OIS Department of Advanced Weapons Research
OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION
- Intent: To create a standardised grenade launcher in the form of an underbarrel attachment for the military forces of the Galactic Empire.
- Image Source: [Here]
- Canon Link: Under-barrel Grenade Launcher
- Permissions: N/A
- Primary Source: N/A
- Manufacturer: The Galactic Empire
- Affiliation: The Galactic Empire
- Market Status: Closed-Market
- Model: Imperial Underbarrel Grenade Launcher, Model 10 (UGL-10)
- Nicknames: Stormpipe
- Modularity: No
- Production: Mass-Produced
- Material:
- Reinforced Durasteel Frame
- AlloyPlast Grip Handle
- Firing Pin Components
- Bondite and Aluminium Notched Quadrant Aimsight
- Write something about the Laser rangefinder
- Druetium Barrel and Rifling
- Anti-Corr 113 Treatment
- Classification: Grenade Launcher | Under-Barrel Weapon Attachment
- Size: Average
- Weight: Light
- Ammunition Type: Slugthrower (Caseless 40mm)
- Ammunition Capacity: Very Small (Muzzleloaded Single-Shot)
- Effective Range: Long Range (Maximum Range of 400 Metres | 1300 Feet)
- Rate of Fire: Single-Shot (Very Low)
- Damage Output: Dependent on Munition
- High-Explosive Fragmentation 40mm Grenade (Average)
- The most common ammunition type for the UGL-10 and other caseless 40mm weapon systems, the HEF-40 grenade, is a powerful round that uses a small amount of explosive force to dispense metal shrapnel in a wide radius at great speed. With a effective kill radius of 8 metres, the HEF-40 is ideal for use against enemy infantry while maintaining minimal damage to the environment.
- High-Explosive, Dual-Purpose 40mm Grenade (High)
- The second most common ammunition type for the UGL-10 and other caseless 40mm weapon systems, the HEDP-40 grenade, is a round that packs a shaped hollow with a wire fragmentation mesh. This design allows the grenade to be used for dual purposes as both an effective ammunition against lightly-armoured vehicles and soft structures due to its focused explosive force as well as it's ability to reliably kill enemy personnel with its fragmentation and explosive effects. This ammunition has a rated kill radius of 6 metres.charge uses a small amount of explosive force to dispense metal shrapnel at great speed. With a effective kill radius of 6 metres, the HEF-40 is ideal for use against soft targets.
- Baradium-Fused High-Explosive 40mm Grenade (Very High)
- Due to its violatile nature, this ammunition is only approved for units and vehicles it can safely be trusted to such as armoured ground vehicles and special forces. The BFHE-40 is an incredibly powerful round, especially for its size, that is typically used to destroy small hard structures, create new mouseholes during raids and urban/space combat, or even neutralise enemy armour. Each BFHE-40 is individually activated by twisting the bottom of the hard shell counter-clockwise, which causes the shell to emit a dull red glow. While the extent of the individual grenade's lethality is dependent on whether it was built as a shaped charge or as a general blast radius explosive, this ammunition has a minimum kill radius of 10 metres.
- 40mm Smoke Grenade (Very Low)
- The most common 'less-than-lethal' ammunition for the UGL-10 and other caseless 40mm weapon systems, the SG-40 is the standardised ammunition for the 40mm ammunition series. This is frequently used by Imperial infantry to provide concealment and screening protecting during assaults and used by Imperial armour to cover their retreat when under fire. It is noted to be an effective concealment against thermal scopes and vision technologies.
- 40mm Concussive Electric Stun Grenade (Very Low)
- A 'less-than-lethal' ammunition commonly used by Imperial law enforcement and the Empire's intelligence agencies, the CES-40 is a viable and simple option when conducting live captures of enemies. The CES-40 is most effective when making direct contact with the target, however it does emit a short-lived burst of electricity in a roughly 2 metre radius upon contact with a wall or floor. The strength of the electricity radius is dependent on many variables such as the material of the wall or floor it has struck.
