Thunderbolt 20

This article is about the missile weapon. For the BattleMech of the same name, see Thunderbolt.

Thunderbolt 20
Production information
Type Missile
Tech Base Inner Sphere
Advanced Technology[1]
Year Availability 3072
Technical specifications
Heat 8
Damage 20
Minimum Range 5
Short Range 1-6
Medium Range 7-12
Long Range 13-18
Tons 15
Critical Slots 5
Ammo Per Ton 3
Cost (unloaded) 450,000[2]
Ammo Cost (per ton) 50,000
BV (2.0) 306/61 for launcher
38 for ammo



Description[edit]

First developed by the Federated Commonwealth in the mid-3050s for the Solaris arenas, the Thunderbolt launcher is an offshoot of standard LRM technology. Instead of firing a group of twenty missiles, the Thunderbolt 20 launcher fires a single missile that inflicts as much damage as an Autocannon/20. This increased damage is made up for by the slightly reduced range and increases to the weapon's heat and weight. The Thunderbolt missile was also more vulnerable to anti-missile systems.

Thunderbolt missile launchers cannot use Artemis IV or Narc guidance systems and inflicts half damage on targets that are inside the minimum range, but operate like LRMs in every other way.

Models[edit]

Brand Planet Company
Telos ThunderShot Marduk Victory Industries[3]
Hellcat Class 20 Sian Ceres Metal Industries[4]

Notes[edit]

The Thunderbolt missile launcher series were based on the weapon of the same name introduced in Unbound. That weapon fired a single missile with the range and damage profile of an Autocannon/10.[5]

References[edit]

  1. Tactical Operations p. 347 - Thunderbolt Missile Launcher
  2. Tactical Operations, p. 410-411
  3. Technical Readout: 3085, p. 102
  4. Technical Readout: Prototypes, p. 130
  5. Unbound, p. 70

Bibliography[edit]