SRS99C-S2 AM sniper rifle

The Sniper Rifle System 99C-S2 Anti-Matériel, (abbreviated SRS99C-S2 AM), is a standard-issue sniper rifle of the United Nations Space Command.

Design details
The SRS99C-S2 AMB is a semi-automatic, gas-operated sniper rifle that fires 14.5mm x 114mm APFSDS rounds from a 4 round magazine. It is designed in the conventional layout, so the mag and operating system are located in front of the trigger. It is, alongside its primary Covenant counterpart, the Type-50 particle beam rifle, the most accurate and arguably the most powerful small-arms weapon in either arsenal. The rifle features a barrel about 187.5cm long and is completely interchangeable. Nearly all components of the weapon can be changed to fit the current situation and to satisfy the operator, including the barrel, the breech, the stock, and the ammunition chamber.

Changes from Halo: Combat Evolved to Halo 2

 * Minor cosmetic changes.
 * Shorter overall length.
 * Decreased max magazine capacity down from 28 to 24.
 * Night vision function has been removed.

SRS99C-S2 AMB
The Sniper Rifle System 99C-S2 Anti-Matériel B, abbreviated as SRS99C-S2 AMB Sniper Rifle is an upgrade of the SRS99C-S2 AM Sniper Rifle. The AMB variant includes a different scope and a better designed grip for stability and accuracy.

Tactics
The SRS99C-S2 AMB is extremely powerful, but with a small combat load, it is not good practice to use this weapon against weaker enemies (Grunts, Drones). However, the SRS99C-S2 AMB penetration capabilities and superb, long range accuracy makes it excellent for killing higher ranking enemies at long range, which, in turn, disorganizes and demoralizes the enemy troops, making combat against a large ground force much easier.

Campaign

 * Take cover behind any rock or building (if any). Easily take aim and make sure you fire before the hostile sees you. Also stick to high ground (if any). Do not waste rounds on minor threats like Unggoy (Grunts) or shield-bearing Kig-Yar (Jackals) since ammo is usually scarce and you can kill them easily with other weapons too. Even from a distance, the pistol can usually take care of them in one headshot.
 * A good setup in covenant levels is to take SRS99C-S2 AMB for longer range and difficult foes, such as Sangheili (Elites). A secondary weapon can be anything you feel good to take out minor foes like Jackals and Grunts. The M6D pistol is an excellent secondary weapon, because of the accuracy, stopping power and zoom function. This pistol negates the need of SRS99C-S2 AMB for short range combat, thus saving its scarce ammo, so you can use it against zealots, ultras, major elites, etc.
 * In Flood levels, the SRS99C-S2 AMB should be ignored, as the rounds pass through combat and carrier forms, doing little to no damage at all. However, in levels that include both enemies (covenant and flood), one could bring the SRS99C-S2 AMB for covenant enemies and the M90 Close Assault Weapon System (or other weapon that the player feels good to use against flood), to maximize damage against both foes.
 * When combined with a Plasma Pistol, the SRS99C-S AMB2 can be used to form a special kind of noob combo, with the overcharged Pistol depriving enemies of their shields and the SRS99C-S2 AMB dealing a fatal body or headshot. This variant is more powerful than the combination of a Plasma Pistol and an M6D Pistol, however it is more advisable to replace it with the M6D when available for several reasons:
 * The SRS99C-S2 AMB is more than capable of killing in one or two shots on its own.
 * One headshot from either weapon can kill an unshielded enemy (more shots from the pistol may be required for higher-ranking enemies, but its higher rate of fire and more plentiful ammo compensate for this).

Multiplayer recommendations

 * In Halo: Combat Evolved, effective use of the SRS99C-S2 AMB in multiplayer takes a lot of practice. It is necessary to aim in front of a target to accommodate for server lag, how far one should aim in front depends on their angle onto the target and the amount of lag in the server. Targets are shot easiest when they are head on, moving directly toward you.
 * A head-shot will kill an enemy outright, regardless of shield. Night vision is best used in dark areas (obviously) but is useless in maps that have high color contrast. Good secondary weapons include the M6D Pistol which can, when shot accurately dispose of an enemy in 3 shots regardless of shield. Its 2x zoom make it the perfect partner for the SRS99C-S2 AMB.
 * Use natural formations and buildings to snipe from, but move constantly and erratically (including jumping and crouching) to lower the effectiveness of counter-sniping. The fact that 14.5x114mm APFSDS bullets leave a smoky trail is the weapons largest downside (apart from the small magazine capacity) it exposes one's position and alerts the enemy easily; constant position changing is advised to confuse the enemy. Find something to hide behind while you reload, and reload when not in a firefight. Good snipers cover teammates and kill anyone who is chasing the person on your team with the flag (note: this is only for CTF).
 * Sniping is easier if you turn down your look sensitivity. Unfortunately, this makes shotgun and other close quarters combat weapons slightly harder to use in a chaotic environment.

Trivia

 * During an interview, William O'Brien, an animator for Halo 2, said, "Robert McLees is definitely the go-to guy for the gun stuff. I wanted to come up with an animation for the sniper scope, an 'idle cycle'. If you activate the scope, and then sit too long without doing anything, the animation would kick in periodically, just to keep things interesting... Simple, right...? He replied, 'No way. If you adjust your scope in the field, you're dead. Snipers don't do that.' That's how detailed his weapon designs are -- not just guns, but how they work, and how a sniper would fire them. Amazing."
 * In Halo: Combat Evolved, enemy NPCs do not acknowledge the sniper rifle's shot if they do not see the sniper, despite its loud crack in close-medium quarters. If the player down an enemy with the sniper rifle, some will note the fallen AI, but will not search for the player as they would if the player fired with any other weapon.

List of appearances

 * Halo: Combat Evolved
 * Halo 2
 * Halo Wars
 * Halo Legends
 * Homecoming
 * Prototype
 * The Babysitter


 * Halo: The Fall of Reach
 * Halo: The Flood
 * Halo: First Strike
 * Halo: Ghosts of Onyx
 * Halo: Contact Harvest
 * Halo: The Cole Protocol
 * Halo Graphic Novel
 * Armor Testing
 * Halo: Blood Line
 * Halo: Fall of Reach
 * Boot Camp