Rocket Launcher

Time Crisis 5 weapon icon

The Rocket Launcher (ロケットランチャー, Roketto Ranchā) is a weapon featured in Crisis Zone, Razing Storm and Time Crisis 5.

Overview

The rocket launcher is a long-ranged variant of a grenade launcher, only obtained in certain gameplay sequences. Unlike the sniper rifle which is also only available in certain gameplay sequences, the rocket launcher used by the V.S.S.E. agents in-game is from a mounted position as opposed to be individual-serviced like those used by enemy soldiers. Those used as individual-serviced weapons tend to be in emergency situations such as Alan Dunaway and Wesley Lambert using them to destroy the ceiling in order to prevent the fired tactical missiles from leaving the base, or Keith Martin using one when Luke O' Neil and Marc Godart are overwhelmed by Wild Fang and Elite Soldiers. Its weight and the time it takes to ready the weapon (seen with enemy soldiers requiring several seconds before they can fire) makes it unwieldy to be used in most of the game's firefights which speed is more important, hence its use by the player characters is not seen often compared to the standard weapons in the player's inventory. While not used by the player in-game, they were introduced as enemy weapons as early as Time Crisis and used.

V.S.S.E. agents Luke O'Neil and Marc Godart switched from the mounted machine gun to the rocket launcher under an order from Robert Baxter to quickly eliminate anti-aircraft vehicles and drudges on a rooftop. They will subsequently use the same weapon to destroy a ballistic missile vehicle on another rooftop along with the anti-aircraft vehicles and drudges guarding it.

Use by Non-V.S.S.E. protagonists

Crisis Zone weapon icon

Special Tactical Force operatives do not make use the weapon, as it is not part of the standard-issue inventory, but Claude McGarren can procure a missile launcher briefly from a U.R.D.A. leader-class soldier in Garland Park during Special Mode. He discards it just before battling against a large attack helicopter.

S.C.A.R. Alpha team rocket launcher icon

S.C.A.R. Alpha team operatives are equipped with rocket launchers as one of the standard issue weapons and is first used against a kraken when it ambushed them after they finished defeating H.A.C.S. and Renegade Soldiers. They will subsequently use the same weapon to kill some Renegade Soldiers who are providing cover fire for the Kraken; destroy another kraken, significantly damage a Scorpion Boss which ambushed them on the rooftop and bring down an aircraft armed with multiple laser cannons, weapons firing electric orbs (and protected by metal plates which the rockets cannot penetrate) and an even more powerful main laser cannon in front.

Delta Team operatives use a similar weapon called the VIGUM Missile (Guided Missile (誘 (ゆう) 導 (どう) ミサイル, Yuudou Misairu) in the Japanese version) launcher which fires remote controlled missiles with built-in cameras. Unlike the Alpha team, S.C.A.R. operative Delta 1 obtained this weapon from a killed S.C.A.R. operative at an Almada Penitentiary open compound. This weapon is first used in Almada Penitentiary to destroy two Raptors and a Kraken. It is also used against Raptors in Lixeira/Stage 3 (of the 5 units there however, the only one at Point 1 is dealt with only the missile launcher as there is no anti-tank gun at that place. The first two are dealt with anti-tank guns while the third and the fifth can be dealt with either the missile launcher or the anti-tank gun) and inside Girasol Factory to destroy a junction box in order to stop a damaged crane blocking Casey and the S.C.A.R. operative Delta 1.

Gameplay

Crisis Zone

The missile launcher used by Claude McGarren requires the sight to lock onto a target before it can be fired. Once a target is locked on, the fired missile will automatically home onto and destroy it regardless of type (a gyro helicopter, which the missile launcher can be used against, normally requires multiple shots from other weapons to destroy it). As its magazine capacity is only 4 missiles, a maximum of 4 targets can be locked on at any one time.

Razing Storm

VIGUM reload animation

The rocket launcher which the S.C.A.R. Alpha team operatives use is an explosive partner of the machine gun and the long range counterpart of the cluster shot. It fires a rocket for every pull, the rocket detonates on impact which deals an area-of-effect damage to anyone on the dead zone of the rocket. As it is tended to be used against large enemies, the rocket launcher is rarely used as they do not typically appear.

The missile launcher which the S.C.A.R. Delta team operatives use allows the direction of the missile be be controlled once fired. However, the missile itself has limited range which the "Out Of Range" warning will show along with a beep sound once it travels a set distance. After three beeps, the missile detonates regardless it has hit anything or not. As only one missile can be fired at a time and coupled with a low ammunition capacity makes it less suitable for most situations.

Time Crisis 5

Rocket launcher being fired

Unlike its Crisis Zone and Razing Storm counterparts, this rocket launcher is a mounted variant of the standard grenade launcher, having the automatic fire capability (albeit with a slower firing rate) of the machine gun and a vehicle-only version of the heavy machine gun, only utilized during the second half of Stage 2 Area 3 in Time Crisis 5. In essence, it functions exactly like the machine gun incarnation in Time Crisis II, wherein it has unlimited ammo and it is later discarded once the stage is finished.

As it is a special weapon, the player cannot change to the rocket launcher in the weapon switching system introduced in Time Crisis 3.

