Ammunition

Last updated for version `1.8.0-BETA-7`

*Main article:* Crafting

"Ammunition" or "Ammo" is the term used in charging firearms and ordnance of all kinds; as powder, balls, shot, shells, percussion caps, rockets, missiles, energy, grenades, etc. All ammo weighs in Horizon and looting containers is heavily affected by the Respawn Addon. In Desolation Mode, finding ammo is drastically reduced, vice versa with installing Scavenger Mode. There is no more plenty of ammo scattered throughout the Commonwealth. Vendors sell basic crafting ingredients or batches of ammo, prices are correspondingly high.

In Horizon, any ammo affects the weapon's damage. Likewise, the properties of a projectile determine penetration and the associated effects such as, knock back, staggering, limb damage, etc. This calculation happens behind the lines. The player will quickly notice the difference between .38 and .45, or .45 to Fusion Cells, or Fusion Cells to 2mm EC, etc.

Horizon also gears up with new types of ammo that, depending on the size of the projectile, have a chance of penetrating enemies and objects, as well as high-explosive projectiles and 40mm shells.

## General

### Crafting

All ammo is sorted into multiple categories: Ballistic, Energy, Contracted Work in the Weapons Lab, Imported. Most ammo crafting recipes give ammo packs. Ballistics, Science and Magazines grants access to ammo crafting recipes.

For crafting ballistic ammunition, components such as: Aluminum, Copper, Lead and Smokeless Powder are almost always needed. Energy ammo requires Energy Cells, Advanced Circuitry and instead of Lead almost always Aluminum, rarely Asbestos, Fiberglass and/or Nuclear Material, etc.

### Desolation Mode

In Desolation Mode, finding ammo is drastically reduced;

* Ammo boxes: -90% chance
* Ammo misc: -80% chance
* Ammo from NPCs: -85% chance

"Full" cans of Smokeless Powder (or energy cells or explosives), drop a lot less often than "used" or "damaged" cans.

### Damaged Ammo

Weapons that drop as damaged, drop damaged ammo. Damaged weapons can still drop normal usable ammo too, but the chances are lower. Damaged ammo comes in different types:

* Damaged Rounds,
* Damaged Cells,
* Damaged Shell

Damaged ammo is junk items that can automatically be scrapped, either using the Field Scrapping option or by using the Shredder, for ammo crafting components.

### Ammo Swap

Horizon allow to switch ammo and firing modes (ROF) on certain weapons in the field using the Weapon Kit. The device is located in the Pip-Boy "Aid" tab, and can be assigned to the favorites bar. Certain ammo types may require an "Advanced Conversion Kit".

### Damage

Damage in Horizon is mostly balanced around ammo and some weapons are not exactly the same, but close. A few weapons that have much slower Rate of Fire (ROF), can have a small bonus to base damage, but its still based on the caliber. Few weapons had weird scaling for calibers because of how they work, but ultimately the damage, which is altered by caliber in the first place, is balanced based on having the best receiver possible. This is why caliber like .45 might be powerful at low levels, but it evens out later.

The more powerful a caliber, the more it weighs and the more expensive it is to buy it or craft it.

## Terminology

In addition to well-known ammo types from Vanilla Fo4, Horizon continues to upgrade. There is no more armor penetration on perks and weapon receivers, it's only based on the ammo now. Horizon no longer uses the vanilla Armor Penetration actor value stats, due to it being prone to bugs.

### 12ga

Standard "Shotgun Shells" are now called "12-gauge Shotgun Shells".1.4.5:17

### 40mm

All 40mm ammunition is added internally to Horizon1.3.0:55. It includes: Frag, Cryo, Plasma, Pulse, Shotgun, Slug, Flechette, Incendiary, RPG, RPG Seeker, Mini-Nuke. These require either a Pipe- or Grenade Launcher. Rockets and also Mini Nukes can be "converted" into 40mm shells with appropiate skill. Furthermore, a grenade launcher acts technically like a shotgun and certain 40mm shells have almost identical potential as shotgun shells.

 Not all 40mm shells are visible in the Weapon Kit "table". Swapping shells is not a problem but it might be deceptive not seeing them listed in the menu.

### API

* API = **A**rmor **P**iercing **I**ncendiary

API rounds are redesigned to be much more expensive to craft, but more consistently powerful and useful. API Rounds loaded into weapons will grant armor penetration/piercing (AP). Most API rounds deal -100% Armor Piercing, any API round feels like it's fully effective for it's damage. There is no more armor penetration on perks and weapon receivers, its only based on the ammo now1.2.0:48. API Rounds loaded into weapons will grant armor penetration based on the weapon and the caliber;

* .50 API = -100% AP
* .308 API = -85% AP
* 7.62mm API = -60% AP1.5.0:98
* 2mm EC = -50% AP1.2.0:53
* 5mm API = -50% AP
* 40mm Heated Flechette = -50% AP1.6.0:70
* .45 API = -50% AP
* 5.56 API = -50% AP

Some API rounds can shoot through walls and sever body parts1.7.0:68 based on the weapon and caliber. Vice versa, lower caliber rounds have a lower hit chance in VATS to hit through walls and body parts.

