HOTAS & Joysticks

VKB HOTAS: Gladiator, Gunfighter, and STECS Explained

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VKB builds its HOTAS hardware around a different idea than Thrustmaster's bundled systems: instead of one box with a matched stick and throttle, VKB sells joystick bases, grips, and throttles as separate components that you combine into your own setup. That modularity is the main thing to understand about the brand before comparing any single spec.

The Gladiator NXT: VKB's integrated stick

The Gladiator NXT is VKB's complete joystick line — base and grip sold together rather than as separate purchases. Per VKB's specification, it uses dual-axis Hall-effect sensors and contactless MaRS (Magnetically Resistant Sensor) technology, with 58 total programmable buttons, 21 of them on the grip itself, plus 2 triggers, 2 hat switches, and a mini-stick for additional axis control. The base runs an electromagnetically tuned active damper for force return feel, with an adjustable polling rate up to 4 kHz, and uses ALPS buttons — a Japanese-made switch known for holding up over a high number of button presses — for long-term reliability.

That button count, 58 total, sits well above Thrustmaster's entry and mid-tier lines and is closer to flagship territory, aimed squarely at combat-sim titles like DCS World where a single aircraft module can use dozens of distinct in-cockpit functions.

Gunfighter: the base-only line for custom builds

Where the Gladiator NXT ships as a complete stick, VKB's Gunfighter line is sold as a base without a grip attached, for simmers who want to choose their own grip separately or already own one from another VKB product. This is the more advanced end of VKB's catalog — it assumes you know what grip you want and are building toward a specific configuration rather than buying a single complete product. If you're new to HOTAS hardware, this base-only approach adds a purchasing step that a bundled system doesn't require.

STECS: VKB's modular throttle system

VKB's throttle line is called STECS — Space Throttle System — and it follows the same modular philosophy as the rest of the brand. It's sold in four sizes: Mini, Mini Plus, Standard, and Max. Per VKB's specification, the STECS Max uses a steel tabletop baseplate with non-slip rubber pads, 32-bit ARM controllers inside both the base and its grip modules, and contactless MaRS sensors for the main axes. The throttle accepts an interchangeable module system — VKB sells separate STEM and ATEM modules with their own button and switch layouts, plus an optional Space Throttle Grip (STG) for six-degree-of-freedom thruster control in space-sim titles. That means the STECS isn't one fixed throttle shape; it's a base you configure with the specific control modules your flying actually needs.

Firmware on both the STECS and Gladiator/Gunfighter lines updates over USB, and VKB builds in onboard memory for profile storage, so your button mapping persists across sessions without needing separate PC software running in the background.

Why simmers pay more for VKB over a bundled Thrustmaster system

The case for VKB comes down to two things: sensor precision and configurability. Contactless MaRS sensors and Hall-effect axes are built to avoid the wear and drift that potentiometer-based sensors develop over years of heavy use, which matters more the more hours you put into a rig. And because VKB sells its components separately, you're not locked into a single bundled grip or throttle shape — you can build a setup around exactly the button layout and throttle module configuration your specific sim and aircraft need, rather than adapting your flying to whatever came in the box.

That flexibility comes with real tradeoffs. Buying a base, a grip, and a throttle as separate line items from VKB generally costs more in total than a bundled system with comparable button counts, and it requires you to already know roughly what configuration you want, since there's no single "starter" VKB HOTAS the way there is with Thrustmaster's T.Flight HOTAS X. VKB is a better fit for a second or third HOTAS purchase, once you know your own preferences, than for a first one.

The platform limitation

VKB's entire current lineup — Gladiator, Gunfighter, and STECS alike — is built for PC. There's no Xbox or PlayStation licensing on any VKB product. If you're shopping for a console setup, VKB isn't an option regardless of how the specs compare to console-licensed hardware like Thrustmaster's T.Flight HOTAS One or the Turtle Beach VelocityOne Flightstick.

