Medium Anti-Tank Launcher

A Medium Anti-Tank Launcher (MAT) is a man-portable shoulder-launched Anti-Tank Launcher that fires heavy unguided rockets with HEAT, HEDP, or Tandem Warheads powerful enough to reliably destroy Tanks as well as any lighter vehicles. It is designed to be used by a Weapon Team, but is occasionally distributed to Fireteams.

The MAT launcher is a tube that can easily be carried on a soldier's back. It has several advanced features that set it apart from Light Anti-Tank Launchers, including a better sight and (with some models) accurate ranging options. All MAT launchers are re-usable, meaning that the tube can be reloaded with a new rocket after firing. MAT rockets are unguided; Firing the weapon requires knowing (or guessing) the range to the target, and successfully leading a moving target before pressing the trigger. The rocket's exhaust exits out the back of the launch tube, meaning that Backblast must be taken into consideration as well.

A typical MAT rocket carries a powerful Tandem Warhead with enough power to reliably penetrate the side armor of an IFV, and semi-reliably penetrate the side armor of a Tank. Several MAT hits may be required to kill a Tank from the front, especially well-armored modern tanks like the T-90 or M1A2 Abrams. The explosion of a MAT rocket is also powerful enough to injure or kill infantry within a range of a few meters of the impact point, but MAT rockets are rarely if ever "wasted" on Infantry; They are far too valuable as Anti-Tank weapons.

MAT rockets are heavy, requiring multiple players in order to carry any significant number of them. Thus, a separate unit called the MAT Team carries the launcher and its rockets. The team typically finds a good position where it can intercept any armored threat to other friendly units, such as down a road or on top of a hill. It will then attack any significant armored threat - particularly Tanks - which the Infantry cannot be expected to defeat quickly with their Launchers. The MAT Team stays away from Enemy Infantry if it can, focusing entirely on armored threats. It may occasionally move quite a distance from its designated position in order to "hunt" such armored threats.

The player carrying the launcher is called the "MAT Gunner". There is one launcher per MAT team. The MAT Team also includes a leader/spotter of its own, and may include a third Rifleman to carry additional rockets and provide security for the Gunner.

Enemy-fired MAT is quite rare, though it was more common during the ArmA 2 era. For the most part, enemy MAT Gunners and LAT Gunners are treated the same, since it is rarely possible to distinguish a LAT and MAT launcher at a distance.

MAT launchers are fairly uncommon in ShackTac. In the hands of players, the SMAW and MAAWS are the two most common launchers. When playing OPFOR, the RPG-7 and RPG-29 are the most common (with the RPG-7 being a borderline LAT launcher). Enemy infantry are more likely to use the RPGs, if simply because OPFOR EI is more common.

Design
Medium Anti-Tank is a fairly modern concept that evolved as a result of exceptionally hardy Tank armor -- particularly "reactive" armor that explodes outwards when struck. This type of armor can more easily defeat the HEAT warheads fired from Light Anti-Tank Launchers, thus requiring a weapon that is powerful enough to defeat it while still being light enough to be carried by hand. The MAT launcher solves this problem by firing much heavier rockets, often armed with Tandem Warheads which are specifically designed to defeat such heavy armor.

A Tandem Warhead explodes twice when striking the target. The first explosion (the warhead at the tip of the rocket) is designed solely to trigger the tank's reactive armor, neutralizing its outward force. A split second later, the second explosion hits the exposed section of the armor and pierces it like a normal HEAT rocket would. This warhead has a significantly higher chance of penetrating the heaviest armor present on the battlefield than the "simple" warhead of a LAT rocket, though occasionally two or more hits are still required. Against lighter vehicles like IFVs, which are rarely equipped with reactive armor, a single MAT rocket is almost always effective.

Like LAT, a MAT launcher fires unguided rockets; The player firing it still requires some skill in determining range to the target, leading a moving target, and/or aiming at weak points if possible. One advantage of MAT launchers over LAT launchers is the addition of Magnified Optics, making it easier to spot distant targets. Additionally, some models provide additional technology to assist in ranging the target. The specific ranging method differs from one launcher model to the next.

