User:XScruffyDaSasquatchx/Sandbox

The Sniper Rifle, sometimes shortened to just Sniper or Snipes, and known in Halo Infinite as the S7 Sniper, is a human precision power weapon featured in all major Halo games, starting with Halo: Combat Evolved. It is a long-range weapon which typically has two levels of scope, and is best used to pick off enemies at a great distance. The Sniper deals a large amount of damage per shot, but has a slow rate of fire and usually only carries four shots per magazine.

Universe and lore
Most of the sniper rifles seen in the Halo games belong to the SRS99 family, a series of rifles produced by Misriah Armory for the United Nations Space Command armed forces. The original SRS99 AM rifle entered service in 2460 with the UNSC Army, and the SRS99 series was eventually adopted by all remaining branches in 2521, thanks to its impressive modularity and continuing support on behalf of Misriah. Having gone through at least four further revisions since its initial adoption, the series remains in service as of 2558, with the Series-5 model being in mass production at that time.

Another prominent sniper rifle is the M99 Stanchion, a now-defunct weapon that has been out of production since 2521. The Stanchion bears more resemblance to a coilgun or railgun than a traditional chemical propellant-based firearm, using electromagnetism to launch its projectiles. It was used by the crew of the during the Second Ark Conflict, along with another sniper rifle known as the signature-suppressed anti-materiel rifle. Additionally, an Insurrectionist group active on Harvest and Arcadia was known to equip its soldiers with an as-of-yet unidentified sniper rifle.

The following is a list of all sniper rifles in Halo lore that have appeared in the games:

Overview
The Sniper Rifle is a powerful precision weapon, featured in every notable Halo game since the series' inception in Halo: Combat Evolved. Typically dark grey or black in color, the weapon features one of the longest barrels of any weapon, as well as a large boxy scope and a prominent stock, making it very easy to identify. It is capable of killing enemy players in as little as one or two shots depending upon accuracy, and deals a large amount of damage. To compensate for this, it has a slow rate of fire compared to most weapons, usually only carries four shots per magazine, and is very rare.

Advantages

 * Deals a significant amount of damage, allowing most enemies to be killed easily
 * Headshots can instantly kill an enemy player in multiplayer
 * Damage does not fall off at longer ranges
 * Multiple, very long-distance zoom options

Disadvantages

 * Has a slow fire rate
 * Often difficult to aim, particularly at short ranges and when using a controller rather than mouse and keyboard
 * In earlier games, it even lacks aim-assist when hip-fired
 * Ammo is very rare

Tactics and strategies

 * Save ammo where possible, as it is very rare
 * In campaign, prioritise more difficult enemies like Chieftains or Hunters with the Sniper, while using a more common weapon on easier enemies such as Grunts and Jackals
 * In multiplayer, if you have a mid-range weapon such as a Battle Rifle in reserve, and you hit an enemy with the Sniper but do not kill them, switch to the Battle Rifle to finish them with a headshot rather than waste a second Sniper bullet
 * In multiplayer, controlling power weapons like the Sniper is important, as a skilled enemy Sniper could rack up many kills, or keep your team away from the objective with ease

Counterparts
The most prominent counterpart to the Sniper Rifle is the Covenant's Beam Rifle, a long-range weapon with two levels of zoom, which is similar in operation to the Sniper Rifle. The Beam Rifle was first introduced in Halo 2, but has reappeared in several games since. It fires a beam of light with a practically instant travel time, which behaves similarly to a Sniper Rifle bullet; a hit to the body will remove an opponent's shields, whereas a headshot will instantly kill them. Unlike the Sniper, however, the Beam Rifle uses a battery system for its ammo, typically with ten shots in total, and the weapon cannot be reloaded. In most games, the weapon will overheat after two or three shots in rapid succession.