Crafting recipes require legendary alloys, such as: Tungsten-Carbide and Zirconium-Tin. These materials can be gained primarily by scrapping legendary junk, which can drop based on Hunting, Salvaging, Engineering, etc. skill.

💾 **Developer Note:** Any mods that use the vanilla actor value for AP, will no longer gain AP from this source. Horizon uses a new system that has a specific armor piercing perk for each API mod, which can also be tweaked without bugging out AP values.

### Cryo

Cryo cells are fired exclusively by the Cryolator. Either as a "Cryogenic Spray", which freeze enemies to varying degrees for a period of time, or a "Crystal Spike" which can be unlocked by attaching a "Crystallizing Barrel" item mod. Crystal spike projectiles don't travel particularly quickly, suffer from a noticeable flight trajectory, making them difficult to use outside of VA.T.S.

Horizon allows to modify various catrdiges, with Cryogenic Fluid, to add in a freezing effect. Freezing work similar to that of a Cryolator, based on enemy size and strength. Consecutive hits on tougher enemies though, only partially chill them, and still can't completely freeze them as opposed to weaker enemies where consecutive hits can still freeze them solid as usual.

Some creatures (Albinos) now have "Cryo Resistance" and have been altered based on their anatomy. However, these are often susceptible to taking extra fire damage.

### Double Slug

Increased damage and increased stagger. Only available for 12 gauge ammo.

### EC/VICE

* EC = **E**lectromagentic **C**artridge or **E**lectromagentic **C**oil
* VICE = **V**oltage **I**nduced **C**ore via **E**lectromagnetism1.6.0:55

Both are exclusively used in Gauss rifles and inflict very high damage.

Crafting recipes are adjusted according and require legendary alloys, such as: Tungsten-Carbide and Zirconium-Tin. These materials can be gained primarily by scrapping legendary junk, which can drop based on Hunting, Salvaging, Engineering, etc. skill.

### Flechette

Flechettes are pointed steel projectiles with a vaned tail for stable flight. Flechettes are "Heated", and add fire damage and -50% armor piercing.1.6.0:70

### Gamma

Gamma rounds resemble high voltage electrolytic capacitors which deal radiation damage to its targets. Gamma rounds deal radiation damage which directly affects health, but has little effect on robots, ghouls, super mutants and other enemies with radiation resistance.

Gamma weapons launch a small radiation burst (DOT) that explodes on impact, dealing a significant dose of radiation poisoning, inflicting 50 rads over 5 seconds (changed from 100 with altered time), on a direct hit. This rad DOT can't stack but time is extended accordingly. It adds an instant radiation damage which immediately damages health (not rads), but still uses rad resistance.1.5.0:103 The gamma damage will penetrate "radiation immunity/resistance"[*citation needed*], thus inflict damage against radiation-immune enemies to some degree, due to how radiation works in Fallout 4[*citation needed*].

Gamma damage can be altered with an "Electric Signal Carrier Antennae" mod attachment; allowing it to charge and release a degree of energy damage upon a direct hit.

Gamma Gun's still appear as "legendary weapons" in Horizon, to display a tooltip explaining the rad DOT.1.5.0:103 Various energy weapon can be upgrades via a "Gamma Converter" attachment too, which adds "Gamma" damage.1.2.0:56

### HE

* HE = **H**igh **E**xplosive

HE rounds are available on weapons that use .50 and 12.7mm. These rounds explode on contact damaging everything in a small area for 20 damage per hit. Explosive and HE rounds can explode limbs1.7.0:68. These rounds have a 20% chance of knocking down the main target. The knock down effect does not work on larger enemies though.

These rounds do not pierce armor, they do not have the internal mechanics that API rounds have to penetrate armor, only raw explosive material.

Crafting recipes are adjusted according and require legendary alloys, such as: Magnesium-Zinc. These materials can be gained primarily by scrapping legendary junk, which can drop based on Hunting, Salvaging, Engineering, etc. skill.

### Incendiary

As opposed to armor piercing incendiary (API) rounds, "incendiary" applies to special 40mm shells, which act like a molotov cocktail on impact.

### JHP

JHP = **J**acketed **H**ollow **P**oint

9mm rounds are renamed 9mm JHP rounds and inflict additional bleeding damage.1.5.0:98

### Mind Cloud

Chance to blind the target so they can't find the player. Only available for 12 gauge ammo.

### MX+

MX+ = Armor-piercing for energy damage, a new damage type that ignores all armor. All energy weapons properly use the new system, since energy weapons couldn't benefit from ballistic AP. This special armor-piercing damage is added on top of existing damage. This doesn't mean total damage will pierce 100% armor, just the added damage!1.6.0:59

Crafting recipes are adjusted according and require legendary alloys, such as: Beryllium-Copper and Tungsten-Carbide. These materials can be gained primarily by scrapping legendary junk, which can drop based on Hunting, Salvaging, Engineering, etc. skill.

