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| {{Status|Canon}} | | {{Ratings}} |
| {{Weapon infobox | | {{Era|UNSC|HCW}} |
| | image=[[File:FoR - Archer missile.jpg|250px]] | | {{Weapon |
| | | image=[[File:13101574-Medium.jpg|300px]] |
| | name=Archer missile | | | name=Archer missile |
| | manufacturer= | | | manufacturer=[[United Nations Space Command]] |
| | model= | | | model= |
| | type=[[Missile delivery system|Anti-ship missile]] | | | type=Missile |
| | cost= | | | cost= |
| | length= | | | affiliation=[[UNSC Navy]] |
| | weight= | | | size= |
| | ammotype=Varies{{Ref/Reuse|WF36}} | | | damage per hit=Very high |
| | operation=Tube-fired | | | fire=Tube fired |
| | rate= | | | ammotype=High explosive |
| | range=Long{{Ref/Reuse|WF26}} | | | operation=Ship-to-ship missile |
| | service=*[[Insurrection]] | | | rate of fire= |
| *[[Human-Covenant War]]
| | | accuracy=Computer guided |
| *[[Post-Covenant War conflicts]]
| | | range= |
| | affiliation=*[[UNSC Navy]] | | | era=[[Human-Covenant War]] |
| *[[Insurrectionist]]s
| | | counterpart=Covenant [[plasma turret]] |
| | | counterwep=Covenant pulse laser turret |
| | | affiliation= [[United Nations Space Command]] |
| }} | | }} |
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| The '''Archer missile''' is an anti-ship [[missile delivery system]] used by the [[CMA Navy]] and [[UNSC Navy]].
| | '''Archer missiles''' are ship-to-ship missiles carried by [[UNSC]] [[UNSC Navy|Navy]] [[warship]]s for engaging enemy warships in space combat. UNSC ships usually carry large numbers of them, their sheer numbers making up for their underperformance against [[Covenant Empire|Covenant]] [[Energy shielding|shield technology]], though unprotected ships are able to be destroyed by Archer missile strikes to the hull and superstructure. |
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| ==Overview== | | ==Background== |
| Archers are relatively cheap anti-ship missiles, and considered highly-adaptable and long-ranged. They are used as generalist missiles for all purposes, and continued to see use as extremely capable armaments throughout the [[Insurrection]], [[Human-Covenant War]] and [[Post-Covenant War conflicts]].{{Ref/Site|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/news/canon-fodder-encyclopedia-extravaganza|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=Canon Fodder - Encyclopedia Extravaganza|D=01|M=06|Y=2022}} They are capable of being fitted with a number of warhead options.{{Ref/Reuse|WF36}}
| | Prior to the [[Human-Covenant War]], the UNSC found the missiles to be effective against [[Insurrectionist]] combatant 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 [[point defense laser]]s 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>'''[[Halo: The Fall of Reach]]'''</ref><ref>'''[[Halo Wars: Genesis]]'''</ref> At least one Covenant ship class, the [[Covenant stealth corvette|stealth 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 Cannon]]s 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 [[Covenant boarding craft|boarding craft]] or fighters, are much easier targets,<ref>'''[[Halo: The Fall of Reach]]'''</ref> and Archers may be used in support of ground forces, launched from orbit to strike a ground-based target.<ref>'''[[Halo: Ghosts of Onyx]]'''</ref> |
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| Warships usually carry large numbers of Archer missiles to complement their [[Magnetic Accelerator Cannon]]s. 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.
