Thanks for watching another episode of Loadout everyone! I hope you enjoyed this this alternate format as we talk all about the RPG-7! This is the second episode of the series so be sure to go back and check the previous one all about SMGs if you missed it. We have more coming next week, so subscribe and let me know comments, requests for episodes, and your thoughts on the series so far ❤
Please do watch “The Beast” if you have time. It’s a great film with some great detail on the vehicles and equipment in the movie. One of the top war films of its era imo
Adam from Ballistic High Speed was testing one of these a few weeks ago and it blew up on him, they just released a video today(he's OK, more or less).
As the Russuian I wanna share some thoughts: In my opinion, the closest English analogue to the term "Ручной Противотанковый Гранатомет", which is what RPG abbriviation stands for, probably will be Handheld Antitank Grenade Launcher)) but anyways, keep up the great work!)
For RPG-7 yes. But for RPG-18/22/26/30 it will be handheld anti tank grenade. That's because those are single-use weapons, that expire on being shot, so for simplicity of logistics they were put into the "ammunition" category and called grenades. However, with abbreviation being the same, soldiers will mix their names how they like.@@Zhukiv2009
I love this. Honestly I'd love this format going forward, if possible, because it's even more of a conversation and Jonathon's voice is as crisp as ever.
I think the myth busters pointed this out at one point: the projectile moves way too slow in most movies and games. It's refreshing to see many clips in this video that seem to get it right.
During my conscription in the Russian military a few years ago I was my detachment’s designated grenadier, so this thing was a necessary part of my loadout every time we had to go full equipment (which was much more frequent than I enjoyed ngl). You get used to the weight of it relatively quickly, but it doesn’t detract from how inconvenient this tube is to drag around. Luckily, I also had a chance to actually fire it a few times, so it wasn’t all for naught. Here I can confirm Jonathan’s words about RPG’s mostly being operated alone by a person who carries it, despite technically being a job for a team of two. Finally getting to shoot it instead of hauling it around for a year was fun tho.
@@Leith_Crowthercontrary to what people might think, nowadays conscripts are not sent to fight in any actual combat scenarios (even though it is not technically illegal to do, I think). However, they are at all times highly encouraged to become contract soldiers. So yeah, I’m glad I’m not within this mess anymore.
@@bluebloodyellowteeth so most people being sent to Ukraine (or any conflict involving rhe Russian military) won't be conscripts, they're contract soldiers? Thats interesting, I have been wondering how that was structured.
@@thomaswalmsley8959 Yes and no. To clear up any possible misunderstanding, though, by "contract soldiers" I don't mean some type of mercenaries, but people who've signed an official contract with Russian Armed Forces (or MoD idk) and are compensated monetarily and with various social benefits for that. Conscripts are just young guys who are doing their mandatory 1-year military service, as I also did in my time. But, as I've said earlier, conscripts are often incentified and encouraged to sign a contract with the military. For the conflict in Ukraine, however, Putin declared a nation-wide mobilization of troops, which, in this specific case, included sending to the front people who had already completed their conscription in the past but were not actively with the military in any way. I only avoided being sent to fight because I was a university student at the time, and full-time uni students were exempt from mobilization (again, in this specific case). Still, I really suggest you do your own proper research on this type of stuff instead of just listening to people on the internet bc it's a subject that people have strong opinions about at a time when it is the most sensitive and susceptible to being misrepresented and misinterpreted.
@@bluebloodyellowteeth no I understand what you mean by "contract soldiers" but it's probably worth clearing up. I just know what you mean because its similar terminology used in the USA ( even tho we obviously don't have conscription) because soldiers will say I extended my contract when they stay in longer than the initial sign up(my brother did that for example). Thanks for clarifying and answering the question what you mean by the frontline situation and the conscripts. You are correct further in the necessity of "doing your own reseach" than just soliciting options in a comment section. There is just some things that hard sometimes hard to look into (this is probably not an example tbh) because Russian domestic policy can be opaque to an outsider. Which is setting aside all opinionated or bad actors that muddy the waters as it.
One thing that I think brings the RPG up in popularity in video games was that it was reloadable. Mostly thinking back to Call of Duty, there was always a juxtaposition between the RPG and whatever the western equivalent was for that game (notably either a LAW, SMAW, or AT4) in that the latter were flat shooting and could lock onto aircraft, but only had one shot, where are the RPG-7 usually had an additional shot or two, and maybe it's just personal preference, but i think most people found having an additional shot more useful in most situations. And of course, as seen above, there isn't just one western launcher that was used in all the different video games that could allow it to gain an iconic status, where as the RPG has been used in every game taking place from Vietnam to today.
There is actually a game that used the warhead as a melee weapon, it is found in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered and it is called "danger close"
I was gonna say that, just spent time looking for a comment where someone else said it. Can't believe Dave forgot about good ol modern warfare remastered, considering he's our resident cod player. Maybe he just skipped that one
12:25 Explosive hammers are definitely a thing in Wasteland 3 (Boom Mace) and Dustwind (Blasthammer). Some other post-apoc games might cover more of the wacky RPG/explosive applications you're talking about here. Great video, I love these breakdowns!
I remember the CoD:4 Remaster had a loot box melee weapon of the PG-7 in it as well. Best part was the "weapon inspect" animation where the player character just started juggling 3 PG-7s.
The RPG is simple, reliable, quite ergonomic, reusable, cheap to sell, cheap to maintain, cheap to produce, it can be used with ammunition for any conditions such as penetrating armor or high-explosive, shrapnel shells against infantry, easy to use, powerful, its can be found in almost every conflict, so ammunition for it is easiest to find in this area. That's why they love him.
this just annoy me thzey always put the same model of RPG over over , with the same sights and rocket it's too much to ask to put instead a scoped variant with different rocket?
