Rifle Grenades: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 04:34, 4 March 2026

Rifle Grenades can be chosen over regular grenades for the following weapons and classes.
F1/N60 Rifle Grenades are available for the VC.
M17 Rifle Grenades are available for the US.

Factions	Weapon	Icon	Classes	Ammo	Explosion
Factions	Weapon	Icon	Classes	Ammo	Damage	Radius
VC	Karabiner 98k		Assault	1 / 2	140	350
VC	Kbkg 60		Assault	1 / 2	140	350
US	M1 Garand		Assault	1 / 2	140	350
US	M14		Assault	1 / 2	140	350
US	M1903 Springfield		Assault Sniper	1 / 2	140	350
US	M1A1 Carbine		Medic Radioman	1 / 2	140	350
US	M2 Carbine		Assault	1 / 2	140	350
VC	MAS-36		Assault Sniper	1 / 2	140	350
VC	MAS-49		Assault	1 / 2	140	350
VC	Mosin-Nagant M38		Assault	1 / 2	140	350
VC	Mosin-Nagant M91/30		Assault Sniper	1 / 2	140	350
VC	SKS		Medic Radioman	1 / 2	140	350
VC	Type 63		Assault	1 / 2	140	350

Rifle grenades are grenades launched from the muzzle of a rifle using a rifle-mounted launcher or projection adapter, giving them much greater range than a hand-thrown grenade. They are typically fin-stabilized and propelled by a special grenade cartridge (or, in some designs, by systems that allow use of live ball ammunition), and they can carry a variety of payloads such as high explosive, smoke, and anti-armor warheads. By the Vietnam War era, rifle grenades were still present in some inventories, but dedicated 40mm grenade launchers increasingly filled the squad fire-support role once they became widely available.

DEFINITION & CHARACTERISTICS

A rifle grenade is a grenade intended to be fired from a rifle by fitting it to a muzzle launcher or to a projection adapter. In U.S. doctrine, rifle grenades are fin-stabilized and launched by a special gas-producing grenade cartridge loaded into the rifle’s chamber; separate projection adapters can also be used to launch certain hand grenades from rifles equipped with a grenade launcher.

Common traits

Role: Close fire support against personnel, fortifications, and (for HEAT types) light armor; also used for screening/signaling with smoke or similar payloads.
Typical payloads: High explosive/fragmentation, smoke, illumination/signaling, and anti-armor (HEAT) warheads.
Typical launch methods: Muzzle launchers/adapters fitted to the rifle; propelled by dedicated grenade cartridges (or, depending on system, bullet-trap/shoot-through methods).
Typical “fire modes”: Single-shot per launch; rate of fire depends on loading steps, sighting, and ammunition handling.
Common engagement ranges: Generally short-to-mid indirect/direct fire in the low hundreds of meters, depending on grenade type, launcher, and elevation.
Notable tradeoffs: Longer reach and heavier effects than hand grenades without a separate launcher weapon, but slower to employ, requires special ammunition/attachments, and can disrupt normal rifle handling while the launcher is mounted.

HISTORY

Rifle grenades expanded rapidly in the World War I era as armies looked for portable explosive effects beyond throwing distance, leading to cup launchers and “shoot-through” systems like France’s Viven-Bessières (VB) grenade that could be launched with live ball ammunition. By the years before World War II, spigot-type muzzle launchers (including the 22mm family) enabled a wide range of grenade designs, from simple adapters that projected a hand grenade to purpose-built anti-armor rifle grenades.

In the Vietnam War era, rifle grenades were still encountered, including U.S. rifle grenade systems and dedicated anti-armor rifle grenades such as the M31 HEAT. At the same time, U.S. development programs explicitly sought a more accurate and longer-range explosive projectile than rifle grenades while remaining more portable than a mortar, contributing to the fielding of the 40×46mm system and weapons like the M79; under-barrel launchers such as the M203 later allowed a grenadier to keep a rifle while still providing organic explosive fire support. By the later Vietnam period, muzzle-launched rifle grenades were increasingly being phased out in favor of disposable anti-armor rockets for anti-vehicle work and 40mm launchers for squad-level fire support.

