Editing M66 light railgun

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{{Status|Canon}}
{{Era|HCW}}
{{Center|''For the infantry weapon, see [[ARC-920 railgun]].''}}
{{ratings}}
{{Weapon infobox
{{Weapon
|name=M66 light railgun
| image= [[Image:UNSC_Cobra_02.jpg|300px]]  
|image=[[File:HW-SP42CobraMBT.png|300px]]<br>A Cobra sporting twin M66 railguns.
| name=LRG Rail Gun
|manufacturer=
| manufacturer=UNSC
|series=
| model=
|type=[[Railgun|Light railgun]]
| type= [[Railgun|Electromagnetic railgun]]
|cost=
| cost=
|variant=
| size=*50mm Kinetic Penetrator Shells
|service=[[Insurrection]]<br>[[Human-Covenant War]]
*105mm High Explosive Shells
|length=
| damage per hit=
|width=
| magazine=
|height=
| maxammo=
|weight=
| fire=
|ammotype=30mm shells
| ammo type=*Depleted uranium rounds/Ferromagnetic slugs
|capacity=
*High-explosive shells
|feed=
| operation=Railgun
|operation=
| rate of fire=Slow
|rate=
| accuracy=High
|velocity=
| range=High
|optics=
| era=Human-Covenant War
|range=
| counterpart=[[Type-25 Assault Gun Carriage]]
| counterweapons=
| affiliation=[[United Nations Space Command]]
}}
}}
The '''M66 light railgun''' ('''M66 LRG''') is an anti-vehicle [[Railgun (fiction)|railgun]] weapon system employed as a heavy munition in the [[Colonial Military Authority]] (CMA) and [[United Nations Space Command]] (UNSC).{{Ref/Book|Id=EVG|EVG|Page=32}}{{Ref/Book|Id=Enc11|Enc11|Page=239}}{{Ref/Book|Id=Enc22|Enc22|Page=142}}


==Overview==
The '''LRG Rail Gun''' is a combined anti-vehicle/anti-structure weapon system mounted on the [[SP42 Cobra]] self-propelled artillery vehicle, designed for engaging enemy armored vehicles and structures, using a pair of combining [[railgun]]s.<ref>'''[[Halo Wars: Official Strategy Guide]]''', ''page 43''</ref> The individual railguns are also able to be mounted on a [[UNSC]] [[UNSC Firebase|prefabricated]] [[Base Turret|base turret]] for use as a static defensive measure.<ref>'''Halo Wars: Official Strategy Guide''', ''page 30''</ref>
===Design details===
The M66 LRG is a powerful anti-armor weapon that fires 30mm high-density ferrous projectiles at ultra-high velocity. The velocity of these projectiles allows them to penetrate armor at extreme range and with superior penetration to the [[M512 smooth-bore high-velocity cannon|M512 90mm SBHV cannon]] used by the [[M808 Scorpion]].{{Ref/Reuse|EVG}}{{Ref/Reuse|PrimaCobra}}{{Ref/Site|Id=HWCS|URL=http://www.halowars.com/GameInfo/vehicledepot.aspx#cobra|Site=Official Halo Wars Community Site|Page=Cobra|D=28|M=02|Y=2011|LocalArchive=Archive:Halowars.com/UNSC#Cobra}} The M66 has a power draw of 8 megajoules.{{Ref/Book|Id=PrimaTurret|Halo Wars: Official Strategy Guide|Page=30}}{{Ref/Book|Id=PrimaCobra|Halo Wars: Official Strategy Guide|Page=43}}{{Ref/Note|While page 43 of the ''[[Halo Wars: Official Strategy Guide]]'' describes the M66 has having a draw of 16MJ, it also describes the larger and more powerful M98 as having a power of 8MJ. On page 30 while describing the base turret weaponry, the M66 is identified as having a draw of 8MJ. The numbers shown on page 43 are presumably an error.}}


Though the weapon performs similarly to [[Gauss cannon]]s such as the [[M68 Gauss cannon|M68 model]], the M68 is a coilgun, which operates on different principles from those of a railgun.
==Operation==
The LRG Rail Gun is one of a few weapons of its kind in service. Most known UNSC weapons that use electromagnetism to fire solid projectiles, such as the [[Magnetic Accelerator Cannon|MAC]] or the [[M68 Gauss Cannon]], are coilguns which operate using completely different principles.


