Harvester

The **Harvester** is a Heavy Artillery ordnance, firing a massive fuel-air cluster bomb with an extremely high arc.

## Acquisitions Entry

> There are only a few instances I can find where Spacers will field ‘old world’ ordnance—physical munitions. Given their prohibitive mass constraints both on and off the battlefield, Spacers adhere to energy based weaponry both out of necessity as well as taste. However when they do take pains to field conventional munitions, I guarantee you those weapons are to be feared and respected.
>
> The Spacer’s ‘Harvester’ Howitzer is a 305mm fuel-air explosive cluster munition. Rather than rely on a single large flame and pressure front, the Harvester’s many warheads create dozens of miniature fronts that turbulently collide, causing concatenating chains of pressure fluctuations. These rapidly forming and collapsing pocket vacuums and their shockwaves exert forces beyond the capabilities of any known unit-tier shield emitter to deflect, and cockpits simply burst like ripe tomatoes under the strain. Those caught within the blast radius are either immolated in the blast itself, asphyxiated by lungs ruptured from rarefaction, or poisoned by the highly toxic fuel mixture.
>
> One reason among many that illustrates why Spacers remain such a feared adversary.
>
> -Efi
>
>

## Notes & Strategy

* Practice on ammo depots and orbital guns, as the shot does not land exactly where the targeting arc ends - the sub-munitions "dash" a bit ahead.
* In some districts, unaware enemies will be gathered in groups; move discreetly, and the Harvester can easily lay waste to oblivious Captains and their cohorts.
* The Pinch may be a good sidekick, with its area of-effect stun.
* Faster enemies will be able to slip through your base of fire to reach you. Welcome them with an Audio-Kinectic Pulse.
* Depending on the notoriety of the Pilot, be particularly alert when dealing with Artillery-firing hostiles, as it may be the case you're facing a Harvester. Watch for the huge glowing projectile traveling upwards, and quickly move towards the shooter or well to the sides to evade. If you decide to reverse, make it quick: the blast zone is huge.
* While the muzzle blast alerts units from a wide radius, it's usually the splash that draws the most units to investigate. If you remain hidden you can often clear the new wave that has gathered in the first impact zone, with a second payload.

## Trivia

A Human Rights report from 2000 on thermobaric ordnance, which includes FAE (fuel-air explosive) munitions:

> The [blast] kill mechanism against living targets is unique–and unpleasant.... What kills is the pressure wave, and more importantly, the subsequent rarefaction [vacuum], which ruptures the lungs.... If the fuel deflagrates but does not detonate, victims will be severely burned and will probably also inhale the burning fuel. Since the most common FAE fuels, ethylene oxide and propylene oxide, are highly toxic, undetonated FAE should prove as lethal to personnel caught within the cloud as most chemical agents.
>
>

And:

> Another Defense Intelligence Agency document speculates that because the "shock and pressure waves cause minimal damage to brain tissue…it is possible that victims of FAEs are not rendered unconscious by the blast, but instead suffer for several seconds or minutes while they suffocate".
>
>

## Achievements

Complete an operation with a Kettle equipped with **Harvester**, Thunderclap, and Smoke Projector.