Commando

"Precision automatic rifle with heavy recoil. Effective at medium to long range."

- In-game description

The Commando is a human tactical rifle introduced in Halo Infinite. It is a fully automatic precision weapon with a slow rate of fire, high recoil and a small magazine, but is compensated with a higher damage per shot than most automatic weapons, and the ability to headshot enemies. The weapon features a 3x scope, making it effective for engaging enemies at medium to long ranges, but is less useful in close quarters.

Universe and lore
Manufactured by Vakara GesmbH, the VK78 Commando is an automatic rifle that has been in service since at least the late 25th century. It fires 6.5mm rounds and is fed by a detachable box magazine that typically holds 20 rounds. Along its top, it features a mounting rail for optics, with one common configuration including a sight akin to a recon sight. The model employed by forces attached to the in the aftermath of the emergence of the Created had an olive drab and matte black finish, with a vertical white stripe running across its front end, from the foregrip up to the rail.

The VK78 had entered production as early as the late 25th century, when it was in service with the Colonial Military Authority (CMA). In 2495, it was chosen as a replacement for the older HMG-38 rifle among CMA frontier forces. It remained in service for at least a further six decades, seeing use within the UNSC Armed Forces at the Battle for Installation 07 in December, 2559, and in ensuing conflicts the following year.

Overview
The Commando is a versatile precision weapon, introduced first in Halo Infinite. Featured in both campaign and multiplayer, it is a relatively common weapon, found frequently in weapon pads on multiplayer maps or scattered around campaign levels. Being both fully automatic and capable of headshots, it is capable of killing enemies quickly by stripping their shields with full auto fire and then finishing them with a headshot. However, it features immense recoil and less aim-assist than other similar weapons like the Battle Rifle, to balance this out.

Counterparts
The Halo games have featured many weapons similar in role to the Commando, namely precision weapons effective at medium and long ranges.

On the human side, the most prominent is the Battle Rifle. First introduced in Halo 2, the Battle Rifle has been a staple of the series ever since. It fires a three-round burst, with the capability to headshot unshielded enemies to instantly kill them. Like the Commando, it has a single-level zoom, typically with a magnification of 2x. Its projectiles are usually very fast, near-instantaneous, and its magazine typically holds 36 bullets - or 12 bursts. Another human equivalent to the Commando is the DMR, which is a semi-automatic weapon with a clip that usually holds roughly a dozen shots. Like the BR and Commando, it can headshot enemies and features a single level of zoom.

One Covenant counterpart to the Commando is the Covenant Carbine. As with all previous counterparts, it has a single level of zoom and is a precision weapon, capable of headshotting unshielded enemies. It is a semi-automatic weapon with a very high rate of fire, firing projectiles with minimal travel time but lower damage compared to the DMR. The Covenant also have the Needle Rifle, which comes perhaps closest to the Commando in function, being a fully-automatic precision weapon. It has a relatively slow rate of fire for an automatic weapon, but does more damage per shot. As with all previous weapons, it has a single level of zoom.

Finally, there is the Forerunner LightRifle. This weapon is very similar to those previously mentioned, being a precision weapon most effective at medium to long ranges with a single level of zoom, and having the capability of headshotting enemies. It is usually semi-automatic, although in Halo 4 it fires in bursts, like the Battle Rifle, when not zoomed in (but fires single shots when zoomed). What sets the LightRifle apart is the fact that, while zoomed in, the projectiles it fires deal more damage, capable of killing enemies in fewer shots.

Stats
The following table summarises the Commando's stats in Halo Infinite:

Advantages

 * Effective at longer ranges than most weapons, allowing the user to deal damage to distant enemies while sustaining less themselves
 * Features a 3x zoom, which makes it even more effective at these long ranges
 * Fully automatic, meaning users need not pace their shots manually
 * Can headshot unshielded enemies for an instant kill

Disadvantages

 * Has very high recoil when fired consistently
 * Features little aim assist, particularly at close ranges

Tactics and strategies
The Commando is best used at medium to longer ranges, to engage enemies before they can get close enough to retaliate. To account for the recoil, the user should aim towards the lower torso or legs (depending on the distance) for shielded targets; by the time the shields break, the recoil will have forced the reticule up towards the enemy's now-vulnerable head. It is wise to avoid using the Commando in close-quarters combat, where it is weaker due to its lower aim assist. When in close quarters, users should switch to a close-range weapon like the Sidekick, Assault Rifle or Bulldog if one is available.

Skins and coatings
In Halo Infinite, the Commando can be outfitted with various weapon coatings to customise its appearance.

List of appearances

 * Halo Infinite