Squadron 42 Walkthrough: Prologue and Opening Missions

This walkthrough covers the Squadron 42 opening chapters based on hands-on reports from the October 2026 Manchester playtest, where approximately 70-140 creators and backers played through roughly five hours of the campaign.

The Prologue: Battle of Vega II

The campaign opens aboard the Javelin-class destroyer UEES Gauntlet during the catastrophic Vanduul assault on the Vega system. This prologue takes approximately 70-75 minutes and functions as an interactive tutorial introducing all core gameplay systems.

Phase 1: Arrival and Briefing

You begin as a newly assigned recruit under Captain Rachel MacLaren (Gillian Anderson). Before combat begins, you can walk the corridors of the Gauntlet, interact with fellow crew members, and familiarize yourself with the ship layout.

Phase 2: Turret Gunnery

When the Vanduul fleet arrives, you are stationed at a heavy defensive turret. This sequence teaches:

• Target switching: Alternate between heavy artillery and rapid-fire guns
• Lead indicators: Aim ahead of moving targets to account for projectile travel time
• Component targeting: Coordinate with gunnery crews to eliminate critical systems on enemy capital ships
• Boarding pod interception: Vanduul Cleaver pods must be destroyed before they reach the hull

Phase 3: Hull Breach and FPS Combat

The Gauntlet suffers massive damage and Vanduul boarding parties breach the corridors. You acquire small arms and engage in first-person combat. Key mechanics:

• Maelstrom destruction: Enemy armor plates break off under sustained fire
• Lean and slide: Use Shift + C to slide into cover
• Medpens: Manage limited medical supplies
• Dodge: Quick-time evasion against Vanduul melee strikes
• Limited ammunition: Scavenge weapons and ammo from fallen crew

Phase 4: Zero-G EVA Survival

An explosion blows you into deep space wearing an emergency survival suit without thrusters. This sequence uses a physical push-and-pull mechanic:

1. Aim at debris or structural handles within reach
2. Press the jump key to launch yourself toward the target
3. Grab the surface with the interact key (F) at the precise moment of arrival
4. Push off (Spacebar) to launch toward the next handhold

Missing a handhold or miscalculating a trajectory causes your character to drift into open space, resulting in death. This is the most tense and memorable sequence of the prologue.

Phase 5: The Gauntlet's Sacrifice

After reuniting with Captain MacLaren, you manually pilot the crippled Gauntlet into a collision course with the Vanduul Kingship, deflecting it away from Admiral Bishop's flagship. You eject in an escape pod moments before impact.

Character Creation at BiotiCorp

Following the escape pod crash, you awaken at a BiotiCorp medical facility with catastrophic burn injuries. Character customization is woven directly into the story:

• Accept the experimental reconstructive surgery to open the full character customizer
• Blend facial presets and adjust micro-features
• Pull facial features from cast members \u2014 the customization pool includes motion-capture scans of Mark Hamill, Gary Oldman, and other actors
• Reject the offer (humorously boots you to the main menu)

Onboarding the UEES Stanton

The newly minted pilot transfers aboard the Idris-class frigate UEES Stanton, commanded by Captain Thomas Wade (Mark Strong).

Meeting the Crew

Petty Officer Morrow escorts you through the multi-deck frigate, introducing key characters:

• Lieutenant Commander Steve "Old Man" Colton (Mark Hamill) \u2014 Your flight lead and gruff mentor
• Executive Officer Sophia Kelly (Rhona Mitra) \u2014 The ship's XO
• Approximately 80 voiced crew members with active daily routines

Flight Verification

Before launching into active operations, you complete flight verification inside the Stanton's holographic simulation pods. This tutorial teaches:

• Basic flight controls: Pitch, yaw, roll, and throttle management
• Power distribution: Alt+1 (aggressive), Alt+2 (balanced), Alt+3 (defensive)
• Quantum Boost: Aim at a nav point and engage
• Weapon systems: Missile locks (keys 4-5) and countermeasures (R key)

First Sortie

Your first active mission is a Gladius patrol defending civilian Vultures from outlaw Buccaneers. This combat mission tests the skills learned in simulation against live enemies.

Derelict Recovery Mission

Following the patrol, the campaign jumps forward to a derelict Starfarer boarding operation:

1. EVA approach: Exit your Gladius and spacewalk to the drifting tanker
2. Breach and clear: Cut through sealed hatches with the multi-tool cutter mode
3. Environmental hacking: Align energy node paths to restore power and access the black box
4. Hostile encounter: Outlaw boarders may still be present \u2014 engage in FPS combat
5. Extraction: Return to your fighter with the secured data

Tips for New Players

• Explore the Stanton thoroughly: Hidden collectibles include model ships, challenge coins, comics, and lore datapads
• Talk to crew members: Conversations unlock codex entries and side objectives
• Use the gym: Training boosts stamina, endurance, and jump height
• Adjust difficulty independently: You can set Ace difficulty for FPS and Rookie for flight (or vice versa)
• Save medpens for emergencies: They are limited and reviving takes time
• Learn the multi-tool: Each mode (tractor, cutter, energy, materials) has specific uses

How the Campaign's Structure Works

The walkthrough picture that emerges from official material is a campaign that alternates between three modes. Story scenes — briefings, conversations and cinematic moments — carry the plot between missions. Ship-interior exploration gives the player agency aboard the Stanton and other vessels, with dialogue choices that affect crew relationships. Combat missions — space dogfights, turret gunnery and first-person action — advance the war story itself. The 28-chapter structure threads these modes together, and the prologue demonstrates all three in its first hour: turret combat, interior exploration and the story that connects them.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is the prologue?

The Battle of Vega II prologue takes approximately 70-75 minutes from start to finish, including the turret defense, FPS combat, EVA survival, and cinematic transitions.

Can I die in the prologue?

Yes. The EVA survival sequence is lethal \u2014 missing a handhold results in death and a checkpoint reload. FPS combat encounters can also be fatal if you mismanage health and medpens.

What happens after the opening missions?

After the Stanton onboarding and first patrol, the campaign advances to increasingly complex operations, including the Shubin Mining Station infiltration and the rescue of Advocacy Agent Rebecca Trejo.