LAS-16 Sickle

This carbine is based on laser technology but modified in an attempt to get something more similar to a conventional assault rifle. It fires short laser bursts and builds heat more quickly than the normal laser rifle. The trade off is higher burst damage but a shorter firing time. The LAS-16 is part of the Support equipment kit.

Helldivers start with 3 Sickle heat dump canisters, and can carry up to 6. Replacing a canister is only necessary if the weapon is overheated, and takes 3 seconds. As the Sickle is a laser weapon, it does not have the ability to perform a fast reload or retain a round in the chamber.

Unlock Requirement
The Sickle is a DLC weapon, available at any rank to those who purchase the Support equipment kit.

Tactical Overview
Smaller than the LAS-5 Scythe, the LAS-16 Sickle focuses on burst damage. Of all the Laser-based primaries, it has the highest damage done in the shortest time - offset by the fact that instead of firing a continuous beam, it fires rapid short blasts, similar to a conventional rapid-fire weapon. This also, however, makes the weapon heat up significantly faster than the Scythe. Like all Laser Weapons, it has effectively unlimited ammo so long as it does not overheat, and this improved burst damage makes it a better weapon for the midgame, when it can help bring down relatively high-toughness opposition more efficiently. It's also easier to use than the other Lasers.

However, because its usage time is shorter, the LAS-16 tends to fall behind in sustained damage-per-second, even to the LAS-5. If your opposition is going to mostly be enemies with tougher defenses that have to be worn down (such as is the case for the Illuminates), the LAS-16 isn't as great a choice. Use it carefully, however, and it's a weapon that can be brought on most missions without becoming a liability.