ARC-920 railgun

Template:Weapon Infobox The Asymmetric Recoilless Carbine-920 (ARC-920), also known simply as the railgun, is a compact-channel linear accelerator weapon used by the United Nations Space Command. It is designed and manufactured by Acheron Security.^[1]

Design details

The ARC-920 railgun is a result of scientific breakthroughs following the Human-Covenant War that allowed for portable, hand-held, electromagnetic launcher systems to be used in combat. The ARC-920's disposable power cell and ferric-shelled M645 FTP-HE projectile has dramatically decreased the weapon's total mass. Despite the ARC-920's lighter weight over previous models, it is still too heavy and cumbersome for general use by non-augmented personnel.^[2]

The ARC-920 uses a pair of parallel conducting rails to accelerate its projectiles. A large electric current flows from one rail into the projectile and then to the other rail; the electromagnetic effects of this interaction accelerate the projectile to an immense speed. The rifle requires a brief charging period before firing high-explosive rounds accelerated to an incredible speed.^[3] The explosive yield contained in the round adds to the kinetic force of the impact, making the weapon effective against both infantry and armor.^[1] The weapon lacks a scope.^[3] The ARC-920 is one of the various limited-production electromagnetic launchers in service with the UNSC Armed Forces, and is widely considered the best among them.^[2]

Variants

Whiplash: The Whiplash features a faster charge cycle, two rounds per magazine, and projectiles fitted with a proximity airburst fuse.^[4]
Arclight: The Arclight fires armor-piercing high-explosive rounds. While it takes longer to charge the weapon the charge can be held indefinitely.^[4]

Whiplash.
Arclight.

Gameplay

Compared to the Spartan Laser, the ARC-920's charging time is half the duration and deals less damage to vehicles. In addition, the traveling time for a fired shot is almost instantaneous^[3](though still markedly slower than most ballistic, hard light, and laser weapons in the game, which are hitscan). In Campaign and Spartan Ops, the charging time is longer than in War Games.

Advantages

The railgun is extremely powerful and can kill Spartans and all but the highest-ranking Promethean Knights and Elites with one shot. It is also very accurate at short and medium distances.

Disadvantages

The railgun must be charged before firing, which is a disadvantage on the battlefield. It can only fire one slug before reloading and is weak against vehicles. Its lack of scope coupled with its narrow blast radius make it difficult to aim, limiting mostly to firing at stationary targets.

Changes from Halo 4 to Halo 5: Guardians

Can now be zoomed in via Smart Scope.
Like the Gauss turret, it now has hitscan properties.
Maximum reserve ammunition increased from 5 to 13.
Projectile weakness against vehicles has been removed, leaving it an all around effective anti-vehicle weapon.

Trivia

The ARC-920 was inspired by a piece of Halo: Reach concept art.
Canonically, a magnetically accelerated projectile would move at many times the speed of sound. However, for the sake of balance, the railgun's projectiles move at a much slower subsonic speed in gameplay.
Despite being a railgun, the rings that form around the barrel when charging, as well as the Railgun Kill medal depicting a projectile going through rings, seem more indicative of a coilgun.
- In addition, the weapon's REQ card in Halo 5: Guardians identifies it as a coilgun.^[4]

Gallery

Normal gallery

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The Halo: Reach concept art that inspired the ARC-920.
Concept art of the ARC-920 railgun for Halo 4.
Concept art of the ARC-920's reloading mechanism in Halo 4.
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Concept art of Master Chief with the ARC-920.
John-117 wielding the ARC-920.
The ARC-920 in Halo 4.
A right side view of the ARC-920 railgun.
A schematic of the railgun.
HUD icon of the ARC-920 in Halo 4.
A Warrior-clad Spartan-IV wielding the ARC-920.
First-person view of the ARC-920 railgun.
Closeup view of the ARC-920 being reloaded.
Reloading an ARC-920.
An M645 round in the barrel.
An ARC-920 immediately after discharge.
An M645 round being fired.
Sarah Palmer wielding an ARC-920 against Merg Vol in Halo: Spartan Assault.
Spartan Newman firing an ARC-920 during the Battle of Ealen IV in Halo: Escalation.
First-person view of the ARC-920 by Fred-104 in the Halo 5: Guardians campaign.
First-person view of the ARC-920 in Halo 5: Guardians.
Smart scope with the ARC-920.
Alternate view of the ARC-920 in smart scope.
First-person view of the Whiplash on Battle of Noctus.
An Indomitable-clad Spartan-IV with Whiplash.
First-person view of the Arclight.
A Spartan-IV with Arclight.
Concept art of August-099 using an ARC-920 for Halo Wars 2.