| | Archer missiles are usually stored in pods of thirty, although [[UNSC destroyer|destroyers]] and cruisers employ oversized missile pods to carry a larger payload. Both [[UNSC frigate|frigates]] and destroyers carry twenty-six pods, though as mentioned, destroyers carry a larger number per pod. The [[Halcyon-class cruiser]] {{UNSCShip|Pillar of Autumn}} may have possessed as many as 300 missile pods. |
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| ==Models== | | ==Trivia== |
| The pre-refit {{Class|Able|heavy destroyer}} is equipped with Archer missiles of an unknown model. An unidentified [[Unidentified UNSC carrier class| UNSC carrier class]] is also equipped with three hundred Archer missiles of an unspecified model.{{Ref/Book|Enc11|Page=259}}
| | *''Halo: Contact Harvest'' quotes that "A single Archer missile can disable all but the most heavily-armored UNSC ships." The UNSC fires hundreds of missiles at ''each'' Covenant ship giving testimony to the incredible defensive capabilities of their shields. |
| ===M42 Archer===
| | *When the ''[[UNSC In Amber Clad]]'' arrived at [[Delta Halo]] from Slipspace, a bridge officer under the command of [[Commander]] [[Miranda Keyes]] says, "Archer pods are cold. I'll need to rekey the system." This is the first of the 2 mentions of Archer missiles in all the games. The second reference is in [[Halo 3]] during the [[Battle of Installation 00]]. |
| 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.
| | *During the [[Battle of Reach]], there was an enormous and deadly [[Covenant]] ship that Captain [[Jacob Keyes|Keyes]] tried to stop. The Archer missiles only "scratched" the armor. He later destroyed it with a [[Shiva-class Nuclear Missile|Shiva nuclear warhead]]. |
| | | *There is a "Radioactive" symbol on the silver plates opposite of every Archer pod opening. |
| 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}}.
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| ;Carriers
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| *{{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}}
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| *{{Class|Punic|supercarrier}} - 100x M42 Archer pods{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22Carriers}}
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| *{{Class|Phoenix|colony ship}} - N/A
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| **{{UNSCShip|Spirit of Fire}} refit - 24x M42 Archer pods{{Ref/Book|HWF|Page=48-49}}
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| *{{Class|Poseidon|light carrier}} - 2x M42 Archer pods{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22Carriers}}
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| ;Frigates
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| *{{Class|Strident|heavy frigate}} - 2x M42 Archer pods{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22Frigates}}
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| ;Corvettes
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| *{{Class|Mako|corvette}} - 2x M42 Archer pods{{Ref/Book|Id=Enc22Corvettes|Enc22|Page=128-129}}
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| ;Prowlers
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| *{{Class|Point Blank|prowler}} - 80x M42 Archer pods{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22Corvettes}}
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| ;Strikecraft
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| *[[S-14 Baselard]] - Two M42 Archer missiles{{Ref/Book|Enc22|Page=159}}
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| ===M58 Archer===
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| 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 M58 is mounted on the majority of warships designed for UNSC usage, starting in the late 25th century.
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| {{Col-begin}}
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| {{Col-2}}
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| ;Battleships
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| *{{Class|Vindication|light battleship}} - 50x M58 Archer pods{{Ref/Book|Enc22|Page=125}}
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| ;Carriers
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| *{{Class|Epoch|heavy carrier}} - 80x M58 Archer pods{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22Carriers}}
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| *{{Class|Orion|assault carrier}} - 70x M58 Archer pods{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22Carriers}}
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| ;Cruisers
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| *{{Class|Valiant|super-heavy cruiser}} - 50x M58 Archer pods{{Ref/Book|Id=Enc22Cruisers|Enc22|Page=118-119}}
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| *{{Class|Marathon|heavy cruiser}} - 70x M58 Archer pods{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22Cruisers}}
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| *{{Class|Autumn|heavy cruiser}} - 32x M58 Archer pods{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22Cruisers}}
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| *{{Class|Halcyon|light cruiser}} - 20x M58 Archer pods{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22Cruisers}}
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| **{{UNSCShip|Pillar of Autumn}} refit - 32x M58 Archer pods{{Ref/Book|HWF|Page=25}}
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| {{Col-2}}
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| ;Destroyers
