Hobby Gaming: Evolution of the Space Marine Missile Launcher

Over time, the missile launcher has been the most versatile of SM heavy weapons.    Of course, its stat lines have changed, as have the models for it.  Some of those changes have been dramatic.

The original missile launcher, as sculpted for the 1986 C-100 Space Marines range appears to be a simple single shot tube with targeting equipment.

By 1987, with the release of the RTB01 set of plastic marines, we saw a new look, with a magazine fed missile launcher and a distinctive (iconic) curved front.  In this example, the nose of the RTB01 "beakie" marine has been cut down to make it look more like an Imperial Stormtrooper from Star Wars (a simple conversion that was so popular that later marine models started having flat snouts).

A variant missile launcher was also released (in plastic) on the Chaos Weapons Sprue around 1989 or 1990.  This one is also magazine fed, and features it's own distinctive muzzle design.




With the release of the GW/MB crossover game Space Crusade in 1990, we saw the first full body, "push in weapon" space marines.  In this case, all of the models had their weapons added to the front of the model.   The missile launcher retains a lot of the distinctive features of the RTB01 style launcher.  In 1992, the 2nd edition (first boxed set 40k game) featured full body marines with "push in bolters/flamers", but the full body marine with the missile launcher had an arm attachment.    Like many people, I did not find the "statue marines" particularly interesting, so have not kept many of them through the years.  In this case, I have a plastic body for a missile launcher marine, but  not the plastic arm and missile launcher.   I have placed a metal missile launcher of the same era with it, it returns to a basic tube, with a magazine feed.   It is chunky, clunky, and like the 2nd ed "Statue Marines" and other plastics of that era, it is just plain ugly.




With the release of 3rd edition in 1998, the new, multi-part Space Marine tacticals included a new launcher.   This one is a single launch tube, with optics.   Rockets were provided as accessories.  Over time, variations were produced - including a special "loader" backpack, and a shorter tube version of the launcher.




With the release of the "30k" "Horus Heresy"  "Betrayal at Calth" game and the MkIV Marines, we saw the (welcome) return of the RTB01 style of launcher, but in a larger and more robust version.

Hope that look at some 40k history was helpful and inspiring.