All MAT launchers are reusable - meaning that they can be reloaded with another rocket after firing. Additionally, most MAT launcher models have multiple types of rockets available, for use against different types of targets. HEAT warheads are very effective against medium-armored targets such as APCs, IFVs and early Tanks; whereas HEDP rockets are useful against both lighter vehicles and Infantry. For the most part, however, MAT is expected to be used against modern Tanks, for which Tandem Warheads are the most effective.

MAT Team


Medium Anti-Tank Launchers are designed to be carried by foot-mobile Infantry. Nevertheless, the combined weight of the launcher and its rockets make the weapon unwieldy for general use by Fireteams. Instead, MAT launchers are typically carried and employed by a dedicated Infantry unit called MAT.

The MAT unit is a two-man or three-man team. It consists of the following roles:
 * MAT Gunner: Responsible for carrying firing the launcher, and carrying several of its rockets.
 * Leader: Responsible for maintaining communications with Command to locate targets, move the team to the proper position in order to defeat them, and arranging Resupply for the unit.
 * Spotter: Responsible for spotting the target using Binoculars and assisting the Gunner in determining its range. Also assists in determining damage caused to the target and adjusting the Gunner's range based on where the rocket hit.
 * Guard: (optional) A Rifleman responsible for guarding the unit against Enemy Infantry, if encountered. Also acts as a Runner when resupplying.

For the most part, the Leader and Spotter are the same person, though the Gunner may act as a Leader instead. The Guard is an optional position that may or may not be manned at all. All members of the MAT Team carry rockets for the launchers, if possible, to maximize the number of times the launcher can fire before requiring resupply. Depending on the launcher model, there could be up to a dozen rockets carried by a single MAT unit. In case of Reupply, a standardized Resupply Crate for MAT will contain a substantial number of rockets as well as additional medical equipment and ammunition for personal weapons.

The MAT Team functions similarly to a Squad within the command hierarchy, though it has no subordinate units under it. For the most part, a MAT unit will take up a position over-watching one or more Squads, or a particular bottle-neck leading towards one or more Squads, and defeat any substantial armored threat approaching the area. MAT can be moved to the vicinity of a particular Squad or Squads in order to provide them closer support. If a Squad encounters a major armored threat that they cannot defeat on their own, a MAT squad may move to "hunt" the threat and destroy it.

Fireteam MAT
More rarely, MAT launchers are carried by the infantry Fireteams themselves (instead of dedicated MAT Units). In this case, the Fireteam has one "MAT Gunner" carrying and using the launcher tube, while another team-member is assigned as an "Ammo Man" to carry additional rockets for the launcher.

In this setup, the MAT Gunner behaves much like a normal AT Rifleman, with a few minor differences resulting from the improved capabilities of the weapon. The Ammo Man behaves similarly to an Assistant Automatic Rifleman, keeping constant track of the Gunner's rocket supply and replenishing it whenever necessary. Together they may carry about half a dozen to a dozen rockets of various types.

Note that other members of the Fireteam may still carry Light Anti-Tank Launchers - whether those are supplied at mission-start or picked up from enemy corpses.

Overall, a Fireteam containing a MAT Gunner may be slower than a LAT-equipped Fireteam due to the excessive weight of the launcher and rockets. This setup is therefore much rarer than the normal LAT-equipped Fireteams. Nevertheless, the additional firepower of this weapon allows Fireteams to defend themselves much more easily against armored threats.

Usage
MAT Launchers are, for the most part, simple point-and-shoot weapons, but are significantly more difficult to use effectively than Rifles. The MAT Gunner (see prev. chapter) must learn to use the MAT launcher they are carrying before slotting into this role. This includes using the weapon's ranging features to determine the range-to-target, leading a moving target properly based on the velocity of the rocket they will be firing, and targeting the weakest points on a tank or other heavy vehicle. Additionally, anyone leading a MAT unit must learn the tactics involved, which are often different than those used for simple LAT launchers.

A MAT Gunner will often have their MAT drawn and ready to fire whenever the unit has stopped at its designated firing position, or whenever a nearby armored threat has been reported. MAT is often the only unit that can handle heavy armored threats, and failure to be ready to hit such a target can lead directly to a loss of life among other units. The MAT unit's Leader / Spotter will use their Binoculars copiously to scan for such targets in order to establish their position as quickly as possible. If there is no direct line-of-sight to the target, the MAT Leader may decide to move the entire unit to a different position, or even actively hunt the target.