If most fps games weren't full arcade gunk, you wouldn't need the light frag ammo to reach quite a bit aways. Depending on model the sights go up to 1000 meters and is theoretically useable up to 600 with reasonable expectation of hitting your target with the standard AT round. And practically perfectly flat and accurate up yo 250m or so
i never understood why the devs studios of nowadays always impose us a RPG7 in, their games instead of putting more interesting launcher like SMAW, LAW, M220, Panzerfaust 3, LR300 or Carl Gustav . they always put lazily the same RPG model with the same rocket , the same ironsights , the same colors... this just anger me.
@@daegnaxqelil2733Because literally everyone who plays shooter games knows what an rpg is just by its silhouette. Video games need to communicate a lot of information to all sorts of people, so if a game is gonna have a rocket launcher it's gonna be either thr RPG-7, or based on it
The correct abbreviation from Russian would be HATGL-7: Handheld Anti-tank Grenade Launcher. Or Ручной Противотанковый Гранатомёт - 7: РПГ-7 (RPG-7 is the literal translation of the letters from russian: Р = R, П = P, Г = G)
Aside from the weapon's history/lore, ease of use, wide spread availability, and how iconic it is, it is also what the lay person thinks of when presented with the most powerful weapon a person can carry (a "bazooka") but instead of just looking like a green drainpipe on one's shoulder like most others, one can actually see the rocket on it.
"We've got a Black Hawk down, we've got a Black Hawk down.... Super 6-1 is down. We've got a bird down in the city." Thanks Dave, Jonathan and team. In Far Cry 2 I enjoy the RPG-7 (as a fire and forget missile) but, in game, the missiles from the Carl Gustav are steerable post launch, so can be lot a more fun. All that having been said, my strongly preferred FC-2 personal load out is the Dragunov DMR as my primary weapon, the M79 as my secondary (because it deals so nicely with incoming armed jeeps) and the PKM as my special weapon (but really I use it as an SMG). If they were a set of steam punk skins for FC-2, then I suppose that lot would end up as as something like a scope Savage Model 1899, a Blanch-Chevallier (of course!) and either a Lewis Gun or a Chauchat.
@@IrregularDave A guy who worked at the actually fast-food restaurant made a video about how MW22 was never going to be MW2 back over a year ago. Dude was right. Not nearly enough explosions.
he is very understanding of game mechanics and never judge the purposes of such gun and its details in game , that's why i have sympathy for this guy, he's a gamer like us after all
You guys forgot to mention the 40k Orks using jury-rigged facsimiles reminiscent of the RPG-7, or at least the warheads, as well as some particularly frenzied close combat boys using rocket hammers as anti-vehicle melee weapons :)
The RPG 7 is portrait very differently over various games, unlike many other weapons which seem to get a stereotypical treatment (like the AK and M4). I like the visceral depiction from CoD4 or the way S.T.A.L.K.E.R. presents this thing. BTW, Dave you should let Jonathan take a look at the Stalker series. Really fascinating games.
i used to think that rpg stood for rocket propelled grenade then on a tv show that goes over the history of iconic weapons learned i was wrong, i believe the show was called triggers weapons that changed the world
The first time I really noticed the weapon was in the movie Black Hawk Down. I think it was the wild card in that actual battle because there were so many and some were set to explode mid air specifically to target helicopters.
as i understand its always set to explode after a certain distanz and the somalis used that to there advantage. and the depiction of the rpg in that film comes to mind by me too, when i heard or see something of that weapon
One notee about the RPG i like beign depicted in gamds is the rocket ricocheting on walls, surfaces eg. An example is both GTA IV ans farcry 2 where an rpgs rocket will move on curved surfaces like rolling a ball up a hill at a fast pace or angle it self when on sand. another example is when rpgs may also bounce off of vehicles based on its angle like in GTA IV where an rpg may bounce off a cars hood or pass by underneath the undercarriage. Another depiction is when backfire may occur when shooting an rpg, this can be seen in FC2 where if you fire an rpg in a dry area, baclfire may occur which will start a fire.
Dave mentioned that he wished a game would utilize it as a melee weapon, and while this may not be an *exact* example, but the Tankhammer from 40k comes pretty close
Has any game ever done the sound right? I don't know about the RPG 7 specifically, but many RPG:s like APILAS for example are MAD loud if you're anywhere behind them, but not nearly as bad when you're actually shooting the thing, since the sound is directed away from the shooter.
12:44 - The RPG is actually a Melee Weapon in Modern Warfare Remastered. Its called the Dud. the inspect is him juggling 3 of them 2 being live rounds and exploding after throwing them away.
Slight correction on film appearances for the RPG! There's a shot in the climactic battle of Platoon (1986) where an NVA soldier shoulders and fires an RPG into a US bunker as Taylor (Charlie Sheen) and Francis (Corey Glover*) scramble to safety. Accounts of making the film make a special point of discussing the shot, because Oliver Stone was extremely adamant that the RPG use a LIVE ROUND and extra precautions had to be taken by cast and crew. This predates The Beast by three years. Though the RPG-2 was by far the most common launcher used in Vietnam, the scene appears to employ a 7. *Probably better known as the frontman for funk-metal band Living Colour!
This video struck me as maybe a little light, or assuming a certain amount of viewer familiarity that I don't think I had. Still, I appreciate that this series continues.
Fun fact: the game Men Of Valor is one of the few to call the rpg a recoiless weapon, when fired you see it has the stabilizing fins and has the minimum range activation and if hits an enemy in a closer range it just impales them and you can see the whole explosive device. Somehow really accurate for the time and type of game
It's an extremelly dangerous weapon to use if it's not mantained properly (For both the target and the user). There are videos on RUclips showing catastrophic failures, including the most recent uploaded by High Speed Ballistics.
In Far Cry 2 the back blast was implemented as a game mechanic, the first time i noticed it was when i destroyed an enemy car with the RPG and "accidentaly" set a tree and some grass behind me on fire with it, and nearly killing myself in the process since i was standing on very flamable grass...