Sources

Real-Life Photos

Videos

@@ Line 19: / Line 19: @@
 |[[File:Flag_vc_new.png|50px]]<br><strong>[[VC]]</strong> || [[File:Kbkg60 rg.png|250px]]<br><b>[[Kbkg 60]]</b> || [[File:Weapon kar98k_riflegrenade.svg|250px]] || [[File:Class_Assault.png|50px]] <b>[[Assault]]<br> || 1 / 2 || 140 || 350
 |-
-|[[File:Flag_us_new.png|50px]]<br><strong>[[US]]</strong> || [[File:M1c rg.png|250px]]<br><b>[[M1A1 Carbine]]</b> || [[File:Weapon m1903_riflegrenade.svg|250px]] || [[File:Class_medic.png|50px]] <b>[[Medic]]</b><br>[[File:Class_radioman.png|50px]]  <b>[[Radioman]]</b><br> || 1 / 2 || 140 || 350
 |-
 |[[File:Flag_us_new.png|50px]]<br><strong>[[US]]</strong> || [[File:M1g rg.png|250px]]<br><b>[[M1 Garand]]</b> || [[File:Weapon m1903_riflegrenade.svg|250px]] || [[File:Class_Assault.png|50px]] <b>[[Assault]]</b> ||  1 / 2 || 140 || 350
+|-
+|[[File:Flag_us_new.png|50px]]<br><strong>[[US]]</strong> || [[File:M14 rg.png|250px]]<br><b>[[M14]]</b> || [[File:Weapon m1903_riflegrenade.svg|250px]] || [[File:Class_Assault.png|50px]] <b>[[Assault]]</b> || 1 / 2 || 140 || 350
+|-
+|[[File:Flag_us_new.png|50px]]<br><strong>[[US]]</strong> || [[File:1903 rg.png|250px]]<br><b>[[M1903 Springfield]]</b> || [[File:Weapon m1903_riflegrenade.svg|250px]] || [[File:Class_Assault.png|50px]] <b>[[Assault]]</b><br> [[File:Class_sniper.png|50px]]  <b>[[Sniper]]</b><br>
+|| 1 / 2 || 140 || 350
+|-
+|[[File:Flag_us_new.png|50px]]<br><strong>[[US]]</strong> || [[File:M1c rg.png|250px]]<br><b>[[M1A1 Carbine]]</b> || [[File:Weapon m1903_riflegrenade.svg|250px]] || [[File:Class_medic.png|50px]] <b>[[Medic]]</b><br>[[File:Class_radioman.png|50px]]  <b>[[Radioman]]</b><br> || 1 / 2 || 140 || 350
 |-
 |[[File:Flag_us_new.png|50px]]<br><strong>[[US]]</strong> || [[File:M2c rg.png|250px]]<br><b>[[M2 Carbine]]</b> || [[File:Weapon m1903_riflegrenade.svg|250px]] || [[File:Class_Assault.png|50px]] <b>[[Assault]]</b> || 1 / 2 || 140 || 350
 |-
-|[[File:Flag_us_new.png|50px]]<br><strong>[[US]]</strong> || [[File:M14 rg.png|250px]]<br><b>[[M14]]</b> || [[File:Weapon m1903_riflegrenade.svg|250px]] || [[File:Class_Assault.png|50px]] <b>[[Assault]]</b> || 1 / 2 || 140 || 350
+|[[File:Flag_vc_new.png|50px]]<br><strong>[[VC]]</strong> || [[File:Mas36RG.png|250px]]<br><b>[[MAS-36]]</b> || [[File:Weapon kar98k_riflegrenade.svg|250px]] || [[File:Class_Assault.png|50px]] <b>[[Assault]]</b><br> [[File:Class_sniper.png|50px]]  <b>[[Sniper]] || 1 / 2 || 140 || 350
 |-
-|[[File:Flag_vc_new.png|50px]]<br><strong>[[VC]]</strong> || [[File:Mas36RG.png|250px]]<br><b>[[Mas 36]]</b> || [[File:Weapon kar98k_riflegrenade.svg|250px]] || [[File:Class_Assault.png|50px]] <b>[[Assault]]</b><br> [[File:Class_sniper.png|50px]]  <b>[[Sniper]] || 1 / 2 || 140 || 350
+|[[File:Flag_vc_new.png|50px]]<br><strong>[[VC]]</strong> || [[File:Mas49 rg.png|250px]]<br><b>[[MAS-49]]</b> || [[File:Weapon kar98k_riflegrenade.svg|250px]] || [[File:Class_Assault.png|50px]] <b>[[Assault]]</b> || 1 / 2 || 140 || 350
 |-
 |[[File:Flag_vc_new.png|50px]]<br><strong>[[VC]]</strong> || [[File:M38 rg.png|250px]]<br><b>[[Mosin-Nagant M38]]</b> || [[File:Weapon kar98k_riflegrenade.svg|250px]] || [[File:Class_Assault.png|50px]] <b>[[Assault]]</b> || 1 / 2 || 140 || 350
@@ Line 33: / Line 39: @@
 |[[File:Flag_vc_new.png|50px]]<br><strong>[[VC]]</strong> || [[File:M91 rg.png|250px]]<br><b>[[Mosin-Nagant M91/30]]</b> || [[File:Weapon kar98k_riflegrenade.svg|250px]] || [[File:Class_Assault.png|50px]] <b>[[Assault]]</b><br> [[File:Class_sniper.png|50px]]  <b>[[Sniper]]</b><br>
