Z-180 Scattershot

Template:Weapon Infobox The Z-180 Close Combat Rifle/Asymmetric Engagement Mitigator, commonly known as the Scattershot, is a Forerunner energy channel weapon that was originally used by Builder Security forces.^[1]^[2] It is commonly carried by Promethean Knight Battlewagons.

Overview

The Scattershot gained popular use by Builder Security who used it to engage the Flood during large scale evacuations of Forerunner planets.^[3] Effectively an exotic analogue to a human shotgun, the scattershot was first used as a close-range defensive weapon toward the end of the Forerunner-Flood war. The scattershot is extremely dangerous in relatively close quarters, and fires multiple individual projectiles, though its most remarkable attribute is that its rounds can bounce off surfaces.^[1] As a weapon created to combat the Flood and prevent them from reusing corpses, it will disintegrate its targets if enough of the projectiles hit them at the same time.^[4]

Design details

The weapon bears the hallmarks of Forerunner design: highly angular and metallic. It appears to be held together at least partly by energy fields, as indicated by its self-assembly process and floating sights. Orange highlights can be seen while the weapon is self-assembling and throughout the casing once assembly is complete; these highlights grow brighter when the weapon is fired. The weapon receives five energy cells from a breach-loaded compartment.^[5]

Gameplay

In multiplayer, the Scattershot fills a role as a close-quarters power weapon, similar to the UNSC's M45D shotgun. The Scattershot differentiates with a faster rate of fire but a lower lethal range (though its effective range exceeds the shotgun's), and smaller magazine size and lower total ammunition carried.

In Infinity Slayer the Scattershot is a relatively common Ordnance drop weapon. It also and spawns at the start of match on several maps, such as Adrift, Abandon and Haven. The weapon is best used in engagements where at extremely close range, such as the enclosed hallways of Adrift or out of the lifts on Abandon.

In object-based matches, the Scattershot is an excellent defensive weapon for just about any gametype. Anyone charging your hill or attempting to take your flag should be met with the brutal rebuke of your hard-light projectiles. On the offensive, having one is a great way to clear said hill or flag zone of defenders, and taking down the Oddball carrier.

In Dominion matches the Scattershot is a relatively rare ordinance drop (and does not appear at all in Lockdown), it is still very useful, and, unsurprisingly, an excellent weapon for defending bases.