Shock Grenade Launcher

Mech Weapon

Shock Grenades
Type	Technological
Damage Type	Energy
Heat	6
Ammo	30
Rate of Fire	1s cycle time
Burst Length	1
Damage	5
Trigger Type	Timed Fuse
Range	40m
Projectile Velocity	20m/s
Hard-mount	Bandit
Included with	Bandit
Mount Points	Stomach
Cost	1
Damage per Second	5
Heat per Second	6
Damage per Heat	0.83
Damage per Cost	5
DPS per Cost	5

Creator's Notes

The Bandit Grenade Launcher is a short to medium range lob weapon, launching a payload in an arc in front of the mech a short distance. The main strength of this weapon is not only in it's ability to deliver several different payloads, but also in it's unique nature. In effect, it can be thought of as a light artillery weapon. However, unlike most artillery, the projectile does not detonate upon impact with the terrain or obstacles. Rather, it has two methods of detonation. First and foremost, it the grenade impacts another mech, it will detonate immediately. However, if it does not come in contact with another mech, a timer will trigger the weapon's detonation after a short delay, typically just over one second. This means that it's possible to rebound the projectile off of objects, or bounce it against walls and around corners. This allows the Bandit to potentially punish opponents for hiding behind cover with several bounced grenades into their hiding position. This means that it's also possible to use the weapon in a sort of 'air-burst' mode. As the pilot is able to control the weapon's trajectory by elevating their aim up and down, a skillful pilot can cause the grenades to detonate before reaching the ground, potentially catching air-born targets in the blast. This works well in conjunction with some of the weapon's grenade options, allowing a pilot to create a temporary 'no fly zone'.

Like many other lob weapons, the grenades carry the momentum of the mech's movement. This means, firstly, that firing while on the move can increase the weapon's range, allowing shots to reach a surprising distance. Combined with the Bandit's high base ground speed, the normally very short ranged weapon can become a very effective light artillery unit. This also allows for pilots to angle their shots to the sides quite easily. This combined with the ability to launch a second shot into the air before the first detonates on it's timer allows the Bandit to create a near-constant rain of explosive shells on enemy positions from a surprising distance.

The Shock Grenade is perhaps the most unusual of the options available to the Bandit's Grenade Launcher. Inflicting substantially less damage than the Explosive Grenade, and even less than the Napalm Grenade, it seems like an odd choice, even if it deals Energy damage rather than Explosive. However, the main strength of this weapon is in it's AOE. While dealing the same damage regardless of if it is a direct hit or the AOE, the Shock Grenade create an exceptionally large area of effect. Not only that, but it is also a very long lasting area that deals this damage continuously. This makes it easy for a skilled Bandit pilot to blanket a chosen area in overlapping areas of Energy damage that last for a surprisingly long time. As with the Napalm Grenades, these areas stack, dealing an increasing amount of damage the more of them an enemy mech is trapped inside of. Like the other grenade choices, it is also possible to make the Shock Grenades detonate in the air. With their large, long-lasting area, this means a skilled pilot can create large, hard to avoid obstacles for any air-born opponent. Also, like with the Napalm Grenades, it's possible to saturate an enemy's route of advance with these AOEs, concentrating this damage all into a small area enemies will be forced to go down or avoid.