M319 grenade launcher: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 09:23, April 24, 2011

Template:Ratings Template:Weapon Infobox The M319 Individual Grenade Launcher, more formally known as the Individual Grenade Launcher, Caliber 40mm, M319,^[1] is a single-shot, break-action explosives launcher produced by Misriah Armory and used by the United Nations Space Command, specifically the UNSC Army. Due to its simplicity, ruggedness, and firepower, it has been a mainstay weapon in the Army since its adoption in 2263 and has seen action in several armed conflicts during nearly three centuries of use, with the Human-Covenant War as the most prominent.^[1] It proved very effective during the Insurrection; although it is less effective against energy shielded Covenant foes, it can be used to deadly effect against unshielded targets. Because of the weapon's reliability and power, it will likely continue to be fielded by the Army.^[2]

Design details

A blueprint of the M319.

The M319 IGL fires high-explosive dual-purpose grenades.^[2] The grenade launcher has two firing modes. The first launches a single grenade: after hitting a surface, the grenade detonates on impact with an opponent or after about two seconds, in which case the grenade will explode after bouncing off the ground once. The second firing mode shoots a grenade that explodes when the user wishes. This is performed by holding down the trigger, which fires the grenade but merely primes it, leaving the detonation contents inert;^[2] the grenade will only explode after the trigger is released. This enables the user to lay a trap if the grenade is bounced properly into position, and essentially creates an explosive with a dead-man's trigger, (a trigger that will go off once it is released, e.g. when the user dies). This function is also helpful if the user wishes to fire at targets that are farther away than the detonation timer would normally allow.

Also, the grenade emits an electromagnetic pulse upon detonation, similar to that of the plasma pistol, that can temporarily disable vehicles and energy shields, but only when used in the manual detonation mode.^[3]

The weapon utilizes a break-action breech-loading system: after firing one round, the weapon must be reloaded, like many twentieth century shotguns.^[1]

Trivia

When fired normally, the grenade makes a quiet whistling while in flight. When the trigger is held, the round will make a noise similar to that of a much louder whistling, which can serve to alert attentive players to its presence.
The grenade launcher is commonly known as the "pro pipe", a reference to grenade launchers in other first-person shooters, primarily the Call of Duty series, which are collectively known as "noob tubes" due to their ease of use.
The M319 IGL, having been manufactured in 2263, is the oldest known weapon utilized by the UNSC.
In the Halo: Reach Multiplayer Beta, if a player fired the M319 and held the trigger until he/she died and someone else picked up the weapon, the player holding the M319 would take control of the dormant grenade.
The M319 bears a very close resemblance to the real-life Russian GM-94. However, their similarities are merely aesthetic, as the GM-94 is a magazine-fed pump-action grenade launcher that uses 43mm grenades. The M139 also bears a close resemblance to the American Springfield Armory M79 grenade launcher in both aesthetics and function. Both are break-action launchers that fire 40mm shells.
When reloaded, the M319's operator does not extract any empty shell casing. This could mean that it uses a caseless grenade round or the round utilizes rocket propulsion, which can be supported by the fact that there is a fire trail extending from the back of a grenade in flight.
In the alpha build, the M319 had a red light on its side. This was removed in the beta build.
The counter on the left of the weapon switches from briefly displaying "ARMED" to "LNKNG" just after launch, and then to either "IN AIR" or "LNKED" after the round is launched, depending on the firing mode, and finally to "BOOM!" upon detonation.

Gallery

A side view of the M319.
The M319 IGL in the alpha build of Halo: Reach.
The M319 IGL in the released build of Halo: Reach.
A SPARTAN-III firing an M319 IGL.
The 40mm HEDP grenade used by the firearm.
The M319 IGL's counter.
Reach concept-M319.jpg

Concept art of the M319 IGL.

List of appearances

Halo: Reach (First appearance)

Sources

Template:UNSC Infantry Weapons

[profile-1] Bungie.net: M319 IGL Ordnance Profile

[Waypoint-2] Halo Waypoint: Grenade Launcher

[3] Bungie Podcast: 03/29/10 (56:00 to 58:00)

[1]

[2]

[3]

