Assault cannon
From Halopedia, the Halo wiki
| “ | The Mgalekgolo opened fire with their assault cannons, the weapons making a sound that was like the bellowing of some gigantic primordial beast.[1] | ” |
Assault cannons are a family of heavy weapons utilised by the Covenant.[2] They are most famously employed by the Mgalekgolo, or "Hunters" - heavy infantry forces that typically wield an assault cannon mounted to their right arm in place of a hand. However, they may also be used as a vehicle armament or emplacement, and have been used in conjunction with a wide variety of the Covenant's ground and aerial vehicles.[3]
Overview[edit]
Design details[edit]
Assault cannons take the form of large, heavy fuel rod weapons used by vehicles and heavy infantry forces. They utilise the same machine architecture and power systems as conventional fuel rod weapons alongside similar ammunition, though are still categorically distinct.[3] The most commonly-encountered kind of assault cannon are those equipped by Hunters in lieu of right hands,[3] measuring around 2 meters (6 ft 7 in) in length.[4] These weapons are grafted onto the creature directly,[3] and are aimed and fired by that one hand while the other usually uses a nanolaminate shield to ward off enemy fire. The emitter at the front of the weapon is usually surrounded by three claws, which can be used by the Hunter for manipulating objects.
Mechanically, the weapons can be broadly divided into two distinct categories; fuel rod guns and assault beams.[5] The former work almost identically to standard infantry fuel rod guns such as the Zasqi-pattern, storing fuel rods in a cylindrical magazine that are fed into the weapon and fired as projectiles.[3][6][7][8] Assault beams, on the other hand, operate in a more unique fashion similar to more conventional plasma weapons. Rather than firing a physical projectile, assault beams use magnetic fields to shape and guide streams of incendiary gel[2] to their targets. Rather than fed from a magazine, these weapons appear to have transparent containers of incendiary gel fitted to the external carapace; the incendiary gel inside the container glows a vibrant green. To fire, the weapon must charge up for a short time before releasing its plasma.[3] Assault beams, or a similar variation thereupon, appear to be affixed to the gravity thrones of the Hierarchs for use in self-defense, if necessary.[9]
These gel-based assault cannons can fire in a number of firing modes dependant on use case, though some of the most common are single-fire explosive shots[10], continuous beams similar in nature to the focus cannons of the larger Scarabs,[11][12] and a rapid-fire of dozens of shots similar to a machine gun.[13]
Variants[edit]
All specifically-observed variations of assault cannon derive from the assault beam described above, relying on tubes of incendiary gel to feed a plasma projector. These include:
- Berserker's Claw: an assault cannon that fires single shots, capable of tracking enemy aircraft.[14]
- Wicked Grasp: an assault cannon that fires in short bursts.[15]
- Siphon beam: Mgalekgolo Captains have a bigger and more powerful assault cannon with red fuel rods. Upgrades to this cannon can allow it to overcharge, increasing the damage, range and area of effect, while also stealing life from the targets hit by the beam.[16]
Berserker's Claw.
Wicked Grasp.
Gameplay[edit]
Variations between the games[edit]
In terms of gameplay, the assault cannon has changed with each installment, in terms of operation and aesthetics, mostly to balance gameplay.
- In Halo: Combat Evolved, the assault cannon fires single shots, similar to fuel rod gun shots, and appears to contain its gel supply in a "drum" mounted underneath the arm. Also, the cannon fires in a more parabolic arch than any other variant, resulting in a range, but low accuracy. Hunters will not continue to track once the cannon has started to charge, making them inaccurate with moving targets. Strangely, Hunters will never hit a stationary target, meaning that the original assault cannon's recoil severely lowers its accuracy. The player can use this to their advantage to avoid being injured by standing completely still and firing from that position.
- In Halo 2, there are minor changes to the assault cannon's appearance, but the weapon fires a continuous stream rather than individual blasts while the "drum" reloaded and fired. Because it is a continuous beam, this makes it possible to survive a hit from it on Legendary difficulty if the player can very quickly move out of the stream. Halo 2 also marks the only appearance of the variant used by the Hierarchs' gravity thrones, which is the Prophet of Regret's primary offensive ability in the level Regret.
- In Halo 3, the assault cannon is aesthetically very different, but operates much the same as it does in Halo 2. The cannon's beam in can be cut off instantaneously if the target has gone to cover, which allows the Hunter to reposition. Also, the "claws" seem to have hinges, although they are never seen moving in gameplay. Plus, the beam is a bit faster, a lot more damaging, and can blow away movable cover, such as supply crates.
- In Halo Wars, Hunters start with the mortar version of the assault cannon. Their last upgrade turns it into the beam version, which severely increases the damage.
