Editing Sulok-pattern beam rifle

and the counterpart of the [[UNSC]] [[sniper rifle|SRS99 series sniper rifles]]. It is also the successor to the earlier [[Zubo-pattern beam rifle]]. The weapon has a variety of nicknames including '''PBR''',{{Ref/Book|Id=Enc09|Enc09|Page=321}} '''PB''' and '''Covenant Sniper'''.{{Ref/Reuse|Enc11}}

The Sulok-pattern rifle is a battery-powered [[directed energy weapon]] that fires ionized particle beams.{{Ref/Reuse|Enc11}}{{Ref/Reuse|universe}} The battery for the weapon has enough charge to fire ten shots. The muzzle velocity of the weapon is 3657 m/s (12,000 f/s){{Ref/Reuse|bnet}}, with a maximum effective range of roughly 1,500 m (4900 ft){{Ref/Reuse|bnet}}{{Ref/Reuse|Enc11}} When firing, the weapon has a near-silent and negligible muzzle signature, and inflicts wounds comparable to the [[14.5×114mm]] round fired by the UNSC's [[SRS99 series]] of sniper rifles,{{Ref/Reuse|bnet}} capable of instantly killing a target.{{Ref/Reuse|Enc11}} The beam rifle has a barrel length of 82.55 cm (32.5 in.) and an overall length of 160.4 cm (63.2 in.), weighing in at 18 kg (39.6 lbs).{{Ref/Reuse|bnet}}{{Ref/Reuse|Enc09}}{{Ref/Note|This figure described the ''Halo 3'' beam rifle model, and is not consistently depicted. See disrepancies section for more full explanation.}}

The Sulok-pattern has little recoil when firing. The mechanism by which the beam rifle functions is unknown to the UNSC, but accounts for the weapon's drastically different properties. The scope of the beam rifle is capable of a 5x or 10x zoom, but has the potential to induce slight nausea in humans who try to use it.{{Ref/Reuse|bnet}} The round section in front of the hand guard and trigger area of the weapon appears to contain the Sulok-pattern‘s "ammunition"; after the weapon has completed its firing sequence, the section rotates presumably to "chamber" another "round".  

The Sulok-pattern beam rifle was crafted according to the traditions of [[Feldokra]]'s sea-hunter guilds.{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22}}. It was employed throughout the [[Human-Covenant War]] alongside it’s Zubo pattern brother, though the Covenant made little distinction between variants.{{Ref/Reuse|universe}} They were typically primarily employed by [[Sangheili]] and [[Kig-Yar Sniper|Kig-Yar]] [[sniper]]s, raiders and scout-executors.{{Ref/Reuse|CF}}<ref>''[[Halo 5: Guardians]]'', Halo 2 Beam Rifle [[List of REQ cards/Power Weapons|REQ card]]</ref> It was employed during the [[Harvest campaign]], [[Battle for Arcadia]] and [[Battle of Trove]] in [[2531]].<ref>''[[Halo Wars]]''</ref> However, the weapon would remain a rarer sight throughout the war and Covenant tactical doctrine did not typically make the full use of the capabilities of Beam Rifles. However, as the war with humanity continued, human snipers showed the Covenant how pinpoint, accurate firepower could lead armies into disarray. This prompted a change in the final few months of [[2552]]{{Ref/Reuse|bnet}}, with the Beam Rifle becoming selected as the most tactically optimal and ecclesiarchy-blessed of the various Covenant analogues of the human SRS99 and put in an elevated production priority.{{Ref/Reuse|universe}}

During the [[Battle for Earth]], the Sulok-pattern would be employed by Kig-Yar snipers operating in [[New Mombasa]],<ref>''[[Halo 2]]'', campaign level [[Outskirts]]</ref><ref>''[[Halo 2 Multiplayer Map Pack]]'', [[Another Day at the Beach]]</ref> particularly during the night-time.<ref>''[[Halo 3: ODST]]'', campaign level [[Mombasa Streets]]</ref> During the [[Second Battle of New Mombasa]], Snipers would operate the T50 to great effect. During this battle, [[J-011-422]] did not discard his point-defence gauntlet like most snipers did.<ref>''[[Halo 3]]'', [[Believe]] - [[Diorama]]</ref> By the time of the [[Battle of Voi]] and later [[Battle of Installation 00]], [[Jiralhanae]] troops had replaced the Sangheili in operating the beam rifle.<ref>''[[Halo 3]]''</ref> Following the end of the war and the loss of [[High Charity]], beam rifle production slowed but did not stop. Though costly to create, manufactories on [[Sanghelios]], [[Hesduros]], [[Eayn]], and other developed colonies continue to produce the weapon.{{Ref/Reuse|universe}} The weapon is employed by several [[Covenant remnants]], including [[Vata 'Gajat's mercenary group]].<ref>''[[Halo: Escalation Issue 3]]''</ref>

Similarly to the SRS99 AM sniper rifle series, the Sulok-pattern Rifle is excellent at picking off enemies at great distances. Its pulses are very useful at passing through any type of material, armored or non-armored; this makes the particle beam rifle's overpenetration ability much more effective at killing a wide range of enemy infantry. As the beam passes through the body at nearly the speed of light, the particles transfer their kinetic energy to the atoms in the molecules of the target area. Upon impact, the area is rapidly superheated, cauterizing the wound at the same time - a direct hit on skull area of a target will be killed instantly, and body shots depending on the area will be fatal in most cases. A rare non-fatal strike to a target can also cause radiation damage and will require additional treatment, and near misses can produce second or third degree burns to light armored targets. The beam rifle's relative silence, as opposed to the sniper rifle's loud bang, gives it a bit of a stealth advantage; however, this is compensated by the greater visibility of the Type-50's beam. In the context of the ''Halo'' games, the particle beam rifle's strength and lethality are weakened for the sake of gameplay.

While the The Sulok-pattern beam rifleexcels at material penetration, in the games, the particle beam rifle does not have much difference than its UNSC counterpart, although in canon it is much stronger.{{Citation needed}} The Type-50 is also unable to perform rapid shots in quick succession - after two shots are fired within a second of each other, the weapon will overheat and will shut down to prevent damage to its internal components, temporarily rendering the weapon useless. The particle beam rifle can only fire 18 shots before the battery is used up and the weapon must be replaced. Like its human counterpart, the particle beam rifle is ineffective at close range combat unless its user is skilled at close range combat with the sniper rifle. The beam of purple light produced from the beam rifle is very easy to see, but somewhat quicker at dissipating compared with the [[Sniper Rifle System 99D-S2 Anti-Matériel|Sniper Rifle]], as a sniper's position is more likely to be compromised because of this, requiring the sniper to relocate quickly before being detected.

* The T-50 SRS is available only in the campaign, while its older [[Zubo-pattern beam rifle|T-27 SASR]] counterpart is a multiplayer-only weapon instead.