A Limpet mine is a British naval explosive developed by Stuart Macrae and Cecil Vandepeer Clarke during the interwar period, at the request of Major Millis Rowland Jefferis.[1] Seeking a design for a towed explosive that could attach itself to passing ships, Jefferis happened upon an Armchair Science article on powerful magnets that was edited by Macrae. Macrae had worked on prior projects during World War I and agreed to help develop the weapon.
Germany had independently created similar magnetically-attached mines of their own, used during Operation Barbarossa. They also developed an anti-magnetic coating—Zimmerit—in anticipation of possible Soviet reverse-engineering. Italian naval divers made use of similar magnetic mines in World War 1 and World War 2.
Limpet mines would be used by both sides during World War II, and on through the Cold War. There are also notable examples of limpet mine use by and against civilian vessels in the name of environmental activism. Limpet mines should not be confused with magnetic mines which are armed via magnetic means.
Battlefield 1[]
The Limpet Charge appears in Battlefield 1 for the Support kit. At the game's release, it replaced the Tripwire Bomb as the kit's close-quarter explosive, joining the Mortar as an anti-vehicle and anti-structure option.
Players carry only one charge at a time, although it can be replenished from ammunition boxes. Limpet charges stick to surfaces and have a three-second timer, activated once placed by the player. Unlike the real magnetic limpet mine, it can stick to all surfaces regardless of the material. It deals significant damage—45 damage to light tanks—enough to kill unsuspecting infantry. It can be picked back up prior to detonation.
Unlike other explosives, the limpet charge is insensitive to attack—it can only be set off by its own timer, and cannot otherwise be destroyed or neutralized.
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