### Plasma

Plasma rifles (or plasma casters) fire superheated bolts of plasma and inflicts both ballistic and energy damage. Bolts are slower in comparison to other ammo, which can lead to accuracy issues outside of V.A.T.S. Plasma kills can generate Nuclear Material on the corpse1.4.5:20, while critical kills have a chance to convert the target into a pile of green goo.

Both Vanilla FO4 and Horizon utilize their own form of ammunition instead of sharing them with laser weapons.

Plasma projectiles can be visually changed into a small plasma fireball in Horizon, by attaching a "Flame Condenser" item mod, which adds fire damage.1.5.4:12 Using a Flame condenser will still have a green flame for flame-thrower mode.

As opposed to Vanilla FO4, Horizon allows Synths to use Plasma technology in battles.

### Pulse

Pulse rounds, introduced by Horizon, emit energy damage but have reduced ballistic damage. Mechanical enemies such as; robots, synths or power armored enemies[*citation needed*] suffer from +50% bonus damage, as opposed to vanilla FO4. Pulse rounds are only available on weapons that use .44 rounds.1.2.0:51 Pulse shells however, exclusively for the 40mm grenade launcher.

Has a graphical EMP effect upon impact.

### Rad

Rad/Irradiated Rounds, adds radiation damage.

### Terror

Causes the target to flee for 10 seconds. Only available for 12 gauge ammo.

### Venom

Adds 40 poison damage over 10 seconds, but reduces ballistic damage. Venom rounds are only available on weapons that use .44 rounds.

Has a graphical green cloud effect upon impact.1.2.0:52

## Developer Notes

* Horizon no longer uses the vanilla Armor Penetration actor value stats, due to it being prone to bugs. Any mods that use the vanilla actor value for AP, will no longer gain AP from this source. Horizon uses a new system that has a specific armor piercing perk for each API mod, which can also be tweaked without bugging out AP values.
* .44 rounds are essentially removed from all automatic weapons, because that style of round was really intended for semi-auto weapons only.1.8.0.BETA-7:10

## Technical Issues

🌀 *The content below transcludes to Technical Issues#Ammunition.*
* The gatling laser still shows a fusion core when reloading the weapon.
* Ammo swap, not all 40mm shells are visible in the "Weapon Kit table". Swapping shells is not a problem but it might be deceptive.

## See Also

* Crafting
* Weapons Lab
* Weapons

## References

1. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gauge\_(firearms)
2. ↑ https://www.nma-fallout.com/threads/what-does-the-ec-in-2mm-ec-ammo-stand-for.187320/
3. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flechette
4. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/5mm\_Remington\_Rimfire\_Magnum
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 https://www.reddit.com/r/fo4/comments/65zf32/what\_is\_5mm\_in\_real\_life/
6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 https://fallout.fandom.com/f/p/3258895044706365862
7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 https://www.reddit.com/r/falloutlore/comments/5aorm6/what\_is\_5mm\_ammo\_analogous\_to/
8. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.22\_Long\_Rifle
9. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/5.56%C3%9745mm\_NATO
10. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.308\_Winchester
11. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/7.62%C3%9751mm\_NATO
12. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/9%C3%9719mm\_Parabellum
13. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.38\_Special
14. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.357\_Magnum
15. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/10mm\_Auto
16. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.44\_Magnum
17. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.45\_ACP
18. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.45-70
19. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.50\_Action\_Express
20. ↑ Why did you use .45-70 Govt and 12.7mm as top tier cowboy/pistol ammo and not .50 AE (direct progression from magnums) and 14mm (existing Fallout ammo) respectively? Was it to avoid confusion between AE and BMG? Joshua Sawyer: Yes, I didn't want people to be confused by having .50 AE (or whatever) and .50 MG. 12.7mm is effectively somewhere around .50AE/.50 Beowulf in terms of ballistics. .50AE has a rebated rim and would be inappropriate for use in a revolver (without moon clips) or lever-action rifle. .45-70 Gov't is a traditional lever-action round. When it debuted, it was a black powder cartridge, but in modern loadings, it's extremely powerful. There are a few rare revolvers that use it (BFR, Bison Bull). Coincidentally, one of them (the Bison Bull) was built in my home town, Fort Atkinson, WI.
21. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.50\_BMG
22. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gauge\_(firearms)#Gauges\_in\_use
23. ↑ 23.0 23.1 23.2 23.3 https://fallout.fandom.com/wiki/File:FNV\_Gauss\_Projectile.png
24. ↑ 24.0 24.1 24.2 24.3 https://forums.sufficientvelocity.com/threads/pick-holes-in-guns-fictional-or-real.2953/page-4?post=1802093#post-1802093
25. ↑ 25.0 25.1 25.2 25.3 https://forums.sufficientvelocity.com/threads/pick-holes-in-guns-fictional-or-real.2953/page-4?post=1802446#post-1802446
26. ↑ https://www.nma-fallout.com/threads/what-does-the-ec-in-2mm-ec-ammo-stand-for.187320/