This page details how to use the MA40 AR - Assault Rifle in Halo Infinite Multiplayer. Includes a basic stats overview and strengths & weaknesses of the weapon.

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MA40 AR Assault Rifle, Halo Infinite.

How to Use the MA40 AR - Assault Rifle¶

Basic Stats Overview¶

The MA40 AR - Assault Rifle is one of the most versatile weapons in Halo Infinite. You’ll start every match with this rifle for Quick Play and Big Team Battle game modes, but not for Ranked Arena. As such, it’s probably the weapon that you’ll first encounter and make the most use of initially. The recoil on the rifle is easy to control, and you’ll find it most effective in short to medium ranged fights. The rifle has a high rate of fire and it has a 36 round magazine, which makes it somewhat forgiving to poor aim. However, the longer you fire with the rifle, the more the bloom effect will impact your bullets. This is essentially the rate at which your bullets will disperse around the reticle when you fire. The longer you fire, the more your bullets will disperse in all directions. To counteract this, you can try firing in short bursts to remain accurate, rather than risk decreased accuracy the longer you fire.

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(1 of 2) The inner reticle will remain inside the outer reticle at the beginning of a burst of fire, indicating that the bloom effect is minimal.

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The inner reticle will remain inside the outer reticle at the beginning of a burst of fire, indicating that the bloom effect is minimal. (left), If you continue to fire throughout the magazine round without stopping, the inner reticle will move more towards the outer one, until it’s out of the circle. This indicates maximum bloom effect. (right)

Strengths of the MA40 AR - Assault Rifle¶

The smaller maps such as Aquarius, Bazaar and Streets will benefit most from the use of the MA40 AR, since you will almost always be able to find a quick route into a short to medium range fight, and long range fights will be relatively rare unless you want to actively force them with specific weapons. You’ll probably find it far more difficult to use the MA40 AR effectively on large maps which feature a lot of open space, such as Behemoth, but if you’re restricted to using it you’ll find it all the more important to know the map features, with a good idea of where you can take cover to encourage close range fights. One of the most obvious strengths of the MA40 AR is the high magazine count combined with a high rate of fire. This gives you enough ammunition which you can dish out at a great pace to save you in some tight spots, even if you’re just praying and spraying. The extra few bullets that the MA40 AR provides and the rate at which you can fire them can make all the difference between winning and losing a fight against an opponent with fewer bullets and slower rates of fire.

Weaknesses of the MA40 AR - Assault Rifle¶

Although it’s possible to use the MA40 AR at long range if you don’t have access to any other weapons in a particular fight, you’ll soon find that it is outclassed by weapons which are intended for long range fighting, such as the VK78 Commando or or S7 Sniper Rifle. This doesn’t mean that you should never attempt to fire at long range; if an opponent is low on health you may be able to hit them enough to finish them off. You can also fire in the direction of an enemy at long range for the primary purpose of suppressive fire, rather than with the intention to kill them being the primary aim. Ultimately, the best way to play effectively with the MA40 AR is to prefer fights at short to medium range. If you need to confront an enemy located in the distance, you can use map features to take cover and gradually make your way towards them as your energy shield recharges from incoming fire.