Ukala Workshop Mauler

The Type-52 Pistol, more commonly known as the Mauler, is a Covenant Jiralhanae infantry weapon featured only in Halo 3.

Introduction
The Mauler is a cross between a shotgun and a revolver pistol. It is not as powerful as the UNSC shotgun, but its compact design allows two to be held simultaneously to double its firepower. Like most Brute weapons, the Mauler has a blade mounted on the underside, allowing for slightly more damaging melee attacks.

Tactics while wielding a Mauler
While the Mauler is unable to inflict the one-hit kill damage that a shotgun normally possesses, unless dual wielded at point blank range, it is possible to replicate the lethality with fast reflexes and at close range. To do this, you must first be in melee distance of the target. When you're within range of a target, fire one shot- immediately follow up with a melee attack. This will often dispatch the opponent instantly and if you master the skill you will be able to do this before the target has time to shoot you. Take care when using this against a target armed with a shotgun- they will not need to melee you after their first shot, oftentimes. This tactic does not work when the opponent has an overshield. While dual-wielding a pair of Maulers, a single double shot at close range will kill most enemies, with no damage/shield modifiers in the case of Multiplayer. Sometimes, staggering your shots is effective as well, but this seems to work best when you're out of melee range chasing someone down, or backpedaling while being chased yourself. Duel wielding a Plasma Rifle, SMG, Spiker, or Plasma Pistol and a Mauler is also an effective combo. Drain your opponents shield (preferably with one of the Plasma weapons), then move in closer and shoot. However, just like the other tactic, watch if your opponent has overshield or a shotgun, as they may try and shoot you with it before you shoot them. If you are reloading your Mauler when you have one of these combos, drain his/her shield with the weapon that's not the Mauler, and melee. It doesn't matter that you drop your weapon, just pick it up after the enemy is dead.

The Mauler also has one of the fastest reloads in Halo 3, so remember to take advantage of that. Even when dual wielding, it will reload quickly.

Even though the Mauler is a fairly powerful weapon at close range, it is the weakest of the Shotgun, Gravity Hammer, and Energy Sword (unless duel wielded); thus, you should never attempt to have a close combat fight against someone who has any of the other three close range weapons, switching to another, longer range weapon, is the smarter option.

Tactics while facing a Mauler
When facing a player armed with a mauler, the best tactic is to stay back and take them out from a distance. As with the shotgun, energy sword, and gravity hammer, the weapon is useless at any real distance. The official Halo 3 strategy guide states that "firing the mauler at an enemy from anything other than extreme close range is akin to insulting their mother, it's all just hot air and noise and its only going to make them mad" So do not get close unless you have a devastating close-range weapon of your own. Recommended counter weapons are:


 * Long Range: Beam Rifle, Sniper Rifle (this should not be worried about too much because rarely will a player wield a Mauler if he is in an open area without opponents in which a long-range encounter could occur. Normally you find out the player has a Mauler when he pulls it out and caps you from close range, often coming around corners in closed quarter combat)


 * Medium Range: Battle Rifle, Covenant Carbine,


 * Short Range: Shotgun, Energy Sword, Gravity Hammer, Flamethrower and SMGs

Other effective countermeasures include using the Heavy Turrets, as Mauler must be close to deal any real damage. Running over a Mauler-bearing enemy in a vehicle also seems very effective.

Trivia

 * The Mauler was originally the name of the Brute Chopper in the early stages of Halo 3's development.
 * There are sixteen pellets in one Mauler cartridge.
 * The original Covenant Mauler appeared in the Pre Xbox Halo as an actual Covenant weapon, it can be seen here beginning at the 2:49 mark.
 * It is highly possible this was weapon that was referred to as the "excavator" in the game's code, as the Pre-Xbox halo video calls a similar weapon a "Boring Device."
 * The Mauler is one of the 6 Brute weapons. The Mauler is also the only other Brute dual wieldable weapons, besides the Spiker and the Brute Plasma Rifle in Halo 2.
 * The Mauler, like the Brute Shot and Spiker, is based on primitive Brute technology, not Forerunner technology, unlike other Covenant weapons.
 * The Chopper was improperly called Mauler in a popular magazine.
 * The Mauler bears a strong resemblance to the Mauler pistol in Perfect Dark (for Nintendo 64).
 * The reticle of the Mauler seems to be about the same as the reticles of the Plasma Rifle and SMG when dual-wielded.
 * As with all dual-wieldable weapons, except the Plasma Pistol, in Halo 3 multiplayer you do less damage per shot when dual wielding the weapon than when single wielding. This is not noticeable when an opponent has either no shield or normal shields (taking 1 and 2 shots to kill respectively) but with no damage modifiers and 2x overshield or higher it takes one more shot to kill while dual wielding then when single wielding. A 4x overshield takes 4 shots single wield or 5 when shots dual wielded.
 * The Mauler is based on the UNSC M90 Shotgun.