Editing Machine Pistol

{{Status|Gameplay}}
{{Notice/Gameplay}}
{{Infobox/Weapon/Gameplay
|name=Machine Pistol
|image=[[File:SS Icon MachinePistols.png]]
|faction=[[Human]] ([[United Nations Space Command|UNSC]])
|tier=[[Loadout weapon]]
|type=
|range=Short
|counterparts=
Human (UNSC):
*[[SMG]]
[[Covenant]]:
*[[Plasma Rifle]]
*[[Brute Plasma Rifle]]
*[[Needler]]
*[[Spiker]]
[[Forerunner]]:
*[[Suppressor]]
|dmgtype=[[Kinetic]]
|mode=Automatic
|damage=Low
|rof=High
|accuracy=Low
|projspeed=Slow
|mag=256 bullets
|maxammo=
|generalvariants=
|h5reqvariants=
|scopes=
|attachments=
*Capacity Upgrade I
*Capacity Upgrade II
*Capacity Upgrade III
}}
{{Quote|Machine pistols are sloppy, but when I need to fight [[Flood]] [[Infection form]]s, sloppy's the best thing on the menu.|[[UNSC rank structure|Private]] [[Lewis Allen]]{{Ref/Game|Id=Quote|SA|[[Halo: Spartan Assault/Quotes|pre-mission quotes]]}}}}

The '''Machine Pistol''' is a [[human]] [[loadout weapon]], exclusively seen in ''[[Halo: Spartan Assault]]''{{'}}s [[cooperative play|co-op]] [[Halo: Spartan Assault co-op missions|Flood missions]]. It is an automatic weapon which fires very inaccurately and deals little damage, but has a fast rate of fire and a large ammo capacity to compensate.{{Ref/Game|Id=SACoOp|SA|[[Halo: Spartan Assault co-op missions|co-op missions]]}}

==Universe and lore==
{{Main|M6/Z magnum}}
The M6/Z Magnum is a machine pistol that comprised part of [[Misriah Armory]]'s venerable [[M6 series]], a long-running line of personal defence weapons. It is fully-automatic, and specially modified for use in high-risk, close-quarters scenarios such as ship boarding actions.{{Ref/Site|Id=CF|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/news/canon-fodder-food-for-thought|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=Canon Fodder: Food For Thought|D=07|M=10|Y=2022}} Though it was very inaccurate, even described as "sloppy" by [[UNSC rank structure|Private]] [[Lewis Allen]],{{Ref/Reuse|Quote}} it made up for this with its incredibly high rate of fire.{{Ref/Reuse|CF}}

Misriah first introduced the M6/Z some time before late [[2552]]. It did not see widespread use, but it did find utility against [[Flood]] during the [[United Nations Space Command|UNSC]]'s brief encounter with the parasite towards the end of the [[Human-Covenant War]],{{Ref/Reuse|CF}} particularly against [[infection form]]s like [[pod infector]]s.{{Ref/Reuse|Quote}} The weapon was also present in [[UNSC Tactical Simulator|TACSIM]] training simulations hosted by [[Roland]] aboard the {{UNSCShip|Infinity}}, at some point after [[2557#December|December 5, 2557]].{{Ref/Game|Id=CoOpIntro|SA|co-op intro cutscene}}{{Ref/Book|H4EVG|Pg=19|Detail=Roland}}{{Ref/Note|The [[artificial intelligence]] [[Roland]] appears during the introduction cutscene for the co-op [[Halo: Spartan Assault co-op missions|Flood missions]], and serves as its narrator. As he was put into service on December 5, 2557, this indicates that the TACSIM training session depicted in the cutscene took place some time after that date.}} These simulated a [[Forerunner]] location called [[X-40]], and populated it with [[Flood]] forms, in order to train [[Spartan]]s to fight the parasite, should the UNSC ever encounter it again.{{Ref/Reuse|SACoOp}}{{Ref/Reuse|CoOpIntro}}

<gallery widths="210px">
File:SS Icon MachinePistols.png|link=M6/Z magnum|'''[[M6/Z magnum]]'''<br/>{{Small|''[[Halo: Spartan Assault]]''}}
</gallery>

