Directorate Officer
OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION
Intent: To provide a dual-purpose grenade in Lucerne Personal Defense's inventory
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PRODUCTION INFORMATION
Manufacturer: Lucerne Personal Defense
Affiliation: Directorate, Silver Jedi, Closed Market
Model: LPD-24 Fireblast Dual Purpose Grenade
Modularity: None
Production: Mass-Produced
Material: Durasteel sheel, Detonite priming charge, Baradium Nitrate - Thermite primary charge core, Instant Adhesive bottom, typical grenade components
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
Classification: Hand Grenade
Size: Small
Weight: Light
Ammunition Type: explosive
Ammunition Capacity: 1 charge
Reload Speed: Average
Effective Range: Average
Rate of Fire: Average
Stopping Power: High
Recoil: None
SPECIAL FEATURES
- Variable Timer: Rotating the red ring around the top of the grenade sets a mechanical timer,with the lowest settable time being 5 seconds, and the highest being 15 minutes. This allows the grenade to be used for immediate tactical use or be set as part of a demolition project. The grenade can have a timer set but NOT activated by keeping the grenade's safety pin in place. Once the pin is removed (by hand, tripwire, etc), the timer countdown starts.
- Dual Core Charge: The Fireblast's uses a two distinct substances in separate compartments: liquid baradium nitrate and a thermite powder. These substances can be ignited in their separate compartments, or can be ignited as a combined mixture. Sliding the button on top of the grenade allows these compartments to connect so that they can be mixed. When ignited separately, the baradium nitrate core detonates, shredding the grenade's shell and casting out now flaming thermite powder and durasteel shrapnel around it. This makes it act as a typical fragmentation grenade, with a large blast radius but reduced overall damage. When mixed, however, the grenade produces much more heat when detonated, effectively turning it into a high explosive concussion grenade, giving it greater damage potential in a smaller blast radius.
- Adhesive Bottom: The bottom cap of the LPD-24 can be screwed off to reveal a pad covered in instant adhesive, which allows the grenade to be solidly attached to a variety of objects.
- Jack of all Trades: The LPD-24 can be adapted to fulfill the roles of several common grenade and demolition types simply by using its built-in controls.
- Master of None: The Fireblast is not particularly good in any of it roles compared to dedicated or specialized grenades. Most fragmentation grenades produce more shrapnel than it, and most high-explosive grenades such as thermal detonators pack more power than it.
Grenades are a mainstay in most armies because they offer a means for soldiers to carry heavy, indirect firepower in a lightweight and compact package. The LPD-24 is designed to fulfill that basic role but simplify logistics by combining the typical defensive (fragmentation) and offensive (high explosive) grenade into a single package.
Lucerne Personal Defense accomplishes this by using a dual material core composed of Baradium Nitrate and Thermite. Each can react separately of each other in response to the priming charge to form a basic fragmentation grenade. This setting is typically employed in close-quarters against enemy personnel, where high velocity durasteel shrapnel can pierce through armor and flesh while burning Thermite can ignite clothing and flammable objects. Alternatively, sliding the button on the top of the grenade allows the liquid Baradium Nitrate and Thermite powder to mix and a form a mixture that produces a more powerful explosive yield but with a more limited blast radius. This setting is more useful in demolition projects or in attacking armored targets such as vehicles or buildings.
The versatility of this dual-core is brought to full fruition by using a variable mechanical timer. Turning the red twist and plunge dial on the top easily allows users to adjust the detonation time from a mere five seconds to fifteen minutes. The shorter time fuses are most often used in traditional fragmentation role, where targets need to be immediately attacked or rooms cleared, whereas the longer time fuse is most often used in demolition work in the high explosive mode. This versatility is further augmented by incorporating a sticky base of instant adhesive on the bottom of the grenade that can be activated by unscrewing the grenade's base plate. While often used for high-explosive demolition work, some creative users have also found situations where it is beneficial for a fragmentation grenade, such as when setting booby traps.
While Lucerne Personal Defense has banked a lot of the grenade's success on being adaptable to different situations, it remains to be seen if it will actually reach that success. Part of this problem stems from the grenade's jack of all trades nature, which also means that it is not as effective as more dedicated grenade types. The other issue is the grenade's relative complex controls compared to many of its peers. Using the LPD-24 requires more time initially training personnel and the controls are more likely to be fudged or inappropriately used in stressful situations. Still, the Fireblast has seen modest and steady sales to organizations where users appreciate having options available to them on a frequent chaotic and ever evolving battlefield.
