Hell Let Loose: Vietnam Weapons List
WEAPONS DATABASE // US & NVA ARSENALS // UPDATED AUG 2026
ARCHIVE IMAGE // 02 — US rifleman with M16A1Weapons Overview
This Hell Let Loose Vietnam weapons list covers the full arsenal of the game's two factions — the definitive Hell Let Loose Vietnam weapons database for the launch build. Hell Let Loose: Vietnam equips them with historically accurate Cold War-era arsenals. The US Armed Forces build their loadouts around the M16A1 rifle, backed by the M60 machine gun, M79 grenade launcher, M40 sniper rifle and the M2A1-7 flamethrower. The North Vietnamese Army rely on the Type 56 (AK-pattern) rifle, the K50M submachine gun, the RPD machine gun, the RPG-02 rocket launcher and the LPO-50 flamethrower.
Every weapon in the Hell Let Loose: Vietnam arsenal occupies a loadout slot — primary, secondary or utility — and most are gated behind class levels. A level 1 Rifleman carries just the M16A1 and M1911A1; a level 10 Rifleman unlocks the M16A1-M203 grenade launcher. This progression keeps early-game loadouts simple and rewards sticking with a class.
US PrimaryM16A1 · M60 · M40 · Model 77E · M2A1-7
NVA PrimaryType 56 · Type 53 · K50M · RPD · IZH 58 · LPO-50
LaunchersM72 · M79 (US) · RPG-02 (NVA)
SidearmsM1911A1 (US) · Type 54 (NVA)
ARCHIVE IMAGE // 03 — US firepower on the battlefieldUS Army Weapons
Rifles
| Weapon | Type | Fire Mode | Notes |
|---|
| M16A1 | Rifle | Automatic / Semi-Automatic | The standard US service rifle. Reliable at range and in full-auto; carried by nearly every US role. |
| M16A1 Bayonet | Rifle | Automatic / Semi-Automatic | M16A1 with fixed bayonet — the bayonet is a distinct melee-capable loadout unlocked at Level 4. |
| M16A1-M203 | Rifle + GL | Automatic / Semi-Automatic | M16A1 with the M203 under-barrel 40mm grenade launcher. High-level unlock (Level 10) for Rifleman, Grenadier, Engineer and Specialist. |
Machine Guns
| Weapon | Type | Fire Mode | Notes |
|---|
| M60 | Machine Gun | Automatic | The US squad's general-purpose machine gun. Heavy, devastating in sustained fire, and hungry for ammo — the Machine Gunner's signature weapon. |
Snipers & Special Weapons
| Weapon | Type | Fire Mode | Notes |
|---|
| M40 | Sniper Rifle | Bolt-Action | The US sniper rifle — a scoped, bolt-action precision weapon for the Recon unit's Sniper. |
| Model 77E | Shotgun | Pump-Action | Pump-action shotgun strong in close-quarters jungle and tunnel fighting. Unlocked at Level 7 on most US roles. |
| M2A1-7 | Incendiary | — | Backpack flamethrower carried by the US Specialist (Level 7). Brutal in tunnels, bunkers and trenches. |
Launchers & Sidearms
| Weapon | Type | Fire Mode | Notes |
|---|
| M79 | Grenade Launcher | Single-shot | The "Thump Gun" — single-shot 40mm launcher carried by Grenadier, Engineer, Spotter and Observer. Devastating against infantry in cover. |
| M72 | Launcher | — | Disposable anti-tank rocket launcher, carried by the US Grenadier. |
| M1911A1 | Pistol | Semi-Automatic | The US sidearm — a .45 ACP semi-auto pistol carried by every US role. |
US Utility & Explosives
Beyond the weapons, US roles in Hell Let Loose: Vietnam carry a standard utility kit: M18 smoke grenades (up to three at higher levels), bandages, and role-specific gear like ammo boxes, medical supplies and flares. Lethal options include M61 fragmentation grenades, M18 Claymore mines, M21 anti-tank mines and the M183 demolition charge carried by Grenadiers and Engineers.
