The Art of Explosion: RPGs Finally Added to Tarkov!
- 3 days ago
- 3 min read
Updated: 2 days ago
The long-awaited rocket launcher has finally landed in the game, bringing with it a blast of destruction, new quests, and a whole lot of boom. In this article, we break down how to get it, what it can do, and why it might change the battlefield forever.
We made it, folks!
After several months of waiting since it was first announced, the RPG—or more precisely, the RShG-2 72.5mm rocket launcher—has finally been added to the game with Patch 0.16.6.0, and is now available for players to obtain.
The first hint of the rocket launcher’s arrival came through the "Art of Explosion" video released by BSG and Nikita on social media and in the EFT launcher.
How to Obtain the RShG-2 72.5mm Rocket Launcher
To get it, you’ll need to complete the The Art of Explosion quest, which is given by Prapor once you reach level 33 and have completed the Granadier quest.
The quest requires you to eliminate any 35 targets while using grenades or grenade launchers (underbarrels included).
Once completed, you’ll be able to purchase the RShG-2 from Prapor LL4, one unit per trader reset (plus you’ll get one as a quest reward).
You can also obtain three more by completing the Fearless Beast quest, which is given by Jaeger.
"Fearless Beast" is the final step in a chain of 5 quests that starts with Fight Back, which unlocks at level 10 and after completing Aquaintance.
Early Field Tests & What We Know So Far
Naturally, the most hardcore players (and those with the most free time)—especially streamers—rushed to complete the required quests and claim the long-awaited "tube", immediately setting off to blow up Scavs, Bosses, and other players.
One of the first was streamer Willerz, who gathered a group of followers in an offline co-op raid to conduct tests. Here’s what they discovered:
The hot gases from the backblast can damage the user if the RPG is fired near a wall or fired vertically, causing the blast to hit the player.
The backblast does not appear to harm players behind the shooter. UPDATE: I've seen another video by Airwingmarine and the blackblast killed a player behind the one shooting the RPG.
The explosion does a lot of damage, but:
The blast radius is relatively small—smaller than expected—possibly a balancing decision to prevent it from being overpowered.
The damage can be inconsistent. When Willerz fired at a group of followers, one survived completely unscathed, even though they were all close together.
When his followers stood in a line, the first and last died, but the ones in the middle took no damage.
When firing a rocket straight up at 90°, it never came back down.
The BTR vehicle cannot be destroyed or damaged by rockets, even after being hit multiple times during testing (apparently, the devs made it out of disappointment-proof material).
Check The Videos
I recommend watching Willerz’s video—it’s both informative and hilarious (and hey, give it a like to support one of the first players to get and test this new weapon of mass destruction): THE RPG GOT ADDED to Escape from Tarkov!
Streamer SheefGG also made a video showcasing some RPG gameplay and additional testing (and show some love for him too): RPG UNLOCKED (NEW EVENT AND QUESTLINE)
My Take
To be honest, my first instinct is not exactly excitement about this new weapon. It feels too powerful and will inevitably be abused by griefers looking to ruin someone’s day.
That said, let’s wait and see how things evolve before jumping to conclusions. After all, tripwires and other mechanics like mortar strikes were also met with skepticism at first, but turned out to be not so bad after all (or not even used by players).
What do you think? Let me know your thoughts in the comments! If you've already tried the rocket launcher, how does it feel—and how do you think it will affect the game?
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