Statistics

• Starting ammunition for Razing Storm Story Mode: 1 (0 rounds inside missile launcher with 1 reserve round)
• Maximum ammunition for Razing Storm Story Mode: 9 (1 round inside missile launcher with 8 reserve rounds)
• Magazine capacity: 4 (Crisis Zone), 10 (Razing Storm Arcade Mode), 1 (Razing Storm Story Mode)
• Rate of fire (rockets per second): 2 (Razing Storm Arcade Mode), 4 (Time Crisis 5)
• Special attributes: infinite ammo (excluding Razing Storm Story Mode), infinite magazines (Crisis Zone and Razing Storm Arcade Mode), homing ability (Crisis Zone only), available in certain sections

Advantages

• Unlimited rounds (Time Crisis 5 only)
• Unlimited magazines (excluding Razing Storm Story Mode)
• Fully-automatic, fires as long as the trigger is pulled (Razing Storm Arcade Mode and Time Crisis 5)
• High damage output
• Can home onto targets (Crisis Zone only)
• Can be guided to the target (Razing Storm Story Mode only)

Disadvantages

• Only available on certain sections mentioned earlier, then discarded afterwards
• Sight needs to lock onto a target before missile can be fired (Crisis Zone only)
• Only one missile can be fired at a time as the launcher needs to be reloaded after that, and there is a delay between detonation of missile and loading of launcher. These make it hard to deal with Raptors since they do not get destroyed in one hit (Razing Storm Story Mode only)
• Low rate of fire, making it hard to hit fast moving targets such as missiles if they are too close

Models

Each character/faction used varying models of the rocket launcher throughout the series:

Protagonists/Supporting

• Alan Dunaway and Wesley Lambert: M202 FLASH (in the ending cutscene)
• Lukano Liberation Army soldiers: Carl Gustav M2 (in the ending cutscene)
• Claude McGarren and S.C.A.R. Alpha team: M202 FLASH
• S.C.A.R. Delta team: Unknown missile launcher
• Luke O'Neil and Marc Godart: AGM-12 Bullpup-A
• Keith Martin: Pansarskott m/86 (in the second Stage 5 Area 3 cutscene)

Antagonists

• Wild Dog Organization:
  • During Time Crisis: M1A1 Bazooka
  • During Time Crisis 5: Pansarskott m/86 ("Normal" class drudges, red drudges and Wild Dog in all areas of Stage 2)
• Kantaris Organization soldiers: Unknown rocket launcher
• Neodyne Industries Missile soldiers: M202 FLASH
  • Ernesto Diaz: M202 FLASH (in Stage 3 Area 2)
• Zagorias Federation Army "Specialist" class soldiers of "Missile Men": Carl Gustav M2
  • Victor Zahn: Unknown six-pod rocket launcher
  • Giorgio Zott: M202 FLASH
• Hamlin Battalion Green suited soldiers/W.O.L.F. grunts: Pansarskott m/86

Trivia

• The M202 FLASH (FLame Assault SHoulder) actual magazine capacity is 4 (it is loaded by a clip which holds 4 rockets) instead of 10 and does not have homing ability. In addition, it typically fires incendiary rockets instead of anti-fortification or anti-armor types.
• The Pansarskott m/86 used by enemy soldiers is shown to be able to fire multiple times. This is impossible in an actual weapon because the barrel can only survive one pressure spike when firing, making it strictly a single-shot weapon. In addition, the Pansarskott m/86 is actually a recoilless gun as the the warhead is not propelled by a rocket motor.
• The missile launcher used by S.C.A.R. Delta Team functions similarly to the Nikita guided missile launcher from the Metal Gear series but the fired missile cannot be slowed down and has full directional control (the Nikita missile can be slowed down by turning but cannot be adjusted in vertical direction).
• The classification that Time Crisis 5 uses, "Rocket Launcher", is incorrect as the AGM-12 Bullpup-A used by the V.S.S.E. agents is a Air-to-ground Missile (AGM). In addition, all the AGM-12 Bullpup variants were only equipped on fighter planes and ground attack aircraft, and were all retired in the 1980s.
• Despite the Time Crisis 5 weapon icon showing a rocket being mounted on a pylon, there are no pylons on the helicopter and the rockets are supposedly being fired from the mounted machine gun.

Gallery

NDI soldier with M202 FLASH rocket launcher

Ernesto Diaz aiming M202 FLASH rocket launcher (Arcade version)

Ernesto Diaz aiming M202 FLASH rocket launcher (PlayStation 2 version)

Alan Dunaway and Wesley Lambert firing M202 FLASH rocket launchers

A Lukano Liberation Army soldier firing a Carl Gustav M2 at a main battle tank

Zagorias Federation "specialist" soldier on a jeep with Carl Gustav M2

Victor Zahn armed with a rocket pod in the "Rescue Mission"

Giorgio Zott with M202 FLASH rocket launchers

W.O.L.F. grunt with Pansarskott m/86

Hamlin Battalion green suited soldier with Pansarskott m/86

Time Crisis 4 rocket launcher projectile

Opened VIGUM Missile launcher and front view of VIGUM Missile showing the lens allowing the guidance system to see

VIGUM Missile being loaded and its side view showing the retracted fins inside the two slots

Wild Dog aiming Pansarskott m/86

Time Crisis 5 rocket launcher projectile

Time Crisis 5 rocket launcher projectile about to hit V.S.S.E. helicopter

See Also

• Flame Thrower - Another extra weapon available in Crisis Zone's Special Mode
• Laser Rifle - Another extra weapon available in Crisis Zone's Special Mode
• Gatling Gun - Another extra weapon available in Crisis Zone's Special Mode
• Grenade Launcher - Another extra weapon available in Crisis Zone's Special Mode
• Automatic Cannon - A helicopter mounted weapon in Time Crisis 4 with similar properties

Time Crisis Series