Halo’s Assault Rifle is Magnificent

To err is human. To “get some” is divine.

Flawless Cowboy

If God is real, he’d probably wield an MA5B. This gas-operated, magazine-fed, 900 RPM slugthrower is the backbone of any fireteam in the United Nations Space Command.

Anyone dumb enough to get caught on the wrong end of this weapon is doomed to become more lead than man. Even shielded opponents can’t endure the weapon’s torrent of fire for very long. In close quarters, a sixty-round sustained spray can be devastating. Go the distance, however, and operators should temper their trigger finger– And their expectations.

Initially designed for Earth’s spacefaring Navy, the MA5B probably wasn’t meant to see the outside of a cruiser. In a vacuum, the rifle’s role as a corridor-shooter is obvious– But these are desperate times. Stranded on Halo, an expansive alien ringworld, the UNSC needs to adapt or die. So too, does their humble rifle.

Success in this new theater of war hinges on Marines’ ability to adapt and overcome. To understand the limitations of their weapon system, and engage on their own terms. At optimal range, victory is assured… It’s getting there that’s the problem.

If I had a Super Weapon…

In-game, Halo’s Assault Rifle is polarizing. It’s certainly intended to follow its namesake, but doesn’t stick the landing. The pistol does more damage, has tremendous range, and ammo for both is equally plentiful. If you can aim, the AR might already be on the road to irrelevance. Just to twist the knife, the player gets the pistol first.

But what we lack in quality, we make up in quantity. The assault rifle is Halo’s dustpan: Batting cleanup on any foes you get intimate with. A shower of seven six two can tear Grunts, Jackals, and Elites to shreds; Shields be damned.

At range, things get tricky. Your firing cone is huge, and most shots will go wide. But if you hit… Bam! Dead alien. Aim to turn that “if” to a “when.”

Best practices? Get close enough to brush his teeth, then open up. If things get sticky, break out the mop instead. Where Halo’s pistol seeks tact and a steady hand, the assault rifle demands heaps of grit and a bucket of guts.

Somebody at Bungie believed in the MA5B. It’s on the cover, for Christ’s sake! But in the shadow of Halo’s pistol, the assault rifle never really had a chance. It’s middling, but the right player can come to appreciate the AR’s “close enough, dead enough” approach.