The High Velocity Rocket, or HV rocket, is the cheapest rocket you can fire from a rocket launcher in Rust. It costs one metal pipe and 100 gun powder, which works out to just 200 sulfur, and it flies faster and flatter than a standard rocket. The catch is damage: an HV rocket hits far softer than a normal rocket, so it is a terrible way to break walls and a brilliant way to kill the Bradley APC, auto turrets, helicopters and boats.
This HV rocket Rust guide covers the craft cost and full sulfur breakdown, how it compares with every other rocket, how many HV rockets you need for Bradley, turrets, vehicles, doors and walls, where to loot them, and the tips that stop you wasting them.
What Is the HV Rocket in Rust?
The High Velocity Rocket is one of the ammo types for the Rocket Launcher. The game describes it as a short to medium range, unguided rocket that deals splash damage on impact but less damage than a normal rocket. In practice that means three things. It is cheap, because the recipe has no Explosives item in it. It is fast, so it drops much less over distance and is easier to land on a moving target. And it is weak against anything built from stone, metal or armor.
That split decides how good players use it. Standard rockets are for bases. HV rockets are for things with a flat health pool: the Bradley APC at Launch Site, auto turrets, helicopters, boats, submarines and players hiding on rooftops. HV rockets also load into the side pods of the attack helicopter, which only takes HV and incendiary rockets.
HV Rocket Stats
| Stat | High Velocity Rocket |
|---|---|
| Craft cost | 1 Metal Pipe + 100 Gun Powder |
| Sulfur cost | 200 sulfur (plus 300 charcoal) |
| Crafted at | Workbench Level 2 |
| Craft time | 10 seconds |
| Blueprint | 60 scrap at a research table (Workbench 2) |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Stack size | 3 |
| Despawn time | 60 minutes on the ground |
| Fired from | Rocket Launcher, attack helicopter pods |
| Shortname | ammo.rocket.hv |
| Item ID | -1841918730 |
How to Craft an HV Rocket in Rust
Once you know the blueprint, stand at a Workbench Level 2 and craft it from 1 Metal Pipe and 100 Gun Powder. Each rocket takes 10 seconds. There is no Explosives step, so you never need a Workbench 3 or low grade fuel for it.
The sulfur maths is simple. Gun powder crafts in batches of 10 from 20 sulfur and 30 charcoal, so 100 gun powder is 200 sulfur and 300 charcoal. The metal pipe costs no sulfur at all. Pipes are usually the real limit: they are a Workbench 3 craft from 20 scrap and 2 high quality metal, so most players loot them from barrels and crates instead. An HV rocket uses one pipe where a standard rocket uses two, which is another reason to fire HVs at anything they can handle.
If you want to check what a batch of rockets costs before a raid or a Bradley run, the Rust crafting calculator totals the sulfur, charcoal and pipes for any number of HV rockets.
HV Rocket vs Rocket vs Incendiary vs Homing Missile
The rocket launcher takes four kinds of ammo that you can craft. They share a launcher but do very different jobs, and picking the wrong one is the most common way players waste sulfur.
| Rocket | Recipe | Workbench | Sulfur | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| High Velocity Rocket | 1 Metal Pipe, 100 Gun Powder | 2 | 200 | Bradley, turrets, vehicles, players |
| Rocket | 2 Metal Pipe, 150 Gun Powder, 10 Explosives | 3 | 1,400 | Walls and building blocks |
| Incendiary Rocket | 2 Metal Pipe, 150 Gun Powder, 75 Low Grade Fuel | 2 | 300 | Wooden bases, turrets, SAM sites |
| Homing Missile | 2 Metal Pipe, 100 Gun Powder, 1 Tech Trash (makes 2) | 2 | 100 each | Helicopters (needs the Homing Missile Launcher) |
A standard rocket costs seven times as much sulfur as an HV rocket because of the 10 Explosives in its recipe. Against a stone wall that extra cost buys a lot more damage, so standard rockets are still the raiding rocket. Against Bradley, turrets and vehicles the HV rocket does as much or more for a fraction of the price. The full lineup, including MLRS rockets, is in the Rust rocket guide.
How Many HV Rockets for Bradley?
Seven. The Bradley APC has 1,000 health and takes damage from explosives only. Each HV rocket deals about 160 damage to it, so seven HV rockets kill it for roughly 1,400 sulfur, the price of one single standard rocket.
| Explosive | Needed for Bradley | Total sulfur |
|---|---|---|
| High Velocity Rocket | 7 | 1,400 |
| F1 Grenade | 40 | 2,400 |
| Timed Explosive Charge (C4) | 3 | 6,600 |
| Rocket | 11 | 15,400 |
In practice, bring 8 to 10. Bradley moves, rockets miss, and damaging it now sends out waves of scientists. Fire from a rooftop with hard cover so its cannon cannot reach you while you reload. The full method, crate loot and respawn timer are in the Bradley guide.
