Miss Launcher (Fallout 3)

The Miss Launcher is a unique Missile Launcher.

Location

 * Found in the lower level of Fort Independence behind a locked door (requires 75 lockpick).

Characteristics

 * The Miss Launcher is stronger than the standard missile launcher due to several Outcast modifications.
 * Standard missiles fired from this weapon do not fly, instead the missile-tube itself has been converted to propel them pneumatically. In doing so both the missile's explosive warhead and unused solid rocket fuel are free to detonate together, increasing the missile's explosive damage potential by 30%.
 * The damage bonus comes at the cost of range, the miss launcher's drastically underpowered propulsion system will never be capable of hitting targets farther than 30 feet away, half the range possible with thrown grenades.
 * Research Terminal reports in Fort Independence reveal that Outcast researcher J.J. Browne attempted to modify the miss launcher to increase its accuracy. After numerous failed attempts, the ultimately broken miss launcher was thrown into storage until someone else could be tasked with working on it.
 * While the miss launcher still fires missiles, they do not fly in a straight line. In fact, to say they fly at all is a misnomer; the projectiles get lobbed out of the chamber in a manner compared most similarly to the fatman in behavior.
 * Because of the nature of the weapon's sharp ballistic trajectory it can be an extremely challenging weapon to aim in real-time. Using this weapon outside of VATS isn't recommend.
 * Powerful enough to kill regular Super Mutants, or any human, with a single shot.

Opinions

 * Many people find themselves saying: Personally, I prefer to just use the regular missile launchers as opposed to this one. Because they can easily fire real-time shots at an opponent's feet and expect to consistently blow their legs off.
 * However in the case of VATS shots, a regular missile launcher isn't as reliable, missing by just a hair's breadth, often sends the missile many yards past the target - completely wasting the shot.
 * The Miss Launcher's arcing trajectory makes such complete whiffs an impossibility, without fail, the explosive will land within blast radius of the target, (except in the case of extremely steep terrain like rooftops, fire escapes, or cliffs).

Bugs

 * If this item is placed in one's house it may move and glitch into walls. In time, this will disappear form one's house altogether.
 * If Charon or Star Paladin Cross is in your party upon entering the basement, s/he will automatically unlock the door to get to the enemies he detects.