Black Box
“ | If you're lucky enough to sport the upper body strength to actually carry this monster, you can guarantee, after firing this half-a-ton hellraiser, it will be the only thing left that's not a smouldering pile of ash.
— Black Box publicity blurb
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The Black Box is a community-created primary weapon for the Soldier. It is a black, rectangular rocket launcher with rounded edges, sporting two dark grey fastening bands near the front end and case coverings hanging open at both ends of the weapon. The rear case covering swings while the weapon is in use.
For every successful hit with the Black Box, the Soldier is awarded health based on how much damage is dealt (up to 20 health for attacks over 90 damage). Hitting multiple enemies with a single rocket uses the total damage that rocket deals to calculate health gain. Health gained through Black Box hits cannot grant overheal. The Soldier does not receive health if the target is invulnerable to damage, such as a Scout under the effects of Bonk! Atomic Punch; however, health is still awarded if the target is a cloaked or disguised Spy. A successful hit does not remove the effects of fire, bleeding, Jarate, or Mad Milk on the player. Health gained is shown on the HUD.
Compared to the Rocket Launcher, its clip size is one rocket smaller. This makes the Black Box weaker in sustained firefights, as the user needs to pause to reload more frequently. Projectiles fired from the Black Box have the same speed as one from the Rocket Launcher, at 1100 Hammer units per second (roughly 76 km/h or 47 mph).
Should a Pyro successfully reflect a Black Box rocket in such a way that it damages an enemy, the health bonus is given to the Pyro.
The kill icon for the Black Box was contributed by Psyke .
Contents
Damage and function times
Damage and function times | ||
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Shot type | Projectile | |
Damage type | Explosive | |
Ranged or Melee damage? | Ranged | |
Damage | ||
Maximum ramp-up | 125% | 112 |
Base damage | 100% | 90 |
Maximum fall-off | 52.8% | 48 |
Point blank | 105-112 | |
Medium range | 50-90 | |
Long range | 24-48 | |
Critical | 270 | |
Mini-crit | 122-151 | |
Splash damage | ||
Minimum splash | 50% | 2.8 m |
Damage reduction | 1% / 2.88 | |
Self-damage | 27-89 | |
Self damage (rocket jump) | 27-46 | |
Healing | ||
Healing amount | 1 HP per 4.5 damage dealt | |
Function times | ||
Attack interval | 0.8 s | |
Reload (first) | 0.92 s | |
Reload (consecutive) | 0.8 s | |
Values are approximate and determined by community testing. |
Item set
The Tank Buster | |
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Effect |
Leave a Calling Card on your victims |
Demonstration
Crafting
Blueprint
Direct Hit | Reclaimed Metal | Black Box | ||
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Class Token - Soldier | Slot Token - Primary | Scrap Metal | Possible Results | |||||||||||||||||||
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As a crafting ingredient
Refined Metal | Tank Buster weapon | Grenadier's Softcap | ||
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Black Box | Reclaimed Metal | Liberty Launcher | ||
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Black Box | Reclaimed Metal | Cow Mangler 5000 | ||
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Strange Variant
Related achievements
Soldier
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Pyro
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Heavy
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Sniper
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Snakewater achievements
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Update history
- The Black Box was added to the game.
- [Undocumented] The Black Box was added to the crafting blueprint for the Grenadier's Softcap.
- The Black Box was given a unique kill icon.
- Fixed players getting set bonuses applied on tournament servers when the server is restricting the player's weapons using the item_whitelist.
- [Undocumented] Fixed players getting set bonuses applied on Medieval maps for items that are not allowed in medieval mode.
March 10, 2011 Patch (Shogun Pack)
- Updated model with optimizations and LODs.
- Fixed players getting a health bonus based on the weapon they're currently holding instead of the weapon that dealt the killing blow.
- [Undocumented] The Black Box was added to the crafting blueprint for the Liberty Launcher.
- [Undocumented] The Black Box was added to the crafting blueprint for the Cow Mangler 5000.
- [Undocumented] Added Strange quality.
- [Undocumented] The Black Box now grants health when striking a building.
- Fixed damage to buildings applying on-hit effects.
- Rocket explosions now use correct sound.
- [Undocumented] Added Collector's quality.
November 21, 2013 Patch (Two Cities Update)
- [Undocumented] Added Australium variant.
December 20, 2013 Patch (Smissmas 2013)
- [Undocumented] Added Festive variant.
