M57 Pilum

M57 Pilum
Production overview
Manufacturer:	Chalybs Defense Solutions
Type:	Surface-to-surface rocket launcher
Specifications
Length:	140 centimetres (55 in)
Width:	20 centimetres (7.9 in)
Height:	44.3 centimetres (17.4 in)
Ammunition type:	50x137mm HEMP
Feed system:	2-rocket magazine
Rate of fire:	63 RPM (1 rocket / 0.95 sec)
Muzzle velocity:	42.67 m/s (140.0 ft/s; 95.45 mph)
Effective range:	Long to very long 152.4 metres (500 ft) (unscoped); 274.3 metres (900 ft) (scoped);
Service history
In service:	Post-Covenant War conflicts

The M57 Pilum Assault Weapon (M57 PAW), also known as the Rocket Launcher, is a shoulder-fired heavy weapon issued to personnel of the UNSC Army, UNSC Marine Corps, and the Spartan branch around October 2558.^[1] It performs very similarly to the M41 SPNKR, its predecessor.^[1]^[3]

Specifications[edit]

Design details[edit]

Despite performing much the same as the M41 rocket launcher, the M57 rocket launcher is cheaper and substantially lighter. The M57 rocket launcher is also significantly different in design philosophy, featuring a single, reusable, fixed tube and detachable box magazines rather than dual, rotating, pre-loaded, disposable tubes.^[1]

The weapon is fed by a two-round detachable box magazine on the upper left side, forward of the user. The magazine retracts into the weapon when chambering each round, similar to the Pez'tk-pattern fuel rod gun. A 2× magnification scope folds out from a module on the left side when activated. Its missiles are able to lock onto aircraft if the operator uses smart scope.^[3] Standard warheads used by the rocket launcher are 50mm high-explosive multi-purpose, but specialist rounds are also available, including those with thermobaric fillers or dumb AI-driven "brilliant" guidance systems.^[1]

Variants[edit]

Ad Victoriam: An improved M57 that fires three laser-guided missiles in a "V" formation, all equipped with an airburst proximity fuse. The operator can use smart scope in order to guide the missiles with the reticle, and doing so will fire the missiles in a cluster rather than a "V" formation.
High Five: This advanced M57 fires five MLRS-1 Hydra mini-missiles that will lock onto both ground and air targets. Unlike the base model and the Ad Victoriam, smart scope is not needed for the High Five's missiles to lock onto targets. Much like the Echidna variant of the Hydra MLRS, the High Five also features a 5× zoom mode that allows the weapon to seek out targets as far as 762 metres (2,500 ft).

Ad Victoriam.
High Five.

Gameplay[edit]

Main article: Rocket Launcher

The M57 Pilum is featured as a usable weapon called the "Rocket Launcher", in Halo 5: Guardians. It is a power weapon, which fires slow-moving rockets that deal an incredible amount of damage upon detonation, with a wide area of effect. The Rocket Launcher is one of the most powerful weapons in the game, and to compensate, it has a small magazine size, slow reload speed and ammo is generally very rare.

Non-canon and dubious canon appearances[edit]

Silver Timeline[edit]

Main article: Silver Timeline

M57 Pilums are used by UNSC personnel in battles against the Covenant.^[4]

Trivia[edit]

The M57 bears broad similarities to the anti-air rocket launcher cut from the original Halo: Combat Evolved and the G4H-DuSH cut from Halo 3.
The weapon's color palette was changed between the multiplayer beta and final release, going from a more subdued green color to a more vivid green with yellow accents, possibly to increase visual recognition and alert players to its presence.
The Pilum is named after the thrown javelin of the ancient Roman army, innovative at its time for its construction: the metal tip was hardened while softer lead connected it to the wooden shaft, which meant it was likely to bend upon impact. If the weapon missed, it would thus be rendered unusable. If it penetrated a shield, this would become weighted down and unwieldy, forcing its user to discard it. If the weapon bent after piercing an enemy combatant, it would be difficult to remove and possibly amplify the wound.

Gallery[edit]

Normal gallery[edit]

A Pre-Beta development image of the M57 Pilum for Halo 5: Guardians.
A Recon-clad Spartan-IV with the Pilum on Eden in the Halo 5: Guardians Multiplayer Beta.
First-person view of the M57 on Pegasus in the Halo 5: Guardians Multiplayer Beta.
Smart scope with the M57 in the Halo 5: Guardians Multiplayer Beta.
Jameson Locke using an M57 Pilum during the Battle of Meridian.
Frederic-104 with a Pilum on Genesis.
First-person view of the M57 by Fred-104 in the Halo 5: Guardians campaign.
Smart scope with the M57 by Fred-104 in the Halo 5: Guardians campaign.
First-person view of the M57 in Halo 5: Guardians.
Smart scope with the M57 in Halo 5: Guardians.
A Centurion-clad Spartan-IV using smart scope with the M57 on Stasis.
A missile from the M57.
A Recruit-clad Spartan-IV (left) using a Pilum on Escape from ARC in Halo 5: Guardians.
First-person view of the Ad Victoriam.
A Centurion-clad Spartan-IV with the Ad Victoriam.
The triple missiles launched from the Ad Victoriam.
First-person view of the High Five.
A Centurion-clad Spartan-IV with the High Five.
The five Hydra mini-missiles fired from the High Five.
An M57 Pilum in comparison to an M41 SPNKR in Halo 5: Guardians.