Spike weaponry

"Those things ain't made to wound anyone—to make you use up time and resources treating casualties. They were designed to make you die screaming."

- A UNSC E2-BAG/1/7 serviceman on the effects of a spike grenade

Spike weaponry refers to projectile weapons of Jiralhanae origin that fire spike projectiles.

History
Spike weapons—or at the very least, the ubiquitous spike rifle—originated from the Jiralhanae conflicts on Doisac prior to the species' induction to the Covenant. Precursors to spike weapons, like the heavy speargun, were also used by Jiralhanae in big-game hunting. After the Jiralhanae joined the Covenant, most of the Jiralhanae-designed weapons—including spike weapons—were still manufactured by clan workshops on Doisac, albeit under the supervision of Covenant missionaries. Regardless, spike weapons were not commonly encountered in combat, with many Jiralhanae shock troops deferring to the San'Shyuum's guidance and adopting directed-energy weapons. However, in the months leading up to the Great Schism in 2552, the Prophet of Truth ordered the Sacred Promissory on High Charity to secretly expand its scope to the production of all Jiralhanae matériel, including many spike weapons, for the impending purge of the Sangheili. Spike weaponry then became a common sight in the final battles of the Human-Covenant War. Following the Great Schism and the dissolution of the Covenant, in the absence of the San'Shyuum, the Jiralhanae returned to their primitive, savage nature; Jiralhanae-designed spike weapons, such as the Ukala Workshop Mangler, returned to widespread circulation, especially within the Banished.

Operation
Spike weapons fire eponymous spike projectiles at enemies; the spike rifle—the most common spike weapon—fires long, sharp projectiles made of superheated tungsten alloy, which are coated in a pyrophoric compound unique to Doisac. When fired and exposed to atmospheric oxygen, the coating burns with a white-hot intensity, rendering the spikes superheated and semi-molten. The spikes thus glow with a yellow-white light for a short time after impact, before they cool. The spike rifle uses a gravitic accelerator to launch the spike at targets; it is likely other spike weaponry employ a similar mechanism.

In contrast, the varied roles and applications of spike weapons also likely determine the property of spike projectiles they fire: smaller armor-piercing spike projectiles fired from spike rifles can easily penetrate flesh and bones, even pinning a target to an object behind them, whereas their larger counterparts, like those fired from the skewer, can perforate a vehicle's battle plates or even a Spartan's armor with relative ease. Furthermore, larger spike projectiles tend to possess explosive properties: the shrapnel cannon—mounted on Choppers—and the infantry-portable Volatile Skewer can fire spike projectiles that detonate upon impact. Spike cannons are also equipped on aircraft such as the Dovotaa Workshop Griever and Qavardu Workshop Gravemaker.

While nearly all spike weapons fire single-use spike projectiles, there are exceptions. The Jovokada Workshop spike grenade is a shrapnel explosive that sends a cluster of super-heated spikes flying at a perpendicular trajectory to the surface the grenade has stuck to. The Banished's gunship variant of the Eklon'Dal Workshop Spirit uniquely employs a spike harpoon that allows the gunship to rapidly close its distance to a target. The Banished has also incorporated spikes, rather than blades, at the fore of their vehicles, including the Ironclad Wraith and Terror Wraith, for the purpose of increased ramming damage or repelling enemies. If a Reaver fires its Thrasher missiles without locking on to a specific target, like for suppression purposes, it may also fire tracer spikes.

Handheld weapons

 * Flaktura Workshop Skewer
 * Volatile Skewer
 * Spike rifle
 * Grenflekt Workshop Spiker
 * Paegaas Workshop Spiker
 * Ukala Workshop Mangler
 * Riven Mangler

Explosives

 * Jovokada Workshop spike grenade
 * Jumpmine
 * Shrapnel mine

Mounted weapons

 * Spike cannon
 * Light spike cannon
 * Heavy spike cannon
 * Shrapnel cannon
 * Spike harpoon
 * Spike turret