MA5B assault rifle: Difference between revisions
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The MA5B is a gas-operated automatic rifle chambered in the widespread [[M118 7.62x51mm Full Metal Jacket Armor-Piercing|7.62x51mm cartridge]], most often used with standard M118 FMJ-AP ammunition,<ref name="HCE"/> though also employed with shredder<ref name="TFoRPrologue"/> and hollow-point.<ref name="SilentStorm24"/> MA5Bs typically feed from 60-round detachable box magazines,<ref name="HCE"/> which are marked with red paint when loaded with hollow-point rounds.<ref name="SilentStorm24"/> The weapon's automatic rate of fire is 15 rounds per second,<ref name="TFoRPrologue"/> but it can be limited to semi-automatic<ref name="SilentStorm27"/> or 3-round burst via a fire selector to conserve ammunition and alter firing pattern.<ref name="SilentStorm24"/> | The MA5B is a gas-operated automatic rifle chambered in the widespread [[M118 7.62x51mm Full Metal Jacket Armor-Piercing|7.62x51mm cartridge]], most often used with standard M118 FMJ-AP ammunition,<ref name="HCE"/> though also employed with shredder<ref name="TFoRPrologue"/> and hollow-point.<ref name="SilentStorm24"/> MA5Bs typically feed from 60-round detachable box magazines,<ref name="HCE"/> which are marked with red paint when loaded with hollow-point rounds.<ref name="SilentStorm24"/> The weapon's automatic rate of fire is 15 rounds per second,<ref name="TFoRPrologue"/> but it can be limited to semi-automatic<ref name="SilentStorm27"/> or 3-round burst via a fire selector to conserve ammunition and alter firing pattern.<ref name="SilentStorm24"/> | ||
One significant aspect of the MA5B's design is its capacity for modification. | One significant aspect of the MA5B's design is its capacity for modification. Its barrel is specially-adapted for use with suppressors to combat the conspicuous report of the weapon's firing, making it especially suitable for stealth fighting;<ref name="SoR2">''[[Halo: Shadows of Reach]], Chapter 2''</ref> [[SPARTAN-IIs]] made use of this attribute during the [[Battle of Sigma Octanus IV]].<ref name="TFoR20">''[[Halo: The Fall of Reach]]'', Chapter 20</ref> Early in the [[Covenant War]], SPARTAN-IIs also frequently employed MA5Bs with underslung [[M301 40mm Grenade Launcher|M301 40mm launchers]] to fire HE grenades, notably during [[Operation: SILENT STORM]]<ref name="SilentStorm8">''[[Halo: Silent Storm]]'', Chapter 8</ref> and the [[Skirmish over Netherop|salvage operation on Netherop]].<ref name="Oblivion13">''[[Halo: Oblivion]]'', Chapter 13</ref> | ||
[[File:Assault-rifle.png|thumb|right|A schematic view of the MA5B.]] | [[File:Assault-rifle.png|thumb|right|A schematic view of the MA5B.]] | ||
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===Performance=== | ===Performance=== | ||
[[File:HW Sergeant Forge with MA5B.png|thumb|right|[[John Forge|Sergeant John Forge]], armed with an MA5B during the [[Battle of the Etran Harborage]].]] | [[File:HW Sergeant Forge with MA5B.png|thumb|right|[[John Forge|Sergeant John Forge]], armed with an MA5B during the [[Battle of the Etran Harborage]].]] | ||
The capabilities of the MA5B are seemingly deemed to be sufficient by soldiers of the [[UNSC]], with [[John-117]] regarding the weapon as "powerful."<ref name="TheFlood1">''[[Halo: The Flood]]'', Chapter 1</ref> While the rifle is very capable of harming foes wearing physical body armor, and even light vehicles,<ref name="TheFlood2">''[[Halo: The Flood]]'', Chapter 2</ref> [[Energy shielding|personal energy shielding]] represents a significant detriment to its stopping power, as a great deal of concentrated fire from multiple MA5Bs - or an extended period of continuous automatic fire from a single rifle - is needed to overwhelm such systems.<ref name="TheFlood1"/> When shredder ammunition is utilized, the weapon appears to be highly effective against infantry targets such as [[Covenant]] [[Grunt|grunt soldiers]],<ref name="TFoRPrologue"/> and also capable of obliterating construction materials such as marble tile and wood.