In the SM codex how "blast" isn't the Krak missile stats

[Albino Walrus]

Is it just mistake or what? If it isn't does that mean that the missile is shot so fast that is doesn't blow up like that??

[Souchan]

Kraks have never been blasts, otherwise what would be the point of frags?

[WarpSpawn]

Is it just mistake or what? If it isn't does that mean that the missile is shot so fast that is doesn't blow up like that??

 

Well the word "Frag" is short for "fragmentation", as commonly used in real world grenade terminology. Krak is specifically designed to be an armour piercing weapon. The missile breaking up into lots of little bits of shrapnel is usually detrimental to defeating heavy armour, unless you're talking a really big bang but even then, this is not an efficient anti-armour technique. It is more likely to be a shaped charge that directs the blast (as much as possible) inwards, to burn through the armour.

 

Speed of detonation is not really the point. In fact, I would suspect the shaped charge may be the slower detonation (relatively speaking).

 

Of course, if they made it a blast weapon, it would also have to scatter as normal. This can be a good or a bad thing, depending on the situation. Just think of Krak as a wire-guided anti-tank missile and a Frag as a dumb-fire, explosive rocket.

[Gurth]

In fact, I would suspect the shaped charge may be the slower detonation (relatively speaking).

IRL? Kinetic energy penetrators like APFSDS rounds move at 1,700 m/s or so, while the jet from a HEAT warhead (after it detonates) does closer to 8,000 m/s … But this is a science-fantasy-fiction game so RL penetration physics may be a bit of a non-issue ;) The simple version is that krak == single-target armour penetrator, frag == multiple-target blast.

[WarpSpawn]

Well Composition B, used in fragmentation grenades, according to Wikepdia (so perhaps a pinch of salt to season) has a detonation velocity of about 8000m/s.

 

But you are of course right. Regardless of the specific characteristics of real world technologies in the 20th/21st century, this does not have any bearing on the technologies used in a sci fi games. Really just looking to illustrate why the missiles might differ from each other, in a little more detail than "because GW say so", just cos I find the subject interesting.

 

Still, I think the rules part of this discussion was already over by the second post.

[Frogstaff]

Is it just mistake or what? If it isn't does that mean that the missile is shot so fast that is doesn't blow up like that??

It just means that since MLs are free to use either type of ammo each time they fire, krak missiles have to have some drawback, otherwise there would never be a reason to fire frag missiles. The rules effect is that they don't use blast markers. The fluff reason can be whatever you think is appropriate, but in general terms, anti-vehicle rounds tend to try and focus as much energy into a single spot as possible, to stand the best chance of penetrating armor. Anti-personnel rounds will have an explosive component that'll spray shrapnel over a certain area, hopefully putting a few holes in everyone standing there.

[njm3]

Kraks were .5" blast markers in RT.

 

Just sayin'

 

edit: That may have just been cyclone missile launchers and swooping hawk leg grenades. Don't have my RT book handy to check.