Kelos'vaarda-pattern storm rifle

The Type-55 Directed Energy Rifle/Advanced (T55 DER/A), commonly known as the Storm Rifle, is a Sangheili directed energy weapon.

Overview
The T55 DER/A was created to be a successor to and direct evolution of the widely used Type-25 plasma rifle; however, it is more similar to the Type-51 plasma repeater, itself an upgrade of the T25, in both form and function. The weapon features such modifications as a rotating modular coil set, a high-mounted cooling shroud, and an extended barrel, which improve upon the features of the standard plasma rifle it replaced the role of.

Development history
After decades of success with armor systems, Lodam Armory branched out into creating weaponry, with their first desire being to fashion a multi-role rifle meant to replace the Type-25 plasma rifle within the Covenant ranks. The result would be the Storm Rifle, a directed energy rifle that carried with it the heritage of Lodams Storm harness. While the baseline Storm Rifle wouldn’t be fully catalogued and designated until 2555 by the UNSC, its existence spans decades, and in that time, Lodam Armory produced several experimental and enhanced variants. Earlier iterations of the weapon were often more specialized and employed by Storm-class units within the Covenant. Eventually, the design was improved by Lodam Armory by 2553 and saw use during Sangheili civil conflicts following the Human-Covenant War's conclusion.

Jul 'Mdama's Covenant and the Swords of Sanghelios both use the Type-55 as their standard-issue weapon. The Spartan-IVs deployed aboard the UNSC Infinity also use the Storm Rifle as part of their on-mission loadouts, despite it being of non-UNSC origin. It is ranked a Common REQ in Warzone simulations, and is available at Level 1 energy while giving 50 REQ points if sold.

Variants

 * Fury: Ancient Sangheili script carved on the plasma generator casing is a curse aimed at any wielder without bloodstained hands. Improved Storm Rifle with improved heat dissipation and better accuracy. It is classified as a Uncommon REQ and can be summoned in Warzone at Level 2 energy while giving 75 REQ points if sold.
 * Blissful Slumber: There is no rest for the weary merchants of death who labor to feed the fires of war on Sanghelios. Advanced Storm Rifle with increased damage and knockback on hit. Each plasma bolt detonates on impact, causing a small secondary explosion. It is classified as a Rare REQ and can be summoned in Warzone at Level 3 energy while giving 100 REQ points if sold.

Changes from Halo 4 to Halo 5: Guardians

 * Fire rate increased. Time to overheat raised accordingly.
 * Increased damage, killing a fully-shielded Spartan in 6 bolts instead of 12.
 * Smart-scope functionality, allowing more accurate fire.

Trivia

 * "Storm Rifle" is a literal translation of the German "Sturmgewehr", which is generally rendered as "assault rifle" in English, and is in fact the origin of that title. The StG-44 (roughly: Model 1944 assault rifle) was the first assault rifle to see widespread deployment during the latter part of World War II.
 * The Sangheili Ranger action figure included a code for unlocking the "Chill" skin for the storm rifle in Halo 4.
 * Strangely, the Storm Rifle does not count toward automatic loadout weapon commendations in War Games, despite its predecessors all being considered automatic and its firing system being so.
 * The weapon's reticule is similar in both appearance and bloom behavior to the Type-51 plasma repeater from Halo: Reach. The weapons' firing styles are also similar, though the Storm Rifle lacks the "fire through overheat" feature that the Plasma Repeater has.
 * It is possible to use equipment while the Storm Rifle is venting, which has lead to a tactic combining it with the Thruster Pack, whereupon the user fires till it overheats, jets to the side or in reverse to avoid incoming fire, then re-engages their target with the now-cooled weapon.

List of appearances

 * Halo: The Thursday War
 * Halo 4
 * Spartan Ops
 * Halo: Escalation
 * Halo 5: Guardians