BR85HB battle rifle: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 19:38, June 10, 2013

Template:Weapon Infobox The BR85 Heavy Barrel Service Rifle, abbreviated as BR85HB SR, is a select-fire battle rifle used by the UNSC Defense Force. Like its predecessors, the BR55 and BR55HB service rifles, the BR85 is manufactured by Misriah Armory. It had entered service by 2557.^[1]^[2]

Specifications

The BR85HB Service Rifle is a gas-operated, magazine-fed battle rifle. A select-fire weapon, the BR85HB is optimized for firing three-round bursts, though it is capable of semi-automatic and fully automatic fire.^[3]^{[note 1]} The BR85HB is effective against the energy shielding of many types of armor. Like its predecessors, the BR85HB features a two-power scope and receives a 36-round box magazine. In the hands of a skilled marksman, the weapon's precision and accuracy make it a versatile weapon at a variety of ranges.^[1]^[2] The BR85 features a telescopic sight with 2x magnification.

Gameplay

HUD icon of the BR85HB SR.

The weapon features hitscan and lacks reticule bloom. When fired, the barrel rises vertically, but in a suppressible way. The rifle's three-round burst is particularly effective for mid-range combat, as well as close- and long-range to a lesser extent, as the MA5D ICWS and M395 DMR outperform it at these ranges respectively. The player can carry a maximum of 216 rounds of reserve ammunition for the BR85, from a normal load of 108 rounds. If all the bullets in a three-round burst (one shot) hit a player in matchmaking, it will take four shots to down a player provided the last shot hits the player as a headshot. Only one round from a burst to the head is required to kill an unshielded enemy. The BR85 seems to be weaker than the BR55/BR55HB in Halo 2 and Halo 3. This is possibly a balance choice due to the inclusion of four precision weapons in Halo 4 as opposed to the usual two (excluding sniper rifles).

Advantages

While the effective range and accuracy is comparably less to the scoped-in DMR or Lightrifle, it still has an acceptable kill time and surprisingly high rate of burst-fire, with an ease-of-use at close-quarter ranges that the former lacks due to the muzzle not rising and better situational awareness, respectively.

The battle rifle can kill a standard-shielded enemy in four bursts, via three bursts breaching the shields and the fourth with a headshot.
Headshots with the battle rifle in general are easier to obtain, as there are three-to-four chances to get one per shot.
Two bursts to the body from a battle rifle followed by a melee will kill an opponent (2-shot melee).

As such it is recommended to be used in Swat, or if one really wants to get fast kills, unless the map is particularly large.

Disadvantages

As previously stated, the Battle Rifle neither has the accuracy, damage, or range as the other more specialized primary service weapons. The recoil is detrimental, but can be controlled into a predictable vertical flow with practice to gain headshots. The tactical-reload time is also rather slow (especially without Dexterity), and if the magazine is empty, then the full-reload time takes even longer. Due to its 3-round burst fire with a 36-round magazine capacity, the battle rifle only has enough ammo for 9 or 12 burst-shots.

Trivia

The earliest known in-game model of the BR85 was erroneously labeled "BR55HB SR".^[4] This is fixed in the final build of the game.^[5]
Players who preordered Halo 4 from certain locations received a special Arctic weapon skin for the BR85.^[6]

Gallery

Concept art of the BR85HB SR.
A BR85HB with the "Dunes" skin.
A camouflaged BR85HB SR for operations in snowy environments.
Allbattlerfiles.png

The BR85 compared to its predecessors, the BR55HB and the BR55.
An older render of the BR85HB SR with the placeholder label.
John-117 holding a BR85.
A SPARTAN-IV firing the BR85.
A render of the BR85HB SR's scope.
A first-person view of the BR85 from John-117's HUD.
First-person view of the BR85HB SR in Halo 4's multiplayer.

Videos

List of appearances

Halo 4 (First appearance)
Halo: Spartan Assault

Note

^ All official sources on Halo 4, (e.g. in-game menus, the official website, and the UNSC Infinity briefing packet), claim that the BR85HB is a semi-automatic weapon optimized for "three-round burst" firing. This statement is self-contradictory and seems to be a convoluted way of describing the weapon as select-fire.

Sources

[4] All official sources on Halo 4, (e.g. in-game menus, the official website, and the UNSC Infinity briefing packet), claim that the BR85HB is a semi-automatic weapon optimized for "three-round burst" firing. This statement is self-contradictory and seems to be a convoluted way of describing the weapon as select-fire.