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| *{{Class|Able|heavy destroyer}} (2525 refit) - 20x M58 Archer pods{{Ref/Site|Id=CFDigsite|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/news/canon-fodder-digsite-dissection|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=Canon Fodder - Digsite Dissection|D=28|M=07|Y=2023}}
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| *{{Class|Halberd|light destroyer}} - 26x M58 Archer pods{{Ref/Book|Enc22|Page=124}}
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| ;Frigates
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| *{{Class|Paris|heavy frigate}} - 26x M58 Archer pods{{Ref/Book|Id=Enc22Frigates|Enc22|Page=120-123}}
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| *{{Class|Mulsanne|light frigate}} - 20x M58 Archer pods{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22Frigates}}
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| *{{Class|Stalwart|light frigate}} - 16x M58 Archer pods{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22Frigates}} | |
| *{{Class|Charon|light frigate}} - 10x M58 Archer pods{{Ref/Note|While ''[[Halo 4: The Essential Visual Guide]]'' and the ''[[Halo Encyclopedia (2022 edition)]]'' both use the ''[[Halo 4]]''-derived stats for the ''Charon''-class frigate of having 50 M58 Archer missile pods, the canon model for the ship as seen in ''[[Halo 3]]'' only has 10. See [[Charon-class light frigate#Production notes]] for further details.}}
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| ;Corvettes
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| *{{Class|Gladius|heavy corvette}} - 2x M58 Archer pods{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22Corvettes}}
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| *{{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}}
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| {{Col-end}}
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| 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}}
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| ==Service history==
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| 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.{{Ref/Reuse|TFoR}} Archers may be used in support of ground forces, launched from orbit to strike a ground-based target.<ref>'''[[Halo Wars 2]]''', ''level ???''</ref>
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| ==Gallery==
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| <gallery>
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| File:FoR - Archer missiles.jpg|The {{UNSCShip|Commonwealth}} firing Archer missiles during the [[Battle of Chi Ceti]].
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| File:H3 Archer pods.jpg|Archer missile pods on a {{Class|Charon|light frigate}}.
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| File:HW2-Archer.jpg|Archer missiles are ready for launch from the {{UNSCShip|Spirit of Fire}}.
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| File:HW2-SOF-Archer.jpg|The ''Spirit of Fire'' launches Archer missiles.
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| File:HINF Mulsanne M58Archer.png|Archer missile pods on a {{Class|Mulsanne|light frigate}}.
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| </gallery>
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| {{Linkbox|gallery=yes}}
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| ==List of appearances== | | ==List of appearances== |
| *''[[Halo: The Fall of Reach]]'' {{1st}}
| | {{Appearances|Halo: The Fall of Reach|Halo: The Flood|Halo 2|Halo: First Strike|Halo: Ghosts of Onyx|Halo 3|Halo: Contact Harvest|Halo Wars: Genesis|Halo: Evolutions}} |
| *''[[Halo: The Flood]]'' {{Mo}}
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| *''[[Halo: First Strike]]''
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| *''[[Halo 2]]'' {{Mo}}
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| *''[[Halo: Ghosts of Onyx]]''
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| *''[[Halo 3]]'' {{C|Pods only}}
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| *''[[Halo: Contact Harvest]]'' {{Mo}}
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| *''[[Halo: Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe]]''
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| **''[[The Impossible Life and the Possible Death of Preston J. Cole]]''
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| *''[[Halo: Reach]]'' {{C|Pods only}}
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| *''[[Halo: Fall of Reach]]''
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| **''[[Halo: Fall of Reach - Covenant|Covenant]]''
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| **''[[Halo: Fall of Reach - Invasion|Invasion]]''
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| *''[[Halo 4]]''
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| *''[[Halo: Fleet Battles]]''
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| *''[[Halo Wars 2]]''
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| *''[[Halo: Retribution]]'' {{Mo}}
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| *''[[Halo: Silent Storm]]''
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| *''[[Halo: Oblivion]]''
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| *''[[Halo Infinite]]''
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| ==Notes==
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| {{Ref/Notes}}
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| ==Sources== | | ==Sources== |
| {{Ref/Sources}}
| | <references/> |
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| {{UNSC ordnance}} | | ==See also== |
| | {{Template:UNSC Heavy Weapons}} |
| | [[Category:Human Weapons]] |
| [[Category:Missiles]] | | [[Category:Missiles]] |
| [[Category:UNSC naval weapons]] | | [[Category:Starship Weapons]] |
| | [[Category:Weapons]] |
