My Halo News.com

The latest news about the Halo series of games from Microsoft

  • ‘Encrushinated’ is DEFINITELY not a word.

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    Bungie.net’s posted another Halo 3 Humpday writeup – a 2v2 match of old guys vs young, fit (well, okay, young) contractors. It’s pretty cool to hear that gravity is as changeable as any other gameplay attribute – makes you wonder what OTHER new options we’re going to see. Avateur was first with the news.(Louis Wu 13:16:49 UTC)

  • Halo 2 Stats Sigs, Resurrected

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    Some time ago, a site called HaloImpulse hosted flash signatures displaying Halo 2 stats. That site has since disappeared. AJay just wrote to us to tell us that he’s resurrected the script that generates these .sigs, and is willing to host them for whoever wants to use them as forum signatures around the net. Swing by his page at AJay17.com for more details.(Louis Wu 13:09:28 UTC)

  • Friday’s Fanfic

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    Eight new pieces are available for reading in the Fan Fiction section today – check ’em out!(Louis Wu 13:05:43 UTC)

  • Bye-bye, Team Brutes

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    elessar787 noticed a comment by Ninja 0n Fire on the Bungie.net forums – looks like Team Brutes is disappearing from the BTB Slayer playlist when Matchmaking playlists are next updated (which, according to last week’s BWU, should be in the next couple of weeks). Bummer – I sort of liked that gametype.(Louis Wu 12:59:44 UTC)

  • This Laser Is As Accurate As This Laser

    What’s the most accurate thing you can think of? Probably this laser. The answer is a weapon so versatile it can snipe infantry or fry vehicles. It even makes coffee at a thousand yards. It is the Spartan Laser, the heavily-censored subject of KP‘s latest treatise on the weapons and vehicles in Halo 3.


  • This Laser Is As Accurate As This Laser

    Spartan Laser

    What’s the most accurate thing you can think of? Probably this laser. The answer is a weapon so versatile it can snipe infantry or fry vehicles. It even makes coffee at a thousand yards. It is the Spartan Laser, the heavily-censored subject of KP‘s latest treatise on the weapons and vehicles in Halo 3.


  • Behold The Power Of Ten

    The Power Of Ten is a simple idea: make a Myth map using only ten monster tags. Check their site for official rules. Thanks to PlayMyth for the announcement.


  • Behold The Power Of Ten

    Myth Logo

    The Power Of Ten is a simple idea: make a Myth map using only ten monster tags. Check their site for official rules. Thanks to PlayMyth for the announcement.


  • Sad Panda Update 02/01/07

    New happenings in the United Sovereign of Frowns

  • Halo 3 Humpday

    This week Frankie and Staten took on Stosh and KP in a special Humpday with a twist. Read on to find out exactly what this twist was, and no it is not Frankie’s standard twist.

  • Miller Pack Installment 4: SMG Love and Guns Don’t Kill People

    The Millers, Mike and Cody, who aren’t related, are all about proving people wrong. Mike decided to do the impossible Belly of the Beast section of Truth and Reconciliation without firing a shot, and without losing a marine. Cody decided that he’d plow through Halo 2 on legendary with only the ‘useless’ SMG. Both create action movie gold.

    Guns Don’t Kill People – 3:38

    PSP – 16MB
    Zune – 9MB
    iPod – 8.5MB

    How I learned to Love the SMG – 3:24

    PSP – 14MB
    Zune – 7MB
    iPod – 11MB


  • Review Frenzy is living up to their name

    GLewis recently started Review Frenzy: the Podtacular game reviewing team. He and the Review Frenzy crew have already posted 4 game reviews! The most recent is for Battlestations: Midway and there are also reviews you can check out for Lost Planet, Rainbow Six: Vegas, by Killazilla and Heavy Weapon by OnlyUPS. Looks like they’ve got a system going: the skinny, the goods, the bad, and our opinion. I’ll post every now and then about the latest few reviews they cook up. Check it out!


  • Weekly Porridge #48: The Great Banned North

    Painkilla05 is the occasionally overzealous moderator of our IRC chat room. Quality Jeverage tells us a true story of a crazy thing Painkilla did with his banhammer. More jabber in the forums.


  • Halo 3 – Spartan Laser

    Bungie has posted it’s next H3 weapon slot. This latest edition to the series gives details about the Spartan Laser…

    “The latest in our series of Halo 3 weapon and equipment slots, the Spartan Laser is one of the most exciting new weapons in the UNSC arsenal. Read on for new info on what may be the most destructive weapon you will ever wield.”

    …very interesting.

