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| {{Era|UNSC|HCW|Post}}
| | =Human-Covenant War= |
| [[File:HW MAC Strike.png|thumb|right|150px|A MAC round fired from space as part of [[orbital bombardment]].]]
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| The '''magnetic accelerator cannon'''{{Ref/Reuse|WFG}}, also referred to as a '''mass accelerator cannon'''{{Ref/Reuse|CH7}} or '''MAC''', is a type of starship-mounted weapon system employed by [[human]]ity, primarily the spacecraft of the [[United Nations Space Command]]. MACs are coilguns used in military applications, though similar technology can be used in civilian [[mass driver]]s for industrial use.
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| ==Overview== | | ==Chronology== |
| MACs are fitted as a standard armament on most [[UNSC Navy]] vessels, ranging from small {{Class|Gladius|corvette}}s to {{Class|Marathon|heavy cruiser}}s and even [[UNSC carrier|carriers]] or refit civilian ships such as the {{Class|Phoenix|colony ship}}. With a handful of exceptions, MACs are typically spinally-mounted, meaning that the entire ship is built around the gun, with the cannon running a significant portion of the length of the ship's stern. However, the technology is not exclusively used in spinally-mounted MAC guns, with [[naval autocannon]]s (themselves sometimes referred to as "MiniMACs"){{Ref/Book|Id=WFG|HWF|Section=Glossary|Page=90-92}} and even ground-based weapons such as the [[M68 Gauss cannon]] and [[M99 Stanchion]] operating on the same principle.{{Ref/Novel|Id=CH7|CH|Chapter=7}}
| | Discuss the general timeline and sequence of events |
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| ===Operation=== | | ==Background== |
| [[File:Coilgun animation.gif|thumb|right|250px|An animation of a coilgun's operating principle.]]
| | ===Insurrection=== |
| [[File:HW 14D4A1 MAC internals.png|thumb|right|250px|A cross-section of the MAC found on [[Cairo Station (station)|Cairo Station]].]]
| | Talk about UNSC military buildup in the outer colonies here, alongside insurrection and spartan 2 |
| MACs operate on the basis of a [[:Wikipedia:Coilgun|coilgun]]. When firing, a series of stacked asynchronous linear induction motors are sequentially activated, propelling a projectile with vast amounts of kinetic energy.{{Ref/Reuse|WFG}} The construction of the weapon takes the form of a series of coiled conducting wires (or solenoids). When a solenoid is activated, the projectile is attracted to the coil. As the projectile reaches the coil, a second coil is activated, attracting the projectile further down the barrel of the gun. This process is repeated as the projectile travels the length of the gun, with each successive solenoid accelerating the projectile to higher and higher velocities. As such, the longer a MAC's length is, the faster the muzzle velocity of the fired projectile.
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| This process differs from that of a [[railgun]] - a similar weapon system which feeds electrical current through a projectile to accelerate it along two conducting rails.
| | ===Covenant exploration=== |
| | Discuss the Covenant expansionsim leading them into the human sphere |
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| To fire a MAC, UNSC ships must draw power from the [[fusion reactor]] into a series of capacitors, storing the generated energy for firing. As such, charging the MAC draws power away from other sub-systems such as engines. As such, a MAC can be pre-charged and fired when ready, though at the cost of power to the aforementioned systems. Without the charge being maintained, the charge level does deteriorate. However, MACs can be fired at lower charge levels than 100%{{Ref/Novel|Id=FOR17|FOR|Chapter=17}} though likely to lesser maximum velocity. Likewise, firing the weapon at lower charge rates would also allow the weapon to fire more often, if needed.
