Vehicular Rocket Launchers
At TL3-4, unguided rockets are employed for artillery bombardment, launched from carts and ships. With refinements, rockets remain in use at TL5-8. They arm ground vehicles, naval vessels, and (at TL6+) aircraft.
Hale 9-pr Mk I, 2.5" (U.K., 1867-1899)
In 1844, William Hale invented a rocket that relied on spinning propulsion for stability, dispensing with the guidance stick of earlier designs. The Hale rocket was widely used in colonial wars. The 9-pounder version was popular, as it was light enough for pack animals to carry and a viable weapon in swamps and jungles where even light mountain guns were of no use. It was launched from a "rocket machine" – a trough on a tripod – in land service, or from shipboard tubes in naval service.
A mule could carry two packs of six rockets. Rockets, metal-lined wooden cases, and harness weighed 202 lbs. The disassembled trough and associated carrying equipment added 32 lbs. A HE rocket costs $55.
BM-13-16 Katyusha, 132mm (Russia, 1941-1945)
The BM-13-16 – better known as the Katyusha ("little Katie") and dubbed Stalinorgel ("Stalin's organ") by German troops under its bombardment – was one of the first multiple rocket launchers in military service. The 16-shot launcher fired the M-13 artillery rocket. Intended primarily for Soviet trucks, it saw some use on tanks and naval vessels as well. It was short on range and accuracy, but put down a huge amount of explosive. A HE rocket costs $100.
M10, 4.5" (USA, 1943-1945)
The M10 was a light, three-shot rocket pod designed to fire the 4.5" M8 aircraft rocket from U.S. Air Force fighters. Multiple rocket launchers installed on ground vehicles also launched this rocket. A HE rocket costs $200.
M260, 70mm Hydra (USA, 1979-)
This is a light, seven-shot rocket pod designed to launch the 70mm (2.75") MK 66 Folding-Fin Aerial Rocket (FFAR) from U.S. Army helicopters. Other U.S. services – and export customers – adopted similar launchers to arm ground-attack aircraft. In addition to HE (in table), warheads include heavyweight HE (Dmg 6d×5 [3d+2] cr ex), HEDP (Dmg 6d×3(10) cr ex with 5d×4 [3d+2] cr ex linked), WP (Dmg 5d [1d(0.2)] burn ex, 19-yard-radius cloud lasting 5 minutes, Range 70/3,300), and beehive (Dmg 2d+2 cut, Range 450/7,000, RoF 7×1,179, Rcl 1). In 1993, the latter was adopted for use from special-ops helicopter gunships. A HE rocket costs $1,300.
From 2006, Hydra rockets are available with a laser guidance package (see Semi-Active Homing Weapons): Acc 4, Range 300/10,500, Cost $3,900.
The M158 (1965-1979), used during the Vietnam War, fired the 2.75" MK 4 FFAR rocket: Dmg 7d×3 [3d+2] cr ex, Range 70/6,500, EWt. 40/21.
Gunner (Rockets) (DX-4, or Other Gunner at -4)
| TL | Weapon | Damage | Acc | Range | Weight | RoF | Shots | ST | Bulk | Rcl | Cost | LC | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | Hale 9-pr Mk I, 2.5" | 6d×2 [3d] cr ex | 0 | 200/3,400 | 27/8.4 | 1 | 1(5) | 13M | -8 | 1 | $200 | 1 | [1, 2] |
| 6 | BM-13-16, 132mm | 6d×3 [6d+2] cr ex | 1 | 500/9,400 | 3,150/92 | 2 | 16(60i) | 44M | -13 | 1 | $10,000 | 1 | [1] |
| 7 | M10, 4.5" | 5d×5 [6d-1] cr ex | 1 | 300/4,000 | 82/38 | 3 | 3(10i) | 20M | -11 | 1 | $1,800 | 1 | [1] |
| 8 | M260, 70mm | 7d×3 [3d+2] cr ex | 2 | 70/10,500 | 35/23 | 7 | 7(10i) | 22M | -9 | 1 | $4,200 | 1 | [1] |
Notes:
- [1] First Range figure is minimum range, not 1/2D.
- [2] Unreliable. Malfunctions on 16+.