The MA40 Individual Combat Weapon System is a weapon in service with the UNSC. The MA40 incorporates a number of updates made to the long line of MA5-series automatic rifles. Often referred to simply as the MA40, Assault Rifle, or AR.
The MA40 is a part of the same lineage as the MA37. Improvements over the MA37 are subtle, but significantly increase mechanical reliability and durability in extreme conditions, including vacuum.
The rifle feeds from 36-round detachable box magazines. Above the trigger guard on both sides of the weapon's body are fire selectors with three dots indicating safe and two firing modes, semi-auto and full-auto. The charging handle is positioned on the left side of its body, and its ejection port is situated on the right. Beneath the barrel is located a multifunction receiver that grant supplemental functionality, such as infrared laser designators. The MA40 is also capable of being fitted with a sound-suppressor.
Gameplay[]
The AR is a fairly balanced one-size-fits-all type of weapon. It fires automatically with a fairly accurate bullet spread that destabilizes over time. At closer ranges it excels with sustained fire as more individual bullets are likely to strike enemies even as the gun begins to wain in accuracy. While at mid to mid-long range the gun can still pack a considerable punch via firing in short, controlled bursts, not unlike those of the Battle Rifle.
Though the gun uses Kinetic ammunition, it does a fairly worthwhile amount of damage to shields per bullet, and because of the gun's slight upward recoil, this can be used advantageously. Starting low on shielded enemies can leave your crosshair over their head by the time the shield breaks, usually guaranteeing a kill via headshot.
MA40 Longshot[]
A special variant with a Yellow-and-Black paintjob can be unlocked by obtaining 2300 Valor, at which point it can be obtained by any of the weapon vaults withing player-owned FOBs. The Longshot, as the name would suggest, has been modified to deal more damage over longer ranges, with less damage falloff and better starting accuracy. As a trade-off, he gun possesses a smaller clip size, 25, and only 175 maximum ammo, and in addition, its accuracy deteriorates at a less exponential, but ultimately faster rate while firing.
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