Eldar Grenade Launchers
Eldar utilize grenade launchers as the Imperium of Man does. But instead of being shaped like a gun, Eldar grenade launchers are often utilized in a unconventional setup such as a backpack format or drop down leg format. Most often, their grenades are hallucinogenic, meaning that it is aimed more towards psychological and mental breakdowns then outright lethality. Although they can go straight to maiming and killing if they feel like it.
Eldar Variants[edit]
Swooping Hawk Grenade Pack[edit]
Weird grenades that is possibly the most unconventional of all grenade launchers.
The Swooping Hawk Grenade Pack is an Eldar grenade launcher used by Swooping Hawks Aspect Warriors. Each of these basic launchers is strapped to a warrior's leg, and allows grenades to be released downwards as the warrior flies overhead. Single grenades can also be taken from the pack and thrown normally. Grenade packs can carry a variety of grenade types for attacking different targets.
For anti-personnel work Frag Grenades and Plasma Grenades are both useful. Against heavily-armored targets, including armored troopers, the Swooping Hawk can launch Krak Grenades. Also useful for attacking enemy vehicles are Haywire Grenades, which release a burst of electromagnetic energy to disrupt energy systems.
Only in the Eldar can you actually literally shit down grenades on your enemy's heads.
Pack Grenade Launcher[edit]
Also known as the Hallucinogen Grenade Launcher.
The Pack Grenade Launcher is an Eldar grenade launcher, often used by Shadowseers. Also known as a creidann, the Pack Grenade Launcher is a light harness that fits on the Eldar's shoulders and fires grenades at a high trajectory. Each grenade is fitted with a whistle to make strange shrieking sounds and sombre drones on its upward and downward flight, respectively. It can fire a wide range of grenades, including Hallucinogen grenades, however it cannot be reloaded during battle making it extremely limited in use and practicality.
Its Dark Eldar edgier counterpart is the Phantasm Grenade Launcher.
Hallucinogen Grenades[edit]
For more info, see here: Hallucinogen Grenade
More of a tactical weapon than an assault weapon. These grenades release a cloud of invisible gas which has strange and unpredictable effects on the minds of those inhaling it. These effects usually have the result of taking the victim out of combat or making him turn against his allies; effects range from turning victims into passive zombies or idiots, to producing delusions, paranoia and hallucination. Only those with armor which seals them from the local environment are unaffected by hallucinogenic gas. Though the effect may be much strong on the victim, it is usually short-lived and ceased soon.
Mirage Launcher[edit]
A Mirage Launcher is a one-shot holo-grenade pod mounted upon the hulls of Eldar Harlequin anti-gravitic vehicles, more specifically, it is located on the Voidweaver. Mirage Launchers are usually attached to the underside of the vehicle's hull in two clusters of three for a total of six launchers per Voidweaver.
Its affects are pretty similiar to the much smaller Hallucinogen Grenades, just on a much larger and beefier scale. When triggered, they emit an explosion of blinding colors, masking the vehicle from sight for precious seconds. This cunning countermeasure reduces the craft to little more than a technicolour blur when on the move.
On tabletop, Mirage Launchers are not here to modify your invulnerable save, but they are meant to give -1 to hit for any shooting attack against you on a permanent basis, making it much more survivable in shooting, (All those marines with their lascannon spam will be forced to hit on 5+ after moving, and I'm not talking about IG).
Dark Eldar Variants[edit]
Terrorfex[edit]
The Terrorfex is a wrist-mounted grenade launcher used by Dark Eldar infantry. The standard grenades used in conjunction with this device are Wraithbone grenades, but there are also Xenospasm Grenades, although these are incredibly difficult to make, and therefore quite rare to find in battle. Archon Kruellagh of the Kabal of the Flayed Skull uses special Damnation Grenades in her Terrorfex. For some reason, fluff also paints them as torture devices as well, suggesting the device isn't just a fancy launcher but has some underlying technology built into it.
