GTM Tornado

Weapons in Descent: FreeSpace

Primaries Secondaries Turrets Weapon Comparison Table, FS1

Weapons in FreeSpace 2

Primaries Secondaries Turrets Weapon Comparison Table, FS2

The GTM-4a Tornado is an aspect-seeking swarm missile and upgraded version of the Great War-era GTM Hornet. Similar to the Hornet, the Tornado launches a salvo of four aspect-seeking missiles per volley. The Tornado's more advanced targeting and guidance systems allow it to acquire a faster lock at a slightly greater range compared to the Hornet, while the accuracy of the individual missiles is also improved considerably, being much more likely to hit their target regardless of firing angle. The main downsides of the Tornado are that fewer missiles can be stored in each missile bank, and due to the fire control system, the missiles will not fully arm their payload (thus doing greatly reduced damage) if aspect lock is not acquired first.

Tech Room Data

The GTM-4a Tornado

The GTM-4a Tornado is an upgrade to the Hornet missile. With improved fire control systems and guidance computers, the Tornado can be fired more rapidly and with greater accuracy than the Hornet. Though physically smaller than its predecessor, the Tornado launcher fires more rockets per volley, delivering a more devastating punch. Be advised that a Tornado missile will fail to arm its payload properly if aspect lock has not been achieved before firing.

Performance

Tornado

Name	Tornado
Range	1 610 m
Reload time	2.5 s
Velocity	230 ms-1
Damage	25
Armor damage	50
Shield damage	25
Subsystem damage	7.5
Homing type	Aspect
Minimum lock time	2.25 s
Turn rate (360 degress)	1.25 s
Shockwave radius (inner/outer)	10 / 20 m

Additional properties

• Weapon is a missile weapon (Secondary weapon)
• Weapon only does full amount of damage when target is locked on (lockarm)
• The shockwave doubles the damage against any target that takes a direct hit

Tornado D

Name	Tornado D
Range	1 610 m
Reload time	3.0 s
Velocity	230 ms-1
Damage	20
Armor damage	24
Shield damage	17
Subsystem damage	6
Homing type	Aspect
Minimum lock time	3.5 s
Turn rate (360 degress)	1.35 s
Shockwave radius (inner/outer)	10 / 20 m

Additional properties

• Weapon is a missile weapon (Secondary weapon)
• Weapon only does full amount of damage when target is locked on (lockarm)
• The shockwave doubles the damage against any target that takes a direct hit

Veteran Comments

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The Tornado is FS2's wish-me-dead missile. Salvo a double volley of these at an enemy fighter and he will be in dire straits, if not blown to bits. Even most bombers will have a significant chunk of their hull lost. For one-salvo killing power the Tornado can only be beat by the Trebuchet. That power comes at the price of being able to carry relatively few volleys worth missiles, however. In extended missions you are probably going to better served by a bank of Harpoons, but for quick and dirty pure stopping power, the Tornado is where it's at.

The main problem with the Tornado is that you only get half the shots you do with the GTM Harpoon, so make every shot count. This weapon is excellent, capable of taking down light bombers like the GTB Zeus with one double-fire shot, and is almost as maneuverable as the GTM Harpoon.

Either choose this, the Trebuchet, or the Tempest as your second secondary rack if you're a superiority, intercept or heavy. The first secondary should always go to Harpoons.

These things don't shoot 1 at the time unlike the GTM Hornet, all 4 or 8 of them shoot at almost the same instant, wich makes the punch bigger compared to the Hornet. The drawback of this, however, is that countermeasures work better against these compared to hornets... But countermeasures won't save you anyway, because if you get the right shot with this, it can pretty much outmaneuver anything, and own you as soon as you see them coming your way.

One single volley of Tornados can do as much damage as a double volley of Harpoons, provided that all missiles hit. If they do, the target fighter is in really bad shape. Keep that in mind when deciding what missiles to use.

The tech room description for the Tornado mentions that, versus the Hornet, it is "physically smaller", "fires more rockets per volley", and delivers "a more devastating punch". In reality, missile banks carry fewer Tornadoes than Hornets, the Tornado still fires a 4-missile salvo like the Hornet (although it uses the "corkscrew" flag to fire the missiles faster, as opposed to the "swarm" flag used by the Hornet), and the Tornado's on-paper damage values are identical to the Hornet's.

The Herc II, with its large secondary banks can make very good use of this missile. The stopping power and homing capability is incredible, and in the second missile bank of the Herc II, you'll find that you have enough ammo (80 missiles) to make it worth it. In something like the Perseus, however, you'll find that 32 missiles/4 double salvos just isn't enough.

In some cases, such as longer range on higher difficulty, I have noticed that I can hit things better with this missile moreso than with the GTM Harpoon. And whenever a target gets nailed by this thing head-on (and all missiles hit) many ships are guaranteed to go down in one shot. This missiles have better turn rates than the Harpoon, making this missile an excellent choice for picking off fighters at medium range in a chase or head-on situation, or even as a last resort. Take this in dual banks if you don't have a Harpoon (or if you're a better shot with this missile, like me).

Something I've noticed lately is that the AI seems to be frighteningly competent at using the Tornado. Load up your wingmen with Tornadoes, in a ship that they won't get splattered quickly in, and watch enemy strikecraft evaporate under storms of Tornado fire. Even under the effects of "Alpha 1" syndrome, you may find that your wingmen are a bit more useful when loaded up with this missile.

If you want to know how much you can carry in one bank, multiply the Hornet capacity by 4/5, or multiply Harpoon count by 2.

Pretty much becomes the anti-fighter missile for a large number of bombers (and the Myrmidon) which are incapable of mounting the Harpoon. Takes up more space per volley than the Harpoon, but is exceedingly effective - dual Tornado volleys can wipe out a Nahema should they all hit, and with primary fire they're even effective against Taurvis. Prior veterans who've pointed out the effectiveness of the AI with the Tornado are absolutely right - allied assault fighters such as the Herc II or Ares are able to massacre wave after wave of Shivans very effectively with massed Tornado fire.