Direct Hit

“

A high precision version of the standard-issue rocket launcher, the Direct Hit has been engineered from the ground up for Soldiers who have mastered the art of shooting at their targets instead of vaguely near them. — Direct Hit publicity blurb

”

The Direct Hit is the unlockable primary weapon available for the Soldier. The rockets fired by the Direct Hit travel at a rate of 1980 Hammer Units per second, 80% faster than rockets fired by the Rocket Launcher. Additionally, the rockets inflict 25% more damage on their target, compared to conventional rockets. For precision marksmen, the Direct Hit also scores Mini-Crits on targets that are sent airborne by an explosion, adding additional damage and negating damage fall-off.

The splash area of the Direct Hit's shots are reduced to 30% of the standard Rocket Launcher's. The radius of this new 'splash zone' is roughly 40 Hammer units, or the width of an operational Teleporter. However, this tightened splash radius only applies to enemies, the Soldier firing the rockets experiences a splash radius equal to the normal Rocket Launcher when harming himself. This allows rocket jumps to occur normally.

Damage

The Direct Hit deals 25% more damage than the standard Rocket Launcher and inflicts Mini-Crits on targets that are sent airborne by an explosion. The exact figures are unknown.

• Base: 112
• Max Ramp Up: 125% (140 damage)
• Max Fall Off: 51% (57 damage)
• Mini-Crit: 151
• Critical hit: 338

Function times

• Attack Interval: 0.8
• Reload Base: 0.8
• Additional Reload: 0.92

Reload base is the time it takes to reload the first ammo. Additional reload is the time it takes to reload each ammo after the first. All times are in seconds. Times are approximate and determined by community testing.

Projectile Speed

• 1980 Hammer Units / ~84 mph.

Special

• Mini-Crits any targets that have been launched into the air by an explosion. The Direct Hit formerly Mini-Critted any target that was any distance off the ground, but this was changed on January 13, 2010 to its current state.

Related Achievements

Death From Below Kill 10 opponents who are airborne with the Direct Hit.

Trivia

• The Direct Hit was definitely not involved in the tragic explosion of American monkeynaut Poopy Joe's capsule. Mann Co.'s subsequent desire to give away the weapon was for completely unrelated and innocent reasons. [1]
• The Direct Hit doesn't seem to have a single real-life counterpart. The wood paneling and the tapering of the body have been borrowed from the RPG-7, while the rear port looks like a solid metal version of the German Panzerschreck.
• There are 3 unused sounds for the Direct Hit's taunt in the game files: first, second, third. Why they are not in-game is unknown.
• Even though the Direct Hit has a scope, it cannot be used.
• The Direct Hit was first glimpsed on day 4 of the War update in two different locations. Its muzzle is visible behind Saxton Hale on Page 10 of the comic (though its proportions are slightly distorted), and it is visible on the Engineer's chalkboard on the newspaper.
• When reloading, the Soldier's hand will animate as if he's putting in rockets. However, the rockets are not seen.
• This is the only item in the game with a Mann Co. label on it even though many if not all of the weapons in the game are made by Mann Co.
• The projectiles for the Direct Hit and the Rocket Launcher are both identical.

Gallery

• Direct Hit 1st person cropped.png

  1st person view.

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  Full 1st person view.

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  Projectile.

See also

• Direct Hit strategy
• Rocket jump
• Juggling

External links

• The Soldier Update- Direct Hit

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