Katyusha multiple rocket launchers are a type of rocket artillery built and fielded by the Soviet Union beginning World War II. Compared to other types of artillery, multiple rocket launchers are able to deliver a devastating amount of explosives to an area target more quickly but with lower accuracy and longer reloading time. They are relatively fragile but inexpensive and easy to produce.The weapon's name is derived from that of a woman - a dimunitive of "Katya", the Russian version of "Cathy". However, this nuance is lost on the enemies who face the Katyusha's firepower.
The Soviets continued to field Katyushas after World War II. Massed batteries of Katyushas and heavy artillery fired the opening bombardment of the land phase of World War III just prior to the armored attack into West Germany and continued to fire on concentrations of American and allied troop defenders as they advanced.
The Soviet Union first introduced the Katyusha rocket artillery on the Eastern Front of Europe during World War II. It was the weapons system that scared Germans the most during the fight. Sgt. Mike Sullivan was introduced to Katyushas during the Japanese War in 1948-49. While terrifying even to those who faced them before, they were no more effective in killing off soldiers than regular artillery unless the troops were caught out in the open.
The Katyusha had been one of the most effective and famous weapons of the Red Army in 1942. After the Racearrived, their own missiles and rockets were compared to the devastating and moral destroying capabilities of the Russian weapon.
They were more than effective as mobile artillery as they could be fired on mass at the Race and just as quickly withdrawn to avoid counter bombardment.