<ref name="ReferenceA">''[[Halo: The Fall of Reach]]'', Chapter 22</ref> When firing hollow-point ammunition, the weapon is highly effective against unprotected personnel, but is less likely to penetrate hard surfaces, a favorable trait when fighting on a [[starship]] and intending not to cause undue damage to items such as equipment cabinets, hulls, or viewports.<ref name="SilentStorm24"/> The MA5B's range has been indicated to be approximately 500m in the hands of a competent shooter.<ref name=" | The capabilities of the MA5B are seemingly deemed to be sufficient by soldiers of the [[UNSC]], with [[John-117]] regarding the weapon as "powerful."<ref name="TheFlood1">''[[Halo: The Flood]]'', Chapter 1</ref> While the rifle is very capable of harming foes wearing physical body armor, and even light vehicles,<ref name="TheFlood2">''[[Halo: The Flood]]'', Chapter 2</ref> [[Energy shielding|personal energy shielding]] represents a significant detriment to its stopping power, as a great deal of concentrated fire from multiple MA5Bs - or an extended period of continuous automatic fire from a single rifle - is needed to overwhelm such systems.<ref name="TheFlood1"/> When shredder ammunition is utilized, the weapon appears to be highly effective against infantry targets such as [[Covenant]] [[Grunt|grunt soldiers]],<ref name="TFoRPrologue"/> and also capable of obliterating construction materials such as marble tile and wood.<ref name="ReferenceA">''[[Halo: The Fall of Reach]]'', Chapter 22</ref> When firing hollow-point ammunition, the weapon is highly effective against unprotected personnel, but is less likely to penetrate hard surfaces, a favorable trait when fighting on a [[starship]] and intending not to cause undue damage to items such as equipment cabinets, hulls, or viewports.<ref name="SilentStorm24"/> | ||
The MA5B's range has been indicated to be approximately 500m in the hands of a competent shooter,<ref name="Oblivion19"/> considered "decent" by [[John-117]],<ref name="SoR2"/> but its strength was later noted by him to lie primarily in the realm of close-quarters combat.<ref name="SoR14">''[[Halo: Shadows of Reach]], Chapter 14''</ref> The weapon is compact enough to serve as a pilot's emergency weapon, being short enough to fit in a cockpit scabbard.<ref name="SoR2"/> | |||
One positive attribute of the weapon is the high capacity of the 60-round magazines with which it is typically used, an attribute that was comforting to [[UNSC Marine Corps|UNSC marines]] wielding it in battle.<ref name="ENC318">[[Halo Encyclopedia: The Definitive Guide to the Halo Universe|Halo Encyclopedia: The Definitive Guide to the Halo Universe (2011 edition)]], Page 318</ref> So well-liked was this attribute that even in light of reliability issues brought on by spring wear, the switch toward 32-round magazines with the later [[MA5C assault rifle]] was met with frustration by the marines of [[E2-BAG/1/7]].<ref>''[http://halo.bungie.net/News/content.aspx?type=topnews&link=BAGAssaultRifle Bungie.net: MA5C Assault Rifle]''</ref> | One positive attribute of the weapon is the high capacity of the 60-round magazines with which it is typically used, an attribute that was comforting to [[UNSC Marine Corps|UNSC marines]] wielding it in battle.<ref name="ENC318">[[Halo Encyclopedia: The Definitive Guide to the Halo Universe|Halo Encyclopedia: The Definitive Guide to the Halo Universe (2011 edition)]], Page 318</ref> So well-liked was this attribute that even in light of reliability issues brought on by spring wear, the switch toward 32-round magazines with the later [[MA5C assault rifle]] was met with frustration by the marines of [[E2-BAG/1/7]].<ref>''[http://halo.bungie.net/News/content.aspx?type=topnews&link=BAGAssaultRifle Bungie.net: MA5C Assault Rifle]''</ref> | ||
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===History=== | ===History=== | ||
[[File:Johnson-BQ.jpg|thumb|right|[[Sergeant Avery Johnson]] fires an MA5B during his escape from the compromised [[Flood Containment Facility]] on [[Alpha Halo]].]] | [[File:Johnson-BQ.jpg|thumb|right|[[Sergeant Avery Johnson]] fires an MA5B during his escape from the compromised [[Flood Containment Facility]] on [[Alpha Halo]].]] | ||
