The Vanguard types make only a glorified camo appearance in Vandread really... the only episode they really get any fame is Episode 5 when the team goes down to a desert planet and some of the female main characters (who otherwise use space fighters) are forced to pilot Vanguards... and modify their machines accordingly with their colors. Otherwise, only the first episode standard Vanguards, used by trainees, comprise the total appearance of the Tsukumo-type. By the time the cast returns to Tarak, it seems the men have designed a new vanguard to use.
Anyway, these are the four vanguards (other than Hibiki's custom) the main characters use. All machines are presented without their armaments (Dita's wrist-mounted machine gun, Barnette's axe, Jura's sword, and Meia's buckle shield).
Meia's Vanguard must be a command type, since Japanese convention for mecha always says anything with a prominent fin is a command type (like the Zaku of the Gundam series). Meia's is the only command-type we're shown, so either it's an uncommon variant or just a shout-out to the convention.
Jura's machine has two of these 'utility elbows' that mount everything from stabbing knives to chainsaws to utility shovels (!). In the English dub, Bart gives a throwaway mention to a 'Ten-in-one knife-shield', which I guessed is what that elbow thing is... it seems to be something close to a swiss-army utility unit.
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Sta.sh
I read somewhere that this was an earlier concept of what eventually became the Second Stage. Of course, I have no official connection with Vandread, but it seems to make sense given that it's already been nearly ten years since Vandread happened.
Then again, I just figured out a novel series was written describing the events after 2nd stage: [link]
There was a news article on an old and already defunct anime website (animeguru/girl? can't remember! I just sorta finished primary school then? ><
I have been trying to find that article these past few years, here and there, no such luck.
Ah well. There's a handful of artwork out there for what could become the '3rd stage', including an MP vandread and Hibiki's daughters. Though... I wonder what the plot would have looked like? Things were effectively wrapped up to satisfaction in stage 2.
I have to note though, the cause is still officially unknown. Funny though... they were pretty tight lipped about it in Japan.
I think one of the popular 'continuation' arcs among the fandom is FIND EARTH. I can't imagine why you'd go there though... Earth is a miserable little planet in this universe.