M5 Talos

The light model (left), medium model (middle), and heavy model (right) of the 2531 M5 Talos.

The M5 Talos Weapon Station,, colloquially referred to simply as the "base turret", is an automated stationary weapons platform used by the United Nations Space Command. One of several automated turrets in UNSC service, the emplacement's standard armament is the M202 XP machine gun. While usually deployed mounted atop specialised mounting towers, the Talos is specifically only the targeting and aiming module at the top of the tower which mounts the weapon systems being fired.

Overview

Design details

The 2559-era base turret on Installation 00.

The Talos is a fairly modular weapons platform, capable of targeting and firing on enemy targets automatically or via manned use of a remote battle network uplink. The system can be mounted on a large variety of towers and mounting platforms, and accepts a variety of weapon systems for differing roles. They are generally used as part of the defensive network for UNSC prefabricated firebases, which typically have power and control hookups arranged for up to four Talos systems. Their use is the relic of an abandoned defence-in-depth doctrine used by the UNSC and abandoned as the Human-Covenant War ground on, destroying much of humanity's armed forces and industrial centres.

As with most human automated defences, the Talos can be deployed with multiple units networked together to act as a single machine. In these scenarios, the turrets are generally deployed with overlapping fields of fire with which they can be used to their best effect. Defensive networks like this generally rely on an optical or laser sensor and an IFF interrogator for target acquisition, which can then be shared across the network to best facilitate effective firing.

Armaments

Talos weapon stations are capable of fitting a wide variety of weapons, depending on intended use. The most standard loadout is a pair of M202 XP machine guns, though this can be upgraded to three or four M202s or even M41 Vulcans as needed. For anti-infantry defence, the turrets can be upgraded with a KG Mark 34 flame mortar or up to four unidentified rotary cannons, or a pair of M66 light railguns and Anaconda SAM launchers for anti-vehicle and anti-air defence, respectively.

The culmination of the Talos' power comes in the form of a mount for the M4131 rapid-fire howitzer, turning the turret into a 152mm heavy artillery system for long-ranged ground defense roles This configuration is known as the "siege turret"..

Base variants

Talos turrets are capable of being mounted on a huge variety of mountings and platforms. These include specially-designed towers constructed underneath a firebase or starship hull, a dropship-portable tower for rapid field deployment and even use inside a starship.

2531-era model

This version of the base turret was in use by at least 2531. It was used by the forces of the UNSC Spirit of Fire in the battles of Harvest, Arcadia and Trove, wherein it was deployed in the "pod" Firebases deployed by D20 Herons. These turrets were assembled in the underground section of the firebase before being deployed into one of the four available slots. Ammunition is stored under the turret, providing a steady supply for the weapon mounted on its 360-degree traversal mount. When a 2531-model base turret sustains too much damage, the structure explodes, but the turret slot remains intact, allowing the base to assemble and deploy another base turret. These turrets were also employed by unidentified Insurrectionist forces on Arcadia and Harvest. These turrets operated similarly to the light UNSC model, but possess maroon-colored plates over the UNSC green and have much weaker armor.

Base turrets are also equipped on starships. The UNSC Spirit of Fire features at least 15 base turrets on its hull, though their use is limited to repelling boarders rather than naval engagement. At least one of a weaker variant was mounted within the Pilgrims' Pride, and was destroyed by Spartan-IV Anthony Madsen during the skirmish onboard.

Three versions of this base turret are fielded, each of which has progressively heavier armor and armament. The light model features only one M202, whereas the medium variant mounts two M202s, and the heavy variant has four M41 Vulcans.

Upgrades

In addition to the turret's machine guns, a base turret could be equipped with additional armament. Their use is mutually exclusive, however, as there is insufficient space to mount more than one system on any given turret.

• Anti-infantry - A KG Mark 34 flame mortar is outfitted on the left side of a base turret for launching a ball of flame onto attacking infantry.
• Anti-armor - A pair of M66 light railguns is outfitted on both side of a base turret for firing high-density ferrous projectiles to penetrate armor at extreme range.
• Anti-air - Two Anaconda surface-to-air missile launchers are installed on both sides of a base turret to repel attacking aircraft.

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  A rebel base turret.

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  A base turret outfitted for enhanced anti-infantry capabilities.

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  A base turret outfitted for enhanced anti-armor capabilities.

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  A base turret outfitted for enhanced anti-air capabilities.

2559-era model

The turrets deployed by the Spirit of Fire on Installation 00 demonstrate a few minor aesthetic differences to their 2531 counterparts. These turrets can be deployed independently of Firebase deployments via Pelican airlift. Leaders such as Morgan Kinsano can use this ability to deploy a turret anywhere on the battlefield. Jerome-092 also has the ability to call in a specialised variant known as the Victory Turret. When deployed, it inspires friendly units. Tier I of the ability can deploy one turret, while Tier II can deploy two.

