MA5D assault rifle/Gameplay

Campaign

 * The player starts with the assault rifle in most levels. It proves fairly effective paired with the magnum and will kill Elites with just 75% of a magazine, depending on the selected difficulty. It also makes an effective back up to any precision weapon (though the DMR and Lightrifle are the most effective, since they cover the long range aspect of combat that the MA5D is weak at)
 * It is effective against lighter enemies, such as Grunts, Jackals, Crawlers and Watchers. Ammunition for it is plentiful (at least when around UNSC sources) and most Marines are armed with it.
 * If fired in short controlled bursts, the MA5D can have a surprisingly effective range. Pull the trigger till the reticle starts to expand, then lay off till it shrinks, and repeat. This tactic is useful for picking off Grunts and Watchers from near-precision weapon ranges.
 * The long reload of the MA5D is not too much longer than its short reload. If it looks like you'll need all the ammunition in the magazine to eliminate an enemy, empty the magazine.
 * It is inadvisable to use against higher ranked enemies; its magazine size is simply too small.

Multiplayer

 * The MA5D's fully automatic fire makes it an effective close-range weapon. Compared with the other automatic weapons in Halo 4, it is much more versatile due to its hitscan properties and flexibility of range, though it is occasionally outperformed by these weapons at more extreme close-range. It takes 13 rounds to kill a fully-shielded player in matchmaking; ten to shields and three to the body, allowing for a bare maximum of two kills from its 32-round magazine. In close-quarters combat, it is often advisable to finish your opponent with a melee after firing at least six rounds into their shields.
 * The MA5D assault rifle is great as a secondary weapon to a precision weapon like the M395 DMR or Z-250 lightrifle, allowing the player to effectively occupy nearly all ranges of combat. However, like the other automatic weapons, it is not recommended for use as a primary weapon except when playing on smaller maps. The MA5D assault rifle can also be used effectively at distances approaching medium-range by firing in short, controlled bursts. Though this will drastically increase kill times, making it inadvisable against players that have already engaged the player with a precision weapon.