Archer missile: Difference between revisions

Warships usually carry large numbers of Archer missiles to complement their [[Magnetic Accelerator Cannon]]s. Archer pods usually carry around two dozen missiles each; [[UNSC frigate|frigates]] and [[UNSC destroyer|destroyers]] carry thirty pods, though larger ships carry more pods, sometimes hundreds. 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.

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 M52 is mounted on the majority of warships designed for UNSC usage, starting in the 26th century.

*{{Class|Charon|light frigate}} - 50x M58 Archer pods{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22Frigates}}

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}}  

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. Smaller ships, such as {{R'sisho-pattern Tick|boarding craft]] or fighters, are much easier targets,{{Ref/Reuse|TFoR}} and Archers may be used in support of ground forces, launched from orbit to strike a ground-based target.<ref>'''[[Halo Wars 2]]''', ''level ???''</ref>