Another Covenant counterpart to the Sniper Rifle is the Focus Rifle, first introduced in Halo: Reach. Unlike the Sniper Rifle and Beam Rifle, the Focus Rifle fires a continuous beam not unlike that of the Sentinel Beam, which deals heavy damage to enemy units, but will overheat if fired continuously for too long. However, the Focus Rifle takes longer to kill enemies than the Sniper Rifle does, and the brightly colored beam will expose the location of the player. Like the Beam Rifle, the Focus Rifle uses a battery ammo system, and cannot be reloaded. It also has two zoom levels, similar to the Sniper and Beam Rifle.

The Forerunner counterpart to the Sniper Rifle is known as the Binary Rifle. This rifle operates using a similar ammunition system as the Sniper Rifle, albeit with two shots per magazine rather than four. It features two levels of zoom, just as the Sniper does, however with one major difference: whilst zoomed, a distinct red targeting laser will shine out from the barrel - even before the weapon is fired - which will alert enemies to the fact they're being targeted, and will also highlight the user's location. The projectile fired by the Binary Rifle varies by game. In Halo 4, it fires a bolt of light that travels instantaneously and will always immediately kill an enemy player regardless of where it hits them. In Halo 5: Guardians, it fires a continuous beam for a brief period of time, which deals very heavy damage and can easily kill an enemy player if held on them for long enough - though the strong recoil can make this difficult.

Changes from Halo: Combat Evolved to Halo PC, Halo: Custom Edition, and Halo: CEA

 * Maximum telescopic zoom reduced from 10× to 8× (This change was carried over from international releases of Halo: Combat Evolved and is a visual only change. It does not affect the sniper's performance in any way).

Changes from Halo: CEA to Halo: The Master Chief Collection

 * Reduced the size of the Anniversary graphics reticle.
 * Maximum telescopic zoom reverted back from 8× to 10×.

Campaign and Firefight

 * In the mission Sierra 117, there is a downed Pelican at Rally Point Alpha. There is a UNSC supply box with two sniper rifles. These can be useful when you get to the dam.
 * After the Hunter encounter on The Storm where you must face a hammer wielding Brute Chieftain the room to the far left contains a sniper rifle. Breaking the window will allow you to snipe Covenant forces.
 * Because the sniper rifle is extremely powerful, but has a small combat load, it is not good practice to use this weapon against weaker enemies (i.e. Grunts, Jackals). However, the sniper rifle's penetration capabilities and superb, long range accuracy make it excellent for killing higher ranking enemies at long range like Brutes and Hunters, which, in turn, disorganizes and demoralizes the enemy troops, making combat against a large ground force easier.
 * Sniping fallen grenades when enemies are close by is also an effective strategy.

Multiplayer

 * If an enemy will be very difficult to snipe, don't waste a round on them. Wait until they're an easier target, or just switch your attention to another target.
 * Have a sniper set their sights on the enemy base in a CTF match, as they can take out enemy snipers and other defenders. That way, their team mates can swoop in and grab the flag.
 * If you can get a couple of players to cooperate, you can get to hard to access areas on maps like Valhalla, Longshore and Last Resort and snipe without worry that close range weapons like the shotgun flush you out.
 * The Sniper Rifle shot can be used in close combat as a shield remover, followed by a melee which will kill your opponent.
 * Always take your shots carefully with the sniper rifle. If you are unable to perform headshots, always aim for the body. The key to sniping is simply getting the kill and not wasting ammunition, not getting a headshot every time. A two-shot enemy is still a dead enemy.
 * Always carry a secondary close ranged weapon such as an Assault Rifle or SMG. Even more preferable are a shotgun or a Battle Rifle.
 * When playing Team Snipers, take your shot and then move elsewhere, so your location is not given away. This is also useful in standard multiplayer.

Changes from Halo 3 to ODST

 * Bullet damage vs shields decreased by 50%
 * Damage increased from 80 to 120.

Changes from Halo: Reach to Title Update 1

 * Bloom reduced to 85%.

