An Anti-Tank Launcher (AT or AT launcher) is a weapon that launches rockets or guided missiles capable of penetrating enemy armor. AT launchers come in several very different varieties, but ultimately serve the same function.
Anti-Tank Launchers may be seen carried by infantry, mounted on vehicles or aircraft, or even as stationary defenses. They pose a serious threat to armor - up to and including Tanks - especially when firing at the side or rear of the target. AT launchers are also capable of destroying entire buildings, given a sufficient number of hits. In a pinch, the explosive power of an AT warhead can also be used to kill grouped enemy infantry, but this is seen as a last resort due to the scarcity of these warheads.
The simplest and lightest AT Launchers can only fire unguided rockets, making them useful only at shorter ranges and requiring greater skill. The heaviest launchers are incredibly precise guided missiles that can strike from a very long distance away. Many launcher models can be reloaded after firing, whereas others must be thrown away after firing only a single rocket. The size of the warhead also determines how effectively it can defeat enemy armor.
AT Launchers are split into several distinct subcategories, listed below in ascending order of power and weight:
• Light Anti-Tank (LAT): Unguided rocket launchers carried by Infantry. American launchers are typically disposable (one-shot), while Russian launchers may be reloaded with additional rockets.
• Medium Anti-Tank (MAT): Heavier unguided rocket launchers carried by specialized infantry units • called MAT Teams. Typically reloadable, they carry a heavier warhead and are fitted with better equipment for measuring range to target.
• Heavy Anti-Tank (HAT): HAT launchers fire missiles that can be guided to their target mid-flight. These can be found carried by HAT Teams, fitted on various light vehicles, or as stationary emplacements. Reloadable and powerful, HAT launchers are often the ground force's best defense against enemy tanks.
• Anti-Tank Guided Missile (ATGM): A more nebulous term sometimes used for HAT launchers fitted on heavy vehicles, helicopters, and jets. Though they may function similarly to lighter HAT launchers, ATGMs are typically more powerful and even more accurate. ATGMs are some of the best weapons against enemy armor, alongside cannons.
• Air-to-Ground Missile (AGM): The heaviest Anti-Tank missile, carried almost exclusively by jets. It is a fire-and-forget missile with extremely long range and excellent accuracy that is practically guaranteed to destroy any target in a single hit.