Holdfast: Nations At War – Weapons Guide

The Firearms of Holdfast

Holdfast: Nations at War has several different firearms, all of which are handled differently from one another. This guide will give you a bit of insight and help you pick which firearm suits you best.

1. The Musket

Used by: Line Infantry, Light Infantry, Guards

• Musket Infantry forms the backbone of any army; they make up the bulk of the personnel and usually form the main weight of any major attack or defense.

• Muskets are most effective when used in volleys, where infantry will form a horizontal line and fire together on the order of an officer at a target. What they lack in range and accuracy, they make up for in sheer number and firepower.

• Muskets also have a bayonet fitting, allowing a swap to melee in a pinch or a charge.

• They have a limited range, so bullet drop truly needs to be taken into account; the set of pictures below will illustrate how to compensate for bullet drop.

• The blue marker indicates the target, the red marker indicates where the bullets hit, and the lines indicate where the bullet traveled. The white circle is the in-game crosshair.

As you can see, aiming above the target compensates for the bullet dropping, allowing for an effective shot. Regardless of mastery over bullet drop, muskets are most effective when fired in volleys, allowing the maximum chance for successful hits.

2. The Rifle

Used by: Riflemen

• Riflemen are the elite army shooters; they are the scourge of those without cover and can turn the tide of a battle with a few well-placed shots.

• Rifles are most effective when used in a defensive or skirmish situation; At the same time, they lack the versatile nature of muskets and take longer to reload; you can make every shot count due to the increased accuracy and safety of cover or distance from your target.

• They have the best range of any in-game firearms. However, bullet drop does need to be taken into account, and not every shot will hit, as shown below.

Firing rifles in volleys will add the increased chance of a hit, but the safety and bonuses of using cover and skirmishing far outweigh the potential gains of standing in the open.

3. The Musketoon

Used by: Carpenters/Sappers

• The musketoon can pack a punch in a pinch. Used primarily by non-combat units, it is not viable in most combat situations due to incredibly short range, poor accuracy, and long reload times.

• However, when in a tight spot or when faced with a fight you can’t escape, it packs a powerful blast that can bring down even the toughest opponents.

• Most effective in very close range (to a point where melee might be more viable), fires several bullets scattered in front of you. While they will kill any target they find, they aren’t guaranteed to hit an approaching enemy, they’re useless outside of the close range, and you’ll not be able to reload them in time to take on a second opponent.

The pictures below illustrate the range and scatter of the musketoon.

4. The Pistol

Used by: Officers, sailors, and support units

• The pistol is used as a sidearm for units that will often be in combat but not required to fire upon enemies constantly. Units whose main purpose of something other than combat, buffing, healing, loading cannons, or commanding other players, for example, can use their pistol to keep themselves safe should the fight get a little too close to them.

• The pistol’s range lies somewhere between a musketoon and a musket. Its accuracy; is not considered a very effective weapon and is primarily used for self-defense or combat against a single enemy.

• Please don’t dismiss it completely; however, its fast reloads, and good close-range accuracy can make it a perfect choice to fend off anyone who slips by the main combat units.

• The pictures below show an example of the pistol’s range.

If you keep in mind where and when each weapon performs at its best, you’ll understand how to hit your targets better and how to command people to use them.

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