SRS99C-S2 AM Sniper Rifle
Rate of Fire : Average, semi-automatic (2 rounds per second)
Operation : Gas System
Fire Mode : Game: Semi-Automatic
Story: Semi-Automatic
Ammunition : 14.5mm x 114 (Armor-Piercing, Fin-Stabilized, Discarding Sabot)
Damage per Hit: Very high
Range : Medium to very long
Accuracy : Very high
Magazine Size : 4 rounds
Maximum Ammo : 28/68* rounds (including fully loaded magazine)
*In the level "Truth and Reconciliation", the weapon starts
off with 64 rounds.
Once you expend the bonus rounds you can only carry the standard 24.
Advantages
The sniper rifle is designed to be used at medium to long ranges, and is equipped with a scope and night vision for precisely this purpose. With its 2x and 10x zooms and ability to penetrate Covenant shields, the sniper rifle is useful against distant Elites. A headshot against any Covenant infantry except a Zealot (Gold) Elite or Hunter results in an instant kill; Hunters fall from one shot to their unarmored torso or neck. When playing in the highest difficulty, Legendary, this is only true for Minor (blue) Elites; the Majors (red) will take two shots to the head, and the Zealots will take three. Also when night vision function is turned on (activated by pressing the flashlight button) one can see an invisible Elite very easily(note that in normal, easy, and heroic difficulties, the sniper rifle can kill pretty much an enemy in two shots as long as they hit the enemy [this doesn't include the Hunters' armor and the Jackals' energy shield]. When playing online, some players use the sniper rifle to great effect when camping. For example, someone will crouch inside a confined hallway, and fire without the use of the scope from close range, resulting in an instant kill.
Disadvantages
The sniper rifle is almost impossible to aim at short range, due to the sticky-aim being removed when the scope is disabled and the paltry 4-shot magazine. It also has a steeper learning curve than most weapons, taking significant practice to master. Like any weapon, there is a need to lead targets if they are affected by internet lag, and it is hard to use at short range because its aim is so precise. Ammunition for this weapon is also quite rare. It is highly ineffective against all forms of Flood and against Sentinels. The only way that the sniper rifle can be effective against the flood is if you fire at thier arms, which will fall off leaving them harmless. The bullets leave a strong visible trail that can reveal the shooter's position to others. Though the cartridges would fit an anti-materiel rifle, the rifle performs poorly even against Ghosts, unless the pilot is shot, or the half-orb energy cell, (commonly mistaken for a "gas tank") on the left side of the ghost is shot.
Influence
The sniper rifle appears to heavily inspired by (if not directly copied from) the South African NTW-20 anti-material rifle. This weapon is chambered for both the 20mm x 83.5 round and the 14.5mm x 114 cartridge. Many of the features present in the Halo-version are included in the real weapon's makeup, including the muzzle brake, the recoil-dampening piston, and the general look of the receiver. The NTW-20, however, is a bolt-action weapon that feeds from a three-round side-mounted detachable box magazine.
Multiplayer Role
Sniping, both moving and from a fixed location (camping), is very popular in Halo multiplayer. Uses for the sniper rifle include base defense, teleport denial, and picking off enemy players in Warthogs and Scorpion tanks. Network lag is a serious problem for this weapon, as even a small error makes the difference between a hit and a miss. When using the Sniper rifle, an enemy can sneak up from behind and melee the shooter's back for an instant kill, simply because the motion tracker is not shown when zoomed in. (Note that motion trackers are only disabled when zoomed in Halo 2. In the original it is prudent to glance at your motion tracker often when zoomed in.) A useful tactic, called "injection" or "no-scoping," involves using the sniper rifle at close range to quickly incapacitate an opponent. Although very effective, this requires a large amount of practice. If a successful melee snipe is performed, a follow up melee attack will finish the foe.
Effective Against
All Covenant