Revision as of 11:06, 24 January 2008

Many of the weapons, equipment, and vehicles found in the hands of the City of Heroes/City of Villains groups and characters are real, though an equal number of them are fictional in origin (but likely based on real-world equipment). This article will not cover clearly fictional items such as Malta Hercules titans, Rikti pylons, or Gold Bricker sonic weapons.

Real-world

Axes

• Labrys: the term for a double-headed axe (referred to in the game as the Legacy Battle Axe), the Labrys is of Greek origin. The "Vikingesque" designs on the blade would not be found on a labrys, which tended to be unornamented. Commonly used by: Luddites, Warriors, Battle Axe-enabled player characters.

Bows and Projectiles

• Bow: an ancient weapon that projects arrows powered by the elasticity of the bow; it was one of the first ranged weapons or hunting tools which used mechanical principles, instead of relying solely on the strength of its user. There are several different types in the game:
  • composite
  • compound
  • longbow
  • mongolian
• Crossbow: a bow mounted on a stock that shoots projectiles, often called bolts. Crossbows played a significant role in the warfare of North Africa, Europe and Asia. There are two types known in the game.
  • Pistol crossbow: the smaller, handheld version. As it is a simple mesh (and may be a modification of one of the pistol meshes), it is unclear if a reference was used. Commonly used by: Circle of Thorns, Warriors.
  • Recurve crossbow: this is the larger, rifle-like version. This variant has tips curving away from the archer; its bent limbs have a longer draw length than an equivalent straight-limbed bow, giving more acceleration to the projectile and less hand shock. The model used in the game seems to be based on a crossbow with a pull-lever reloading mechanism. Commonly used by: Circle of Thorns, Luddites.
• Shuriken: a traditional Japanese concealed weapon that was generally used for throwing, and sometimes stabbing or slashing an opponent. Though shuriken were not always shaped in the ubiquitous "ninja star" design, it is commonplace in modern times and available to anyone. Shuriken are in use by several hero and villain factions; this power is also available to weapon masters. Commonly used by: various.
• Throwing knife: the art of knife throwing was first used in martial or in hunting applications. and has been incorporated into many martial disciplines. Unlike regular knives, throwing knives are made of a solid one-piece construction. Though not common in Paragon City or the Rogue Isles, some factions do use knife throwing as a combat technique. Commonly used by: Carnival of Shadows, Circle of Thorns, Snakes.

Bludgeons

• Sai: a pointed, rod-shaped baton, with two long, unsharpened projections (called tsuba) attached to the handle. Though in truth this Okinawan weapon is more a baton than a blade, the game versions are bladed and treated as short swords. Commonly used by: Chimera's ninjas, Mastermind ninjas, Tsoo, Dual-bladed player characters.
• Shillelagh: a wooden cudgel, typically made from a stout knotty stick with a large knob on the end, that is associated with Ireland in folklore. Within the scope of the game, these are used by the Luddites, though it is available to players as a weapon customization as well. Commonly used by: Luddities, Mace-enabled player characters.

Disabling Weapons

• Caltrops: a weapon made up of two (or more) sharp nails or spines arranged in such a manner that one of them always points upward from a stable base. Not meant to be a ranged weapons, these are thrown a short distance to slow down foes. Commonly used by: Knives of Artemis, Device-enabled player characters, Mastermind ninjas, Chimera's ninjas.
• Taser: an electroshock weapon meant to stun a targeted subject from a distance. The model in the game is similar to that of the X26 taser. It should be noted that the version that would likely be used by Malta and device-enabled characters would be the military-issued M26 taser (which is pistol-shaped) rather than the compact flashlight design of the civilian X26. Commonly used by: Malta, Device-enabled player characters.

Equipment

• Laser sight: a small, usually visible-light laser placed on a handgun or rifle aligned to emit a beam parallel to the barrel. Used for aiming, there are several versions of this equipment. While the ones used by Council and Fifth Column robots and some firearms are built-in, the compact version attached to various other weapons is likely a diode-pumped solid-state laser. Commonly used by: various.
• Night vision goggles: an optical instrument that allows images to be produced in levels of light approaching total darkness. Commonly used by: Knives of Artemis, Malta.
• Pickelhaube: a spiked helmet worn in the 19th and 20th century, most closely associated with the Prussian military. This is the standard helmet for many of Nemesis' troops. Commonly used by: Nemesis.