@@IrregularDave I seem to remember FC-2 was very proud of its fire mechanics and provided flame throwers and flare pistols so players could trigger those effects as weapons.
Thanks to Jonathan, I've learned RPG doesn't mean "Rocket Propelled Grenade" and (in another video) there's no such thing as an AK-47. Ruining my childhood assumptions one weapons at a time.
One question I have about the RPG-7 is if the warhead is armed the moment it’s loaded or does it have an arming distance like western launchers have? I’ve read stories of insurgents in Afghanistan and Iraq running with one then tripping and slamming the nose into something and setting it off. I was wondering if that was even possible. Also, there is at least one game where you could use an RPG-7 as a melee weapon. In the old game “God Hand” you could find an RPG-7 which could be fired once. Or you could swing the thing around like a bat and club your enemies with it. Since it was a beat ‘em up game that’s the way it was used more often.
from what i heard warheads are detonates on impact so the safety is the "cap" on the "nose" which insurgents often removes to be ready as soon as possible.
There is safety mechanism in grenade and often two stage - when grenade is shot, fuze burns (as a delay mechanism), releases inertial safty lock which opens only if grenade spins fast enough, and after that it explodes on impact. Also there electronic delay mechanisms on newer munitions and self-destruct system which triggers by ricochet. >running with one then tripping and slamming the nose into something and setting it off Probably non-factory made munitions - if Hamas makes grenades for RPGs, why Taliban wouldnt.
I remeber this story poping up in Forgoten weapons video about RPG. Normaly there is safety mechanism requireing minimal travel distance for arming the warhead. However, I can absolutly imagine scenarion where this weapons are kept in unideal conditions, maintened by untrained insurgents and this safety becoming unreliable.
Question at 13:20: why the warheads have different colors, like the thermobaric is green while the HEAT cone is olive yellowish green? And I've seen other warheads colored yellow and sometimes black.
Idk if this is true, but my guess would be just for easy color coding and visual identification. Like what we do for fuel (in America) at fuel pumps. Each type (gasoline, diesel, kerosene) have a different colored handle/nozzle to reduce any potential confusion.
To elaborate on Jonathan's definition of a grenade: I was taught that the difference is in the method of propulsion. It all begins with a grenade. If you stick it into the ground and leave it there, it becomes a mine. If you put a recoil motor into it, it becomes a rocket and if you put a guidance system into said rocket, it becomes a missile
I feel like I bring it up frequently, but the only video game representation of having a second person load the ammunition into the launching tube is in fact Resident Evil 5, during the hanger fight where one can be found in a case and several extra rounds are scattered about the large room. I does make loading the round quick, but compared to these real life examples, it does still look a bit over dramatic, where one player sits the tube down for the second player to load from above.
The RPG will never be useless but it is very outdated at this point. Tanks can get info from aerial reconnaissance and accurately take out positions kilometers away. The effective range of this weapon and lack of self guided projectiles always put the user at insane risk. Which is absolutely fine when you don't give a fluff about the lives of your soldiers. Which is why there is no equivalent in western armies: because well trained soldiers are worth more than any equipment. In most games, firefights are at ridiculous close range compared to reality. This is true for all small arms but it's actually hilarious with rpgs. Irl shrapnel would absolutely hit the user a lot of times. There is no reason to use more modern launchers in games because the features they provide irl don't offer a real advantage in game. The range is just not a problem when no one is worried about dying
Unguided AT projectiles remain the standard for infantry squad/section level defense against armor the world over and, given the range of the average infantry engagement remains a few hundred meters, there's not yet much impetus to change that. Especially if the capability is provided by lightweight, disposable launchers. Even at platoon and company levels many western armies have yet to widely displace the Carl Gustav, which is probably the closest equivalent to the RPG-7, with man portable ATGMs. Largely because of the utility of its wide selection of specialized ammunition, the limited carrying capacity of soldiers on foot, and the presumption of functional combined arms meaning higher level AT assets shouldn't be far away. All that said, the RPG-7 is, as the video says, just a tube, if anyone really wanted to they develop a guided munition and computerized sight for it there's precious little stopping them.
@@StacheMan26also there are a lot of targets for an rpg that aren't tanks. Ifvs, combat cars, dugouts, fortified buildings, so man-portable launches are usually used as a handheld artillery
As a melee weapon, the only thing I can think of is Crossout having "exploding javelins" that you can strap to your vehicle. Specifically the "Lancelot"
Dave... Remember when I pointed out that you swept Jonathan with the Stormtrooper E-11 in the "guns of Star Wars" video? You swept poor Jonathan with the reverse end of the RPG-7 🤣 Remember, kids: Normal guns have one business end. RPG-7s have two. (and yes, Gun nerds, I know we'd just established that the weapon was safe and only carrying an inert round, therefore Jonathan was in no danger at all... I just found it funny, ok?)
I just think bad gun safety on camera is honestly kind of funny. That’s why Inspector Gun is my favorite character in Plan 9 From Outer Space. That’s not his name, but if you watch the (public domain) movie, you’ll know who he is.
@@Leith_Crowther Yep. Most bad gun safety is funny... I loved pointing out to Medium Dave that he'd swept Jonathan with the E-11 because I knew he'd be mortified... But have you seen that guy with the rpg-7 that blew up in his hands? That's when you realise it's not funny at all.
Very interesting, that distinction between thrown and launched explosive as to whether it is a grenade or not. Because in German it is similar to Russian. A tank shell is often referred to Panzergranate - tank grenade.
