Vehicle Features/Mounted Weapons

Since Grand Theft Auto series introduced armed vehicles, they also introduced Vehicle mounted Weapons, which act in a special form that is very comparable to some basic Weapons, with the exception that they are usually stronger and posseses infinite ammunition. Although many of these lacks a HUD, it doesn't applied to Grand Theft Auto 2 and Grand Theft Auto V, where it can be selected like conventional weapons and even appears on-screen.

Certain weapons that appear in most cases are the Tank Cannons, Machine Guns and Mounted Rockets. The Water Cannon isn't considered a mounted weapon, but it's included because it still does a minimal damage and can sometimes attract the police.

Description
These weapons are available at the player only in a specified vehicle and can save a large amount of munitions in combat situations. There are light firepower weapons for accuracy, close combat and small number of enemies, and heavy firepower weapons, which is best suited for serious combat, large group of enemies and vehicular destruction, where is usually important in the arsenal.

These weapons will disable basic weapons for Drive-By Shooting, yet is not necesary in these cases. If the vehicle is destroyed, these weapons becomes unusable. On some vehicles, older GTA games requires extra commands for aiming (left or right), while recent GTA games can aim with the camera, as if the weapon is the camera. The Rhino tank is an example of this.

Certain mission will involve armed vehicles for a brief moment to make excellent demonstrations (The Rhino on Sir, Yes Sir!), and after being seen, these can be unlocked by some methods. The usual methods are collecting Pickups, doing side missions, and others. The Rhino can be seen in the maximum wanted level in GTA 3D era.

Grand Theft Auto 1 and Grand Theft Auto London

 * Water Cannon: Can be found on Fire Trucks. It creates a large gush of water that can extinguish fire and can knock and even kill people, but has a minimal damage and requires a long time to kill pedestrians.


 * Tank Cannon: Found only mounted in Tanks, the Royal Pain (London 1969) and the Tiger Tank (London 1961). Can fire a powerful explosive projectile that can easily destroy several enemies in a single shot. However, they have a slow rate of fire and will destroy the tank if used near walls.

Grand Theft Auto 2

 * Water Cannon: Can be found on Fire Trucks. It creates a large gush of water that can extinguish fire and can knock and even kill people, but has a minimal damage and requires a long time to kill pedestrians..


 * Mounted Flamethrower: Can be found specially on the Firetruck after completing Wang Cars side quest. This weapon can easily kill pedestrians and can burn vehicles in seconds, but only can be done in a specified range, which is average.


 * Vehicle Machine Gun: Can be mounted on a car at Smith and Heston's scattered around Anywhere City for $25,000. Can shoot unidirectionally and is weak, but has average range and Rate of fire.


 * Heavy Machine Gun: Found only the Armed Land Roamer. It can be shot unidirectionally and also in a fast Rate of Fire. The disadvantage is that is somewhat weak, but is compensated by the excellent range.


 * Tank Cannon: Found only mounted in Tanks. Can fire a powerful explosive projectile that can easily destroy several enemies in a single shot. However, they have a slow rate of fire and will destroy the tank if used near walls.

Grand Theft Auto III

 * Water Cannon: Can be found on Fire Trucks. It creates a large gush of water that can extinguish fire and can knock and even kill people, but has a minimal damage and requires a long time to kill pedestrians.


 * Built-in Machine Gun: Seen on the Predators, this weapon is moderately powerful and fast, though the disadvantage is that needs reloading, thus the boat becomes vulnerable.


 * Tank Cannon: Found only mounted in every Rhino. Can fire a powerful explosive projectile that can easily destroy several enemies in a single shot. However, they have a slow rate of fire and will destroy the tank if used near walls.

Grand Theft Auto: Vice City

 * Water Cannon: Can be found on Fire Trucks. It creates a large gush of water that can extinguish fire and can knock and even kill people, but has a minimal damage and requires a long time to kill pedestrians.


 * Built-in Machine Gun: Seen on the Predators, this weapon is moderately powerful and fast, though the disadvantage is that needs reloading, thus the boat becomes vulnerable.


 * Chain Gun: Found in the Sea Sparrow and the Hunter, this weapon only shoots unidirectionally, however it can "detect" any pedestrian and makes shots in a limited angle, making it easy to kill them. It seems to be powerful and can destroy a vehicle quickly.