The MA5B was in service to some extent during the [[Insurrection]], being considered a standard weapon in September of [[2525]],<ref>''[[Halo: The Fall of Reach]]'', Chapter 9</ref> and played a significant role in the [[Covenant War]] that followed. MA5Bs were employed by various [[SPARTAN-IIs]] during [[Operation: SILENT STORM]] and the ensuing [[Skirmish over Netherop|Netherop engagement]] in [[2526]].<ref name="SilentStorm8"/><ref name="Oblivion13"/> In [[2531]], the [[UNSC Marine Corps|marine]] compliment of the ''[[UNSC Spirit of Fire]]'' made use of the MA5B on [[Harvest campaign|Harvest]], [[Battle of Arcadia|Arcadia]] and [[Battle of the Etran Harborage|Etran Harborage]],<ref>''[[Halo Wars]]'', Gameplay</ref> while members of [[Blue Team]] deployed with it on their mission to the [[Construction Platform 966A|decommissioned Platform 966A]] the same year,<ref>''[[Halo: Ghosts of Onyx]]'', Chapter 3</ref> and again during the [[Battle of Jericho VII]] in [[2535]].<ref name="TFoRPrologue"/> The MA5B saw particularly heavy use in [[2552]]. On [[The Battle of Reach|Reach]], it was wielded by [[Orbital Drop Shock Troopers]] sent to engage [[John-117]] during the live-fire test of [[MJOLNIR Mark V]] and [[Cortana]],<ref>''[[Halo: The Fall of Reach]]'', Chapter 27</ref> and by the Spartans of [[Red Team#Fall of Reach splinter arrangement|Red Team]] during the defense of [[Orbital Defense Generator]]s.<ref name="ReferenceB">''[[Halo: First Strike]]'', Chapter 2</ref> John-117 and the marine compliment of the ''[[UNSC Pillar of Autumn]]'' utilized the MA5B throughout the [[Battle of Alpha Halo|Battle of Halo Alpha]],<ref name="HCE"/> and in the ensuing [[skirmish over Threshold]].<ref name="ReferenceB"/> [[Spartan]] personnel during the [[Onyx conflict]] also made use of the MA5B.<ref>''[[Halo: Ghosts of Onyx]]'', Chapter 18</ref> | The MA5B was in service to some extent during the [[Insurrection]], being considered a standard weapon in September of [[2525]],<ref>''[[Halo: The Fall of Reach]]'', Chapter 9</ref> and played a significant role in the [[Covenant War]] that followed. MA5Bs were employed by various [[SPARTAN-IIs]] during [[Operation: SILENT STORM]] and the ensuing [[Skirmish over Netherop|Netherop engagement]] in [[2526]].<ref name="SilentStorm8"/><ref name="Oblivion13"/> In [[2531]], the [[UNSC Marine Corps|marine]] compliment of the ''[[UNSC Spirit of Fire]]'' made use of the MA5B on [[Harvest campaign|Harvest]], [[Battle of Arcadia|Arcadia]] and [[Battle of the Etran Harborage|Etran Harborage]],<ref>''[[Halo Wars]]'', Gameplay</ref> while members of [[Blue Team]] deployed with it on their mission to the [[Construction Platform 966A|decommissioned Platform 966A]] the same year,<ref>''[[Halo: Ghosts of Onyx]]'', Chapter 3</ref> and again during the [[Battle of Jericho VII]] in [[2535]].<ref name="TFoRPrologue"/> The MA5B saw particularly heavy use in [[2552]]. On [[The Battle of Reach|Reach]], it was wielded by [[Orbital Drop Shock Troopers]] sent to engage [[John-117]] during the live-fire test of [[MJOLNIR Mark V]] and [[Cortana]],<ref>''[[Halo: The Fall of Reach]]'', Chapter 27</ref> and by the Spartans of [[Red Team#Fall of Reach splinter arrangement|Red Team]] during the defense of [[Orbital Defense Generator]]s.<ref name="ReferenceB">''[[Halo: First Strike]]'', Chapter 2</ref> John-117 and the marine compliment of the ''[[UNSC Pillar of Autumn]]'' utilized the MA5B throughout the [[Battle of Alpha Halo|Battle of Halo Alpha]],<ref name="HCE"/> and in the ensuing [[skirmish over Threshold]].<ref name="ReferenceB"/> [[Spartan]] personnel during the [[Onyx conflict]] also made use of the MA5B.<ref>''[[Halo: Ghosts of Onyx]]'', Chapter 18</ref> The MA5B remained in service as of 2559, notably being used by First Lieutenant Maks Chapov as his pilot's emergency weapon in the cockpit of an [[Owl]] dropship.<ref name="SoR2"/> | ||
==Gameplay== | ==Gameplay== | ||