ARCHIVE IMAGE // 04 — Armour in the jungleNVA Weapons
Rifles
| Weapon | Type | Fire Mode | Notes |
|---|
| Type 56 | Rifle | Automatic / Semi-Automatic | The AK-pattern workhorse of the NVA — the Chinese Type 56 rifle. The NVA's answer to the M16A1. |
| Type 56 W Bayonet | Rifle | Automatic / Semi-Automatic | Type 56 with the distinctive AK bayonet, unlocked at Level 1 for most NVA roles. |
| Type 53 | Rifle | Semi-Automatic | The semi-auto version of the Chinese SKS — a carbine with punch, used alongside the Type 56. |
| Type 53 N4 Rifle Launcher | Rifle + GL | Semi-Automatic | Type 53 fitted with a rifle grenade launcher — the NVA's under-barrel explosive option (Level 10). |
Submachine Guns & Machine Guns
| Weapon | Type | Fire Mode | Notes |
|---|
| K50M | Submachine Gun | Automatic / Semi-Automatic | A compact SMG built by the NVA from Chinese parts. Excellent for tunnel fighting and close ambushes. |
| K50M Drum | Submachine Gun | Automatic / Semi-Automatic | Drum-fed K50M with more ammo, unlocked at Level 6 for NVA Machine Gunners. |
| RPD | Machine Gun | Automatic | The NVA light machine gun — belt-fed 7.62mm, the RPD anchors NVA suppression just like the M60 does for the US. |
Snipers, Shotguns & Special Weapons
| Weapon | Type | Fire Mode | Notes |
|---|
| Type 53 PU | Sniper Rifle | Bolt-Action | Scoped bolt-action sniper rifle for the NVA Sniper role. |
| IZH 58 | Shotgun / Break Action | Break Action | A break-action shotgun that doubles as a signal launcher platform, unlocked at Level 7 across NVA roles. |
| LPO-50 | Flamethrower | — | Soviet backpack flamethrower carried by the NVA Specialist (Level 7) — the mirror of the US M2A1-7. |
Launchers & Sidearms
| Weapon | Type | Fire Mode | Notes |
|---|
| RPG-02 | Rocket Launcher | — | The NVA anti-tank rocket launcher — the Grenadier's tank-killer and the reason US armour fears the treeline. |
| Type 54 | Pistol | Semi-Automatic | The NVA sidearm — a Soviet-pattern 7.62mm semi-auto pistol carried by every NVA role. |
NVA Utility & Explosives
The NVA utility kit mirrors the US: RDG-1 grenades, bandages, ammo boxes and the Chi Com signal pistol for flares. Lethal options include Type 67 fragmentation grenades, DH10 anti-personnel mines, TM-46 anti-tank mines and the satchel charge.
Weapons by Class — Quick Reference
Full class loadouts are on the classes page. The headline weapons per role:
| Role | US Signature Weapon | NVA Signature Weapon |
|---|
| Rifleman | M16A1 (M203 at L10) | Type 56 / Type 53 |
| Machine Gunner | M60 | RPD (K50M Drum at L6) |
| Grenadier | M79 + M72 | RPG-02 + rifle launcher |
| Engineer | M16A1 + demo charges | Type 56 + satchel |
| Specialist | M2A1-7 flamethrower (L7) | LPO-50 flamethrower (L7) |
| Sniper | M40 | Type 53 PU |
| All roles | M1911A1 | Type 54 |
FIELD NOTE // LOADOUT WEIGHT Hell Let Loose: Vietnam uses a weighted loadout system — heavier weapons and equipment make you slower and more visible. Early levels start light; as you unlock heavier weapons, you trade mobility for firepower. The dev team rebalanced starting weights after the crossplay playtest to speed up early progression.
TACTICAL TIP Want the community's current read on the meta? The M16's 20-round magazine empties fast in full-auto — most US players fire in controlled bursts or semi-auto at range. On the NVA side, the RPD's belt feed and the K50M's handling make both strong picks for aggressive jungle play.
> Related Guides
📬 Have feedback or corrections? Email support@hellletloose-vietnam.wiki — Sources: Steam, Official Site