===Usage===
The most unique aspect of the LRG Rail Gun was that it featured two separate firing modes, each performing completely separate roles and duties. At its most basic stage, it used two 16 Mega Joule railguns to fire 50mm armor piercing shells, with significant penetration capabilities, designed for engaging Covenant armored vehicles. Each railgun has a slow rate of fire, and requires alternating fire - the energy required to fire both railguns together is well beyond what the Cobra is capable of producing by itself. This alternating also improves the weapon's rate of fire, keeping up a more consistent output, with superior penetration to the [[90mm High Velocity Cannon]] used by the [[M808B Scorpion MBT]].<ref>[http://www.halowars.com/GameInfo/vehicledepot.aspx#Cobra Halo Wars - Official Cobra Description]</ref> Further, these two railguns can be retracted into the Cobra to allow the deployment of the larger 8 Mega Joule railgun. This stronger weapon fires a 105mm high explosive shell at significant range, filling a more conventional artillery role. This second mode of firing requires more stability than a mobile vehicle could provide, forcing the Cobra to deploy support stands and braces to keep it stable, but allows extreme long range fire, effective against vehicles and enemy structures. Upgrades are available to further improve the artillery cannon's penetration, allowing a single shell to penetrate through a target and hit a second behind it.
The M66 railguns are most notable for their twin installment in the turret of the [[SP42 Cobra]], allowing the vehicle to serve as an agile tank-hunter and anti-fortification vehicle.{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22}} They are mounted on the Cobra alongside the larger and more powerful [[M98 light railgun|M98 105mm light railgun]].{{Ref/Reuse|EVG}}{{Ref/Reuse|Enc11}}{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22}} M66's may also be installed as an optional anti-vehicle mounting in the [[M5 Talos]] automated turret system installed on [[Firebase|prefabricated bases]].{{Ref/Reuse|PrimaTurret}}


When twin-mounted on the SP42 Cobra and on automated turrets, each weapon is fired alternatively, as the energy required to fire both railguns together is beyond what the platform is capable of producing. This alternating also improves the weapon's rather low rate of fire, maintaining more consistent power output.{{Ref/Reuse|HWCS}}
==Trivia==
 
*Though the ''Halo Wars'' website and strategy guide initially labeled the weapon as a rail gun, there has been debate over why the gun was originally called '''M66 Gauss Cannon''' in concept art. Since the game's release, references to the M66 have been deleted on official material. As the two types of weapons operate on completely different principles, it would have been impossible to claim that both names were accurate.
==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:HW TurretUpgrades Concept.jpg|Concept art for a turret's railguns.
File:HW UNSCTurret Concept 1.jpg|Concept art for the railgun (right).
File:HW-Turret with Railgun.jpg|M66s mounted on a 2531-era defensive turret.
File:HW UNSCTurret.jpg|A medium-level turret with M66 railguns mounted.
File:HW2 BaseTurret AntiVehicle.png|M66s mounted on the 2559-era turret.
</gallery>


==List of appearances==
==List of appearances==
*''[[Halo Wars]]'' {{1st}}
*''[[Halo Wars]]'' {{1st}}
*''[[Halo Wars 2]]''
==Notes==
{{Ref/Notes}}


==Sources==
==Sources==
{{Ref/Sources}}
<references/>


{{UNSC heavy weapons}}
{{Template:UNSC Heavy Weapons}}
[[Category:Railguns]]
[[Category:Human Weapons]]
[[Category:Artillery]]
[[Category:Mounted Weapons]]
[[Category:UNSC ground weapons]]

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