@@ Line 26: / Line 26: @@
 | affiliation=[[United Nations Space Command|UNSC]] [[UNSC Army|Army]]
 }}
-The '''M319 Individual Grenade Launcher''', more formally known as the '''Individual Grenade Launcher, Caliber 40mm, M319,'''<ref name="profile">[http://www.bungie.net/projects/reach/article.aspx?ucc=ordnance&cid=25434 '''Bungie.net''': '''M319 IGL Ordnance Profile''']</ref> is a single-shot, break-action explosives launcher used by the [[United Nations Space Command]], specifically the [[UNSC Army]]. Due to its simplicity, ruggedness, and firepower, it has been a mainstay weapon in the UNSC Army since its adoption in 2263, and has seen action in several armed conflicts during nearly three centuries of use, with the [[Human-Covenant War]] as the most prominent.<ref name="profile"/> It saw use during the [[Fall of Reach]].<ref>'''[[Halo: Reach]]'''</ref>
+The '''M319 Individual Grenade Launcher''', more formally known as the '''Individual Grenade Launcher, Caliber 40mm, M319,'''<ref name="profile">[http://www.bungie.net/projects/reach/article.aspx?ucc=ordnance&cid=25434 '''Bungie.net''': '''M319 IGL Ordnance Profile''']</ref> is a single-shot, break-action explosives launcher produced by [[Misriah Armory]] and used by the [[United Nations Space Command]], specifically the [[UNSC Army]]. Due to its simplicity, ruggedness, and firepower, it has been a mainstay weapon in the Army since its adoption in 2263 and has seen action in several armed conflicts during nearly three centuries of use, with the [[Human-Covenant War]] as the most prominent.<ref name="profile"/> It proved very effective during the [[Insurrection]]; although it is less effective against [[Energy shielding|energy shielded]] Covenant foes, it can be used to deadly effect against unshielded targets. Because of the weapon's reliability and power, it will likely continue to be fielded by the Army.<ref name="Waypoint">[http://halo.xbox.com/en-us/intel/featured/gallery/grenade-launcher/da7b3469-943d-470c-8953-e2de668c8402 '''Halo Waypoint''': ''Grenade Launcher'']</ref>
 ==Design details==
 [[File:ReachSchematic - GL.png|150px|thumb|left|A blueprint of the M319.]]
-The grenade launcher has two firing modes. The first launches a single grenade at around normal grenade speed: after hitting a surface, the grenade detonates on impact with an opponent or after the time of a [[M9 High-Explosive Dual-Purpose Grenade|frag grenade's]] detonation, in which case the grenade will explode after bouncing off the ground once. The second firing mode shoots a grenade that explodes when the player wishes. This is performed by holding down the trigger, which fires the grenade but merely primes it; it will only explode after the trigger is released. This enables the player to lay a trap if the grenade is bounced properly into position, and essentially creates an explosive with a dead-man's trigger (a trigger that will go off once it is released, e.g. when the player dies). This function is also helpful if the player wishes to fire at targets that are farther away than the detonation timer would normally allow. Like the fragmentation grenade in ''Halo: Reach'', a player will take damage if hit by the grenade when it is merely primed.
+The M319 IGL fires high-explosive dual-purpose grenades.<ref name="Waypoint"/> The grenade launcher has two firing modes. The first launches a single grenade: after hitting a surface, the grenade detonates on impact with an opponent or after about two seconds, in which case the grenade will explode after bouncing off the ground once. The second firing mode shoots a grenade that explodes when the user wishes. This is performed by holding down the trigger, which fires the grenade but merely primes it, leaving the detonation contents inert;<ref name="Waypoint"/> the grenade will only explode after the trigger is released. This enables the user to lay a trap if the grenade is bounced properly into position, and essentially creates an explosive with a dead-man's trigger, (a trigger that will go off once it is released, e.g. when the user dies). This function is also helpful if the user wishes to fire at targets that are farther away than the detonation timer would normally allow.
-Also, the grenade emits a form of [[Electromagnetic Pulse|EMP]] upon detonation, similar to that of the plasma pistol, that can temporarily disable [[vehicle]]s and [[Energy Shields|energy shields]], but only when used in the manual detonation mode.<ref>[http://halo3.org/News/content.aspx?type=news&cid=25308 '''Bungie Podcast''': ''03/29/10 (56:00 to 58:00)'']</ref>
+Also, the grenade emits an [[electromagnetic pulse]] upon detonation, similar to that of the [[Type-25 Directed Energy Pistol|plasma pistol]], that can temporarily disable vehicles and energy shields, but only when used in the manual detonation mode.<ref>[http://halo3.org/News/content.aspx?type=news&cid=25308 '''Bungie Podcast''': ''03/29/10 (56:00 to 58:00)'']</ref>
 The weapon utilizes a [[wikipedia:Break-action|break-action]] [[wikipedia:Breech-loading|breech-loading]] system: after firing one round, the weapon must be reloaded, like many twentieth century shotguns.<ref name="profile"/>