In Russian there's a thin line between naming warhead a grenade (граната, granata), or a shell (снаряд, snaryad). Everything fired from a proper Canon, weather it's a tank Canon, towed artillery, old anti-tank gun, or even a 20-30 mm autocannon is called a shell, while Everything fired from some sort of infantry weapons from an underbarrel grenade launcher up to a recoilless rifle is called grenade. I think that originates from German panzerfausts in ww2, which were described as anti-tank grenade launchers, so everything that was originating from their grenades is also called a grenade
At 12:30 Funny enough modern warfare 1 remaster did that for the multiplayer years ago, but unfortunately it was a lootbox exclusive melee weapon. (RPG Warhead)
First appearance in games (as cover art, if not within the game itself) might be the ZX Spectrum version of Rambo: First Blood Part 2 from 1985: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rambo_(1985_video_game)
There is one game I can think of that uses an RPG warhead as a melay weapon and that's crossout. They have this ramming weapon called Lancelot that's basically a RPG on a stick
The only thing I coulf see replacing the RPG-7 in media would be the Javelin system. The only problem is that I think those are specifically made for antitank roles, though I wouldn't doubt they've tried to make an anti-personel one.
funny enough im here in Poland. 26. And the most popular term i heard to describe recoilles weapons is "bazooka" "rpg" comes close 2nd place but i can't say i can talk for the whole country obviously.
@@derekp2674 bazooka is a nickname that was given to american recoilless gun, origin of the word itself is either Kazoo or Bazuin (2 instruments) or mb from the word Bazoo which means mouth (slang) which came from the later instrument
Could this be the video that launches the Dave/Jonathan ship? Dave looks so intently at Jonathan, Jonathan seems... just a little bit more self-conscious. It's not really my cup of tea, I mean I like them, maybe not like that, but is there a future "Weapons expert reacts to Dave's massive missile?". Fan fiction writers out there, get on it. The meta, "dignified, very british, museum weapons expert reacts to uncomfortable slash fan fiction" would be pretty epic. Sorry guys. I know this is out of order, but I'm in a trolly mood.
It’s kinda weird but I really hope some game goes on to incorporate multirole support weapons. In a gamified way it could be a way to get quicker reloads, with that trade off that if your ammo buddy dies there goes your ammo too.
Thanks for watching another episode of Loadout everyone! I hope you enjoyed this this alternate format as we talk all about the RPG-7!
This is the second episode of the series so be sure to go back and check the previous one all about SMGs if you missed it.
We have more coming next week, so subscribe and let me know comments, requests for episodes, and your thoughts on the series so far ❤
Great format, Dave! Keep up the great work!)
Please do watch “The Beast” if you have time. It’s a great film with some great detail on the vehicles and equipment in the movie. One of the top war films of its era imo
It’s an unlock-able melee weapon in COD4 MWR.
Just a note to what you said in the video, Modern Warfare Remastered had an RPG warhead as an unlockable melee weapon from supply crates
Adam from Ballistic High Speed was testing one of these a few weeks ago and it blew up on him, they just released a video today(he's OK, more or less).
As the Russuian I wanna share some thoughts: In my opinion, the closest English analogue to the term "Ручной Противотанковый Гранатомет", which is what RPG abbriviation stands for, probably will be Handheld Antitank Grenade Launcher)) but anyways, keep up the great work!)
Wanted to comment the same, your translation is correct:
“Handheld or Portable Anti Tank Grenade Launcher”
@@Zhukiv2009 thanks for the clarification, my friend)
For RPG-7 yes. But for RPG-18/22/26/30 it will be handheld anti tank grenade.
That's because those are single-use weapons, that expire on being shot, so for simplicity of logistics they were put into the "ammunition" category and called grenades. However, with abbreviation being the same, soldiers will mix their names how they like.@@Zhukiv2009
@@murmax98 thanks for adding to my narrative here) I totally forget about one-shot versions of RPGs)
An alternative translation would be Handheld AgainstTank GrenadeThrower, although this is a very literal translation.
I love this. Honestly I'd love this format going forward, if possible, because it's even more of a conversation and Jonathon's voice is as crisp as ever.
This format has been going longer than Firearms Expert Reacts has :) We are several seasons in by this point.
We have plenty more of this format to come, it can be much more suited to some subjects, so we explore both depending on the episode
I think the myth busters pointed this out at one point: the projectile moves way too slow in most movies and games. It's refreshing to see many clips in this video that seem to get it right.
During my conscription in the Russian military a few years ago I was my detachment’s designated grenadier, so this thing was a necessary part of my loadout every time we had to go full equipment (which was much more frequent than I enjoyed ngl). You get used to the weight of it relatively quickly, but it doesn’t detract from how inconvenient this tube is to drag around. Luckily, I also had a chance to actually fire it a few times, so it wasn’t all for naught. Here I can confirm Jonathan’s words about RPG’s mostly being operated alone by a person who carries it, despite technically being a job for a team of two. Finally getting to shoot it instead of hauling it around for a year was fun tho.
Yeesh, lucky you got out when you did, huh?
@@Leith_Crowthercontrary to what people might think, nowadays conscripts are not sent to fight in any actual combat scenarios (even though it is not technically illegal to do, I think). However, they are at all times highly encouraged to become contract soldiers. So yeah, I’m glad I’m not within this mess anymore.
@@bluebloodyellowteeth so most people being sent to Ukraine (or any conflict involving rhe Russian military) won't be conscripts, they're contract soldiers? Thats interesting, I have been wondering how that was structured.
@@thomaswalmsley8959 Yes and no. To clear up any possible misunderstanding, though, by "contract soldiers" I don't mean some type of mercenaries, but people who've signed an official contract with Russian Armed Forces (or MoD idk) and are compensated monetarily and with various social benefits for that. Conscripts are just young guys who are doing their mandatory 1-year military service, as I also did in my time. But, as I've said earlier, conscripts are often incentified and encouraged to sign a contract with the military.
For the conflict in Ukraine, however, Putin declared a nation-wide mobilization of troops, which, in this specific case, included sending to the front people who had already completed their conscription in the past but were not actively with the military in any way. I only avoided being sent to fight because I was a university student at the time, and full-time uni students were exempt from mobilization (again, in this specific case).