| | ==First contact and declaration of war== |
| | Discuss the first battle of harvest here, alongside the Covenant declaration of war on humanity |
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| ===Ammunition=== | | ==Course of the war== |
| MACs are capable of firing a wide array of munitions, depending on bore and model. Some MAC rounds are extremely dense and constructed of ferric tungsten{{Ref/Book|Id=EVG114|EVG|Page=114}}, noted by Captain [[Wallace]] of the frigate {{UNSCShip|Commonwealth}} as a "heavy round".{{Ref/Novel|Id=FOR12|FOR|Chapter=12}} In the case of the MACs fitted onto the refit-colony ship {{UNSCShip|Spirit of Fire}}, the rounds fired from its MACs are "ultra-light" or consist of depleted uranium slugs.{{Ref/Book|Halo Wars Manual|Page=24}} Other munitions that can be fired from MACs include semi-autonomous drone missiles{{Ref/Book|Id=WF32|HWF|Section=Destroyers|Page=32-33}} and for the larger 27 metre guns of {{UNSCShip|Infinity}}, even include cargo pods and small spacecraft.{{Ref/Book|Id=WF42|HWF|Section=Infinity|Page=42-43}} A special kind of MAC round fired by the refit-{{UNSCShip|Pillar of Autumn}} was composed of a ferrous core and an outer layer of tungsten carbide, which allows the round to splinter on impact with an enemy vessel similarly to the [[shredder round]]s fired by an [[assault rifle]].{{Ref/Novel|Id=FOR29|FOR|Chapter=29}}
| | ===Retaking Harvest and the Harvest campaign (2526-2531)=== |
| | Discuss Cole's retaking of Harvest and the events of Halo Wars here |
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| Due to this variation, the masses, velocities and sizes of MAC projectiles can very, ranging from 10 metre-long, 160 ton models fired by frigates and cruisers{{Ref/Reuse|CH7}}, to 600 ton depleted uranium models fired by {{Class|Paris|heavy frigate}}s{{Ref/Novel|Id=FS29|FS|Chapter=29}} up to 3,000 ton projectiles accelerated to "point four-tenths" of the speed of light by the [[orbital defense platform]]s above [[Reach]].{{Ref/Novel|Id=FOR31|FOR|Chapter=31}} The MACs of {{UNSCShip|Infinity}} are additionally capable of firing various "sub-caliber" munitions for its massive twenty-seven metre bore, alongside some of the special types mentioned prior.{{Ref/|Id=HM132|HM|Section=Earth's Fleet|Page=132-133}}
| | ===Outer Colonies Massacres (2525-2536)=== |
| | Discuss the Outer Colonies theater here, including SILENT STORM, Mesra, Netherop, Circinius IV, Alpha Corvi II, Cole's campaigns in Halo Wars genesis, Etran Harbourage and any other action against the Covenant prior to 2536. |
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| ==Types of MAC== | | ===War on two fronts=== |
| ===Light MACs===
| | Discuss the ongoing insurrectionist threat including SILENT STORM, Ghosts of Onyx, Gao and other actions taken against insurrectionist forces during the war. |
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| | ===Inner Colony Sieges (2536-2551)=== |
| | Discuss the Inner Colonies theater during the latter half of the war. |
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| ===Heavy MACs=== | | ===Final year (2552)=== |
| | Discuss the grim outlook during 2552, the fall of numerous crucial inner colonies and the Fall of Reach |
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| | ===Great Schism and fall of the Covenant (October-December 2552)=== |
| | Discuss the events of the Halo Trilogy and the events leading to the war's end |
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| ===Superheavy MACs=== | | ==Aftermath== |
| | Discuss the aftermath of the Covenant war here, the ongoing war between the elites/brutes, insurrectionist resurgence and so forth |
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| ==Sources== | | ==Impact== |
| {{Ref/Sources}}
| | Discuss the technological and etc advancements brought around by the war |
Human-Covenant War
Chronology
Discuss the general timeline and sequence of events
Background
Insurrection
Talk about UNSC military buildup in the outer colonies here, alongside insurrection and spartan 2
Covenant exploration
Discuss the Covenant expansionsim leading them into the human sphere
First contact and declaration of war
Discuss the first battle of harvest here, alongside the Covenant declaration of war on humanity
Course of the war
Retaking Harvest and the Harvest campaign (2526-2531)
Discuss Cole's retaking of Harvest and the events of Halo Wars here
Outer Colonies Massacres (2525-2536)
Discuss the Outer Colonies theater here, including SILENT STORM, Mesra, Netherop, Circinius IV, Alpha Corvi II, Cole's campaigns in Halo Wars genesis, Etran Harbourage and any other action against the Covenant prior to 2536.
War on two fronts
Discuss the ongoing insurrectionist threat including SILENT STORM, Ghosts of Onyx, Gao and other actions taken against insurrectionist forces during the war.
Inner Colony Sieges (2536-2551)
Discuss the Inner Colonies theater during the latter half of the war.
Final year (2552)
Discuss the grim outlook during 2552, the fall of numerous crucial inner colonies and the Fall of Reach
Great Schism and fall of the Covenant (October-December 2552)
Discuss the events of the Halo Trilogy and the events leading to the war's end
Aftermath
Discuss the aftermath of the Covenant war here, the ongoing war between the elites/brutes, insurrectionist resurgence and so forth
Impact
Discuss the technological and etc advancements brought around by the war