M320 Smoke Grenade Launcher

M320 Smoke Grenade Launcher
Overview
Type	Primary Gadget
Effect	Deploys smoke; six grenades per magazine
Damage	Infantry: 1 Light vehicles: 0 Heavy vehicles0 Environment: 0 Buildables: 0 Explosion radius: Triggerable: 0 Infantry: 0 Environment: 0 Vehicle: 0
Capacity	Assault: 7 Medic: 7 Can be resupplied
Supply cost	30/unit
Requirements
Classes	Assault Medic
Rank	55
Technical
ID	55_M320_Smoke_Grenade_Launcher

M320 Smoke Grenade Launcher is a Primary Gadget. It is unlocked at rank 55.

In-Game

General Information

The M320 Smoke Grenade Launcher as its name implies fires smoke grenades, doing so along a parabolic trajectory and detonating on impact into a large cloud of thick, grey smoke. Apart from the color of the smoke, the cloud functions identically to those of the throwable Smoke Grenades. Vision from within the cloud and looking through it directly outside of the cloud are both heavily obscured. Players inside the smoke cloud will only be able to see objects within a radius of roughly two meters. The cloud's opaqueness dissipates the further away from the epicentre of the cloud, the edges being a bit clearer to see through.

An important note with smoke grenades is that the FLIR and other thermal optics — whilst unable to see fully through the smoke clouds — will see players, highlighted in bright white. Players should be mindful of tanks, helicopters and other vehicles with thermal vision.

Usage & Tips

As with throwable Smoke Grenades, the M320 Smoke Grenade Launcher provides visual albeit temporary cover for users to utilise at their convenience. It is useful for blocking off sightlines in various locations and scenarios It can be used to provide cover from enemy fire when either advancing on objective points, retreating from enemy forces to better defensive positions, or to retrieve downed players to safer locations to be revived. As with the handheld Smoke Grenades, it is only visual concealment—users can still be shot through it. Seeking better physical cover should be in mind if under fire. It works well as part of an area-denial loadout, particularly when paired with a FLIR optic although as a Medic cannot be self resupplied.

The M320 Smoke Grenade Launcher does have some traits that make it more preferable to the throwable variant. Its instant detonation on impact make it provide more immediate cover, allowing for quicker retreats to better positions or reviving teammates. Users also spawn by default with seven rounds total, compared to the throwable Smoke Grenade's default of two. This permits more prolonged use without requiring frequent resupplies. Conversely, one disadvantage the M320 Smoke Grenade Launcher has by comparison is it has much slower handling. It is slower to deploy, and must be reloaded after every shot which can make it awkward to use under tense circumstances.

Conclusion

Overall, the M320 Smoke Grenade Launcher is an effective tool for any player. It provides an easy to use, portable means of providing concealment and obscuring enemy's vision. It is great for objective-based gamemodes and on maps with notable chokepoints or wide sightlines.

History

The M320 is the American military designation given to a modified variant of the German HK AG-C, manufactured by Heckler and Koch—later marketing this variant as the GLM. It is a single-shot, 40mm grenade launcher capable of firing all 40mm NATO-standard low velocity grenade types. The M320 was created in response to the United States Army's request for a replacement for their aging M203 grenade launcher. Eventually adopted in 2008, it was officially introduced into service in 2009.

Compared to its parent AG-C design, the M320 features a smaller barrel and folding foregrip. Unlike the earlier M203, the M320 — in addition to the aforementioned foregrip — has a double-action trigger, ambidextrous safety controls, and side-opening breach. It allows for greater misfire tolerances, easier usability, and use of wider variety of cartridges that are either longer and or non-lethal. It is also designed to be used in two configurations. Either as an underbarrel grenade launcher — mounted underneath the service rifle ahead of the magazine via Picatinny rails — or as a stand alone weapon when attached with a stock.

Trivia

• Interestingly, the M320 Smoke Grenade Launcher icon features a different stock compared to the real-life's base model.