M6 Spartan Laser

"It's not overpowered, it's an elegant weapon from a more civilized age."

- Luke Smith

The Weapon/Anti-Vehicle Model 6 Grindell/Galilean Nonlinear Rifle (abbreviated W/AV M6 G/GNR), also known as the Spartan Laser, is the UNSC's ground-based, man-portable, anti-vehicle, directed energy weapon. It is the only known battery operated weapon of the UNSC, and is the strongest infantry weapon that the UNSC has. It is capable of penetrating multiple vehicles and infantry, even big tanks, unlike the sniper rifle that can only penetrate infantry. It is alternatively known as the Galilean.

Background
The M6 Spartan Laser is a shoulder-mounted, directed energy weapon used by the UNSC. When the trigger is pulled, a harmless red laser sight is projected on-target along with a charging sound. The Spartan Laser will then charge for approximately four seconds before firing the main laser. As the Spartan Laser charges, the charging tone gets noticeably louder up until the laser is fired. The charging sequence can be canceled without a battery penalty up to a point, if the target moves out of sight or the wielder needs to change position. The laser is also capable of firing through several enemies or vehicles, and has a relatively small blast radius, only injuring targets within two meters of the impact point and toppling light vehicles. It has a downtime between shots while it cools down (approx. 2-4 seconds), and is highly effective at destroying enemy vehicles.

In Halo 3 Multiplayer, if you kill another player with the Spartan Laser, you will receive a unique medal, the Laser Kill Medal. It is likely awarded due to the difficulty of having to charge and aim the weapon. Also the achievement "Two for One" is unlocked by scoring a double kill with a single laser shot in any ranked free-for-all playlist. The weapon is not available in the campaign until the level The Covenant, which Master Chief begins the level armed with the Spartan Laser. The M6 is the only weapon able to harm 343 Guilty Spark on the final level of Halo 3, with the exception of the Fuel Rod Gun and Rocket Launcher through a glitch that Bungie has removed.

Advantages
The Spartan Laser is, with general acknowledgment, the most powerful weapon in Halo 3. The weapon is classified as an anti-infantry and anti-vehicle weapon making it a weapon that can destroy almost anything in the user's path. All destructible vehicles can possibly be destroyed in one blast, unless it narrowly misses, in which it will only inflict heavy damage. It can also strike and kill multiple opponents and vehicles if they are lined up correctly. It is more powerful than the rocket launcher, and since the laser travels practically instantaneously, it can be used far better at range. The Spartan Laser has a 3x scope which makes it a weapon of superb range and accuracy. It also causes splash damage, letting you kill more than one person per shot.

Disadvantages
As with all powerful weapons, there are a few disadvantages. The Spartan Laser needs to charge up for three seconds (four seconds after TU2) before firing and needs another two to four seconds to cool down after firing. The Laser uses 20 battery units per shot, firing five charges at most. Though the scope does give an increased range, it doesn't have the range to out-perform the accuracy of the Sniper Rifle, however, due to the laser's splash damage, it can out perform a bad sniper, since it takes a well aimed shot to get a one hit kill with the sniper rifle, and the laser only needs to go near the target. The sighting beam may also give away the user's position. If a player sees the targeting beam, they could possibly dodge the shot, thus wasting valuable battery power, though this is very unlikely, as the targeting beam is very faint and hard to see in the midst of battle. However, it is possible to hear the laser if you are near the targeting beam no matter the distance. A point blank shot isn't recommended, as you can commit suicide through splash damage. Finally, the laser is infamous for the difficulty in aiming the thing, which can be next to impossible to moving targets for inexperienced players.

Targeting
When the weapon is equipped, a shroud over the emitting lens of the laser lifts up to expose it, presumably to protect it from scratches and battle damage when holstered, although the weapon is shown with the shroud up when it is on a person's back. The shroud can be seen doing this when the weapon is drawn in first person view if the user looks carefully. A small hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder on the left side of the shroud actuates the shroud where it is anchored to the chassis of the weapon. When the trigger is pulled, a harmless red laser sight is projected on the target and a unique targeting tone is emitted. The Spartan Laser will then charge for three seconds before firing a red laser beam that usually destroys the target. In the Halo 3 beta, if the reticule was moved while firing, a scattering of beams would be released, spreading over the targeted area. For the few frames while the laser is fired, the right targeting stick is disabled. The beam can be strafed, however, over a larger area if the player is moving while the laser is firing.

