Z-180 Scattershot

Z-180 Scattershot
Production overview
Manufacturer:	Forerunner
Model series:	Z-180
Type:	Close Combat Rifle; Asymmetric Engagement Mitigator
Specifications
Length:	115.5 centimeters (45.5 in)
Width:	10.7 centimeters (4.2 in)
Height:	34.1 centimeters (13.4 in)
Ammunition type:	Ionized particles
Feed system:	5 rounds
Rate of fire:	108 rpm (Halo 4); 72 rpm (Halo 5: Guardians);
Effective range:	Short to medium
Service history
In service:	Forerunner-Flood War; Post-Covenant War conflicts

The Scattershot (UNSC Z-classification: Z-180 Close Combat Rifle/Asymmetric Engagement Mitigator, Z-180 CCR/AEM) is a Forerunner energy channel weapon that was originally used by Builder Security forces.^[1]^[5] It is commonly carried by Promethean Knight Battlewagons.

Overview

Operational history

The Scattershot gained popular use by Builder Security who used it to engage the Flood during large scale evacuations of Forerunner planets.^[6] Effectively an exotic analogue to a human shotgun, the Scattershot was first used as a close-range defensive weapon toward the end of the Forerunner-Flood war. The Scattershot is extremely dangerous in relatively close quarters, and fires multiple individual projectiles, though its most remarkable attribute is that its rounds can ricochet off surfaces.^[5] As a weapon created to combat the Flood and prevent them from reusing corpses, it will disintegrate its targets if enough of the projectiles hit them at the same time.^[7]

Design details

The weapon bears the hallmarks of Forerunner design: highly angular and metallic. It appears to be held together at least partly by energy fields, as indicated by its self-assembly process and floating sights. Orange highlights can be seen while the weapon is self-assembling and throughout the casing once assembly is complete; these highlights grow brighter when the weapon is fired. The weapon receives five energy cells from a breach-loaded compartment.^[8] The Scattershot was manufactured and developed by Ferrarius Assembler Vats.^[9]

A modified and repurposed form of the Scattershot's energy pellets are used by the Scatterbound variant of the Heatwave weapon.^[10]^[11]

Variants

Loathsome Thing: The Loathsome Thing, stained in the ichor of an unaccountable number of Flood across hundred thousand different hives, is an improved model with increased damage, a faster rate of fire of 140 RPM, faster reload speed, and a doubled magazine size.^[12] This particular Scattershot also appears as the second hidden weapon in the mission Osiris, appearing in a pair.^[13]
Didact's Signet: The Didact's Signet, handcrafted by the Ur-Didact to reward his most elite Prometheans, is an advanced model that fires a quartet of stronger, faster moving, and longer ranged projectiles compared to normal Scattershots. Its projectiles also have stronger tracking capabilities after ricocheting.^[12] This particular Scattershot can be found as a hidden weapon in the mission The Breaking.^[14]

Loathsome Thing.
Didact's Signet.

Gameplay

Halo 4

In Halo 4, the Scattershot fills a role as a close-quarters power weapon, similar to the UNSC's M45D shotgun. The Scattershot differentiates with a faster rate of fire but a lower lethal range (though its effective range exceeds the shotgun's), and smaller magazine size and lower total ammunition carried.

In Infinity Slayer the Scattershot is a relatively common Ordnance drop weapon. It also spawns at the start of match on several maps, such as Adrift, Abandon, and Haven. The weapon is best used in engagements where at extremely close range, such as the enclosed hallways of Adrift or out of the lifts on Abandon.

In object-based matches, the Scattershot is an excellent defensive weapon for just about any gametype. Anyone charging your hill or attempting to take your flag should be met with the brutal rebuke of your hard-light projectiles. On the offensive, having one is a great way to clear said hill or flag zone of defenders, and taking down the Oddball carrier.

In Dominion matches, although the Scattershot is a relatively rare ordnance drop and does not appear at all in Lockdown, it is still very useful, and, unsurprisingly, an excellent weapon for defending bases.

