Projectiles

Related images: Projectile images

Projectiles, unlike hitscan bullets, do not travel instantaneously across the map but rather at a preset speed, differing depending on the projectile, and are often subject to engine physics. Projectiles use a large hitbox shared by all classes to judge contact, the same as that used by melee weapons, other players, and the enviroment. The damage of a projectile is usually determined by the distance the target is from the attacker upon collision or, alternatively, from the spot said attacker was at upon death. At a certain distance or time most projectiles disappear. Many projectiles have unique properties, which differ depending on the weapon.

The Sandvich, which can be thrown by a Heavy, sticky bomb pieces, and dropped weapon pickups from dead players are not considered projectiles; although they are also launched and subject to engine physics, they have wholly different properties.

Special projectiles

The properties of projectiles differ depending on the weapon that fired them. Projectiles often damage on contact like a hitscan bullet. Alternatively, many projectiles generate explosions upon contact or in the case of the Demoman, generate explosions and destroy themselves when a certain time has passed (in the case of grenades) or at the Demoman's cue (in the case of sticky bombs). All projectiles bar rockets, such as those fired from the Rocket Launcher, are subject to gravity, and fall downward. The projectiles that are fired from the Demoman's weapons, the flares fired from a Flare Gun, and the arrows fired by the Huntsman are not affected by the distance the attacker is from the target nor do they dissapear except on contact. (The Flare Gun's range is instead limited by a mechanic that causes the flare to drop rapidly after a period.) Certain projectiles apply effects upon contact. The baseball launched by the Sandman applies a stunning effect, while flares set enemies on fire. Jarate and Mad Milk do not deal damage at all, but instead apply their respective effects to enemies, temporarily remove the cloaking ability from Spies, and put out fires within their splash radius.

Sticky bombs adhere to the enviroment, but bounce off spawn walls, players, and certain other objects. Arrows stick to players and the enviroment, but only cosmetically. Syringes also stick to the enviroment, also cosmetically.

Flames

Flames are large, damage-dealing, player-igniting 'particles' fired from the Pyro's primary weapons: the Flamethrower, Backburner, and Degreaser. They use the projectile hitbox to judge contact, like projectiles, but are invisible (instead casting a distortion effect), time out, and have their damage determined by time since fired and not distance. Also unlike projectiles, flames do not make contact with players or buildings except to damage them and do not make contact with the enviroment except at their center; the projectile does not ignite or deal damage through walls, however.

Explosions

Explosions are instantly damaging splash effects produced by projectiles (and the Kamikaze taunt), that usually have significant knockback. They also use the projectile hitbox. The knockback, size, and damage of an explosion varies depending on the projectile that generates them. Explosions cannot pass through walls, and thus conform their shape to the shape of their surroundings, and deal damage proportional to the amount of hitbox encompassed in their radius (or roughly distance from the explosion's center).

The compression blast is sometimes classified as an explosion, and has similar properties, conforming to walls in the same way.

Syringes

Syringes use the projectile hitbox, curve, and have the approximate speed of rockets fired from the Rocket Launcher, but inflict bonus damage on enemies with a weakness to bullets.

Other properties of projectiles

The compression blast ability of the Flamethrower and Degreaser can reflect all projectiles save for syringes. Once reflected they will switch ownership to the Pyro whom reflected the projectile (unless said projectile is a stickybomb), and deal Mini-Crit damage on enemies they hit.

The Huntsman's arrows Critically headshot when they pierce a particular area of the projectile hitbox that is shared by all classes. The Backburner Crits when attacking an area at the behind of the hitbox.

When colliding in mid-air Critical projectiles and arrows destroy other projectiles. Flares destroy other flares, and baseballs deflect many other projectiles.

Sticky bombs drop a piece of ammo or metal when destroyed.

Projectiles

Projectile	Rocket	Grenade	Stickybomb	Arrow	Jarate	Baseball	Flare	Syringe	Mad Milk
Speed (HU/s)	RL/BB/RJ: 1100 DH: 1980 SG: Unknown	1065	Unknown (Varies based on charge)	1875 (Varies based on charge)	Unknown	1940	1450	SG/BS 990	Unknown
Arcs***	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Sticks****	No	No	Only to world	Yes	No	No	No	Only to world	No
Reflected by	Compression blast	Compression blast Baseballs	Compression blast	Compression blast	Compression blast Baseballs	Compression blast	Compression blast	None	Compression blast Baseballs
Destroyed by	Arrows*	None	Bullets** Stickybombs (Scottish Resistance)	Arrows	None	None	Flare	None	None

*Destruction of Sentry Rockets is unknown

**Only after attaching to a surface

***Determines if the projectile travels in a straight line or if it slowly arcs to the ground

****Determines if the projectile sticks to a surface

Trivia

• Projectiles are not affected by lag compensation, likely due to technical limitations surrounding the engine's physics applied on projectiles.