    Source = http://www.bungie.net/News/TopStory.aspx?link=charginmalasers

    Spartan Laser
    Posted by KPaul at 1/31/2007 4:58 PM PST

    Excerpt from long-term, in-field interview with the soldiers of E2-BAG/1/7.

    Weapon/Anti-Vehicle Model 6 Grindell/Galileian Nonlinear Rifle (W/AV M6 G/GNR)

    Official designation: M6 G/GNR
    Length (o/a): 98.8 cm (38.9 in.)
    Length (barrel): -blank-
    Weight (empty): 19.07 kg (42 lbs)
    Weight (loaded): 20.4 kg (45 lbs)
    Cartridge: -blank-
    Max. effective range: -blank-
    Muzzle velocity: 299792458 m/s (983 571 056 f/s)
    Magazine capacity: -blank-
    Rate of fire: semi-automatic only
    Unit Replacement cost: cR. 218000.00

    Description:

    The M6 G/GNR is a -blank- type laser. It can be used in both anti-vehicle and antipersonnel roles. The weapon has an integrated Wyrd III optics suite (smart-linked).

    Observations:

    Soldiers appreciate the range, accuracy, and target effect. They view the effect of “our own directed energy weapon” as a combat multiplier due to the psychological impact on combatants that viewed the destruction of the target.

    Remarks:

    “The M6 is a splendid special application anti-vehicle slash anti-materiel weapon – even if it is a little on the heavy side. The imprudent use of this weapon in the antipersonnel role, which is to say, against non high-value targets – grunts or drones for example — is strongly discouraged.”

    “I engaged an enemy chopper at a range of -blank- meters. The target immediately erupted into flames. Both vehicle and rider were eliminated.”

    “My spotter positively identified the local bravo kilo sub-chieftain. I engaged the target at -blank- meters. The shot burned an approximately -blank- diameter hole through the target and severely damaged the mauler he had just dismounted.”

    “The M6 is one of those rare systems that simultaneously boosts morale, degrades the fighting spirit of the enemy and actually performs admirably as a weapon.”

    “Because of their cost and complexity the (M6 G/GNR) and like systems are not going to find widespread adoption. They will remain specialist weapons, at least for the foreseeable future.

    “During action on grid -blank-, -blank- a pair of Banshees were harassing our left flank. Our anti-air element was suppressed so I opened a request for fire support. A beam struck the trailing Banshee. The canopy separated from the fuselage and the pilot spilled out right before it burst into flames and pin-wheeled in.”

    “The shot entered the rear of the Phantom, killing three Brutes and injuring two others.”

    “The equipment required (PP-16979/AM-Sh) to recharge the non-removable battery (BA-53635/PLMD) for the M6 G/GNR does not and never has shipped with the weapon – and for some dang reason I’ve never seen them ship at the same time. Do people not realize that they are two different pieces of equipment?”

    This End Toward Enemy

    The Spartan Laser is one of the most powerful weapons available to our UNSC personnel on the ground. Heavy to lift, slow to fire and incredibly powerful, the laser’s main purpose is to serve as an anti-vehicle weapon. It is capable of bringing down virtually any vehicle that you can expect to encounter on the battlefield. Along with its effectiveness against vehicles, the Spartan Laser’s precision and power also make it a potent anti-personnel weapon, capable of scoring a kill with a single hit anywhere on an enemy.

    The laser requires a quick three second charge before it’s able to fire, at which point it lets loose a red beam of light for a split second. Anything in the path of the laser will be destroyed, multiple enemies, vehicles and objects. Because of this you must be particularly careful of friendlies in the area, as they can be wounded or killed by exploding vehicles or the laser itself.

    The Spartan Laser can be effectively implemented in the battlefield in numerous roles. It is an excellent defensive weapon, able to destroy reconnaissance, assault and support vehicles from great range, as well as demolish any foot soldiers. Offensively it can be used to compliment an assault of an enemy base, destroying enemy vehicles so that they are unable to mount a serious counter-attack to a Warthog assault as well as taking down critical targets from a distance.


    Seeing Red

    Valhalla

    The Spartan Laser has seen extensive use in the field at Valhalla, where it is available atop a hill in the middle of the region. As is well-known of Valhalla, by this point, control of this hill is imperative and can decide the battle. A skilled Spartan wielding the laser can effectively suppress an enemy team of four for a short period of time from that position. Whether it be sniping personnel as they shoot off of the mancannon or destroying vehicles attempting to escape, the Spartan Laser is instrumental in the control of the mid-field of Valhalla.

