The Ancient Way

The Ancient Way is a unique missile launcher of Tier 6 in Dune Awakening, belonging to the Weapons - Heavy Weapons category. When Holtzman shields became widely available, the use of artillery in warfare dramatically reduced. During the Battle of Arrakeen, Baron Harkonnen brought them back, using heavy rockets to seal Atreides soldiers in caves, thus avoiding the problem of Holtzman shields entirely. Since then, these unique missile launchers have become widely sought after by Fremen and Imperial troops alike.

Game Characteristics

The Ancient Way offers devastating heavy weapon performance with shield-bypassing technology inspired by Baron Harkonnen's tactical innovation:

Specialized Properties

• Damage Type: Concussive - Explosive area damage
• Fire Mode: Semi-Automatic - Precision missile deployment
• Damage Per Shot: 919.3 - Extremely high explosive damage
• Shield Damage: 919.3 - Equal devastating effectiveness against shields
• Rate of Fire: 84 RPM - Slow but devastating
• Clip Size: 1 - Single missile per reload
• Reload Speed: 3.5 seconds - Fast reloading
• Effective Range: 150 meters - Very long range
• Accuracy: 0.65 - Good precision
• Stability: 2.5 - Exceptional stability

Crafting System

Manufacturing The Ancient Way requires an Advanced Weapons Fabricator and the following materials:

• Plastanium Ingot (70x)
• Mechanical Parts (26x)
• Silicone Block (47x)
• Plasteel Composite Gun Parts (24x)
• Precision Range Finder (6x)
• Spice Melange (62x)
• Spice-infused Plastanium Dust (10x)
• Water (530x)

Total crafting time is 15 seconds and requires a unique schematic to unlock the recipe.

Schematic Acquisition

The Ancient Way schematic can be obtained through several methods:

Deep Desert Drop

This unique Tier 6 weapon belongs to items available in the Deep Desert but is not part of the current rotation. Most of these ancient warfare weapons appear only during specific weeks.

Landsraad Weapons Vendor

The schematic is available from Landsraad Weapons Vendor for 80,000 Solaris with limited stock of only 1 piece. This very high price reflects the devastating shield-bypassing technology and historical significance.

Landsraad Alternative

Besides purchasing the schematic, you can obtain The Ancient Way directly as a reward from Landsraad House when reaching a specific milestone in personal contribution. This path can often be the most efficient for acquiring this legendary heavy weapon.

Baron Harkonnen Tactical Revolution

Shield-Bypassing Warfare Innovation

The Ancient Way carries the story of Baron Harkonnen's tactical genius:

Pre-Shield Artillery Era:

• Ancient warfare relied heavily on artillery bombardment
• Massive area damage was standard military doctrine
• Heavy rockets were primary siege weapons
• Artillery supremacy dominated battlefield tactics

Holtzman Shield Revolution:

• Shields became widely available - changed warfare fundamentally
• Artillery use dramatically reduced - shields blocked most projectiles
• Traditional tactics became obsolete overnight
• Military doctrine required complete reimagining

Harkonnen Innovation:

• Baron brought artillery back during Battle of Arrakeen
• Heavy rockets to seal Atreides soldiers in caves
• Avoiding Holtzman shields entirely - tactical bypass
• Ancient methods solved modern problems

Modern Renaissance:

• Widely sought after by Fremen and Imperial troops
• Proven effectiveness against shield-reliant enemies
• Ancient tactics relevant in modern warfare
• Historical lessons applied to current conflicts

Devastating Missile Technology System

Ancient artillery technology provides:

• 919.3 concussive damage - massive area devastation
• 150-meter range - long-distance siege capability
• Shield-bypassing through area denial rather than penetration
• Single missile - precision devastation deployment

Ancient Weapon Performance Analysis

Devastating Siege Platform

The Ancient Way excels as an area denial heavy weapon:

Devastating Capabilities:

• 919.3 damage per shot - highest explosive damage
• 84 RPM - deliberate precision firing
• 150-meter range - excellent long-range capability
• 2.5 stability - exceptional weapon control
• Concussive damage - area devastation

Shield-Bypass Advantages:

• Area denial rather than direct penetration
• Cave sealing capability
• Environmental manipulation tactics
• Ancient warfare principles

Heavy Weapon Supremacy

Optimized for siege warfare:

• Maximum area devastation
• Long-range precision strikes
• Shield-bypassing tactics
• Historical warfare mastery

Baron Harkonnen Tactical Philosophy

Ancient Methods, Modern Problems

Harkonnen approach solved:

• Shield technology limitations through environmental tactics
• Modern defenses countered by ancient methods
• Tactical innovation born from historical knowledge
• Siege warfare principles applied to shield era

Material Requirements

The Ancient Way uses precision missile components:

• Precision Range Finder (6x) - advanced targeting technology
• High Silicone content (47x) - explosive containment systems
• Extensive Plasteel (24x) - heavy missile construction
• Ancient-grade materials for reliable devastation function

Deep Desert Drop

This unique Tier 6 ancient warfare weapon belongs to items available in the Deep Desert but is not part of the current rotation. Most of these legendary siege weapons appear only during specific weeks.

FAQ

Q: How does "avoiding Holtzman shields entirely" work?
A: Baron's tactic used area denial - sealing caves rather than direct shield penetration. Environmental manipulation bypasses personal shields completely.

Q: Why does it have such high damage (919.3)?
A: Ancient artillery was designed for maximum devastation. Single missile delivers massive concussive damage for area denial and siege warfare.

Q: Is the 80,000 Solaris price justified?
A: For highest damage heavy weapon with historical significance and shield-bypassing tactics. Devastating capability justifies premium investment.

Q: What does "Clip Size: 1" mean?A: Single missile per reload - precision weapon rather than rapid fire. Each shot is devastating but requires tactical planning.

Q: It contains Precision Range Finder - what does it do?
A: Advanced targeting for 150-meter range accuracy. Ancient artillery principles with modern precision technology integration.

Q: Why is it "widely sought after" by Fremen?
A: Proven effectiveness against Imperial shields and environmental tactics align with Fremen desert warfare philosophy.