Campaign and Spartan Ops

 * In the Campaign, the Sniper Rifle is first obtained in Requiem. It appears again in Reclaimer.
 * The Sniper Rifle's usage against the Covenant and Prometheans in Halo 4 differs very little from its utilization in previous games. It is still the best weapon to take out enemies from far beyond retaliation range. Its power, however, has been significantly reduced. Even on Normal difficulty, a low-ranking Elite will survive a headshot from the weapon, unlike previous titles where one would instantly kill it straight through the shield. On Legendary, it can take an entire magazine.
 * Don't waste sniper ammo on small targets (with, perhaps, the obvious exception of Jackal and Crawler Snipers). The Sniper in Halo 4 only has a reserve of 16 rounds of ammunition, meaning you will run dry very quickly against the hordes of foes you face with it. Save your shots for Elites and Knights, using other precision or even automatic weaponry to eliminate the lower foes.
 * Relatedly, don't get too attached to your rifle. Unlike other games where upon you could carry a Sniper throughout the entire level, you will have to discard it eventually. With the low ammunition count, and the infrequency of the weapon's appearances, you will most likely run out of ammunition quickly, and reloads are unlikely to be found. Thankfully, the Rifle usually appears on levels where you can find the Covenant and Promethean equivalents (Beam and Binary Rifles respectively), so finding a replacement weapon to reach out and touch someone is not a supreme difficulty.
 * If at all possible, reload when there is only one round left in the magazine. The empty reload for the rifle is a lengthy one, and while the sound of the player's character loading a new round into the chamber with a metallic rasp worthy of a blast door opening, its not the best thing to be forced to do when under fire from multiple enemies. Pace your shots, fire three, and then reload.

Multiplayer

 * Once more, the Sniper Rifle's usage against multiplayer opponents has changed very little; it is still the go-to weapon to stop people halfway across the map (or further on the larger ones) from getting in your face.
 * The majority of the tips from Campaign apply to multiplayer, most especially the one regarding ammo. Normally a sniper rifle spawns with two extra magazines (8 rounds in reserve plus the four in the rifle itself), which, as any experienced sniper will tell you, go by incredibly fast. As soon as you run out of shots, grab any other weapon. Even a plasma pistol is more effective against an opponent than an empty sniper rifle.
 * Keep a low profile; human opponents are much more observant than AIs, meaning that if they see you (even from halfway across the map) they WILL engage you. Take cover and pick off targets of oppertunity.

Campaign

 * The SRS99-S5 AM is only featured in the following missions: Osiris (via the Flaming knives on Osiris easter egg only), Glassed, Unconfirmed, Evacuation, Genesis, and Guardians.
 * The Nornfang variant of the SRS99-S5 AM is the preferred starting weapon of Linda-058. Co-op is the only way that the Spartans of Blue Team can access the SRS99-S5 AM in gameplay; in this case, if the player playing as Linda drops her Nornfang.
 * The SRS99-S5 AM is not very powerful against most enemies on higher difficulties and is ineffective against Elites with the Tilt skull on. Ammo for it is scarce and other weapons like the Beam and Binary Rifles perform better. On lower difficulties, however, it becomes an invaluable tool. Be sure to take full advantage of it.

Multiplayer and Warzone

 * In Warzone, the SRS99-S5 AM is a powerful tool. With the long sight lines on each Warzone map, a properly-placed sniper can obtain some impressive kill streaks and help their team immensely. It comes with three extra variants that further increase its lethality.
 * End of the Line, which reduces the recoil and increases the firing rate with a tradeoff of a slightly lower damage output, making it easier to fire a second finishing shot if the first shot doesn't kill the enemy.
 * Arrow of Time, which has two extra rounds in its magazine and has no descope but with stronger vertical recoil. The stronger vertical recoil makes missed shots more punishing, but the extra rounds and lack of descope can prove useful in very heated situations.
 * Nornfang, which comes with a built-in damage boost and high-explosive ammunition that is capable of one-shotting any Spartan anywhere on the body as long as they don't have an Overshield or Enhanced Shield armor mod. While it may be tempting to do so, it is inadvisable to use it against bosses; their health pools are simply too large for using the Nornfang on them to be worth it. Instead, focus on the enemies attempting to take out the boss; a sniper with a good eye and a full weapon can turn the tide of a Legendary fight in their teams favor.
 * The Sniper is a power weapon on several maps, and controlling it is an essential part of any winning strategy. On many of the larger, more open maps (Viking and Basin for example), a good Sniper can decimate entire enemy teams and shut down objective runs with ease.

