Type-52 Special Applications Rifle
Remaining mysterious even in post-war times is the Covenant’s Focus Rifle, or T-52 Special Applications Rifle. Developed in the cavernous war factories deep within High Charity, the Focus Rifle appears to be the product of reverse-engineered Forerunner technology and, more specifically, technology which is employed by Sentinel drones. While much of the Covenant’s arsenal originates from the knowledge gleaned from dormant Forerunner artifacts, the Focus Rifle is a repurposing of existing, active Forerunner machines—in this case, beam weapons, which were captured, disabled and reconstituted.
The T-52 SAR is 145.2 centimeters (57.2 inches) from end to end, its length consisting of an elongated firing channel, a centralized coil set, and an ergonomic—for Sangheili—grip within a exotic metal alloy stock. The optics system enhances visuals from 3.5x to 9.5x magnification, and is smart-linked by default to Sangheili battle harnesses and Kig-Yar marksman hardware. The rifle’s coil set gathers and primes the plasma energy before electromagnetically directing and accelerating it down the firing channel—a continuous beam of superheated plasma, strikingly reminiscent of the Sentinel Beam.
The downside of the Focus Rifle is easily its energy expenditure, which is significantly higher than that of other Covenant weapons. While it can be recharged in the field, the time committed to such a task, and the frequency at which it is needed, tempers the T-52’s overall effectiveness to some degree. Still, in the hands of an experienced marksman, the Focus Rifle can deliver an incredible amount of damage to the most heavily shielded or armored opponent.
