Type-51C Directed Energy Rifle/Improved

The , or Plasma Repeater, is the Republic's current infantry carbine. Relatively new, in entered use with select Covenant units close to the end of the Great War. With advance fire control systems and never before seen cooling systems, it is a much more lethal weapon than the Plasma Rifle it augmented, but has been somewhat overshadowed by the more newly introduced Storm Rifle. 
==Description==
The Plasma Repeater is the middle ground between the Plasma Rifle and Storm Rifle, having greater rate of fire than the Storm Rifle but lower accuracy, and vice versa when compared to the Plasma Rifle. It shares most of the features of older plasma rifles, but also has a much more advanced cooling core, that requires no emergency venting, and will continue to function even once it's overheated, but at a reduced capacity. It can be vented manually, to restore full functionality. As the gun heats up, the thermal shroud slows down to keep up with the cooling capacity, but due to the reduced thermal distortion of the plasma emitters, it becomes more accurate, and sometimes it is purposely overheated, by circumventing the thermal shroud and near instantly overheating it, giving them slow, but accurate fire. 
The Plasma Repeater is used as a carbine rifle by regular forces, such as soldiers carrying large and unwieldy equipment, operate from cramped vehicles, operate stationary emplacements, or by special operations units, who can't afford the weight, require a shorter weapon for close range engagements and fight in short range fire fights. 
The Repeater has been further augmented with new refinements in cooling shrouds and materials, reducing weight, and improving efficiency. 
==History==
The first prototypes for the Type-51 were created by Weaponsmiths from Iruiru Armoury, as a pet project to equip the Covenant with more lethal weaponry. Most of the Weaponsmiths had, at some point, served the Covenant as soldiers, and fought against humanity, encountering first hand the lethality of human weaponry. Human assault rifles were more accurate and more lethal at range than the Plasma Rifle, leaving the Covenant at a disadvantage. The designers sought to rectify this and emulate these designs, in the Covenant's own image. Taking technology from the plasma rifle, and combining it with technology from other weapons, and advanced Forerunner designs, they began crafting a new weapon. 
Normally, such wanton free-design, and disregard for the sanctity of the Forerunner's designs, was tech-heresy of the highest order. However, the Hierarchs turned a blind eye to this for their own reasons. The weapon had proven itself extraordinarily deadly in testing, and two Prophets came to declare the design sanctified for their own reasons. Regret sought to have his faithful armed with the best for their conquest, and had them manufactured for his forces, personally. Truth wanted the weapon for his Jiralhanae faithful, in preparation for the Schism. However, both were sorely disappointed when demand far outstripped their manufacturing capabilities. The Repeater proved more expensive and difficult to manufacture than initially thought, slowing down production. Iruiru Armoury also fiercely guarded the design, refusing to allow the design to be disseminated to any other foundries, especially those on High Charity. This meant only a few hundred were shipped by the time of Reach, and most were in the hands of the forces there. When Truth demanded a greater tithe of weapons, more than Regret and his Sangheili faithful, Iruiru Armoury made a few creative changes to the shipping manifests, to waylay and redirect weapons that should have gone to Jiralhanae packs. 
These weapons were deployed on Reach, reaching the hands of Sangheili special forces and officers, as well as some Brute forces, then saw widespread use against the Covenant when the Sangheili split from the Covenant. In the final days of the war, the weapon entered mass production and saw limited usage with infantry against Covenant Forces. After the war, it continued to be used in large numbers, by multiple sides in the Blooding Years. In the Swords of Sanghelios, it is primarily used by highly mobile forces, such as troops deploying from drop pods, or motorised vehicles, or special forces, units who cannot afford increased size of the larger Storm Rifle. 
==Variants==
===Storm's Tithe===
An advanced variant, it is issued exclusively to elite infantry formations of the SOS. Equipped to veterans and elite soldiers, the weapon is a roiling storm, using a new and improved shroud to produce a constant and accurate fire, without reduction in rate of fire. This comes at the cost of a cackling thunderstorm emanating from the cooling shroud, giving away their location. Such matters are trivial to the shock troops of the Arbiter's legions. 
===Distant Dawn===
Improvised hastily in the midst of battle, the Distant Dawn is a violent and deadly weapon. Augmented with the plasma coil system from a Plasma Cannon, it produces short, violent bursts of fire, at extremely high rate of fire, and then immediate drop off and rapid venting. Such weapons are highly unorthodox, and unreliable, but some are willing to make that trade for the offered fire power. 
===Chainbreaker===
Created by engineers in The Warbound, the Chainbreaker is a modified Repeater, that has been augmented to fire highly explosive plasma bolts. Lethal in close quarters, these plasma bolts can quickly shred an unprotected lance of troops. However, the resources needed for this make it a luxury the Warbound can ill afford, so instead it is more often seen as an elite weapon for their finest troops. 
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