User:JackVibe/Sandbox

"Luckily—listen to me "luckily"—the needles only detonate when they’re embedded in living tissue. Now that’s lucky because it’s not gonna blow a hole in the wall you’re hiding behind or tear the tires off of the vehicle you’re trying to escape in."

- Anonymous UNSC E2-BAG/1/7 serviceman

Needlers, sometimes known as Needler pistols, are a class of single-handed, fully-automatic infantry specialized weapons developed by the Covenant that launch Subanese crystalline shards capable of homing in on targets. The Covenant and its remnants formally designated the needler as needle launcher or shard launcher, while the United Nations Space Command's Office of Naval Intelligence has typically type-classified encountered needlers variants under the designations of Type-33 Guided Munitions Launcher (T-33 GML) or Type-56 Guided Munitions Launcher (T-56 GML). Nicknames for the needler include Pinkies and Shrimp Shooter.

Design details
"Anything stuck with enough needles will blow sky high—and if a Foxtrot is unlucky enough to be carrying grenades, those are gonna cook off too."

- Anonymous UNSC E2-BAG/1/7 serviceman

The plasma pistol is a Covenant directed-energy weapon that was reverse-engineered from a Forerunner device. The weapon is powered by a battery cell. This battery can be recharged using a variety of power sources, including UNSC generators, provided an appropriate adaptor is at hand. Plasma pistols have a core power output of 100-150 KV at 2~3 dA, but when overcharged, the power output can reach 1.5 MV @ 2~3 dA. The Type-25 DEP is a semi-automatic weapon using a single collimator design that gives the weapon its smooth and aerodynamic, claw like appearance. The Type-25 DEP's functionality is straightforward, the rear section of the pistol has a holographic display which indicates temperature as the weapon is fired—in the center of the holographic display is a small red pad, this pad is the Type-25 DEP's safety and activation mechanism. Before the plasma pistol can be fired the user must place their thumb on the pad, the pistol then activates and can be fired. On the left side is another small red button; this opens the top heating vent and allows access to the weapon's internal components.

With the dissolution of a centralized manufacturing control—as a result of the Great Schism and fall of the Covenant—new production of plasma pistols have appeared in a bewildering variety of casing styles and adornments. Much to the consternation of UNSC intelligence officers tasked with categorizing new plasma pistol variants, within this broad type classification are innumerable, different sub-classes. This is due to the Covenant's loose (by human standards) interpretation of "standardization" and disdain of serial manufacturing techniques.

The plasma pistol has two modes of fire, semi-automatic direct and semi-guided area of effect (AOE), also known as "overcharge".

Ammunition


"I caught three in the leg as I was diving behind a broken wall—they lodged right in there where the greave meets the boot. When they went off, it damn near broke my ankle and flung like little splinters of glass or crystal or whatever all up my left side—the corpsman was pulling [the shards] outta me for the better part of two hours."

- Anonymous UNSC E2-BAG/1/7 serviceman

The needler fires shards of Subanese crystal—colloquially known as blamite—a pink crystalline substance mined from the interiors of Suban, one of Sangheilios' two moons. The exposed crystals are held within the upper cowling of the weapon, allowing the user to use the sharpened ends of the exposed shards as an improvised melee weapon.

Upon impaling a target, the crystalline shards become chemically reactive, and detonate after a few seconds. Injuries inflicted from the exploding shards are gruesome, as microscopic pieces of crystals can become embedded in tissue. If multiple shards make contact with a living target in quick succession (i.e., previous shards have yet to detonate), then a chain reaction occurs—their chemical properties "supercombine" and the shards detonate simultaneously through a process known as “proximal resonance instability”, causing an immediate and violent explosion that is almost always lethal. While the shards are devastating to living tissue, they are relatively ineffective against energy shielding, and ricochet off most surfaces, hence little risk of causing hull perforations. The properties of the shards can be modified through unspecified means; for example, certain variants of the needler fire calibrated crystalline shards that can embed in armor.

Operation


"I don't know how it works, but it seems the needles can only follow you if they can "see" you."

- Anonymous UNSC E2-BAG/1/7 serviceman

Default firing mode
When rapidly tapping the trigger, the plasma pistol will fire small bolts of plasma. These bolts deal little damage to targets protected by energy shields, though still more than most bullet weapons. Against unarmored targets, though, the lethality of the Type-25 DEP is extreme. Injuries inflicted to a victim are severe third-degree burns, this level of injury causes the wound to be cauterized instantly upon impact. Body fluids would be subjected to flash vaporization, inducing a strain or a shock on the body after impact, fluids trapped in organs or arteries in addition to the rapid expansion of heat would cause ruptures or small explosions causing additional damage to the target. Near misses can also cause injury to the target, as they produce severe burns to the area they pass, this can also cause heat trauma or heat stroke from the extreme temperatures of the bolt. Should the plasma strike cover, the impact can cause splash damage by flinging heated debris, though the blast radius is smaller than most Covenant explosive weapons.

The semi-auto firing mode can be used until the weapon overheats, after which it must cool down for a few seconds before it can be used again. As the weapon approaches low battery, it may sputter and fail to fire. The Hesduros-manufactured pistols used by Jul 'Mdama's forces fire more powerful plasma bolts, with a comparable increase in energy use per shot.

