Ok, let's get straight to business. I've gotten all the unlocks and played around with them for a little, and it's only been 3 hours.

Direct Hit (Faster rockets, higher damage, lower splash): In my opinion, this is pretty even with the normal launcher in terms of effectiveness. The best place to use this is in corridor or small space room maps, so you're aim is a lot smaller and you're much more likely to land some direct hits. In open spaced maps, go with the normal one so you can utilize the splash damage. Definitely a different style, so find which you like better.

Bugle/Banner (15 seconds of boosting power [mini-crits]): This is probably the most useful out of all the unlocks. You need to deal a good bit of damage to charge up the RAGE METER, but if you stay behind the lines and just support, you'll get it in no time. Then fire, and try to run around as many teammates as possible to give them the boost. The mini crits really help out. This is FANTASTIC in 16+ player games, when you're defending a point or something. Replacing the shotgun is kind of a drawback, but it can still definitely help your team.

Pickaxe (Lowered health gives speed and damage boost): This weapon is a last resort, being melee and all. But you can usually hold your own just rushing at people with it. For fun, I would just shoot myself a few times for low health, and then run straight towards the enemy and start whacking everyone. I managed to get 4 kills with it on a heavily populated map. Definitely better than the shovel, IMO. Only use it once you're low on health, and are near death.

Gunboats (-75% self-rocket damage): Very useful for rocket jumping, obviously. It allows you to get around the map faster, using the rockets as a way of transportation. Previously you could only rocket jump 2-4 times before you'd die. Definitely a great unlock and I would choose it over the shotgun in most situations. The only time I would use the shotgun is if it's a small map and there's no need for rocket jumping.

Thanks for the review. I plan to use the Equalizer and Gunboats at all times while switching between the Direct Hit and the regular Rocket Launcher as the situation calls for.

Nice review! I already posted my thoughts on Direct Hit in another topic (IT'S LIKE I'M REALLY HOLDING THE QUAKE ROCKET LAWNCHAIR ). Haven't played around with the other weapons enough to really give an educated opinion about them, gunboots look fun as hell though.

Well for one, I prefer the default rocket launcher, using the splash damage and all. The most useful I would say is the Equalizer, being able to transport you to different places at extreme speed.

I believe the shovel would be getting a boost soon like the needle gun.

Theres a lot of people using Direct Hit. Some of them owned, most sucked. If you cant aim, stop kidding yourself and switch back. I really missed splash damage when trying it out. IMO, Shotgun=Banner for the most part, but Gunboats are more of a novelty equip. Shotgun is too diverse to lose to Gunboats

Direct Hit > Rocket Launcher, but just like MRTW113 you do have to have some aiming skills. Believe it or not, but it handles a lot like the good old Rocket Lawnchair from Quake 3, only with faster rockets.

Ah yes, and I think there should be some basic changes made to make things easier:

*Put in the description of the Equalizer that Medics cannot heal while it is out. I've seen good ubers wasted when good-meaning Soldiers run out of rockets and pull out their equalizer, promptly losing their uber and being obliterated. Also, if you are wearing gunboats and run out of rockets, no medic can save you (you automatically pull out equalizer) until you get ammo

*Second, simply make the buff banner a charge bar, so in the middle of combat you dont accidentally pull it out instead or your RL and die as a result. Only when its full and you press M2 will you switch to the buff banner, play it, and then switch back to your previous weapon. Solly doesn't have any M2 function anyway, so might as well