 * Tank Cannon: Found only mounted in every Rhino. Can fire a powerful explosive projectile that can easily destroy several enemies in a single shot. However, they have a slow rate of fire and will destroy the tank if used near walls.


 * Mounted Rocket: Founded only in the Hunter, it fires a rocket that explodes like the one on a Rocket Launcher, with a high damage and average Rate of Fire.


 * Aircraft Bomb: Found only in missions mounted on a RC Baron. This weapons fall unidirectionally and explodes like a rocket of Rocket Launcher.

Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

 * Water Cannon: Can be found on Fire Trucks (1st variants) and SWAT Tanks. It creates a large gush of water that can extinguish fire and can knock and even kill people, but has a minimal damage and requires a long time to kill pedestrians.


 * Built-in Machine Gun: Seen on the Predators, this weapon is moderately powerful and fast, though the disadvantage is that needs reloading, thus the boat becomes vulnerable.


 * Chain Gun: Found in the Sea Sparrow, Hunter, Rustler and the RC Baron, this weapon only shoots unidirectionally, however it can "detect" any pedestrian and makes shots in a limited angle, making it easy to kill them. It seems to be powerful and can destroy a vehicle quickly.


 * Tank Cannon: Found only mounted in every Rhino and seen on the RC Tiger. Can fire a powerful explosive projectile that can easily destroy several enemies in a single shot. However, they have a slow rate of fire and will destroy the tank if used near walls. The RC Tiger cannot be used by the player, however, it can be seen that acts in the same way.


 * Mounted Rocket: Found in the Hunter and the Hydra. it fires a rocket that explodes like the one on a Rocket Launcher, with a high damage and average Rate of Fire. The Hydra variant can lock-on.


 * Aircraft Bomb: Only seen used by RC Barons during Air Raid. This weapons fall unidirectionally and explodes like a rocket of Rocket Launcher.

Grand Theft Auto Advance

 * Water Cannon: Can be found on Fire Trucks. It creates a large gush of water that can extinguish fire and can knock and even kill people, but has a minimal damage and requires a long time to kill pedestrians.


 * Tank Cannon: Found only mounted in the Tank. Can fire a powerful explosive projectile that can easily destroy several objectives in a few shots. However, they have a slow rate of fire.

Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories

 * Water Cannon: Can be found on Fire Trucks. It creates a large gush of water that can extinguish fire and can knock and even kill people, but has a minimal damage and requires a long time to kill pedestrians.


 * Built-in Machine Gun: Seen on the Predators, this weapon is moderately powerful and fast, though the disadvantage is that needs reloading, thus the boat becomes vulnerable.


 * Chain Gun: Found in the Hunter, this weapon only shoots unidirectionally, however it can "detect" any pedestrian and makes shots in a limited angle, making it easy to kill them. It seems to be powerful and can destroy a vehicle quickly.


 * Tank Cannon: Found only mounted in every Rhino. Can fire a powerful explosive projectile that can easily destroy several enemies in a single shot. However, they have a slow rate of fire and will destroy the tank if used near walls.


 * Mounted Rocket: Found in the Hunter. it fires a rocket that explodes like the one on a Rocket Launcher, with a high damage and average Rate of Fire.

Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories

 * Water Cannon: Can be found on Fire Trucks. It creates a large gush of water that can extinguish fire and can knock and even kill people, but has a minimal damage and requires a long time to kill pedestrians.


 * Built-in Machine Gun: Seen on the Predators, this weapon is moderately powerful and fast, though the disadvantage is that needs reloading, thus the boat becomes vulnerable.


 * Chain Gun: Found in the Hunter, the Sea Sparrow and the Little Willie, this weapon only shoots unidirectionally, however it can "detect" any pedestrian and makes shots in a limited angle, making it easy to kill them. It seems to be powerful and can destroy a vehicle quickly.


 * Tank Cannon: Found only mounted in every Rhino. Can fire a powerful explosive projectile that can easily destroy several enemies in a single shot. However, they have a slow rate of fire and will destroy the tank if used near walls.


 * Mounted Rocket: Found only in the Hunter, it fires a rocket that explodes like the one on a Rocket Launcher, with a high damage and average Rate of Fire.

