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The M7057 Defoliant Projector Flamethrower is a special weapons only available in the PC/Mac Multiplayer versions of the game. Though it was meant to be featured in Halo CE Campaign, it did not make it into the game. In the cutscene where Master Chief obtains the neural implant of Keyes (the brain form), He was meant to use the flamethrower to burn it out.
Advantages
The Flamethrower can kill an enemy very quickly if used in close proximity, and the enemy continues to burn after they are hit with the flamethrower, sometimes causing them to die even if they run away. It is also stingy when using up fuel units, so protracted blasts of flame are sustainable on one fuel container. Finally, there is no need for accuracy when using the Flamethrower; merely pointing it in the enemy's direction will kill them in seconds. Also, the flamethrower has a capability of being unlimited in the first multiplayer map The flamethrower is very effective against any campaign unit. You can only fight against campaign units with multiplayer weapons by modding.
Disadvantages
Several things counterbalance the Flamethrower's high damage rate. First of, it reloads slowly, and is subject to overheating. Second, ammunition is often unavailable. And third, the Flamethrower can damage its own user if one walks into the trail of flame left behind by the weapon. This lets the enemy run away while stopping the user from giving chase. If used at a distance, the Flamethrower takes longer to kill an enemy, and might not even damage them. Finally, the Flamethrower is very rare. There are only one or two of them per map.
Influences
The Defoliant Projector Flamethrower was inspired by a similar flamethrower from the Marathon series. The shark-like decal on it is borrowed from the game as well. In Marathon, however, it is featured on the rocket launcher. The Defoliant Projector's number, 7057, is a alpha-numeric callback to the Weapon from Marathon's name, the TOZT. There is also a high chance it was influenced by the flamethrower from the Aliens movies, as was the assualt rifle.
Multiplayer Role
Using the Flamethrower in small spaces or in groups of enemies works best, and the trail of flame blinds snipers by producing a temporary smokescreen. It is especially effective if used to retreat by running backwards away from an enemy to leave a trail of flame, deterring would-be pursuers from giving chase to a wall of fire. This weapon can also take out groups of people in vehicles, provided they are close and moving relatively slowly. Effective uses include infiltrating an enemy base and defending the flag in CTF. It is also a very good ambush weapon, as it does a lot of damage in a short amount of time.
Trivia
The Flamethrower's number designation,7057, can be translated from "number speak", and it means the TOST. It may be a reference to the Marathon Flame Thrower, which was named the TOZT-7, or it simply relates to the flamethrower's function, to toast things.