Trench Decay: Hand Cannon Guide
Handle the Hand Cannon's self-blast risk and manual reload, then find its Buried Line or Railway discovery routes.
The Hand Cannon is a single-shot explosive sidearm in Trench Decay. You must reload manually between shots, and its blast can hurt you. Use it when you can respect the distance and reload window, rather than treating it like a fast-firing emergency pistol.
This related gameplay video provides context for the campaign and equipment decisions below.
Leave space around the explosive shot
An explosive sidearm creates a different close-range problem from an ordinary bullet weapon. The blast can damage its user, so a target rushing into your space is not automatically the best moment to fire.
I would prefer a shot with room around the impact and a clear reason to use explosive damage. Avoid panic-firing merely because the weapon occupies a sidearm role. Your positioning should account for where the blast will happen, not just where the crosshair points.
| Situation | Recommended approach |
|---|---|
| Target is close | Respect the possibility of self-blast damage. |
| Before firing | Know where the manual reload can happen. |
| Choosing an unlock | Separate field discovery from a wider bundle purchase. |
| Selecting the slot | Use it as a deliberate explosive specialist. |
Plan the manual reload before the first shot
The weapon fires once before a manual reload. Decide where you can reload before committing the shot, particularly when the target may survive or another enemy is nearby. An impressive first impact does not make the next few seconds safe.
Use the gun as a deliberate specialist. If your usual sidearm job is quick repeated fire while moving, this pattern may not fit the way you rely on that slot. Choose a different contribution instead of expecting the Hand Cannon to behave like a conventional pistol.
Look for the field route in named areas
The Hand Cannon has field-discovery routes in The Buried Line or The Railway and also a bundle route. Finding the gun and purchasing a wider set are different acquisition goals. Do not treat a bundle as the only reason to learn the weapon.
Before saving toward it, decide whether single-shot explosive handling appeals to you. If the manual reload and self-blast concern already sound awkward, a different sidearm may suit your campaign better even when the Hand Cannon looks exciting.
Hand Cannon questions
Can the explosion hurt me?
Yes. Leave space around the shot.
Can I fire a quick second shot?
You need the manual reload first.
Where can field discovery occur?
The Buried Line or The Railway are the named routes here.