MA5B Individual Combat Weapon System

MA5B ICWS Assault Rifle
Rate of Fire : High, fully automatic (15 rounds per second) Operation    : Gas System Fire Mode    : Game  :  Automatic Story : Automatic Ammunition   : 7.62mm Nato rounds(M118: Armor-Piercing, Full Metal Jacket (AP-FMJ)) Damage per Hit: Low Range        : Short to medium Accuracy     : Low Magazine Size : 60 rounds Maximum Ammo : 660 rounds (including fully loaded magazine)



Advantages
When fired in short bursts to increase accuracy, the assault rifle is effective at killing unshielded opponents, and is especially useful for killing large groups of weak enemies. This includes Covenant grunts and all variety of Flood. The assault rifle is also effective for destroying Banshees, Ghosts, and other Covenant vehicles. As an added bonus, the gun gives the player an at-a-glance ammo count on its digital readout, as well as an arrow pointing toward the gas giant Threshold (which acts as a kind of compass). It should be noted that aiming an assault rifle is likely odd, since the ammo counter is in the way of the sight.

Disadvantages
Like the pistol, the assault rifle performs poorly against shields. Unlike the pistol, the assault rifle is inaccurate, preventing it from being effective against both Jackals and Elites. In addition, the assault rifle's high rate of fire necessitates frequent reloading. The combination of inaccuracy and lack of a scope lead to difficulties in accurately hitting targets at long range. Finally, the assault rifle is still rather inaccurate when in bursts.

Multiplayer Role
Since players in Halo multiplayer normally spawn with shields, the assault rifle's effectiveness is limited. It is often used only because more specialized weapons are unavailable. However, when combined with the plasma pistol (which can destroy shields quickly), the assault rifle can be a powerful short and medium range option. It takes about 15 accurate rounds to kill a spartan normally.

Effective Against
Grunts, Jackals (only when shield is down), Flood, and mounted weapons as suppressive fire. It can also be extremely effective against Elites if used when their shields are down. After hitting an Elite with a plasma pistol charge, one well placed shot in the front of the cranium will take them out, though this has never been truly confirmed. On the Easy or Normal skill levels, cutting loose with the Assault Rifle at close range will cut through an elite's shield in seconds.

Trivia

 * It is interesting to note that the sound effects for the assault rifle are also the same sounds as the MG42 Machine Guns in the HBO TV series Band of Brothers.
 * One inspiration for the MA5B Assault Rifle was the "MA–75B Battle Rifle (with integral 40mm Grenade Launcher)" from the Marathon series. In fact, before Bungie reengineered the game for the Xbox, it was fitted with a grenade launcher.
 * Another inspiration is the MA5B Assault Rifle design seems to be taken from the M-590 7.62mm assault rifle of the USMC from 1995-1996 TV series Space:Above and Beyond.
 * There is dispute over whether Bungie copied the design from Fabrique Nationale's FN2000 assault rifle, or vice versa. Look for it, they're nearly exactly alike.