- 40mm Breaching Frangible Shot (Very Low)
- A 'less-than-lethal' ammunition by technicality, the BF-40 is used by law enforcement and soldier alike for helping to make entry during raids. By aiming at a soft material door, especially at its hinges, the BF-40 is able to blast open doors to allow for tactical entries. The round disintegrates into tiny particles upon target impact to minimizse their penetration beyond the door.
- 40mm Practice Shot "Lesson Round" (Low)
- 40mm ammunition consisting of a steel body filled with orange signal chalk capped with a blue plastic ogive cap, the 40PS is an inert round that has no explosive or fragmentation filling. It was designed for training exercises especially when teaching soldiers on how to use the UGL-10. However, the 40PS is semi-officially used as a form of non-lethal crowd control for protests and civil unrest. This is largely due to the round's low velocity, lack of lethal munitions, painful impacts against soft targets, its ability to paint people and environments with bright orange signal chalk upon impact, and the practice round commonly being stockpiled in high quanities. The 40PS is often sardonically nicknamed as "lesson rounds" by Imperial troops and law enforcement due to the round's dual use in training exercises and their use in treating protestors a 'lesson' on the consequences of civil dissent against the Empire. Deaths have been documented when the round struck unprotected heads as well as painful injuries occurring when the practice lesson has struck protestors in their ribcages and limbs.
- Airburst-40 / Proxmity-Fused 40mm Grenade (High)
- Initially designed for combat vehicles using 40mm weapon systems, but quickly adopted by Imperial infantry in urban environments, the Airburst-40 or PF-40 is designed to detonate mid-air at a preset distance or upon proximity to a target. The Airburst-40 is intended to neutralise enemy combatants behind cover, in trenches, or within enclosed urban environments. By dispersing its payload above ground level, the grenade maximises lethality against infantry while reducing the effectiveness of physical cover and fortifications.
- Incendiary 40mm Grenade (Average)
- Largely supplied to armoured formations and specialised infantry, the INC-40 is an area-denial munition designed to ignite upon impact, dispersing a burning Napalm compound that adheres to surfaces and targets alike. It is commonly used to flush out entrenched enemies, quickly destroy targeted material, or deny access to confined spaces. The INC-40 is particularly effective in forest environments and urban/industrial combat zones where fire spread is faster and its psychological and tactical effects are amplified.
- Ion Disruption 40mm Round (Very Low)
- An expensive ammunition to manufacture, the ION-40 is a specialised munition intended to temporarily disable droids, vehicles, and electronic systems through a concentrated ion discharge upon detonation. While largely ineffective against organic targets, the ION-40 is frequently employed by Imperial forces when engaging mechanised units, automated defences, or shielded installations.
- EMP Direct-Hit 40mm Grenade (Very Low)
- In direct contrast to the area-effect of the ION-40, the EMP-40 is designed to deliver its payload through direct impact. Upon contact, it releases a focused electromagnetic pulse capable of overwhelming vehicle systems, powered armour, and fortified electronic components. This round is favoured in boarding actions and urban combat where collateral disruption must be limited.
- 40mm Flashbang Grenade (Very Low)
- The FB-40 is a sensory-disruption munition that produces an intense burst of light and sound upon detonation. Primarily issued to Imperial law enforcement, boarding parties, occupation forces and special operations units, the grenade is used to disorient hostile targets, suppress resistance, and facilitate rapid room-clearing or live captures.
- 40mm Illumination Flare (Very Low)
- The ILL-40 is a battlefield illumination round that deploys a high-intensity flare upon firing or impact, bathing the target area in sustained visible and infrared light. Widespread in all combat units, the ILL-40 is frequently used during night operations or low-visibility conditions, the ILL-40 enhances target acquisition and denies concealment to enemy forces whether shot at the ground or in the air.
- 40mm CS Tear Gas Grenade (Very Low)
- A common sight in Imperial law enforcement and military occupations, the CS-40 disperses a chemical irritant designed to incapacitate targets through respiratory distress and sensory irritation. Classified as less-than-lethal, the CS-40 is commonly deployed for crowd control and riot suppression. To ensure minimal structural damage, sometimes the CS-40 is used to flush out hostile forces from enclosed space.