    The fear factor of this weapon has also become part of its feature set. There’s nothing quite like a small red beam of light bearing down on your vehicle to dissuade you from leaving a safe area. Because the weapon doesn’t discharge a significant amount of energy until it is actually fired, you can simply “paint” enemies instead of expending a shot on them. It serves all the purposes of suppressing fire without ever needing to fire an actual shot, since you only have a limited number and you’ll want to be careful with them.

    High Ground

    Within the base at High Ground, the Spartan Laser is available atop the camouflage tower overlooking the beach. Because the assaulting Warthogs and Mongi will not likely come until the gate is open, as well as the likelihood that the enemy team’s sniper will be focused on that camo tower to start with, it’s not always worth rushing. Once the attackers have the gate open, however, the laser will be your best hope for taking down an incoming ‘hog before it reaches the base, if you’re in position.

    If the attacking team gains control of the Spartan Laser on High Ground, its greatest advantage to an attacking team is the fact that it is in your hands. You can attack the base without worrying about being destroyed before ever getting inside. Because the base is a tight-quarters area, attackers will find the laser most useful to cover their retreat back to the beach with the objective. The defending team may have a Mongoose and/or a Ghost available to them to pursue the attacking team, but the laser will put a quick end to that as well as those charging out from the gate who don’t notice the thin red beam light tracking them.

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  • Halo 3 – Spartan Laser

    Bungie has posted it’s next H3 weapon slot. This latest edition to the series gives details about the Spartan Laser…

    “The latest in our series of Halo 3 weapon and equipment slots, the Spartan Laser is one of the most exciting new weapons in the UNSC arsenal. Read on for new info on what may be the most destructive weapon you will ever wield.”

    …very interesting.

    Source = http://www.bungie.net/News/TopStory.aspx?link=charginmalasers

    Spartan Laser
    Posted by KPaul at 1/31/2007 4:58 PM PST

    Excerpt from long-term, in-field interview with the soldiers of E2-BAG/1/7.

    Weapon/Anti-Vehicle Model 6 Grindell/Galileian Nonlinear Rifle (W/AV M6 G/GNR)

    Official designation: M6 G/GNR
    Length (o/a): 98.8 cm (38.9 in.)
    Length (barrel): -blank-
    Weight (empty): 19.07 kg (42 lbs)
    Weight (loaded): 20.4 kg (45 lbs)
    Cartridge: -blank-
    Max. effective range: -blank-
    Muzzle velocity: 299792458 m/s (983 571 056 f/s)
    Magazine capacity: -blank-
    Rate of fire: semi-automatic only
    Unit Replacement cost: cR. 218000.00

    Description:

    The M6 G/GNR is a -blank- type laser. It can be used in both anti-vehicle and antipersonnel roles. The weapon has an integrated Wyrd III optics suite (smart-linked).

    Observations:

    Soldiers appreciate the range, accuracy, and target effect. They view the effect of “our own directed energy weapon” as a combat multiplier due to the psychological impact on combatants that viewed the destruction of the target.

    Remarks:

    “The M6 is a splendid special application anti-vehicle slash anti-materiel weapon – even if it is a little on the heavy side. The imprudent use of this weapon in the antipersonnel role, which is to say, against non high-value targets – grunts or drones for example — is strongly discouraged.”

    “I engaged an enemy chopper at a range of -blank- meters. The target immediately erupted into flames. Both vehicle and rider were eliminated.”

    “My spotter positively identified the local bravo kilo sub-chieftain. I engaged the target at -blank- meters. The shot burned an approximately -blank- diameter hole through the target and severely damaged the mauler he had just dismounted.”

    “The M6 is one of those rare systems that simultaneously boosts morale, degrades the fighting spirit of the enemy and actually performs admirably as a weapon.”

    “Because of their cost and complexity the (M6 G/GNR) and like systems are not going to find widespread adoption. They will remain specialist weapons, at least for the foreseeable future.

    “During action on grid -blank-, -blank- a pair of Banshees were harassing our left flank. Our anti-air element was suppressed so I opened a request for fire support. A beam struck the trailing Banshee. The canopy separated from the fuselage and the pilot spilled out right before it burst into flames and pin-wheeled in.”

    “The shot entered the rear of the Phantom, killing three Brutes and injuring two others.”

    “The equipment required (PP-16979/AM-Sh) to recharge the non-removable battery (BA-53635/PLMD) for the M6 G/GNR does not and never has shipped with the weapon – and for some dang reason I’ve never seen them ship at the same time. Do people not realize that they are two different pieces of equipment?”

