Thunderbolt 5

Thunderbolt 5
Production information
Type	Missile
Tech Base	Inner Sphere Advanced Technology
Year Availability	3072
Technical specifications
Heat	3
Damage	5
Minimum Range	5
Short Range	1-6
Medium Range	7-12
Long Range	13-18
Tons	3
Critical Slots	1
Ammo Per Ton	12
Cost (unloaded)	50,000
Ammo Cost (per ton)	50,000
BV (2.0)	64/13 for launcher 8 for ammo

This article is about the missile weapon. For the BattleMech of the same name, see Thunderbolt.

Description

First developed by the Federated Commonwealth in the mid-3050s for the Solaris arenas, the Thunderbolt launcher is an offshoot of standard LRM technology. Instead of firing a group of five missiles, the Thunderbolt 5 launcher fires a single missile that inflicts as much damage as an Autocannon/5. This increased damage is made up for by the slightly reduced range and increases to the weapon's heat and weight. The Thunderbolt missile is also more vulnerable to anti-missile systems.

Thunderbolt missile launchers cannot use Artemis IV or Narc guidance systems, but operate like LRMs in every other way.

Notes

The Thunderbolt missile launcher series were based on the weapon of the same name introduced in Unbound. That weapon fired a single missile with the range and damage profile of an Autocannon/10.

Bibliography

• Tactical Operations
• Unbound