Unlock and acquisition requirements
In Halo 5: Guardians' campaign and Arena multiplayer modes, the Sniper Rifle can be found on the level or map as usual, and does not need to be unlocked.

However, in Warzone, the weapon can only be acquired via the REQ system. To unlock the Sniper Rifle, the player must acquire a Sniper Rifle certification, an Uncommon REQ card that can be found randomly in any REQ pack that can contain Uncommon cards. Upon receiving the certification, the player will also be given a number of Sniper Rifle REQ cards, and will begin to randomly receive more when opening future packs. Each of these cards can be redeemed in a Warzone match to spawn a Sniper Rifle, at the cost of. Doing so will consume the card. Alternatively, the cards can be sold for each.

End of the Line


"All good things must come to and end. Improved Sniper Rifle with reduced recoil, but emphasis on faster rate-of-fire has slightly reduced damage."

- REQ description

End of the Line is a Rare REQ variant of the Sniper Rifle, featured in Halo 5: Guardians. It boasts a faster rate of fire and significantly reduced recoil, but deals slightly less damage per shot - though it is still capable of killing an enemy player in two body shots or one headshot. Should the player have an End of the Line REQ card, the weapon can be acquired in Warzone via the REQ system for a cost of, or alternatively the card can be sold for.

Arrow of Time


"There's no going back. Advanced Sniper Rifle with extended magazine and heavy-duty cyberlink that prevents descope. Unfortunately, the weapon does have extra recoil to compensate for."

- REQ description

Arrow of Time is an Ultra-Rare REQ variant of the Sniper Rifle in Halo 5: Guardians. It features a larger magazine than the standard Sniper, with 6 shots instead of 4, and the player will not be descoped when shot whilst zoomed in with the weapon. However, it also has increased recoil compared to the normal Sniper Rifle. Its REQ card costs to use in-game, or can be sold for.

Nornfang


"A master-crafter instrument of death and destruction. Mythic Sniper Rifle firing high explosive armor piercing (APHE) rounds that increases overall damage. In addition, Linda's modifications ensure the Motion Tracker is visible even when using Zoom."

- REQ description

Nornfang is a Mythic, Legendary REQ variant of the Sniper Rifle in Halo 5: Guardians, and is the personal sniper rifle of the SPARTAN-II Linda-058. The weapon fires rounds that explode on impact, dealing damage to any nearby enemies, and instantly killing them if hit directly. Additionally, when scoped in, the motion sensor will not be hidden while using Nornfang. To balance this out, the player gains the Damage Boost visual effect when they equip the weapon, making them very easy to spot. Nornfang can be requisitioned in Warzone for, provided the player has a spare Nornfang REQ card, or alternatively the card can be sold for.

Nornfang also appears in Halo 5: Guardians' campaign. It can be found abandoned in the troop bay of the ONI Acrisius on the level Unconfirmed, and on the Blue Team missions in co-op, the player playing as Linda-058 will spawn with the weapon at the start of the level (but not upon respawning). However, in campaign, the weapon is significantly less powerful, retaining none of its bonus abilities from the multiplayer.

Unlock and acquisition requirements
In Halo Infinite's multiplayer modes, the Sniper Rifle can be found spawning on the map, as usual. In campaign, it can also spawn in certain locations on the open-world map and in missions, but to unlock it for on-demand spawning at FOBs, the player must earn 1,500 total Valor. After this, it can be summoned at any point from the weapon crates at any FOB, at no cost.

