Manny wrote: Shad0wChas3r wrote:Building off of Manny's proposal for a Needler based sniper rifle, I also created a Brute Spiker variant; the Impaler.
It's incredibly inaccurate, due to the fact the Ballistic is a two foot long piece of molten metal. It makes up for this with the Smart-lock target locating system, which allows the spike to home in on the target's body, at a reduced velocity, thus causing less damage. It also allows users of the Needler variant, or even the standard Human Sniper to home in on their targets, if they choose to sync.
Without the link, the Impaler *the Spiker-rifle* has the punch to generally pierce most shields with one shot, so long as the distance is relatively long/mid range. The closer, the higher the damage output. It has four shots per clip, and reloading takes about a minute, if you're quick.
As an example of the sheer power, if one was to shoot a grunt in the chest, the spike would not only impale them, but would lift them off of their feet and stick them to the nearest surface, much like the Javelin gun from Dead Space.
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As for the Devastator *the Needler-sniper*, it is a sniper rifle with two firing functionalities. It is either single fire, or semi-automatic, like it's rifle counterpart.
In single fire mode, a single needle can cause a mini super combined explosion, on the same power level of a Concussion rifle grenade. It's firing rate is kind of slow, as the needles themselves can home in to their target slightly as is the nature of the Needler weapons. If used in conjunction with the Impaler's smart-lock, the weapon will almost always hit the target's midsection/chest.
In semi-automatic mode, needles can be fired as fast as the user can pull the trigger, but with a slight delay between each firing. It's miniature super-combining shots are significantly lowered, enough to pop an Elite General's shields in three-to four shots. Headshots can lower shields at a faster rate than just body shots, however. If more than five shots are lodged in a target, they will explode with the force of two plasma grenades.
The rifle has a twenty round clip, and reloading take about a minute to complete, due to the instability of the rounds being placed inside.
Before I say anything, let me get one thing straight: I love your concepts for these weapons. However, there a few things I find worth questioning....
Impaler QuestionsWhy is the smart lock only on the Impaler? Is this simply a question of it being designed there first, and will be eventually implemented into different future sniper rifles?
Simple, the weapon itself has shit accuracy. Therefore, ONI eggheads tried to implement a smart-lock technology to help boost it's accuracy. However, based on the nature of the homing technology, most of the spikes would need to take some pretty drastic angular turns to hit their target, therefore reducing the velocity with which it hits the enemy. The plausibility of this being added to the other Snipers is completely redundant, as the user can sync with friendly snipers' HUDs, therefore allowing them access to the system without requiring it for their weapons as well.
When you say that without the smart lock, the Impaler can pierce shields... do you mean to say that with smart lock it can't? Simply because of a lower velocity somehow produced by the smart lock? I don't see how having a scope affects the mechanism that fires the bullet. Putting a sight on an M16 doesn't affect the bullets themselves.
As I said above, it has shit accuracy, and the Smart-lock would potentially make the spikes move at extreme angles to reach a target. This causes the projectile to slow down, and, at the cost of velocity, would also affect them amount of penetration. It's not the firing mechanism, or the sight itself that lowers penetration, it's the homing effect after firing. Again, the closer the rifleman is to a target, the more likely the rounds will pierce, because there is less of a chance of an angle change.
Consider wind direction a factor with REAL weapons, if the wind affects a bullet too much, it won't have quite as much penetration. This is why Snipers alter their drop range on their snipers to give as much velocity as possible to counter the wind.
Oh, and why is it that a sniper rifle becomes more dangerous the closer you are? It's designed to be deadly from far away, so why is the gun more lethal up close? That, in real life, would be a major design flaw I believe.
You seem kinda frustrated with my design. I would have figured that a Brute fan such as yourself would've been giddy as hell seeing a design like this. It's
like a Sniper, but could be classified as a DMR. It has the recoil of a sniper, but the mid/semi-long range capacity of a DMR.