==Overview==
{{Quote|Short range dual-wielded machine gun pistols|''Halo: Spartan Assault'' weapon summary{{Ref/Game|Id=SALoadout|SA|co-op [[loadout]] screen}}}}
The Machine Pistol is a light grey pistol with a short barrel, a foregrip, a tall sight at the front of the weapon and a long magazine protruding from the bottom of its rear grip. It fires very inaccurately, has a short range and deals little damage, however sports a very large ammo capacity and fires very fast. Like many other sidearms in ''Spartan Assault'', the player's [[Spartan]] will dual-wield Machine Pistols when picked up.{{Ref/Reuse|SACoOp}}{{Ref/Reuse|SALoadout}}

===Attachments===
At ''Halo: Spartan Assault''{{'}}s co-op [[loadout]] screen, if one of the two loadout options contains the Machine Pistol, the player can optionally equip it with one of three attachments, all of which increase its ammunition capacity by various degrees. These apply to all Machine Pistols in the match - not just the one the player spawns with. The upgrades will take effect for both players regardless of who bought it, and if both players purchase the upgrades, the increase in ammo will stack. This allows for a total ammunition increase of +90%. Upgrades will only apply for a single mission, and are single-use; they will need to be purchased again next time the player plays the same mission.{{Ref/Reuse|SACoOp}}{{Ref/Reuse|SALoadout}}

The three upgrades are as follows:

{| class="wikitable"
!style="min-width: 170px"|Name
!style="min-width: 140px"|Price
!Description
|-
|Capacity Upgrade I
|{{CR|20}} / {{XP|400}}
|Increases maximum ammo capacity and ammo in pickups by 15%, for all instances of this weapon
|-
|Capacity Upgrade II
|{{CR|30}} / {{XP|600}}
|Increases maximum ammo capacity and ammo in pickups by 30%, for all instances of this weapon
|-
|Capacity Upgrade III
|{{CR|40}} / {{XP|800}}
|Increases maximum ammo capacity and ammo in pickups by 45%, for all instances of this weapon
|}

===Counterparts===
The Machine Pistol has no direct counterparts within the co-op Flood missions, as only a limited set of weapons appear in this mode. However, there are a number of other weapons in ''Halo: Spartan Assault'' and the ''Halo'' franchise in general which serve a similar role.

On the human, UNSC side, there is the [[SMG]]. Like the Machine Pistol, the SMG is an automatic sidearm, which deals very little damage per hit but has a fast rate of fire. The SMG appears in the ''Spartan Assault'' main campaign, where it fulfills a role very similar to that of the Machine Pistol, but is replaced by the Machine Pistols in its co-op missions. Like the Machine Pistols, it is [[dual wielding|dual wielded]] in ''Spartan Assault'' and is fully automatic, but it is significantly more accurate.

The [[Covenant]] uses a number of weapons similar in operation to the Machine Pistol. The {{Pattern|Okarda'phaa|plasma rifle}} and [[Brute Plasma Rifle]] are automatic weapons which fire plasma bolts which deal light damage, and are somewhat inaccurate. Furthermore, the [[Needler]] is an automatic Covenant sidearm which fires slow-moving pink needles that home in on the target, and can cause a "[[supercombine]]" explosion if enough projectiles connect with the target. Finally, the [[Paegaas Workshop Spiker]] is an automatic weapon which fires superheated spikes which travel very quickly, but deals little damage to enemies. Of these four, only the Needler appears in ''Spartan Assault'', being present in the campaign mode, but not co-op.

The [[Forerunner]] [[Promethean]]s have a similar weapon known as the [[Suppressor]]. It fires hardlight bolts which deal light damage to enemies. The weapon is incredibly inaccurate, but has a large magazine and fires very fast. Although it does not appear in ''Spartan Assault'', the Suppressor is present in ''Spartan Strike'', where it serves a gameplay role almost identical to that of the Machine Pistol, albeit with a much reduced ammunition capacity.

