Holdfast: Nations At War – Weapons

by Falagar / Articles, Misc. Guides / 25 Sep 2017

All known weapons in-game, including Artillery.

GUNS

Infantry Musket

This smoothbore gun is the most common weapon in game. Accurate from short to medium range, it has a slow reload speed, and emits quite a bit of smoke upon being fired, which can block your sight. Best used en masse to demoralize/murder the opposing forces.

Cavalry Musket

This gun is a smaller, more compact version of the Infantry Musket, generally used by Dragoon Cavalry and French Riflemen during the Napoleonic Era. Generally rather inaccurate, they’re quite useless for sharpshooting but are great en masse.

Rifle

The Rifle is an excellent weapon used by Riflemen during the Napoleonic Era. Great at all ranges, this gun takes longer to reload than the Infantry Musket, but pays off with amazing accuracy. In-game, the Rifle requires some adjustment to aim above an enemy’s head to hit effectively, but once you’ve got that covered, the Rifle becomes a deadly weapon to score shots from tens of meters away!

Pistol

The Pistol is a single-shot firing weapon carried by Ensigns, Officers and apparently Musicians during the Napoleonic Era. These weapons were primarily used for self-defense rather than offense like Muskets, and reflected this with poor accuracy and far less chance of death upon being hit by their round payload. In-game, however, Pistols are quite a frightening weapon, the perfect weapon for short-range engagements. They also have the fastest reload among any gun, aside from Artillery.

Blunderbuss

The Blunderbuss (Or Shotgun) is weapon loaded with a special miniaturized canister shot. This weapon was barely used during the Napoleonic Era in great numbers, generally kept as a special weapon for defence duties, although the Austrians and Russians did equip their men with the type of gun, albiet in small numbers. In-game, the Blunderbuss is utilized by the Carpenter, and is a great gun to use against large groups of enemies. Surprisingly, the gun is actually quite hard to hit with at close-range, and is best used at smaller medium ranges. Has an average reload time to boot.

MELEE WEAPONS

Sword

The Sword is one of the most common weapons ever used by man, aside from the Spear and Club. During the Napoleonic Wars, high-ranking Officers and Cavalry carried swords, with the former using them for defence and the latter using them as a deadly offensive weapon. In Holdfast, the Sword is currently one of the best melee weapons, far more effective and consistent with hitting other players than other thrusting weapons like the Bayonet and Flag.

Bayonet

The Bayonet was a fixed extension to an Infantryman’s Musket, usually a very pointy metal head an extra quarter of the musket’s length. Used during charges against enemy lines, this weapon was very effective en masse against unprepared foes. In Holdfast, the Bayonet is a comparatively sad melee weapon, quite difficult to actually hit with when compared to the sword. It’s not impossible, though, and like all melee weapons, it takes 2-3 hits to kill another player with.

Flag

Eagle Bearers (French) and Ensigns (British) would carry their country’s color/flag into battle to boost the morale of friendly infantry up. It was a great dishonor to have your flag captured or stolen by the enemy at the time, but this tradition was slowly phased out as time went by. In-game, the Flag is an item that can provide ‘Assist Score’ to anyone who holds it near a friendly who gets a kill, which generally gives them a bonus score of 5. The Flag can also be used as a weapon, in a similar fashion to the Bayonet.

ARTILLERY

Cannon

The Cannon (Assorted into calibers, from 1-pounder Swivel Guns to 24-pounder Grand Batteries) was the most common Artillery piece during the Napoleonic Era, found during most medium-scale to large-scale battles in small numbers. In-game, Artillery can be used by any class at any time, and is very effective at wiping out groups of enemies if aimed correctly. Aiming can be a bit annoying, though, as the entire cannon is usually in your face, but many players make do and end up at the top of leaderboards after a match has concluded. Swivel Guns have a small delay to reload after having fired, but do not need to be ‘pushed’, like wheeled Artillery. Wheeled Artillery has no delay for a shot to be loaded into the barrel, but still needs to be pushed.

Howitzer

The Howitzer was a defensive weapon utilized during the Napoleonic Era to defend fortress walls. It wasn’t seen much on the field, despite being a small piece of Artillery. It was one of the few weapons to use explosive shots, although the Howitzer itself was extremely difficult to score consistent hits with, and required experienced Artillerymen to operate without accidentally hitting friendly forces. In-game, the Howitzer is an uncommon Artillery piece that can be found on some maps. Like the Swivel Gun, it does not need to be pushed, but requires a small delay to load another shot in after firing.

Falagar

He is the founder and editor of Magic Game World. He loved gaming from the moment he got a PlayStation 1 with Gran Turismo on his 7th birthday.
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