Best HV Rocket Targets
HV rockets win wherever the target has a flat pool of health and no special resistance to explosives. These are the numbers from full health.
| Target | HV rockets | Sulfur | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Motor Rowboat | 1 | 200 | See the Rust boats guide |
| Solo Submarine | 1 | 200 | Duo sub takes 2 (submarine guide) |
| Flame Turret | 1 | 200 | 300 HP |
| Tool Cupboard | 2 | 400 | Cheaper than one standard rocket |
| RHIB / Kayak | 2 | 400 | |
| Auto Turret | 3 | 600 | HV does more damage to a turret than a standard rocket |
| Minicopter | 3 | 600 | See the minicopter guide |
| Attack Helicopter | 3 | 600 | 850 HP |
| Wooden Door | 4 | 800 | Cheaper than one standard rocket |
| Scrap Transport Helicopter | 5 | 1,000 | See the scrap heli guide |
| Bradley APC | 7 | 1,400 | Cheapest Bradley kill |
Auto turrets are the standout. An HV rocket deals about 345 damage to a turret, which is more than a standard rocket does, so three HVs take one down for 600 sulfur against 5,600 for four normal rockets. HVs are also a strong answer to players on roofs and in the open, because the splash hurts badly and the flat flight path makes them easy to land.
HV Rocket Raid Chart: Why Not to Use Them on Walls
Against building blocks and armored doors the HV rocket falls apart. It does around 15 damage to a sheet metal wall and 24 to an armored door, so the counts explode and the sulfur cost ends up higher than C4, satchels or explosive ammo.
| Target | HV rockets | HV sulfur | Better option |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wooden wall | 9 | 1,800 | 1 incendiary rocket (300) or 2 molotovs |
| Stone wall | 32 | 6,400 | 2 C4 (4,400) |
| Sheet metal wall | 67 | 13,400 | 4 C4 (8,800) |
| Armored wall | 134 | 26,800 | 8 C4 (17,600) |
| Sheet metal door | 11 | 2,200 | 4 satchels (1,920) |
| Garage door | 25 | 5,000 | C4 or explosive ammo |
| Armored door | 42 | 8,400 | 3 C4 (6,600) |
| High External Stone Wall | 32 | 6,400 | 2 C4 (4,400) |
| Metal window bars | 34 | 6,800 | 2 C4 (4,400) |
| SAM Site | 34 | 6,800 | 2 molotovs or 1 incendiary rocket |
Where to Find HV Rockets
You can loot HV rockets long before you can craft them, and they are some of the best loot in the game for an early Bradley run.
- Patrol helicopter crates: about a 15% chance of 3 HV rockets per crate, and the heli drops four crates.
- Bradley APC crates: a common source, usually 3 to 6 rockets when they roll. You need HVs to kill Bradley, and Bradley tends to give them back.
- Gone Killing mission: the Floating Citizen at the Floating City gives a Rocket Launcher and 6 HV rockets for killing 8 patrol boat scientists. See Rust missions.
- Large loot bags and event drops: occasional HV rockets in seasonal and event containers.
- Research: 60 scrap at a research table at Workbench 2, then craft as many as your sulfur allows.
The Rocket Launcher itself crafts at Workbench Level 2 from 40 high quality metal and 4 metal pipes, with a 120 scrap blueprint. It also drops from locked crates, elite crates and military crates.
HV Rocket Tips
- Never fire them at walls. C4, satchels and explosive ammo are all cheaper per wall. HVs only belong in a raid for turrets, the tool cupboard and wooden doors.
- Clear turrets first. Three HVs remove an auto turret from range for 600 sulfur, before you commit anything bigger.
- Carry a few when you fly or boat. One HV sinks a rowboat or a solo sub and three drop a minicopter, so a launcher with HVs is the best anti-vehicle kit in the game.
- Lead your target. HVs are fast, but they are not hitscan. Aim slightly ahead of moving vehicles.
- Save pipes. An HV uses one pipe, a standard rocket two. When pipes are short, craft HVs for every job they can do.
HV Rocket Rust FAQ
How do you craft an HV rocket in Rust?
Craft it at a Workbench Level 2 from 1 Metal Pipe and 100 Gun Powder. It takes 10 seconds and you need the blueprint first, which costs 60 scrap at a research table.
How much sulfur is an HV rocket?
200 sulfur. The 100 gun powder in the recipe takes 200 sulfur and 300 charcoal, and the metal pipe costs no sulfur. A standard rocket costs 1,400 sulfur, seven times as much.
How many HV rockets for Bradley?
Seven, which is about 1,400 sulfur. Each HV rocket deals around 160 damage to the Bradley’s 1,000 health. Bring 8 to 10 because it moves and some rockets will miss.
How many HV rockets for a stone wall?
32 HV rockets, or 6,400 sulfur. That is worse than 2 C4 at 4,400 sulfur, so HV rockets are a poor choice for walls.
How many HV rockets for an auto turret?
Three HV rockets, or 600 sulfur. An HV rocket does more damage to a turret than a standard rocket, which needs four for 5,600 sulfur.
Is the HV rocket better than a normal rocket?
It is better against the Bradley, turrets, helicopters, boats and players, because it is seven times cheaper and flies faster and flatter. A normal rocket is better against walls and building blocks because it does much more damage to them.
What workbench do you need for HV rockets?
A Workbench Level 2, both to research the blueprint and to craft the rockets.
How many HV rockets stack in Rust?
HV rockets stack to 3 per inventory slot, the same as standard and incendiary rockets.
What is the HV rocket item ID?
The High Velocity Rocket shortname is ammo.rocket.hv and its item ID is -1841918730.
Sources and Further Reading
- Recipe, workbench, craft time, stack size and research cost: Rust game item files (items.craft.json via rust-game-icons)
- Item description and stats: Facepunch Wiki, High Velocity Rocket
- Raid counts per target: RustLabs, High Velocity Rocket
- Loot sources and drop rates: RustHelp, High Velocity Rocket
- Damage and item notes: RustClash Wiki, High Velocity Rocket