The RSI Hermes is a medium freighter in Star Citizen, designed as a powerful, cargo-focused evolution of the Apollo series with enhanced thrusters, armor, and a large internal cargo bay featuring a unique tracked beam system for efficient loading. Its design balances speed, durability, and cargo capacity, appealing to players who want a sleek, versatile ship for hauling goods and smaller vehicles, complemented by distinctive, playful paint schemes.
The video begins with a brief explanation of the Greek god Hermes, who was the herald of the gods and protector of human heralds, responsible for travel and the movement of goods. This background sets the stage for introducing the RSI Hermes, RSI’s first dedicated medium freighter in the Star Citizen universe. The Hermes was developed as a natural evolution of the Apollo series, aiming to bring the Apollo’s well-received styling to a new audience while adapting it for cargo transport.
Visually, the Hermes distinguishes itself from the Apollo with larger, beefed-up thrusters and reinforced structural elements, such as girders and metal plates, that convey a sense of strength and durability. The ship’s design focuses on power to move its heavier weight, with upgraded weapons and armor compared to the Apollo. It is often described internally as a blockade runner, capable of high straight-line performance and packing a punch with 16 size 2 missiles, though it sacrifices some maneuverability for speed and cargo capacity.
Internally, the front half of the Hermes shares many components with the Apollo, including the bridge, habitation, and component rooms. However, the rear half is completely redesigned to accommodate a large cargo space with a capacity of 288 SCU, including the ability to hold 32 SEU crates. This places the Hermes in a unique cargo capacity niche between smaller ships like the Raft series and larger ones like the Caterpillar. Unlike some other freighters with external cargo, the Hermes carries all its cargo internally, providing better protection.
To address the challenge of loading cargo into a wide but short cargo bay, the design team introduced a tracked beam running along the center of the cargo space. This beam allows cargo to be pulled in easily using a tractor beam controlled either from the co-pilot seat or a dedicated rear station. This feature aims to simplify cargo management and appeals to players who enjoy efficient cargo handling and “cargo Tetris” gameplay.
Finally, the video discusses the ship’s paint schemes, which pay homage to RSI’s cargo ship lineage with a nod to the Zoo CL. The Hermes features playful two-tone black and yellow, purple-yellow-white, and a disco-themed paint inspired by the RSI Meteor, reflecting a lighter tone compared to the serious Apollo. Overall, the Hermes is presented as a fast, sleek, versatile medium freighter ideal for cargo hauling and transporting smaller ground vehicles, catering to players who appreciate the Apollo’s aesthetics but prefer cargo-focused gameplay over medical roles.
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The video critically examines the RSI Hermes as Star Citizen’s first dedicated medium freighter, praising its cargo design and versatility while highlighting the misleading use of the “blockade runner” label due to its lack of specialized evasive features. It concludes with appreciation for developer responsiveness and hopes for future gameplay mechanics that better support ship roles like interdiction and blockade running.
The video begins with a critical take on the timing of the Star Citizen patch release coinciding with the launch of new ship content, specifically the RSI Hermes. The host expresses frustration that the developers missed an opportunity to build hype before the patch went live. The discussion then moves into the ship’s thematic inspiration, with a brief, humorous exchange about the Greek god Hermes, who was known as a herald and protector of travelers, aligning well with the ship’s role as a cargo hauler. The Hermes is introduced as RSI’s first dedicated medium freighter, designed as a variant of the Apollo series but with larger thrusters, reinforced structure, and beefed-up armor, aiming to convey strength and reliability.
A significant portion of the video debates the classification of the Hermes as a “blockade runner,” a term borrowed from other games like Eve Online. The host critiques this label, pointing out that the ship lacks the stealth, interdiction nullifiers, and speed mechanics that define blockade runners in other games. The Hermes is described as having good straight-line speed and decent armor but falls short of the specialized evasive capabilities expected from a blockade runner. The discussion highlights a disconnect between marketing terminology and actual gameplay mechanics, with the host urging developers to align ship roles more closely with functional in-game features.
The cargo capacity and design of the Hermes receive praise, particularly for its internal cargo hold, which is a two-high grid with ample space and a well-thought-out layout. This design contrasts with other ships like the Starlancer, which have cramped and less user-friendly cargo grids. The Hermes features a tracked tractor beam system running on rails through the cargo bay, allowing for easier loading and unloading of cargo, though the unloading process still needs improvement. The ship can carry up to 288 standard cargo units (SCU) internally, making it a competitive choice for medium freighters and appealing to players interested in cargo hauling, mining, or salvage.
The video also covers the ship’s paint options, pricing, and some Q&A highlights. The Hermes comes with several paint schemes, including nods to RSI’s cargo ship heritage and more playful designs like a disco paint. Pricing is set around $200 in-game credits, with paints costing extra. The Q&A clarifies that the Hermes offers improved hull health, better SCM and navigation speeds compared to the Apollo, but lower acceleration. It is confirmed that the ship is fully solo-operable, with cargo operations controllable from multiple stations, although some controls are currently not functional in the live game. The Hermes is not designed for dogfighting but can defend itself with four size-four guns.
In conclusion, the host appreciates the developers’ responsiveness to community feedback on cargo grid design and overall ship functionality. While the Hermes is not expected to be the ultimate cargo hauler for every player, it offers a solid, versatile option for medium freight transport with a focus on internal cargo security. The biggest criticism remains the misuse of the “blockade runner” label, which feels like marketing without substantive gameplay backing. The video ends with hope that future updates will introduce more meaningful interdiction and blockade mechanics to support such ship roles, enhancing the depth and immersion of Star Citizen’s gameplay.