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The "Tunder" 5.45 is a unique variant of Tunder S14 assault rifle, modified to fire the 5.45×39mm caliber, featured in S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl and S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat (known as the Storm).

Shadow of Chernobyl

The given barrell[1] is the excellent work of one of the stalkers-craftsmen who managed to work the rifle to by able to fit the more widespread 5.45 mm bullet.
― Description

The "Tunder" 5.45 has no difference compared to the original Tunder S14 minus the different caliber and much higher reliability; it takes 20000 shots to fully degrade a "Tunder" 5.45 from 100% to 0%, whereas the Tunder S14 only takes 10000 shots.[2] On the other hand, the "Tunder" 5.45 features the disadvantages of the 5.45x39mm caliber - i.e. fewer penetration, making the weapon less effective against exoskeleton-clad opponents. However, it also features the advantages - namely the 5.45 is one of the most common ammo types of the game, easily found from the beginning to the end of the game, making not uncommon to have high amounts of ammunition for the weapon.

The most important thing about "Tunder" 5.45 is that, despite being chambered in 5.45×39mm, it has the same damage value as its 9×39mm parent. This makes it the clear-cut best 5.45mm caliber weapon in the game. While it won't do as much damage as the normal Tunder S14 because of worse ammunition modifiers, the 5.45mm ammunition is much more common, lighter and has better range. One more minor downside of the weapon itself – along with its ammunition – is an accuracy worse than that of the default variant.

As "Tunder" 5.45 can be obtained even at the start of the game, after gathering 20.000 RU, it can be easily considered as the best weapon available until reaching the Army Warehouses. Its only downside compared to Fast-shooting Akm 74/2 or available NATO rifles (IL 86, TRs 301) is a much worse accuracy, so the player's abilities in long-range combat are vastly limited. Impressive damage per second, very good handling (allowing sights to center faster), common lightweight ammunition type, and integrated grenade launcher – all these things are more than enough to compensate for poor accuracy and low magazine capacity.

Acquisition

There are three ways to acquire this unique weapon.

  • At the beginning of a new campaign, the "Tunder" 5.45 may be bought from Sidorovich. From the moment the player starts a new game, he will randomly offer the weapon for sale at a price of 20 000 RU. It is somewhat rare but can be coaxed to appear in the trader inventory by reloading. However, the "Tunder" 5.45 will only appear up until the Marked One speaks to Wolf after defeating the Bandits that captured Nimble. Speaking to Wolf after rescuing Nimble will immediately and permanently remove the "Tunder" 5.45 from Sidorovich's inventory, although giving Sidorovich Nimble's flash drive will not remove it.
  • Sidorovich may also sell this unique weapon after the player meets Doctor in the Agroprom Underground, although it is not as useful at this stage of the game.
  • This weapon is also held by a Duty member, Barin, who can be found in Rostok at the start of the game. After the player enters Rostok, Barin may stay there, although he can randomly go in five directions:
  1. To the Garbage Duty outpost, if any of guard there is killed
  2. To the Dark Valley (only after the player completed the Lab X-18 mission), at the outpost at the Garbage entrance, sitting there with other Duty stalkers
  3. To the Wild Territory, at the Rostok entrance
  4. On a rare occasion, to the Yantar scientists bunker, but only if the Lab X-16 part of the main quest is completed, if one of the guards is killed
  5. To the Military Warehouses.
The player's best chance to get the weapon is to wait for Barin to move towards the Garbage from Rostok. Once he's past Kitsenko's checkpoint, the player can lure the large group of pseudodogs/blind dogs that roam in the area towards Barin and wait for him to be killed, then collect the weapon.

Call of Pripyat

An experimental version of an assault rifle and grenade launcher system, a Russian modification of the standard Tunder S14, this weapon was specially designed for units operating in the Zone. Notable for its increased magazine capacity.
― Description

The weapon returns as the Storm in Call of Pripyat. Unlike its predecessor, it has a few more differences compared to the standard version; apart from the 5.45 caliber, this weapon features a 30-round magazine compared to the original 20-round, has a 3-shot burst firing mode, higher firing rate (655 RPM instead of 585), improved accuracy and less muzzle climb. Also, unlike the regular version, it can mount a PSO-1 scope and any of its variants. However, it also deals significantly less damage than the standard weapon (by default and through the ammunition multipliers), dealing 32 damage per shot instead of 40, though still the most of all 5.45mm caliber weapons. The Storm still has noticeable bullet drop, despite the projectiles' higher velocity, but this can be negated via upgrades. Fully upgraded, it can arguably be the best Warsaw Pact weapon in the game, and can compete with the higher-end NATO weapons, despite its smaller caliber.

The Storm itself is very close to FT-200M: they both have the same damage, accuracy, handling, and magazine size. However, the second one has slightly higher rate of fire, better flatness, and an integrated scope (although this can be a downside sometimes, especially if the player gets flanked), while the Storm offers way lower weight, can mount a suppressor, and uses far more common ammunition (5.45mm rounds are extraordinarily easy to come across throughout the entire game)

Acquisition

The Storm can be ordered for Nimble for 20000RU. It is one of the three assault rifles available from him, the two others being the GP37 and the FT-200M. The weapon obtained for ordering an assault rifle is random, so it may take a single order or more to get the weapon. As with all weapons sold by Nimble, holding the weapon at the exit of the Skadovsk triggers the Reputation mission from Snag.

Trivia

  • In reality, there is no 5.45×39mm variant of the OTs-14 Groza, though the caliber was considered during the weapon's design stages, and a few testbed weapons were made. There was, however, a variant chambered for the older 7.62×39mm WP round , using a 30-round magazine and the same grenade launcher.

References

  1. Note: Incorrect "barrell" spelling is present in game description.
  2. gamedata/configs/misc/unique_items.ltx - condition_shot_dec factor is set to 0.00005, whereas that of the Tunder S14 is set to 0.0001
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