Firearms

• Desert Eagle: referred to in the game as the "Semi-auto", this is a large caliber gas-operated semi-automatic pistol known for its power and destructiveness. The mesh in the game is apparently based on the .50 caliber model. Commonly used by: various.
• Flintlock pistol: mistakenly referred to in the game as a musket, flintlock pistols were used as self-defense weapons, dueling, and as a cavalry arm. Their effective range was very short, and were frequently used as an adjunct to swords. This weapon is available to players as the Flintlock. Commonly used by: Banished Pantheon, Mastermind thug player characters.
• Lee-Enfield rifle: used by zombie troops of the Banished Pantheon, this WWI-era rifle may specifically be either the Pattern 1914 Enfield or M1917 "American" Enfield model. Commonly used by: Banished Pantheon.
• M16: referred to in the game as the Military assault rifle, this rifle has been in use by NATO countries since 1964. Among U.S. firearms owners, fully automatic civilian M16 model production was restricted after 1986, but due to its long history there are many in circulation, as well as international versions and knockoffs of the weapon. Two versions exist in the game:
  • M16: it is unclear what version the mesh was modeled after, or if it was modeled based on an M16 or similar weapon. Because of the nature of the AR-15/M4/M16 family of weapons, this weapon (and variants) is presumed to be in widespread used by several factions. Commonly used by: various.
  • M16 with grenade launcher: this version has the addition of the M203 grenade launcher as part of its package, allowing for the deployment of extra ordnance against opponents. This version is available to players. Commonly used by: Military forces, Paragon City Police Department, Assault rifle-enabled characters.
• Musketoon: the shorter version of the better-known musket, the version Nemesis uses has been modified substantially to reach firing ranges comparable to modern rifles and carbines. This weapons is available to players as the unlockable Nemesis rifle. Commonly used by: Nemesis.
• Revolver: a repeating firearm that consists of multiple chambers in a revolving cylinder and at least one barrel for firing. There is more than one type used in the game.
  • Basic model: this is the most basic firearm, meant to represent the "Saturday night special". The game uses a simple mesh for this weapon, so it's impossible to determine the model the developers used, or even if they used one. In use by several factions in the game, as well as heroes and villains, this This weapon is also available as a temporary power. Commonly used by: various.
  • Magnum revolver: a more powerful variant with a longer barrel, this version is likely based on the Colt Anaconda. Commonly used by: Mastermind thugs.
• Thompson submachine gun: known in the game as the Tommy gun, this is an American submachine gun that became infamous during the Prohibition era, often shown with the bulky and unpractical drum magazine. This weapon is available to players as an unlockable item. Commonly used by: Family, Mooks, Rifle-enabled player characters.
• Uzi submachine gun: a family of guns that started with a compact, boxy, and lightweight submachine gun. There is more than one type used in the game.
  • Basic model: the traditional, ubiquitous Uzi is used by several factions in the game. Commonly used by: various.
  • Mini Uzi: a scaled-down version of the Uzi, this is primarily used by Mastermind thugs as a part of the "Equip Thugs" upgrade. Commonly used by: Mastermind thugs.

Incendiary Weapons

• Dynamite: an explosive based on the explosive potential of nitroglycerin, usually found compressed into a cylindrical shape and wrapped in paper. Several of these, tied together and lit with a fuse, are the preferred weapons of Scrapyarder demolitionists. Commonly used by: Scrapyarders.
• Grenade: a small hand-held anti-personnel weapon designed to be thrown and then explode after a short time. There are several types used in the game:
  • Percussion grenade: meant to do damage to opponents, this version detonates on impact with a target. Commonly used by: Council, Fifth Column.
  • Stun grenade: also known as "flashbang grenades", these are used to confuse, disorient, or distract a potential threat and can seriously degrade combat effectiveness of affected personnel for up to a minute. Note that a slightly weaker version of this weapon, the Flashbang grenade, is available as a temporary power. Commonly used by: Malta, temporary-powered player characters.
• Molotov cocktail: a glass bottle containing gasoline fuel with a fuse consisting of a fuel-soaked rag held in place by the bottle's stopper. An easy-to-make incendiary weapon used by many low-level gangs. Commonly used by: Hellions, Mastermind thugs.

