M41 SPNKr

The M41 SSR MAV/AW is a heavy ordnance weapon of the UNSC arsenal used in Halo 3. It is different from the M19 SSM Rocket Launcher used in Halo and Halo 2. (Both previous launchers had the words "M41 SSR MAV/AW" printed on them, but the game manuals, HUD dialogue, and novels refer to them as "M19 SSM Rocket Launchers")

Summary
The M41 SSR, alternatively called a "Spanker" or "Jackhammer", is a heavy ordnance weapon of the UNSC arsenal used in Halo 3. It fires HEAT (High Explosive Anti-Tank) rockets. The launcher sports a 2x scope and can fire rockets over long distances with devastating accuracy.

When reloaded, the barrels are removed. Two preloaded barrels are then inserted back into the launcher. With this mechanism, a Marine can greatly reduce the weight he carries without throwing the weapon away like with modern day disposable rocket launchers. This setup is very similar to that of the Javelin anti-tank rocket launcher used by the U.S. military.

This is not the same rocket launcher as the M19 SSM Rocket Launcher used in Halo: Combat Evolved, nor is it the same as the M19 SSM Rocket Launcher in Halo 2. The M41 is, however, directly derived from the M19 SSM models, and is indeed nearly identical to the first variant of the M19 as seen in Halo.

Changes from M19 SSM Rocket Launcher

 * The M41 rocket in Halo 3 travels faster than its M19 counterpart.
 * The tubing is also a metallic silver color rather then a synthetic black.
 * It does not have the homing feature offered in the Halo 2 M19 model.

Advantages
The rocket launcher spreads a huge amount of damage over a large area. It is capable of taking out entire groups of targets at any range and can kill all the riders of nearly any vehicle (with the exception of the Scorpion Tank or Wraith) with one direct hit. It is very useful for killing Hunters, which are often the most difficult enemies to kill. It also has moderate rate of fire as it is able to fire a second rocket almost 2 seconds after the first.

Disadvantages

 * Several things counterbalance the rocket launcher's sheer power:

The rocket can be dodged if the person it was fired at spots it soon enough thus wasting a rare rocket, this does require semi-decent timing only because the rocket travels faster in Halo 3 than in the other halo games. this is also of limited use as indirect hits can still damage you
 * 1) It reloads slowly.
 * 2) Ammunition is often unavailable, and the player can carry only 6 extra rockets at once (8 total).
 * 3) It can damage or kill its operator if fired carelessly near or into surrounding terrain or when it's user is extremely near an enemy.
 * 4) The explosion from the rocket can accidentally kill friendly units near the target.
 * 5) The lock-on feature from Halo 2 has been disabled in Halo 3 to balance the weapon, though the rockets apparently still track targets automatically in certain cases.
 * 6) In Halo 3, an explosion near a rocket in flight will cause it to deflect. Deflected rockets tumble end over end, and will explode if they strike an object.  However, the damage they do is reduced significantly; a deflected rocket will not kill a player with full shields.
 * 7) The Gravity Hammer can be use to deflect rockets. However, because this requires very good timing, and is much harder to execute when the rocket is aimed at a floor or wall instead of directly at the target, this is of questionable utility.
 * 8) An explosion or a well-placed bullet can and will destroy a fired rocket, wasting a shot.
 * 9) The rockets travel at slow speeds.
 * 10) In multiplayer, if someone locks on to you with a rocket launcher and you are in a Banshee, you can lose the lock by turning straight up, pressing "X" then quickly pressing it again to get back in.
 * In Halo 2 Multiplayer, if you fire a rocket, it may not fire for three seconds or more, causing you to miss your target.

Influences
The M41 SSR MAV/AW was inspired by the SPNKr rocket launcher from the Marathon series. The launcher itself is also nicknamed SPNKr (pronounced "spanker") due to the labeling on rockets and rectangular ammunition cases.

Multiplayer Role
Acquiring the rocket launcher in a multiplayer game may prove difficult, since by default (on most maps) it spawns in a central, fought-over area (players who know the level know where the Rocket Launcher is and thus clashes with the enemy for the weapon are quite common, usually when the match first starts). However, once acquired, this weapon can become very effective for all the reasons mentioned above - it can take out a large group of enemies in one shot, and can easily eliminate vehicles. Since head-on collisions with the rocket are difficult to obtain, especially in open areas, it is prudent to aim at the ground in front of the enemy or the wall to their side. Though the shot may miss, the splash damage will often kill the opponent. Bear in mind there is a short delay of around .25-.5 of a second between the player pulling the trigger and the rocket actually leaving the barrel. It may not sound like much, but it is actually a very important consideration for accurate shooting, particularly when deflection shooting.

In Halo 2, the rocket launcher was often considered to be a "noobish" weapon due to its high power and low talent curve. Furthermore, the weapon would not respawn when it had been picked up, even if it was out of ammo; many players would keep an empty rocket launcher just to deny anyone else access. With Halo 3's revamped weapon spawn system, this aspect of the weapon is no longer effective, and the rocket launcher has as a rule taken more skill and economy to use.

Character Compatibility

 * Spartans
 * Marines
 * Elites
 * Flood Combat Form (Human)
 * Flood Combat Form (Elite)

Trivia

 * A Rocket Launcher has 2 barrels, but only fires one rocket at a time.
 * The Storm is the first Campaign level in Halo 3 to feature the Rocket Launcher.
 * In Halo Combat Evolved, you can carry 10 rockets, but in Halo 2 and Halo 3 you can only carry 6 rockets+ 2 in the rocket launcher.
 * The rockets fired from the Rocket Launcher are similar to the rockets fired from the D77-TC Pelican in Halo 3.
 * Rockets was recently made into a Double EXP weekend playlist, which included Splockets (Spartans lasers and Rockets, and also Snockets (Snipers and Rockets).
 * The rocket launcher has a considerable recoil, although the very nature of it's design requires that it be recoilless. When the rocket is fired, the flame and energy generated by its flight is shunted through the tubes which jut from behind the user's shoulder. Therefore, there is very little to no energy to cause the rocket launcher to "hop".
 * The Rockets can be used to prevent a splatter. Waiting until the last second before a vehicle hits you, you can fire it off ensuring that the vehicle cannot dodge it.  However, you may want to jump up and away to avoid splash damage.
 * In Halo 3 Rockets can be deflected by a Gravity Hammer or by an exploding grenade. It can also be destroyed in mid-flight if being strucked by a Spartan Laser or the Sniper Rifle