Spike weaponry

A Jiralhanae Minor wielding the Paegaas Workshop Spiker, a common spike weapon.

Spike weaponry refers to projectile weapons of Jiralhanae origin that fire spike projectiles.

History

Spike weapons—or at the very least, the ubiquitous spike rifle—originated from the Jiralhanae conflicts on Doisac prior to the species' induction to the Covenant. Precursors to spike weapons, like the heavy speargun, were also used by Jiralhanae in big-game hunting. After they joined the Covenant, most of the Jiralhanae-designed weapons—including spike weapons—were still manufactured by clan workshops on Doisac, albeit under the supervision of Covenant missionaries. Regardless, spike weapons were not commonly encountered in combat, with many Jiralhanae shock troops deferring to the San'Shyuum's guidance and adopting directed-energy weapons. However, in the months leading up to the Great Schism in 2552, the Prophet of Truth ordered the Sacred Promissory on High Charity to secretly expand its scope to the production of all Jiralhanae matériel, including many spike weapons, for the impending purge of the Sangheili. Following the Great Schism and the dissolution of the Covenant, Jiralhanae-designed spike weapons such as the Ukala Workshop Mangler returned to widespread circulation.

Operation

A UNSC marine impaled by a spiker's projectile and pinned to a wall.

"Those things ain’t made to wound anyone – to make you use up time and resources treating casualties. They were designed to make you die screaming."

— Anonymous UNSC E2-BAG/1/7 serviceman

Spike weapons fire eponymous spike projectiles at enemies; the spike rifle—the most common spike weapon—fires long, sharp projectiles made of superheated tungsten alloy, which are coated in a pyrophoric compound unique to Doisac. When fired and exposed to atmospheric oxygen, the coating burns with a white-hot intensity, rendering the spikes superheated and semi-molten. The spikes thus glow with a yellow-white light for a short time after impact, before they cool. The spike rifle uses a gravitic accelerator to launch the spike at targets; it is likely other spike weaponry employ a similar mechanism.

That being said, the varied roles and applications of spike weapons also likely determine the property of spike projectiles they fire: smaller armor-piercing spike projectiles fired from spike rifles can easily penetrate flesh and bones, even pinning a target to an object behind them, whereas their larger counterparts, like those fired from the skewer, can perforate a vehicle's battle plates or even a Spartan's armor with relative ease. Furthermore, larger spike projectiles tend to possess explosive properties: the spike cannon—mounted on Choppers—and the infantry-portable Volatile Skewer fire spike projectiles that detonate upon and after impact, respectively. Spike cannons are also equipped on aircraft such as the Dovotaa Workshop Griever and Qavardu Workshop Gravemaker.

While nearly all spike weapons fire single-use spike projectiles, exceptions have been found within the Banished. The gunship variant of the Eklon'Dal Workshop Spirit uniquely employs a spike harpoon that allows the gunship to rapidly close its distance to a target. The Banished has also incorporated spikes, rather than blades, at the fore of their vehicles, including the Ironclad Wraith and Terror Wraith, for the purpose of increased ramming damage or repelling enemies.

List of spike weapons

Handheld weapons

• Flaktura Workshop Skewer
• Spike rifle
  • Paegaas Workshop Spiker
  • Grenflekt Workshop Spiker
• Ukala Workshop Mangler

Explosives

• Jovokada Workshop spike grenade

Mounted weapons

• Spike cannon
• Spike harpoon
• Spike turret

Gallery

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  A Spiker's spike projectile mid-flight.

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  An Unggoy Minor impaled by numerous spike projectiles.

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  A Flood pod infector pinned by a spike projectile.

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  A Mangler's spike projectile mid-flight.

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  A Skewer's armor-piercing spike munition mid-flight.