Still, I really suggest you do your own proper research on this type of stuff instead of just listening to people on the internet bc it's a subject that people have strong opinions about at a time when it is the most sensitive and susceptible to being misrepresented and misinterpreted.
@@bluebloodyellowteeth no I understand what you mean by "contract soldiers" but it's probably worth clearing up. I just know what you mean because its similar terminology used in the USA ( even tho we obviously don't have conscription) because soldiers will say I extended my contract when they stay in longer than the initial sign up(my brother did that for example).
Thanks for clarifying and answering the question what you mean by the frontline situation and the conscripts. You are correct further in the necessity of "doing your own reseach" than just soliciting options in a comment section. There is just some things that hard sometimes hard to look into (this is probably not an example tbh) because Russian domestic policy can be opaque to an outsider. Which is setting aside all opinionated or bad actors that muddy the waters as it.
One thing that I think brings the RPG up in popularity in video games was that it was reloadable. Mostly thinking back to Call of Duty, there was always a juxtaposition between the RPG and whatever the western equivalent was for that game (notably either a LAW, SMAW, or AT4) in that the latter were flat shooting and could lock onto aircraft, but only had one shot, where are the RPG-7 usually had an additional shot or two, and maybe it's just personal preference, but i think most people found having an additional shot more useful in most situations.
And of course, as seen above, there isn't just one western launcher that was used in all the different video games that could allow it to gain an iconic status, where as the RPG has been used in every game taking place from Vietnam to today.
Real LAWS and AT4s don't have a lock on mode
The RPG-7 is to Rocket Launchers as the Floppy Disk is to saving, both are going to be emblematic long after they stop being legitimately used.
There is actually a game that used the warhead as a melee weapon, it is found in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered and it is called "danger close"
I was gonna say that, just spent time looking for a comment where someone else said it. Can't believe Dave forgot about good ol modern warfare remastered, considering he's our resident cod player. Maybe he just skipped that one
12:25 Explosive hammers are definitely a thing in Wasteland 3 (Boom Mace) and Dustwind (Blasthammer). Some other post-apoc games might cover more of the wacky RPG/explosive applications you're talking about here. Great video, I love these breakdowns!
I remember the CoD:4 Remaster had a loot box melee weapon of the PG-7 in it as well.
Best part was the "weapon inspect" animation where the player character just started juggling 3 PG-7s.
I didn't know about those, but I'm not surprised that games have had some fun with this idea already haha
Glad you enjoyed it!
The RPG is simple, reliable, quite ergonomic, reusable, cheap to sell, cheap to maintain, cheap to produce, it can be used with ammunition for any conditions such as penetrating armor or high-explosive, shrapnel shells against infantry, easy to use, powerful, its can be found in almost every conflict, so ammunition for it is easiest to find in this area. That's why they love him.
this just annoy me thzey always put the same model of RPG over over , with the same sights and rocket it's too much to ask to put instead a scoped variant with different rocket?
@@daegnaxqelil2733yeah we need a 20x scope on this badboy and extra extended range warhead
If most fps games weren't full arcade gunk, you wouldn't need the light frag ammo to reach quite a bit aways. Depending on model the sights go up to 1000 meters and is theoretically useable up to 600 with reasonable expectation of hitting your target with the standard AT round. And practically perfectly flat and accurate up yo 250m or so
I always loved its simplicity, as compared to a lot of modern launchers. It also had a much different aesthetic to them as well.
Modern launchers are simple too😂
It's like Guts' sword, but in the world of firearms
i never understood why the devs studios of nowadays always impose us a RPG7 in, their games instead of putting more interesting launcher like SMAW, LAW, M220, Panzerfaust 3, LR300 or Carl Gustav . they always put lazily the same RPG model with the same rocket , the same ironsights , the same colors... this just anger me.
@@daegnaxqelil2733 Because the weapon is just _THAT_ iconic, like the AK47, M16, M1 Garand/M14....
@@daegnaxqelil2733Because literally everyone who plays shooter games knows what an rpg is just by its silhouette. Video games need to communicate a lot of information to all sorts of people, so if a game is gonna have a rocket launcher it's gonna be either thr RPG-7, or based on it
"its a steel tube" not even a minute in and im already sold on the commentary
The correct abbreviation from Russian would be HATGL-7: Handheld Anti-tank Grenade Launcher. Or Ручной Противотанковый Гранатомёт - 7: РПГ-7 (RPG-7 is the literal translation of the letters from russian: Р = R, П = P, Г = G)
12:28 actually in XIII games you could actually use the warhead as alt fire to melee somebody
I think the Modern Warfare Remasters (not the reboot). Also had something like that called the "Danger Close"
it wasn't even an RPG but a Panzerfaust 3
Love the format, Dave and Jonathan just having a conversation works very well
Aside from the weapon's history/lore, ease of use, wide spread availability, and how iconic it is, it is also what the lay person thinks of when presented with the most powerful weapon a person can carry (a "bazooka") but instead of just looking like a green drainpipe on one's shoulder like most others, one can actually see the rocket on it.
Anyone else notice this got uploaded right after the rpg-7 accident that got posted today?
"We've got a Black Hawk down, we've got a Black Hawk down.... Super 6-1 is down. We've got a bird down in the city."
Thanks Dave, Jonathan and team.
In Far Cry 2 I enjoy the RPG-7 (as a fire and forget missile) but, in game, the missiles from the Carl Gustav are steerable post launch, so can be lot a more fun.
All that having been said, my strongly preferred FC-2 personal load out is the Dragunov DMR as my primary weapon, the M79 as my secondary (because it deals so nicely with incoming armed jeeps) and the PKM as my special weapon (but really I use it as an SMG).