Grand Theft Auto IV and Episodes From Liberty City

 * Water Cannon: Can be found on Fire Trucks. It creates a large gush of water that can extinguish fire and can knock and even kill people, but has a minimal damage and requires a long time to kill pedestrians, unless the player manages to throw them out of a bridge or a fall. On vehicles, can provoke them.


 * Minigun: Found on Annihilators and the Buzzard. This weapon has a high rate of fire and it's moderately powerful. In GTA IV, the Annihilator has a low rate and is prone to reloading, and in EFLC, the Annihilator has explosive bullets and the Buzzard has faster minigun and doesn't overheat.


 * Explosive Cannon: Only seen on the APC, this weapon acts like a faster Explosive Shotgun and can knock pedestrians and vehicles, like crashing. Requires few shots to destroy vehicles. If used near the rear area, the APC will be destroyed.


 * Mounted Rocket: Found only in the Buzzard (TBoGT), it fires a rocket that explodes like the one on a Rocket Launcher, with a high damage and average Rate of Fire.

Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars

 * Water Cannon: Can be found on Fire Trucks. It creates a large gush of water that can extinguish fire and can knock and even kill people, but has a minimal damage and requires a long time to kill pedestrians.


 * Machine Gun: Seen mounted on the Coast Guard Launch, this weapon can easily destroy weak boats and has a decent rate of fire.


 * Tank Cannon: Found only mounted in every Rhino. Can fire a powerful explosive projectile that can easily destroy several enemies in a single shot. However, they have a slow rate of fire and will destroy the tank if used near walls.


 * Torpedo Launcher: Only seen on the back of a Destroyer, this weapon fires in a straight direction and has a slow reload, but can easily destroy well armored boats with few shots.

Grand Theft Auto V

 * Water Cannon: Can be found on Fire Trucks. It creates a large gush of water that can extinguish fire and can knock and even kill people, but has a minimal damage and requires a long time to kill pedestrians, unless the player manages to throw them out of a bridge or a fall. On vehicles, can provoke them.


 * Minigun: Found in Buzzards, Annihilators, P-996 Lazers and Hunters (Beta), this weapon has average damage and can easily destroy vehicles. P-996 Lazers' MGs has shorter range, but adds explosives on it, so can destroy vehicles even without exact aiming. The JB 700 is also armed with Machine Guns in Pack Man, where has slow rate of fire, but is accurate and deadly.


 * Tank Cannon: Found only mounted in every Rhino. Can fire a powerful explosive projectile that can easily destroy several enemies in a single shot. However, they have a slow rate of fire and will destroy the tank if used near it.


 * Mounted Rocket: Found on Buzzards, P-996 Lazers and Hunters (Beta), it fires a rocket that explodes like the one on a Rocket Launcher, with a high damage and average Rate of Fire. The first two possesses lock-on rockets, but only can shoot 2 at the same time.


 * Aircraft Bomb: Found only in the Cuban 800 during Arms Trafficking Air (if focus on destroy competing arms runners). This weapon can be controlled when dropped in a slowly moving and can devastate a large group of vehicles. Cannot be used in normal gameplay. On level 5 of Arms Trafficking Air, a special "multiple aircraft bombs" is added only for this mission and cannot be controlled.

Trivia

 * Along with these weapons, there are at least 4 unusable weapons:
 * The ICBM's missile on the back (London 1969).
 * The Launch's Rear MG on the rear end (San Andreas).
 * The Rhino's roof mounted MG and a Co-axial MG (GTA V).
 * The Firetruck (Firefighter), the SWAT Tank (Vigilante), the Rhino (Vigilante) and the Hunter (Brown Thunder) are the only armed vehicles that can be used for side missions.
 * Technically, the Tank is the first armed vehicle in the entire GTA Series.
 * Also, is the first ground armed vehicle, along with the Predator, the first naval armed vehicle and the Hunter the first aerial armed vehicle.
 * AI-controlled Police Mavericks (GTA III Era) uses an invisible Machine Gun that can even destroy a Rhino.
 * In an early development for the Annihilator, instead of having 4 miniguns, there are 1 minigun and the stub wings are loaded with some sort of fuel tanks.