- 40mm Mustard Agent Grenade (Low)
- A persistent-area munition, the M-40 releases a blistering chemical agent that contaminates terrain and infrastructure upon detonation. Its long-lasting effects make it particularly effective for area denial, siege operations, and the forced evacuation of civilian or military populations from strategic locations. A common complaint of the ammunition is it requires multiple rounds of the munition to achieve full effectiveness.
- 40mm Chlorine Gas Grenade (Average)
- The CL-40 is a simple chemical dispersal round designed to release a choking agent that rapidly fills enclosed or low-lying spaces. Its effectiveness relies on inducing panic, respiratory distress, and disorder among unprotected targets, making it a favoured option for suppression and denial operations.
- High-Explosive Fragmentation 40mm Grenade (Average)
- Recoil: Average
- Basic Laser Rangefinder
- Notched Quadrant Aimsight
- A basic iron sight on the side of the grenade launcher attachment, the aimsight can be unfolded to reveal a simple aiming system with a centered aim sight that can be adjusted for range up to 400 metres. The aim sight uses painted measurements with no actual electronics; however, it could be connected to an external electronic aiming system if properly calibrated.
- Firing Pin Safety Lever
- Double-Action Trigger
- Attachment Compatibility with the KXR SFR-58 'Bozdugan' Blaster Rifle
- Attachment Compatibility with the G-22 Imperial Standard Blaster Rifle
- Attachment Compatibility with the G-12 Imperial Assault Blaster Carbine
- Attachment Compatibility with the G-18 Imperial Heavy Blaster Rifle
- Attachment Compatibility with the E-11 Medium Blaster Rifle
- Attachment Compatibility with the E-11D Blaster Carbine
- Attachment Compatibility with most Imperial small arms
- Destructive and Effective: Despite the limitations put on the project engineers, they managed to succeed in their goals in making a weapon that is destructive against buildings and foes alike, providing vital firepower and support to frontline infantry and special forces.
- Relatively Accurate: The launcher attachment is surprisingly accurate for a crude design, although its trajectory can become less predictable at longer ranges. Furthermore, since the UGL-10 primarily uses explosive ammunition, extreme accuracy is not strictly necessary to be effective.
- Cheap and Easy to Make: Understanding the increased resource bottlenecks and demands after the destruction of the Death Star III, the OIS ensured that the UGL-10 was designed to be as simple and barebones as possible to make it feasible to quickly mass-produce for a galactic military that is undergoing total war. Thanks to this, it is easy to produce with minimal equipment within Imperial factories, and it is cheap to pay for it.
- Reliable: Thanks to its minimal moving parts and simplicity of its design, the UGL-10 is reliable in that it rarely misfires or breaks.
- Primitive Aiming System: The barebones design of the weapon attachment means the UGL-10 lacks an advanced aiming system expected of a modern galactic military, using a mere iron sight and basic notch range measurements. Because of this, the UGL-10's user has to largely rely on their own intuition to account for wind and other variables when firing, especially at range.
- Low Rate of Fire: The weapon attachment is barely large enough to be loaded with a single caseless round at a time, meaning the grenade launcher has a low rate of fire, especially if the user wishes to make aimed shots. This is in stark contrast with specialised grenade launcher weapons that can fire multiple grenades in quick succession.
- Increased Logistical Strain: A big downside to slugthrower weaponry is its requirement to use physical munitions to fire; for a Galactic Empire that primarily uses plasma-based weaponry, this has led to an increased logistical strain to supply the slugthrower ammunition for these grenade launchers at an industrial scale.
- Bulky: While the UGL-10 is lighter than expected for such a heavy-hitting weapon attachment, it is still a bulky and front-heavy piece of equipment, which may make it unwieldy for a Stormtrooper to handle on their blaster rifle.