Since MAT Launchers are unguided weapons, and the rockets are often in short supply, it is generally better to wait until the armored threat is close enough to provide a "sure hit". However unlike with LAT launchers, a MAT launcher typically has better accuracy and can engage targets at a longer range. This is mostly thanks to the quality Magnified Optics built into the weapon itself, as well as a higher rocket velocity that reduces the time the rocket spends in the air.

Since longer-range shots are often required with MAT launchers, ranging the target properly is one of the skills a MAT Gunner must learn. Each launcher has a different method of ranging targets, with some models even being able to fire a Spotting Round that imitates the flightpath of the rocket, allowing the Gunner to essentially fire a "test shot" to see whether the rocket would hit at a given range. The MAT team's Spotter can also assist in ranging the target using their Binoculars, and should learn to do so before ever taking the role. MAT is rarely fired if the Gunner is unsure about the range, since the rockets are too valuable to waste. Nevertheless, if the threat is too great or too close, MAT can be fired based on a wild guess of the range. Waiting for a moving target to stop can significantly improve accuracy, especially at long range.

Next, the MAT Gunner must ensure that their Backblast is clear. This is usually much easier to do when firing MAT compared to LAT, since the MAT team is much smaller than a Fireteam or Squad and is typically set in its position well before firing the rocket. Calling out "Clear backblast!" is still important if there are other players nearby, just to make sure they don't walk into the dangerous backblast cone.

Finally, the MAT Gunner will, in most cases, call out "Rocket! Rocket!" to indicate that they are firing. This is mostly done in order to ensure that the Spotter is looking directly at the target when the rocket makes its way there, so that they can accurately assess the trajectory and the effect of the rocket on the target.

Once the rocket is launched, the Gunner and Spotter observe the rocket's flight and impact. If the rocket hits the target, they observe the damage (if any) and call it out on radio. The MAT Gunner will reload their launcher immediately to be ready to fire another round. If the target was not destroyed or disabled, the MAT Gunner adjusts their range or lead based on their own assessment as well as the assessment of their Spotter, and fire another rocket at the same target.

Models
ArmA and the various mods used by ShackTac offers only a limited variety of MAT launchers, with one being a borderline example that is mostly used as a LAT launcher.

BLUFOR's primary MAT launcher is the SMAW, originally an Israeli-developed weapon that was adopted and modified by the U.S. Marines. It fires 83mm rockets with a unique type of HEAT warhead called "HEAA" that has similar properties to the more conventional Tandem Warhead. Another unique feature of the SMAW is the 9mm Spotting Round that can be fired in order to determine range to target. This round follows the trajectory of an 83mm rocket, allowing the Gunner to accurately determine where the rocket would impact. This makes the SMAW a very accurate MAT launcher despite being unguided.

Another, rarer BLUFOR MAT launcher is the Swedish MAAWS, also known as the "Carl Gustaf M4" (though this name is not used in ShackTac). The MAAWS fires either normal HEAT or Tandem-Warhead 84mm rockets (though they are actually more akin to Shells for part or most of their flight time), and has a similar effect to the SMAW. Instead of Spotting Rounds, it has a laser rangefinder system that can determine the range to the target automatically just by pointing at it - though this system does not seem to be available in ShackTac.

OPFOR has two varieties of MAT launchers: the RPG-7 and RPG-29. The RPG-29 is a classic MAT launcher, firing a 65mm Tandem Warhead rocket only. The RPG-7 is both lighter and more versatile, having a greater variety of rockets available including regular HEAT and HEDP 64mm rockets, and more rarely the Tandem Warhead type. Neither weapon has a particularly advanced range-finding system. Note that the RPG-7 is often used by AI-Controlled EI as a Light Anti-Tank Launcher, especially during the ArmA 2 era, and may similarly be issued as a LAT launcher to players in the AT Rifleman role.

The German Panzerfaust 3 has appeared in at least one video in 2021. The Pzf 3's firing mechanism minimizes its Blackblast, allowing it to be fired indoors. It also has a built-in magnified scope. Available rockets include HEAT and Tandem Warheads. It is currently unknown which (if any) of these features is modeled in ArmA 3 or used by ShackTac.