Molotov Cocktail

The Molotov Cocktail

"I look at a bottle now and I see a Molotov." ― Oksana

The Molotov Cocktail (simply, the Molotov) is equipment used by classes in World War Z.

The Molotov Cocktail is used by the Exterminator class in Co-op Campaign, and the Survivor class in Multiplayer.

Overview

When thrown, a fire pool will engulf the area where it lands. Enemies that pass through it will be lit on fire, dealing damage over time. It is an excellent crowd control tool since enemies will predictably walk through the fire unphased, eventually leading to their deaths.

Design

The Molotov Cocktail is not based on any particular design as Molotov Cocktail is a generic term for any improvised incendiary weapon using a bottle. The Molotov in-game, however, sports a surprisingly elaborate design that seems to be inspired by both modern and past depictions of the weapon. Starting with the bottle itself, it is opaque green and still has a part of the torn red capsule around the neck, suggesting that it is a wine bottle. From in-game observation where the object is in the hands of a survivor, it can be guesstimated that the bottle is the 750 ml (or "standard") size. Its label has likely been removed from the body, and in its place are two windproof matches held down by two overlapping pieces of tape. Underneath the two matches is a strip of match strike paper that sticks to the bottle by itself and folds through a tied cord. The portion of the cloth wick sticking out of the bottleneck is tied down by a piece of plastic twist tie that wraps around the neck of the bottle several times from bottom to top.

Given that the survivor may not have a lighter on hand, the matches would provide a reliable source of fire for igniting the wick. The second match could be a spare in case something were to happen with the first. To ignite the match, the survivor will need a striking surface, which is what the red-colored paper behind the matches would have to be. Alternatively, the matches could be ignited and the bottle could be thrown immediately without igniting the wick since the matches are windproof (based on design). The cord attached to the match paper may be used as a way to hook the Molotov onto something for external carriage (although none of the survivors are shown to use it for that purpose since equipment only appears in hand when it is needed). The loop may more likely be used as a rudimentary "pin" to pull, that ignites the matches as the strike paper is pulled out from underneath them, igniting the matches and the rag with one pull, like cooking a grenade. The tie around the cloth wick ensures that it is secured to the bottle.

Trivia

• The Tutorial Tip for the Molotov Cocktail references the year when improvised incendiary weapons of its kind were first being used. The tip in question is: "Simple but effective, the Molotov Cocktail has been used to scorch enemy lines since 1936." Despite what is written in the tip, this quote is technically wrong, or at the very least, can be interpreted as incorrect. The term "Molotov Cocktail" itself was not used until the Winter War in 1939 when the Finnish soldiers have perfected the design of earlier petrol bombs by using bottles of alcohol as the primary container for highly flammable concoctions. By this understanding, the earlier petrol bombs used back since 1936 but before 1939-1940 could retroactively be called and be considered as "Molotov Cocktails." However, the versions used by the Finns themselves (a glass bottle filled with flammable liquid with a cloth wick and/or matches) were not in use at that time until a few years later.