If they were a set of steam punk skins for FC-2, then I suppose that lot would end up as as something like a scope Savage Model 1899, a Blanch-Chevallier (of course!) and either a Lewis Gun or a Chauchat.
I play much COD. When I hear "RPGGGG", I run. This weapon has a special place in my heart.
From the roof of a Burger Town no less
@@IrregularDave A guy who worked at the actually fast-food restaurant made a video about how MW22 was never going to be MW2 back over a year ago. Dude was right. Not nearly enough explosions.
It’s the rocket launcher version of the AK
Jonathan is a really cool guy
Eh curates weapons and doesnt afraid of anything.
I agree
I have to agree with ya on that)
he is very understanding of game mechanics and never judge the purposes of such gun and its details in game , that's why i have sympathy for this guy, he's a gamer like us after all
You guys forgot to mention the 40k Orks using jury-rigged facsimiles reminiscent of the RPG-7, or at least the warheads, as well as some particularly frenzied close combat boys using rocket hammers as anti-vehicle melee weapons :)
DA TANKBUSTAS AVE DA BIGGEST BOOMIN DAKKA
I mean the Orks are basically Mad Max meets Florida Man.
I could listen to these two talk about weapons for hours.
I'm glad you think so! There are plenty of episodes in the back catalogue that should fill an afternoon 😎
The RPG 7 is portrait very differently over various games, unlike many other weapons which seem to get a stereotypical treatment (like the AK and M4).
I like the visceral depiction from CoD4 or the way S.T.A.L.K.E.R. presents this thing.
BTW, Dave you should let Jonathan take a look at the Stalker series. Really fascinating games.
I second this!) It will be cool to see Jonatan review S.T.A.L.K.E.R. series - one of the most played series of my childhood for me)
The arrangement of the handles means you can theoretically gangsta fire it too
Thank you Dave and Jonathan for the video!
Thank you for watching Blazuchan
The german name for RPG is "Panzerfaust", which translates as "Tank-Fist" or "Armor-Fist", emphasizing it's role as an anti-tank weapon.
i used to think that rpg stood for rocket propelled grenade then on a tv show that goes over the history of iconic weapons learned i was wrong, i believe the show was called triggers weapons that changed the world
The first time I really noticed the weapon was in the movie Black Hawk Down. I think it was the wild card in that actual battle because there were so many and some were set to explode mid air specifically to target helicopters.
as i understand its always set to explode after a certain distanz and the somalis used that to there advantage. and the depiction of the rpg in that film comes to mind by me too, when i heard or see something of that weapon
Wow, Jonathan really expanding his video game horizons being *this* enthusiastic about Role Playing Games! Good for him 😄
This series rules Jonathan is so informative and careful it really impresses me!
Man, the *timing* on this lol
Call of Duty Modern Warfare Remastered had an RPG as a melee weapon, amazingly called 'Danger Close'
And no mention of the scene in Back To The Future when one of the Libyans pulled one of these out as they were chasing Marty in the DeLorean.
babe wake up new gamespot loadout video
Call of Duty Modern Warfare Remastered has a melee weapon called ‘Danger Close’, which is a PG-7 warhead
One notee about the RPG i like beign depicted in gamds is the rocket ricocheting on walls, surfaces eg. An example is both GTA IV ans farcry 2 where an rpgs rocket will move on curved surfaces like rolling a ball up a hill at a fast pace or angle it self when on sand. another example is when rpgs may also bounce off of vehicles based on its angle like in GTA IV where an rpg may bounce off a cars hood or pass by underneath the undercarriage. Another depiction is when backfire may occur when shooting an rpg, this can be seen in FC2 where if you fire an rpg in a dry area, baclfire may occur which will start a fire.
Dave mentioned that he wished a game would utilize it as a melee weapon, and while this may not be an *exact* example, but the Tankhammer from 40k comes pretty close
It's a melee weapon in Modern Warfare Remastered
It kills giants in Resident Evil so, it is a very versatile weapon and a must have in your character's game inventory.
"covered in picatinny rail - which was the style at the time - ..." really got me 😂
Has Loadout done an episode on the Carl Gustav recoilless rifle yet? If there is a Western counterpart to the RPG-7, it is absolutely the Carl G.
Has any game ever done the sound right? I don't know about the RPG 7 specifically, but many RPG:s like APILAS for example are MAD loud if you're anywhere behind them, but not nearly as bad when you're actually shooting the thing, since the sound is directed away from the shooter.
Squad definitely does a good job in that department, especially if you're glanced by the backblast
12:44 - The RPG is actually a Melee Weapon in Modern Warfare Remastered. Its called the Dud. the inspect is him juggling 3 of them 2 being live rounds and exploding after throwing them away.
I like the loadout series a lot and look forward to each episode.
Slight correction on film appearances for the RPG! There's a shot in the climactic battle of Platoon (1986) where an NVA soldier shoulders and fires an RPG into a US bunker as Taylor (Charlie Sheen) and Francis (Corey Glover*) scramble to safety. Accounts of making the film make a special point of discussing the shot, because Oliver Stone was extremely adamant that the RPG use a LIVE ROUND and extra precautions had to be taken by cast and crew. This predates The Beast by three years. Though the RPG-2 was by far the most common launcher used in Vietnam, the scene appears to employ a 7.
*Probably better known as the frontman for funk-metal band Living Colour!
i like the green tip...
agreed
DIDNT ASK + MY ANIMATIONS ARE BETTER
DIDNT ASK + MY ANIMATIONS ARE BETTER
Just the tip
This video struck me as maybe a little light, or assuming a certain amount of viewer familiarity that I don't think I had. Still, I appreciate that this series continues.
Fun fact: the game Men Of Valor is one of the few to call the rpg a recoiless weapon, when fired you see it has the stabilizing fins and has the minimum range activation and if hits an enemy in a closer range it just impales them and you can see the whole explosive device. Somehow really accurate for the time and type of game
It's an extremelly dangerous weapon to use if it's not mantained properly (For both the target and the user). There are videos on RUclips showing catastrophic failures, including the most recent uploaded by High Speed Ballistics.
