This Weapon Sucks: Weapon Appreciation

At some point in time you'll find yourself stuck with a weapon you don't like. This is where it's important to be able to use every weapon effectively, and know every weapon's strengths and weaknesses. You'll also want to know which weapons are most effective short-range, and which are most effective long-range.

Blaster: As you know, you spawn with the blaster your only weapon. It is a pretty useless long-range weapon, but enough to finish someone off at close-range if they are low on health so don't be afraid to let off a couple of shots while looking for a better gun. Its shots do travel at a reasonable speed so you will often get one or two hits in, and if you catch someone using the railgun at close range then you stand quite a good chance of bringing them down if they are at 100 health / 0 armour.

Shotgun: The shotgun is pretty useless and shouldn't be considered a primary goal when it comes to picking up weapons. Its firing rate is slow, and it does little damage although it is possible to kill someone with two close-up shots if they have less than 100 health. The spread of bullets doesn't break up as much over long distances like its bigger brother, however; and hence is more suited to sniping than the Super Shotgun.

Super Shotgun: Now this is a gun. Able to kill an unarmoured opponent at close range it is a great confrontation weapon. It's quite useless at long range though; its bullets spread out so much often you'll miss completely at a fair distance. It's definitely useful in small levels; but still be on the way to something bigger and better.

Machinegun: Not entirely useless; the machinegun is a good finishing weapon if the chaingun isn't handy and it delivers a constant rate of fire meaning you're basically guaranteed to inflict some pain. Once you hear the sub-25 health pain noise from an opponent it can be wise to switch to the machinegun if they're a fair distance away.

Chaingun: The bigger, badder machinegun takes a second to spin up to full power but once it does - watch out. An excellent close-range weapon that'll eat someone up in no time provided you can circle-strafe well. It's the ultimate companion to the railgun, however; as one hit from the railgun will often cripple an opponent and letting loose with the chaingun afterwards will finish them off no problems. It has the advantage also of practically blinding someone who's being pelted by it. The chaingun is also very useful underwater.

Handgrenades: Handgrenades, while better than the blaster as a general run-around weapon, are basically useless. Don't be afraid to throw a few around where you think your opponent might be, however; but make sure it's not going to give away your position if you do.

Grenade Launcher: Sometimes you might find yourself requiring the use of this weapon; however it is not something you go out of your way to collect if you have a better weapon with a healthy stock of ammo.

Rocket Launcher: The most versatile weapon; generally in a 1-on-1 situation you always want to be holding this while running around unless you are a perfect shot with the railgun. Its splash damage means it is important to fire at your opponent's feet rather than straight at them, or a nearby wall or ceiling will work just as well. The rocket launcher is also the easiest gun to weapon-jump with - if you aim at the ground, then fire and jump simultaneously you'll jump much further than normal (but be prepared to lose 53 health for a perfect jump). If you have less than 53 health, but need to rocketjump; fire the rocket after you've jumped instead - this won't lose you as much health; but still get you enough distance (usually) to go where you want to go.

Hyperblaster: The hyperblaster is an often underrated weapon; however in close quarters it is ideal as a carrying weapon if you are low on health or do not have a rocket launcher handy. It doesn't go through ammo as much as the chaingun but if you can train the cells onto your opponent well, it certainly inflicts a considerable amount of pain. If you have quad, this is without doubt the best weapon to use for close- and medium-range encounters, as just two shots will take down an unarmoured opponent with 100 health. Keep in mind that in a friendly 'net game it is considered bad etiquette to use the hyperblaster if modem users are playing - it has a tendency to lag modemers out, even with the 'fix' implemented in the later versions of Quake II.

Railgun: The railgun, delivering 100 points of damage per shot, is the ultimate weapon for those who can aim. You need to be spot-on as there is no splash damage, and it takes time to reload each shot. For new players it is recommended that the railgun only be used at long and medium range; however once you get very good at spinning around and shooting a target anywhere around you then it should be your primary weapon for just about any situation. It's also great underwater as your opponent will be an easier target. The best defense against the railgun is the chaingun - it blinds your opponent making it extremely difficult to aim properly. Also, note that a single armour shard or health bonus will give you an extra 'life' so to speak against the railgun - but, with only 2 health remaining as a result; will leave you wide open to a chaingun/machinegun/super shotgun finish.

BFG10K: The Big Friendly Gun is regarded by many as a bad addition to the Quake II series of weapons. However, it's there, so it's pointless boycotting it. Make sure you fire the BFG at the ground, or anywhere that'll hit close to your opponent. Remember that if the BFG's orb explodes directly between you and an opponent they will take an enormous amount of damage, generally killing them instantly. The BFG's main weakness is it emits a warning sound seconds before it discharges meaning your opponent will know it's coming and have the opportunity to duck behind a crate or something - or, even worse; jump out infront of you with a super shotgun =).