    This End Toward Enemy

    The Spartan Laser is one of the most powerful weapons available to our UNSC personnel on the ground. Heavy to lift, slow to fire and incredibly powerful, the laser’s main purpose is to serve as an anti-vehicle weapon. It is capable of bringing down virtually any vehicle that you can expect to encounter on the battlefield. Along with its effectiveness against vehicles, the Spartan Laser’s precision and power also make it a potent anti-personnel weapon, capable of scoring a kill with a single hit anywhere on an enemy.

    The laser requires a quick three second charge before it’s able to fire, at which point it lets loose a red beam of light for a split second. Anything in the path of the laser will be destroyed, multiple enemies, vehicles and objects. Because of this you must be particularly careful of friendlies in the area, as they can be wounded or killed by exploding vehicles or the laser itself.

    The Spartan Laser can be effectively implemented in the battlefield in numerous roles. It is an excellent defensive weapon, able to destroy reconnaissance, assault and support vehicles from great range, as well as demolish any foot soldiers. Offensively it can be used to compliment an assault of an enemy base, destroying enemy vehicles so that they are unable to mount a serious counter-attack to a Warthog assault as well as taking down critical targets from a distance.


    Seeing Red

    Valhalla

    The Spartan Laser has seen extensive use in the field at Valhalla, where it is available atop a hill in the middle of the region. As is well-known of Valhalla, by this point, control of this hill is imperative and can decide the battle. A skilled Spartan wielding the laser can effectively suppress an enemy team of four for a short period of time from that position. Whether it be sniping personnel as they shoot off of the mancannon or destroying vehicles attempting to escape, the Spartan Laser is instrumental in the control of the mid-field of Valhalla.

    The fear factor of this weapon has also become part of its feature set. There’s nothing quite like a small red beam of light bearing down on your vehicle to dissuade you from leaving a safe area. Because the weapon doesn’t discharge a significant amount of energy until it is actually fired, you can simply “paint” enemies instead of expending a shot on them. It serves all the purposes of suppressing fire without ever needing to fire an actual shot, since you only have a limited number and you’ll want to be careful with them.

    High Ground

    Within the base at High Ground, the Spartan Laser is available atop the camouflage tower overlooking the beach. Because the assaulting Warthogs and Mongi will not likely come until the gate is open, as well as the likelihood that the enemy team’s sniper will be focused on that camo tower to start with, it’s not always worth rushing. Once the attackers have the gate open, however, the laser will be your best hope for taking down an incoming ‘hog before it reaches the base, if you’re in position.

    If the attacking team gains control of the Spartan Laser on High Ground, its greatest advantage to an attacking team is the fact that it is in your hands. You can attack the base without worrying about being destroyed before ever getting inside. Because the base is a tight-quarters area, attackers will find the laser most useful to cover their retreat back to the beach with the objective. The defending team may have a Mongoose and/or a Ghost available to them to pursue the attacking team, but the laser will put a quick end to that as well as those charging out from the gate who don’t notice the thin red beam light tracking them.

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  • FAE gets some a shot

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    pooberry wanted to make sure that he and his friends didn’t just qualify for the Rule of 3 beta program – he wanted to qualify with style. The writeup is here.(Louis Wu 18:53:39 UTC)

  • Halo – coming soon to Yahoo

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    JeBr0nie noticed a story at BetaNews discussing Yahoo’s plans to set up ‘Branded’ sites – including an upcoming one for Halo. The thread participants so far aren’t very impressed.(Louis Wu 18:48:27 UTC)

  • New Bungie Store Shirts

    The Bungie Store has recently been updated with three new Tees. There’re two “I <3… ” shirts, a short-sleeved one for girls and a long-sleeve one for guys, and a really cool new Mongoose twofer shirt.

  • In Ur High Ground

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    The big news this morning is the Bungie.net article on the Spartan Laser, posted last night. Even censored as it is, it’s chock-full of tasty morsels, not just about the Spartan Laser, but about the upcoming world of Halo 3. (Check out our forum for some of the speculation people are pulling from this.) Baratos claimed ‘First’, but in fact Teo beat him (post numbers don’t lie) – and ActiveCamoElite deserves props for guessing it was coming, 2 hours earlier.(Louis Wu 13:43:08 UTC)

  • Anticipate THIS.

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    GameTrailers has posted a video entitled ‘Top Ten Most Anticipated Games of 2007‘ – 3 guesses as to what took first place, and your first two don’t count. (White Rabbit was first with this, but GhaleonEB had a better link.)(Louis Wu 13:36:43 UTC)