How VKB compares to Thrustmaster's flagship

Against Thrustmaster's HOTAS Warthog, the comparison mostly comes down to configurability versus a matched, single-purchase system. The Warthog gives you a metal base, throttle, and grip designed and sold as one coherent unit with a standardized mount for swapping grips later. VKB gives you more granular control over every component from the start — different base, different grip, different throttle size and module set — at the cost of more individual purchasing decisions and, typically, a higher total cost once you've assembled a full setup. Simmers who already know they want a specific grip for a specific aircraft, or who care about the STECS's modular throttle grips for space-sim thruster control, tend to land on VKB. Simmers who want one box that just works tend to land on Thrustmaster.

The MaRS sensor system in more detail

VKB's contactless MaRS sensors — the acronym stands for Magnetically Resistant Sensor — read stick and throttle position through a magnetic field rather than physical contact, the same underlying principle as Thrustmaster's H.E.A.R.T. sensors on the HOTAS Warthog. VKB pairs that sensor approach with 32-bit ARM controllers built into both the base and the grip on its current hardware, handling the signal processing on-device rather than leaning entirely on your PC's USB polling. The Gladiator NXT's electromagnetically tuned active damper adds another layer on top of that: rather than a purely mechanical spring return, the damper uses electromagnetic resistance to shape how the stick's center-return force feels, and VKB's adjustable polling rate — up to 4 kHz — lets you tune how often the stick reports position back to your PC, which matters most in precision-sensitive titles where every millisecond of input lag is noticeable.

Building a full HOTAS around STECS modules

The STECS throttle's modular design is worth walking through concretely, because it's the clearest example of how VKB's whole philosophy differs from a bundled system. Instead of one fixed throttle grip, you choose a base size — Mini, Mini Plus, Standard, or Max — and then add control modules on top. VKB's STEM module contributes 8 buttons, two K-switches with central push buttons, two encoders with central push buttons, and a self-centering 3-position flip switch. The ATEM module adds 4 buttons, including two safety lid-protected buttons, plus a 4-way directional rotary encoder with a central push button. For space-sim flying specifically, VKB's Space Throttle Grip (STG) layers on a built-in X/Y gimbal, two analog axes, two 3-way and two 5-way hat switches, two buttons, a trigger, and an encoder wheel with a push button, aimed at six-degree-of-freedom thruster control rather than traditional aircraft throttle levers. You assemble the combination that matches your specific sim rather than working around a single fixed layout.

What VKB doesn't include that a bundle would

Because VKB sells components rather than a matched bundle, there are a few things you need to plan for that a Thrustmaster system handles automatically. You need to confirm your chosen grip physically fits your chosen base — VKB's own compatibility notes matter here, since not every grip generation fits every base generation without an adapter. You need a mounting plan, since VKB's tabletop bases (the STECS Max, for example) come with a steel baseplate and non-slip pads for desk use, but a permanent cockpit rig may need additional mounting hardware VKB sells separately. And you need to budget for the base, grip, and throttle as three line items rather than one, which is the tradeoff for being able to choose each one independently.

Firmware and profile management

Both the Gladiator/Gunfighter stick line and the STECS throttle line support firmware updates over USB and store button-mapping profiles in onboard memory, so your configuration persists across PCs and sessions without relying on background software running at all times. That's consistent with how Thrustmaster's T.A.R.G.E.T. software and onboard memory work on the Warthog, though VKB and Thrustmaster each use their own separate configuration tools — profiles built for one brand's software don't transfer to the other, so switching between a VKB and a Thrustmaster setup later means rebuilding your button mapping from scratch either way.

Check current VKB Gladiator and Gunfighter HOTAS listings on Amazon

Who this is for

Built for PC simmers who want precision hardware and are willing to assemble a base, grip, and throttle as separate purchases to get exactly the configuration their flying needs, especially for combat-sim titles with dense button requirements. If you want a single-purchase, bundled HOTAS instead — or you need console compatibility — Thrustmaster's lineup, covered above, is the more direct route.

Compare options

We could not verify a current, matching Amazon listing for this exact product, so rather than guess at a link, here's the direct route: see our HOTAS stick roundup for verified, in-stock options that fit this use case.