<gallery>
File:H5G-M20SMG-Render-Standard.png|link=SMG|'''[[SMG]]'''<br/>{{Small|''[[Halo 2]]'', ''[[Halo 3]]'', ''[[Halo: Spartan Assault]]'', ''[[Halo 2: Anniversary]]'' multiplayer, ''[[Halo: Spartan Strike]]'' and ''[[Halo 5: Guardians]]''}}
File:H2A T25DER.png|link=Plasma Rifle|'''[[Plasma Rifle]]'''<br/>{{Small|''[[Halo: Combat Evolved|Halo: CE]]'', ''[[Halo 2]]'', ''[[Halo 3]]'', ''[[Halo: Reach]]'' and ''[[Halo 2: Anniversary]]'' multiplayer}}
File:H5G - Brute plasma rifle.png|link=Brute Plasma Rifle|'''[[Brute Plasma Rifle]]'''<br/>{{Small|''[[Halo 2]]'', ''[[Halo 3: ODST]]'', ''[[Halo 2: Anniversary]]'' multiplayer and ''[[Halo 5: Guardians]]''}}
File:H5G-Render-Needler.png|link=Needler|'''[[Needler]]'''<br/>{{Small|''[[Halo: Combat Evolved|Halo: CE]]'', ''[[Halo 2]]'', ''[[Halo 3]]'', ''[[Halo 3: ODST]]'', ''[[Halo: Reach]]'', ''[[Halo 4]]'', ''[[Halo: Spartan Assault]]'', ''[[Halo 2: Anniversary]]'' multiplayer, ''[[Halo: Spartan Strike]]'' and ''[[Halo 5: Guardians]]''}}
File:HaloReach-SpikeRifle-Side.png|link=Spiker|'''[[Spiker]]'''<br/>{{Small|''[[Halo 3]]'', ''[[Halo 3: ODST]]'' and ''[[Halo: Reach]]''}}
File:H5G-Suppressor.png|link=Suppressor|'''[[Suppressor]]'''<br/>{{Small|''[[Halo 4]]'', ''[[Halo: Spartan Strike]]'' and ''[[Halo 5: Guardians]]''}}
</gallery>

==Gameplay==
In general, the Machine Pistol is a weak weapon with a very specialised role overall; it excels at dealing with [[pod infector]]s, but is useful for little else. It can be found abundantly in all of the co-op missions, with at least two spawning on every level. Additionally, red [[Flood combat form|combat forms]] will always be equipped with the weapon when they spawn. All co-op missions besides [[Mission 1: Checkpoint|Co-op 1: Checkpoint]] feature the Machine Pistols in one of their loadout options.{{Ref/Reuse|SACoOp}}

===Stats===
The weapon bears the following stats in ''Halo: Spartan Assault'':
{{Stats/Weapon
<!-- SHOW/HIDE ROWS -->
|WeaponType=show
|DmgType=show
|FiringMode=show
|IsPrecisionWeapon=show
|ZoomLevels=
|ShotsPerTriggerPull=
|MagSize=show
|ReserveAmmo=
|ReloadSpeed=
|EquipSpeed=
|RecoveryTime=
|RateOfFire=show
|Accuracy=show
|Range=show
|Damage=show
|HeadshotsToKill=
|ShotsToKill=
|HeadshotsToBreakShields=
|ShotsToBreakShields=
|RedReticleRange=
|RedReticleRangeZ1=
|RedReticleRangeZ2=
<!-- HALO: SPARTAN ASSAULT -->
|SA=show
|SA-WeaponType=Loadout
|SA-DmgType=Kinetic
|SA-FiringMode=Automatic
|SA-IsPrecisionWeapon={{Cross}}
|SA-ZoomLevels=
|SA-ShotsPerTriggerPull=
|SA-MagSize=256
|SA-ReserveAmmo=
|SA-ReloadSpeed=
|SA-EquipSpeed=
|SA-RecoveryTime=
|SA-RateOfFire=15 rounds/sec {{C|Approx}}
|SA-Accuracy=Low
|SA-Range=Short
|SA-Damage=Low
|SA-HeadshotsToKill=
|SA-ShotsToKill=
|SA-HeadshotsToBreakShields=
|SA-ShotsToBreakShields=
|SA-RedReticleRange=
|SA-RedReticleRangeZ1=
|SA-RedReticleRangeZ2=
}}

===Advantages===
*The Machine Pistols fire in a wide angle, allowing a player to fire upon an entire group of enemies easily.
*A Machine Pistol shot will kill a [[pod infector]], making it an ideal weapon against swarms of them.
*Ammo for the weapon is plentiful in all co-op maps, and it carries a very large amount.

