'Mech mounted grenade launcher

[Saori Arai]

What is the output/utility of this? It's a .5 ton weapon in heavymetal pro, but only has infantry stats on sarna. Don't have whatever source book it might be in.

Thanks.

[Jon Allen]

Some copy/pastes from the book Tactical Operations.

Vehicular Grenade Launcher
Rules Level: Advanced
Available To: BM, IM, PM, CV, SV, AF, CF, SC, DS, MS
Tech Base (Ratings): Both (C/D-E-F)
Game Rules: Vehicular Grenade Launchers (VGLs) are one-shot launchers that, when fired, automatically deliver their damage effects to all units in
the 3 adjacent hexes of their firing arc. Even though they are one-shot weapons, with ammunition included in their weapon slots, critical hits to a VGL
do not result in an ammunition explosion. No to-hit roll is required to use a VGL mounted on a ground-based unit or landed aerospace unit; all targets
in the affected hexes suffer the same effects.
VGLs cannot be fired while submerged.
Aerospace-mounted VGLs may not be employed in space combat, but VGLs mounted on airborne units (including VTOLs, WiGEs, Airships, Fixed-Wing
Support Vehicles and aerospace units) can use these weapons to deliver a single bombing attack against a single target hex in their line of flight. Such
an attack affects only one hex, and must be rolled for as a standard Bombing attack (see pp. 245-247, TW).


It has multiple ammo types, including fragmentation grenades

Rules Level: Advanced
Tech Base (Ratings): Both (B/B-B-B)
Game Rules: Like all VGL attacks, Fragmentation Grenades automatically affect all units in their target hexes when fired. Against all units except
conventional infantry and Support Vehicles with armor BAR values of 5 or more, Fragmentation Grenades inflict no damage. Against Support Vehicles
with BAR values below 5, Fragmentation Grenades inflict damage equal to 5 points minus the unit’s BAR (to a minimum of 0 points of damage), resolved
as a single direct-fire ballistic attack. Against conventional infantry, Fragmentation Grenades deliver a 2D6 burst-fire attack.


and these:
Incendiary grenades
Rules Level: Advanced
Tech Base (Ratings): Both (B/B-B-B)
Game Rules: Incendiary Grenades ignite the hexes in their area of effect as though a single Inferno SRM had struck them (see p. 44). Units within such
hexes suffer effects akin to taking a hit from a single Inferno SRM (see p. 141, TW).

smoke grenades
Rules Level: Advanced
Tech Base (Ratings): Both (A/B-B-B)
Game Rules: When fired, Smoke Grenades produce Light Smoke in all of their target hexes (see p. 47). This smoke rises 2 levels above the underlying
terrain, and lasts until the End Phase of the third turn after they are fired before dissipating.

chaff grenades

Rules Level: Advanced
Tech Base (Ratings): Both (B/D-E-E)
Game Rules: Chaff Grenades produce ECM-like effects in the hexes they attack, interfering with the abilities of advanced sensors and other electronics
passing through those hexes per an ECM Suite (see p. 134, TW). In addition, a Chaff Grenade cloud is treated as Light Smoke 2 levels high for any
weapon attacks passing through the affected hexes (see p. 47). The ECM and smoke effects produced by Chaff Grenades last until the End Phase of the
following turn.

[Jon Allen]

Personally I think SRM/LRM fragmentation missiles are more useful.

http://www.sarna.net/wiki/Fragmentation_Missile

I have to admit the chaff grenade is interesting, but the fact that its one-shot and the limited duration really limits the value there.

[Vampire]

I think this is one of those items that gives designers options to give a little bit more flavour to their machine, and also something to slap onto their rides if they're left with that odd 0.5 tons to play with.

As JA mentioned, there are other better choices that I'd work with.