Super sledge

Super sledgehammers are powered variants of the regular sledgehammer, outfitted with kinetic storage devices to increase the impact force. As with its older brethren, sledgehammers are designed to apply a lot of force over a comparatively large area, in contrast to most other types of hammers.

Background
Super sledgehammers date back to the pre-War times, when the return of trench warfare necessitated the creation of a tool superior to regular large hammers for engineering work and breaching concrete fortifications. The addition of a kinetic storage device greatly increased the power of a sledgehammer, making it, effectively, a self-powered engineering tool. It has also became an excellent impromptu weapon and by the end of the Anchorage Reclamation, it became standard issue for T-51 power armor units tasked with breaching heavily fortified enemy lines, like the Anchorage refinery. The performance of the sledgehammer in close combat would eclipse its application as a tool. Decades after the war, super sledgehammers would be recognized as formidable weapons in their own right and as useful tools second.

U.S. military super sledgehammer


The original incarnation of the super sledgehammer, produced by the United States military, is a bizarre looking weapon compared to its predecessor. The head of the hammer contains the kinetic storage device and a pair of faces that transfer the stored energy to the target. It is mounted on a shock damper held in place by springs, designed to reduce the recoil produced by the impact to manageable, non-lethal levels. Additional padding helps make it more comfortable to use, while a fixture at the terminal end of the shaft ensures it won't slip out of the user's hands. It is by far the most widespread model in the United States, commonly seen in the hands of high-tech factions and where the Brotherhood's own variant is not available. 


 * For the unique super sledge found in Fallout: New Vegas, see Oh, Baby!
 * For the non-player character super sledge used by Fawkes in Fallout 3, see: Fawkes' super sledge.
 * For the non-player character super sledge used by Mean Sonofabitch found in Fallout: New Vegas, see: Mean super sledge.
 * For the cut content super sledge in Fallout 3 Broken Steel add-on, see: discharge hammer.

Rocket-assisted super sledgehammer


This pre-War model was originally used by construction crews for demolition. Fitted with a rocket booster at the head, the sledgehammer would behave like a normal tool until it reached a certain acceleration point, when the booster would activate and deliver a tremendously powerful impact, easily crushing concrete. Of course, its use required carefully selecting the target area and trajectory, as while the operator was protected from the recoil by the shock dampener in the handle, everyone around them was vulnerable. Of course, it certainly didn't take much imagination to find alternative uses for the existing units after societal collapse. The Art of Fallout 4 p.234: "Chapter 5 WEAPONS ONE OF THE CORE Fallout experiences is surviving in the Wasteland through combat, so we set out to give the player a system that allows modification and customization of any weapon in the game. Every gun was designed with modularity in mind. Classic guns, like the plasma and laser rifles, were broken up into interchangeable components. New guns, such as the pipe set, were designed from the ground up to work with this system and provide as much variety and flexibility as possible. ''The pipe gun set is the most basic of the ballistic weapons, crudely crafted from various bits of found bolts, metal, and wood. These guns look just as likely to kill the shooter as the target, but they are plentiful in the Wasteland and a favorite of raiders. We used this early set to figure out how we wanted to break a gun down to the basic elements that all guns would share, in order to maximize interchangeability. This drove the structure of the crafting interface, with standardized slots for receiver, barrel, muzzle attachments, grip, and scope. The root identity of any gun is determined by the receiver; everything else can be swapped. This allows the player to go as far as transforming a short-range pistol into a sniper rifle. Luckily, given the improvised nature of most things in the game's world, weird or unusual gun combinations still look appropriate and fit into the setting. Some of our guns are based on realistic interpretations of well-known, real-life prewar weapons, and therefore their range of customization options is slightly limited. But even in these instances you can substantially change the gun's appearance to achieve some really interesting builds. The base 10 mm, for instance, is a different design from the version in Fallout 3. But with the proper mods, you can transform it into something very similar. It's not all about the guns, of course. The melee selection was expanded as well, with a eye toward entertaining builds designed to deliver massive (and painful) physical damage. Some of these weapons were initially intended for purposes other than inflicting harm. The power first and super sledge are prewar hardware originally used by construction crews for demolition. But it certainly didn't take much imagination to find alternative uses for them."'' 


 * For the unique super sledge found in Far Harbor, see Atom's Judgement

Brotherhood super sledgehammer


A hammer designed after the Great War by the Brotherhood of Steel, using the finest technology available to the order. The outline of the weapon has been streamlined and the head enclosed in a protective casing. The handle is also simplified, apparently due to the weapon being designed explicitly for use by troops in power armor. Regardless of the intent, the sledgehammer eventually made its way to the outside and appeared on the market in New California, drawing attention for its combination of good ergonomics, excellent performance, and the ability to knock enemies around like there was no tomorrow. Its performance as a tool was an excellent bonus. 

Micro sledge


Micro sledges are miniaturized models of the super sledge, which are solely manufactured by the Eastern Brotherhood of Steel. These micro sledges are comprised of the same materials and parts as super sledges, albeit at a much smaller scale. This particular model of sledge has kinetic energy storage device fitted, which withholds a large amount of force, which is then released upon contact for an improved knock-back effect. 

Turbo super sledge


If overkill had a name, this weapon would be it. A nuclear-powered turbine has been affixed to the head of a regular sledgehammer, creating a weapon that's as absurd in concept as it is effective in killing.

Behind the scenes

 * The weapon model in Fallout 3 was created by Liquid Development.