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The Hazardous Environment Combat Unit Rocket Propelled Grenade, commonly referred to as the HECU Rocket Propelled Grenade, and commonly abbreviated to the HECU RPG or RPG, is a laser-guided rocket launcher featured in Half-Life. It is effective at destroying both flying and immobile targets.

Overview[]

  • The HECU RPG fires a powerful contact-fused rocket. The user can optionally turn on a guiding laser that directs it to the target.
  • Despite it and its ammo appearing in HECU-controlled areas, such as in the surface areas of Black Mesa, as seen in the chapter Surface Tension, it is not used by NPCs.
  • In Half-Life, the weapon is first acquired in a supply cache in the cliff section of Surface Tension. An AH-64 Apache appears soon after, giving Gordon a good opportunity to test its capabilities.

Tactics[]

  • The RPG is primarily used to destroy heavily-armored vehicles such as the M1A1 Abrams tank, the M2A3 Bradley armored fighting vehicle and the AH-64 Apache helicopter. Land vehicles take usually 3 shots while the Apache takes just 2.
  • It can also be used to destroy a large group of enemies with ease, as it has a large damage radius from the point of impact. Intelligent enemies such HECU Soldiers, Alien Grunts and Vortigaunts will try to run away from it, but escaping the blast radius is unlikely, especially if the laser sight is utilized.
  • Being an explosive, RPG is one of the few weapons that can damage a Gargantua.
  • The RPG's laser can be used to redirect rockets fired from enemy vehicles, an effective method of conserving ammunition for other more powerful targets.[2]
  • The RPG is one of few weapons that can be fired underwater, although its projectile velocity will be severely reduced. This is useful against tough foes such as the Ichthyosaur.
  • On Xen, the RPG is effective against the Gonarch. It takes only a few rockets for the Gonarch to try to escape to another part of its arena.

Behind the scenes[]

  • In an older version of Half-Life: Opposing Force, the Desert Eagle's laser sight also could redirect projectiles fired by the RPG.

Trivia[]

  • The RPG resembles the real life German-made Armbrust Rocket Launcher.[3]
  • The early model for the RPG resembles the Tau Cannon.
  • The early RPG model seems to be a cross between a British PIAT Rocket Launcher and an American M1 Bazooka.
  • The HD model of ammo pickups for the RPG is a mere retexture of the original model.

Gallery[]

Pre-release[]

Retail[]

List of appearances[]

References[]

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