Flare

The Flare is a piece of equipment in Halo 3.

Overview
The Flare equipment type is similar in appearance to the Radar Jammer and Power Drain and makes its debut in Halo 3. It functions in a similar manner to a flashbang grenade, blinding foes and allies alike. Its symbol in the HUD is a circle with multiple rays coming from it. This equipment type was only featured in two multiplayer maps by default, Guardian and Isolation. Both have been removed by an update. It is mainly used to surprise and blind your opponents. However, a planned strategy and a close range weapon or a type of one-shot kill weapon can be used to almost certainly dispatch an enemy in conjunction with a flare. Without a very effective weapon, it is just a nuisance, hindering you just as much as your opponent and is useful for planning your escape from your enemies.

(In reference to the Flare Equipment by Griesemer): The Flare merely creates a blinding white light rather than hurts, anyone friend or foe alike who sees it-and that's OK. "If you have a short range weapon, the flare will blind foes long enough for you to get close" says Griesemer. His favorite strategy? "See a bunch of people guarding the flag? Throw the flare down." He says "By the time the Flare's gone, their flag is too." Just take care to divert your own eyes-the Flare will blind the player who throws it, too. - EGM September 2007 Issue

Disadvantages
The player cannot see within the Flare's proximity and confines as well as the the battlefield even if he or she deploys it in open combat. There is a way to counter it, but is quite difficult. The Flare will blind you, but your HUD, and more importantly, your reticule, is unaffected by it. If you're blinded, swing your view around until it turns red, and open fire. Many players have stated getting "lucky kills" by noticing and taking advantage of this.

The other easy way of avoiding being blinded by your own flares is to throw it towards an enemy and then quickly turn around before it goes off. This will damage your vision slightly but won't completely blind you. The same thing works with enemy flares; if you look away as soon as the enemy throws it, it will only have a weakened effect and you can still see well enough to shoot your opponents into oblivion while they remain oblivious to your location. Use the fact that flares can affect anyone who sees the blast. Make sure this effect does not backfire so an opponent can just kill you while you are blinded.

Of course, such strategies will work better on those who are unfamiliar with the tactics discussed here.

Strategy

 * In CTF, the user can throw the Flare in the flag room and run in and collect the flag (if the user can take the flag and run away in the right direction).
 * When deployed in narrow corridors, its very useful for blinding everyone in it.
 * If used in small areas in Infection, its good for making quick escapes.
 * Useful in conjunction with a short range weapon against a sniper, throwing the flare at the sniper makes it impossible to see you.
 * A simple but annoying tactic, is in Forge, to set the Flare to respawn instantly after being picked up. The player can then continue to throw flares in the same place and create a miniature sun. The normal extreme light of the Flare is amplified and the entire screen goes completely white, with the exception of the motion tracker and HUD, of course. It can be used to simply annoy other players, or if used with a partner, a sniping asset. Silhouettes of the players in the Flare's radius are visible, and for a sniper located farther away, its an easy way to rack up kills. However, the Flare-dropper can also be killed by accident by the sniper, thus ending the "flashlight of death".
 * On the level High Ground, the Flare can be used with the Portable Gravity Lift to penetrate the Turret/Sniper Guards.
 * Best used on the level Guardian, since it has many small rooms and hallways.

Trivia

 * In Campaign, the Flare has no effect whatsoever on enemies. They will be able to shoot you regardless because the game just gives the enemies the player's coordinates to shoot at. It seems as if the Flare's sole purpose for existing in Campaign is for enemies to use them against you. However, at some point, it will sometimes make Grunts and Brutes dodge or panic, the Grunts flee and the Brutes go berserk.
 * The Flare shares many physical similarities with the Radar Jammer and Power Drain, with the exception of a yellow glow instead of red or blue glow.
 * Although the Flare blinds you completely, it does not get rid of your motion sensor, allowing you to still know where you and your enemies are.
 * If one is attentive, even when blinded by a Flare you can see the red names of your enemies. Paying attention to your reticule will allow you to find targets as well.
 * One of the best tactics for capture the flag is someone having the Flare and an ally having a Radar Jammer. That way, enemies are completely unaware of your position including yourself.
 * If the player accidentally looks at an active flare, looking away will not completely get rid of the effects.
 * The flare was cut from matchmaking, due to the "Double jump" which allows players to get to hard-to-reach or glitched places.
 * In reality, the Flare's effects would not blind a fully armored Spartan, as the MJOLNIR armor's visor automatically polarizes in extreme light. it is possible that it uses a nueral brain wave attack on visual section of the brain because it will blind you even if you are behind a wall or looking away.

Images
 Image:Flarehud.svg|The Flare HUD icon. Image:1218136093 Flare.jpg|The Flare equipment in action. 