M6 Spartan Laser

"It's not overpowered, it's an elegant weapon from a more civilized age."

- Luke Smith

The Weapon/Anti-Vehicle Model 6 Grindell/Galilean Nonlinear Rifle (abbreviated W/AV M6 G/GNR), also known as the Spartan Laser, is a United Nations Space Command ground-based, man-portable, directed energy weapon. It is the only known battery operated weapon of the UNSC and is the strongest infantry weapon they have.

It is alternatively known as the Galilean.

Introduction
The M6 Spartan Laser is a shoulder-mounted direct energy weapon used by the UNSC (such as the rocket launcher). It fires a potential-to-kinetic powerful red chemical laser capable of destroying vehicles and infantry with one accurate strike. When the trigger is pulled, a harmless red sighting laser is projected on-target along with a charging sound, known as a painter. The Spartan Laser will then charge for approx. three and a half seconds before firing its powerful and destructive burst. As the Spartan Laser charges, the charging tone gets noticeably louder up until the laser is fired. The charging sequence can be canceled without a battery penalty if the target moves out of sight or the wielder needs to change position. The laser is also capable of firing through several players or vehicles, and has a small blast radius, injuring targets within 2 meters of the impact point and toppling light vehicles. It has a downtime between shots while it cools down (approx. 2-4 seconds) and is highly effective at destroying enemy vehicles.

In Halo 3 Multiplayer, if you kill another player with the Spartan Laser, you will achieve a unique medal, the Laser Kill Medal, it is awarded due to the difficulty of having to charge and aim the weapon. Also the achievement, " Two for One" is unlocked by scoring a double kill with a single laser shot in any ranked free-for-all playlist. The weapon is not available in the campaign until the level The Covenant, which Master Chief begins the level armed with the M6 G/GNR. The Spartan Laser is NOT the only weapon able to harm 343 Guilty Spark on the final level of Halo 3, the other two being the Fuel Rod Gun and Rocket Launcher.

Advantages
The Spartan Laser is a lethal weapon. It can kill anything in its path, it can destroy Banshees and Phantoms. It will destroy all vehicles with the exception of the Elephant (which is indestructible). It can also destroy multiple vehicles in one blast (if they are in range of the shot and lined). Just as it can destroy all targeted vehicles, it can also kill all Spartans and Elites that are targeted (the maximum number of kills being ten before the blast runs out of energy). It fires up to 5 shots(20 battery units a shot) For increased accuracy it has a 2X scope for longer range fights. It shoots a harmless red laser sighting beam that "points" the intended target for a couple of seconds while it charges up.

Disadvantages
As with all powerful weapons, there are many disadvantages. The Spartan laser needs to charge up before firing (3 seconds) but this can be used to your advantage, and needs to cool down before it can be fired again (2 seconds). The laser also uses 20 battery units per shot, firing 5 times at the maximum. Though the scope does add increased range (2X) it doesn't have the range to out-perform snipers. Also, the targeting laser can give away the user's position. If a player sees the targeting laser it is very easy to dodge the shot, thus wasting valuable ammo/battery power. Just like other long range weapons, if your enemy is quick enough on the trigger with almost any weapon you could end up dead instead of the other way round.

Targeting
When the weapon is equipped, a shroud over the emitting lens of the laser lifts up to expose it, presumably to protect it from scratches and battle damage when holstered, although the weapon is shown with the shroud up when it is on a person's back. The shroud can be seen doing this when the weapon is drawn in first person view if the user looks carefully. The shroud is actuated by a small hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder on the left side of the shroud where it is anchored to the chassis of the weapon. When the trigger is pulled, a harmless red dot is projected on the target and a unique targeting tone is emitted. The Spartan Laser will then charge for three seconds before firing a massive blood-red laser beam that completely destroys the target. In the beta, if the reticle was moved while firing, a scattering of beams would be released, spreading over the targeted area. For the few seconds while the laser is fired, the right targeting stick is disabled. However, the beam can be strafed over a larger area if the player is moving while the laser is firing. It's radius is strong and can shoot through a vehicle.

The Spartan Laser is equipped with a smart-linked Wyrd III optics suite for increased accuracy and is capable of 2x magnification. Its reticle, whether on 1x or 2x magnifications, features a meter on the right side showing the charge of the laser.

