RIP Carlyle Rausgeber
"It's all been bloody marvellous..."
The Mobile Payload Launcher; Model Thirty-Two: AKA The MPL-23
OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION
· Intent: To provide First Order Stormtroopers and Auxiliary units with an anti-armour/starfighter missile.
· Image Source: WhiteArmour.net
· Canon Link: None.
· Restricted Missions: None.
· Primary Source: None.
PRODUCTION INFORMATION
· Manufacturer: First Order Corps of Imperial Engineers
· Model: The MPL-32.
· Affiliation: The First Order.
· Modularity: No.
· Production: Mass-Produced.
· Material:
- Durasteel Barrel.
- Alurasteel casings for sensitive electronics.
- Plastoid stock.
- Reinforced Glasteel Lens.
· Classification: Dependent on the payload.
· Size: Handheld.
· Length: 1m
· Weight: 26kg
· Ammunition Type: Missile.
· Ammunition Capacity: 1 missile in the chamber.
· Effective Range: Battlefield.
· Rate of Fire: Single Action.
SPECIAL FEATURES
- Droid Brain
- Targeting Computer
- Lock Fire
- Dumb Fire
· Droid Brain: Attached to the launcher, is a droid brain which assists in scanning oncoming enemies, and prioritising targets for elimination, as well as giving users much needed data about their targets.
· Targeting Comp: The missile launcher holds an onboard targeting computer, one which will help missiles compensate for most changes in environment. Ie: Wind.
· Lock Fire: Suitable for usage in exploiting weaker points on enemy armour, or locking onto fleeing fighters, lock fire sees missiles able to manoeuvre, and pursue targets at an incredible speed. The missile system isn't reserved solely for ground vehicles. The MPL-32 can also hit repulsorlift units, starfighters, and speeders.
· Dumb Fire: Although not nearly as accurate as lock fire, dumb firing the weapon is an effective tool. Using the MPL-32 manually can be good tool to disperse groups of enemies, or not waste precious battery power on targets where the gunners eye can be better.
Strengths:
· Multipurpose: The MPL-32 is able to work a number of roles within its purview. Whether that is through anti-armour, using it as a high-powered grenade launcher, or working crowd control, the MPL-32 is able to fill numerous roles.
· Targeting: Through the targeting systems, the MPL-32 is able to track, follow and subsequently destroy targets, and land missiles within meters of their designated areas.
· Long-Range: The missile system has long range capability, and depending on the ammunition type, can fire over two kilometres away.
Weaknesses :
· Recoil: While recoil is obviously a problem for most weapons, for the MPL-32, this is special. The knock back from a single blast can shatter bones if not held correctly.
· Limited Ammunition: The missiles for the MPL-32 are large, and heavy. So in any engagement it is critical to ensure that the missiles are used appropriately.
· Long Reload Time: The launcher takes some effort to reload, so during the time it is being reloaded, any gunner using it may need covering fire.
· Battery: The droid brain, and electronics onboard the missile launcher take battery powers. Although it can last some time, variables such as the weapons condition, time with “lock fire” on, and environmental causes may limit the ability for a user to exploit such assistive measures.
DESCRIPTION
Built to last, the MPL-32 is the pride and joy of the First Order’s Army. In a Galaxy where the focus on vehicle to vehicle based combat has become the norm, the brass of High Command decided that they wanted a new, and more effective way to disable the enemies armoured capacity, without putting on four legs and plonking All-Terrain as a prefix.
Thusly, the MPL-32 was born. Designed to be a weapon that could shatter any mechanised attack, it wouldn’t be until the first tests that the boffins in Weapons Development found its full potential. Upon configuring an appropriate warhead for the MPL-32, the scientists there realised that the launcher had plenty of capability as a multipurpose weapon.
After configuration, the scientists finalised the following warhead types to be launched:
· The Anti-Armour Missile: The warhead first designed, built to burrow into enemy armour and detonate a baridium charge, designed to tear through electronics, and a structure, and detonate. Best designed for speeder tanks, and other armoured units.
· The Anti-Air Missile: Sleeker, streamlined, and faster. The fastest missile in the arsenal, able to match and pursue even the fast fighters after making bombing runs. Its sharp tip is designed specifically to bury into an aircrafts armour, and detonate an explosive, which ultimately doesn’t do much damage, but hopes to pull down the ship with the crash.
· The Cluster Grenade: Launched at a distance, this weapon is designed to force the enemy out of cover. Fired at an arc, it launches approximately 30 highly explosive charges, over a 50-square meter radius, at about 20 meters away. However, the grenade can be changed to detonate later, or earlier in the arc, to maximise the arc, or damage. Ultimately, it’s best used in the field, rather than urbanised areas.
· The Tear Gas Grenade: The only non-deadly projectile in the MPL-32’s arsenal is the tear gas grenade. Designed to be deployed in civilian environments, to suppress dissent, the tear gas grenade is a tool to neutralise crowds, and force them from the streets.
· The Demolition Missile: The demolitions missile isn’t so much of a combat weapon, but is instead designed to slam through debris, and rubble, and clear away pathways for troops through wreckage, or landslides.
· The Ion Missile: Although unable to cause any permanent damage to enemy vehicles, it’s able to disable them, and short out circuitry. On firing at sentients, it isn’t automatically deadly. Though, it has been known to cause permanent nerve damage, and sometimes heart attacks among those hit by it.
· The Incendiary Missile: Not so much designed for physical damage, but more area of denial, upon impact, it spreads a flammable liquid, which cannot be put out. One must wait for the fire to go out on its own, before proceeding.
With a wide array of warheads created, and decided upon, Weapons Development went ahead, and devised a targeting system. It was then, and there they came up with the use of a targeting computer, and the usage of a droid brain to assist with that.
The usage of the droid brain was simple, like the AT-SG project, the droid brain would assist in the choosing of targets. In this, the droid brain would act to advise the user of oncoming targets, setting timing for shots, acting as a rangefinder, and target prioritisation. The targeting computer would meanwhile deal with choosing weak points on enemy walker, and initiate the tracking protocols on missiles, in order to lock on fire.
The scientists behind the weapon have allowed for two firing options. Lock Fire and Dumb Fire. Lock Fire is the mode, which sees the missiles lock onto the target, and fire, trying to hit the target as quickly, and effectively as possible. Dumb Fire sees the user fire as the missile, with only their own guidance, and own skill guiding the attack.