 || 1 / 2 || 140 || 350
-|-
-|[[File:Flag_us_new.png|50px]]<br><strong>[[US]]</strong> || [[File:1903 rg.png|250px]]<br><b>[[M1903 Springfield]]</b> || [[File:Weapon m1903_riflegrenade.svg|250px]] || [[File:Class_Assault.png|50px]] <b>[[Assault]]</b><br> [[File:Class_sniper.png|50px]]  <b>[[Sniper]]</b><br>
-|| 1 / 2 || 140 || 350
-|-
-|[[File:Flag_vc_new.png|50px]]<br><strong>[[VC]]</strong> || [[File:Mas49 rg.png|250px]]<br><b>[[MAS-49]]</b> || [[File:Weapon kar98k_riflegrenade.svg|250px]] || [[File:Class_Assault.png|50px]] <b>[[Assault]]</b> || 1 / 2 || 140 || 350
 |-
 |[[File:Flag_vc_new.png|50px]]<br><strong>[[VC]]</strong> || [[File:Sks rg.png|250px]]<br><b>[[SKS]]</b> || [[File:Weapon kar98k_riflegrenade.svg|250px]] ||  [[File:Class_medic.png|50px]] <b>[[Medic]]</b><br>[[File:Class_radioman.png|50px]]  <b>[[Radioman]]</b><br> || 1 / 2 || 140 || 350
@@ Line 46: / Line 47: @@
+<hr>
+Rifle grenades are grenades launched from the muzzle of a rifle using a rifle-mounted launcher or projection adapter, giving them much greater range than a hand-thrown grenade. They are typically fin-stabilized and propelled by a special grenade cartridge (or, in some designs, by systems that allow use of live ball ammunition), and they can carry a variety of payloads such as high explosive, smoke, and anti-armor warheads. By the Vietnam War era, rifle grenades were still present in some inventories, but dedicated 40mm grenade launchers increasingly filled the squad fire-support role once they became widely available.
+==DEFINITION & CHARACTERISTICS==
+A rifle grenade is a grenade intended to be fired from a rifle by fitting it to a muzzle launcher or to a projection adapter. In U.S. doctrine, rifle grenades are fin-stabilized and launched by a special gas-producing grenade cartridge loaded into the rifle’s chamber; separate projection adapters can also be used to launch certain hand grenades from rifles equipped with a grenade launcher.
+;Common traits
+* '''Role:''' Close fire support against personnel, fortifications, and (for HEAT types) light armor; also used for screening/signaling with smoke or similar payloads.
+* '''Typical payloads:''' High explosive/fragmentation, smoke, illumination/signaling, and anti-armor (HEAT) warheads.
+* '''Typical launch methods:''' Muzzle launchers/adapters fitted to the rifle; propelled by dedicated grenade cartridges (or, depending on system, bullet-trap/shoot-through methods).
+* '''Typical “fire modes”:''' Single-shot per launch; rate of fire depends on loading steps, sighting, and ammunition handling.
+* '''Common engagement ranges:''' Generally short-to-mid indirect/direct fire in the low hundreds of meters, depending on grenade type, launcher, and elevation.
+* '''Notable tradeoffs:''' Longer reach and heavier effects than hand grenades without a separate launcher weapon, but slower to employ, requires special ammunition/attachments, and can disrupt normal rifle handling while the launcher is mounted.
+==HISTORY==
+Rifle grenades expanded rapidly in the World War I era as armies looked for portable explosive effects beyond throwing distance, leading to cup launchers and “shoot-through” systems like France’s Viven-Bessières (VB) grenade that could be launched with live ball ammunition. By the years before World War II, spigot-type muzzle launchers (including the 22mm family) enabled a wide range of grenade designs, from simple adapters that projected a hand grenade to purpose-built anti-armor rifle grenades.
