Editing Archer missile

{{Status|Canon}}
{{Weapon infobox
| image=[[File:FoR - Archer missile.jpg|250px]]
| name=Archer missile
| manufacturer=
| model=
| type=Ship-to-ship missile
| cost=
| length=
| weight=
| ammotype=Varies{{Ref/Reuse|WF36}}
| operation=Tube-fired
| rate=
| range=Long{{Ref/Reuse|WF26}}
| service=*[[Insurrection]] 
*[[Human-Covenant War]]
*[[Post-Covenant War conflicts]]
| affiliation=*[[UNSC Navy]]
*[[Insurrectionist]]s
}}

The '''Archer missile''' is a ship-to-ship missile used by the [[CMA Navy]] and [[UNSC Navy]].

==Overview==
Warships usually carry large numbers of Archer missiles to complement their [[Magnetic Accelerator Cannon]]s. Archer pods usually carry around two dozen missiles each; [[UNSC frigate|frigates]] and [[UNSC destroyer|destroyers]] carry thirty pods, though larger ships carry more pods, sometimes hundreds. While individual Archers are vulnerable to point-defense weapons and have limited destructive potential, their sheer numbers make up for their lack of individual effectiveness. [[Covenant]] [[Energy shielding|shield technology]] can withstand large numbers of Archers, though unprotected ships can be destroyed by Archer missile strikes to the hull and superstructure.

==Models==
===M42 Archer===
The M42 Archer was employed as early as the mid-25th century, and was employed on vessels of the [[CMA Navy]] alongside the [[Ares missile]]s. Several CMA warships of the era including the gargantuan {{Class|Punic|supercarrier}}, {{Class|Mako|corvette}} and the UNSC's [[S-14 Baselard]] strike fighter equipped the M42 Archer, with the CMA predominantly stocking them alongside the [[Ares missile]] series for its warships.

The dawn of the 26th century brought more usage for the M42, with the {{Class|Point Blank|prowler}} employing it. Following the [[Post-Covenant War conflicts|end of]] the [[Human-Covenant War]], the M42 gained prominence in the fleets of the rebuilding [[UNSC Navy]]. The {{Class|Strident|heavy frigate}} and {{Class|Poseidon|light carrier}} are both armed with two M42 pods each. However, its most notable postwar usage would come in the form of a mass stocking on the ''Punic''{{'}}s spiritual successor, the {{Class|Infinity|supercarrier}}.

;Carriers
*{{Class|Infinity|supercarrier}} - 350x M42 Archer pods (24 missiles per-pod; 8400 Archers total){{Ref/Book|Id=Enc22Carriers|Enc22|Page=126-127}}{{Ref/Site|URL=http://blogs.halowaypoint.com/Headlines/post/2012/10/10/The-Halo-Bulletin-101012-.aspx|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=The Halo Bulletin: 10.10.12|D=10|M=10|Y=2012}} 
*{{Class|Punic|supercarrier}} - 100x M42 Archer pods{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22Carriers}}
*{{Class|Phoenix|colony ship}} - N/A
**{{UNSCShip|Spirit of Fire}} refit - 24x M42 Archer pods{{Ref/Book|HWF|Page=48-49}}
*{{Class|Poseidon|light carrier}} - 2x M42 Archer pods{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22Carriers}}

;Frigates
*{{Class|Strident|heavy frigate}} - 2x M42 Archer pods{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22Frigates}}

;Corvettes
*{{Class|Mako|corvette}} - 2x M42 Archer pods{{Ref/Book|Id=Enc22Corvettes|Enc22|Page=128-129}}

;Prowlers
*{{Class|Point Blank|prowler}} - 80x M42 Archer pods{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22Corvettes}}

;Strikecraft
*[[S-14 Baselard]] - Two M42 Archer missiles{{Ref/Book|Enc22|Page=159}}

===M58 Archer===
M58 Archers are considered long-ranged anti-ship missiles{{Ref/Book|Id=WF26|HWF|Page=26-27}}, and can be fitted with various warhead options{{Ref/Book|Id=WF36|HWF|Page=36-37}}. As a mainstay munition in the fleet, the M52 is mounted on the majority of warships designed for UNSC usage, starting in the late 25th century.
{{Col-begin}}
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;Battleships
*{{Class|Vindication|light battleship}} - 50x M58 Archer pods{{Ref/Book|Enc22|Page=125}}

;Carriers
*{{Class|Epoch|heavy carrier}} - 80x M58 Archer pods{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22Carriers}}
*{{Class|Orion|assault carrier}} - 70x M58 Archer pods{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22Carriers}}

;Cruisers
*{{Class|Valiant|super-heavy cruiser}} - 50x M58 Archer pods{{Ref/Book|Id=Enc22Cruisers|Enc22|Page=118-119}}
*{{Class|Marathon|heavy cruiser}} - 70x M58 Archer pods{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22Cruisers}}
*{{Class|Autumn|heavy cruiser}} - 32x M58 Archer pods{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22Cruisers}}
*{{Class|Halcyon|light cruiser}} - 20x M58 Archer pods{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22Cruisers}}
**{{UNSCShip|Pillar of Autumn}} refit - 32x M58 Archer pods{{Ref/Book|HWF|Page=25}}
{{Col-2}}
;Destroyers
*{{Class|Halberd|light destroyer}} - 26x M58 Archer pods{{Ref/Book|Enc22|Page=124}}

