1st Generation ATGMs in Hotmod feature

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PLEASE NOTE: After extensive testing we have determined that this design is impractical in Hotmod due to engine limitations. It may be that in the future we will learn more and be able to re-implement it in this format, but for now, this is no longer the design we will go forward with.
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In the 1950s several countries began developing and fielding the first anti-tank guided missiles, in large part using technical expertise developed by (of course) Nazi Germany during the war. These first systems were moderately effective but often very large, but by the 1960s they had miniaturized them enough that man-portable versions could be deployed and used by small teams of soldiers. In the span of just a couple years, the French Entac, British Vigilant, Swiss Cobra, Swedish Bantam and Soviet Malyutka all began seeing widespread service. The US lagged behind significantly, and relied on limited use of French missiles until the deployment of the TOW in the 1970s.

These 1st generation man-portable ATGMs differed significantly from later developments. All were designed around the same principle: Controller and Launcher were deployed separately, connected only by a signal cable, with the gunner using the control box to remotely fire the missiles. Multiple remotely controlled launchers could be connected to a single controller, but once a missile was fired, another, separate missile had to be re-armed in its place. In some systems, like the Entac, the launcher itself was single-use and was destroyed in firing, requiring an entire new launcher to be set up and connected in order to reload the weapon system.

In Hotmod, 1st gen ATGMs are normally deployed by a team of operators, with one control unit and 3 launchers, each carried by a single soldier. There are some exceptions to this, like Airmobile ATGM squads that come with multiple controllers and launchers and are deployed in a Huey.

Each soldier can deploy his own bag, like any other deployable weapon, via the Emplacement options menu in the control panel. See this guide on deployable heavy weapons for more about placing these objects.

Launchers must be deployed in relatively close proximity to a manned control unit in order for them to function. If they are not, the launchers will remain inert and uncontrollable, and will show a disconnected symbol.

Once a manned control unit is detected within a few meters, they will become operable:

With a soldier manning the controller the missiles can be selected & used individually. They come in the Hold Fire state, as due to script limitations, we can not fire them one at a time (yet). Switch each or all to the Open Fire state, or order them to manually target - if all are set to Open Fire, they may all fire simultaneously at the same target.

Position them carefully as they have a limited zone of fire. If you need to reposition them you can pack up the launcher, pick it up with a soldier, and redeploy it.

For some launchers, like the MGM-32 Entac, the launcher itself is destroyed when it fires, and a new launcher will need to be deployed. In this case, the soldier can be resupplied by an ammo truck with a new packed-up launcher he can deploy.

For other ATGMs, the launcher itself isn't destroyed after firing, but will need to be resupplied. This can be done by an ammo truck directly.

In all cases, soldiers carrying launchers can be resupplied by an ammo truck. In theory, this means that a dense zone of death can be created by deploying infinite amounts of launchers by constantly resupplying soldiers after they've deployed a new launcher. Due to script limitations there is no limit to the number of launchers that can be connected to control units, but we hope to change this in the future.

By the mid 60s it became apparent that this method of operating was both complicated and time consuming, and countries began developing superior systems where the controller and launcher were built as a single, reloadable unit, more like a conventional recoilless rifle. The US developed the TOW Missile, the French and Germans the MILAN, and the Soviets the AT-4 Spigot and AT-5 Spandrel. I'm sure we'll see those before long.