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Official
designation: Type-33 GML
Length o/a: 57.8 cm (22.75 in.)
Length (barrel): 16.25 cm (6.4 in.)
Weight (empty): 3.74 kg (8.25 lbs)
Weight (loaded): 4.3 kg (9.5 lbs)
Cartridge: unknown1
Max. effective range: 64 meters (210 ft)
Muzzle velocity: 54 m/s (177 f/s)
Magazine capacity: 19 rounds
Rate of fire: 510 rnds/min
Unit Replacement cost: N/A
Description:
The
Type-33 GML is an unusual projectile weapon. It fires guided
projectiles which are long and very sharp—hence the
“needler” moniker—that impale soft targets
which detonate several seconds after coming to rest in their
target. The exact mechanism by which it functions is currently
under investigation.
Observations:
Though
not generally considered effective enough to be a combat multiplier,
the wounds this weapon inflicts are horrific. In this aspect
it is been reasoned by some to be the closest weapon in the
Covenant arsenal to the flamethrower of ancient times.2
The
standard tactic used by Covenant combatants armed with Type-33
GMLs is to fire several bursts into a confined area before
entering; the projectiles ricochet when they hit rigid surfaces
at oblique angles and retain sufficient velocity to make dodging
them difficult at best.
Linear
energy fields3 tend to provide the best protection; as the
projectiles are repelled without detonating.
Remarks:
“I
don’t know how it works, but it seems [the needles]
can only follow you if they can see you.”
“First
order of business when dealing with a hostile armed with a
needler is finding cover; second order of business is killing
the mike foxtrot with the needler.”
“Anything
stuck with enough needles will blow sky high—and if
a foxtrot is unlucky enough to be carrying grenades, those’re
gonna cook off too.”
“I
caught three in the leg as I was diving behind a broken wall—they
lodged right in there where the greave meets the boot. When
they went off it damn near broke my ankle and flung like little
splinters of glass or crystal or whatever all up my left side—the
corpsman was pulling that ____ out’a me for the better
part of two hours.”
“Luckily—listen
to me “luckily”—the needles only detonate
when they’re imbedded in living tissue. Now that’s
lucky because it’s not gonna blow a hole in the wall
you’re hiding behind or tear the tires off of the vehicle
you’re trying to escape in.”
“It’s
about as close to a fire-and-forget small arm that were likely
to ever see—and it ain’t ours. This is why we’re
losing.”
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1 Pending treaty negotiations with the Sangheili.
2 Or the M7057 DP, although that is not currently
listed as a weapon system.
3
Such as the Point Defense Gauntlets carried by the Kig-Yar.
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