S7 Flexfire Sniper
The S7 Flexfire Sniper is a variant of the S7 Sniper, seen in Halo Infinite. Its magazine capacity is increased to 10, and it can hold 4 magazines (40 rounds) in reserve. The Flexfire can fire much more rapidly, at the cost of reduced damage and much greater bullet spread. It also only has one zoom magnification level, unlike the standard S7 Sniper. The variant is decorated in a yellow and white colour scheme, to distinguish it from the standard model.

Unlock and acquisition requirements
In Halo: Spartan Assault, the Sniper Rifle can only be acquired via the loadout screen. It does not need to be unlocked, but costs undefined or  to equip. Once equipped, you will spawn with the Sniper Rifle at the start of the level and every time you die, so long as you do not quit back to the menu. It is single use - that is, it will not carry over to the next level, nor will it be available next time you play the level on which you purchased it.

Cost: undefined /

Campaign
In Spartan Strike, the Sniper Rifle also spawns in the campaign itself, exclusively on the final mission: E-6: Hold the Line. In total, four Sniper Rifles spawn on this mission, along with four Spartan Lasers and four Rocket Launchers, the two other previously loadout-exclusive weapons.

Unlock and acquisition requirements
Halo: Spartan Strike is similar to Spartan Assault; the Sniper Rifle is unlocked by default, but costs to equip for a single play session. The Sniper Rifle will not carry over to subsequent missions, and you will no longer spawn with it on that mission after quitting to the menu or beating the level.

Cost:

Skins and cosmetics
The Sniper Rifle has seen many equipable weapon skins and coatings across the various games it's been featured in.

Halo: Combat Evolved (MCC)
Halo: Combat Evolved for Halo: The Master Chief Collection features weapon skins for all its weapons, including the Sniper Rifle. These were added into the game with an update on July 14, 2020, alongside the beginning of Season 2: Spark and the launch of Halo 3 for PC.

Medals
The following medals are exclusive to the Sniper Rifle and its alien counterparts. The Sniper Rifle does also inherit some other precision weapon and power weapon medals such as Headcase and Power Player, but these are not listed here.

Achievements
The following achievements involve the use of the Sniper Rifle:

Production notes
"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."

- Animator William O'Brien, regarding the Robert McLees and his weapon designs for Halo 2.

The earlier games' depictions of the Sniper Rifle, notably those from Halo: Combat Evolved, Halo 2, Halo 3 and Halo 3: ODST, bear significant resemblance to and were likely inspired by the real-world Denel NTW-20, an anti-material rifle developed in the 1990s by Denel Mechem.

Robert McLees was known within Bungie for being the expert to consult when doing work related to the games' weapons during Halo 2's development. At one point, animator William O'Brien sought to create an idle animation for the Sniper Rifle, in which the player character would adjust the scope if the player zooms in and then remains idle for a while. McLees shot down this idea, claiming that in reality, no sniper would ever adjust their scope on the field.

Trivia

 * In the original Xbox 360 version of Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary the Sniper Rifle's reticle is far larger than it is in the original Halo: Combat Evolved on Xbox and PC. In the Halo: The Master Chief Collection version of Halo: CEA, the reticle returns to its original size.
 * In the Halo: Reach Multiplayer Beta, the scope shows the identity of the weapon's user as "ID-NOBLE6", regardless of who wields it. This is not present in the final build.

List of appearances

 * Halo: Combat Evolved
 * Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary
 * Halo 2
 * Halo 2: Anniversary
 * Halo 3
 * Halo Wars
 * Halo 3: ODST
 * Halo: Reach
 * Halo 4
 * Halo: Spartan Assault
 * Halo: Spartan Strike
 * Halo 5: Guardians
 * Halo Online
 * Halo Wars 2
 * Halo Infinite