M9 fragmentation grenade
From Halopedia, the Halo wiki
| M9 fragmentation grenade | |
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  M9 variants (infantry, Spartan, and post-war respectively) | |
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Antipersonnel hand grenade |
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See variants |
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| “ | The M9 is a high-explosive, dual-purpose grenade utilized by all branches of the UNSC. Skilled users can bounce the grenade to get hard-to-reach targets and bypass obstacles.[10] | ” |
The M9 High-Explosive Dual-Purpose (HE-DP) Antipersonnel Grenade[9][6][7][8][2] is the standard-issue hand grenade of the United Nations Space Command. The weapon is semi-erroneously known as a fragmentation grenade and the colloquial frag. Furthermore, the M9 designation technically refers to several models of varying design.[3] Like most UNSC small arms and explosives, the M9 is produced by Misriah Armory.[1]
The grenade has received a number of colourful nicknames among UNSC personnel, including "Damage", "Firecracker", "Pineapple", "Blast Beetle", "Hopper", and "Croaker".[4][5]
Overview[edit]
Design details[edit]
- "Well it’s a grenade, innit? It blows up."
- — Anonymous E2-BAG/1/7 serviceman[3]
The M9 is a High-Explosive, Dual-Purpose fragmentation grenade widely utilised throughout the UNSC's service branches. The grenade's operating mechanism has been essentially unchanged for centuries,[9] since it entered service in 2310.[2] The designation is used to apply to a number of vastly different grenades created in numerous munitions plants throughout colonised space; though all examples exhibit broadly similar properties. The grenade's explosive power comes from Composition L,[11] or "ComL" - an explosive filler inside every M9 grenade with a volume of 190 grams (6.7 ounces). ComL is generally stable until the explosion is triggered,[9] at which point the exterior casing fragments into roughly 1x5mm shards, and is sent flying in various predetermined directions.[3]
The M9 is triggered by a simple digital timer fuse, which then detonates a small primer explosive, in turn triggering the ComL to explode and send the shrapnel fragments flying away from the grenade.[3][1] The digital timer fuse sits atop the top of the weapon,[1][7] with a hardpoint available to allow the grenade to be linked to a serviceman's battle dress uniform (BDU).[7]
Variants[edit]
- "This is my third tour and I’ve seen action on a half dozen planets—I’ve also seen about five different versions of the M9. Not like em nine eh through em nine ee, but totally different fragmentation grenades called em nine. I guess that’s one of the consequences of being part of a galactic empire [laughter] I said galactic empire!"
- — Anonymous E2-BAG/1/7 serviceman[3]
M9 fragmentation grenades come in a number of variants exhibiting great variance in size and shape, depending on their location of manufacture. Despite this, they all exhibit broadly similar performance properties.[1][2] M9 variants are generally not given unique model designators and are instead all simply considered M9s - even when they share relatively little in common.[3]
- Infantry variant - a standard-issue variant of the M9 fragmentation grenade used during the Human-Covenant War, measuring 9.4 centimeters (3.7 in) in diameter.[3][9]
- Spartan variant - an up-sized variant of the M9 fragmentation grenade intended for use by Spartan personnel - notably issued to Special Warfare Group Three forces (in particular NOBLE Team) during the Fall of Reach.[9][1][6]
- Post-war variant - a variant of the M9 fragmentation grenade introduced following the end of the Great War.[7][8]
Another M9 grenade variant.
![The standard infantry variant of the M9.[3][9]](/File:H3-M9HEDPFragmentationGrenade.png)
![The up-sized Spartan variant of the M9, seemingly based on the prior design..[9][1]](/File:HReach-M9FragmentationGrenade.png)
UNSC Remarks[edit]
The M9 was one of the several weapons recorded by Doctor Robert McLees in the report Machines, Materiel and Munitions from the Human-Covenant Conflict, 2525 - Present.
