Mark 2488 Onager
From Halopedia, the Halo wiki
| Mark 2488 Magnetic Accelerator Cannon | |
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| Production overview | |
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Manufacturer: |
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Type: |
Magnetic Accelerator Cannon |
| Specifications | |
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Length: |
32.6 meters (106.9 ft)[1] |
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Width: |
14.1 meters (46.2 ft)[1] |
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Height: |
10 meters (33 ft)[1] |
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Weight: |
93.4 tonnes (103 tons)[1] |
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Ammunition type: |
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20 rounds a minute | |
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High | |
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Effective range: |
Long |
| Service history | |
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In service: |
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The Mark 2488 Magnetic Accelerator Cannon, formally designated 15 cm Mark/2488 1.1GJ MAC, also known as the Onager and often referred to as a "mass driver", is a stationary Magnetic Accelerator Cannon used by the United Nations Space Command during the Human-Covenant War.[3]
The Mark 2551/25cm Portable is an upgraded variant of the weapon brought into service after the war.
Design details[edit]
The Onager is capable of firing a 15 cm ferric-tungsten hollow-point round with up to 1.1 gigajoules of kinetic energy.[3] It has five linearly arranged magnetic coils, each of which needs to charge individually before each shot. The weapon needs to cool off after every shot, and does so by opening a radial vent on the upper portion of the barrel. The weapon is operated from a small booth on the left side of the cannon.[4]
Operational history[edit]
During the Fall of Reach, a group of UNSC Marines installed an Onager on top of one of the planet's ship-breaking facilities in Asźod to protect the drydocked UNSC Pillar of Autumn. Emile-A239 manned the mass driver to fend off incoming Covenant Banshees and Phantoms before the Autumn could take off.[4] However, the Spartan was killed by a Sangheili Zealot, prompting SPARTAN-B312 to commandeer the cannon and successfully delay the Covenant assault on the Autumn by crippling an incoming Ket-pattern battlecruiser with a shot to its ventral energy projector.[4]
Trivia[edit]
- The Onager is named after a medieval siege weapon, which in turn takes its name from a horse species.
- On the Bungie.net weapons statistics page, the description for the Onager is simply "I need a weapon", a reference to a line by John-117 in the opening cinematic of the level Cairo Station in Halo 2.
- "S-239" is painted on the Onager's frame. This is a reference to Emile-A239, who was killed while operating the weapon. Also, "S-266" is painted on the left side. That is a reference to Jun-A266.
- The "using Onager early" glitch can be exploited so that a player can reach the driver before the scripted cutscene. This glitch can provide a player with an easy killing spree by shooting down Banshees, or avoiding enemy lances by shooting the Phantoms carrying them.
Gallery[edit]
An early concept for the Onager by Isaac Hannaford.
The cannon's final design.
A first-person view of the Onager.
The Onager installed in the Asźod ship breaking yards.
The Onager, manned by SPARTAN-B312, firing a round at the incoming Covenant Ket-pattern battlecruiser.
The Onager discharging a ferric-tungsten slug at the Covenant Ket-pattern battlecruiser.
An Onager's electromagnetic coils charging before it fires.
The control booth of an Onager cannon.
A blueprint for the Onager.
List of appearances[edit]
- Halo: Reach (First appearance)
Sources[edit]
- ^ a b c d e Halo Encyclopedia (2022 edition), page 182
- ^ Halo: The Essential Visual Guide, page 114
- ^ a b Bungie.net Halo: Reach game stats
- ^ a b c Halo: Reach, campaign level The Pillar of Autumn
