Hydra

The **Hydra** is a weapon in Ravenfield.

## Unlocking

Pre-EA5, the Hydra could be found on Dustbowl, beyond the north boundary of the map in a small oasis. It has since been added to the player's inventory by default.

## Usage

The Hydra is, in essence, a secret/ joke version of the Scalpel, holding one less unit of spare ammunition, and firing a group of seven homing missiles at a time. Each missile deals 700 damage and all travel faster than the Scalpel's munition, but also have equal turning capacity and an initial scatter pattern on launch. Since the missiles appear to be no better at course correction than their slower counterparts, they tend to overcorrect constantly, and will therefore strike targets in a very loose, error-prone cluster. Otherwise, it is equal in function to the original weapon.

## Strengths

The few strengths the Hydra posses are wholly evident at first glance; a buckshot spread of homing missile ensures that anything that the cluster hits will be thoroughly obliterated.

## Weaknesses

Unfortunately, as with most secret and joke weapons, the Hydra possesses more weaknesses than strengths. It inherits many of them from the original Scalpel; its lock-on function prevents it from being used against infantry, its missiles are prone to being trivialized by flares and countermeasures, and it is slow and unwieldy when used against close targets.

Adding to this, the Hydra's comical excess further robs it of utility. The cluster of missiles find themselves prone to accuracy issues as they streak to their destination, regularly overshooting aircraft from all angles, and even completely missing the largest of stationary ground vehicles. Where the original weapon could at least provide high reliability at the expense of speed, damage and versatility, the Hydra frequently fails to offer the bare minimum of functionality, making this weapon the definition of "hit or miss".

Ironically, the high potential damage also indirectly restricts it practical use to killing tanks, as while it could be resupplied, using it on any other vehicle would be to indulge in tremendous overkill.

## Gallery

Hydra missiles chasing an Attack Plane.Hydra missiles being fired at a close target.Hydra missiles hitting the Mudskipper APC.Hydra weapon projectiles.Hydra's relative location in Dustbowl.Scalpel Animation SetAnimations
## Trivia

* The Hydra shares its model and animations with the Scalpel, which in turn is based on the real life FGM-148 Javelin.
* The weapon is named after the eponymous mythical monster from Greek Mythology, known for having multiple heads.
* Prior to a minor patch in EA 22, the Hydra suffered from a bug where its rockets will instantly drop to the ground when fired, even if the target isn't using or does not possess countermeasures. Its rockets also always went straight to the target linearly without being launched into the air.
* It is currently the only Anti Armor weapon that fires multiple projectiles per attack.
* There was a bug that if you held the Hydra in your hand and took damage by falling and then immediately clicked the fire button, it will always fire its rockets although they will go in a spiral and do not chase anything.

 *Italics* | This item is, or was, a Secret Item.