M-27 Scimitar: Ariake Assault Shotgun

The M-27 Scimitar Assault Shotgun was a close-quarters firearm manufactured by Ariake Technologies. Built around twin mass effect generators, it traded the heavy per-shot punch of a conventional shotgun for a far more rapid rate of fire, making it deadly in the hands of an aggressive fighter at short range. Created for the Eclipse, it spread quickly through the mercenary bands of the Terminus Systems. (Mass Effect 2; Mass Effect 3)

Design#

The Scimitar was an elite military shotgun designed for rapid fire. Its defining feature was a pair of mass effect generators, an arrangement that let it cycle far faster than a traditional shotgun and feed from a generous magazine. The result was a weapon that could pour a heavy volume of fire into a target at point-blank range, well suited to fighters who pressed in close rather than trading single shots from cover. That speed came at a price, however. Each individual round struck for less than a heavier shotgun would deliver, the weapon's accuracy was poor, and its pellets scattered widely, so its lethality depended on staying near the target and keeping up sustained fire. It was effective against kinetic shields and biotic barriers but comparatively weak against hardened armor. (Mass Effect 2; Mass Effect 3)

Origin and use#

The Scimitar was created for the Eclipse, one of the major mercenary companies operating beyond Council space. Its combination of rapid fire and ease of use made it well suited to the company's soldiers, and it did not remain exclusive for long. The weapon rapidly became popular with the Blood Pack as well, and its short-range firepower suited the close-quarters tactics both bands favored. By the time of the war against the Reapers the design remained in service, manufactured by Ariake Technologies and fielded by mercenaries and soldiers alike. (Mass Effect 2; Mass Effect 3)