Difference between revisions of "Rocket Launcher"

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{{Update Needed|[[Field Manual: Periphery]], [[Total Warfare]]}}
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{{Update Needed|[[Field Manual: Periphery]]|[[Total Warfare]]}}
  
 
== Description ==
 
== Description ==
'''Rocket Launchers''' fire a single-volley of inaccurate "dead-fire" missiles that lack on-board guidance. Despite their simple nature, their relatively light weight, compact size and low cost allows multiple launchers to replace a single large missile launcher or [[Autocannon]], offering reasonable first strike ability. They have also been used on several battle armor designs, including the [[Trinity]]<ref name="TRO:3075p26+">''Technical Readout: 3075'', pp. 26-27, "Trinity"</ref>, [[Nephilim]]<ref name="TRO:3075p38+">''Technical Readout: 3075'', pp. 38-39, "Nephilim"</ref>, and [[Asura]].<ref name="TRO:3075p20+">''Technical Readout: 3075'', pp. 20-21, "Asura"</ref>
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'''Rocket Launchers''' fire a single volley of inaccurate "dead-fire" missiles that lack onboard guidance. Despite their simple nature, their relatively light weight, compact size and low cost allows multiple launchers to replace a single large missile launcher or [[autocannon]], offering reasonable first-strike ability. They have also been used on several battle armor designs, including the [[Trinity (Battle Armor)|Trinity]],<ref name="TRO:3075p26+">''Technical Readout: 3075'', pp. 26–27: "Trinity"</ref> [[Nephilim]],<ref name="TRO:3075p38+">''Technical Readout: 3075'', pp. 38–39: "Nephilim"</ref> and [[Asura]].<ref name="TRO:3075p20+">''Technical Readout: 3075'', pp. 20–21: "Asura"</ref>
  
 
== History ==
 
== History ==
The weapon first appeared in recognizable form on [[Terra]] during the [[Terran Alliance]] collapse. These early Rocket Launchers were (from a [[thirty-first century]] perspective) considered primitive. Rocket Launchers were first fielded by warring Terran political factions trying gain control of the planet and the Alliance itself.  After Admiral [[James McKenna|McKenna's]] [[James_McKenna#The_Zoli_Affair|coup]], the weapon fell out of use and became extinct.<ref name="XTRO:PV1p14">''Experimental Technical Readout: Primitives Vol.1'', p. 14, "Background information & specs for Primitive Rocket Launcher 15 matches Pentagon Powers version"</ref>
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The weapon first appeared in recognizable form on [[Terra]] during the [[Terran Alliance]] collapse. These early rocket launchers were (from a [[thirty-first century]] perspective) considered primitive. Rocket launchers were first fielded by the warring Terran political factions which were trying gain control of the planet and the Alliance itself.  After Admiral [[James McKenna|McKenna's]] [[James McKenna#The Zoli Affair|coup]], the weapon fell out of use and became extinct.<ref name="XTRO:PV1p14">''Experimental Technical Readout: Primitives, Volume 1'', p. 14: "Background information & specs for Primitive Rocket Launcher 15 matches Pentagon Powers version"</ref>
  
In the early [[twenty-ninth century]], the warring Pentagon Powers of the former [[Star League in Exile]] also developed and used primitive rocket launcher systems.<ref name="H:OKp157">''Historical: Operation Klondike'', p. 157 "Prototype Pentagon Powers Systems"</ref>  They were identical to Terran Alliance's Primitive launchers.  
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In the early [[twenty-ninth century]], the warring Pentagon Powers of the former [[Star League in Exile]] also developed and used primitive rocket launcher systems.<ref name="H:OKp157">''Historical: Operation Klondike'', p. 157: "Prototype Pentagon Powers Systems"</ref>  Other than slight variations in the materials used in their construction, they were identical to the Terran Alliance's primitive launchers.
 
   
 
   
The first modern version of the Rocket Launcher was developed by the [[Marian Hegemony]] in [[3064]]<ref name="TMp229">''TechManual'', p. 229, "Rocket Launcher"</ref> from Man-Portable Rocket Launchers as a simple and crude replacement for other weaponry types in the more low-tech regions of the [[Periphery]]. These weapons were largely forgotten until the modern systems were re-introduced by the Marian Hegemony, but the new version had an even worse guidance system than its predecessors.<ref name="H:OKp157"/>
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The first modern version of the rocket launcher was developed by the [[Marian Hegemony]] in [[3064]]<ref name="TMp229">''TechManual'', p. 229: "Rocket Launcher"</ref> from Man-Portable Rocket Launchers as a simple and crude replacement for other weapon systems in the more low-tech regions of the [[Periphery]]. These weapons were largely forgotten until the modern systems were reintroduced by the Marian Hegemony, but the new version had an even worse guidance system than its predecessors.<ref name="H:OKp157"/>
  
These weapons were soon fitted on BattleMechs, and by the [[Jihad]] would see wide spread use among the [[Inner Sphere]] powers.
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These weapons were soon fitted on BattleMechs, and by the [[Jihad]] would see widespread use among the [[Inner Sphere]] powers.
  