Love this series, The Royal Armouries Museum is only 25 minutes away from where I live.
I'm overdue a visit.
That's not just a tube, it's not even a tube, and the widespread use of this of this thing is due to its availability.
In Far Cry 2 the back blast was implemented as a game mechanic, the first time i noticed it was when i destroyed an enemy car with the RPG and "accidentaly" set a tree and some grass behind me on fire with it, and nearly killing myself in the process since i was standing on very flamable grass...
The RPG mixed with that games fire mechanics and excess of dry grass was great chaps
@@IrregularDave I seem to remember FC-2 was very proud of its fire mechanics and provided flame throwers and flare pistols so players could trigger those effects as weapons.
Far cry 2 is a very cool game
there was a RPG-7 Rocket Mele Weapon In COD Modern Warfare Remastered as a DLC weapon.
Thanks to Jonathan, I've learned RPG doesn't mean "Rocket Propelled Grenade" and (in another video) there's no such thing as an AK-47. Ruining my childhood assumptions one weapons at a time.
One question I have about the RPG-7 is if the warhead is armed the moment it’s loaded or does it have an arming distance like western launchers have? I’ve read stories of insurgents in Afghanistan and Iraq running with one then tripping and slamming the nose into something and setting it off. I was wondering if that was even possible.
Also, there is at least one game where you could use an RPG-7 as a melee weapon. In the old game “God Hand” you could find an RPG-7 which could be fired once. Or you could swing the thing around like a bat and club your enemies with it. Since it was a beat ‘em up game that’s the way it was used more often.
PG-7 Warhead has an arming distance of 5m.
from what i heard warheads are detonates on impact so the safety is the "cap" on the "nose" which insurgents often removes to be ready as soon as possible.
There is safety mechanism in grenade and often two stage - when grenade is shot, fuze burns (as a delay mechanism), releases inertial safty lock which opens only if grenade spins fast enough, and after that it explodes on impact. Also there electronic delay mechanisms on newer munitions and self-destruct system which triggers by ricochet.
>running with one then tripping and slamming the nose into something and setting it off
Probably non-factory made munitions - if Hamas makes grenades for RPGs, why Taliban wouldnt.
I remeber this story poping up in Forgoten weapons video about RPG. Normaly there is safety mechanism requireing minimal travel distance for arming the warhead. However, I can absolutly imagine scenarion where this weapons are kept in unideal conditions, maintened by untrained insurgents and this safety becoming unreliable.
Recoilless Propelled Grenade
Question at 13:20: why the warheads have different colors, like the thermobaric is green while the HEAT cone is olive yellowish green? And I've seen other warheads colored yellow and sometimes black.
Idk if this is true, but my guess would be just for easy color coding and visual identification. Like what we do for fuel (in America) at fuel pumps. Each type (gasoline, diesel, kerosene) have a different colored handle/nozzle to reduce any potential confusion.
To elaborate on Jonathan's definition of a grenade: I was taught that the difference is in the method of propulsion. It all begins with a grenade. If you stick it into the ground and leave it there, it becomes a mine. If you put a recoil motor into it, it becomes a rocket and if you put a guidance system into said rocket, it becomes a missile
Great episode as always! Merry Christmas JF & DJ!
❤
I feel like I bring it up frequently, but the only video game representation of having a second person load the ammunition into the launching tube is in fact Resident Evil 5, during the hanger fight where one can be found in a case and several extra rounds are scattered about the large room. I does make loading the round quick, but compared to these real life examples, it does still look a bit over dramatic, where one player sits the tube down for the second player to load from above.
The RPG will never be useless but it is very outdated at this point. Tanks can get info from aerial reconnaissance and accurately take out positions kilometers away. The effective range of this weapon and lack of self guided projectiles always put the user at insane risk. Which is absolutely fine when you don't give a fluff about the lives of your soldiers. Which is why there is no equivalent in western armies: because well trained soldiers are worth more than any equipment.
In most games, firefights are at ridiculous close range compared to reality. This is true for all small arms but it's actually hilarious with rpgs. Irl shrapnel would absolutely hit the user a lot of times.
There is no reason to use more modern launchers in games because the features they provide irl don't offer a real advantage in game. The range is just not a problem when no one is worried about dying
I agree. Most games require players to slay dozens of enemies while remaining alive themselves,
Unguided AT projectiles remain the standard for infantry squad/section level defense against armor the world over and, given the range of the average infantry engagement remains a few hundred meters, there's not yet much impetus to change that. Especially if the capability is provided by lightweight, disposable launchers.
Even at platoon and company levels many western armies have yet to widely displace the Carl Gustav, which is probably the closest equivalent to the RPG-7, with man portable ATGMs. Largely because of the utility of its wide selection of specialized ammunition, the limited carrying capacity of soldiers on foot, and the presumption of functional combined arms meaning higher level AT assets shouldn't be far away.
All that said, the RPG-7 is, as the video says, just a tube, if anyone really wanted to they develop a guided munition and computerized sight for it there's precious little stopping them.
@@StacheMan26also there are a lot of targets for an rpg that aren't tanks. Ifvs, combat cars, dugouts, fortified buildings, so man-portable launches are usually used as a handheld artillery
not ever including the Arma series in these is always so painful because it's some of the most faithful depictions of any game 😭
In killing floor 2 the backblast is a thing you can use to knock over the zeds. Doesn't affect your teammates though
9:10 Khan Taj was played by Steven Bauer, Manolo from Scarface...
12:25 cod4 modern warfare remastered actually does have a rpg warhead as a melee weapon, the in-game name for it is called danger close
As a melee weapon, the only thing I can think of is Crossout having "exploding javelins" that you can strap to your vehicle. Specifically the "Lancelot"
Great Episode!