===Disadvantages===
*Due to its wide angle of fire, to engage a single target with the weapon, the player must move very close and risk a melee attack.
*The weapon's damage against all other units is pitiful, making it a very ineffective weapon against them.
*Its projectiles will disappear after traveling a short distance from the player.

===Tactics and strategies===
The Machine Pistols are most effective against pod infectors.{{Ref/Reuse|Quote}}{{Ref/Reuse|SACoOp}} Ideally, they should be used from a distance, to allow the user to more easily escape if a swarm of enemies overruns them, which is liable to happen given the weapon's low damage. Unless there is no other choice, the weapon should not be used against [[Flood combat form|combat forms]], as it deals very little damage and forces the player to move in close and risk being [[melee]]d. The weapon is best used in combination with another, more powerful weapon; the Machine Pistols can be used to mop up swarms of infection forms without wasting ammunition for the other weapon, which the player can switch to in order to deal with more dangerous foes.{{Ref/Reuse|SACoOp}}

==Production notes==
Despite not appearing in the game, the HUD icons for the machine pistol exist in the files of ''[[Halo: Spartan Strike]]'', likely just a holdover from the first game. As with all HUD elements in ''Spartan Strike'', these icons take on a slight green tinge when compared to ''Spartan Assault''.{{Ref/File|SS|_bmp.Shared.Icons.Weapons.weapon_gun_machinepistols_active.tga}}

Curiously, the Machine Pistol takes on the appearance of the campaign's SMG when held by red combat forms, despite retaining the properties of the Machine Pistol. However, the combat forms will still drop a normal Machine Pistol upon death.{{Ref/Reuse|SACoOp}}

Due to only being available in one mode, in a relatively obscure ''Halo'' title, the Machine Pistols went largely unnoticed by the majority of the community, and by [[343 Industries]] themselves. The weapon was not acknowledged in any media outside of ''Spartan Assault'', nor was it mentioned in a [[Halo Community Update]] or [[Canon Fodder]] around the time of the release of the co-op mode. On one occasion in [[2018]], when asked, 343 Industries writer [[Kenneth Peters]] confessed to having forgotten they existed.{{Ref/Generic|[[Wikipedia:Discord|Discord]]|[[Sins of the Prophets]]|[[:File:NH-Discord Screenshot KenForgotMachinePistols.png|Q&A with Kenneth Peters]]|Quote=Ah had totally forgotten about the machine pistols|Quotee=[[Kenneth Peters]]}} Consequently, the weapon became a [[Wikipedia:Meme|meme]] among the [[Halopedia]] community, due to the absence of any substantial information on the subject.

Following the release of [[Canon Fodder]] issue 128 in mid-[[2022]], Halopedia admin [[User:Dab1001|Dab1001]] joked on the Halopedia Discord server that Halopedia should collectively band together and all ask questions about the Machine Pistols in the next Canon Fodder Q&A. Canon Fodder writer [[Alex Wakeford]] jokingly encouraged this,{{Ref/Generic|[[Wikipedia:Discord|Discord]]|[[Halopedia]]|[[:File:NH-Discord Screenshot HaruspisFoolishlyEncouragesUs.png|conversation with Alex "Haruspis" Wakeford]]|Quote=dew it|Quotee=[[Alex Wakeford]]}} and so when the next call for Q&A questions was made, Halopedia users made several posts asking various questions about the weapon over both [[Wikipedia:Reddit|Reddit]],{{Ref/Site|URL=https://old.reddit.com/r/HaloStory/comments/wpab9a/canon_fodder_qa_september_edition/|Site=Reddit|Page=r/HaloStory, Canon Fodder Q&A - September edition|D=07|M=10|Y=2022}} and [[Wikipedia:Twitter|Twitter]].{{Ref/Twitter|haruspis|1559281317992341507|Alex Wakeford|D=07|M=10|Y=2022}} Users who submitted questions were awarded the "Machine Pistol Legion" role on the Discord server. Eventually, the Machine Pistols were expanded upon in Canon Fodder issue 133, in October 2022, initially with a humorous fakeout description involving [[Precursor]] [[neural physics]], intended to make the reader think the question would not be answered seriously, before progressing to a brief segment establishing the Machine Pistol as the [[M6/Z magnum]], manufactured by [[Misriah Armory]].{{Ref/Reuse|CF}}

