A-74 Sylver Vertical Missile Launcher
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Missile launcher |
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The A-74 Sylver Vertical Missile Launcher is an air-to-surface missile launcher typically mounted as one of the primary armaments of the AC-220 Vulture gunship.[1]
Design detailsEdit
A-74s are vertical launch systems positioned on the top of the Vulture's hull, arrayed in two rows of four running along the craft's left and right sides. The launcher has a 360-degree effective radius, allowing it to target any enemy near the gunship itself. The A-74 launcher can work with the craft's Argent V missile bays to unleash a unified barrage of missiles on an unfortunate target.[2]
The A-74 launcher can be internally reloaded, and can be stocked with a variety of air-surface munitions including Anvil-IV ASMs and Phoenix ASMs.[1] These weapons complement the turret-mounted Argent-V anti-air missiles and quad GAU-23/AW/Linkless Feed Autocannons.[3]
GameplayEdit
In Halo Wars, the A-74 is granted to the Vulture gunship upon researching the Mega Barrage upgrade. Once completed, the Vulture can use the A-74s to bombard a target from afar as the vehicle's Y-ability. This weapon was replaced in Halo Wars 2 with the Phoenix missile, though it is still present on the Vulture model.
Production notesEdit
The A-74 Sylver is likely inspired by the real-world Sylver Vertical Launching System, a French VLS; the word Sylver in this context stands for SYstème de Lancement VERtical. Notably, one of the model numbers of the Sylver launcher in the real-world is the A-70 model.
GalleryEdit
A closer look at the launcher system in Halo Wars concept art.
Another look at the vertically-mounted missiles in concept art.
Concept art of the launcher system firing missiles.
Vultures firing missiles from A-74s.
Close up of a Vulture firing missiles from its A-74s.
The A-74 silos on the Vulture in the Halo Wars 2 Open Beta.
List of appearancesEdit
- Halo Wars (First appearance)
- Halo: Escalation
- Halo Mythos: A Guide to the Story of Halo
- Halo Wars 2
SourcesEdit
- ^ a b Halo Encyclopedia (2022 edition), page 155
- ^ Halo Waypoint, Vulture (Retrieved on Mar 25, 2011) [local archive] [external archive]
- ^ Halo Wars: Official Strategy Guide, page 46