Loose Cannon
“ | Ya call those bombs, ya wee little romance novel? I'll show you bombs!
— The Demoman on old-fashioned bombs
|
” |
The Loose Cannon is a community-created primary weapon for the Demoman. It resembles a pirate-style cannon with a stock and a sight near the front of the barrel.
The Loose Cannon fires explosive, glowing cannonballs that travel 20% faster than the Grenade Launcher's projectiles, however, due to the Loose Cannon shooting a different projectile there is no difference in speed. Cannonballs explode faster than grenades, only having a fuse of 1 second. Unlike other grenades, bombs from this weapon do not explode when hitting players, instead dealing damage and significant knockback on the target while continuing in the same path, potentially hitting multiple enemies until it explodes due to its fuse or bounces off a surface. On Tank Robots, however, the cannonballs work identically to the default launcher's projectiles. The explosion of the bomb works as normal and has the same property as normal grenades where they deal half damage if they hit a surface before exploding. Overall the impact of a bomb deals half of what a normal grenade deals, and the explosion is 40% less damaging than a normal grenade, but shares the same explosion radius.
The Demoman can hold down the fire button to start the cannonball's fuse without shooting until the button is released, allowing control over how long it takes to explode once fired. As a reward for doing so perfectly, if a cannonball impacts an enemy and then explodes within half a second, the enemy takes mini-crit damage from the explosion and ignore explosive damage falloff (meaning the total damage is 131); other enemies hit by the explosion do not receive Mini-Crits, and are damaged as normal. This is known as a "Double-Donk" and produces a unique sound and "DONK 2x" effect on success. Holding a primed shot for too long automatically fires the shot, which explodes immediately and deals damage to the user. Over-shortening the fuse in this way can allow for a strong grenade jump known as a cannon jump.
Both the impact and explosion of a cannonball are considered explosive damage.
The Loose Cannon was contributed to the Steam Workshop.
Contents
Damage and function times
Damage and function times | ||
---|---|---|
Shot type | Projectile | |
Damage type | Explosive | |
Ranged or Melee damage? | Ranged | |
Damage | ||
Base damage | 100% | Direct: 50Splash: 60
|
Maximum fall-off | 50% | Direct: 25Splash: 30
|
Critical | Direct: 150Splash: 180
| |
Mini-crit | Direct: 68Splash: 81
| |
Splash damage | ||
Minimum splash | 50% | 2.8m |
Damage reduction | 1% / 2.88 | |
Self-damage | Splash: 38-73Overload: 64-73
| |
Function times | ||
Attack interval | 0.6 s | |
Reload (first) | 1.24 s | |
Reload (consecutive) | 0.6 s | |
Maximum charge time | 1 s | |
Values are approximate and determined by community testing. |
Note: Explosive damage varies depending on how it hits a player. The larger the classes' hit box and the closer to the explosion, the more damage delivered. The further away from the explosion, the less damage. Explosions do the most damage when they happen at the mid point of a player model. The explosion covers more of the hit box, thus doing the most possible damage.
Demonstration
Crafting
Blueprint
Loch-n-Load | Reclaimed Metal | Loose Cannon | ||
![]() |
+ | ![]() |
= | ![]() |
Class Token - Demoman | Slot Token - Primary | Scrap Metal | Possible Results | |||||||||||||||||||
![]() |
+ | ![]() |
+ | ![]() |
= |
|
Strange variant
Related achievements
Demoman
|
|
Sniper
|
|
Update history
- The Loose Cannon was added to the game.
- Fixed missing text in the recipe description for The Loose Cannon.
- Fixed not hearing the Loose Cannon impact sound when playing on dedicated servers.
- Changed attributes:
- Range no longer affects direct cannonball impact damage.
- Reduced charge time to 1 second.
- Added Double-Donk (directly impacting an enemy within half a second before the bomb explosion) sound and particle effects.
- Double-Donk damage now mini-crits.
- [Undocumented] Removed hidden +50% damage bonus.
- Updated the Loose Cannon description to match the updated gameplay.
- [Undocumented] Added Strange quality.
- [Undocumented] Added Collector's quality.
- [Undocumented] Fixed crit boosted glow not showing.
- [Undocumented] The Loose Cannon's cannon ball explosions now use a deeper sound.
December 22, 2014 Patch (Smissmas 2014)
- Double donk explosive damage now deal full radius damage to victims. Previously double donk explosive damage was reduced by radius distance from the explosion.
- Removed a hidden penalty where Cannonballs that touched the world would deal 50% less damage in addition to regular grenade damage reduction on world touch.
- Reduced the amount of self-damage received from the Loose Cannon.
- Fixed a bug related to the Loose Cannon's Double Donk damage calculation.
July 2, 2015 Patch #1 (Gun Mettle Update)
- Updated description to better detail the weapon's features.
December 17, 2015 Patch (Tough Break Update)
- Changed attributes:
- Reduced projectile speed increase from 50% to 20% (now a visible attribute).
- Reduced cannon impact damage from 60 to 50. Damage also scales with distance.
- Reduced knockback from cannon hit. Knockback strength is now similar to airblast.
- Fixed a bug related to the Loose Cannon and bots in Mann vs. Machine mode.
- Fixed an issue where the Loose Cannon would sometimes not apply knockback on hit.
- Fixed the Loose Cannon not being able to Double Donk.
December 21, 2017 Patch (Smissmas 2017)
- Added Festivized variant.
- Fixed The Loose Cannon continuing to play the priming sound if the weapon is holstered while priming.
- [Undocumented] Updated Loose Cannon's projectile textures.
Bugs
- Cannonballs reflected with a compression blast do not deal mini-crit damage.
- Since the cannonball impact is considered to be explosive damage, it gibs players on kill should their health be low enough.
- Rarely, the priming sound and effects still play, even if the Loose Cannon is not being primed.
- This can be fixed by switching to a different weapon, or firing the Loose Cannon again.
- The Loose Cannon uses the same reload animation as the Grenade Launcher, resulting in it reloading downwards instead of in the barrel.
Trivia
- A "loose cannon" was a cannon on a ship which broke loose from its mounts and thus became a danger to the ship and crew; in modern idiom, it is a person who has little to no self-control.
- Despite the cannonballs visually appearing to be much larger than any of Demoman's other grenades, the size of the cannonball's hitbox is the same.
Gallery
RED first-person view.
BLU first-person view.
RED Festivized variant.
See also
|
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) |
|