M57 Pilum

M57 Pilum
Production overview
Manufacturer:	Chalybs Defense Solutions
Type:	Surface-to-surface rocket launcher
Specifications
Length:	140 centimetres (55 in)
Width:	20 centimetres (7.9 in)
Height:	44.3 centimetres (17.4 in)
Ammunition type:	50x137mm HEMP
Feed system:	2-rocket magazine
Effective range:	Short to long
Service history
In service:	Post-Covenant War conflicts

The M57 Pilum Assault Weapon is a shoulder-fired heavy weapon issued to personnel of the UNSC Army, UNSC Marine Corps, and the Spartan branch around October 2558. It performs very similarly to the M41 SPNKR it replaced.

Specifications

Design details

Despite performing much the same as the M41 rocket launcher, the M57 rocket launcher is cheaper and substantially lighter, though the M57 is still capable of considerable damage. The M57 rocket launcher is also significantly different in design philosophy, featuring a single, reusable, fixed tube and detachable box magazines rather than dual, rotating, pre-loaded, disposable tubes.

The weapon is fed by a two-round detachable box magazine on the upper left side, forward of the user. The magazine retracts into the weapon when chambering each round, similar to the Type-33 fuel rod gun. A 2x magnification scope folds out from a module on the left side when activated. Its missiles are able to lock onto aircraft if the operator uses smart scope. Standard warheads used by the rocket launcher are 50mm high-explosive multi-purpose, but specialist rounds are also available, including those with thermobaric fillers or dumb AI-driven "brilliant" guidance systems.

Variants

• Ad Victoriam: Fires three laser-guided missiles in a "V" formation. All three missiles feature an airburst proximity fuse. The operator can use smart scope in order to guide the missiles with the reticle, and doing so will fire the missiles in a cluster rather than a "V" formation.
• High Five: Fires five Hydra MLRS mini-missiles that will lock onto both ground and air targets. Unlike the base model and the Ad Victorum smart scope is not needed for the missiles to lock onto targets.

Trivia

• The weapon's color palette was changed since the beta, going from a more subdued green color to a more vivid green with yellow accents, possibly to increase visual recognition and alert players to its presence.
• Pilum is named after the thrown javelin of the ancient Roman army, innovative at its time for its construction: the metal tip also used softer metal at its base, which meant it was likely to get bent if it missed its target, thus being less useful for the enemy to be thrown back.

Gallery

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  A Pre-Beta development image of the M57 Pilum for Halo 5: Guardians.

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  A Spartan-IV with the Pilum on Eden in the Halo 5: Guardians Multiplayer Beta.

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  First-person view of the M57 on Pegasus in the Halo 5: Guardians Multiplayer Beta.

• 

  Smart scope with the M57 in the Halo 5: Guardians Multiplayer Beta.

• 

  A Spartan-IV (left) using a Pilum on Escape from ARC in Halo 5: Guardians.

• 

  First-person view of the M57 in Halo 5: Guardians.

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  Smart scope with the M57 in Halo 5: Guardians.

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  First-person view of the High Five.

Halo 5: Guardians REQ Cards

• 

  Rocket Launcher - Basic Weapon

• Advictoriam.png

  Rocket Launcher - Ad Victoriam Variant

• Highfive.png

  Rocket Launcher - High Five Variant

Browse more images in this article's gallery page.

Videos

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List of appearances

• Halo 5: Guardians (First appearance)