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Archer missile: Difference between revisions

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===M58 Archer===
===M58 Archer===
M58 Archers are mounted
The M58 Archer launch system is the preferred model of Archer missile for the UNSC Navy, with most models of [[UNSC frigate|frigates]] and at least two classes of [[Cruiser|cruisers]] mounting these as their supplemental anti-ship weapon system. The number of individual devices per pods varied: the {{UNSCShip|Pillar of Autumn}} was armed with twenty-four M58 Archers per pod as part of its refit for [[Operation: RED FLAG]],<ref>[http://halo.xbox.com/Content/assets/en-us/ONI/577839090903298928/DDR-A340024-1115-08-27-52.pdf '''Halo Waypoint''' - ''Data Drop 5'']</ref> The post-war {{Class|Autumn|heavy cruiser}}, while the {{UNSCShip|Commonwealth}} had thirty missiles in each pod instead.<refname="TFoR"/>
{{Class|Stalwart|light frigate}}s are armed with sixteen pods of M58 Archer missiles.<ref>[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/universe/vehicles/unsc-in-amber-clad '''Halo Waypoint''': ''UNSC In Amber Clad'']</ref> The {{UNSCShip|Pillar of Autumn}} was armed with thirty-two pods of twenty-six M58 Archers, giving the ship a total of 768 missiles after being refit for [[Operation: RED FLAG]].<ref>[http://halo.xbox.com/Content/assets/en-us/ONI/577839090903298928/DDR-A340024-1115-08-27-52.pdf '''Halo Waypoint''' - ''Data Drop 5'']</ref> The post-war {{Class|Autumn|heavy cruiser}}, partially based on the design architecture of the ''Pillar of Autumn'', is likewise armed with an M58 Archer delivery system.<ref name="VIS">'''[[Halo 4: The Essential Visual Guide]]''', ''page 191''</ref>


==Service history==
==Service history==

Revision as of 01:07, October 28, 2018

Template:Weapon

The Archer missile is a ship-to-ship missile used by the UNSC Navy.

Overview

Warships usually carry large numbers of Archer missiles to complement their Magnetic Accelerator Cannons. Archer pods usually carry around two dozen missiles each; frigates and destroyers carry thirty pods, though larger ships carry more pods, sometimes hundreds. While individual Archers are vulnerable to point-defense weapons and have limited destructive potential, their sheer numbers make up for their lack of individual effectiveness. Covenant shield technology can withstand large numbers of Archers, though unprotected ships can be destroyed by Archer missile strikes to the hull and superstructure.

Models

M42 Archer

The UNSC Infinity is armed with 350 pods of twenty-four M42 Archers for a total of 8,400 Archers. These are supplemented by 250 pods of thirty M75 Rapier missiles for a total 7,500 missiles and 500 pods of twenty M96 Howlers for a total of 10,000 Howlers.[1]

M58 Archer

The M58 Archer launch system is the preferred model of Archer missile for the UNSC Navy, with most models of frigates and at least two classes of cruisers mounting these as their supplemental anti-ship weapon system. The number of individual devices per pods varied: the UNSC Pillar of Autumn was armed with twenty-four M58 Archers per pod as part of its refit for Operation: RED FLAG,[2] The post-war Autumn-class heavy cruiser, while the UNSC Commonwealth had thirty missiles in each pod instead.<refname="TFoR"/>

Service history

Prior to the Human-Covenant War, the UNSC found the missiles to be effective against Insurrectionist combatant ships.[3] Against the Covenant, however, they realized that the defensive measures employed by the enemy ships such as energy shields and point defense lasers suddenly rendered Archer missiles near-obsolete - lasers were able to pick off up to half of the missiles launched, and those that hit were rarely enough to penetrate the shields.[4][5] At least one Covenant ship class, the DAV-class light corvette, possesses jamming measures that interfere with the guidance systems. Tactics were developed to counter this, using the more devastating but slower-firing Magnetic Accelerator Cannons to break through the shields, rendering the hulls vulnerable, but on the whole Archers proved to be ineffective weapons against the Covenant. Smaller ships, such as boarding craft or fighters, are much easier targets,[4] and Archers may be used in support of ground forces, launched from orbit to strike a ground-based target.[6]

Gallery

List of appearances

Sources

  1. ^ Halo Waypoint: The Halo Bulletin: 10.10.12
  2. ^ Halo Waypoint - Data Drop 5
  3. ^ Halo: Contact Harvest
  4. ^ a b Halo: The Fall of Reach
  5. ^ Halo Wars: Genesis
  6. ^ Halo Wars 2, level ???