{{Quote|Augmented with fledgling knowledge of the esoteric Precursor science-magics of neural physics, the machine p--|Humorous, non-canonical description of the Machine Pistols.{{Ref/Reuse|CF}}}}

==Gallery==
===HUD icons===
<gallery>
File:SS Icon MachinePistols.png|The weapon's icon, as seen in the game files of ''Halo: Spartan Strike''.
File:SS Icon MachinePistols-Empty.png|The weapon's icon when it is empty, as seen in the game files of ''Halo: Spartan Strike''.
File:SS Icon MachinePistols-Pressed.png|The Machine Pistols' icon when it is pressed in the armoury, extracted from the files of ''Spartan Strike''.
File:SS Icon MachinePistols-Rollover.png|An icon for the Machine Pistols when hovered over in the armoury, from ''Spartan Strike''{{'}}s files.
</gallery>

===Menu images===
<gallery>
File:SA Menu MachinePistol.png|The Machine Pistol in the loadout menu.
File:SA Menu MachinePistol-Upgrades.png|The upgrades screen for the Machine Pistol.
File:SA Menu MachinePistol-MaxUpgrades.png|The Machine Pistol with the maximum upgrades.
</gallery>

===Gameplay===
<gallery>
File:HSA - Machine pistols with Spartans.png|Two players wielding Machine Pistols.
File:HSA - Flood Machine pistols.png|Machine Pistols in use against pod infectors.
File:SA Gameplay MachinePistol-1.png|A red player holds a pair of Machine Pistols.
File:SA Gameplay MachinePistol-2.png|The HUD when holding an empty pair of Machine Pistols.
File:SA Gameplay MachinePistol-3.png|Two players holding out against the Flood with the weapon.
File:SA Gameplay MachinePistol-4.png|A red player firing the weapon at an infection form.
File:SA Gameplay MachinePistol-5.png|A pair of players wielding Machine Pistols.
File:SA Screenshot MachinePistol-1.png|Several Machine Pistols; both in players' hands and discarded on the ground.
File:SA Screenshot MachinePistol-2.png|A player (right) firing a pair of Machine Pistols.
File:SA Screenshot MachinePistol-3.png|The weapon in use against a horde of Flood.
File:SA Screenshot MachinePistol-4.png|Several infection forms and a combat form being fired upon with the weapon.
File:SA Screenshot MachinePistol-5.png|Two Machine Pistols in a weapon locker.
File:SA Screenshot MachinePistol-6.png|Two players combine fire with the Machine Pistols.
File:SA Screenshot MachinePistol-7.png|A pair of players attack Flood who are assailing a barricade.
File:SA Screenshot MachinePistol-8.png|A red player firing the Machine Pistols, while the blue player holds a pair on their back.
File:SA Screenshot MachinePistol-9.png|Two red combat forms with Machine Pistols. Note the different, SMG-like appearance.
</gallery>

==List of appearances==
*''[[Halo: Spartan Assault]]'' {{1st}}

==Notes==
{{Ref/Notes}}

==Sources==
{{Ref/Sources}}

{{Navbox/Weapons/Gameplay}}

<!-- Gameplay categories: -->
[[Category:Halo: Spartan Assault weapons]]
[[Category:Human weapons (gameplay)]]
[[Category:Automatic weapons]]
[[Category:Loadout weapons]]
[[Category:Non-reloadable weapons]]