AVRiL

Anti-Vehicle Rocket Launcher
Game info
Type	Projectile
Appears in	Unreal Tournament 2004 Unreal Tournament 3
Properties
Primary Fire	Fire a slow-moving rocket against vehicles
Primary Fire	Fire a slow-moving rocket against vehicles
Secondary Fire	Lock-on zoom
Secondary Fire	Lock-on zoom

The AVRiL (full name Anti-Vehicle Rocket Launcher, also called Longbow AVRiL) is a weapon appearing in Unreal Tournament 2004 and Unreal Tournament 3.

Overview

Introduced in Unreal Tournament 2004 for the Onslaught gametype, the (AVRiL) (the i only enhances pronunciation) is often the foot soldier's weapon of choice against vehicles. It returns in Unreal Tournament 3 as the Longbow AVRiL with a few upgrades, like being able to guide Spider Mines.

Unreal Tournament 2004

AVRiL
Game info
Type	Projectile
Properties
Primary Fire	125 (structures) 200 (vehicles)
Primary Fire	125 (structures) 200 (vehicles)
Primary ROF	4.0 s
Primary ROF	4.0 s
Ammo
Weapon Ammo	5
Weapon Ammo	5
Pickup Ammo	5
Pickup Ammo	5
Maximum Ammo	35
Maximum Ammo	35
Death messages
Primary fire	"<Fragged> was blown away by <Fragger> with an AVRiL."
Primary fire	"<Fragged> was blown away by <Fragger> with an AVRiL."

"Designed to be used strictly against vehicles, the AVRiL allows infantry a fighting chance. Once the AVRiL has aquired lock, it fires a solid-fuel missile which will track the target as long as the reticle is held on the vehicle. The missile tracks its intended target when fired, able to pull 4 G's and 2 ninety degree turns in 100 feet. Alt-fire allows the player view to hold and zoom on the locked target. Armed only milliseconds before impact, the missile explodes on contact, delivering the full force of a shaped PolyDiChlorite charge into the delivery point. Slow to recharge, the AVRiL must be used with caution, but can turn the tide in a pitched battle."

– UT2004 manual

Unreal Tournament 3

AVRiL
Game info
Type	Projectile
Properties
Primary Fire	125 (structures) 200 (vehicles)
Primary Fire	125 (structures) 200 (vehicles)
Primary ROF	3.8 s
Primary ROF	3.8 s
Ammo
Weapon Ammo	5
Weapon Ammo	5
Pickup Ammo	5
Pickup Ammo	5
Maximum Ammo	15
Maximum Ammo	15
Death messages
Primary fire	"<Fragged> rode <Fragger>'s rocket to oblivion."
Primary fire	"<Fragged> rode <Fragger>'s rocket to oblivion."

"The Longbow Anti-Vehicle Rocket Launcher, a.k.a. the "AVRiL", gives dismounted infantry a fighting chance in an armored conflict. Its solid fuel missile can be "dumbfired" as an unguided rocket, but the AVRiL's famed kill percentages come from its optical tracking system. The alternate fire zooms and locks on to a vehicle, guiding the missile towards its target at inescapable speeds.

The missile's microdappled control planes use increased surface area to give unprecedented turning radius, guaranteeing delivery of its shaped PolyDiChlorite charge into all but the most nimble vehicles. The AVRiL is notoriously slow to reload, so it should be employed with caution in a pitched battle. Note, the Longbow's targeting laser is standardized for most Axon military equipment, so it can be used in other battlefield applications such as directing spider mines."

– Weapon description

The Longbow AVRiL functions more or less identically to its UT2004 counterpart, although now locking on with Secondary Fire produces a visible tracer. The AVRiL is now hand loaded. Its tracking beam can be used to "herd" Spider Mines, much like the alt-fire on the Mine Layer in UT2004, and the tracking beam is also visible to combat problems where a person could get shot with AVRiLs and not know where the enemy is. If a friendly teammate fires an AVRiL and they have not locked onto a target after a few seconds, it is possible to use your own AVRiL to lock onto a target with the targeting beam, which will actually cause the missile to come flying back towards its new target!

Related Achievements

	Big Game Hunter  10
	Get the "Big Game Hunter" award in 10 matches.

Tips and tricks

In general

• The AVRiL can be used against infantry, but doesn't do significantly more damage than the normal Rocket Launcher. Its limited fire rate, slow initial travel speed, and accelerating projectile, not to mention the lack of lock-on to foot soldiers, severely limit its use for this.
• The amount of direct shots required to take down a vehicle vary according to that vehicle's size. Mantas, Vipers and Scavengers are usually taken down in one shot, Scorpions, Raptors and Furies need two shots to get taken down, Cicadas, Hellbenders, StealthBenders and Nightshades need 3, Nemesis and Goliaths around 4 (the latter requires 5 in UT3), Darkwalkers 5, the SPMA requires 3 in UT2004 and 6 in UT3, and the Leviathan requires 25 shots in UT2004 and 33 in UT3.

Unreal Tournament 2004

• The AVRiL has a bad recoil that can push the user off of a platform.
• AVRiLs are anti-vehicle rockets. There is an AVRiL gun, and an AVRiL turret on the Raptor. Both lock onto enemy vehicles when you keep the vehicle in your crosshair. Guns track better than raptor alt-fire.
• The AVRiL gun crosshair can autotrack a vehicle by hitting the alt-fire.
• Drivers get a warning message when you lock on with the AVRiL. To give them less time to react, fire in the general direction of a vehicle and lock on when the missile is close to your target.
• Locking on to an active SPMA camera will redirect AVRiL rockets to its source once they get close enough. An on-screen notification saying "SPMA Acquired" will appear to signify this, as well as the rocket's trail abruptly veering towards a different direction.

Capture tips

The following are a series of tips released by the defunct website Capture.

"Onslaught 101 - The AVRiL – Anti Vehicle Rocket Launcher

This weapon was made specifically for ONS (although it looks like we'll get some vehicular Assault levels in the full game). When you get a manned vehicle in your sights, the targeting reticle will change slightly and you will hear a beep to let you know you have a lock. By pressing fire, you will release a rocket that will follow that target lock. After firing, if you press secondary fire your view will zoom on that vehicle and lock onto it is at moves. This makes it easier to guide the rocket toward your target! Be aware, however, that if you lose line of sight with your target, the lock is gone.

Strategies with this weapon are obvious – find a vehicle and take it down! I do have a few tips, however. You can fire a rocket and lock onto a vehicle after you fire the rocket. This can help you surprise a Raptor or other vehicle, because they won't know that you are locked on until it's too late! When that rocket gets really close, it moves incredibly fast and crazy! Also, it helps to find high ground when using this weapon – you have a better view, and sometimes it makes it harder for others to take you down. Just beware of snipers when doing this!"

– SlayerDragon

Unreal Tournament 3

• The AVRiL is significantly rarer in maps than in UT2004.
• After two seconds, and if the original firer doesn't lock onto a target, team mates can assign a target to an AVRiL rocket as well. This could allow for some interesting scenarios, where a scout with good overview of the battle field guides the AVRiL rockets of other team mates, who can't actually see any opponents.

Trivia

• The AVRiL is the only weapon to first appear in UT2004, but made it into UT3.

Gallery

UT3 Concept Art