Vitals
Health: 175
Speed: 93%
Type: Defensive
Weapons: Grenade Launcher, Sticky Bomb Launcher, Whisky Bottle
Weapons:
Ammo: 4/24
Damage: 64-132 (284-296)
Best range: Short to medium
Information:
The grenade launcher fire standard grenades the either explode on impact with an enemy (on the full only), or else explode after a couple of seconds. Like the shotgun, they can be fired at any time so long as at least 1 grenade is loaded, and the grenades themselves are very conducive to being bounced off walls, particularly around corners or over obstacles. It’s usually worth aiming to hit on the full, which requires the demoman to predict where his target will be in about half a second’s time and aim there.
The best use of the grenade launcher tends to be as a spam weapon, firing rounds into a group of multiple enemies, and not worrying too much if they miss – as long as they pin the enemies back, the explosions will still get them. Critical grenades are extremely dangerous for anyone nearby, so they compliment this strategy very nicely. Reloading is slow, so do it often, whenever you get the chance.
Advantages: Respectable damage plus splash damage, line of sight not required, perfect for harassing targets in or around cover, can be spammed to weaken enemies and deter movement.
Disadvantages: Must hit enemy on the full to ensure damage (often difficult), small clip and painfully slow to reload when you really need it to, pretty ineffective against aware and dodging enemies beyond short range.
Ammo: 8/16
Damage: 108-160 (336-353)
Best range: Medium
Information:
The sticky bomb launcher (aka pipe bomb or sticky grenade launcher) is more tactical than the grenade launcher, but operates in a similar fashion. Fire the sticky bombs with primary fire and detonate with secondary fire. Only 8 sticky bombs can be placed at a given time, so placing another one will cause the oldest one to detonate, causing standard explosion damage.
It can be used as an anti-personnel weapon in a direct fire fight by firing and immediately detonating the sticky bombs, or by placing the sticky bomb where your target will be in about 1 second. Chances are he won’t react quickly enough, and you can detonate the bombs right as they walk over them. Both methods are generally used while backpedalling and dodging fire.
However the sticky bomb launcher has 2 great tactical uses. Firstly, the sight of sticky bombs in a doorway or narrow path, especially if complimented by the demoman making his presence known, serves as an very effective deterrent to enemies who know that if they walk through the field of bombs, they will most likely explode. As such, visibly covering choke points with sticky bombs, or ‘plugging’ them, can cause enemies to reconsider their path, and if not prevent attacks altogether, at least slow them down. Of course when they do eventually walk through, it tends to be at least 1 free kill.
The other great use for sticky bombs is for destruction, or the killing of engineer buildings, especially sentry guns. Soldiers and demoman are usually tasked with destroying these dangerous pieces of equipment, and the sticky bomb launcher is the perfect weapon. The demoman can pop out from cover, fire a sticky bomb at the sentry gun’s base, and quickly return to cover. Rinse and repeat until about 3 sticky bombs are near the sentry gun, then detonate them. The beauty that, unlike the steady flow of rockets from a soldier, the engineer has no time to repair his buildings – they are killed instantly. Extra especially useful when the demoman is übercharged and can stroll through enemy territory placing sticky bombs on every building he sees.
Advantages: Nice clip size, can stick to most surfaces making it effective for ambushing, ability to charge shot for good range coverage, detonate ability can ensure damage, especially effective against stationary targets (engineer buildings), gives demoman the ability to sticky bomb jump, wall of stickies in a choke point serves as a major deterrent for enemy movement.
Disadvantages: Weak for short range face-offs where damage can take too long to be dealt, painfully slow reload, planted sticky bombs can be displaced by bullets and explosions.
Whisky Bottle
Ammo: N/A
Damage: 43-87 (197)
Information:
Another amusing melee weapon, the whisky-loving demoman busts out an empty xXx whisky bottle bar fight-style and smashes his enemies with it. Critical hits result in a shattered bottle, which has no effect on gameplay. Similar damage to other melee weapons, but it is 2nd for most frequent critical hits (according to Valve’s TF2 Stats).