- "Grenades are not something you throw just because you see bad guys. Make sure you know where your squad is at, make sure it’s only the bad guys you’re gonna blow up, then chuck the damage."[3]
- "This is my third tour and I’ve seen action on a half dozen planets—I’ve also seen about five different versions of the M9. Not like em nine eh through em nine ee, but totally different fragmentation grenades called em nine. I guess that’s one of the consequences of being part of a galactic empire [laughter] I said galactic empire!"[3]
- "The grenade detonated directly beneath the Ghost and sent it and the driver tumbling through the air; the remainder of 1st squad dispatched the Brute and secured the enemy vehicle."[3]
- "There ain’t a magical wall at fifteen meters—had a hole punched in my cheek at about ninety meters over a year ago back on Ballast. Could’a lost an eye or even been killed. Remember when you hear that call or a thump to keep your head down.”[3]
- "...bounced off of the loading ramp and exploded above head level (2.4 meters) killing the Brute SL and disrupting the remaining Grunts."[3]
- "Well it’s a grenade innit? It blows up."[3]
In-game information[edit]
This section needs expansion. You can help Halopedia by expanding it.
The M9 is a staple weapon present in all Halo games to date. It can be effectively hurled and bounced around corners and travels farther than the Covenant's Plasma Grenade alternative; this can be used to quickly and aptly damage an attacker before he can move away from it, giving you an instant advantage in the close combat situation. It is also harder to see and has a shorter fuse, therefore making it harder to avoid and more useful for killing enemies on foot.
Gallery[edit]
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Browse more images in this article's gallery page. |
Detail view of an M9 Frag Grenade in Halo: Combat Evolved.
A pair of M9 grenades from Halo: Combat Evolved.
The M9 Fragmentation Grenade in Halo 2.
The M9 Fragmentation Grenade in Halo 3.
A fragmentation grenade in mid-flight.
The frag grenade high-poly source asset for Halo: Reach.
The M9 Frag Grenade in the Halo: Reach Beta.
The M9 Fragmentation Grenade in Halo: Reach.
An overview of the M9 Frag Grenade from Halo: Reach.
Front and back views of the M9 Frag Grenade from Halo: Reach.
Left and right views of the M9 Frag Grenade from Halo: Reach.
Reference chart of the Fragmentation Grenade in Halo: Reach.
A comparison of the M9 Fragmentation Grenade models from Halo 3 and Halo: Reach.
Render of the M9 grenade in Halo 4.
The M9 Fragmentation Grenade in Halo 4.
HUD Icon of the M9 Frag Grenade in Halo 4.
The M9 in Halo 2: Anniversary.
Explosion from a frag in Halo 5: Guardians.
A Spartan-IV throwing a M9 in Halo Infinite.
List of appearances[edit]
Sources[edit]
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Halo: The Essential Visual Guide, page 75
- ^ a b c d e f g h Halo Encyclopedia (2022 edition), page 184
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t Bungie.net, The M9 Frag Grenade (Retrieved on Jan 31, 2021) [local archive] [external archive]
- ^ a b c d e Halo Encyclopedia (2009 edition), page 317
- ^ a b c d e Halo Encyclopedia (2011 edition), page 331: The 2011 Encyclopedia utilises an illustration of the Reach up-sized Spartan variant, but retains the statistics for the infantry variant from the original 2009 book.
- ^ a b c d e f Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary, Library: Frag Grenade - While the model for the grenade in Combat Evolved Anniversary is Halo: Reach's upsized design, the stats reported in the Library reflect the infantry design featured in the original Halos.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Halo 4: The Essential Visual Guide, page 73
- ^ a b c d e f g Halo Waypoint, Fragmentation Grenade (Retrieved on Jul 13, 2017) [archive]
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Halo Waypoint, M9 High Explosive-Dual Purpose Antipersonnel Grenade (Retrieved on Jan 24, 2012) [local archive] [external archive]
- ^ Halo Infinite, Forge - M9 Frag Grenade description: "The M9 is a high-explosive, dual-purpose grenade utilized by all branches of the UNSC. Skilled users can bounce the grenade to get hard-to-reach targets and bypass obstacles."
- ^ Halo Waypoint, The New Halo Encyclopedia is Out Today (Retrieved on Mar 11, 2023) [archive]
