Missile launcher

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This article covers both missile and rocket launchers.

A Missile Launcher fires self-propelled guided projectiles that usually contain explosive, chemical, or destructive energy warheads. Missiles may use a chemical rocket, jet engine, or something more esoteric such as an anti-gravity drive, for propulsion.^{[Needs Citation]}

A Rocket Launcher fires unguided, self-propelled projectiles. They contain the same types of warheads as a missile. Usually rockets are propelled by an exothermic chemical reaction, but this does not preclude other forms of propulsion.^{[Needs Citation]}

Portable Missile Launchers

Imperial Missile Launchers

Astartes Missile Launcher (Soundstrike-Pattern)

Astartes Multiple Missile Launcher Proteus-Pattern^[9]

Imperial Guard Missile Launcher team

Missile Launchers

The standard Locke-pattern^[10] Imperial missile launcher has a built in targeting device and is fired from the shoulder. It is a single round weapon and cannot be fired on the move. Standard Imperial Guard doctrine is for one man to carry aim and fire the missile launcher, whilst a second man carries the ammunition and re-loads the weapons. A well-drilled fire team can maintain a formidable rate of fire, enough to daunt the bravest of tank commanders. Amongst the Imperial Guard, missile launchers are crew-served weapons, while Space Marines are strong enough to use and reload missile launchers alone.^{[Needs Citation]}

Patterns

• Soundstrike Pattern: The Soundstrike-pattern missile launcher is an alternative to the standard single-tube missile launcher used by Space Marines. The Soundstrike attaches a special missile rack and auto-loader to a backpack power unit. As the Space Marine fires his missiles, the auto-loader's gripping claw works rapidly to refill the launcher from the back-mounted missile rack. In effect, the Space Marine can fire his choice of missile without interruption until the missile rack is empty. A more compact version of the Soundstrike, the MK.V, is used by the Dark Angels.^[13]
• Proteus Pattern: A heavy ancient design dating back to the Great Crusade and Horus Heresy, it was capable of firing multiple missiles in quick succession and was used exclusively by the Legiones Astartes. Today, it still sees sparse service in some Space Marine Chapter's.^[9]
• Armourbane Missile Launcher: The armourbane missile launcher is a launcher unique to the Deathwatch in the Jericho Reach. A squat, wide-barreled launcher half as tall as a Space Marine, specializing in dealing with heavily-armoured ground units, this launcher is typically loaded with hunter-killer krak missiles and fitted with an array of augurs and special cogitators to guide its missiles to their targets, and is more efficient than a Soundstrike missile launcher. The mounted special augur array combines the benefits of a preysense sight and a red-dot laser sight.^[6]
• Retobi Pattern Missile Launcher: The ancient Retobi-pattern missile launcher loads from a five-round clip. While it has a faster rate of fire, Retobi-pattern launchers are less precise and much more awkward to handle and fire^[10].
• Achillan Mk III "Tread Fether" Missile Launcher: Compact missile launched by Imperial Guard teams.
• Accatran Pattern Missile Launcher: Compact launcher used by Elysian Drop Troops.^[5]
• Thunderbolt Pattern Missile Launcher: Used by the Space Wolves^[14]

Cyclone Missile Launcher

Template:Lex-De The Cyclone Missile Launcher (also known as Terminator Support Missile-Launcher)^[11] is a variant specially designed to be fitted to Terminator Armour.^{[Needs Citation]} Loaded with krak and frag missiles, the Cyclone consists of two cube shaped missile boxes twin-linked by a targeter and sensor array, with the missile and sensor unit fixed on the shoulders of Terminator armour. This allows the Space Marine to use a Storm Bolter and Power Fist with the missile launcher simultaneously. Older designs of the Cyclone missile launcher had the sensor array hand-carried by the Terminator, thus taking away the option of a power fist but making it more accurate.^[1]

Imperial Munitions Types

Frag, Krak, and Flakk Missiles^[8]

• Frag Missiles are designed to explode on impact with any surface, raking the immediate area with lethal shrapnel. Primarily an anti-infantry weapon, it can be used against light vehicles with some success. Frag missiles are often ineffective against heavy infantry.^{[Needs Citation]}

• Krak Missiles are primarily designed as anti-vehicle weapons, but are also very effective against heavy infantry, bunkers and other armored targets. Krak missiles contain a high strength, low blast shaped charge, causing massive damage to anything it hits with minimal collateral damage.^{[Needs Citation]}

• Astartes Anti-Plant Missiles are a stronger variant of anti-plant missiles. They release a vicious cocktail of toxins, viral agents, defoliants, and anti-fungal agents on detonation that reduce even the heartiest flora to a foul-smelling muck in minutes. They are typically used to deny cover and to clear landing zones and fortification sites^[7].

