Missile launcher
| Ranged | Close Combat |
|---|---|
|
Electric (Arc • Tesla) • Flame • Gauss • Graviton • Grenade • Ion/Plasma • Laser • Melta • Missile • Bolt • Ordnance • Projectile • Grenade launcher • Monofilament/Web • Sonic • Volkite |
Chain • Force • Electric (Arc • Taser) • Power • Miscellaneous |
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.[2]
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.[2]
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[38], while Space Marines are strong enough to use and reload missile launchers alone.[37]
Ork
- A Rokkit Launcha is a very simple weapon often used by Orks against armoured vehicles.[4]
- Supa-Rokkitss: Used on Stompas[5]
- Krooz Missiles: Used on Gargants[21]
- Skorcha Missiles: Used on Burna-Bommers[22]
- Tankbusta Rokkits: Used on Landas[21]
- Grot Bombs: Gretchin-guided munition[23]
- Pulsa Rokkit: Enormous Missile[24]
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.[26a]
- The Eldar Aspect Warriors known as Dark Reapers carry missile launchers known as Reaper Launchers capable of rapidly firing armoured-piercing missiles.[26a]
- The Tempest Launcher is a multiple missile launcher that has indirect fire capability. It is fielded by Dark Reaper Exarchs.[26b]
- Phantom Missile Launcher: Used on Titans[27]
- Phoenix Missile Launcher: Used on Gunships[27]
- Starhawk Missile: Used against aircraft[34]
Dark Eldar
Chaos
- 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.[29]
- Chaos Forces also use a variety of more exotic missile weapons, such as the Hellfyre Missile Rack[19].
- Chaos Defilers can be armed with Heavy Missile Launchers.[39]
Tau
Tau ranged weapon technology is more advanced than that of the Imperium. This includes Missile Launcher technology, however the Tau army is organised 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. [30]
- 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.[30]
- 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).[30]
- Seeker Missile: Used on Sky Ray Gunships and Piranhas[31]
- Cluster Rocket System: Used on KV128 Stormsurge Battlesuits[32]
- Destroyer Missile: Used on KV128 Stormsurge Battlesuits[32]
- Nexus Missile System: Used on KX139 Battlesuits[33]
Leagues of Votann
- APM Launcher - Adaptive weapon that can change warhead types as-needed.[35]
- L7 Missile Launcher - Missile system family.[36]
- Sagitaur Missile Launcher.
See also
Sources
- 1: Warhammer 40,000: Wargear
[Help] - 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
- 20: Codex: Space Marines (5th Edition) pg. 101
- 21: Epic Armageddon Rulebook, pgs. 165-166
- 22: White Dwarf 389 (UK), pgs. 71-73
- 23: Aeronautica Imperialis: Rynn's World Air War Campaign Book, pg. 82
- 24: Warhammer 40,000 Collectible Card Game (game system)
- 25: Games Workshop Official Site (Dead link)
- 26: Codex: Eldar (4th Edition)
- 27: Imperial Armour Volume Eleven, pgs. 199-207
- 28: Codex: Dark Eldar (5th Edition), pg. 47
- 29: Black Crusade Core Rulebook pg.159
- 30: Codex: Tau Empire (7th Edition), pg. 117
- 31: Farsight: Crisis of Faith (Novel), Ch. 9
- 32: White Dwarf 88 (2015) — KV128 Stormsurge
- 33: Forgeworld KX139 (dead link)
- 34: Codex: Aeldari (9th Edition), pg. 101
- 35: Kill Team: Termination, pg. 61
- 36: Warhammer Community: Put Pedal to the Metal Aboard the Rugged Leagues of Votann Sagitaur ATV (Posted on 18/07/22) (Last accessed on 18 July 22)
- 37: Codex: Space Marines (5th Edition) - pg. 61
- 38: Codex: Imperial Guard (5th Edition) - pgs. 37-38
- 39: Warhammer Community: Revealed: Inside the incredible new Defiler kit saved page, original link (last accessed 4/4/2026)
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