- In Halo 3: ODST, the Hunters appeared in two different forms in two different colors. This first is the traditional blue-armored Hunter, armed with an assault cannon that fires a continuous stream of radioactive incendiary gel. The other wears gold-colored armor and is armed with an assault cannon that fires a single bolt of radioactive incendiary gel which is similar to the weapon model featured in Halo: Combat Evolved.
- Halo: Reach features a full return to the Halo: CE -era assault cannon, which fires single explosive blobs of bright green gel. The blast radius is greatly increased and the splash damage can even hurt enemies that are behind thin cover. However, shooting the cannon as it charges can stop it from firing.
- In Halo 4, the Hunters' assault cannon is very similar to the one in Halo: Reach.
- In Halo 5: Guardians, the assault cannon can fire in two different modes. The first mode consists in two quick shots that do large amounts of damage. The other mode unleashes several small projectiles that track players but do noticeably less damage. The small projectiles are fast and meant to target players at ranges where the main attack would not be effective. Halo 5 also introduces the assault cannon as a usable weapon in multiplayer, though each version appears to have only one firing mode as opposed to the hunter's dual-firing version.
- In Halo Infinite, the assault cannon is much like its Guardians counterpart, with two firing modes. The primary mode is a single, powerful arching shot. The secondary mode is a rapid fire stream of weaker tracking projectiles.
Trivia[edit]
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- When using the Bump Possession cheat in Halo: Combat Evolved to control a Hunter, holding left click down and repeatedly right clicking allows the controlled Hunter to rapidly fire its Assault Cannon without overheating. Whether this accelerated manner of attack is actually utilized at all in AI controlled opponents' behavioral patterns is unknown.
Gallery[edit]
The assault cannon in Halo: Combat Evolved.
Mgalekgolo firing the assault cannon in Halo: Combat Evolved.
The assault cannon in Halo 2.
A gravity throne's integrated assault cannons emit an intense glow when active.
The assault cannon Halo 3.
Another view of the assault cannon.
An assault cannon preparing to fire in Halo 3.
A Mgalekgolo using its assault cannon in Halo 3.
The assault cannon in Halo 3: ODST.
A "flak" Hunter firing its assault cannon in Halo 3: ODST.
An assault cannon in Halo: Reach.
The blast of an assault cannon in Halo: Reach.
A Mgalekgolo with an assault cannon in Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary.
An assault cannon primes to fire at Thomas Lasky in Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn.
A Mgalekgolo with an assault cannon in Halo 4.
A Mgalekgolo with an assault cannon in Halo 2: Anniversary.
A Mythic Mgalekgolo prepares to fire its assault cannon on March on Stormbreak in Halo 5: Guardians.
Banished Mgalekgolo firing their assault cannons in Halo Wars 2.
A view of the assault cannon in Halo Infinite.
A Banished Mgalekgolo fires its assault cannon in Halo Infinite.
A berserk Mgalekgolo's overcharged assault cannon in Halo Infinite.
A berserk Mgalekgolo firing its assault cannon in Halo Infinite.
An Ardent Mgalekgolo fires its assault cannon at the Master Chief in Halo Infinite.
List of appearances[edit]
Sources[edit]
- ^ Halo: Broken Circle, chapter 18
- ^ a b Halo: Contact Harvest, chapter 16
- ^ a b c d e f Halo Encyclopedia (2022 edition), page 298
- ^ Halo: Ghosts of Onyx, chapter 8: "A pair of hulking Covenant Hunters blocked the Spartans' retreat. They raised their two-meter-long fuel rod arm cannons."
- ^ Halo Wars, Assault Beam upgrade
- ^ Halo: Combat Evolved, Hunter in-game enemy
- ^ Halo 2, Hunter in-game enemy
- ^ Halo Wars, Hunter in-game unit
- ^ Halo 2, campaign level Regret
- ^ Halo 3: ODST, Flak Hunter in-game enemy
- ^ Halo 3, Hunter in-game enemy
- ^ Halo 3: ODST, Hunter in-game enemy
- ^ Halo 5: Guardians, Hunter in-game enemy
- ^ Halo 5: Guardians, REQ card: Berserker's Claw description "Spartans are well-versed at sourcing weapons from the remains of their enemies. The Berserker's Claw fires a devastating fuel rod shot after a short charging cycle. This fuel rod will track aerial targets."
- ^ Halo 5: Guardians, REQ card: Wicked Grasp description "The Lekgolo that remain in this stolen limb retain a feral vestige of their once-expansive composite mind. The Wicked Grasp fires bursts of tracking plasma shots."
- ^ Halo Wars 2, Phoenix Logs: Hunter Captain
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