 
== Types of Launchers ==
 
== Types of Launchers ==
Several types of Rocket Launcher systems exist. For specifics about a particular type, see below:
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Several types of rocket launcher systems exist. For specifics about a particular type, see below:
  
 
* [[Rocket Launcher 10]]
 
* [[Rocket Launcher 10]]
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* [[Rocket Launcher 20]]
 
* [[Rocket Launcher 20]]
  
Battle Armor-mounted:
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Battle Armor–mounted:
 
* [[Rocket Launcher 1]]
 
* [[Rocket Launcher 1]]
 
* [[Rocket Launcher 2]]
 
* [[Rocket Launcher 2]]
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* [[Rocket Launcher 5]]
 
* [[Rocket Launcher 5]]
  
Prototype rocket launcher batteries (usually from Early-Spaceflight Terra, and the early Age Of War era) work like their variants mentioned above, but with less accuracy (with a -1 rolled on the [[CBT]] cluster hit table).<ref name="IOp73">''Interstellar Operations'', p. 73, "Rocket Launcher-P"</ref>
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Prototype rocket launcher batteries (usually from Early Spaceflight Terra, and the early Age of War era) work like their variants mentioned above, but with less accuracy (with a −1 rolled on the [[CBT]] cluster hit table).<ref name="IOp73">''Interstellar Operations'', p. 73: "Rocket Launcher-P"</ref>
  
 
== Gallery ==
 
== Gallery ==
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* ''[[TechManual]]''
 
* ''[[TechManual]]''
 
* ''[[Technical Readout: 3075]]''
 
* ''[[Technical Readout: 3075]]''
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[[Category:Technology|Rocket Launcher]]
 
[[Category:Technology|Rocket Launcher]]
 
[[Category:Weapons|Rocket Launcher]]
 
[[Category:Weapons|Rocket Launcher]]
 
[[Category:Missile Weapons|Rocket Launcher]]
 
[[Category:Missile Weapons|Rocket Launcher]]

Latest revision as of 10:55, 17 March 2024


Description[edit]

Rocket Launchers fire a single volley of inaccurate "dead-fire" missiles that lack onboard guidance. Despite their simple nature, their relatively light weight, compact size and low cost allows multiple launchers to replace a single large missile launcher or autocannon, offering reasonable first-strike ability. They have also been used on several battle armor designs, including the Trinity,[1] Nephilim,[2] and Asura.[3]

History[edit]

The weapon first appeared in recognizable form on Terra during the Terran Alliance collapse. These early rocket launchers were (from a thirty-first century perspective) considered primitive. Rocket launchers were first fielded by the warring Terran political factions which were trying gain control of the planet and the Alliance itself. After Admiral McKenna's coup, the weapon fell out of use and became extinct.[4]

In the early twenty-ninth century, the warring Pentagon Powers of the former Star League in Exile also developed and used primitive rocket launcher systems.[5] Other than slight variations in the materials used in their construction, they were identical to the Terran Alliance's primitive launchers.

The first modern version of the rocket launcher was developed by the Marian Hegemony in 3064[6] from Man-Portable Rocket Launchers as a simple and crude replacement for other weapon systems in the more low-tech regions of the Periphery. These weapons were largely forgotten until the modern systems were reintroduced by the Marian Hegemony, but the new version had an even worse guidance system than its predecessors.[5]

These weapons were soon fitted on BattleMechs, and by the Jihad would see widespread use among the Inner Sphere powers.

Types of Launchers[edit]

Several types of rocket launcher systems exist. For specifics about a particular type, see below:

Battle Armor–mounted:

Prototype rocket launcher batteries (usually from Early Spaceflight Terra, and the early Age of War era) work like their variants mentioned above, but with less accuracy (with a −1 rolled on the CBT cluster hit table).[7]

Gallery[edit]

References[edit]

  1. Technical Readout: 3075, pp. 26–27: "Trinity"
  2. Technical Readout: 3075, pp. 38–39: "Nephilim"
  3. Technical Readout: 3075, pp. 20–21: "Asura"
  4. Experimental Technical Readout: Primitives, Volume 1, p. 14: "Background information & specs for Primitive Rocket Launcher 15 matches Pentagon Powers version"
  5. 5.0 5.1 Historical: Operation Klondike, p. 157: "Prototype Pentagon Powers Systems"
  6. TechManual, p. 229: "Rocket Launcher"
  7. Interstellar Operations, p. 73: "Rocket Launcher-P"

Bibliography[edit]