Editing Plasma weaponry

{{Era|Forerunner|Covenant|UNSC|HCW|Post}}
'''Plasma weaponry''' refers to [[directed energy weapon]]s that utilise [[plasma]] to do damage to a target. [[Covenant]] [[Covenant military|military]] forces use plasma in weapons to great effect. 

==Operation==
Plasma weapons contain and guide the plasma in the form of a single bolt, beam, or continuous stream. Plasma is stabilized using magnetic fields. Without the field, the plasma dissipates too quickly to be of any real use. The field controls and contains the plasma, without interfering with firing. The [[Type-1 Energy Weapon/Sword|energy sword]] is an example of this technology, as the magnetic field holds the blade together while allowing it to cut through objects.

This is also how the [[plasma pistol]]'s overcharge shot works: A small magnetic generator is installed in the hilt of the pistol and, when fired, the bolt tracks its target using a very simple motion tracking system built into the magnetic generator which alters the field to make the plasma move. A larger version of this effect is seen in the [[plasma torpedo]]es used by Covenant [[capital ship]]s.

==Defense against plasma weaponry==
Complete armor protection against plasma is generally difficult to accomplish due to plasma's high damage ratio. The [[M52B body armor|armor]] used by the [[UNSC Marine Corps]] and [[UNSC Army]] usually provides good protection from plasma, but only to a certain extent. A series of hits from a plasma weapon will literally melt or burn the armor, rendering it useless. Likewise, the [[Spartan]]s' [[MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor|MJOLNIR armor]] will eventually give way to the plasma. Newer versions of the MJOLNIR armor boast [[Energy shielding#Human energy shielding|energy shields]], which provide additional protection from plasma, although shielding systems can be completely depleted by sustained plasma fire, or a single, overcharged bolt.

The armor of neither Covenant nor UNSC warships provides significant protection against plasma, which will melt through the hulls of both. In all encounters with Covenant ships, plasma-based weaponry has melted through and disabled UNSC ships in a matter of seconds.

==Applications==
Plasma-based weapons are the most common armament of Covenant infantry and vehicular forces, and the main armament of their warships, dominating almost their entire weapon arsenal. Small arms are designed to deplete [[shielding]] or melt infantry armor, while heavier weapons can destroy vehicles or buildings. The largest are mounted onto capital ships and are used for [[glassing|orbital bombardment]] and ship-to-ship combat, and can reduce a ship's hull to a pile of molten metal floating in space. When a plasma weapon is charging, a high quantity of beta particle radiation is emitted.<ref>'''[[Halo: The Fall of Reach]]''', ''page 147''</ref> Covenant species have developed a natural resistance against the radiation emitted by their plasma weapons, a form of "forced evolution". During the [[Human-Covenant War]], UNSC scientists studied this phenomenon in an attempt to use it to their advantage, such as helping in the treatment of plasma burns on humans.<ref>'''[[Halo: Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe]]''', "[[The Mona Lisa]]", ''page 305''</ref>

The [[UNSC]] has yet to develop its own plasma weaponry, instead using more conventional projectile-based weapon systems. However, the UNSC has been seen to operate captured Covenant plasma weapons, and in one case, UNSC forces were able to dramatically improve the lethality of a [[Ascendant Justice|captured Covenant starship's]] [[plasma turret]]s without significant technical modifications.<ref>'''[[Halo: First Strike]]'''</ref> There was an attempt to produce a [[M-145D Rhino|tank]] with plasma-based weaponry for the [[UNSCDF|UNSC armed services]], but it was abandoned, falling back on projectile weaponry.<ref>'''[[Halo Wars]]'''</ref>

==List of plasma weapons==
=== Starship weapons ===
*[[Plasma torpedo]] 
*[[Plasma cannon (starship)|Plasma cannon]]
*[[Plasma charge]]
*[[Energy projector]]

=== Mounted weapons ===
*[[Focus cannon]]
*[[Plasma mortar]]
*[[Class-1 directed energy cannon]]
*[[Class-2 directed energy cannon]]
*[[Heavy plasma cannon]]
*[[Shade]]
**[[Type-26 Shade]]
**[[Type-27 Shade]]
**[[Type-29 Shade]]
*[[Type-27 Anti-Aircraft Cannon|Type-27 Mantis AAC]]
*[[Type-38 Anti-Aircraft Cannon|Type-38 Tyrant AAC]]
*[[Type-42 Directed Energy Support Weapon]]
*[[Type-52 Directed Energy Support Weapon]]
*[[Zeus 320mm plasma cannon]]

=== Handheld weapons ===
*[[Type-1 Energy Sword]]
*[[Type-25 Plasma Pistol]]
*[[Type-25 Plasma Rifle]]
*[[Type-25 Brute Plasma Rifle]]
*[[Type-51 Plasma Repeater]]
*[[Type-52 Plasma Launcher]]
*[[Type-55 Storm Rifle]]

=== Explosives ===
*[[Type-1 plasma grenade]] 

==Trivia==
Frank O'Connor, Bungie's former head of public relations, stated in 2006 that the plasma used by the Covenant is not plasma as current science knows it, but something "far more dangerous, arcane, and destructive."<ref>[http://forums.bungie.org/halo/archive25.pl?read=743326 '''halo.bungie.org''': ''Re: Could Covenant Plasma weapons be disrupted?'']</ref> This claim has not been elaborated on in later sources and some actually indicate otherwise, with ''[[Halo 4: The Essential Visual Guide]]'' specifically making a note that the Covenant used conventional plasma in imitation of Forerunner particle weaponry.<ref>'''[[Halo 4: The Essential Visual Guide]]''', ''page 103''</ref>

==Notes==
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==Sources==
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[[Category:Plasma weapons| ]]
[[Category:Directed-energy weapons]]