A weapon that launches rockets.
Rocket launchers are heavy weapons commonly seen in shooters. Designed for attacking armored defenses, they are generally intended for use against heavy artillery such as tanks and helicopters. They are also effective at killing groups of foot soldiers with the splash damage caused by the explosive force of their ammunition. Rocket launchers come in a variety of forms, commonly differentiated by the type of ammunition. In the context of video games, their uses can be further subdivided based on aspects such as whether the player is able to reload the weapons and how many rounds they may contain.
Rocket-propelled grenades, or RPGs, are a common type of projectile weapon seen in military shooters. To classify RPGs as rockets is a misnomer, as grenades are not rockets by definition; as their name indicates, they are actually grenades propelled toward their intended targets via rocket propulsion.
While powerful, RPGs are not known for accuracy. The greater the distance from the target, the less likely the grenade will strike a direct hit. RPGs also leave noticeable smoke trails that can lead observers to the launcher's position.
Bazookas are a common type of rocket launcher that, unlike an RPG launcher, fires actual rockets. In general, bazooka rockets are more accurate and devastating than an RPG round. However, the bulky size of the bazooka makes it more difficult to transport and more cumbersome to wield.
In striving for realism, some games feature rocket launchers intended for a single use such as the AT4 or M72 LAW. Upon firing the ammunition, the weapon is discarded.
This model is the most found in games today, from bazookas, RPGs and Recoilless Rifles, these launchers needs to be reloaded every-time a rocket is fired, some games with realistic and semi realistic models often have this kind model, but some games features reusable AT4s but the AT4 is a disposable launcher.
Some games feature rocket launchers that can fire multiple rockets before reloading is necessary, they can be single tubes or multi tubes, Rockets can come in drums, clips, or magazines. The M202 Flash and similar models are examples of multi-shot rocket launchers used in games. these weapons are often reusable.
Missile launchers are distinguishable from basic rocket launcher types by the use of guided missiles as ammunition. Once locked on, the missiles are not required to be fired in a straight path in order to strike their intended targets
The Resident Evil series commonly includes bonus weapons that can only be accessed upon beating the games under specific conditions. One such weapon is a rocket launcher with infinite ammunition. The weapon first appeared in the series in the original Resident Evil.
In most shooters rocket launchers doesn't have any backblast, and even at best there is but not with full effect (so only a graphical effect but no damage), so in striving for realism some games added this feature to their launchers.
So using rocket launchers in these games requires more precaution than simply not being too close to the rocket's splash damage area.
In games often rocket launchers have explosive warheads, however when games have multiple ammo types or multi functional ammo they can have different payloads and fuse systems, while rocket launcher are often lethal weapons and mostly anti tank weapons, it often happens that the rocket launcher is used against the infantry, some rocket systems are realistic while others are unrealistic and only exists in those wacky games with wacky weapons
See missile launcher
Most rocket launchers simply fire their rockets straight forward and continues to fly until they hit something or disappear from the map, but there is various kind of flypath listed below
| Name: | Rocket Launcher |
| Appears in: | 495 games |
| First appearance: | Brain Breaker |
| Aliases |
RPG Rocket propelled grenade Antitank Grenade Launcher Antitank Recoilless Rifle Multishot Rocket launcher Multi-shot Rocket Launcher |