ADVENT Vanguard

The ADVENT Vanguard is the evolution of the ADVENT Knight unit. It was first deployed against XCOM following their discovery of ENDURE and contact with the Templars.

Appearance
The ADVENT Vanguard looks more akin to the ADVENT Stun Lancer than the Shieldbearer like it's predecessor, albeit with deep purple decals and a small purple cape draped over their right shoulder. They appear much more sleek than the Knight, and wield a smaller (but just as deadly) melee weapon.

Tactics/Deployment
The ADVENT Vanguard is a Psionic/melee unit that will attempt to rush a foe and use it's abilities to hide after striking. If possible, the Vanguard will enter Concealment in order to ambush enemies. They are capable of using Psi Teleport to appear behind units that are long distances away, such as Sharpshooters, and get the drop on them. They are usually deployed alone and in unsuspecting areas, often not noticeable until they ambush a foe from concealment. Two take the role of Commander Contrast Siege's personal bodyguards.

Occult Blade
The Occult Blade is the ADVENT Vanguard's weapon of choice. It is a very sleek and sharp sword used in one hand, usually with the blade facing downwards for underhand strikes and wide horizontal slashes. The blade is imbued with Psionic power to give it abilities such as Wave, Charge and Deflect. This weapon does high damage and inflicts both regular and Psionic damage, able to cause Panic, Disorient, Stun and even render full-health units Unconscious in a single swing. If it kills a target, the target will be reanimated as a Psi Zombie until the connection is severed or the Vanguard that raised it is killed. This weapon can only be countered by Rainbow "Catalyst" Shine and Fielde "Gold" Locke, but even then there is a chance both units can fail to Counterstrike and be injured (Fielde will attempt to dodge the attack, which can also fail and inflict damage). The Occult Blade Shreds and Pierces up to medium Armour.

Psionics
The ADVENT Vanguard is a heavily Psionic unit that can utilise Teleport, Vanish, Reanimate, Wave, Phase, Charge, and Deflect. This unit is immune to Disorient, Stun, and Unconscious, and therefore cannot be taken alive for Interrogation. The unit is resistant, but not immune to, Mind Control and if successfully placed under Mind Control, it will use the few seconds it has retaining it's free will to impale itself on it's own sword to avoid capture. Upon death, the Vanguard explodes in a fashion similar to an Elder, Avatar or Psimare, though it does less damage than the explosions of other units. This explosion does massive damage to the corpse, destroying any equipment and removing any use of it as an Autopsy by XCOM, including destroying the Occult Blade. However, the destruction of the Occult Blade can be avoided if it is Disarmed shortly before it's death.

ADVENT Lieutenant
There is no Lieutenant variant of the ADVENT Vanguard, as each unit is considered a "sub-Lieutenant" of it's own. Instead, they answer directly to Commander Contrast Siege.