Missile launcher
Ranged | Close Combat |
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This article covers both missile and rocket launchers.[Needs Citation]
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]
Contents
Types
Imperial 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]
Ork
- A Rokkit Launcha is a very simple weapon often used by Orks against armoured vehicles.[4]
- Supa-Rokkitss: Used on Stompas[Needs Citation]
- Krooz Missiles: Used on Gargants[Needs Citation]
- Skorcha Missiles: Used on Burna-Bommers[Needs Citation]
- Tankbusta Rokkits: Used on Landas[Needs Citation]
- Grot Bombs: Gretchin-guided munition[Needs Citation]
- Pulsa Rokkit: Enormous Missile[Needs Citation]
Eldar
- 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]
- The Eldar Aspect Warriors known as Dark Reapers carry missile launchers known as Reaper Launchers capable of rapidly firing armoured-piercing missiles.[Needs Citation]
- The Tempest Launcher is a multiple missile launcher that has indirect fire capability. It is fielded by Dark Reaper Exarchs.[Needs Citation]
- Phantom Missile Launcher: Used on Titans[Needs Citation]
- Phoenix Missile Launcher: Used on Gunships[Needs Citation]
Dark Eldar
Chaos Space Marines Missile Launchers
Chaos Space Marines carry a mix of issued pre-Heresy and modern Imperial missile launchers taken from defeated foes. Most Chaos missile launchers operate the same as the Imperial launchers, though they also use Havoc Launchers.[Needs Citation]
Chaos Forces also use a variety of more exotic missile weapons, such as the Hellfyre Missile Rack[19].
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 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 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]
- Seeker Missile: Used on Sky Ray Gunships and Piranhas[Needs Citation]
- Cluster Rocket System: Used on KV128 Stormsurge Battlesuits[Needs Citation]
- Destroyer Missile: Used on KV128 Stormsurge Battlesuits[Needs Citation]
- Nexus Missile System: Used on KX139 Battlesuits[Needs Citation]
Related Articles
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
- 14: Codex: Space Wolves (5th Edition), pg. 58
- 15: Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader, pg. 98
- 16: Warhammer Community
- 17: The Citadel Journal 22, pgs. 4-5
- 18: Warhammer Community: Free Core Rules; New Models Sighted… (Posted on 02/07/2020) (Last accessed on 2 July 2020)
- 19: War Zone Fenris: Wrath of Magnus — Chaos Space Marines
Uncited
- Codex: Space Marines (4th Edition)
- Codex: Tau (3rd Edition)
- Codex: Eldar (3rd Edition)
- Inquisitor Rulebook
- Forgeworld website