- Fixed reflected Black Box rockets not giving health to the Pyro.
June 18, 2014 Patch (Love & War Update)
- [Undocumented] Fixed the reload of Soldier primary weapons to show rockets in first person.
July 2, 2015 Patch #1 (Gun Mettle Update)
- Changed attributes:
- Changed +15 health on hit to +20 health on hit per attack.
- Changed how health on hit works for radius damage. Is now capped per attack and scales with total damage done relative to base damage. (i.e. doing 45 damage nets +10 health on hit as base damage is 90. Hitting 3 enemies for 45 each for a total of 135 damage only returns +20 health.)
- Adjusted Black Box reload animation to be slightly faster (now matches the default Rocket Launcher).
- Fixed the Festive Black Box not working for Black Box Contracts.
December 21, 2017 Patch (Smissmas 2017)
- Added Festivized variant.
- [Undocumented] Australium variant can now be Festivized.
- Fixed entities being considered static props after long server times
- Fixed rockets occasionally being solid
Trivia
- The term "black box" refers to any device with a known function, but an unknown means of internal operations.
- It is also a common term for flight recorders, highly sturdy devices which are used to record what happens in a cockpit in case of a plane crash. Interestingly, these boxes are not black at all; they are a bright orange color.
- The term "black box" is also American slang for a briefcase containing nuclear launch codes.
- The Black Box was the name of an unreleased compilation of the new content in The Orange Box.
Gallery
BLU Festive variant.
RED Festivized variant.
Australium variant.
See also
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Weapons | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Slot 1 | stock | Scattergun | Rocket Launcher | Flame Thrower | Grenade Launcher | Minigun | Shotgun | Syringe Gun | Sniper Rifle | Revolver |
Unlock | Force-A-Nature | Direct Hit | Backburner | — | Natascha | Frontier Justice | Blutsauger | Huntsman | Ambassador | |
Craft/Drop | Shortstop Soda Popper Baby Face's Blaster Back Scatter |
Black Box Rocket Jumper Liberty Launcher Cow Mangler 5000 Beggar's Bazooka Air Strike |
Degreaser Phlogistinator Rainblower |
Loch-n-Load Ali Baba's Wee Booties Bootlegger Loose Cannon B.A.S.E. Jumper Iron Bomber |
Brass Beast Tomislav |
Pomson 6000 Rescue Ranger Panic Attack |
Crusader's Crossbow Overdose |
Sydney Sleeper Bazaar Bargain Hitman's Heatmaker Classic |
L'Etranger Enforcer | |
promotion | — | Original | Nostromo Napalmer | — | Iron Curtain Huo-Long Heater |
Widowmaker | — | Machina AWPer Hand Fortified Compound |
Big Kill Diamondback | |
Uncrate | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Shooting Star | — | |
Contract | — | — | Dragon's Fury | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Slot 2 | stock | Pistol | Shotgun | Shotgun | Stickybomb Launcher | Shotgun | Pistol | Medi Gun | SMG | Sapper |
Unlock | Bonk! Atomic Punch | Buff Banner | Flare Gun | Chargin' Targe Scottish Resistance |
Sandvich | Wrangler | Kritzkrieg | Jarate Razorback |
— | |
Craft/Drop | Crit-a-Cola Mad Milk Winger Pretty Boy's Pocket Pistol |
Gunboats Battalion's Backup Mantreads Reserve Shooter B.A.S.E. Jumper Panic Attack |
Detonator Reserve Shooter Manmelter Scorch Shot Panic Attack |
Sticky Jumper Splendid Screen Tide Turner Quickiebomb Launcher |
Dalokohs Bar Buffalo Steak Sandvich Family Business Panic Attack |
— | Quick-Fix Vaccinator |
Darwin's Danger Shield Cozy Camper Cleaner's Carbine |
— | |
promotion | Lugermorph Flying Guillotine |
Concheror Righteous Bison |
— | — | Fishcake Robo-Sandvich |
Lugermorph Short Circuit |
— | — | Red-Tape Recorder Ap-Sap | |
Uncrate | Mutated Milk C.A.P.P.E.R |