• Concussion Missiles are very effective at breaking up fortifications and are much beloved by the Battle-Brothers of the Imperial Fists garrisoned at Watch Station Erioch^[7].

• Flakk Missiles are surface-to-air warheads designed to engage enemy air support^[8].

• Rad Missiles emit deadly radiation.

• Other Types: missiles are extremely versatile and can potentially carry any conceivable type of payload. Examples include Anti-Plant, Virus, Vortex, Smoke, Gas, Tanglefoot, Haywire, Stasis, Plasma and Photon Flash.^{[Needs Citation]}

Ork

An Ork Rokkit Launcha.^[5]

Rokkit Launcha

A Rokkit Launcha is a very simple weapon often used by Orks against armoured vehicles.^[4] Template:See also

Eldar

Eldar Missile Launcher.

Eldar Missile Launcher

The Eldar Missile Launcher is the standard missile weapon for Eldar ground forces. Instead of the primitive launching-tubes favoured by the Imperium, they use complex chambered pods designed to contain several types of ammo such as krak and plasma warheads, greatly decreasing the need to reload^[3]. The ammunition held in its internal magazines is in fact so compact that they can fit scores of ordinance inside a single launcher.^[12] While portable, they are most commonly mounted on Grav Platforms and Eldar vehicles.^{[Needs Citation]}

Reaper Launcher

The Eldar Aspect Warriors known as Dark Reapers carry missile launchers known as Reaper Launchers capable of rapidly firing armoured-piercing missiles.^{[Needs Citation]}

Tempest Launcher

The Tempest Launcher is a multiple missile launcher that has indirect fire capability. It is fielded by Dark Reaper Exarchs.^{[Needs Citation]}

Chaos Space Marines Missile Launchers

Chaos Space Marine Missile Launcher

Chaos Space Marines carry a mix of issued pre-Heresy and modern Imperial missile launchers taken from defeated foes. All Chaos missile launchers operate the same as the Imperial launchers.^{[Needs Citation]}

Tau

Tau ranged weapon technology is more advanced than that of the Imperium. This includes Missile Launcher technology, however the Tau army is organized such that standard troopers do not carry Missile Launchers like other races. Instead the two varieties of missile launchers available to the Tau are carried on Battlesuits. ^{[Needs Citation]}

Missile Pods

Missile Pods are mounted on the XV8 Crisis Battlesuits and come as standard on the XV-81 and the XV-84. Missile pods are medium range, rapid-fire missiles slightly less powerful than Imperial krak missiles. A combination of their size and the Battlesuits they are mounted on, a missile pod can be fired on the move.^{[Needs Citation]}

Smart Missile System

Smart Missile Systems are the pinnacle of battlesuit missile technology. Medium strength and capable of very rapid fire (twice as fast as missile pods), the Smart Missile System is so high tech it does not require a line of sight to its target. Instead each missile fired contains a sophisticated guidance system allowing it to maneuver around obstacles and terrain and hit and impact upon a target without risk to the firer. Due to its size, the Smart Missile System can only be mounted on the bulky Broadside Battlesuit and cannot be fired on the move (without an additional stabilizing upgrade).^{[Needs Citation]}

Vehicle Mounted Missile Launchers

The Imperials, the Tau Empire, and the forces of Chaos all make use of vehicle-mounted missile launchers.^{[Needs Citation]}

Imperial Vehicle Mounted Missile Launchers

Exorcist Multiple Missile Launcher

The Exorcist Multiple Missile Launcher is a large device used primarily for destroying enemy emplacements and armored vehicles, used solely by the Ordo Hereticus.^{[Needs Citation]}

Hunter Killer Missiles

A Hunter-Killer Missile is a single shot, self-guided missile with a krak warhead. Designed to bolt on to any Imperial vehicle, it provides extra anti-armour firepower for a variety of situations. As a “fire and forget” weapon, once a target is selected, the Hunter Killer missile will aim, fire, and guide itself to the target.^{[Needs Citation]}

Whirlwind Multiple Missile Launcher

The Space Marine Whirlwind artillery tank and Land Raider Helios both mount a Whirlwind Multiple Missile Launcher. It consists of a large bank of either Vengeance or Castellan missiles.^{[Needs Citation]}
Muntions Type:

• Vengeance Missiles are the standard round, with a moderately high strength and large blast radius; they are deadly to infantry.^{[Needs Citation]}
• Castellan Missiles each contain dozens of mines scattered upon impact. This gives the Space Marines the ability to rapidly seed minefields in strategic locations without risking troops.^{[Needs Citation]}