People called the DMR in Halo Reach/4 a psuedo sniper rifle, does that make it a sniper rifle? I certainly don't think so.
One last thing, regarding your story post. Why can't the smart lock home in on heads? It may be a prototype, but what is physically stopping the software from homing in on heads? It's just another part of the body, so if it can lock onto the human body it should be able to do the whole thing.
Let's be honest, this thing would be over-powered as fuck if it could breach shields while smart-locking, and could easily aim for the head. I wanted to create a weapon with flaws *remember the allied Brutes helped the UNSC design this thing* so that I wasn't stealing all the kills of all the other collaborators here. It is still a useful weapon, it's just so Phil doesn't snipe just about every Forerunner with one shot.
I'm trying to be more conservative with my characters, and stop trying to play the hero all the time. By making my guns less than perfect, I can prevent my characters from remaining Gary Stu's.
You might find it completely irrelevant to your question, but it's to benefit you guys in the long run. Besides, it's as you said, it's just a prototype, they can always perfect it later on, if the general consensus says 'yes'.
These compromises seem to fit more in with a game than an actual warzone. We're trying to develop the deadliest weapons possible, don't hold back on the weapons!
Which would be pretty epic if we saw them in Halo 5, but I digress. As I said above, I'm willing to make it a god-like weapon, if people generally say yes. I'm just trying to be conservative and stop playing the hero all the damn time. 'Cause when we do collabs, I feel like I'm always the one trying to take the spotlight, it's someone else's turn.
But I appreciate the feedback you have given, so thank you!
Impaler Comments
The wireless (I assume) syncing of smart lock between different rifles does seem pretty high tech, especially the "retro" compatibility this smart lock is showing. It is perhaps one of my favourite features of this new software, and I adore it.
You are right, Smart-link is a wireless sync between each Spartan's Mjolnir's HUDs, should they choose to sync. Therefore, Linda, whose skills don't require a smart-link, can reject a sync. But someone like Morgan, whose age is catching up to him, might require that extra help.
But again, thank you for the feedback. All things considering, I was honestly very pleased with the design of this weapon.
Devastator Questions
Why is it they explode after five needles in semi-automatic mode? As far as I am aware, the number of needles required for a supercombine decreases as the size of the needles increases (i.e. Needler pistol requires 3 large needles, needler require seven small needles). It's not like the size of the needles change when switching firing modes, so a supercombine should occur within the same number of needles, regardless of firing mode.
Again, I'm trying not to make an overpowered weapon so that my characters can steal the spotlight, if it's too much of an issue, I'll change the specs. Can't say it enough though, I'm being conservative with my characters, which should reflect by these guns.
Also, we're not too sure how the needler reloads. The best theory I ever saw was one that involved the gun storing some kind of chemical, which would then react with oxygen to produce the needles we all know. However, it is possible that Humanity learned to crystallize whatever it is that forms needles into needles and perhaps even "harden" them somehow to improve penetrating power? This could also explain why the needles are now reloaded like human ammunition?
I too am familiar with that theory, and was actually considering the reloading to be similar to that of a CO2 canister like thing that Humans had learned from the allied Elites, such as Anch. Which now reminds me, he might play a part later on, but not now, as I'm too encumbered by six different characters.
Devastator Comments
I love the fact that when used in conjunction with the smart lock, a hit is almost guaranteed. While this may take away some of the "skill", when you're fighting a desperate war... I think you want a large number of accurate snipers, even if they have to rely on technology to be accurate.
To be perfectly honest, it's not a matter of Phil or Morgan relying on the technology. They both are definitely competent snipers in their own right, but it certainly gives them a leg up on opposition with the Smart-link.
Add that in to the Devastator's sheer destructive power, a squad of snipers with this weapon could probably take down a Promethean Battlewagon with little trouble from afar.
I'd be alright with that, and I'm sure the other ODSTs turned Spartans would too.
