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This article appeared in Quake II  

Q2 Weapon Rocket Launcher
Rocket Launcher
Production information
Technical specifications
Damage Per Hit

100-120 [direct impact]

  • 60-112 [splash damage]
Maximum Ammunition

50 rounds

Fire Mode

Semi-automatic

Ammunition Type

Rockets

Rate of Fire

70 shots per minute

Usage
Era(s)

Quake 2

[Source]
The rocket launcher delivers heavy fire power to your target. Be careful not use this weapon in close combat.

—The Quake II Manual

The Rocket Launcher, as its name suggests, fires rockets at the enemy. They are capable of good damage if they strike the target directly, and they also generate a large radius of splash damage to targets near the impact. Its damage output per shot is very similar to that of the Grenade Launcher, but its rate of fire is faster and its projectiles travel directly towards their target, with no gravity effect or bouncing.

The splash damage is capable of damaging the player who fired it if they're too close, but the weapon can be used for the tactic known as Rocket Jumping.

Strategy[]

Single Player[]

  • The Rocket Launcher is a good choice for "peekaboo" tactics against large enemies such as Tanks, Tank Commanders, Gladiators and bosses. It's a simple matter to peek out of cover to fire a rocket, duck back to avoid its return fire, and repeat.
  • Its damage per hit is comparable to the Grenade Launcher or a full hit from the Super Shotgun, but it doesn't require the player to in close combat and its projectile fires directly at its target. It can therefore be a good choice for delivering firepower at long range. However, in the 2023 remaster, some of the smaller enemies gained the ability to dodge projectiles fired in their direction, so the Rocket Launcher is more useful against the larger foes.
  • Its splash damage can allow it to be useful against Strogg waiting around corners or behind obstacles waiting to ambush the player. While a hand grenade may be the better option against a lurking Guard, the Rocket Launcher would be a better choice against stronger enemies that would survive a single grenade.
  • Turrets are a very common foe in the Ground Zero campaign. The Rocket Launcher is the best weapon to use against them, capable of destroying a Turret with three hits in the original Ground Zero or only one rocket in the 2023 remaster. Due to the rocket's splash damage, it isn't necessary to score a direct hit.
  • Berserkers or Mutants are not ideal targets for the Rocket Launcher, as they will be running and leaping at speed towards the player, potentially resulting in the player taking splash damage from their own weapon.
  • If you're using a Rocket Launcher and are able to line up a shot on an enemy unaware of your presence, then the Silencer can be useful here. Normally, an idle enemy will usually be alerted by an incoming rocket, giving them a chance to dodge, but activating a Silencer makes this less likely. A relatively unknown thing about the Rocket Launcher is that, like the Railgun, it deals double damage when striking an enemy unaware of your presence. It's much less likely to happen with the Rocket Launcher, because whereas the Railgun is a hitscan weapon that strikes its target instantly, the Rocket Launcher's projectile has some travel time, and enemies will often be alerted by the fact you fired a rocket in their direction, giving them a chance to dodge and negating the possibility of causing double damage. However, if you have the Silencer active, then firing the rocket usually doesn't alert them, allowing you to deal a double-damage rocket that is more likely to hit - and it's enough to kill a Gunner, Parasite, Iron Maiden or Technician in one shot.

Multiplayer[]

  • In MP, the Rocket Launcher is an effective weapon if used properly. Because the rockets are somewhat slow, predicting where your target will be is an important skill to master. Since the rockets are slower than they are in other games in the series, you should really focus on hitting the ground near your target instead of making a direct impact. Jumping around your target is a great way to prevent getting hit, but don't forget that they'll be doing the same.
  • Most of the time, people will evade or ignore this weapon for the sake of going to Railgun or Chain Gun earlier for a more reliable damage burst at distance against fast targets and keeping newly respawned players down. Rocket Launcher can be a useful weapon but there are substitutes for one of its major sell-points like Grenade Launcher and Hand Grenades for grenade jumping and denying lower or closeby sightlines.
  • Rocket Launcher's biggest feature in Q2 that it doesn't punish pre-firing at long distance without seeing target, thanks to slow projectile speed. If enemy peeks out as you shoot, chances are either they'll incur splash or have to move away before another shot. RL is best used for choking higher narrow points, porches or doorways. It wards anyone coming close so you can evacuate the area. To be safe send at least two rockets for disencouraging opponent to peek sightlines or deny small platforms that they may leap toward.
  • At an open confrontation rockets' accuracy widely dependent on user skill, as their slow projectile speed definitely calls for twitch shots to lead them regardless of distance. Upon circling around the enemy, shot will deviate to the front of your movement where twitch shot will help you to lead. In similar manner, while strafing in a straight line you have to compensate for the rocket stalling behind your movement direction and lead with a small twitch by tracking the foe's direction. At long distances or while jumpshotting, your view position height and airborne state also affect your accuracy.
  • If your opponents are clueless it's easy to evade their shots, just move away from the projectile path and care about your positioning. If they're somewhat decent and you're closeby, jumping at your sides and stutter stepping at the opposite direction generally solves the problem. Slow projectile speed will allow you to treat rockets just like grenade shots. In case you're at medium distance or they have height advantage, then you have to fake your movement by circle strafing and diagonal steps.
  • Don't forget that you can Rocket Jump up to greater heights, which is a very important skill on some maps, such as Q2DM1. Blast jumps give mobility at the cost of losing health, in which you can utilize to reach important items for shortcuts. Enemies move loudly around choke points or try suppression fire at your earshot can be flanked with high mobility as well. Try to walk around to listen, because blast jumps should to be done when it's a due only and not at random. Someone most likely take note of your habits and ambush you at high peaks.
  • Due to slow projectile speed, airjuggles generally happens uncontrolled and spontaneously. On the contrary to this effect, slow projectile speed makes it nigh impossible to be accurate on airborne steering targets. However, the blast force is so powerful that it gives enough time for a quick switch even when it wasn't the expected, nor calculated outcome of an open area combat.
  • While swimming in the body of water projectile's slow speed will even be more of a problem. Your best option is switching to a hitscan weapon like Chain Gun or Super Shotgun while underwater and treating the enemy like they're airborne constantly. RL's slow projectile only can damage opponent underwater from blast splash when they've cornered themselves.

Trivia[]

  • In the PS1 version of the game the Rocket launcher has a different sound than the PC and N64 versions of the game.

Gallery[]

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