Swords and Daggers

• Broadswords: in modern usage, "broadsword" inappropriately refers to a category of swords, specifically those designed for cutting and slashing attacks. Several of these are found in the game:
  • Arming sword: referred to in the game as the Legacy broadsword, this is the single handed cruciform sword of the High Middle Ages. Commonly used by: Battle Maiden's troops, Legacy Chain, Warriors, Broadsword-enabled player characters.
  • Flambard: referred in the game as the Flamberge, these swords are known for their unique wave-patterned blades. Commonly used by: Circle of Thorns, Broadsword-enabled player characters.
  • Longsword: also known as a "bastard sword" or "greatsword", it is commonly held in combat with both hands, though some may be used single-handed. The ice sword created by ice manipulators and ice assailants may also be of this type, but due to the unique model, it is difficult to confirm if such a blade would belong in this category. Commonly used by: Ice manipulation-enabled player characters, Icy assault-enabled player characters, Broadsword-enabled player characters.
• Japanese swords: the nihontō is a traditional sword of Japan, categorized into several types according to size and build. Several of these are found in the game:
  • Katana: a straight edge longsword. It should be noted that the "Tsoo katana" weapon available to players is treated as a broadsword and not as a katana. Several heroes, villains, factions and player characters have the ability to use this weapon. Commonly used by: various.
  • Ninjatō: referred to in the game as the Ninja blade, these blades were slightly shorter than other Japanese longswords, allowing for faster strikes. Commonly used by: Mastermind ninjas, Katana-enabled player characters, Dual-bladed player characters, Ninja blade-enabled player characters.
• Scimitar: a sword with a curved blade design finding its origins in the Middle East. There are many examples in the game:
  • Khopesh: the Egyptian name of the Canaanite "sickle-sword", its origins can be traced back to third millennium Sumer. Though it predates (and is unrelated) to the scimitar class of swords, this blade tends to be grouped in with them. Commonly used by: Broadsword-enabled player characters.
  • Saif: simply called a Scimitar in-game, these blades are single-handed swords, sporting a single edged, variably curved blade, with a false edge at the tip. Commonly used by: Dual-bladed player characters.
• Shortsword: a sword shorter than the "standard" ones but yet longer than a dagger. A few examples exist in the game:
  • Falcata: a one-edged blade, pitching forward towards a concave point on the lower part of the sword and convex on top. This allows the sword to deliver a blow with the momentum of an axe while maintaining the cutting edge of a sword. It should be noted that the model used in the game is erroneous; the concave part of the sword is towards the weilder vice the opponent.[1] Commonly used by Dual-bladed player characters.
  • Gladius: the short sword used by Roman troops, the version in the game is nearly double the length of actual examples. In design, the game model is closest to the Gladius Pompeianus, which is the longest known example. Commonly used by: Broadsword-enabled player characters.
  • Kopis: an ancient Greek single-edged sword with a heavy forward-curving blade, designed for delivering strong cleaving blows. Commonly used by: Snakes.
  • Machete: a large cleaver-like cutting tool which can be also be classified as a basic sword, because it can be used like one. In many countries, a machete is common; consequently, it is often the weapon of choice for uprisings (the poor man's sword). However, its agricultural uses extend to clearing brush and other objects as well. Used as a weapon in the game. Commonly used by: Luddites, Sky Raiders.

Vehicles

• Helicopters: the helicopters used by Longbow and Vanguard forces are of two different makes:
  • Mi-17: this variant of the Mi-8 Hip is used primarily for troop and cargo transport. Considering the missions traditionally undertaken by both groups, the particular models used would likely be the heavily-armored Mi-171Sh variant.
• PPD Police Vehicles: Paragon City's police forces use several familiar vehicles to carry out their duties.
  • Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor: though not officially referred to in such in the game, this vehicle, used by many North American police agencies, is most likely the model referenced for the standard police cruiser.
  • PPD SWAT van: These vehicles are made by several different manufacturers but share similar designs, the most common of which is the Ford Econoline. The game uses a generic mesh for this vehicle, making it difficult to determine the model the developers used or if one was used at all.

Fictional

Bows and Projectiles

• Arcane wooden bow: while it is possible that a civilization may have had a bow of this nature, nothing of such a design is known to exist. It should be noted that the design of the bow shares some similarities to the Flatbow, which is of the same general shape and was often designed by the societies that created them. Commonly used by: Bow-wielding player characters.
• Exploding shuriken: While the Bo-shuriken design would lend itself better to this than the ninja star, either would be very unstable for such use. In use by several hero and villain factions, this power is also available to weapons masters as well. Commonly used by: various.
• Wrist-mounted crossbow: while the design, built into the costumes of the Knives of Artemis' combatants, is rather striking, such a mounting would be both impractical in use and would lead to long-term wrist and arm injury, reducing the combatant's effectiveness. Commonly used by: Knives of Artemis.