Laser Beam
Also See: Too Close to the Sun

If the player manages to keep their reticle on their target when the beam fires in midair, the enemy will be killed in one shot. The Galilean "Spartan Laser" can even destroy a vehicle in one hit, however the Wraiths and Scorpions cannot be simply shot at, they must be aimed at differently to get the one shot kill. To do so, the operator of the laser must hit the cockpit of the vehicle in question, except for the tanks. The Wraith must be fired upon from the rear right below the mortar, or directly aimed at the cockpit. The Scorpion must be hit from the side on the area upon which the firing of the 90 mm shells takes place. It is powerful enough to make its way through nine Warthogs but, oddly, only 4 Mongooses parked bumper to bumper. It is also highly effective at destroying Scarab leg joints, although The Covenant is the only mission where this can be done, and it is unlikely the player will keep the Spartan Laser that long into the level without completely draining its battery. . The beam is also known to have high splash damage at its impact point, and around its shot, and also has the capability to over-penetrate, and eliminate multiple targets aligned in a linear trajectory. If the player is facing a wall, an opponent or another obstacle at an extremely close range, the splash damage will instantly kill the operator. After firing, the weapon stops functioning for a brief period of time as it dumps its waste heat. The weapon has 5 shots before a "recharge" is needed.

It is powered by a BA-53635/PLMD non-replaceable battery, which is recharged with a PP-16979/AM-Sh charger. However, UNSC logistics are not sufficient for the charger to accompany many W/AV M6 G/GNR units in the field.

