CEV:Assault Rifle

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Assault Rifle
Gameplay role
Faction:	Human (UNSC)
Weapon tier (?):	Loadout weapon
Weapon class (?):	Rifle
Weapon type (?):	Bullet
Firing mode:	Automatic
Effective range:	Close to medium
Counterparts:	Human (UNSC) SMG Covenant Needler Plasma Rifle Brute Plasma Rifle Spiker Forerunner Sentinel Beam
Gameplay stats
Magazine size:	36 rounds (60 with Magnified Skull)

This article is part of a series on Assault Rifles

First-person shooters

Halo: Combat Evolved
Halo 3
Halo 3: ODST
Halo: Reach
Halo 4
Halo 2: Anniversary
Halo 5: Guardians
Halo: Fireteam Raven
Halo Infinite (Avenger variant)

Halo: Campaign Evolved

Twin-stick shooters

Halo: Spartan Assault

Halo: Spartan Strike

For more gameplay weapon articles, see here!

v • d • e

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The Assault Rifle (AR) provides sustained automatic fire, with increased accuracy using short, controlled bursts.

”

The Assault Rifle is a weapon featured in Halo: Campaign Evolved. It is one of the most common weapons throughout the game. Information on the Assault Rifle found in the original Halo: Combat Evolved (and its Anniversary remaster) can be found here.

Universe and lore

Main article: MA5B assault rifle

The Assault Rifle in Halo: Campaign Evolved is the MA5B assault rifle, a weapon in the MA5 series of Individual Combat Weapon Systems produced by Misriah Armory. It is chambered in 7.62x51mm.

Gameplay

Counterparts

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  SMG

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  Plasma Rifle

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  Brute Plasma Rifle

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  Needler

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  Spiker

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  Sentinel Beam

Campaign

The Assault Rifle's classic Flawless AR skin and modern Standard Issue style in Campaign Evolved.

The Assault Rifle is one of the most common weapons found throughout the campaign of Campaign Evolved, now functioning similarly to the Assault Rifle featured in Halo 4. Unlike Combat Evolved, the Assault Rifle featured in Campaign Evolved features a Bloom mechanic more in line with Halo's later sequels, with distinct reticle feedback. This, tied with its newly added scope allows the Assault Rifle to deal damage at much farther distances compared to its original counterpart, provided the user fires in bursts. The scope for the Assault Rifle is a 1.4x magnification zoom that tightens the player's bloom and also features no descope upon taking damage.

Similarly to the original MA5B, this weapon features headshot multipliers that can amplify its kill potential. Unlike its predecessor however, this weapon is now unable to quick camo or double melee, with its base melee speed being much slower; while it also cannot be backpack reloaded, the ability to cancel the Assault Rifle's reload early is present.

If the player wants an experience more rooted in Combat Evolved's classic gameplay, a new Skull has been added, Magnified, that changes the Assault Rifle's rate of fire, spread, and magazine capacity to more closely resemble the original variant of the weapon. A similar skull, Stowed Reload, allows the player to backpack reload any weapon when enabled, including the Assault Rifle.

Changes from Combat Evolved to Campaign Evolved 2025 demo

• Magazine size reduced from 60 to 32.
• Rate of fire decreased.
• Reserve magazine reduced from 10 to 9.
• Bloom mechanic added.
  • Bloom allows weapon projectiles to expand outside of the player's reticle.
  • Bloom can be reduced by crouching before firing.
• The ability to aim in, similar to Halo 5: Guardians and Halo Infinite, has been added. This new scope features a 1.4x magnification.
• Headshot multipliers reduced.

Changes from 2025 demo to Campaign Evolved

• Magazine size buffed from 32 to 36.
• Reserve magazine buffed from 9 to 10.
• Rate of fire was decreased to 8.57 rounds-per-second.
• Headshot multipliers buffed.
• The ability to quick camo or double melee has been removed.

Changes from Campaign Evolved to August 17th update

• Rate of fire was fixed and increased from 8.57 rounds-per-second to the intended 10 rounds-per-second.

Skins

There are a number of weapon styles for the Assault Rifle in Campaign Evolved. A distinct skin for the weapon gives the MA5B a makeover near identical to its 2001 counterpart.

Assault Rifle customization v • d • e
Cosmetic	Type	Description	Unlock requirements
Standard Issue	Style	Color pattern approved by the UNSC Ordnance Commission.	Unlocked by default
Flawless AR	Skin	Perfectly balanced.	Pre-order Halo: Campaign Evolved and get the Foundry Armory Pack.
Milestone	Style	Spartans can make any weapon an engine of destruction.
Silver Anniversary	Style	Always there when you need it.	Unlocked for free by logging onto Halo: Campaign Evolved.
Reflex Mix	Style	Ready to raid.	Available as a Twitch Drop beginning the week of July 23 to August 4, 2026.

Production notes

In the 2025 reveal demo for Campaign Evolved playable at Halo World Championship, the Assault Rifle had a magazine size of 32 rounds, with a default reserve of 128 rounds and a total capacity of 288. The weapon was buffed from the launch demo to the prerelease media build in Summer 2026, with the magazine capacity upgraded to 36, the initial spare reserve to 216, and the total ammo reserve to 300. The rate of fired also decreased from the reveal's variant, being altered from firing around 20 rounds-per-second (RPS) to around 7.5 RPS, which makes the weapon more accurate when taking into account bloom.

Gallery

Screenshots

2025 reveal demo screenshots

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  The Master Chief and marines onboard Echo 419.

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  A first-person screenshot of a player using an Assault Rifle.

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  John-117 holding the Assault Rifle in The Silent Cartographer Demo.

Launch screenshots

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  The Assault Rifle as seen on Halo.

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  The Assault Rifle in use during a gunfight against a Sangheili Major.

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  The Assault Rifle being used to melee an Unggoy Minor.

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  A third-person view of the standard Assault Rifle.

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  The Assault Rifle with a style as seen on Halo, featuring the Flawless AR skin.

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  The Assault Rifle in use during a gunfight against a Sangheili Major.

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  The Assault Rifle being used to melee an Unggoy Minor.

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  A third-person view of the Flawless AR.

Menu content

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  The Assault Rifle in the menu of Halo: Campaign Evolved.