[Ides_of_March-1] Halo Waypoint: The Halo Bulletin: 3.15.12

[O.2BA-2] Halo 4 Official Site - Ordnance + Armor

[3] Spartan Ops, Artifact introductory cutscene

[5] Image of the BR55 label on the BR85 as seen in a development screenshot

[6] Halo 4 Official Site: Renders

[7] Halo 4 at EBgames.ca

[1]

[2]

[3]

[note 1]

[4]

[5]

[6]

@@ Line 15: / Line 15: @@
 |feed=36-round box magazine<ref name="brief"/>
 |operation=Gas-operated, rotating bolt
-|rate=Burst-fire (4-round)
+|rate=Select-fire
 |velocity=Medium
-|range=Medium to Long
+|range=Medium to long
 }}
 The '''BR85 Heavy Barrel Service Rifle''', abbreviated as '''BR85HB SR''', is a select-fire battle rifle used by the [[UNSC Defense Force]]. Like its predecessors, the [[BR55 Service Rifle|BR55]] and [[BR55 Heavy Barrel Service Rifle|BR55HB service rifles]], the BR85 is manufactured by [[Misriah Armory]]. It had entered service by [[2557]].<ref name="Ides of March">[http://halo.xbox.com/blogs/Headlines/post/2012/03/15/The-Halo-Bulletin-31412.aspx '''Halo Waypoint''': ''The Halo Bulletin: 3.15.12]</ref><ref name="O+A">[http://halo.xbox.com/halo4/en-US#!an-epic-universe/ordnance-armor/cbbca9b3-5108-41aa-aa21-9b523de68266 '''Halo 4 Official Site''' - ''Ordnance + Armor'']</ref>
@@ Line 26: / Line 26: @@
 == Gameplay ==
 [[File:H4-BR85-HUD.png|HUD icon of the BR85HB SR.|thumb|200px|left]]
-The weapon features hitscan and lacks reticule bloom. When fired, the barrel rises vertically, but in a suppressible way. The rifle's three-round burst is particularly effective for mid-range combat, as well as close- and long-range to a lesser extent, as the [[MA5D Individual Combat Weapon System|MA5D ICWS]] and [[M395 Designated Marksman Rifle|M395 DMR]] outperform it at these ranges respectively. The player can carry a maximum of 216 rounds of reserve ammunition for the BR85, from a normal load of 108 rounds. If all the bullets in a 4-round burst (one shot) hit a player in matchmaking, it will take four shots to down a player provided the last shot hits the player as a headshot. Only one round from a burst to the head is required to kill an unshielded enemy. The BR85 seems to be weaker than the BR55/BR55HB in ''Halo 2'' and ''Halo 3''. This is possibly a balance choice due to the inclusion of four precision weapons in ''Halo 4'' as opposed to the usual two (excluding sniper rifles).
+The weapon features hitscan and lacks reticule bloom. When fired, the barrel rises vertically, but in a suppressible way. The rifle's three-round burst is particularly effective for mid-range combat, as well as close- and long-range to a lesser extent, as the [[MA5D Individual Combat Weapon System|MA5D ICWS]] and [[M395 Designated Marksman Rifle|M395 DMR]] outperform it at these ranges respectively. The player can carry a maximum of 216 rounds of reserve ammunition for the BR85, from a normal load of 108 rounds. If all the bullets in a three-round burst (one shot) hit a player in matchmaking, it will take four shots to down a player provided the last shot hits the player as a headshot. Only one round from a burst to the head is required to kill an unshielded enemy. The BR85 seems to be weaker than the BR55/BR55HB in ''Halo 2'' and ''Halo 3''. This is possibly a balance choice due to the inclusion of four precision weapons in ''Halo 4'' as opposed to the usual two (excluding sniper rifles).
 ===Advantages===
 While the effective range and accuracy is comparably less to the scoped-in DMR or [[Lightrifle]], it still has an acceptable kill time and surprisingly high rate of burst-fire, with an ease-of-use at close-quarter ranges that the former lacks due to the muzzle not rising and better situational awareness, respectively.
-*The Battle Rifle can kill a standard-shielded enemy in four bursts, via three bursts breaching the shields and the fourth with a headshot.
+*The battle rifle can kill a standard-shielded enemy in four bursts, via three bursts breaching the shields and the fourth with a headshot.
-*Headshots with the Battle Rifle in general are easier to obtain, as there are three-to-four chances to get one per shot.
+*Headshots with the battle rifle in general are easier to obtain, as there are three-to-four chances to get one per shot.
-*Two bursts to the body from a Battle Rifle followed by a melee will kill an opponent (2-shot melee).
+*Two bursts to the body from a battle rifle followed by a melee will kill an opponent (2-shot melee).
 As such it is recommended to be used in [[Team Swat|Swat]], or if one really wants to get fast kills, unless the map is particularly large.
 ===Disadvantages===
-As previously stated, the Battle Rifle neither has the accuracy, damage, or range as the other ''more specialized'' primary service weapons. The recoil is detrimental, but can be controlled into a predictable vertical flow with practice to gain headshots. The tactical-reload time is also rather slow (especially without Dexterity), and if the magazine is empty, then the full-reload time takes even longer. Due to it's 3-round/4-round burst fire with a 36 magazine capacity, the Battle Rifle only has enough ammo for 9 or 12 burst-shots.
+As previously stated, the Battle Rifle neither has the accuracy, damage, or range as the other ''more specialized'' primary service weapons. The recoil is detrimental, but can be controlled into a predictable vertical flow with practice to gain headshots. The tactical-reload time is also rather slow (especially without Dexterity), and if the magazine is empty, then the full-reload time takes even longer. Due to its 3-round burst fire with a 36-round magazine capacity, the battle rifle only has enough ammo for 9 or 12 burst-shots.
 == Trivia ==