Difference between revisions of "Sheep-on-a-Rope"

Latest revision as of 06:11, 22 October 2024

Sheep-on-a-Rope
Type:	Controlable mammal-on-a-rope
Keyboard selection:	9 (×2)
Standard effects:	75hp max
Present in:	Worms DC

The Sheep-on-a-Rope is a weapon that made its first appearance in WormsDC. It is one of only two first-generation weapons, along with the original Worms: Reinforcements version of the Mole Bomb, not to transition into the second generation games. It was functionally replaced by the Sheep Launcher in Worms Armageddon, which provides an alternative method of getting a Sheep which also allows one to send a Sheep long-distance, albeit using a different method allowing significantly reduced range.

Its function exactly as it name implies - it's a Sheep attached to a Ninja Rope. You have full control over the rope as you would normally, even including the ability to Tarzan the rope. The Sheep will only detonate if it comes into contact with landscape whilst not attached to the rope. This was apparently a change to the original intention of the weapon, as a line WormsDC changelog posted to Andy Davidson's Instagram in October 2024, states "sheep-on-a-ropes changed to explode on contact", suggesting that the weapon previously did not immediately explode upon hitting the terrain after being released from the rope.

The same changelog alludes to another weapon, the Bungee-Sheep, added at the same time as the Sheep-on-a-Rope but ultimately cut.

The Weapons Panel showing the face of Kenny Magnusson, with description.

The Sheep-on-a-Rope is also the only weapon that physically changes in appearance if you use the Monkey Mode cheat. The weapon becomes Kenny-på-ett-Rep (lit. "Kenny-on-a-Rope"), named for Kenny Magnusson, one of the artists in the game (see References to other media). The icon for the weapon on the Weapons Panel becomes an image of Kenny, and the Sheep sprite in replaced with a small man in a green top.

More recently, the weapon reappeared in Worms W.M.D. where its functionality changed slightly - the weapon initially launches like a regular Sheep, and pressing the fire button fires a Ninja Rope which the Sheep can then use as normal. With a nineteen-year gap between appearances, this is the longest absence for any weapon in the series.

The name "Sheep-on-a-Rope" may derive from an old joke about what elephants use as tampons (see References to other media).

However, "Sheep-on-a-Rope" reappears in Worms: Armageddon Project X mod.

Tactics

• The Sheep-on-a-Rope is very good for getting to places that other, conventional weapons may find difficult to reach - if you can get your worm there using a Ninja Rope, you can likely get there using the Sheep-on-a-Rope.
• The sheep will not detonate if it hits the wall while attached to the rope, so you can be quite carefree with it.
• As there is no fuse time on the weapon, you can take as much time as you like in trying to get it to its destination. Just take care of the number of Rope Swings that remain. (not applicable to the Worms W.M.D version as there still is a fuse attached to the weapon, just like its other variants.)
• If you get the rope into a far enough swing and release the Sheep you can launch him a fair way across the map.

Criticisms, Problems and Weaknesses

• This variant of the Sheep, unlike its unroped predecessor, is not very effective against Dark Siders who have chosen to tunnel into the landscape.
• The Sheep-on-a-Rope appears to use slightly different roping physics to that of the Ninja Rope - it has a heavier feel, and is slightly more difficult to get into a regular swing than the utility.
• The lack of a manual detonator means you have to land the sheep spot-on.

In use

v • d • e Weapons