Disabling Weapons

• Hand grenades: the following are fictional variants of grenades:
  • Sonic grenade: similar in intent to the above mentioned stun grenade, this version simply emits a loud sound, distracting (lowering resistance) of the target. In real-world applications, this is already built into the stun grenade in addition to its blinding properties. Commonly used by: Gold Brickers.
  • Web grenade: a hand-held grenade variant which on contact releases a webbing compound designed to entangle (immobilize) an opponent. Similar weapons have been developed for launchers, though not on a hand-held scale and with the intent to completely ensnare, not entangle, a target. Used by several factions in the game as well as Device-enabled player characters, this weapon is also available as a temporary power. Commonly used by: various.

Firearms

• Match compensator: a sleek, advanced high-caliber semi-auto pistol with a built-in laser sight and (presumably) a compensator, firing specialized ("matched") bullets for heightened accuracy. The mesh used is an original one, but shares design similarities to the ubiquitous Browning M1911. It is used by several factions in the game, as well as being made available to players as a weapons customization. It should be noted that due to their fragile nature, matched ammunition tends to be used exclusively in competition shooting. Commonly used by: various.
• Storm rifle: a long barreled weapon with a bayonet affixed at the end. Similar in design to a blunderbuss, the weapon is far more accurate, firing compact high-explosive and/or chemical warfare shells. This weapon is available to players as the unlockable Nemesis rifle 2. Commonly used by: Nemesis.
• Tactical sidearm: a semi-auto pistol with a scope, silencer and a laser sight favored by Malta Gunslingers. It should be noted that though the weapon has a laser sight, the version used by the Malta does not emanate a beam. Due to the simplicity of the mesh, it is difficult to tell if a reference was used, though it shares design similarities to the fully-outfitted Heckler & Koch Mark 23 used by US Special Forces. This weapon is available to players. Commonly used by: Malta, Mastermind thug player characters.
• Vanguard "Redding" rifle: an automatic assault rifle, presumably with capabilities similar to comparable firearms. The weapon itself may be named after Redding, a gun equipment manufacturer. This weapon is available as an unlockable item. Commonly used by: Vanguard, Assault rifle-enabled player characters.

Swords and Daggers

• Arabian scimitar: though it would seem as though this sword is real, the truth is that the "ubiquitous" large-bladed scimitar is fictional in origin and a product of Hollywood fantasy, closer in reality to cutlasses and dao swords. Scirocco's sword is also of this type, as are the flame swords used by fire manipulators. Commonly used by: Fire manipulation-enabled characters, Broadsword-enabled player characters.

Equipment

Vehicles

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• • Bayonet is still in use as the standard hand to hand combat weapon for the troop of the Nemesis Army.
  • Daggers are used mostly by mystical groups.
  • Handclaws are used by groups such as the Tsoo Bronze Leopard school, the street gang of the Praetorian Bobcat and even the Arachnos Blood Widows.
  • Kama is another of the weapons also almost exclusively used by the Tsoo.
  • Tomahawks are found in the hands of the undead soldiers of the Banished Pantheon.

• Ranged weapons
  • Darts are used often by the same groups which use shurikens. Rather than hurt the darts, instead, tend to poison or sleep the target.
  • Long bow is the only kind of bow currently in game. Found in the hands of foes with a stealthy nature or medieval/mythic background, or even in the hands of street gangs with old ages tastes such as The Warriors. Also, bows are the signature weapon of the group Wyvern, but I'm not sure about the kind of bows this group use.
  • Crosssbow can be found often in the hands of the same groups which use long bows, and for the same reasons. Also used by Knives of Artemis.

• Firearms
  • Shotguns can be found commonly in the hands of high rank members of street gangs or low level paramilitary. This is a potent, destructive weapon designed for close combat range, do not confuse it with a rifle.
  • MP5 Submachinegun often fills the role of Advanced Submachinegun in game. Used by paramilitary forces, mercenaries and well-funded security forces.
  • SCAR assault rifle is a last generation assault rifle which can be found exclusively in the hands of the Paragon Police Ghosts.
  • Gatling Gun A miniaturized version of this weapon is used by the Nemesis Support Troops, in a strange weapon which combines both a flamethrower and a Gatling gun.

• Equipment
  • The helicopters used by Longbow to go and come from disputed (PvP) zones seem to be russian Mil Mi-8. Besides, during one of the missions from Peter Themari in City of Villains your character will be sent to Skyway City to save Olivia Darque. There you can see the Blood Bay helicopter: For some reason, the model is not a Mil Mi-8, but a fearsome Mil Mi-24.