Dave... Remember when I pointed out that you swept Jonathan with the Stormtrooper E-11 in the "guns of Star Wars" video?
You swept poor Jonathan with the reverse end of the RPG-7 🤣
Remember, kids: Normal guns have one business end. RPG-7s have two.
(and yes, Gun nerds, I know we'd just established that the weapon was safe and only carrying an inert round, therefore Jonathan was in no danger at all... I just found it funny, ok?)
I just think bad gun safety on camera is honestly kind of funny. That’s why Inspector Gun is my favorite character in Plan 9 From Outer Space. That’s not his name, but if you watch the (public domain) movie, you’ll know who he is.
@@Leith_Crowther Yep. Most bad gun safety is funny... I loved pointing out to Medium Dave that he'd swept Jonathan with the E-11 because I knew he'd be mortified... But have you seen that guy with the rpg-7 that blew up in his hands? That's when you realise it's not funny at all.
Very interesting, that distinction between thrown and launched explosive as to whether it is a grenade or not. Because in German it is similar to Russian. A tank shell is often referred to Panzergranate - tank grenade.
In Russian there's a thin line between naming warhead a grenade (граната, granata), or a shell (снаряд, snaryad). Everything fired from a proper Canon, weather it's a tank Canon, towed artillery, old anti-tank gun, or even a 20-30 mm autocannon is called a shell, while Everything fired from some sort of infantry weapons from an underbarrel grenade launcher up to a recoilless rifle is called grenade.
I think that originates from German panzerfausts in ww2, which were described as anti-tank grenade launchers, so everything that was originating from their grenades is also called a grenade
It's tha bomb, just ask High Speed Ballistics
RPG? Next to a tank, my favorite!
- Mattias Nilsson
At 12:30
Funny enough modern warfare 1 remaster did that for the multiplayer years ago, but unfortunately it was a lootbox exclusive melee weapon. (RPG Warhead)
First appearance in games (as cover art, if not within the game itself) might be the ZX Spectrum version of Rambo: First Blood Part 2 from 1985: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rambo_(1985_video_game)
Conflict desert storm and mercenaries great amazing Ps2 games glad you mentioned those.
I love how many games don't include the propellant charge on the end of the rocket, only the rocket itself.
I know it's a tad old-school but a Loadout covering flintlocks and/or muskets sound good.
There is one game I can think of that uses an RPG warhead as a melay weapon and that's crossout. They have this ramming weapon called Lancelot that's basically a RPG on a stick
The only thing I coulf see replacing the RPG-7 in media would be the Javelin system. The only problem is that I think those are specifically made for antitank roles, though I wouldn't doubt they've tried to make an anti-personel one.
You got me at the actual Russian for RPG, and I love it.
funny enough im here in Poland. 26. And the most popular term i heard to describe recoilles weapons is "bazooka" "rpg" comes close 2nd place but i can't say i can talk for the whole country obviously.
Same in Russia or atleast was when i was growing up in the early 00, kids used to call it that and i believe "casuals" still do
Bazooka was one I would hear a lot as a general term for a rocket launcher, but I definitely hear RPG more now
So, where indeed did the term "bazooka" come from?
We British came up with PIAT or Projector, Infantry, Anti-Tank which is depressingly logical.
@@derekp2674 bazooka is a nickname that was given to american recoilless gun, origin of the word itself is either Kazoo or Bazuin (2 instruments) or mb from the word Bazoo which means mouth (slang) which came from the later instrument
Could this be the video that launches the Dave/Jonathan ship? Dave looks so intently at Jonathan, Jonathan seems... just a little bit more self-conscious. It's not really my cup of tea, I mean I like them, maybe not like that, but is there a future "Weapons expert reacts to Dave's massive missile?". Fan fiction writers out there, get on it. The meta, "dignified, very british, museum weapons expert reacts to uncomfortable slash fan fiction" would be pretty epic. Sorry guys. I know this is out of order, but I'm in a trolly mood.
Heavy main from the finals here
Love these
Every rocket launcher is both an RPG, and a Bazooka.
It's funny how in Bf2042, the M5 Recoiless is the main rocket laincer and the RPG-7 was only added later
Anything more reliable than the RPG 7 is Jonathan Ferguson
Would be cool to see Jonathan react to the guns in Black, I loved that game.
Cod 4 Modern Warfare Remastered actually does have a "dud" RPG round as a melee weapon. The weapon inspect even has you juggle three of them.
It’s kinda weird but I really hope some game goes on to incorporate multirole support weapons. In a gamified way it could be a way to get quicker reloads, with that trade off that if your ammo buddy dies there goes your ammo too.
The Beast is so good! Watch it right now if you have time and means. I’m surprised it’s the first movie appearance of an RPG-7
Of an actual RPG-7, a few movies had included fakes before that, but The Beast had a "real" version
Al Yassin 105: enters the chat
Merkava tank: exits the chat
There is an rpg warhead melee weapon in the cod 4 remake multiplayer if I remember correctly
In True lies there's a scene where they shoot an RPG inside a truck and they blast a mate away
For people wondering its Handheld Anti-tank Explosivethrower or launcher
Funny you should say it should be used as Melee weapons is was one in the re-release of Modern Warfare remastered, it was a dlc loot box weapon
A fun analysis, as always! What is the third warhead type -- the one at the top right, as at 13:22?
That's a warhead for creating a volume explosion, with extreme shock wave and little fragmentation effect
RPG represents everything about soviet weapons design. Minimalism and Effectiveness in one simple, cheap to produce design.
it's gotta be a coincidence that this was uploaded a day after Ballistic High Speed's RPG accident video, right?
Didn’t they have a rocket you could use as a melee weapon in cod 4 remastered?
1985 Rambo First Blood Part II had the RPG prominently