The ammunition are as follows:
Wraithbone Grenades[edit]
The Wraithbone Grenades launched by the Terrorfex go through a similar treatment process as the Soul-Seeker Ammunition, though where the Soul-Seeker rounds are treated to try and cause a maddening rage in the soul energy within, the Wraithbone grenades are treated so as to create an overwhelming sense of fear and despair. The grenades explode in the air above the target, releasing the soul energy in a haze that envelopes the target. The energies cause the same feelings to swell in the target, paralyzing them with fear or sadness.
Xenospasm Grenades[edit]
These special grenades are made of specially carved obsidian, with fragments of Wraithbone impregnated into the rock. The soul energy in this Wraithbone is tortured in much the same way as the Soul-Seeker Wraithbone, and once the obsidian explodes in the air, the souls housed inside aim the obsidian fragments directly at the target, flensing them with every fragment, rather than the small fraction of shards that would result from a conventional Frag Grenade.
Cluster Caltrop Pod[edit]
A pod that launches Cluster Caltrops, which are Dark Eldar weapons dropped by Reavers. These proximity-sensing anti-grav weapons detonate in spectacular chain explosions as the Reaver dashes across the battlefield.
They are located at the back/bottom of the Reaver and they resemble an oval pod with 17 slots in which contains the Caltrops. In a sense, they act like the Eldar Mirage Pods, except, instead of blinding their opponents with the colours of the rainbow, it blows up in their face.
On tabletop, the Cluster Caltrops can deal Mortal Wounds when the Reavers Falls Back, so you can deny the opponent a charge as you laugh your merry ass until the next round.
Phantasm Grenade Launcher[edit]
A grenade launcher that works on a similiar principle to the Harlequin's Pack Grenade Launcher (If not ripped straight out of their armories, I guess the DEldar felt it was a necessary trade off after the Harley's get to borrow and pimp out their Venoms).
The Phantasm Grenade Launcher is a deadly weapon utilized by wealthier Dark Eldar. Consisting of a specially modified backpack that can hurl disc-shaped grenades from twin tubes. They are a more assault variety than the more recognizable Pack Grenade Launcher. This is befitting of the Dark Eldar combat philosophy of fast assaults and psychological pain and confusion.
Hellions are also equipped with a Phantasm Grenade Launcher on their Skyboards. Although these are more heavily modified underneath the Skyboard's wings rather than the standard backpack.
In 8th Edition, they are D3 shots at a piss-poor Strength of 1, but it's not meant to kill things (although it totally can). It simply lowers enemy Leadership if they're hit by it. Stupidly cheap at 3 points a pop, and it can be taken by Sybarites, Hekatrices, Dracons, Syrens, Archons, Raiders, and Ravagers (Although Hellions are unable to use them despite having a model...for reasons). Best on the Archon, as with his BS of 2+, he is pretty likely to hit something with it. Could also potentially force your opponent into burning CP on morale tests as well. There is nothing more hilarious than an S1 weapon killing a model in a squad of 3 Leadership 7 models and your opponent then rolling a 6 with 0CP...
Nerve Gas Grenades[edit]
The ammunition of Phantasm Grenade Launchers are canisters which contain a powerful nerve gas, capable of plunging the victim into a fit of horrific nightmares and delusions. These victims often undergo mania and often spasm out of control like an epileptic seizure on steroids. Most often then not, the victim dies from a heart attack due to the sheer concentration of fear.
Torment Grenades[edit]
Another ammunition for the Phantasm. Use before a model fires a Phantasm Grenade Launcher. If an enemy unit is hit, in addition to the usual effects, roll 3d6. If the result is higher than the enemy unit’s highest Leadership characteristic, it suffers 1d3 Mortal Wounds.
-
Hellion version.
Horrorfex[edit]
The Terrorfex dialed up by 10.
A Horrorfex is larger version of the Terrorfex grenade launcher. The only real difference between the Terrorfex and the Horrorfex is that the latter can only be carried on a vehicle (Specifically, the Reaver Jetbike) due to its size. The horrorfex works as a catapult, shooting grenades made from captured Eldar Wraithbone.
Unfortunately, due to unpopular demand, the Horrorfex and Terrorfex had not been seen since 3rd edition.
Like the Terrorfex, the Horrorfex utilize the same ammunition just on a larger scale.