Cits and Civs, Captains and Commanders, you’re tuned to episode 549 of Guard Frequency — the best damn space game podcast ever! This episode was recorded on Friday, June 19 and released for streaming and download on Tuesday, June 23, 2026 at GuardFrequency.com
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This Week’s Schedule
- Flight Deck
- Elite: Dangerous
- Star Citizen
- Hunternet Starfighter
- Helldivers 2
- Guard Frequency Exiles, where the team never passes up an opportunity to cause grievous bodily harm for fun and profit.
- Feedback Loop
Links & The Like
Elite: Dangerous
Elite Dangerous provided more details on the new Ship Launched Vessel: the Nomad. It will be available for ARX at launch, but once you buy it, you can install it at any shipyard. However, you can only install its special Mark 2 Fighter Bay on three ships: The Caspian Explorer, the Type 11, and the Panther Clipper. Also, if you’re looking forward to Operations, you may want to check on your Engineering stats if you want the best goodies. You might also want to find some friends. And FDev released their official 2026 financials, and they made a lot of money selling cartoon dinosaurs and fake spaceships.
Star Citizen
Star Citizen released Early Access Pre-Alpha Release Candidate Prototype Experimental Test Build 4.8.2-LIVE.12030094 to the LIVE server. As we record this show, it’s been a month since the release of 4.8 and we think it’s safe to say that CIG broke its “if it’s not 3.18 bad, it ships” rule. Our evidence?
- Exhibit A: CTO Benoit Beauséjour spent some time in the hot seat, answering pointed questions asked by Jared “Disco Lando” Huckaby.
- Exhibit B: “$#!+’s on fire, yo” posted by Bearded-CIG on social media.
But, in fairness, while the 4.8 patch was broken, it’s actually 4.8.1 and 4.8.2 making things worse. The “dot” patches are exposing issues that were hidden until large numbers of players logged in AND exposing a complete lack of basic accountability in CIG’s internal controls. We are learning so much. “We” being the backers. CIG has apparently learned nothing over the past 14 years. Oh and it seems like Squadron 42 is totally done and absolutely getting released this year, because the influencers get to play it this October.
Hunternet Starfighter & Helldivers 2
HunterNet Starfighter released an update with over 300 changes, including carrier jumps, which allow multiple players and their ships to move together between instances seamlessly. We wonder if any other games could benefit from this advanced technology?
And Helldivers 2 is changing how the Galactic War is being fought. Campaigns will now combine a series of Major Orders over the course of 1 to 3 weeks and big rewards will be given if the playerbase can win a majority of the Orders. You can keep track of the Galactic War Campaign progress at the bank of previously unused terminals on your ship. Also, Arrowhead buffed and nerfed everything again, as well as teased a new personal progression system and brand new ships coming later.
Community Questions
- Which is more surprising: Squadron 42 finally releasing in the next 6 to 8 months or that it will have a console version after all?
- Are you gearing up for Operations or is your gear already up?
Patreon Backing
We love bringing you this show each week, but would also love your support? If you enjoy listening and want to contribute to us being the Best Damn Space Sim Podcast Ever, then go to our Patreon page and look at all of the rewards and loot you would be eligible to receive.
Join Us In Game!
- Click here to go to our Star Citizen Organization page and apply today!
- Check out the callsigns we use personally in each game

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