"If you're lucky enough to get close enough to peel of a shot at me, than you're close enough for me to make it overly hot for you." Laser weapons are only effective at realatively short ranges because of energy lost through atmospheric dissipation. Therefore a Laser-Viper's primary function on the battlefield is "target illumination" for H.E.A.T.-Vipers and AERO-Vipers. The Laser-Viper places his beam on the target, then squeezes of a heat-seeking, anti-tank missile or guided bomb that "rides" the beam to destroy the target.