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Hefty but portable, the BARNSTORMER shoots missiles that explode into deadly shrapnel.
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BSI Weapons 4

The Barnstormer, known in-game as the RPG, is a heavy artillery weapon in Booker DeWitt's arsenal in BioShock Infinite. Although it can only fire a total of two shots before having to reload, each one delivers an explosive payload capable of taking out large groups as well as fortified constructs. In between shots, Booker must crank the weapon to chamber the next rocket. Booker can also use it to aim, although its range is limited to its crosshairs.

Gameplay[]

The Barnstormer RPG is an incredibly powerful weapon that fires slow-moving but deadly rocket-propelled grenades toward your enemies. These rockets inflict incredible damage and can take out several enemies in a single shot or destroy a Heavy Hitter very quickly.

An RPG can first be seen among the contraband weapons hidden in the secret stash in The Fellow Traveller. If the player doesn't find the secret room, they will find another RPG lying on top of a crate near the trolley in the Hall of Heroes Plaza.

It's best to employ the RPG against adversaries that are a moderate distance away, as using it too close can backfire, since Booker isn't immune to the explosion damage caused by RPG ammo. It's also generally not worth the ammo to use the RPG against single foes—save it for Heavy Hitters or massive groups.

RPG explosions have the same fire effect as the Devil's Kiss Vigor, which allows the player to use it instead of the Vigor, though ammo is much less common than Salts. Also, RPG rockets can set oil slicks ablaze, creating a devastating wall of flames! Firemen are unaffected by the blast though.

Be careful when using the RPG against distant enemies: because its rockets do not travel very quickly, opponents may have time to move out of the way long before the rocket reaches them. The speed of the rockets can be upgraded however, so enemies will have less time to dodge the attacks.

This weapon should NOT be used against the Boys of Silence in Comstock House. Despite its firepower, the Boys' Tear-manipulation will protect them from the blast, and player will only end up wasting more ammo if they use the RPG on the summoned minions.

BSI Weapons 4

Advantages[]

  • Rockets deal massive damage
  • Rockets have the same effect as Devil's Kiss
  • Splash damage dealt
  • Nitro Vest increases splash damage
  • Dispatches groups easily
  • Fairly common
  • Useful against Heavy Hitters

Disadvantages[]

  • Small clip size
  • Long reload time
  • Slow-moving rockets
  • Not immune to splash damage
  • Ineffective against Firemen

Gallery[]

Release[]

Pre-Release[]

Behind the Scenes[]

  • "Acta Non Verba", Latin for "Deeds, Not Words" is inscribed on the side of the weapon.
  • In reality, rocket launchers were not invented until World War II. However, it may be possible that the RPG, alongside the Machine Gun, was one of the technologies Columbia obtained from Tears.
  • The initial firing mechanism for the RPG is a large spring that launches the rocket-propelled grenade away from the person firing it before the rocket motor activates. This copper-colored spring can be seen coiled around the RPG round in the side view.
  • An early version of the RPG bears a strong resemblance to the infamous Soviet RPG-7, which entered service in 1961.
  • The achievement/trophy Master of Pyrotechnics requires 20 kills with the RPG to unlock.
  • A piece of concept art by BioShock Infinite's developer Mauricio Tejerina shows a possible Vox variant for the RPG unused for the game. This makeshift modified weapon had an extra container for an increased magazine and automatic reload. Like other Vox modified weapons, it had parts painted in red and red pieces of cloth attached to it.[2]

References[]

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