Overview
The weapon of choice for urban and siege warfare. The javelin is a two-stage, magnetically accelerated spike. The launcher fires this two-foot long, thirty-pound projectile at just over the speed of sound, but the user can manually adjust the speed for softer targets. Upon getting close to a wall or vehicle, four blade-like fins will extend outwards, based off of the range given to the projectile given by the laser on the launcher. The purpose of the fins is to firmly secure the spike to the point of impact, and not penetrate all the way through. To help with this, the fins come equipped with several explosive-launched wires to further halt the momentum of the spike.
Once firmly lodged, the secondary stage will activate. Within the larger projectile lies a slightly smaller one. The first stage will act as a gun barrel of sorts, as the secondary spike is launched at terrifying speed from an explosive rocket mixture. The spike has a novaten tip. An artificial material even more dense than uranium, giving the secondary stage a good chance of going through even xancrete. The spike will then hopefully penetrate fully into the structure of the target. Upon leaving three feet from the end of the first stage, the spike will detonate in a deadly storm of shrapnel. One must be in at least carapace power armor to have a chance to survive. A single javelin shot is more than enough to clear out an entire room, turning everyone inside into ground meat.
Javelins also have found great success against light vehicles, being able to bore through the outside and detonate within the crew compartment. When attacking a structure, a javelin breacher is always the weapon of choice.
Development
Around 500 A.E.G. lyshan crystal mining companies were looking for a new weapon to combat the hexes that infested the lyshan crystal worlds. They wanted something with sufficient armor penetration and did a significant amount of internal damage. Due to the often unorthodox biological nature of the hexes, merely hitting them with mag-rounds could not produce a kill fast enough. Rocket launchers proved semi-adequate in this task, but high explosive rockets could not get past heavy scales or chitin, and HEAV rockets once again could not provide an adequate amount of internal damage.
The companies sent out contracts to fulfill this request.
Several sent back prototypes and concepts. Some showed promise, while most were either too expensive, or complicated for the task. The most ridiculous example being a magnetically fired saw blade with an explosive charge in the middle. The idea was after cutting into a hex’s flesh the charge would detonate, sending the fragments further into the beast. However, trials revealed that penetration of armor was highly unpredictable. And despite the low weight of the blades, they still did not do enough damage even on a successful penetration.
But one did manage to secure the contract. Velum Dynamics submitted what would become the javelin system that is still widely used to this day. Velum used an old propellant, left over from the days of deciding what the common infantry would use. Blackwall was in the process of making man-portable mag-weapons, and the other firearms suppliers were looking for a way to compete. One of the competitors came up with a solid-fuel gyrojet system. While it did produce speeds and accuracy comparable to the new mag-rifles, the highly explosive nature of the propellant, plus the intense barrel pressure eventually caused the idea to be scrapped. But Velum had purchased this company long ago, and revitalized the propellant to use in their new javelin system.
Initial trials proved promising. The prototype was tested on captured hexes, and often a single strike resulted in the death of even exotic creatures. The prototype was refined and Velum soon had hundreds of thousands of orders to fulfill.
The javelin proved its worth on lyshan crystal worlds, but it wasn’t until two mining companies fought that the idea of using them on other humans came to the forefront. Cutt&Dyre and Pure Aether both arrived on the world of Thousand Legs. The two of them wanted the extremely valuable crystals and weren’t about to let the other have the prize. A skirmish broke out when a team of Pure Aether operatives attacked an outpost of Cutt&Dyre. The Aether operatives didn’t have traditional siege equipment, but they did have plenty of javelins. The weapons more than proved their worth in clearing out fortifications. Immediately, militaries started to adopt the javelin as their new siege device.
Deployment
The most common variant of the javelin is the shoulder-mounted version that infantry carry. However mechanized infantry and golems use them as well. The carapace power armor “Arrow” variant comes with a detachable six-round magazine that can be fired semi-automatically. Meanwhile golems carry an automatic “Ballista” version, a favored weapon in urban warfare. The javelin possesses enough penetration to harm other golems, meanwhile a simple spray of the weapon can clear out an entire building of hidden soldiers.
During sieges, the outcome is often decided whether the attackers can get close enough to use their javelins against fortified emplacements. While they are not full-proof, only the toughest of bunkers can withstand their wrath.