Six hours, fourteen cups, and one concerned night shift lab crew later, the future M42 launcher was conceptualized: Based on the spigot mortar mechanism, the launcher would only have to accommodate a firing through and system, relying on mechanical launching, rather than chemical or electrical means. The project hit a breakthrough in December 2076, when the project lead discovered a solution for the launcher problems.
No remains were recovered and the commanding officer in charge of the project, General Brock, covered up the incident, ordering his subordinates to send sand packed in an urn to their relatives. Live-fire testing claimed lives, in fact, with two soldiers killed during a test. Concurrent development ran on the MIRV version of the launcher. The notion was largely academic, as it would require for the overburdened soldier to carry an additional power pack the size of a suitcase and turn the Fat Man into a crew-served weapon.
Instead, the development team decided to increase the power of the launcher unit, even considering using railgun technology to accelerate the warhead. Even stripping them to the minimal possible size failed to produce an acceptable effect.
Problems manifested instantly, as warheads were simply too heavy to clear the blast radius fast enough to provide safety for the operator. Development began in February 2076, with the goal being the development of a man-portable tactical nuclear launcher easy enough for use by troops on the ground, to destroy reinforced and entrenched positions. The M42 Fat Man was developed at Fort Strong near Boston, Massachusetts. The following section is transcluded from Fat Man.
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