Trivia

 * Luke Smith's comment: "It's not overpowered, it's an elegant weapon from a more civilized age," is an obvious reference to Star Wars where Obi-wan Kenobi states that the lightsaber is a weapon for a more civilized age.
 * The first level you obtain a Spartan Laser is "The Covenant"
 * The three times you can obtain a Spartan Laser in Campaign is in "The Covenant, "Halo" and occasionally "Cortana".
 * The term "Galilean" in the name does not refer to Galileo, but to Galilee, a town in what is now Israel where Jesus lived for thirty years. This is a reference to the "Galilean Cannon", a theoretical weapon that used brass rods to launch a final rod at exceptional speeds without any propellant.
 * When a Flood Combat Form wields the Spartan Laser, it cannot shoot you. It is unknown as to why Flood have no intelligence of using the Spartan Laser.
 * On the level Halo, if you pick up Johnson's Spartan Laser, it can have 55%, 70%, 73%, or 85% battery, which is impossible to obtain, because each shot takes 20% battery.
 * The Spartan Laser is currently the most expensive weapon to produce. It costs 218,000.00 cR, more than the cost of four fully armed Warthogs, 134 MA5B Assault Rifles, or over 7,266 M9 Fragmentation Grenades. That means approximately every shot is worth 0.75 Warthogs.
 * The only vehicle the Spartan Laser can't destroy is the Elephant, which only appears in the multi player map, Sandtrap. The beam itself, however, can penetrate most the armored walls of the vehicle and will damage anything in its way.
 * The reticle of the Spartan Laser has been changed from the one in the Halo 3 Beta. Instead of four markings pointing inward to the circle, the reticle now has one circle with a smaller circle inside of it.
 * Due to the charging nature of the weapon, it is similar to the Needler in the aspect that they are unique. The Needler does not behave like a Covenant weapon because it fires projectiles.
 * In the level Halo of Halo 3, it is possible to use the unlimited Spartan Laser Johnson gives you for the rest of the level. To do so, after 343 Guilty Spark opens the door to the control room, kill Johnson with a rocket/grenade, the flamethrower also works very well if you kept it from earlier. When he dies, quickly keep swapping weapons (Johnson's laser with your weapon). When you get it far enough, use the laser and it will have unlimited ammo (do this for both players). Then, just before you fight 343 Guilty Spark, kill each other, leaving your lasers there. Then fight 343 Guilty Spark and after you do, the laser will still be there for you to use in the Warthog or Mongoose with unlimited ammo. This can be done in both co-op mode and single player.
 * If you manage to kill a player at the exact moment they fire a Spartan Laser, the laser will still shoot, but will spin around as if it has lost control.
 * The Spartan Laser penetrates more or less vehicles depending on the type. Up to ten Warthogs can be destroyed by the laser. It will also kill ten Spartan or Elite soldiers per each firing of the laser.
 * If you play the Campaign Mission The Covenant on Easy or Normal, there will be a second Spartan Laser near the downed pelican. On Heroic or Legendary, the Spartan Laser is absent from the spawn point.
 * It is unclear how the W/AV M6 G/GNR was given the battlefield moniker Spartan Laser. It is possible that the first wielder of the weapon was a SPARTAN-II super-soldier.
 * Another possible reason for the nomenclature is that Spartans are symbols of invincible death machines capable of destroying vast numbers of enemy equipment and personal, as evidence by the destruction of three installations and the Covenant home world at the hands of a Spartan
 * The side of the laser has the Norse symbol for "Gungnir" etched into it, which was the mythical spear wielded by the god Odin in Norse Mythology.
 * The laser seems to trail off forever when fired into the sky, much like the Sentinel Beam. However, the beam of both weapons does end, usually at the invisible walls of the playing area. The laser beam on Sandtrap covers over 75% of the width of the area (fired at a 45 degree angle).
 * When fired while spinning around or jerking the camera thumb stick before it fires, the laser leaves a row of up to 6 impact spots along the wall or surface it impacted.
 * The writing near the back of the Spartan Laser on the right hand side of it reads 06 Galilean, but on the other side, this is backwards. This is probably because Bungie designed only one half of the Spartan Laser's skin and mirrored it for the other half.
 * If a Marine is given a Spartan Laser, when you retrieve it from them it's power supply might have recharged itself. The amount of added charge varies depending on the amount of time they were holding it.
 * A hit with the laser is not always a guaranteed kill. If the laser does not strike the player directly, the player will probably survive with no shields. This effect varies, as some players have reported surviving up to two shots from the laser.
 * It is one of only four infantry weapons capable of killing an opponent with a direct hit who has a fully charged (2x) overshield. The other three being the Rocket Launcher, Missile Pod and the Gravity Hammer, however the laser is still much more powerful. This makes this weapon a popular choice for removing VIPs in the VIP game type.
 * If you give a Marine in the passenger seat of a Warthog a Spartan Laser, when the marine fires the weapon the angle of the laser is different to that which the Marine is aiming. This can be done on the Halo 3 Campaign level The Covenant.
 * The splash damage of the Spartan Laser does not injure opponents who are three or more meters away.
 * On Valhalla and other maps, the Spartan Laser can sometimes shoot through trees or rocks.
 * In Forge, If you have a Spartan Laser in player mode and hold down shoot, then right before it fires switch to Moniter whist holding down shoot, you can keep the charge going so the second you leave moniter form you will have a Spartan laser blast directed at any enemy
 * The laser beam can be moved around while firing, something like the Sentinel Beam. However, the Spartan Laser does not maintain its beam for more than several milliseconds, making this movement extremely difficult to pull off.
 * It is possible to kill both the driver and the gunner of a Wraith with a single shot on Legendary difficulty. The Wraith will be damaged but fully functional. To do this, one must target the cockpit at a certain point. On lower difficulty the Wraith may be completely destroyed by doing this.
 * The only enemy that the laser will not go through is a Hunter, due to its armor.
 * There are two achievements that involve using the Spartan Laser in Halo 3. The first one is called "Too close to the sun". You have to shoot a flying vehicle down with the Spartan Laser or Missile Pod.  The second achievement is called "Two for one", in which you have to get a double kill with the Spartan Laser (one beam kills two people).
 * Surprisingly, not many players go for the Spartan laser on Construct, as it is difficult to use in the cramped corridors.
 * To some players, it's known as the "Splazer"
 * Contrary to popular belief, the Spartan Laser actually zooms in to 3x magnification. Consider the following: the Battle Rifle has 2x zoom and a Sniper Rifle's minimum zoom is 5x. The MJOLNIR/ Elite armor's built-in zoom system zooms in more than a BR, but less than a SR, so it must be either 3x or 4x (assuming that all magnification factors are whole numbers). The Laser zooms in more than a BR, but less than the visor, so it has to be between 2x and 4x (the highest possible value for the unknown zoom factor of the visor); in other words, the Laser's magnification is actually 3x, though it is more correct to say that it is at least more than the 2x zoom of the Battle Rifle.
 * The Spartan Laser is favored more on Sandtrap than on any other map. This is because the map features an open sky, many vehicles, and plenty of advantage points in which the player can align his or her deadly laser too.
 * There has been an incident where a player survived a direct head-shot with the spartan laser and survived without even taking shield damage. It can be seen here: