VK78 patrol rifle

The VK78 patrol rifle is a "military-style" or infantry automatic, select-fire marksman rifle produced by the colonial German weapons manufacturer, . The designated it the VK78 Commando upon entering service. Notably the designation did not change between service branches due to predominate use by and under . The weapon is also associated with names like "Vakara Karabiner" (German: "Vakara Carbine"), "Vakara Commando," and occasionally mislabelled as a "tactical rifle."
Originally adopted by the in at the height of the , the VK78 patrol rifle later saw use with colonial units of the UNSC after the CMA's dissolvement and by many colonial governments and factions after the decline. Due to its age, conversion and reassembly kits are readily available along with various after-market parts that allow the rifle to better serve a individual's needs.
The VK78 is unusual amongst the UNSC standard arsenal with its traditional magazine well set forward of the trigger. The standard rifle cartridges for the VK78 is M259: 6.5×48mm, a intermediate cartridge trading mass for higher velocity compared to the in .
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==History==
===Insurrection (2495-2552)===
In an attempt to keep ahead of the predicted and emergent Insurrectionist ideological threat, the Colonial Military Administration entered a half-hearted mass modernization campaign to equip its forces with better gear and training for a bloody counterinsurgency campaign right out of the . The self-fulfilling prophecy proved right but at the right time and without the imagination needed for the CMA to properly adapt. outmaneuvered the CMA operations from within, many of its officer and enlisted corps made up of Insurrectionist sympathizers rather than playing second fiddle to the Earth elite.
The VK78 Commando became a sign of the troubled times from its adoption in 2495 and onward as something between a 'bad guy' gun like the , and the 'good guy' gun like the MA5 series. The VK78 was favored by the CMA and UNSC alike, and even among the Insurrection as all sides found use for the new rifle.
===Battle of Zeta Halo (2559-Present)===
During and after considerable fighting took place on Halo Installation 07, the VK78 Commando was in the hands and in caches held by both UNSC remnant and forces on the ringworld. Among the Banished, , , and are most known to employ salvaged VK78s as intermediate caliber infantry rifles or designated marksman weapons. are known to carry Banished weaponry on their backpack-crates, including the VK78, making them targets for looting in the field.
VK78 rifle 2560 Zeta Halo.png|Clean version of the VK78 Commando ahead of the Battle of Zeta Halo.
HF BDRK VK78.png|VK78 from the Battle of Zeta Halo after months of combat.
==Design==
===Definition: Patrol Rifle===
The patrol rifle is a type of service weapon used by both security and frontline troops during patrols beyond security installations, hence the designation. Patrol rifles generally get used in law enforcement functions but can encompass any weapon that falls into said role. For the CMA riflemen, a "patrol rifle" fit best with their often "outside-the-wire" service experience and military culture trappings between frontier lawmen, paramilitary, and hardened soldiers. The VK78 Commando saw widespread adoption by the Colonial Military Administration in the lead up to the Insurrection at the turn of the twenty-sixth century and remained a staple in the human due to CMA stockpiles ending up in the possession of both and Insurrectionists. Some have misattributed the term "tactical rifle" to the VK78, and on rarer occasion "scout rifle," but neither of these terms quite describe the VK78's purpose.
===Design Overview===
The VK78 patrol rifle and its variants are magazine-fed, gas-operated military-style rifles with fundamental features including air-cooling, select-fire settings, and housing for platform electronics. The VK78 fires the Kal 6.5mm ammunition type though caliber conversion kits do exist.
While similar in proportion to the MA5 rifle family, the VK78 shares more in common with the MA5K carbine and MA5B assault rifle due to their shorter barrel and overall length. The VK78's barrel is an intermediate profile, offering a balanced overall weapon weight. Despite its name, the VK78 falls into the classification of a rifle rather than a carbine due to its overall scale. A slower-than-average fire rate through a delayed-action design guarantees easier handling for riflemen and better acquisition on target through stationary, automatic fire.
On the internals, the VK78 features a closed, rotating bolt design that pushes a bullet forward along the bolt and uses the gas recoil action to eject the casing once the bullet has fired. The VK78 features an adjustable gas block with two positions allowing compensation for suppressors or compensators. The bolt is open to both sides of the chamber with optional, ambidextrous ejection ports. The VK78 includes no last bullet hold open, relying on onboard electronics or visual notches in the magazine to communicate an empty status. The charging handle provides ambidextrous options, however the standard configuration is set to the left side. The VK78 features a one-in-eight twist rate recommended for its Kal 6,5mm ammunition.
The VK78's defining feature is the forward-swept magazine well that enshrouds standard twenty-round box magazines at an off-angle. 
The purported safety, bolt release, and magazine release buttons are set behind the magazine well, along with the trigger. However, because of the loading mechanism compared to contemporary bullpup models, using the VK78 and other weapons like it reportedly required greater training time for units that received the weapon; though in the same circumstance, soldiers with experience from other forward-loaded weapons like the show a quicker grasp of the VK78's functions. The release button and bolt release mechanism are located familiarly close to the trigger, below and above the space between the magazine well and trigger respectively.
The and recommend that acquisition of new and legacy VK78 stocks be prioritized to units under the UNSC Frontier Command and troops regularly exposed to outlander human settlements on the colonial frontier.
In its standard military-issue configuration, the VK78 is equipped with a rearward shroud and digital bullet counter set on the left-hand side though it can be swapped with conversion kits. The counter shrouds a battery within the shroud powering onboard electronics capable of 10,000 milliamp hours with a charge of 5.2 volts. The standard configuration also comes with a 2x magnification ; the scope contents can be modified using dials next to the ammo counter or a HUD virtual lab.
The scope also co-witnesses with a standard flip-up iron sight affixed above the barrel. A two pair iron sight set is available but at the onset of the Insurrection, the Colonial Military Administration deployed VK78s without a rear iron sight in favor of their electronic telescopic sight. The front iron sight can be adjusted from the top by a torque tool, reminiscent and similar to an ancient series of human combat rifles. The barrel is also ended by a birdcage-style flash hider but can be unscrewed for a variety of barrel attachments. Out-of-box internals also features a left-side reciprocating charging handle, right-port case ejection, and only feature semi-automatic and automatic fire modes without modification.
Designed with customization and ergonomics in mind, the VK78 is described as a comfortable and intuitive weapon platform with generous interfacing rail space and large unobstructed grabbing surfaces to hold the weapon. Texturing to the under-barrel shroud, magazine well, and pistol grip provide further comfort through continued hours of usage. Injection points across the weapon body also encourage mounting of more rails to the user's preference. The integrated stock is adjustable with six-position notches and options for custom shoulder lengths. The cheek comb can also be raised and lowered above the stock.
===Ammunition and Application===
The VK78 is chambered in the Kal. 6,5mm or M259: 6.5×48mm (6.5mm Creedmoor), a contemporary derivative of the 6.5mm intermediate cartridge family created in the 21st century. It also uses a conventional long-stroke piston system. Due to a smaller cartridge than the ubiquitous M118 Full Metal Jacket Armor-Piercing (7.62mm NATO) used in the Misriah MA5 series and / marksman rifles, M259 cartridge packs less powder and less mass in a smaller package to produce faster velocities but leading to lower penetration. The VK78 is a Insurrection-era weapon and wasn't originally intended for alien targets, and is more lacking in the "bleed-through effect" against encouraged with Covenant War and ammunition standards.
As such, M259 is recommended, along with the VK78, against softer, non-shielded targets such as human, , and foes. However, the VK78 is more than adequate against shielded and reinforced threats like , and . Post-War era M259 has modernized powder combinations that marginally to moderately improve bleed-through effect. Under UNSC application and late-Insurrection CMA, accepted ammunition for the VK78 have diversified in keeping with regulations by the UNSC-Damascus Ordinance Commission including:
*9mm UNSC: 9×19mm (9mm Luger/Parabellum) - VM3
*M135: 10x31mm SAP - MP78/10, VM3, Fighter's Aristocrat
*M259: 6.5×48mm (6.5mm Creedmoor) - VK78 Commando (Series: M78, VK80, VK88, VK89), VK78HB, MG78/MG78-2K
*: 7.62×51mm FMJ-AP (7.62mm NATO) - VK-762, VM3, VK78-SG, MG78/MG78-2K, VK78HB, VK78HB SAW
*M490: 5.7x28mm HV-AP (FN 5.7×28mm) - MP78/7
*8.6mm Fenrir: 8.6×43mm (8.6mm Blackout) - SK78, MG78/MG78-2K
*.50 Sigurd: 12.7×42mm (.50 Beowulf) - VK78-50
===Accessories===
The VK78 can accept a wide variety of customization options and kit conversions. Insertion points assure ample space to bolt many rail interface panels on the VK78's handguard including spaces on the sides, grasp-area, and bottom. The standard handguard also comes with its own detachable screw-on rails. These rails will accept all general modification options available in the human marketplace and the UNSC arsenal, along with alien-designed pieces meant for human parts compatibility. Other changes are more comprehensive such as removal of the standard handguard grip-space in favor of a more skeletal rail section that will take any number of under-barrel attachments including a multitude of launchers, lights, and grips. 
The forward and upper portions of the firearm are considered a single piece but can be broken down into three sections. From there multiple varieties of handguards and can be implemented and swapped out to user preference and come in many different after-market kits, often to the point of changing the look of the weapon entirely. The entire rear receiver can also be exchanged which includes parts from the grip, the trigger guard, and stock. Some variants of the rear receiver come in a single aperture while others split the parts into interchangeable sections.
===Pre-Created UNSC Configurations===
Before the Created conflict, the UNSC fielded a number of variations on the VK78 platform for its frontier troops. The default UNSC configuration included an integrated handguard grip-space, recon sight, ammo counter with integrated shroud, and an integrated rear assembly.
*COG VK78: "VK78 Commando with . Favored by ONI reliant on greater information awareness behind enemy lines."
*Classic VK78: "VK78 Commando with . This variant is favored by the survivors who transitioned into Spartan Operations."
*Hybrid VK78: "VK78 Commando with . Commonplace on the frontier where alien and human design philosophies intersect."
*Longshot VK78: "VK78 Commando with . Assessments of frontier units suggest high demand for increased scope magnifications."
*Morph VK78: "VK78 Commando with . It is said long patrols carrying this configuration have a greater chance of encountering crypts."
==Military Variants==
Note: Misriah Armory does have it's own export variant of the VK78 but differences in quality are hard to tell, or otherwise negligible. Outward appearances are potentially misleading. 
*Misriah M78: "VK78 Commando made under Misriah license reproduction. Quality control scuttlebutt seems the only distinction between Vakara and Inner Colony preference."
*Impact Commando: "VK78 Commando modified by Misriah Armory for urban warfare. High-capacity magazine with reduced accuracy but increased damage."
*VK78 Battlemaster: "VK78 Commando shock troop configuration by Misriah Armory. Battle rifle-like burst fire and M301 underslung grenade launcher."
DT Blursedcommando.png|VK78 in Misriah derivation colors.
VK78 exposed rails.png|Exposed mil-spec rail space on the Misriah-production VK78 Commando.
DT Merlin VK78.png|Merlin-D032's VK78 with Misriah livery.
Titanfall_r101c.png|A modified VK78 mockup in limited service with UNSC Armed Forces.
Silver VK78 battlemaster.png|A heavily-modified VK78 "Battlemaster" found in a UNSC Air Force armory.SFM artwork contributed by .
===Air Force VK89/VK80 Marauder===
*Air Force VK89: " VK78 Commando modified by Vakara for Air Force installation security teams. Straight magazine well and carry handle for ease of use on extended patrol."
*VK80 Marauder: " VK78 Commando modified by Vakara for Army Special Forces. Straight magazine well and naked surfaces for greater customization options."
Vakara, in an effort to usurp Misriah’s dominance in the Special Operations community, developed the VK80 in the last years of the Insurrection. Though it failed to truly shake the Mars-based manufacturer’s dominance, the VK80 became extremely popular in the UNSC Army’s SOF groups, particularly Rangers and the elite SABERs, and separately with Air Force security forces. Those who transitioned to Spartan Operations brought their love of the weapon with them, and VK80’s are increasingly the subject of special requests by Spartan teams. Despite more common attribution with the Army special forces community, the VK80 and VK89 series were more commonly employed by Air Force security forces on the Unified Earth Government's Outer Colonial and frontier regions, such as at , , Meridian, and through the Insurrection and Human-Covenant War.
VK89byD042.png|UNSC Air Force's "VK89 Commando" production model.
VK80Base.png|The baseline VK80 Marauder.
D042 vk78 MA1B.png|Air Force VK80 "Battlemaster-Lite" variant for security operations (MA1B?).
VK80 SCAR.png|A VK80 configured to the liking of an UNSC Army Ranger on deployment to Aleria, note the similarities to CQBR kits.
VK80Elec.png|A VK80 modified to the liking of a Spartan of Fireteam Apollo.
===VK78 Aristocrat===
*VK78 Aristocrat: "Limited production, civilian series VK78 rewarded to retired members of the CMA officer corps."
*VK78HB Aristocrat: "Limited production series VK78 for retired CMA officer corps. Modified with a heavier competition barrel."
*Fighter's Aristocrat: "Limited production series VK78 for retired CMA officer corps. Modified into a personal defense weapon (PDW) configuration."
The VK78 Aristocrat is a high-end civilian variant of Vakara's VK78 rifle series but is more stylistic than just another iteration born of battlefield needs.Twitter: VK78- Aristocrat V2..., @Vat2278 Rather the Aristocrat was the result of public relations in the later Insurrection as the VK78 series became ubiquitous with both government and rebel forces, drawing the unwanted criticism from SolCore investors and the interior-colonial public dubious on reports of Colonial Authority corruption and Vakara having weapons on both sides of the conflict, joining other defense contractors inadvertently arming both sides in an undeclared human civil war.
The Aristocrat became center of a media strategy of rebranding Vakara as arming the "good guys," and offering a historical-revisionist and pricer appearance of their principle contract small-arm. The weapon became prominent in era-colonial fiction about star-shuttle-boys and colonial rangers. In the defense market, the Aristocrat was sold on custom order to buyers' preferences, sourcing real-imported wood from choice Outer Colonies and constructed with limited-series metal furniture forged with finest-tuned craftsman machinery. Their target audience was society's upper echelon, primarily for sporting/hunting purposes, and to offer gifts to CAA bureaucrats and CMA military officers who supported the Vakara bid for the 2495 CMA service rifle contract. Even a few early Insurrection-era CMA veterans received Aristocrats as "retirement gifts."
However, like the VK78, the Aristocrat found its way into the hands of the Insurrectionists and paramilitary groups, sometimes through illicit weapons trade or hidden straw purchases. Like the rich peoples, these groups also viewed owning the Aristocrat as a mark of prestige. In contemporary times, Aristocrats are rare to see in the wild but often found in private collections. Vakara's efforts to rebrand failed, but the timely Human-Covenant War made any public ire and consequence headed for Vakara vanish overnight as politics turned to graver concerns.
Fal VK78 Vat.png|A civilian "heavy-weight" Aristocrat, favored more for appearance than function. Recoil is easy to manage though.
Wood PDW VK78 Vat.png|A "Fighter's Aristocrat" personal-defense weapon (PDW) chambered in a smaller caliber.
Wood-Colt VK78 Vat.png|An Aristocrat model similar to the service-issue VK78 with unique metal furniture.
===VK78/88 Army CQBR and CMA Raider===
*VK78 CQBR: "VK78 Commando modernization program requested by the UNSC Ordinance Commission. Increasingly favored by colonial SWAT teams and extravehicular boarding action teams."
VK78 gray carbine3.png|The VK78 CQBR, favored by SWAT teams and units frequently engaging in boarding actions.
VK78 gray carbine2.png|The VK78 CQBR with an alternate "Classic" optic.
VK78 gray carbine.png|VK78 CQBR in matte gray livery with standard-length barrel.
VK78 tan carbine.png|VK78 CQBR in desert-tan livery.
DT Longshot VK78 carbine.png|VK78 CQBR with a Longshot sight configuration.Halo Customs: Maps/mods by an Orca Dork
===VK-762 Carbine and VK78-SG===
*VK-762 Commando: "VK78 Commando ammunition compatibility kit requested by the UNSC Ordinance Commission. Accepts M118 cartridge from the MA5 rifle series and an optional DMR (SG) variant"
The UNSC inherited a large volume of VK78 rifles, as well as a supply of ammo. However, concerns with degrading ammo stockpiles, and supply chain issues, saw the UNSC initiate a late-Covenant War conversion program with assistance from Misriah Armory to bring the VK78 into spec with some common ammo stockpiles. It has an upgraded barrel that is suited for 7.62mm NATO (M118), new internals, and new electronics that interlink with UNSC networks without major modification. The VK-762 is able to integrate with all current UNSC technology, and shared ammunition with the MA5 series rifle; the magazine wells have been radically changed to accept MA5 series magazines to reduce parts compatibility issues.
An additional Designated Marksmen Rifle (DMR) variant emerged from the M118 conversion, the VK78-SG rifle has a longer and heavier free-floating barrel, bedded in a stabilizing metallic-foam matrix. It also has an new stock with cheek risers, and an integrated bipod similar to existing VK78 marksman variants derived from the VK78 MOD 2. Internally it has been heavily modified to accommodate high-and-over-pressure +P and +P+ 7.62mm NATO ammunition utilized by the UNSC sharpshooters for accurized long distance shooting.
===VK78 MOD 2 and SOPMOD===
Vk78mod2.png|The VK78 MOD 2 offers improved customization over variants during the Insurrection.
DT SOPMOD VK78 EvenManat.png|The VK78 SOPMOD expands on the MOD 2 variant with increased firepower at the squad-level for shock infantry.Artwork by .
Vk78 dillard mod2.jpg|A VK78 MOD 2 seen with UNSC special forces.
===MG78/MG78-2K "Quad"===
The MG78 was a first generation attempt at modify the VK78 platform into an all-environment machine gun for a squad support role. To assist in reliable feeding in non-standard colonial environments it uses a top mounted gravity-fed 30-round magazine with a paddle magazine release, and an ejection port on the underside of the rifle. The sights were moved to the right to compensate for the changes. It uses a longer, heavier barrel with a chromium alloy twist, and a heavy bipod with wide swivel. The new machine gun was intended to be used in two-man MG teams, with a gunner and a loader, allowing a well drilled team to produce substantial amounts of suppressing fire. It was ultimately not adopted in any large numbers due to the increased bulk and handling.Concept provided by . Due to the larger size, CMA units expanded its range of acceptable ammunition but favored M118 and 8.6 Fenrir for increased stopping power. Even in the prime of service life, the crew-served MG78 was considered obsolete, but every possible frontier solution was used to make them combat effective. A smaller, more practical version was also introduced for a squad automatic role. In spite of appearances, the best application of the MG78 is the under-utilized belt-fed modification.
The MG78-2K "Quad" became a second attempt at converting the VK78 into a machine gun platform. The lower receiver has been exchanged for a new receiver with a wide magazine well. This fits a new 40-round casket magazines that are the equivalent dimensions of two standard 20-round magazines strapped together. A key improvement is the introduction of a heat adaptive system, that allows it to fire from a closed or open bolt depending on the internal heat of the weapon, to prevent a dangerous cook off. It uses a two way shape memory-alloy, that when cool it assumes a shape that allows the bolt to close as normal, but when hot it will assume a shape that keeps the bolt in an open position. It partners this with a heavy chromium alloy barrel no longer than that of the standard VK78, and a built in bipod. This was significantly more popular than the MG78 as it had reduced bulk over it's predecessor.
DT Vk78 gravity mag.png|Sketch of MG78 SAW with gravity-fed magazine.
DT Vk78 quad mag.png|Sketch of MG78-2K "Quad" configuration with expanded mag well.
===MP78/7 and MP78/10 SMG===
See Also: VM3 submachine gun
The MP78/7 personal defense weapon (PDW) swaps the upper receiver and handguard to mount the stick magazine, chambered in M490: 5.7x28mm HV-AP, shared with the and CMA PDWs along the upper receiver. It uses the former magazine well as a new gravity-assisted ejection port. They have a variety of barrel lengths for different combat situations. These weapons were popular in counter-terrorism and security teams, as well as boarding parties, carrying enough firepower to penetrate common-era plate armor, but not risk damage to facilities or bystanders. The PDW has in general, enhanced handling making it ideal for short ranged firefights in the tight confines of government facilities, or the cramped corridors of a CMA warship.
Designed for close range support, the MP78/10 has a shortened barrel and a shortened collapsing stock, and a short barrel. The rifle has been modified externally and internally to fire M135 10x31mm SAP rounds, and is fed from the same magazines as the , including the standard 12-round magazine, and extended magazines and drums. This weapon was considered the alternative to the MP78/7, and had more reliable stopping power at the cost of being less reliable at penetrating armor. While the former is popular amongst CMA naval security, the MP78/10 is more popular amongst counter-terrorism response and base defence units.
===SK78 Special Forces Rifle===
The SK78 Special Forces Rifle is specially modified on demand on CMA special forces to fire the 8.6mm Fenrir round. A subsonic round with similar dimensions to the parent cartridge, it uses the same magazines, and requires no internal conversion, with only the barrel being swapped. It packs heavy duty stopping power, and is entirely subsonic, allowing it to be whisper quiet when fired through a suppressor. While any commando could be easily modified for this, the SK78 used a integral suppressor to manage this.
D042 Honeybadger78.png|SK78 SFR is a carbine-length rifle with a integral suppressor and different bullet but superficially similar to the VK78 Commando.
===VK78-50 Recon Rifle===
After the success of the .50 Sigurd round in UNSC SOF units, there was a call for similar weapons to be adopted by CMA special forces for use. Firing from a single stack 10-round magazine, the gun has significant internal conversions to fire the mighty .50 Sigurd. The heavy duty round can punch through engine block, car panels, and windows without changing course, and can penetrate cover and still disable the target behind it. The cost of this is a high recoil weapon that is difficult to fire even under semi-auto. Such weapons were used to guard checkpoints against car bombers, and to defeat Insurrectionist terrorists using Rumble drugs.
==Variant Table==
Image 	Manufacturer 	Description	Rarity
 	 	 	(Rifle - Kinetic)Common
Misriah M78 	 	 	(Rifle - Kinetic)Common
VK80 Marauder 	 	 	(Rifle - Kinetic)Common
Air Force VK89 	 	 	(Rifle - Kinetic)Common
VM3 Heavy Barrel 	 	 	(SMG - Kinetic)Common
Misriah M78 IAR 	 	 	(Rifle - Kinetic)Rare
MP78/7 PDW 	 	 	(SMG - Kinetic)Rare
VK80 Aleria Ranger 	 	 	(Rifle - Kinetic)Rare
VK80 Battlemaster Lite 	 	 	(Rifle - Kinetic)Rare
VK88 CQBR 	 	 	(SMG - Kinetic)Rare
VK78 Aristocrat 	 	 	(Rifle - Kinetic)Rare
Airlight Patrol Rifle 	Horizon Collective	 	(Rifle - Kinetic)Epic
VK78 MOD 2 	 	 	(Rifle - Kinetic)Epic
Fighter's Aristocrat 	 	 	(SMG - Kinetic)Epic
VK78HB Aristocrat 	 	 	(Rifle - Kinetic)Epic
SK78 SFR 	 	 	(SMG - Kinetic)Epic
[OTHER?] Acquisitive Reach	 	 	(Rifle - Kinetic)Legendary
CMA VK78 	 	 	(Rifle - Kinetic)Legendary
Eclipse Phase 	 	 	(Rifle - Kinetic)Legendary
VK80 Fireteam Apollo 	 	 	(Rifle - Kinetic)Legendary
VK78 Battlemaster 	 	 	(Rifle - Kinetic)Legendary
 	 	 	(Rifle - Kinetic)Legendary
VK78 SOPMOD 	 	 	(LMG - Kinetic)Legendary
VK78HB SAW 	 	 	(LMG - Kinetic)Legendary
Aimbot Commando 	Weyland-Yutani 	 	(SMG - Kinetic)Legendary
==Users==
===Spartan Application===
DT Merlin-D032 Enterprise.png|Spartan-III Merlin-D032 with a VK78 during the Silent Garden Race and Created conflict.Many images and works for this article are SFM/Blender artwork designed and contributed by .
DT Merlin Rakshasa.png|Spartan-III Merlin-D032 in Rakshasa armor with a VK78 MOD 2 during the 2560 Bethsaida conflict.
DT Merlin VK78 Goggles.png|Spartan-III Merlin-D032 with a VK78 Commando while at Avery J. Johnson Spartan Academy.