— | — | — | — | Giger Counter C.A.P.P.E.R |
— | Self-Aware Beauty Mark | Snack Attack | |
Contract | — | — | Gas Passer Thermal Thruster |
— | Second Banana | — | — | — | — | |
Melee | stock | Bat | Shovel | Fire Axe | Bottle | Fists | Wrench | Bonesaw | Kukri | Knife |
Unlock | Sandman Necro Smasher |
Equalizer Necro Smasher |
Axtinguisher Necro Smasher |
Eyelander Necro Smasher |
Killing Gloves of Boxing Necro Smasher |
Gunslinger Necro Smasher |
Ubersaw Necro Smasher |
Necro Smasher | — | |
Craft/Drop | Holy Mackerel Candy Cane Boston Basher Atomizer Conscientious Objector Unarmed Combat Wrap Assassin Bat Outta Hell |
Pain Train Disciplinary Action Market Gardener Conscientious Objector Escape Plan Bat Outta Hell |
Homewrecker Powerjack Back Scratcher Postal Pummeler Conscientious Objector Third Degree Lollichop Bat Outta Hell |
Pain Train Scotsman's Skullcutter Horseless Headless Horsemann's Headtaker Claidheamh Mòr Ullapool Caber Persian Persuader Nessie's Nine Iron Scottish Handshake Conscientious Objector Bat Outta Hell |
Gloves of Running Urgently Warrior's Spirit Fists of Steel Eviction Notice Conscientious Objector Holiday Punch Bat Outta Hell |
Southern Hospitality Jag Eureka Effect |
Vita-Saw Amputator Solemn Vow Conscientious Objector Bat Outta Hell |
Tribalman's Shiv Bushwacka Shahanshah Conscientious Objector Bat Outta Hell |
Your Eternal Reward Big Earner Wanga Prick Spy-cicle | |
promotion | Frying Pan Sun-on-a-Stick Fan O'War Three-Rune Blade Freedom Staff Ham Shank Prinny Machete |
Frying Pan Half-Zatoichi Freedom Staff Ham Shank Prinny Machete |
Frying Pan Sharpened Volcano Fragment Maul Neon Annihilator Freedom Staff Ham Shank Prinny Machete |
Frying Pan Half-Zatoichi Freedom Staff Ham Shank Prinny Machete |
Frying Pan Apoco-Fists Freedom Staff Ham Shank Prinny Machete |
Prinny Machete | Frying Pan Freedom Staff Ham Shank Prinny Machete |
Frying Pan Freedom Staff Ham Shank Prinny Machete |
Conniver's Kunai Sharp Dresser Black Rose Prinny Machete | |
Distributed | Saxxy Memory Maker Golden Frying Pan |
Saxxy Memory Maker Golden Frying Pan |
Saxxy Memory Maker Golden Frying Pan |
Saxxy Memory Maker Golden Frying Pan |
Saxxy Memory Maker Golden Frying Pan |
Golden Wrench Saxxy Golden Frying Pan |
Saxxy Memory Maker Golden Frying Pan |
Saxxy Memory Maker Golden Frying Pan |
Saxxy Golden Frying Pan | |
Uncrate | Crossing Guard Batsaber |
Crossing Guard | Crossing Guard | Crossing Guard | Bread Bite Crossing Guard |
— | Crossing Guard | Crossing Guard | — | |
Contract | — | — | Hot Hand | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
PDA | stock | — | — | — | — | — | Construction PDA | — | — | Disguise Kit |
PDA 2 | stock | — | — | — | — | — | Destruction PDA | — | — | Invis Watch |
Unlock | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Cloak and Dagger Dead Ringer | |
promotion | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Enthusiast's Timepiece Quäckenbirdt | |
Taunt | various | Grand Slam (Sandman/Atomizer) |
Grenade (Equalizer/Escape Plan) |
Hadouken (Shotgun/Flare Gun/Detonator/Reserve Shooter/Manmelter/Panic Attack/Gas Passer/Hot Hand) Armageddon (Rainblower) Execution (Scorch Shot) Gas Blast (Thermal Thruster) |
Barbarian Swing (Eyelander/Horseless Headless Horsemann's Headtaker/Claidheamh Mòr/Half-Zatoichi/Persian Persuader/Nessie's Nine Iron) |
High Noon (Fists/Saxxy/Apoco-Fists/Holiday Punch) |
Guitar Smash (Frontier Justice) Arm Blender (Gunslinger) |
Oktoberfest (Kritzkrieg) Uberslice (Ubersaw) Medicating Melody (Amputator) |
Arrow Stab (Huntsman/Fortified Compound) |
Fencing (Knife/Your Eternal Reward/Conniver's Kunai/Saxxy/Big Earner/Wanga Prick/Black Rose/Golden Frying Pan) |
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