Grenade

A grenade is an explosive weapon designed to be thrown or launched by an individual soldier. Such weapons have existed since the early ages of gunpowder weaponry in the form of crude ceramic or cast iron bombs with simple fuses, but became much more common and reliable during the Great War.

Several types of grenades exist:

• Hand grenade: A small thrown bomb used by infantry.
• Grenade launcher: A device that fires small, low-velocity explosive shells.
• Rocket-propelled grenade: A grenade that propels itself toward the target.
• Fragmentation grenades: Grenades designed to shatter into a blast of high velocity shrapnel, commonly used against infantry.
• Flashbang grenades: Grenades that create a lot of light and noise to disorient or render enemies unconscious.
• Gas grenades: Grenades that disperse a chemical weapon (lethal or non-lethal) into the air.
• Smoke grenades: Grenades that disperse thick smoke to obstruct lines of sight.

Grenades in science fiction

• Thermal detonators are used by both the Rebel Alliance and Galactic Empire, as well as other factions in Star Wars.
• The Imperial Guard uses frag and krak grenades. Forces of the Tau Empire use photon grenades. Eldar forces use plasma grenades.
• Goa'uld Stun Grenades
• An assortment of futuristic grenades are available in Mass Effect.
• There are two appearances of grenades in Star Trek:
  • Captain Archer used grenades of an unknown type during an invasion of a Suliban base in an episode of Star Trek: Enterprise.
  • Captain Kirk used a mortar-launched photon grenade against a Gorn landing party in TOS "Arena".