Friend or Foe

Heat Seeker

A Heat Seeker or HS or Heat Seeking or Heat seeking is a type of munition used by missile launchers. They contain a seeker-head locking mechanism which detects heat, targeting the nearest spacecraft's engine exhaust. They do not need to be locked and are only effective when fired behind a target. Heat Seekers are available for sale to privateers at ship dealers.

Specifications

Version	Velocity	Refire Delay	Armor penetration	Duration	Range	Abuse	Lock	Cost	Resale
Privateer Playguide Manual	800 kps	2.5 seconds	16 cm				Locks onto engines of target; most effective if behind target.	35 credits
Privateer	800 kps	2.5 seconds	16 cm	9 seconds				35 credits	20 credits
Privateer Playtesters' Guide		2.5 seconds	16 cm		7200 m	medium	onto target engine

Users

Heat Seekers may be loaded on missile launchers installed on the stock Tarsus, Orion, Galaxy and Centurion.

Bounty Hunters

• Demon
• Orion

Church of Man

• Talon

Empire of Kilrah

• Gothri
• Kamekh

Merchants

• Galaxy

Militia

• Gladius
• Talon

Pirates

• Talon

Terran Confederation

• A-17 Broadsword
• F-71 Stiletto
• Paradigm

Individual Users

• Menesch (Centurion)
• Mordecai Jones (Centurion)

Images

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Wing Commander Privateer Player's Guide

Missile Launcher

Missile launchers are crucial in making a quick kill. Without shields few ships can withstand a missile hit. Missiles are listed in order, from least to most expensive, with a brief description of its locking method. Each launcher can hold up to 10 missiles in any combination.

Armor penetration is based on the durasteel standard, and is listed only for comparison. All missiles that can lock but fail to do so simply fly straight ahead (like a DF missile). Refire delay for one launcher is 2.5 seconds — two launchers are twice as fast.

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Privateer Playtesters' Guide

Weapons Systems

Your weapons loadout will vary according to your skill level, typical missions and financial resources. In general, dumb fire missiles and torpedoes can inflict more harm in the hands of an experienced pilot. Guided missiles will find their target with the help of their locking mechanisms, making accuracy less essential. A tractor beam system will allow you to retrieve cargo from a destroyed ship and is thus an indispensable part of every pirate fighter.

Range. The effective range of the projectile in meters (m).

Damage potential. The amount of damage done to a target. This measurement is based on the durasteel standard, and is listed for comparison only.

Refire delay. The recharge time of a gun between each shot in units of seconds.

Energy use. How much energy the gun uses in units of Gigaloules (GI).

Abuse limit. How much damage your guns can take before they are destroyed. Abuse limits are rated as low, medium and high.

Heat Seeking (HS). Heat seeking missiles have a locking mechanism that detects heat. They zero in on the nearest fighter's engine exhaust. These weapons are only effective if you launch them from behind the enemy ship, where they can easily lock onto the hostile ship's exhaust. It is not necessary to get a lock on your target when you are firing these missiles. A diamond will appear when the missile's seeker-head has locked onto your target.

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Appearances

• Wing Commander Privateer Player's Guide
• Wing Commander Privateer
• Privateer Playtesters' Guide
• Privateer Righteous Fire

Behind the Screens

Source Models

• HEATSEEK - Heat Seeker missile