A Vanguard has relatively low health and deals a small amount of damage but they are bigger in size than the average goblins. The main feature of this enemy is that it carries a shield which blocks projectiles rendering them useless.
Multiple vanguards as packs are often spawned in the front of other enemies - this frontal formation allows the vanguards to not only able to protect themselves but their enemy allies from projectile attacks as well.|}
== Strategy ==
Avoid using projectile based defenses and heroes unless you are equipped with a piercer servo or piercer chip. Their However, their shield only blocks their front side, so they can also be damaged from behind with projectiles from backward facing -faced defenses or pawn-based projectile traps.
== Appearances ==
In Onslaught, Vanguards starts appearing from floor 3 onwards as part of schedules with '''"Vanguard"''' or '''"-guard"''' prefixes/suffixes. Other schedules include:
| appearances = Expeditions, Onslaught, Incursions and Mastery
| schedule_icon = [[File:Gorbstock lane icon.png|60px]]
}}
== Boss Miniboss Variant - Shield Goblin Gorbstock ==
Shield Goblin Gorbstock is a larger and differently colored Vanguard miniboss who deals more damage and has more health than regular Vanguards, but otherwise functions the same way as regular Vanguards. He has a chance of appearing on wave 5 in [[Expeditions#Chaos_I | Chaos 1]] and can also appear on Omega Waves (wave 6) in [[The Lost Temple]] in [[Onslaught]].
== Notes and Trivia ==
* '''Trials Report #5 - From a [https://steamcommunity.com/app/236110/eventcomments/1636418037467044170/ reportOn the Frontline] by Prime Scout Atticus Scout:'''
:''“Prime Scout Scout here. I’ve been scouting all week, and scout’s honor, I’ve discovered a new enemy. These little guys walk about in packs, and the things I’ve seen their shields wipe out...no doubt, we’re gonna need to change strategy.''