Darth Solipsis' Galactic Empire is known to design its arsenal in the aesthetic and doctrine of Palpatine's First Galactic Empire, primarily to emulate itself as the true legitimate successor of his Imperial legacy. This included replicating the Imperial arsenal to largely include simple plasma-based blasters. However, this left the Imperial infantry soldier vulnerable to being outgunned by enemies with a more versatile weapons kit who had since greatly modernised their own arsenals compared to antique Imperial designs.
Many officials in the Galactic Empire, especially Deputy Senior Science Officer of the OIS, Doctor Afic Otker, advocated for modernising and even overhauling the Imperial arsenal to keep pace with their many foes. Their efforts were rebuffed and stalled by assurances of Imperial zealotry and numbers winning the day, with most funds and resources being diverted to the Emperor's mysterious and vague energy program.
This changed after the Atrisia campaign, where the Galactic Empire suffered heavy casualties across all fronts against its numerous and technologically advanced foes. Furthermore, the Emperor's superweapon, the Death Star III was destroyed during the battle, leading to a great loss of manpower, funds, resources and equipment. Faith and waves of Stormtroopers allowed the Empire to take the Core Worlds by surprise, but they would not conquer the galaxy alone. As such, the political capital needed to ratify a weapon modernisation initiative was found.
The Department of Advanced Weapons Research was given adequate funds and resources needed to begin its HALLAM (High-Adaptive Logistics, Lethality, and Armament Modernisation) Program in full. One of the priorities of the program was to modernise the Stormtrooper Corps and Imperial Army kit. A large doctrinal flaw was discovered where the average Stormtrooper had limited firepower in dealing with threats between 50 metres and 400 metres as neither their hand-thrown grenades nor their direct-fire mortars could land in that dead zone. This fact was painfully confirmed during the planetary invasion of Atrisia, where Stormtroopers were without vehicle or artillery support and had to rely on their own tools.
As such, the project engineers of the Department of Advanced Weapons Research set out to design a weapon that could destroy enemies both at range and within the so-called 'dead zone' but still be accessible to light infantry.
The project leads decided on creating a grenade launcher that was small enough to be fitted onto blaster rifles as an underbarrel attachment. The project leads initially wanted to make the weapon to include complex aiming electronics and smart explosives to make it as easy to use, effective, and powerful for simple Stormtroopers to use. However, the project engineers had to be realistic with the fact that every aspect of Imperial society was both undergoing severe resource demands to prepare for a Galactic total war and still recovering from the extremely costly destruction of the Death Star III superweapon.
Uncharacteristically, the Department of Advanced Weapons Research determined that using a slugthrower-based firing system was the only viable choice to be inexpensive and simple enough to produce at an industrial scale while still remaining powerful enough in its role as a support grenade launcher.
Soon, the project's prototype weapon began to take form of the Imperial Underbarrel Grenade Launcher, Model 10. It is often referred to as the UGL-10 for short. The most common nickname for the UGL-10 is the 'Stormpipe'; no one is fully sure as to the origins of this name.
The UGL-10 is at its core, a muzzle-loaded tube with a firing pin. It operates by loading a 40mm shell into the front of the launcher barrel until it locks into place. The launcher's safety lever can be safely turned off at this stage, arming the firing pin. At which point the user can aim the under-barrel grenade launcher by either pointing their blaster rifle with intuition or aiming down the range notches on the UGL-10's iron sight. When the user fully squeezes on the double-action trigger of the grenade launcher, it will fire the entire 40mm. At this stage, the user can choose to engage the firing pin safety lever before loading another munition.
The UGL-10 has been applauded for its devastating firepower and simple reliability. The cheap design of the underbarrel attachment is the key reason why the Galactic Empire decided to manufacture the weapon in their domestic manufactories. However, contracts have been awarded to small factories and corporations alike to help produce scores of the weapon and quickly arm the Imperial military. The Office of Imperial Sciences received political favour for the completion of the project, and the UGL-10 has been deemed a success of the HALLAM Program since its approval.
Image Source(s):
https://frits.artstation.com/projects/lVJoL5
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