Grenade Launcher (Q2)

Grenade Launcher
Production information
Technical specifications
Damage Per Hit	102-112 [direct impact] 40-112 [splash damage]
Maximum Ammunition	50 rounds Ammo Pack: 100 rounds
Fire Mode	Semi-automatic
Ammunition Type	Grenades
Rate of Fire	50 shots per minute
Usage
Era(s)	Quake II
[Source]

The Grenade Launcher, as its name suggests, launches grenades at the enemy. It uses the same ammunition that the Hand Grenades use, but in comparison to a manually thrown Hand Grenade, the Grenade Launcher is capable of firing at a much faster rate and with a greater range, with no need to "cook" the grenade first. The grenades will explode immediately if they strike an enemy or a destroyable object (such as a corpse), otherwise they will explode three seconds after being fired.

Strategy[]

Single Player[]

• The Grenade Launcher should be used to bounce grenades around corners to catch enemies off guard, and launched directly at the enemy. Because of the grenade's detonation time, enemies will usually run by them by the time they go off, so don't try to use it like you would a Rocket Launcher.
• It's a reasonably good weapon to deal with Tanks and Gladiators if you have some cover nearby; pop out, fire a grenade directly at them, take cover to avoid its return fire, and repeat. A Gladiator will go down after four direct grenade hits, a Tank will need seven or more. A Tank Commander will require ten.
• You will occasionally encounter enemies who remain in place to guard a specific spot rather than approaching the player. The Grenade Launcher can be used to deal with these enemies without exposing yourself to return fire, if you can stay behind cover and lob a grenade to land near the enemy's feet, or bounce them off nearby walls to strike them directly. Against an enemy who is not moving to pursue you, you can take your time to find the right angle to achieve this.
• It is a good option when encountering enemies on a higher or lower level of elevation; the grenades' trajectory can allow you to attack these enemies without exposing yourself to their view, thereby avoiding return fire. A good example of this scenario is the Super Tank encountered at the start of the Power Plant.
• The Grenade Launcher is the best choice of weapon against the upgraded version of Brains in the 2023 remaster (and the original The Reckoning mission pack). This is a very slow enemy but it has several effective and accurate shooting attacks. The Grenade Launcher can be used to lob grenades to land near the feet of the slowly approaching Brains, without exposing the player to its return fire.

Multiplayer[]

• Like the Grenade Launcher in Quake, it should be primarily used to defend a control point and cover yourself while you're running away. In addition, it can be used to surprise enemies coming through a hallway. Otherwise, it's outclassed by the Rocket Launcher.

Notes[]

The 2023 remaster gives most weapons the ability to deal double damage if they strike an enemy who is unaware of the player's presence. In the original game only a few weapons had this property, notably the Railgun, but the 2023 remaster expands it to most weapons. The Grenade Launcher and hand grenades, however, do not gain this benefit.

Gallery[]

Quake II Manual photo

First person view

Pickup

The Joker in Quake: Champions