Cut'n'Dry Weapons Guide

Potential spoilers

Purpose

Some out-of-game explanation that will leave you feeling more satisfied and confident about your gameplay abilities.

Terminology

When I mention a weapon's damage, unlock level, or ammo capacity I am usually comparing it to other available items. Weapon damage is relative, especially considering your enemy,
For example a pistol may have low damage compared to fusion rockets, but you can obliterate many low-level guards with the pistol while simply overkilling guards with the fusion rocket.

Harder game difficulty = LESS AMMO PICKUPS AND TOUGHER ENEMIES (they deal more damage and take less damage).


Early Game:
Getting to know the situation at Ultor mining sites, witnessing the start of the rebellion led by the Red Faction, and being tested by time and trial to rise in the ranks. You have very basic weapons and will notice a big change in damage output and efficiency when you enter mid-game where guards become better equipped with respect to defense and offense. You escort Gryphon to the drop-off point. You encounter machine (robot) mini-bosses.

Mid Game:
Exploring the extent of the damage Ultor has dealt to the human race. You have a wider array of weapons and are expected to carry out direct orders from Eos and Hendrix. The Red Faction respects you. You confront the source of the plague and seek Capek's aid and demise. You encounter monster (mutant worm) mini-bosses.

Late Game:
The Red Faction is in grave danger. You witness the ugly transfromation of many innocent lives into mutants at the hands of the plague. Hendrix is assassinated and you are forced to face Masako in order to reconnect with Earth's worthy defense corps. You encounter many booby-traps and time-sensitive missions. You must save carefully and often. You obtain massively-damaging weapons and find enemies with full body armor. Try and find weak-spots to take them out.

Basic info and strategy

I will sort these in order of when you can unlock them (roughly speaking). As you scroll down, you will encounter more weapons later in the game! Simple.

Control Baton

This is a euphemism for a taser. Primary attack bashes, secondary consumes a charge to stun enemies. You can pickup refill charges throughout the game.
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Remote Charge

Use the crosshair to toss one and stick it forward. Press attack again to detonate it. Don't be nearby. And unlike in the Half-Life series, you can't place more than one charge at a time. You will need these to progress quickly through the game. Also, some hidden areas are only accessible by blasting rock - including the first location of the fusion rocket.
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Pistol

• Holds lots of ammo, but low damage
  
• RMB activates the suppressor/silencer

You end up with only this weapon when you choose to go undercover you slowly regain your weapons later, but [b}combat is painfully slow.[/b] Fodder for large enemies while smaller, less armored ones, are still worth pulling this out for. Most unarmored humans can't take manny shots of this, especially to the head.
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Flamethrower

Deals damage by setting things on fire
Best saved for guarded arilocks and crowded passages. Controlled burns will keep you safe, since enemies on fire can spread the fire to any NPC or Parker (i.e. YOU) by coming in contact with them. Believe me, when they are on fire, THEY WILL RUN.
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Assault Rifle

Less clicking, more shots. Poor aim makes this a close - medium range combat choice. Best used with many enemies around.
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Grenade

Fling on an uneventful surface and it will explode in a few seconds. If an enemy such as yourself is in its trajectory, you will be damaged immediately instead.
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Rocket Launcher

High damage, area-of effect. Great for canyons stand-offs, taking out vehicles like copters, and blasting rock. Don't be near ground zero! Low ammo capacity. Use sparingly.
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SMG

Much like the assault rifle. Supports an alternate fire
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Sniper Rifle

Great for long range enemies. Pay attention to movement patterns though. Dispenses one shot at a time.
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Fusion Rocket

Extremely rare ammo pickups, even on Easy difficulty. Save for boss battles. More damage than rocket launcher. Severe damage to self if caught in blast radius.
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Heavy Machine Gun

Best close-medium range combat damage. Many shots per round.
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Precision Rifle

High damage and great range capabilities even if you don't use the crosshair-zoom feature.
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Rail Standard

High piercing damage (will strike an enemy behind your target, if any). Extremely effective in crammed hallways. Strongly suggested![/b]
*If YOU are hit by one of these, even on Easy mode it's usually an OHKO. The enemy AI wields the Railgun with deadly precision.
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Game, Why We Have No Pickaxe?!? (A Player's Rant)

Sadly, this game has no visible entity for this:
Perhaps there is one in the game program code, but it's certainly not used....Perhaps there were one or two shown in the cutscene intro. In my playthrough, I did not see a single pickaxe on the ground, in a display case, or held by an NPC. Which is strange considering this game is about an unhealthy mining operation and the politics surrounding it. Whatever clever ruse was used by THQ/Volition, there are plenty of sensible weapons available throughout the game that leave little to be desired. At least we have respectable, determined rebels, since they're willing to fight at the same level as the enemy, picking up dropped ammo and specialty weapons in dangerous territory. You can even hijack enemy vehicles including submarines, cars, tanks, and space helicopters with separate weapons and ammo.. Still, the game logo leaves lingering thoughts. One might assume the developers playtested a pickaxe, but did not find it sustainable for combat-mutiny on a global level.
Sorry, just couldn't help exploring that!!
~~~This rant was brought to you by The Vhampster~~~

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[Sachiel]

lol no shotgun

[Shotgun Sters]

Shotgun?

[xIS0LAT0Rx]

[Enlightened]

I think they didn't added pickaxe in the game just because it useless, and we have that stunstick which can both hit and taze enemies, but I think melee weapons just useless.

[thunkinator]

The whole pickaxe thing is something I could agree on in all honesty. They very well could have just made it a slower, heavier melee weapon.

[Trygger]

Where can you get the fusion rocket early with the remote charges? Earliest secret area to find it I know of is after you meet capek, when you're in the caves, there's a thing with a tiny hole near the floor on your right, and if you blow it up with charges, you can follow this path to this area with a thing in the middle. If you jump on it and hit the use key, and bounce around near the exit tunnel, you can get full health, armor, a fusion rocket launcher, and a tank of flamethrower fuel.

Are there any other locations where you can find it earlier?

[Tank_Jr]

how do i defeat Kapec?

[Starner]

You might want to add the riot shield as it is an acquirable melee weapon.

[SleepBird 🌱]

...the logo is a pickaxe because it's a classic, traditional mining tool

[Eldritch Horror Saya]

Ah yes Vhamp, thats not a problem :) and by the way why i posted something here is because i started replaying Red Faction all over again and still its such a great game :)