M5 Talos

The light model (left), medium model (middle), and heavy model (right) of the UNSC base turret.

The base turret is a stationary weapons platform used by the United Nations Space Command, particularly deployed in UNSC Firebases. One of several automated turrets in UNSC service, the emplacement's standard armament is the M202 XP machine gun.

Design details

Base turrets are commonly used in the prefabricated UNSC firebases. When needed, a turret is 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 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.

Three versions of the 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.

Base turrets are also equipped on starships. The Template:UNSCship 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.

Variants

A rebel variant of the base turret was used by a group of insurrectionists operating on Harvest and Arcadia. These turrets operated similarly to the light UNSC model, but possess maroon-colored plates over the UNSC green and have much weaker armor.

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.

Gameplay

Halo Wars

• 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 Covenant automated plasma 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.

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.

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.

Gallery

• PORTFOLIO turret LAYOUT 01.jpg

  Concept art of the base turret.

• Unsc turret.jpg

  Concept models of upgraded defense turrets.

• M202 XP.jpg

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

• HWAjax7.jpg

  Defensive turret in action.

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

List of appearances

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