Unreviewed DSA-38 Anti-Infantry Launcher

[Amelia von Sorenn]

DSA-38 ANTI-INFANTRY LAUNCHER​

OUT-OF-CHARACTER INFORMATION

Intent

Standard Issue Anti-Infantry Launcher produced by Aether Technologies for Dreadstar Security Solutions

Image Source	[HERE]
Permission(s)	Not Applicable
Canon Link(s)	MPL-57
	Viper 2 Grenade Launcher
	Z50 Grenade Launcher
Primary Link(s)	Not Applicable

PRODUCTION INFORMATION

Manufacturer	Aether Technologies
Affiliation	Dreadstar Security Solutions
Model	DSA-38
Modularity	No
Market-Status	Closed-Market
Production	Mass-Produced

Materials

Outer Plating	Internal Structure	Additional
Dallorian Alloy	Duralumin	Transparisteel
Durasteel	Aluminium	Tibanna
Duraplast	Duraplast	Blaster Components

TECHNICAL INFORMATION

Classification	Anti-Infantry Launcher
	Grenade Launcher
Size	Very Large
Weight	Very Heavy
Ammunition Type	Grenades
Ammunition Capacity	Small
Effective Range	Average
Rate of Fire	High
Damage Output	Very High
Recoil	High

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Firing Modes	Single-Shot Direct Impact
	Semi-Automatic Airburst
Effective Range	200 meters
Maximum Range	450 meters
Rate of Fire	20 grenades per min

STANDARD FEATURES

Barrel Components Reinforced Durasteel Barrel Barrel Shroud Cooling Coil Recoil Deflector Internal Components Calibration Module Auto-Steady Gyrogimbal Cooling Compressor Cooling Module Cooling Pack Diagnostic Chip Model-87 Weapon Sensor Rotation Module Miscellaneous Cautionary Pulser TR-62 Autochusion Tripod Heads-Up Targeting Holographic Projector Safety Range Adjuster WW480 Weapon Harness Rotating Coupler

STRENGTHS

Devastating Effect Against Massed Infantry - A single DSA-38 round can incapacitate or scatter multiple hostile targets, making it highly effective against coordinated assaults, riots, or entrenched groups.

Munition Variety - Designed as a general-purpose weapon platform, the DSA-38 is compatible with a variety of grenades, including Cryoban, Fragmentation, Ion, and EMP-based weaponry, as well as Concussion and less-lethal rounds such as Smoke and Pellet Grenades.

Controlled Area Effects - Compared to military explosives, the blast profiles of these weapons are tightly regulated. This reduces secondary fragmentation and structural collapse when used in urban or industrial zones.

Versatile Engagement Options - Selectable airburst or direct impact modes allow operators to engage targets behind cover, on elevated platforms, or in open ground without changing weapons.

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WEAKNESSES

High Escalation and Oversight Burden - Anti-infantry launchers represent a major use-of-force escalation. Every deployment is subject to strict authorization, review, and potential legal scrutiny.

Limited Ammunition Capacity - The launcher carries a 20-round drum magazine, and reloads are slow under pressure. Missed shots significantly reduce immediate effectiveness.

Operator Exposure - Firing posture and reload time leave operators vulnerable, requiring protective elements and careful positioning.

Not Suitable for Precision or Hostage Scenarios - The blase effects of the DSA-38 make the weapon unsafe for use near friendly forces, civilians, or sensitive infrastructure without clear separation or the use of specialized rounds such as smoke grenades that would cause limited or no ill-effect.

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DESCRIPTION

The DSA-38 is Dreadstar Security Solutions' standard Anti-Infantry Launcher, reserved for situations where organized hostile personnel overwhelm conventional blaster teams. It is not a battlefield artillery piece but a controlled-escalation tool meant to shatter enemy formations, clear fortified positions, or decisively end coordinated assaults on corporate facilities, convoys, or landing zones. Manufactured by Aether Technologies, the DSA-38 is derived from launcher technologies long present across the galaxy and adapted for corporate security rather than military conquest. Aether Technologies engineers deliberately constrained its destructive footprint, emphasizing predictable blast patterns, short engagement windows, and reduced structural damage compared to front-line military equivalents. The DSA-38 is capable of firing a variety of grenades, which can be designated to detonate just above ground level or upon impact with a solid object. The effects vary by specific round; however, the weapon is optimized to neutralize exposed infantry, entrenched attackers behind light cover, or advancing riot formations. Physically, the DSA-38 features a forward carry-handle grip and a rear trigger, and is a single-shot launcher with a reinforced durasteel tube and integrated blaster-compensation systems. A specialized weapon harness allows accurate aiming despite recoil, while internal dampeners protect the operator from excessive backblast in enclosed or urban environments. While portable, the launcher is heavy enough to require dedicated operators, as the preferred method of using the DSA-38 is to mount it on a tripod. Reloading is deliberate and slow; however, in some cases, the DSA-38 can be modified to accept belt feed, greatly increasing its rate of fire and ammunition capacity. When in its portable or non-belt-fed configuration, the DSA-38 is capable of carrying up to twenty grenades in an undermounted, cylindrical munitions cartridge. Targeting systems are intentionally simple and robust, with a hybrid optical-holo sight that provides range markers and blast-radius indicators that can sync with the H.U.D.s on standard Dreadstar Security Solutions' armor platforms, such as the T-90 Dreadplate and T-95 Assault Dreadplate. This system helps operators place rounds precisely to avoid friendly casualties and to maximize blast-radius effects. Unlike military smart-launchers, the DSA-38 avoids complex networking or autonomous targeting, ensuring reliability even in low-tech or disrupted environments. Within Dreadstar Security Solutions, the DSA-38 is classified as a formation-breaking weapon. It is deployed to halt charges, break sieges, or clear entrenched hostiles when negotiation and small-arms fire have failed. Its use marks a decisive shift from containment to forced resolution.