+In the Vietnam War era, rifle grenades were still encountered, including U.S. rifle grenade systems and dedicated anti-armor rifle grenades such as the M31 HEAT. At the same time, U.S. development programs explicitly sought a more accurate and longer-range explosive projectile than rifle grenades while remaining more portable than a mortar, contributing to the fielding of the 40×46mm system and weapons like the M79; under-barrel launchers such as the M203 later allowed a grenadier to keep a rifle while still providing organic explosive fire support. By the later Vietnam period, muzzle-launched rifle grenades were increasingly being phased out in favor of disposable anti-armor rockets for anti-vehicle work and 40mm launchers for squad-level fire support.
+===Sources===
+* [https://www.militarynewbie.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/TM-9-1330-200-12-Operators-Organizational-Maintenance-Manual-For-Grenades.pdf TM 9-1330-200-12: Operator’s & Organizational Maintenance Manual for Grenades | U.S. Army Technical Manual (PDF)]
+* [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rifle_grenade Rifle grenade (overview, launcher types, history) | Wikipedia]
+* [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VB_rifle_grenade VB rifle grenade (shoot-through system background) | Wikipedia]
+* [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M31_HEAT_rifle_grenade M31 HEAT rifle grenade (Vietnam-era U.S. rifle grenade context) | Wikipedia]
+* [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M79_grenade_launcher M79 grenade launcher (Project Niblick context vs rifle grenades) | Wikipedia]
+<hr>
+<div class="mw-collapsible" style="border:1px solid #ccc; padding:5px; width:100%;">
+  <div style="text-align:center; font-weight:bold;">Real-Life Photos</div>
+  <div class="mw-collapsible-content" style="margin-top:0.5em;">
+    <gallery mode="packed" heights="400px">
+File:|Caption (optional)
+    </gallery>
+  </div>
+</div>
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+<hr>
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-|id=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3YYWxi9ZeRU
-|alignment=inline
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-{{#evt:
+<div class="mw-collapsible" style="border:1px solid #ccc; padding:5px; width:100%;">
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+  <div style="text-align:center; font-weight:bold;">Videos</div>
-|id=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=161JT0WRVf4
+  <div class="mw-collapsible-content" style="margin-top:0.5em;">
-|alignment=inline
+    {{#ev:youtube|3YYWxi9ZeRU}}
-}}
+    {{#ev:youtube|161JT0WRVf4}}
+    {{#ev:youtube|daBwCMgOpu0}}
+  </div>
+</div>
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+[[Category:Weapons]]
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+[[Category:Weapon types]]
-|id=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=daBwCMgOpu0
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Rifle Grenades: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 04:34, 4 March 2026

DEFINITION & CHARACTERISTICS

HISTORY

Sources

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