MA37 assault rifle

The MA37 Individual Combat Weapon System, (abbreviated MA37 ICWS or MA37 assault rifle), formally known as the Individual Combat Weapon System, Caliber 7.62 mm, MA37, is a standard-issue service rifle for the UNSC Army. It is produced by Misriah Armory and is known as the MA5 by the Naval services.

Overview
The MA37 Assault Rifle is an air-cooled, gas-operated, magazine-fed, fully-automatic bullpup rifle that fires 7.62x51mm ammunition. It possesses a built-in ammunition indicator and magnetic compass for orientation similar to that of all other MA5 series rifles.

The MA37 features a grip with a "notch", not too dissimilar to an AR-15's A2 pistol grip. The barrel features a flash hider on the end which appears to be designed to direct gas (which produces flash and noise) forward, rather than upward, which would help to reduce felt recoil and muzzle climb. The rifle features a cheek riser on the receiver. The MA37 also features an ambidextrous magazine release and an ambidextrous selector switch. The MA37 also features vents on the rifle's chassis near the barrel assembly, which facilitate air cooling of the barrel as the weapon fires.

Differences from MA5C ICWS in Halo 3

 * Major cosmetic differences such as a more skeletal and detailed body, shorter overall length, ammunition counter appearing as an attachment rather than an integrated part of the weapon.
 * Maximum ammunition capacity decreased from 352 to 288 rounds.
 * Slower rate of fire and decreased damage per round.
 * Larger reticule. Short, controlled bursts are much more accurate than sustained fire.
 * Shots have hitscan properties; shots fired would hit instantly.
 * Reload, melee animations, and firing sound have been changed to make it feel more like the MA5B from Halo: Combat Evolved.

General

 * Like most weapons in Reach 's sandbox, the MA37 comes with a reticule bloom. A sustained fire will decrease the accuracy of the weapon; this is indicated by the expanding reticule. To compensate this, it is recommended to fire in short, controlled bursts. Burst-fire is best used in Firefight or Campaign, as you very rarely get the chance to use it in matchmaking.

Campaign

 * Like the MA5B and MA5C rifles, the MA37 is efficient in taking down large squads of Grunts.
 * A combination of the Assault Rifle and a fully-charged Plasma Pistol is a good all-round weapon combo; shielded Covenant soldiers can be easily neutralized with the charged Plasma Pistol followed by several burst from the Assault Rifle.

Multiplayer

 * The MA37 is the typical starting weapon for most online matchmaking games. It is best used at close range, so one tactic is to charge an opponent and unleash fire as soon as they're squarely within your reticule. Keep shooting until their shields go down and finish them off with a quick melee or more fire.
 * Roughly half a clip on a fully shielded enemy is all you need to kill them. While previous assault rifles have killed a fully shielded opponent in standard matches with exactly 16 shots, the MA37 seems to fluctuate in how many rounds are needed, sometimes needing more, sometimes less.
 * The MA37's versatile nature makes it an excellent back-up weapon to make up for the faults of your main weapon.
 * In general, the assault rifle is inferior to the semi-automatic weapons in this game. However, it is easier to aim, so if you're having trouble placing shots on a target or are new to FPSs, the assault rifle can have its uses. As well, it may be superior to the pistol for short range combat when in a gametype with full bloom.

Trivia

 * Bungie stated that the MA37 "will feel most similar to the Assault Rifle of the original Halo".
 * If the player participated in the Halo: Reach Beta, which was obtainable with a copy of Halo 3: ODST, a unique nameplate emblem of an MA37 is obtainable for use on Xbox LIVE in multiplayer.
 * In the Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary announcement trailer, the MA5B assault rifle uses the MA37's model as a placeholder model. The weapon has since received a new model that resembles its appearance in the original game.
 * If the binary code 01000100011000010111011001100101 in the bottom left of the scope is translated, it will read "Dave," as in Dave Candland, UI designer for Bungie.
 * The computer module on the MA37 appears to be mounted on a rail system similar to that used many modern military weapons, this suggests that the MA37 can be fitted with other accessories such as optical or reflex sights in place of the standard compass/ammo counter unit.
 * The maximum reserve ammunition for the MA37 varies for certain campaign missions and exceeds the limit of 288 (e.g. 600 max in Winter Contingency).
 * According to concept art (and logical rifle design), the MA37 can fire either semi or fully automatic. In addition, the fire selector is modeled in the semi-automatic position, even though it only fires fully automatic in-game. This is most likely an oversight.
 * Unlike other rifles in the MA5 series, the MA37 appears to sport a telescoping stock. However, this is not used in-game.

List of appearances

 * Halo: Reach