The Spartan Laser is equipped with a smart-linked Wyrd III optics suite for increased accuracy and is capable of 3x magnification. Its reticule, whether on 1x or 3x magnifications, features a meter on the right side showing the charge of the laser.

Laser Beam
Under normal circumstances, as long as direct strike is delivered, one laser shot will destroy and disable any target. Wraiths and Scorpions cannot be simply shot at, and must be aimed at differently to get the one shot kill. The Wraith must be fired upon from the rear right below the mortar, at its power core, or directly aimed at the cockpit. The Scorpion must be hit from the side on the area upon which the firing of the 90mm shells takes place. It is powerful enough to make its way through nine Warthogs, but oddly, only 4 Mongooses parked bumper to bumper. It is also highly effective at destroying Scarab leg joints, although The Covenant is the only mission where this can be done, and it is unlikely the player will keep the Spartan Laser that long into the level without completely draining its battery. The beam is also known to have high splash damage at its impact point, and around its shot, and also has the capability to over-penetrate, and eliminate multiple targets aligned in a linear trajectory. If the player is facing a wall, an opponent or another obstacle at an extremely close range, the splash damage will instantly kill the operator. After firing, the weapon stops functioning for a brief period of time as it dumps its waste heat. The splash damage can be increased by strafing the reticule quickly when firing, to hit a larger area, though this is hard to achieve due to the nature of the weapon. The weapon has 5 shots before a "recharge" is needed.

It is powered by a BA-53635/PLMD non-replaceable battery, which is recharged with a PP-16979/AM-Sh charger. UNSC logistics, however, are not sufficient for the charger to accompany many W/AV M6 G/GNR units in the field. It would be better to use the weapon when hidden as it takes a long time to charge and the enemy has a better chance of defending themselves, unless the player is not noticed by their enemy.