Upgrades

• Anti-infantry - The regular machine guns are replaced with four rotary cannons.
• Anti-vehicle - The regular machine guns are replaced by two M66 railguns.
• Anti-air - The regular machine guns are replaced by Anaconda missile pods.

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  An un-upgraded 2559 turret.

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  Anti-infantry variant.

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  Anti-vehicle variant.

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  Anti-air variant.

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  Victory Turret.

Gameplay

Halo Wars

A Base turret owned by the Covenant.

• Info: Turrets are good at defending bases aganst all enemy targets.
• Cost: Tech level 0, Supplies 250
• Upgrades:
  • Flame Mortar: Adds bonus Anti-Infantry Attack to the Turret.
    • Cost: Tech level 1, Supplies 100
  • Rail Gun: Adds bonus Anti-Vehicle Attack to the Turret.
    • Cost: Tech level 1, Supplies 100
  • Missile Launcher: Adds bonus Anti-Air Attack to the Turret.
    • Cost: Tech level 1, Supplies 100

In Halo Wars, the base turret is the main defensive building, serving as the human equivalent of the Kewu Umppi'pa'-pattern citadel turret. Base turrets become available for construction at the UNSC firebase's turret sockets after purchasing the Station upgrade. The campaign levels Cleansing and Repairs, both of which take place on the hull of the UNSC Spirit of Fire, feature a number of individual turrets sockets (15 and 11, respectively) on the hull to repel enemies. On the Skirmish map Beasley's Plateau, both UNSC and Covenant players have access to four individual turret sockets, each defending two building sites. On Skirmish, each rebel base features two to four base turrets, but they are considerably weaker than their UNSC counterparts.

For the specialised upgrades, the player may only use one upgrade at a time. Extra weapons do not affect the machine guns' operation. For example, a turret armed with an anti-air upgrade will still fire at infantry and vehicles. As well as weapon upgrades, base turrets can be further upgraded to medium turrets, and then large turrets at the UNSC Field Armory. The upgrade to a medium turret adds a third of the armor and another M202 XP machine gun. The upgrade to a large turret adds an additional 50% armor and two more machine guns.

On some maps with neutral turret building sites such as Beasley's Plateau, the Covenant are able to build Base turrets as the sites do not support the construction of Kewu Umppi'pa'-pattern citadel turrets. In this case, the Covenant-constructed turret will have Covenant highlights such as purple.

Halo Wars 2

• Info: Can be modified into anti-vehicle, infantry, or air turret
• Tier: 0
• Cost: Population 0, Supplies 300, Power 0
• Upgrades:
  • Anti-Infantry Turret: Converts the turret into an Anti-Infantry Turret. Best against infantry, okay against vehicles, poor against aircraft.
    • Cost: Power 300
  • Anti-Vehicle Turret: Converts the turret into an Anti-Vehicle Turret. Best against vehicles, okay against infantry, poor against aircraft.
    • Cost: Power 300
  • Anti-Air Turret: Converts the turret into an Anti-Infantry Turret. Best against aircraft, poor against infantry and vehicles.
    • Cost: Power 300
  • Fortify Base Upgrade I, II and III (Increases All Base Structures Durability, Turret Durability and Damage by 15%, 30% and 45% respectively).
  • R&D I, II and III (Leader Powers) Granting Base Turret with Energy Shield, the higher R&D Applies the higher Damage can be sustained.

Base turrets are one of the three buildings available on a turret slot, the others being the Watchtower and the Siege turret. Like their Halo Wars counterparts the turrets in Halo Wars 2 can be upgraded to anti-infanty, anti-vehicle, or anti-aircraft. Each of these upgrades cost 300 power and can only be built once the firebase has been upgraded into a Combat Station. The turret can be upgraded with energy shielding if the player applies a Leader Point into R&D Leader Powers and also can be upgraded with Fortify Base Upgrade to increase their health and attack power. The turrets can only be upgraded through the UNSC Armory.

Changes from Halo Wars to Halo Wars 2

• Turrets are no longer effective at defeating hordes of infantry.
• Field Armory upgrades changed from increasing armor and damage output to health and damage output.
• Base Turret can receive energy shielding through R&D leader power upgrades.

Trivia

The UNSC Turret Mega Bloks set depicted a UNSC turret as being manually operated as opposed to the automated system that is seen in the games.

Gallery

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  Concept art of the base turret.

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  Concept models of upgraded defense turrets.

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  A medium base turret equipped with two M202 XP machine guns and two M66 railguns.

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  Defensive turret in action.

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  Spartan Anthony Madsen destroying a base turret onboard the Pilgrims Pride.

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  Concept art for Flood defensive structures, one of which including a consumed Base turret (top-left).

List of appearances

• Halo Wars (First appearance)
• Halo: Escalation
• Halo Wars 2