The VK78 has proven more than sufficient against soft-body, non-shielded targets. Given the generally minute difference in cartridge between the Kal. 6,5mm/M295 and M118 ammunition, performance per shot are generally consistent between close to medium range. When handling the VK78, riflemen are encouraged to use the weapon in the traditional single-fire configuration with a focus on accuracy and consistent strikes on center mass. Critical hits are encouraged when possible, using weapon aim-assist to keep on target. Hitting headshots and key exposure points in armor will produce similar kill results as with other ballistic/kinetic weapons in the UNSC and arsenals.
For operators, similar tactics developed for the MA5 series are recommended against Covenant-derived foes when using the VK78. Only when considering the differences in the VK78 and the MA5 does a varied strategy begin to emerge. With a smaller magazine of only twenty rounds, the rate of fire is delayed to assist with follow-up shot accuracy. Under these circumstances, Spartans employing the VK78 are encouraged to use the weapon in a similar manner to UNSC battle rifles to target critical weak points such as headshots and exposed areas in body armor.
It also goes recommended that the VK78 be used as a primary and be paired with another precision weapon or weapon with a higher rate of fire. The VK78 is an excellent armor-breaker, picking off the helmets of enemies or bleeding their shields around the head area. A follow-up weapon or melee attack is necessary, rather than taking extra time reloading, to finish off a larger target. Based on performance assessments, the ideal scenario for VK78 usage is in an open, level environment without cover and with a respectable distance between the rifleman and an adversary.
DT Jockey MAGmockup 1.png|An unpublished issue of the MAGAZiNE magazine featuring an Operator-clad Spartan with a VK78 Commando on the front cover.Image(s) used with permission from .
GameJockey VakaraPosterFinal.png|Vakara GesmbH advertisement in the MAGAZiNE publication featuring an up-armored Spartan with a VK78HB.
When firing, the VK78 can be reliably controlled in single-fire, burst, and automatic handling due to the weapon's slower and forgiving fire rate. The advantageous position to take when using the VK78 is to focus on said critical hit spots and maintain fire on target to maximize damage dealt. Due to this nature of the weapon, the VK78 will do more damage per shot than the MA5 assault rifle family. In this role, the VK78 sits in a comfortable niche between the dedicated automatic ballistics in the UNSC arsenal: submachine guns and assault rifles, and the close-in precision weapons: battle and designated marksman rifles.
However, the weapon's advantages also present disadvantages, especially with the VK78's small 20-round magazine. Due to the low bullet count, reloading proves to be a more common occurrence and riflemen have reported a greater number of virtual deaths during training simulations while reloading. To compensate, it is highly recommended that a secondary weapon be used when a VK78's magazine is spent. The reload time for a VK78 is by no means slow but the greater occurrence of the action presents a risk in drawn-out combat exchanges. Using the VK78 against multiple enemies in the same engagement is not recommended.
When against an opponent using a VK78 patrol rifle, the response to a standard-configuration variant is to focus on outmaneuvering the user and force them to expend bullets trying to keep on target. Coming at the cost of the short magazine, an enemy can be forced to reload in a premature state that will end in death for them. Bringing a higher-damage precision weapon, or a weapon with a higher fire rate is recommended against VK78 users. Because of the VK78's place in a small niche between dedicated precision and automatic weaponry, it's worse off against both weapon types. It takes a truly experienced and trigger-disciplined Spartan to master their signature "move-and-shoot" fighting technique while balancing the VK78's automatic fire in tandem; a skill highly recommended for mastery by the at the Avery J. Johnson Academy of Military Science, the premier training facility following the outbreak of the .
===Factions===
*: (ongoing) Pirates and mercenaries by culture and trade, the Jiralhanae-led Banished are no stranger to spoils of war and use their prizes as pragmatically as their original wielders. VK78 Commandoes in the care of Banished Jiralhanae and Kig-Yar was not a surprising though rare sight before the Created conflict, but increased presence in locality during the Battle of Zeta Halo when both the survivors of the UNSC Infinity and the Banished forces on the ringworld found themselves somewhat-stranded there. Joined by Skimmer auxiliaries, mostly rifleman and sharpshooter-equivalent Banished units made use of the VK78.