Hyperios Missile Launchers

Mounted on the Whirlwind Hyperios, the Hyperios Missile Launcher, combined with advanced targeting gear, is designed for close air defence.^{[Needs Citation]}

Manticore Missile Launcher

The Manticore Missile Launcher, mounted on the Chimera-based Manticore, is a mobile multiple rocket launcher capable of firing a variety of rockets including standard high explosive fragmentation warheads, oxyphosphur incendiary warheads, and surface-to-air interceptor missiles.^{[Needs Citation]}

Support Sentinels

Support Sentinels are armed with either a multiple rocket pod or a missile launcher.^{[Needs Citation]}

• Multiple Rocket Pods are rapid-fire launchers loaded with standard frag missiles.^{[Needs Citation]}
• Missile Launchers mounted on Sentinels are designed to fire standard frag and krak missiles indirectly.^{[Needs Citation]}

Apocalypse Missile Launcher

The Apocalypse Missile Launcher is a huge construct usually found carapace-mounted on a Reaver Battle Titan. They are sometimes equipped on Warhound Scout Titans.^[2]

Typhoon Missile Launcher

Used by Stormtalon Gunships

Skyhammer Missile Launcher

Used by Stormtalon Gunships

Eldar

Phoenix Missile Launcher

The Phoenix Missile Launcher is found on Phoenix bombers, Vampire Raiders and their variants.^{[Needs Citation]}

Revenant Missile Launcher

The Revenant Missile Launcher is mounted on Revenant Titans for use as an anti-infantry weapon.^{[Needs Citation]}

Tau Vehicle Mounted Missile Launchers

Smart Missile System

Various Tau battle tanks mount a Smart Missile System identical to the ones carried by the XV-88 Broadside Battlesuit.^{[Needs Citation]}

Seeker Missiles

Many Tau vehicles have the ability to carry Seeker Missiles. Most Tau vehicles can carry up to two Seeker missiles, but variations such as the Sky Ray carry six as its primary weapon.^{[Needs Citation]}

Seeker missiles are self guided high strength anti-armour missiles similar to Imperial Hunter-killer missiles. However the targeting approach is radically different: seeker missiles are guided to their target by energy beams emitted from markerlights normally carried by forward units of Tau Pathfinders and Stealthsuit Teams, although normal Fire Warriors also carry them as a means of providing fire support. A markerlight records and transmits targeting information to a Seeker Missile, which automatically launches from its mount and guides itself around any intervening terrain or obstacles to impact with the target. This technology makes infiltrating Tau troops much feared by tank commanders.^{[Needs Citation]}

Seeker missiles operate independently of the vehicle they are mounted on unless it too is equipped with markerlight technology.^{[Needs Citation]}

Chaos Space Marine Vehicle-Mounted Missile Launchers

Due to their exile in the Eye of Terror for millennia, the Traitor Legions have not been privy to much Imperial advancement of technology. For this reason, they still solely use the Havoc Missile Launchers on their vehicles in an anti-personnel capacity, rather than Hunter-Killer Missiles.^{[Needs Citation]}

Related Articles

• Projectile Weapons
• Grenade Launcher
• Energy Weapons
  • Plasma Weapons
  • Las Weapons
  • Melta Weapons
  • Gauss Weaponry
• Space Marine Weaponry (List)
• List of Lists

Sources

• 1: Warhammer 40,000: Wargear, ^{[Needs Citation]}
• 2: Imperial Armour Volume Six - The Siege of Vraks - Part Two, pgs. 118-119, 122
• 3: Codex: Eldar (4th Edition), pg. 22
• 4: Codex: Orks (4th Edition), pg. 89
• 5: Imperial Armour Volume Eight - Raid on Kastorel-Novem, pg. 117
• 6: Deathwatch: Rites of Battle, pg. 137
• 7: Deathwatch: Rites of Battle, pg. 136
• 8: Warhammer 40,000 6th Edition Rulebook, pg. 55
• 9: Imperial Armour Volume Ten, pg. 120
• 10: Only War Core Rulebook, pg. 182
• 11: Warhammer 40,000: Compilation, pg. 9
• 12: Rogue Trader: The Koronus Bestiary, pg. 47
• 13: Codex: Dark Angels (5th Edition), pg. 51
• Template:End: Codex: Space Wolves (5th Edition), pp. 58

Uncited

This article purports to rely on sources which are not cited in the body of the text. For help on citation see the citation guidelines. You can help Lexicanum by fixing it.

• Codex: Space Marines (4th Edition)
• Codex: Tau (3rd Edition)
• Codex: Eldar (3rd Edition)
• Inquisitor Rulebook
• Forgeworld website