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Weapons and Weapon Tactics
Halo 5: Guardians

Weapons and Weapon Tactics

Learn about UNSC, Covenant, and Promethean weapons in Halo 5: Guardians, including tactics for the Magnum, Shotgun, SMG, and more.

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Learn about UNSC, Covenant, and Promethean weapons in Halo 5: Guardians, including tactics for the Magnum, Shotgun, SMG, and more.

Walkthrough
  1. 1
    UNSC (Human) Weapons: The human faction has the most weapons. The Sticky Detonator is absent, but most Halo 4 weapons return. New additions include the SMG and the Hydra Launcher.
  2. 2
    Magnum: A good sidearm effective at close to medium range, capable of head shot kills with a decent rate of fire.
  3. 3
    Shotgun: Devastating up close, but weak at mid-long range. Ideal for tight interior spaces or caves.
  4. 4
    SMG: Features an extremely fast rate of fire with significant recoil, making it best for close range on larger targets in short bursts. Good for finishing off enemies with depleted shields due to its large ammo capacity.
  5. 5
    Assault Rifle: The standard weapon, accurate with an impressive rate of fire. It consumes a lot of ammo and is best at short-medium range, often followed by a melee attack.
  6. 6
    SAW: A powerful, fully automatic machine gun with a fast rate of fire and high recoil. Best used at close range in short bursts for maximum efficiency. Its large clip is useful for clearing areas or defending positions.
  7. 7
    Battle Rifle: Fires a highly accurate three-round burst with a short-range scope, excellent for unshielded enemies at middle to long range.
  8. 8
    DMR: Fires a single shot with a slower rate of fire than the Battle Rifle but is highly effective at long range due to its longer scope. Excellent for headshots in skilled hands at mid-long range.
  9. 9
    Sniper Rifle: A staple weapon with a scope offering two zoom levels. Capable of quick follow-up shots before reloading. A headshot (a shot that lands on the enemy's head, usually an instant kill) is usually lethal, with heavily armored enemies requiring more.
  10. 10
    Frag Grenade: The standard UNSC grenade with a 3-second fuse after contact. Essential in both campaign and multiplayer.
  11. 11
    Rail Gun: Must be charged before firing an explosive projectile, similar to a gauss warthog round. Most effective at short-medium range.
  12. 12
    Hydra Launcher: A new weapon that lobs multiple grenades, effective at close to medium range.
  13. 13
    Covenant Weapons: (Details to follow in subsequent sections).
  14. 14
    Promethean Weapons: (Details to follow in subsequent sections).
  15. 15
    Legendary/Unique Variants: Special versions of weapons found during the campaign that grant players special abilities.
Tips
  • The Magnum is a reliable backup weapon for quick headshots.
  • Utilize the Shotgun's power in close-quarters combat, especially in confined areas.
  • For the SMG, tap the trigger in short bursts to manage recoil and conserve ammo.
  • The Assault Rifle is a good general-purpose weapon for short to medium engagements.
  • The SAW is excellent for suppressing fire or holding down an area.
  • The Battle Rifle and DMR excel at medium to long range, with the DMR being superior for long-distance headshots.
  • The Sniper Rifle is crucial for eliminating high-priority targets from a distance.
  • Frag Grenades are versatile for flushing out enemies or area denial.
  • The Rail Gun is effective against shielded enemies and at medium ranges.
  • The Hydra Launcher provides area damage at close to medium range.

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