Halo 5: Guardians

In Halo 5: Guardians the weapon performs more or less identically to its predecessor, with some major differences. First, the weapon now fires consistently, with the shots of the weapon forming a spread-X pattern, which is then constricted under smart scope's use, a stark difference to the Halo 4 rendition's inconsistent output. In addition, bolts will track slightly, similar to other hardlight weapons in Halo 5: Guardians, if bounced off a hard surface. This makes the Scattershot a brutal tool for controlling a point in Strongholds, protecting a flag in CTF, or cleaning out an Armory in Warzone. It should not, however, be utilized for long-range engagements past 10.3 meters (34 ft), as its range increase is not that dramatic.

Warzone variants include the Loathsome Thing, which features increased magazine size of 10 rounds, more damage, a faster reload time, and a higher rate of fire, and the Didact's Signet, which has higher projectile tracking on ricochets and increased range, including the ability to instantly kill targets up to 21 meters (69 ft) away when scoped in.

In Halo: Spartan Strike, the weapon can ricochet and has double the range of the M45D shotgun. When fired, it spreads six projectiles that can bounce off walls as long as it is inside the range of fire.

Changes from Halo 4 to Halo 5: Guardians

Hardlight rounds are now much tighter when fired, including a consistent shot pattern.
- All rounds disintegrate at the same time instead of one by one.
Fires eight rounds instead of six.
Ricochet rounds now track slightly.
Reload is slightly faster.
Can be Smart Scoped for increased accuracy, which also alters the weapon's design.
Only one round is now needed to disintegrate dead bodies.
Aiming reticle has been changed.
Melee animations have been changed to be identical to those of the shotgun.
Rear sight no longer retracts when the player sprints.
Firing rate decreased to 72 RPM (-1/3).

Gallery

Concept art

Concept art of the Scattershot and Incineration Cannon for Halo 4.
Concept art of the Scattershot for Halo 4.

Screenshots

The HUD icon of the Z-180 from the HUD in an earlier build of Halo 4.
The HUD icon of the Z-180 from the HUD in the final build of Halo 4.
Profile image of the Z-180 Scattershot in Halo 4.
First-person view of the Z-180 in Halo 4's E3 2012 campaign demo.
The Scattershot's lines glowing in Halo 4's E3 2012 campaign demo.
First-person view of the Scattershot by John-117 in the Halo 4 campaign.
The Scattershot in multiplayer, on Haven.
The Scattershot being fired.
Two opposing Spartan-IVs, with one wielding the Scattershot, on Haven.
The Scattershot as part of an Ordnance drop on Haven.
Closeup of the Scattershot's barrel.
Render of the Scattershot in Halo 5: Guardians.
First-person view of the Scattershot by Frederic-104 in the Halo 5: Guardians campaign.
Smart scope view of the Scattershot by Fred-104 in the Halo 5: Guardians campaign.
Fred-104 using smart scope with the Scattershot on Genesis.
John-117 wielding a Scattershot on Genesis.
First-person view of the Loathsome Thing by Edward Buck in the Halo 5: Guardians campaign.
Olympia Vale and Edward Buck, each with a Loathsome Thing, on Kamchatka.
First-person view of the Didact's Signet by Fred-104 in the Halo 5: Guardians campaign.
Fred-104 with the Didact's Signet on Genesis.
First-person view of the Scattershot in Halo 5: Guardians.
A Scattershot engaged in smart scope in Halo 5: Guardians.
Third-person view of a Scattershot engaged in smart scope in Halo 5: Guardians.
The Scattershot's spread-X projectiles in Halo 5: Guardians.
First-person view of the Loathsome Thing.
A Centurion-clad Spartan-IV wielding the Loathsome Thing on Stasis.
First-person view of the Didact's Signet.
A Centurion-clad Spartan-IV wielding the Didact's Signet on Stasis.
The effect of the Didact's Signet.
A Knight holding the weapon.
A Knight Dignitary with a Scattershot in Halo 5: Guardians.