 ==Trivia==
-*When fired normally (Without holding the trigger) the Grenade Round makes a quiet whistling in flight. When the trigger is held, however, the round will make a noise remarkable similar to a tea kettle whistling, possibly as a gameplay strategy to alert attentive players to its presence.
+*When fired normally, the grenade makes a quiet whistling while in flight. When the trigger is held, the round will make a noise similar to that of a much louder whistling, which can serve to alert attentive players to its presence.
-*The Grenade Launcher has multiple nicknames among the fan community and Bungie alike, including "pro-pipe", a reference to the numerous grenade launchers in first-person shooter games, which have been collectively dubbed "noob-tubes".
+*The grenade launcher is commonly known as the "pro pipe", a reference to grenade launchers in other first-person shooters, primarily the ''[[w:c:cod|Call of Duty series]]'', which are collectively known as "noob tubes" due to their ease of use.
-*The M319 IGL, having been manufactured in 2263, is the oldest known active service weapon utilized by the UNSC.
+*The M319 IGL, having been manufactured in 2263, is the oldest known weapon utilized by the UNSC.
-*In the Beta, if a player fired the M319 and held the trigger until he/she died and someone else picked up the weapon, the player holding the M319 would take control of the dormant grenade.
+*In the [[Halo: Reach Multiplayer Beta|''Halo: Reach'' Multiplayer Beta]], if a player fired the M319 and held the trigger until he/she died and someone else picked up the weapon, the player holding the M319 would take control of the dormant grenade.
-*The M319 bears a very close resemblance to the real-life Russian [http://www.flamber.ru/files/photos/1211922554/1219691059_g.jpg GM-94]. However, their similarities are merely aesthetic, as the GM-94 is a magazine-fed pump-action grenade-launcher using 43mm grenades. The M139 also bears a close resemblance to the American Springfield Armory M79 grenade launcher in both aesthetic and functional fronts. The two are break-action launchers that fire 40mm shells.
+*The M319 bears a very close resemblance to the real-life Russian [http://www.flamber.ru/files/photos/1211922554/1219691059_g.jpg GM-94]. However, their similarities are merely aesthetic, as the GM-94 is a magazine-fed pump-action grenade launcher that uses 43mm grenades. The M139 also bears a close resemblance to the American [[Wikipedia:Springfield Armory|Springfield Armory]] [[Wikipedia:M79 grenade launcher|M79 grenade launcher]] in both aesthetics and function. Both are break-action launchers that fire 40mm shells.
-*When reloaded, the M319's operator does not extract any empty shell casing. This could mean that it uses a caseless grenade round or the round utilises rocket propulsion, which can be supported by the fact that there is a fire trail extending from the back of a grenade in flight.
+*When reloaded, the M319's operator does not extract any empty shell casing. This could mean that it uses a caseless grenade round or the round utilizes rocket propulsion, which can be supported by the fact that there is a fire trail extending from the back of a grenade in flight.
-*In the alpha build, the M319 has a red light on its side. This was removed later in the beta build.
+*In the alpha build, the M319 had a red light on its side. This was removed in the beta build.
-*The counter on the left of the weapon switches from "ARMED" to (very briefly) "LNKNG" just after launch, and then to either "IN AIR" or "LNKED" after the round is launched, depending on the firing mode; and finally to "BOOM!" upon detonation.
+*The counter on the left of the weapon switches from briefly displaying "ARMED" to "LNKNG" just after launch, and then to either "IN AIR" or "LNKED" after the round is launched, depending on the firing mode, and finally to "BOOM!" upon detonation.
-*In first person a player can only look a total of about 70 degrees (+35 to -35) on the Grenade Launcher's reticule; clearly this being another [[7]] reference.
-*The number of enemies within the blast radius is displayed on the counter in manual detonate mode.
-*The counter will also show a picture of a skull when the grenade is close enough to an enemy to kill him or her. This only happens with the secondary fire.
 ==Gallery==
 <gallery>
-File:M319 - Side Profile.png|A side profile view of the M319.
+File:M319 - Side Profile.png|A side view of the M319.
 File:Capture5.jpg|The M319 IGL in the alpha build of ''Halo: Reach''.
 File:Grenade_Launcher_Gold.jpg|The M319 IGL in the released build of ''Halo: Reach''.
-File:HaloReach - GrenadierLauncher.png|A SPARTAN firing the M319 IGL.
+File:HaloReach - GrenadierLauncher.png|A [[SPARTAN-III Program|SPARTAN-III]] firing an M319 IGL.
-File:M319 Grenade.png|The grenade round used in the firearm.
+File:M319 Grenade.png|The 40mm HEDP grenade used by the firearm.
 File:Grenade Counter.jpg|The M319 IGL's counter.
 File:Reach_concept-M319.jpg|Concept art of the M319 IGL.