner.
Squadron is Rune Guard's space combat force. From the day-one keybind setup of S(1) to the rate fight mastery of Ace Pilot, every cert closes a specific skill gap. The path is linear at first, then branches into specialist roles before converging on the elite Squadron Pilot tier.
S(1) and S(2) build the foundation: decoupled flight, correct keybinds, large ship handling, multicrew basics. Every cert builds on the last — you can't skip the foundation.
S(3) is the hardest qualifier in the path. Pip neutralization, J-turns, extension reads at 300–600m range. Kill ≠ pass — the evaluator is watching technique, not outcomes.
Utility Pilot (bomber, interdiction, EMP) and Fleet Pilot (frigate combat, dropship insertion) are parallel Tier 1 paths that build toward Squadron Pilot.
Squadron Leaders must hold both Ace Pilot and the Supervisor cert from Logistics. The org's best commanders understand the economy that funds the fleet they fly.
Ace Pilots who hold the Ace Pilot cert are eligible for the ACE Program. Confirmed kills in tournament and org play are tracked on the ACE Board — Ace Pilots can add a kill counter to their Discord name. Rate fighting is the entry requirement.
Eight certifications. S(1)–S(3) are the qualifier chain. Utility Pilot and Fleet Pilot are Tier 1 specializations pursued after S(3). Squadron Pilot, Ace Pilot, and Squadron Leader follow. L(3) is the universal gate between S(2) and S(3).
Click any cert to see full evaluation details — prerequisites, performance requirements, pass/fail conditions, tips, and video resources.
Day-one setup cert. Correct keybinds, decoupled flight fundamentals, meta loadout confirmation, and a race qualifier to confirm basic flight control.
View Cert →Large ship handling. Obstacle course in decoupled mode, multicrew training, and emergency scenario handling. Vanguard or Asgard-class ship required.
View Cert →The PvP gate. 300–600m engagement range, J-turns, pip neutralization, extension reads. Kill ≠ pass — technique is what separates pilots at this level. L(3) required.
View Cert →Specialist in bomber (5x low-angle + moving target), interdiction, and EMP. Mantis, A1, and Hawk required. Can be pursued alongside Fleet Pilot.
View Cert →Frigate combat and dropship insertion landing program. Vanguard or Asgard required. Approx 2 hours. Certifies for all org multicrew capital asset operations.
View Cert →Sub-300m knife fights, off-nose accuracy, bubble discipline in group engagements. Forces extensions and tightenings. Eligible for the ACE Program upon passing.
View Cert →Rate fight mastery. Pushes knife fights into rate fights consistently. Tournament qualifier. Eligible to add a confirmed kill counter to Discord name via the ACE Board.
View Cert →Shot caller for space combat operations and event organizer. Requires both Ace Pilot AND Supervisor from Logistics — the cross-division prereq is intentional.
View Cert →S(1) through S(3) are evaluated in Arena Commander. Any light fighter works for the early qualifiers — S(3) requires a ship you can effectively PvP in.
S(2), Fleet Pilot, and several Tier 1 certs require a Vanguard or Asgard-class ship. Coordinate with Squadron leadership if you need org ship access.
Required for all members before S(3). Complete the Logistics foundation cert — it unlocks the PvP gate for Squadron just as it does for Marines.
S(1) covers keybinds, decoupled flight, and a race qualifier. It's the foundation everything else builds on. Get your settings right from day one and the rest of the path opens up.