Bombshell Genius
OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION
- Intent: To provide a new generation of thermobaric charges
- Image Source: Army Technology
- Canon Link: N/A
- Restricted Missions: N/A
- Primary Source: Thermobaric weapon, Jairdain heavy mortar
- Manufacturer: Ringovinda Systems
- Model: 3t6 thermobaric charge
- Affiliation: Open-Market
- Modularity: Yes: can also replace the warheads by ion, penetrator or regular HE charges; can fit augmentation rings to adjust for range
- Production: Mass-Produced
- Material: Detonite, standard electronic components, plasteel casing, standard rocket components, propylene oxide
- Classification: Mortar shell
- Size: Vehicle-mounted
- Length: 80 cm
- Diameter: 120mm
- Weight: 14 kg
- Ammunition Type: Shell
- Ammunition Capacity: 1
- Effective Range: 200m (minimum) 5 km (maximum, with all six augmentation rings)
- Rate of Fire: Single action
Strengths:
- Great explosive firepower: a 3t6 is equivalent to two proton bombs in firepower
- High blast radius: the 3t6 has a blast radius of 200m, with maximum destruction achieved within 40m of the blast point
- Very effective against targets in confined spaces
- Pressure detonation: should any Force-user or tractor beam attempt to divert its course, while in flight, it will detonate
- Fast cook-off time: if a launch platform with 3t6s still loaded catches fire, it will explode soon thereafter if the ambient atmospheric pressure is high enough
- Pressure detonation: a stray blaster shot, or stray shrapnel, that hits a 3t6 will cause it to detonate - it will also make a strong wind, turbulent weather, strong engine wash, a tractor beam or other similar mechanism capable of veering it off course trigger a detonation
- Cannot be fired at point-blank range
- Unguided
- Useless against aircraft
- Useless at high altitudes or on oxygen-less planets due to its reliance on ambient oxygen
During the ground battle on Ord Radama, the Silver Jedi army saw thermobaric charges in operational use, which were hitherto unknown to them. An additional variant for mortar use has been developed in the wake of the locals making use of thermobaric charges fired out of 120mm mortars, such as the Jairdain heavy mortar in use by the Silver Jedi army.
A thermobaric charge contains a small detonite scatter charge surrounding a core of propylen oxide and, upon detonation, creates a vacuum, which causes structures around the blast to collapse and organic beings caught inside the blast radius will likely suffer from lung rupture if close enough from the center of the blast. In addition, along with the pressure wave, the fireball extends its thermal effects, also causing the targets to burn, sometimes even to molten slag. For these reasons, thermobaric charges are most useful against targets in confined spaces. The resulting firepower is devastating provided a thermobaric charge is fired: a 3t6 will have the equivalent of two proton bombs of firepower in one round. However, due to the reliance of thermobaric charges on ambient atmospheric oxidizers, thanks to its near-complete absence of oxidizer in the thermobaric charge, it is virtualy useless against targets at high altitudes and completely useless against targets in space, unless used in boarding actions or after hulls have been breached, effectively restricting it to ground use. Also, it is pressure-detonated: it means that Force-users attempting to deviate its course will force it to detonate, but it will also detonate by stray blaster or shrapnel fire. A pressure sensor will also cause it to detonate in the presence of a strong wind, turbulent weather, engine wash, tractor beam or any sufficiently strong mechanism capable of making a missile veer off course as well.
As with all standard mortar ammunition, it shares common weaknesses: it is unguided, it is useless against aircraft due to the mortars' low muzzle velocity, it cannot be fired at point-blank range due to the hazards it pose, and also because the mortar must also be aimed at unsafe elevations to do so, nearly straight-up; in that same token, range is dependent on the elevation angle as well as the number of augmentation rings fitted; the 3t5 can fit up to six augmentation rings.
Pending approval