;Frigates
*{{Class|Paris|heavy frigate}} - 26x M58 Archer pods{{Ref/Book|Id=Enc22Frigates|Enc22|Page=120-123}}
*{{Class|Mulsanne|light frigate}} - 20x M58 Archer pods{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22Frigates}}
*{{Class|Stalwart|light frigate}} - 16x M58 Archer pods{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22Frigates}}
*{{Class|Charon|light frigate}} - 50x M58 Archer pods{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22Frigates}}

;Corvettes
*{{Class|Gladius|heavy corvette}} - 2x M58 Archer pods{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22Corvettes}}
*{{Class|Scholte|missile corvette}} - 2x M58 Archer pods{{Ref/Site|Id=CFFoundations|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/news/canon-fodder-foundations|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=Canon Fodder - Foundations|D=12|M=01|Y=2022}}
{{Col-end}}

The number of individual devices per pod varies: the refit ''Halcyon''-class light cruiser ''Pillar of Autumn'' was armed with twenty-four M58 Archers per each of its thirty-two pods as part of its refit for [[Operation: RED FLAG]], a notable increase from the standard ''Halcyon'' loadout of twenty.{{Ref/Site|URL=http://halo.xbox.com/Content/assets/en-us/ONI/577839090903298928/DDR-A340024-1115-08-27-52.pdf|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=Data Drop 5|LocalArchive=Data Drop|D=27|M=10|Y=2011}} while the ''Paris''-class heavy frigate {{UNSCShip|Commonwealth}}, mounted thirty missiles in each pod instead.{{Ref/Reuse|TFoR}}

==Service history==
Prior to the [[Human-Covenant War]], the UNSC found the missiles to be effective against [[Insurrectionist]] combatant ships. with a single Archer missile considered capable of crippling all but the largest of UNSC ships.<ref>'''Halo: Contact Harvest'''</ref> Against the Covenant, however, they realized that the defensive measures employed by the enemy ships such as energy shields and [[pulse laser turret|point defense lasers]] suddenly rendered Archer missiles near-obsolete - lasers were able to pick off up to half of the missiles launched, and those that hit were rarely enough to penetrate the shields.<ref name="TFoR">'''Halo: The Fall of Reach'''</ref><ref>'''Halo Wars: Genesis'''</ref> At least one Covenant ship class, the {{Pattern|Makar|light corvette}}, possesses [[Electronic countermeasures|jamming measures]] that interfere with the guidance systems. Tactics were developed to counter this, using the more devastating but slower-firing Magnetic Accelerator Cannons to break through the shields, rendering the hulls vulnerable, but on the whole Archers proved to be ineffective weapons against the Covenant. Smaller ships, such as [[R'sisho-pattern Tick|boarding craft]] or fighters, are much easier targets,{{Ref/Reuse|TFoR}} and Archers may be used in support of ground forces, launched from orbit to strike a ground-based target.<ref>'''[[Halo Wars 2]]''', ''level ???''</ref>

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:FoR - Archer missiles.jpg|The {{UNSCShip|Commonwealth}} firing Archer missiles during the [[Battle of Chi Ceti]].
File:H3 Archer pods.jpg|Archer missile pods on a {{Class|Charon|light frigate}}.
File:HW2-Archer.jpg|Archer missiles are ready for launch from the {{UNSCShip|Spirit of Fire}}.
File:HW2-SOF-Archer.jpg|The ''Spirit of Fire'' launches Archer missiles.
</gallery>
{{Linkbox|gallery=yes}}

==List of appearances==
*''[[Halo: The Fall of Reach]]'' {{1st}}
*''[[Halo: The Flood]]'' {{Mo}}
*''[[Halo: First Strike]]''
*''[[Halo 2]]'' {{Mo}}
*''[[Halo: Ghosts of Onyx]]''
*''[[Halo 3]]'' {{C|Pods only}}
*''[[Halo: Contact Harvest]]'' {{Mo}}
*''[[Halo: Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe]]''
**''[[The Impossible Life and the Possible Death of Preston J. Cole]]''
*''[[Halo: Reach]]'' {{C|Pods only}}
*''[[Halo: Fall of Reach]]''
**''[[Halo: Fall of Reach - Covenant|Covenant]]''
**''[[Halo: Fall of Reach - Invasion|Invasion]]''
*''[[Halo 4]]''
*''[[Halo: Fleet Battles]]''
*''[[Halo Wars 2]]''
*''[[Halo: Retribution]]'' {{Mo}}
*''[[Halo: Silent Storm]]''
*''[[Halo: Oblivion]]''

==Sources==
{{Ref/Sources}}

{{UNSC ordnance}}
[[Category:Missiles]]
[[Category:Starship weapons]]
[[Category:UNSC naval weapons]]