Suicide bomb

Suicide bomb is a colloquialism for a type of terrorist attack that causes widespread death and destruction, in which the bomber dies or expects to die. While this type of attack has been used sporadically in human history, it saw widespread use in the middle 20th century and early 21st century. The scale of the attack can vary from an individual carrying a bomb upon his or her person, to something much larger, such as the September 11, 2001 attacks which saw terrorists use passenger planes to crash into targets in the United States.

Suicide bomb in The Man With the Iron Heart

The German Freedom Front "Werewolves" adopted various tactics, including suicide bombing, against the Allies occupying Germany. The tactic came in two forms: a vest packed with explosives worn under an attacker's clothes, or a vehicle (often stolen from the occupying armies) loaded with explosives. Either would be activated by the bomber when they reached their target or got as close as possible, although the explosives did not always detonate. Dirty bombs could be delivered the same way, although the GFF only had enough radium to try it once.

Such attacks were extremely devastating and capable of causing massive casualties. One of the worst attacks occurred in Berlin when a suicide bomber drove a truck into a parade of Soviet Ground Forces, killing dozens. Frankfurt in the American zone was hit by a dirty bomb that killed a large number of high ranking officials and their families, as well as rendering the entire compound uninhabitable. Security measures were quickly put in place, but these only meant a suicide bomber was more likely to detonate their bomb early and still kill Allied personnel.

Suicide bomb in "Occupation Duty"

Murder Bombers were a constant risk to Philistinian soldiers in occupied Moab. The killer would approach a group of Philistines and then set off explosives hidden under his or her clothing.

On a tour of duty, Pheidas witnessed such an attack. He and his squad were traveling to Hierosolyma in a convoy of APCs, when he heard an explosion and his vehicle started rocking. A murder bomber had rammed a nearby command car with a civilian vehicle before setting off his explosives.

Suicide bomb in Southern Victory

The "people bomb" was a terrorist tactic introduced by the Mormons during their rebellion against the United States during the Second Great War. It was quickly copied by other resistance movements the world over. An individual would strap explosives to one's body, go to populated areas, and detonate the explosives, killing oneself and killing or injuring as many people in the area as possible. The success of this the tactic inspired other resistance movements to adopt it, including Slavs in the Austro-Hungarian Empire, various groups in the Russian Empire, and black guerrillas fighting against the Freedom Party in the Confederate States.

Suicide bomb in Through Darkest Europe

Suicide bombing was a favorite tactic of Aquinist terrorists.

Suicide bombs in Worldwar

During the Race invasion of Earth, a number of humans carried out suicide attacks upon the Race's personnel or installations. Surviving attackers who were interrogated often cited the death of a 'mate' or 'hatchling' due to the Race's actions. Although such family ties and this reaction to the deaths of family members were incomprehensible to the Race, they changed their tactics to avoid provoking further such attacks.

Following the Peace of Cairo, Conquest Fleet garrisons occupying conquered regions of Earth were still subject to suicide attacks, particularly from Muslims in the Middle East. These attacks terrified the Race because they lacked any sort of leverage over a enemy willing to die.

One notable attack was against a newly constructed town for Race colonists . A bomber loaded a truck full of explosives and detonated it inside the town. The event caused a row between Fleetlords Atvar and Reffet, the latter resenting the idea that his civilians may have needed to protect themselves.