*: (historical) The original users of the VK78 Commando. As the Insurrection exploded before their eyes, they modernized their arsenal in hopes of keeping up and ahead of those violent decades. Out went the HMG-38, in came the VK78. Unfortunately, the Insurrection was more than a war of metal and man. It was a conflict of charisma and ideology, and the Insurrectionist dogma seeped quickly into the CMA ranks. Nothing could be done but a quiet purge as the UNSC absorbed and dissolved their colonial counterpart. The VK78 traded hands, from CMA armories to UNSC storehouses and Insurrectionist dens. The CMA continues in the post-Covenant War era, but their relevance to the greater galactic politics and use of the VK78 as its prideful operator came to an end.
*Far Harvest Legion: (ongoing) One of the many post-Created human factions to emerge in the newly balkanized galaxy, the rogue pirate state makes use of many weapons from both UNSC and non-UNSC weapon caches. Through violent and thrifty acquisition, the VK78 Commando has become a prominent piece alongside the MA5 service rifle as mainstays in the Far Harvest Legion's arsenal.
*Kru'desh Legion: (historical) From a condemned penal legion in to a formal shock troop and privateer force in Shinsu Refum's Cleansing Blade, the Kru'desh Legion has always made use of any war spoils they could find on the battlefield due to their lack of logistics. Human weapons including the VK78 Commando are often seen in use with less-pious Kru'desh riflemen, usually Kig-Yar or the occasional Sangheili. After inducting an Insurrection coalition formed around Redmond's Simon Venter's Second Vanguard, the VK78 Commando saw even more service with the Kru'desh as a familiar tool among their Insurrectionist elements. Unfortunately, the Kru'desh saw its number greatly depleted during the Battle of Archangel's Rest.
*UNSC Army Rangers: (ongoing) Deployments far from home, beyond the pale, and behind enemy lines require the unique UNSC Army Rangers to adapt to their hostile environments quickly or fall victim to enemies with home field advantage. The VK78 Commando has become a part of that simple methodology and leading the way for other UNSC special forces to do the same. Rumor has it that special forces are running their own modified VK78 but not much is known.
*UNSC Frontier Command: (ongoing) Forward-facing and always toward the enemies and unknown, the UNSC Frontier Command (FRONTCOM) was and still is responsible for securing the frontier and beyond against all manner of threats to the Unified Earth Government. Their adoption of the VK78 Commando is a matter of subdued pragmatism born from the last conflict, employing the same weapons used by their enemies, against their enemies. The VK78 holds a ever-relevant and unique place in the UNSC frontier arsenal; no one intends to let the VK78 acquisition go to waste.
*: (ongoing) If someone else has them, the Spartans must have them too. Masters of the battlefield, all manner of weapons and warfare, the UNSC's Spartan Branch is often among the first forces to acquire, study, and implement enemy weapons into their forces' arsenal with a 'adapt-or-die' mentality. They did it with the Covenant, the Forerunners. It isn't so hard to believe they did it with the Insurrectionists too.
*: (ongoing) One of the major freeports through the Human-Covenant War and the Post-War era, their regimented defense force makes use of all manner of firepower sold on the frontier bazaars and black markets. Raids and combat operations against their number often reveal the VK78 Commando among their acquired stocks following the Colonial Military Administration's dissolution.
==Trivia==
*Due to hints towards a Germanic origin, the VK78's initials could stand for Volkskarabiner or "the people's carbine" in German.Wikipedia: Volksstumgewehr Given its unusual designation and architectural separation from the traditional UNSC small arms, the weapon could very well have a non-UNSC origin, possibly Insurrectionists. Following a Halo Waypoint article formal introduction, the VK78 Commando was confirmed to originate from the Colonial Military Administration.
*The author of this article attempted to refer to the VK78 Commando as a "tactical rifle" early in its conception but eventually abandoned the concept after further reading made clear major inconsistencies between his vision for the VK78 and a more academic definition for the term despite tactical rifle being more euphemism than codified firearm vocabulary. Other names included "scout rifle," but did not fit.
*Tide considered using other science fiction franchise weapons as stand-ins for the VK78 when there were few images to rely on: Call of Duty: Black Ops 4's Rampart-17 and the R-101C from Titanfall in particular.
==See Also==
===Notable Links===
*VM3 submachine gun
===Literary Appearances===
*Halo: Heaven and Earth
**Halo: Heaven and Earth/Book Three: Heaven and Earth
*Halo: Kill House
==References==