The missile launcher is one of the most common heavy weapons in Warhammer 40k, a portable tube that fires self-propelled warheads at tanks, monsters, and infantry alike. It shows up in nearly every faction’s arsenal, from the Imperial Guard’s two-man teams to Ork rokkit launchas and Eldar chambered pods.
What a missile launcher actually is
A missile launcher fires self-propelled projectiles that carry explosive, chemical, or energy warheads. The missile’s own motor does the work, so the launcher itself is mostly a tube, a sight, and a trigger.
That’s the key difference from a rocket launcher. Rockets are unguided; missiles are guided. In practice, 40k sources use the terms loosely, and plenty of ‘missile’ weapons in the setting are essentially unguided rockets with fancy names.
Imperial missile launchers
The standard Imperial pattern, often called the Locke-pattern, is a shoulder-fired single-shot tube with a built-in targeting device. It can’t be fired on the move.
Imperial Guard doctrine treats it as a crew-served weapon: one trooper aims and fires while a second carries ammo and reloads. A well-drilled team can keep up a punishing rate of fire, enough to worry tank commanders.
Space Marines skip the second man. Their strength lets them carry, load, and fire a missile launcher alone, which is why you’ll see one battle-brother lugging the whole setup.
- Locke-pattern: built-in targeting, shoulder-fired, single-shot
- Guard: two-man team, one fires, one loads
- Space Marines: solo use thanks to raw strength
- Cannot be fired on the move
Ork rokkit launchas
Orks call theirs a Rokkit Launcha, and it does exactly what the name suggests: a crude tube that throws an explosive rocket at whatever looks worth hitting, usually a tank.
Ork missile tech scales up fast. Stompas carry Supa-Rokkitss, Gargants lob Krooz Missiles, and Gretchin even guide Grot Bombs into targets. Subtlety isn’t the point.
Eldar and other faction versions
Eldar missile launchers use chambered pods rather than simple tubes, holding several warhead types (krak, plasma, and more) in compact internal magazines. That means far less reloading, and the pods are usually mounted on Grav Platforms or vehicles.
Dark Reaper Aspect Warriors carry Reaper Launchers that spit armour-piercing missiles quickly, and Dark Reaper Exarchs can take the Tempest Launcher, a multiple missile weapon with indirect fire.
Other factions have their own takes, from Chaos and Dark Eldar to Tau and the Leagues of Votann, but the core idea stays the same: a portable tube that puts a warhead exactly where you need it.
Key facts
- A missile launcher fires self-propelled, usually guided projectiles with explosive or energy warheads.
- The standard Imperial pattern is the Locke-pattern, a shoulder-fired single-shot tube that can’t fire on the move.
- Imperial Guard crews run it as a two-man team; Space Marines use it solo.
- Orks field the Rokkit Launcha, plus bigger versions like Supa-Rokkitss and Krooz Missiles.
- Eldar launchers use chambered pods with multiple warhead types, cutting down on reloads.
FAQ
What’s the difference between a missile launcher and a rocket launcher in 40k?
Missiles are guided, rockets aren’t. Both carry similar warheads, and the setting often blurs the line, but that guidance distinction is the official one.
Can a single Guardsman fire an Imperial missile launcher?
Yes, but Guard doctrine pairs them up. One trooper fires while the other loads, which keeps the rate of fire high. Space Marines can handle it alone.
Which Eldar units carry missile launchers?
Dark Reapers carry Reaper Launchers, and their Exarchs can take the Tempest Launcher. Eldar missile pods also appear on Grav Platforms and vehicles.