This is good thinking. I thought the same thing when I saw how they were using the term on the new content page. Another thought I had would be that Vanguard will be a title that is given to everyone who participates in the public beta that I assume will be coming eventually. It would be like a special insignia or something perhaps to honor those who have dedicated some time into making this game the best it can be.

Oh, I was kind of hoping we were going to be the Vanguard, and when Bungie have their beta for Destiny we were going to explore some of Mars and Venus.

Vanguards are members of the Vanguard. They are a large group that frequently deploys squads to the Frontier areas to gather information about the enemies and other hazards that exist in our lost worlds. They are the scouts and pioneers of the city. As a group, they are well organized and integral to the city's body of Guardians. Their valiant efforts are well acknowledged by the citizenry. Will a player be able to join them? It's possible, but it brings up more questions and issues. Based on the above, I [i]wildly speculate[/i] that there could be a sort of school to train and prepare these Vanguards for the world outside the city walls and the Traveler's Shield. The Vanguard Academy? I guess one could join them and obtain the Vanguard class (or sub-class), and/or the armor many have talked about. If it's an obtainable class/sub-class that would mean that there would need to be many other obtainable classes/sub-classes. "Son, what do you want to be when you grow up? I hope you're considering to become a ship engineer like your father." "Father, I..." A heavy silence fell in the room. "I want to become a Vanguard... I'm enlisting into the Academy." [url=http://i2.kym-cdn.com/entries/icons/original/000/000/199/1exploitableiamdisappoi.jpg]...[/url] Thus, an epic tale unfolds.

Maybe this is just something that I fabricated in a dream, but, wasn't it confirmed that "Vanguard" is just a special/rare armor for the Titan class?

I highly doubt Bungie would make an entire [i]class[/i]  exclusive to just them.

An excellent theory. Mine is that they are a covert group whose primary function is to scout out foreign (or, previously foreign) areas while prioritizing stealth and precision. They may or may not be a part of the Guardians, but who's to say?

Bungie has said in a mail sack I believe that the vanguard was a type of armor for his Titan.

I doubt that. I have a theory as well, I think Vanguard isn't a class, but an organization. Vanguard could be what all the Guardians are a part of. If you look at the Frontier page, and scroll to Venus and Mars, it says, "awaiting report from the vanguard" or something like that. So I'd assume it would have something to do with information, hence being an organization. Just my two cents.

I have my own theory. In short, I believe Vanguards will be players who have completed a major task on each world. (if my theory is correct, there will be 7 worlds and these missions will most likely make up the 'main storyline') Meh. I'll explain a bit more on my theory. With each world cleared, the player will receive some sort of upgrade. With all of the upgrades, the players' class will have access to most of the class' skills or a secondary class and receive the title of Vanguard. I believe what the players will be going through is kind of like a 'right of passage' or pilgrimage to unlock their full power. With the pilgrimage completed, the Guardian will become a Vanguard whos mission is more than to protect- but push back and join the offensive.

I think the Vanguards are a special group of Guardians. It's probably a rank or title you can earn or a special division you can join; by getting to a certain level, or completing a main questline. I'm also curious about the moon's "Forbidden Zone" status. What if only Vanguards can go there?

I think the most obvious answer is that we are vanguards, or at least we will become vanguards. In the mail sack from 4/26, Bungie says says "It’s incredibly important to us that seasoned Vanguards will find plenty of fun and rewarding things to do with other players who might not be able to commit the same amount of time to Destiny, or who may be just starting out on their adventures." We already know from "Pathways Out of Darkness" that we each enter the world of Destiny as Guardians of the City. Continuing to call us Guardians after we leave the city to take the offense, though, seems silly. After we leave our defensive posts, we're not protecting; we're pioneering. I think "Vanguard" is the perfect classification for those citizens of the last city who leave the safety of the city walls to explore relics of humanity on our world and beyond. Because Bungie capitalizes the 'V' of "Vanguard," I assume it is more than a simple adjective. Graduating from Guardian to Vanguard may not be a trivial task, especially if you must produce your own transportation (read: spaceships). "Waiting for more information from the Vanguards" seems to me like a cute way to say "We're not ready to reveal these bits of the game yet," by referring to those players/NPCs who would be able to report on what is out there in the world of Destiny. Annnd for some very loosely founded speculation, I could imagine a system by which Bungie first tells us the story of Destiny by introducing us to one planet at a time, perhaps allowing us to unlock them as we go, maybe even in the order we choose. Like in many traditional MMOs, we could all begin in some common starting location and gradually blaze unique, non-linear trails toward weapons, gear, vehicles, riches, reputation, and increasingly tantalizing mysteries. EDIT: From the recent "Welcome to the Frontier" release: "For centuries we've huddled under the safety of the Traveler, protected from our enemies. Now, a new era has begun, and the only hope for our future lies in unlocking the greatest mysteries of our past." And "You are taking this mantle just as a new day dawns. Titans, Hunters, and Warlocks have finally returned to our long-lost worlds, only to find out we are not alone."

My theory is that it's just a word. Not EVERYTHING has to have some completely game-changing secret behind it. I'm not trying to single you out or anything, but people seem to be making every single detail into something it's not.

What ever. I just want my engineer class.