Anti-Tank Missile Launcher

The Anti-Tank Missile is a Missile Launcher used by the Allied Nations in Mercenaries: Playground of Destruction and Mercenaries 2: World in Flames.

Mercenaries: Playground of Destruction


The Anti-tank Missile is a guided missile designed to attack ground military vehicles (tanks, missile carriers, jeeps, et al.) in Mercenaries: Playground of Destruction. It is probably the easiest and most effective way to destroy a tank.

The lock-on distance is quite far, making it possible to lock onto tanks often from a safe distance. The explosive damage is better than the RPG, but the splash is smaller. One shot puts a tank on fire. Once a vehicle is "on fire", it has less than twenty seconds of life remaining. The vehicular life slowly dribbles to zero; once it does, the vehicle explodes. It has less ammo than the RPG- only three rockets total. You receive two rockets maximum from ammo pickups (which RPG soldiers drop).

The player can launch it unguided, but without a reticule, targeting is difficult especially against fast moving vehicles. However, this is generally reconciled by switching from a different weapon and then firing. The exact center is where the missile will be aimed, and it does not deviate like the RPG. It is surprisingly easy to make accurate shots with little practice, allowing you to destroy small structures, targets out of lock-on range, targets largely concealed behind cover, or even helicopters.Two shots destroys a North Korean guard tower.

The weapon's accuracy/ damage/ range combo can be particularly useful for missions in which the player wants to destroy targets and not get caught in the act. It is so accurate and effective, even at long range, against buildings that the player can fire from so far away that the player does not have to anger a faction when they destroy its targets. It is kind of an exploit.

Since the armoured NK gunships are so resistant, you can engage them with this weapon instead of resorting to specialized anti-air options. Taking cover from choppers (preferably behind a building) causes them to drift in close, and then to hover overhead trying to draw a clean shot on you. This is your opportunity to fire a short-ranged unguided shot. While nervewracking to do while under heavy threat, this tactic is quite viable and will dispose of the gunship in one hit. Watch out for the falling wreckage, especially if it falls onto a slope!

Found In

 * Anti-Tank Rocket Drop (Unlocked by finding 15 of the 100 blueprints).
 * Heavy Weapons Drop

There is also an AN soldier always located at the AN Headquarters that carries this weapon, but keep in mind faction mood. Chinese and Allied Soldiers sometimes carry this weapon later in the game. Some North Korean soldiers carry it very rarely.

In the Second Ace Contract, there is one in a crate in the cargo truck by the first plane crash site. In the Song Ace Contract, a soldier has it by the bunker just past the gate just after the prison cutscene.

Mercenaries 2: World in Flames
In Mercenaries 2: World in Flames, the SMAW makes a return in a similar role to the one it played in Mercs 1. The main difference, however, is that the missile is no longer guided and is now aimed using a simple rocket reticule. It deviates less than an RPG shot. The damage from the rocket is the most powerful inflicted by a rocket impact (not explosion). The rocket deals the same damage as Anti-Tank Guided Missiles from attack helicopters and some ground vehicles.

The one advantage is that the damage and explosion is very focused, but it could also be a flaw since missing the target will not inflict much area damage. By the time it is available, the player would probably be better served with a Chinese Fuel Air RPG instead at the cost of damage control.

This launcher is used by the Allied Nations rocket troops, they also spawn in rocket barracks. When in the hands of AI, these launchers seem to have very high rate of fire (up to 2 shot bursts) and can cause substantial damage to armor.

Found In

 * Anti-Tank Missile Drop
 * In the hands of Allied rocket troops

Trivia

 * In real life, the SMAW's rocket is reloaded from the rear instead the front.