MA5B assault rifle

The MA5B Individual Combat Weapon System (MA5B ICWS or MA5B assault rifle), is a standard-issue service rifle for the UNSC Marine Corps and the Navy. It is produced by Misriah Armory as part of its MA5 Series.

Features
It possesses a built-in ammunition indicator and magnetic compass for orientation similar to that of all other MA5 series rifles. It also includes a fire selector that can be set to a three-round burst.

Ammunition
The MA5B Assault Rifle is an air-cooled, gas-operated, magazine-fed, select-fire bullpup rifle that fires 60 rounds of 7.62×51mm ammunition. The weapon is able to use M118 Full Metal Jacket Armor-Piercing rounds, and Shredder rounds. It is capable firing both fully automatic and in three round bursts, and when firing automatically it can fire a spray of fifteen rounds per second. Alternatively, MA5Bs could be loaded with hollow point bullets, which were highly effective against unarmored targets while leaving the surrounding environment intact. They were distinguished by the red paint on their magazines.

Variants
There was a modified variant of the MA5B assault rifle that was adapted for use with a Suppressor. The suppressor could be removed when needed.

The MA2B assault rifle and MA5K carbine were cut-down versions of the standard MA5B assault rifle.

Service history
The MA5B has been in service with the UNSC as early as 2525. By 2557 the MA5B had been largely replaced by the MA5D.

Advantage
The MA5B in both offensive and suppressive situations remains one of the UNSC's most reliable weapon. When fired in short bursts, or even single shots, there is a significant increase in accuracy, and the rifle's armor penetrating ability makes it key for handling even the toughest of infantry, having the ability to kill an Elite in about 45 rounds in close quarters. The MA5B rifle is effective at killing light armored infantry at close-to-medium range, and the high rate of fire combined with the high ammunition capacity allows its user to spray the whole area with suppressing fire. The MA5B also gives the user an ammo count on its digital readout, as well a compass pointing toward the arbitrary magnetic "north" position. In the hands of someone who can control their trigger finger, the MA5B becomes a deadly weapon in CQB situations.

Disadvantages
The MA5B is not without disadvantages, its main disadvantage being its horrible accuracy when fired at a range of more than forty meters. At that range, enemy infantry may be hit by a few bullets, or not be hit by any bullets at all. The MA5B Assault Rifle performs poorly against energy shields unless firing on full automatic at close range without giving a shielded infantry time to cover. In comparison to modern assault rifles it can be more related to an oversized sub-machine gun, as it is underpowered and lacks the ability to select a fire mode. The MA5B is also not the ideal weapon to use against Flood Combat forms, as Combat forms dropped by one are likely to rise again soon afterwards if not damaged with another weapon prior. A way to counter this is to kill the Combat form and with the remainder of the clip, fire at the body.

Miscellaneous

 * There is a second melee animation for the MA5B, in which the user holds the weapon vertically and clubs anyone in front of them with the back end of the weapon. This animation is used in a few Halo Custom Edition maps, but was taken out of the official game. This animation is similar, if not identical, to the melee animation used for the M90 CAWS.
 * In Halo: Combat Evolved and Anniversary, the gas giant Threshold is considered arbitrary north by the MA5B's compass.
 * In the early version of Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary, the MA5B used the MA37 as a placeholder render, before using the MA5C for the final game.

List of appearances

 * Halo: The Fall of Reach
 * Halo: Combat Evolved
 * Halo: The Flood
 * Halo: First Strike
 * Halo Graphic Novel
 * Breaking Quarantine
 * The Last Voyage of the Infinite Succor
 * Halo: Ghosts of Onyx
 * Halo: Contact Harvest
 * Halo: The Cole Protocol
 * Halo Wars
 * Halo Legends
 * Homecoming
 * The Babysitter
 * Halo: Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe
 * Dirt
 * The Mona Lisa
 * Halo: Fall of Reach
 * Covenant
 * Invasion
 * Halo: Glasslands
 * Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary
 * Terminals
 * Halo: The Thursday War
 * Halo: Mortal Dictata
 * Halo Mythos
 * Halo Wars 2
 * Halo: Rise of Atriox
 * Halo: Fireteam Raven
 * Halo: Silent Storm
 * Halo: Oblivion