Overcharge mode
"The trigger is soft—no feedback—there’s no break that tells you when the overcharge is gonna kick in. First time I did it was by accident and it damn near sprained my wrist."

- Unidentified UNSC serviceman

If the plasma pistol's trigger is held for a few seconds, the plasma at the tip will gather into a large spherical mass. Releasing the trigger will fire a single bolt of larger size than usual. This bolt, if aimed correctly, will track its target for a short distance if they attempt to dodge. The overcharged bolt creates an electromagnetic pulse, stunning most electronics. If the target is protected by energy shields, all but the strongest shields will break, allowing their body to take damage. If the overcharge strikes a vehicle, it will be temporarily disabled and rendered helpless for several seconds. As such, even the weakest Covenant infantry can thwart an assaulting Spartan or vehicle, forcing their foe to retreat or creating an opening for their allies. Should an overcharged bolt strike an unarmored flesh target, it will result in instant death. During the Battle of Cleveland, Myras Tyla, striking an Unggoy Minor trio with her plasma pistol, disintegrated three Unggoy rapidly from a single overcharged bolt strike.

However, after the overcharged bolt is fired, the pistol will automatically overheat. Until it cools down the pistol cannot be fired in this mode, giving an opposing target enough time to counterattack. Using the overcharge frequently will also drain the battery faster than usual.

Usage
"[The Type-25 DEP] is the bread and butter of Covenant small arms—almost as common as the MA5 is with the UNSC. After the Covenant Carrier jumped there were some areas of Mombasa where plasma pistols covered the ground like leaves—that maneuver killed a bunch of dudes on both sides."

- Anonymous UNSC E2-BAG/1/7 serviceman

Eos'Mak-pattern plasma pistol
The Eos'Mak-pattern plasma pistol.

Rohakudu-pattern plasma pistol
The Rohakudu-pattern plasma pistol.
 * Rohakudu-pattern plasma pistol: This variant of the needler features a display on the back of its upper chassis that corresponds to the crystals protruding from its upper cowling.
 * Unbound Plasma Pistol: A modified variant of the plasma pistol with a white chassis that fires faster, stronger bolts. In addition, its scaled burst fires six bolts instead of a single overcharge bolt; the bolts detonate in a "supercombine" explosion if they hit the same target.

Zo'klada-pattern plasma pistol
The Zo'klada-pattern plasma pistol.
 * Zo'klada-pattern plasma pistol: This variant of the needler features a holographic Smart scope projector on its chassis.
 * Spitfire:
 * Void's Tear:

Silver Timeline
"See these holes on the top plate? That's where the needle rounds are primed. You pull the trigger and somehow they just know how to target living tissue."

- Kai-125 explaining her favorite Covenant weapon.

Designated as a "xenotech shard launcher", needlers are used by the Covenant during their war against humanity. They are particularly popular among the Unggoy. Silver Team will occasionally scavenge needlers from dead enemies and use them against Covenant troops.

In-game information
The needler is a staple across the Halo games, being introduced in Halo: Combat Evolved and appearing in every game ever since. It is a fully-automatic infantry weapon that fires slow-moving needle projectiles that can home in on enemies. In campaign and Firefight, the needler is used by Unggoy, Kig-Yar, Yanme'e, Sangheili, Jiralhanae, and the Flood. In Halo 2, it can be dual wielded, though made impossible to do so in Halo 3. In Halo Infinite, the needler is classified as a submachine gun.

List of appearances

 * Halo: The Fall of Reach
 * Halo: Combat Evolved
 * Halo: The Flood
 * Halo: First Strike
 * Halo 2
 * Halo Graphic Novel
 * The Last Voyage of the Infinite Succor
 * Halo: Ghosts of Onyx
 * Halo: Uprising
 * Halo 3
 * Halo: Contact Harvest
 * Halo: The Cole Protocol
 * Halo Wars: Genesis
 * Halo Wars
 * Halo: Helljumper
 * Halo 3: ODST
 * Halo Legends
 * The Duel
 * Homecoming
 * Origins
 * Prototype
 * The Package
 * Halo: Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe
 * Halo: Blood Line
 * Halo: Reach
 * Halo: Fall of Reach
 * Covenant
 * Invasion
 * Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary
 * Terminals


 * Halo: The Thursday War
 * Halo 4
 * Spartan Ops
 * Halo: Spartan Assault
 * Halo: Initiation
 * Halo: Escalation
 * Halo: Mortal Dictata
 * Halo: Broken Circle
 * Halo 2: Anniversary
 * Terminals
 * Halo: Spartan Strike
 * Halo: The Fall of Reach - The Animated Series
 * Halo: Shadow of Intent
 * Halo: Ground Command
 * Halo Mythos
 * Halo: Fractures
 * Breaking Strain
 * Halo Wars 2
 * Halo: Envoy
 * Halo: Retribution
 * Halo: Recruit
 * Halo: Fireteam Raven
 * Halo: Silent Storm
 * Halo: Official Spartan Field Manual
 * Halo: Lone Wolf
 * Halo: Meridian Divide
 * Halo: Shadows of Reach
 * Halo: Divine Wind
 * Halo: The Television Series
 * Contact
 * Homecoming
 * Reckoning
 * Transcendence