Trivia

 * It remains unclear what exact energy is fired from the M6, while some have suggested that it fires a chemical laser, others have disputed this noting that a gas or chemical laser does not produce a powerful energy output, as they require large amounts of highly volatile and toxic chemicals to function which are expended as the weapon fires. Others have suggested that it fires a Particle Beam, similar to the Particle Beam Rifle used by the Covenant.
 * Luke Smith's comment: "It's not overpowered, it's an elegant weapon from a more civilized age," is a reference to Star Wars, where Obi-Wan Kenobi states that the lightsaber is an elegant weapon from a more civilized age.
 * The three times you can obtain a Spartan Laser in Campaign are in the levels: The Covenant, Halo and in Cortana if you beat the level holding the skull.
 * The term "Galilean" in the name does not refer to Galileo, but to Galilee, a town in what is now Israel where Jesus was said to have lived for thirty years (another biblical reference). This is a reference to the "Galilean Cannon", a theoretical weapon, which used brass rods to launch a final rod at exceptional speeds without any propellant.
 * The Spartan Laser is currently the most expensive weapon to produce known. It costs 218,000.00 cR, more than the cost of four fully armed Warthogs, 134 MA5B Assault Rifles, or over 7,266 M9 Fragmentation Grenades.
 * The only vehicle the Spartan Laser cannot destroy is the Elephant, which only appears in the multi-player map Sandtrap. The beam itself, however, can penetrate most of the armored walls of the vehicle and will damage anything in its way. Scorpions and Wraiths can also survive a single shot if they are in good condition and the laser doesn't hit the Wraith's hatch.
 * The reticule of the Spartan Laser has been changed from the one in the Halo 3 Beta. Instead of four markings pointing inward to the circle, the reticule now has one circle with a smaller circle inside of it.
 * In the level Halo, it is possible to use the unlimited Spartan Laser Johnson gives you for the rest of the level. To do so, after 343 Guilty Spark opens the door to the control room, kill Johnson. When he dies, quickly keep swapping weapons (Johnson's laser with your weapon). When you get it far enough, use the laser and it will have unlimited ammo. If you're playing co-op, just before you fight 343 Guilty Spark, kill each other, leaving your lasers there. Then fight 343 Guilty Spark and after you do, the laser will still be there for you to use in the Warthog or Mongoose with unlimited ammo. This can be done in Campaign or co-op.
 * It is unclear how the W/AV M6 G/GNR was given the battlefield moniker Spartan Laser. It is possible that the first wielder of the weapon was a SPARTAN-II super-soldier. Another possible reason for the nomenclature is that Spartans are symbols of invincible death machines capable of destroying vast numbers of enemy equipment and personel. Given that the weapons were used by Red Team in 2531, the Spartans may have field-tested the early prototypes, earning the name.
 * The side of the laser has the Norse symbol for "Gungnir" etched into it, which was the mythical spear wielded by the god Odin in Norse Mythology. Gungnir was described as having the ability to always hit its mark. Part of the mythology is that Odin would hurl his spear over the doomed side of a battle.
 * The Spartan Laser seems to trail off forever when fired into the sky, much like the Sentinel Beam. The beam of both weapons does end, however, usually at the invisible walls of the playing area. The laser beam on Sandtrap covers over 75% of the width of the area (fired at a 45 degree angle).
 * If a Marine is given a Spartan Laser, when you retrieve it from them its power supply may have recharged itself. The amount of added charge varies depending on the amount of time they were holding it.
 * A hit with the laser is not always a guaranteed kill. If the laser does not strike the player directly, the player might survive with no shields. This effect varies, as some players have reported surviving up to two shots from the laser.
 * It is one of only four infantry weapons capable of killing an opponent with a direct hit who has a fully charged (2x) Overshield. The other three being the Rocket Launcher, Missile Pod and the Gravity Hammer, however the laser is still much more powerful. This makes this weapon a popular choice for removing VIPs in the VIP game type.
 * If you give a Marine in the passenger seat of a Warthog a Spartan Laser, when the Marine fires the weapon, the angle of the laser is different to that which the Marine is aiming. This can be noticed on the Halo 3 Campaign level The Covenant.
 * In Forge, if you have a Spartan Laser in player mode and start charging it up, then right before it fires switch to Monitor whilst holding down the trigger, you can keep the charge going so the second you leave Monitor form you will have a Spartan laser blast directed at any enemy.
 * It is possible to kill both the driver and the gunner of a Wraith with a single shot on Legendary difficulty. The Wraith will be damaged but fully functional. To do this, one must target the cockpit at a certain point. On lower difficulty the Wraith may be completely destroyed by doing this.
 * There are two achievements that involve using the Spartan Laser in Halo 3. The first one is called "Too Close to the Sun". You have to shoot a Banshee down with the Spartan Laser or Missile Pod.  The second achievement is called "Two for One", in which you have to get a double kill with the Spartan Laser in a ranked free-for-all playlist.
 * Contrary to popular belief, the Spartan Laser actually zooms in to 3x magnification. Consider the following: the Battle Rifle has 2x zoom and a Sniper Rifle's minimum zoom is 5x. The MJOLNIR/Elite armor’s built-in zoom system zooms in more than a BR, but less than an SR, so it must be either 3x or 4x (assuming that all magnification factors are whole numbers). The Laser zooms in more than a BR, but less than the visor, so it has to be between 2x and 4x (the highest possible value for the unknown zoom factor of the visor); in other words, the Laser's magnification is actually 3x, though it is more correct to say that it is at least more than the 2x zoom of the Battle Rifle.
 * If you look at the beam of the laser in the Theater when it is fired at a Shield Door, you can see that the structure of the beam is actually two flat, beam-colored templates perpendicular to one another. Also, one blast of the laser actually consists of five separate beams fired almost instantaneously, each beam using four battery units. This is noticeable when replaying in Theater mode from your first-person view in super-slow motion, and if you are airborne and moving fast.
 * In Halo Wars, the Spartans final upgrade is the Spartan Laser. It costs 1000 resources and reqiures an energy level of 4.

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