A pre-War shoulder-mounted multipurpose missile weapon, consisting of a reusable launch unit with an advanced fire control system and a stainless steel launch tube. The control system is contained within a bulky reinforced control box and allows for a degree of target tracking. Aftermarket guidance systems were introduced shortly before the Great War, allowing for greatly increased accuracy and precision. Of note is the fact that unlike most conventional launchers, this model is a breech-loading weapon. Reloading involves breaking it open and sliding the fin-stabilized missile into the frontal section. The remaining length of the launching tube helps protect the operator from the blast, but even then, anyone standing behind it will be scorched, as the backblast is directed rearwards at a 90 degree angle and reaches up to sixty meters.[1]
It remains a popular weapon with many factions and individuals in the wasteland, including raiders, super mutants, mercenary groups, and adventurers looking for something that packs a lot of punch. The availability of specialist munitions such as hive missiles makes it particularly attractive.
Characteristics[]
Expanded
A very common and very powerful big gun, the missile launcher sends a high velocity explosive projectile that detonates upon impact (whether it be a structure or an enemies). Its potential is somewhat hampered by its long reload time and inability to kill anything stronger than a super mutant brute in a single shot.
A fully-repaired missile launcher can fire 83 missiles before breaking.
Variants[]
Miss Launcher, a prototype missile launcher that fires missiles with a Fat Man trajectory.
Sim version (Operation: Anchorageadd-on), a sim-only version of the weapon which differs only in health (essentially non-degrading).
Sentry bots have a missile launcher, but when looted posthumously they will only yield missiles. This is due to the weapon being built into an arm of the robot.
Super mutants often carry them when in large groups.
One can be found around the back of the Washington Monument, along with an ammunition box full of missiles.
Commander Jabsco uses the missile launcher as his primary weapon.
Notes[]
The missile launcher will "lock-on" on certain metallic objects, most notably turrets and the heads of many robot types, giving an increased chance to hit even at long range. This homing ability is perhaps why it is a missile launcher as opposed to a simpler unguided rocket launcher. (If used in V.A.T.S. (with sufficient skill) against a fast moving target, the missile quite obviously curves and tracks the targeted body part.)
A special missile launcher with no name, appearing as <Missing Name> in your inventory, can be obtained on the PC using the console command player.additem 0005deee 1. This weapon is used by the SatCom nuclear strike and is what creates the rain of Satcom missiles that are called upon from the Satcom array. It fires missiles, however the explosion is much larger than that of the mini nuke, and gives +40 Rads/sec at the impact zone.
Bugs[]
PlayStation 3 Breaking a missile launcher and switching to a grenade or mine will allow you to throw in an infinite amount of grenades/mines.
Gallery[]
Fallout 3 missile launcher concept art.
Sounds[]
References
↑Weapon appearance and behavior. The rear plate states that the backblast can reach 60m, although this is not reflected in the gameplay.