“The high explosive fragmentation grenade administers high damage through a wide area, making it ideal for clearing out hostile rooms.” ―Official description
The High Explosive Grenade (HE Grenade) in the Counter-Strike series is a key throwable weapon. Players are typically limited to carrying one HE Grenade at a time, except in Counter-Strike: Condition Zero Deleted Scenes, where they can carry up to three.
Overview
The HE Grenade is a timed explosive device. Once thrown, it detonates after a brief delay, causing an explosion that inflicts damage on nearby enemies, with the damage decreasing as the distance from the explosion increases. This grenade can also destroy destructible objects like air vents, windows, and doors within its blast radius. In the original Counter-Strike, the explosion's damage could penetrate walls, a feature removed in later versions.
In the early games like Counter-Strike and Counter-Strike: Condition Zero, the HE Grenade is a retextured CS Grenade modeled after the M7A3 CS Grenade. In Counter-Strike: Source, it's based on the M26 grenade, and in Global Offensive, it resembles the M67 grenade, both of which are fragmentation grenades in real life but function as high explosive grenades in the game.
Bots can sometimes throw HE Grenades poorly, hitting walls or other obstacles, so players should be cautious when following bots, especially with friendly fire enabled. Before Global Offensive, bots would switch to firearms when given the "GO! GO! GO!" command.
Deleted Scenes
In Counter-Strike: Condition Zero Deleted Scenes, the player's HE Grenade inflicts more damage than in multiplayer, and can dismember enemies and the player if they are close to the blast. NPCs using the HE Grenade often carry sidearms like the 9×19mm Sidearm or K&M .45 Tactical and behave more defensively, appearing similar to regular pistol-armed NPCs but with an unlimited supply of grenades that deal less damage than the player's grenades.
The explosion from an HE Grenade can cause knockback effects on the player, and players can carry up to three grenades at a time in Deleted Scenes.
Tactics
Throwing grenades around corners can be risky, as it leaves the player vulnerable. It's crucial to practice throwing grenades over cover and bouncing them effectively. HE Grenades are versatile, useful for softening up enemies, finishing off wounded foes, or causing chaos. They can also be used defensively to deter ambushers or to control areas.
A controversial tactic known as "grenade spamming" involves repeatedly throwing grenades from a buy zone and purchasing new ones until out of money or buy time ends. While effective on small maps, it can lead to votekicking or automatic bans on some servers.
Using an HE Grenade after initial skirmishes can catch enemies off guard in their camping spots, potentially dealing significant damage. This strategy is particularly effective when combined with a smoke grenade to obscure the grenade toss. Coordinating with teammates to throw multiple grenades simultaneously can devastate enemy rushes, especially in tight areas.
Practicing grenade throws to explode at head level in enemy clusters maximizes effectiveness. When out in the open, using a grenade can distract enemies, allowing for escape. Understanding grenade physics and bounce angles is crucial to avoid self-inflicted damage.
In earlier Counter-Strike versions, HE Grenades could instantly kill hostages if they landed directly on them. In Counter-Strike: Source and Global Offensive, HE Grenades can scatter dropped weapons, which can be strategically advantageous. Direct hits with HE Grenades in Global Offensive deal minor damage and slow enemy movement, making them less likely to dodge the explosion.
Destroying certain doors with HE Grenades in Global Offensive can facilitate quicker rushes, but it can also be advantageous to the opposing team. The dust from explosions can act as a makeshift smoke screen, allowing players to save smoke grenades for critical situations. Bots do not avoid grenades, making them easy targets for grenade attacks.
Trivia
In Counter-Strike: Source, the HE Grenade is modeled after the M26/M61 grenade, but the achievement icon uses the Mk2 Fragmentation grenade model. The Pipe Bomb in Left 4 Dead, another Valve game, shares many design elements with the HE Grenade from Counter-Strike. In Global Offensive, it’s possible, though challenging, to kill an enemy with a single grenade by hitting them directly and then having the grenade deliver maximum damage.
Game Mechanics and Historical Context
In the Counter-Strike series, the HE Grenade serves as a fundamental tool in both offensive and defensive strategies. Its design and mechanics have evolved across different versions of the game, each iteration bringing subtle changes to its functionality and tactical applications.
Counter-Strike and Counter-Strike: Condition Zero
In the early iterations, such as Counter-Strike and Counter-Strike: Condition Zero, the HE Grenade was primarily a retextured version of the CS Grenade, which itself was modeled after the M7A3 CS Grenade. These grenades were highly valued for their ability to penetrate walls with their explosive damage, a feature that was eventually removed in later games for balancing purposes. This ability allowed players to deal damage to opponents even through cover, adding a layer of strategic depth to its use.
Counter-Strike: Source and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
With the advent of Counter-Strike: Source, the HE Grenade was redesigned to resemble the M26 grenade. This version of the grenade, while visually distinct, retained the core gameplay mechanics of its predecessors, focusing on timed explosions and area damage. In Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, the HE Grenade took on the appearance of the M67 grenade, a real-life fragmentation grenade. However, unlike its real-world counterpart, the in-game grenade does not rely on shrapnel for damage but instead uses a high explosive charge to affect targets within its blast radius.
The behavior of bots when using HE Grenades has been a subject of interest and sometimes frustration for players. Bots may not always utilize grenades effectively, often throwing them at walls or other obstacles. This unpredictable behavior can create hazardous situations for players, particularly when friendly fire is enabled. In earlier versions of the game, issuing the command "GO! GO! GO!" would prompt bots to switch to their firearms, aligning their actions more closely with player expectations.
HE Grenades are not just for direct attacks; they serve multiple strategic purposes. For instance, using grenades to flush out campers from their hiding spots or to create temporary distractions can be crucial in gaining tactical advantages. The explosion can also serve as a psychological tool, causing opponents to reposition or rethink their strategies. This versatility makes the HE Grenade an essential part of a well-rounded player’s arsenal.
The tactic of "grenade spamming" involves repeatedly buying and throwing grenades in rapid succession, typically from a buy zone. This can overwhelm opponents but is often frowned upon due to its disruptive nature. Many servers have implemented measures to curb this tactic, such as reducing buy time to a few seconds, aligning with freeze time to maintain game balance.
Advanced Techniques
Players can maximize the effectiveness of HE Grenades by mastering advanced techniques like timing, positioning, and angle throws. Ideally, a grenade should explode at head level within an enemy group to maximize damage. Coordination with team members to synchronize grenade throws can turn the tide in critical moments, especially in competitive play where the stakes are high.
The design evolution of the HE Grenade across different Counter-Strike versions reflects the developers’ ongoing efforts to balance realism with gameplay mechanics. Each version has adapted the grenade to fit the evolving landscape of competitive play, ensuring that it remains a relevant and powerful tool in players’ arsenals.
Community servers often have their own rules regarding the use of HE Grenades, especially concerning tactics like grenade spamming. Players need to be aware of these regulations to avoid penalties such as votekicks or automatic bans. Understanding and respecting these rules is crucial for maintaining a fair and enjoyable gaming experience for all participants.
Conclusion
The HE Grenade remains one of the most versatile and strategically significant tools in the Counter-Strike series. Its evolution from a wall-penetrating explosive to a finely-tuned tactical instrument reflects the game's growth and the developers' commitment to balancing realism with engaging gameplay. Whether used to soften up enemies, flush out campers, or create diversions, the HE Grenade continues to be a cornerstone of Counter-Strike’s tactical play.
HE Grenade in numbers
- Alternate name(s) Nade High Explosive Grenade Grenade Frag HE
- Price $300 Used by Counter-Terrorist/Terrorist
- Entity weapon_hegrenade
