I noticed a problem with the figures for armament given by halopedia, they sometimes don't match the actual weapons on the ships. For instance, The Charon is said to have 50 archer missile pods, but the actual model has 42 to 62 depending on what you count as a missile pod.
Evolution of missile tactics:
In the beginning, the UNSC used a dual missile system, long range heavy yield missiles designed to destroy target, and small close range fast missiles designed to destroy equipment not under armor like turrets, sensors, and heat management systems. Nuclear weapons were also used in a similar fashion with the ordinance not designed to destroy the ships but to disrupt their operations with electromagnetic pulses and enhanced radiation levels.
During the insurrection, this changed. The effectiveness of the large long-range missiles were shown to be lacking and improvements in engine technology allowed for the short range missiles to be equipped with ship grade engines, allowing them to fulfill the role of antiship missiles at ranges equal to the old cruise missiles. The effectiveness of directing nuclear energy instead of releasing it everywhere was shown by the insurrectionists and by the beginning of the human covenant war all anti-ship nuclear weapons were replaced with some form of directed nuclear weapon like a bomb pump x-ray laser or a nuclear shaped charge.
Non-nuclear ordinance, instead of attempting to penetrate armor, instead go for weak points where sensitive and vital equipment can be hit.
non-nuclear missiles:
Archer missiles:
m42: the third iteration of the archer missile (with the previous m19 archer used in the interplanetary wars and m27 created around the time of the slip space engine being the previous iterations), the M42 archer missile was designed in 2443 for use as a close range antiship missile to complement the m35 Ares long range antiship missile. During the early days of the insurrection, the twin missile system proved to be ineffective, and a combined replacement for both the ares (m35,m44, and m48) and m42 was developed and put into production. The only reason for its continued use is the exorbitant and unnecessary cost of attempting to replace the missile pods designed for these missiles with ones designed for a newer ordinance, they are lower cost compared to newer models, and the extremely large stockpile of these older missiles that continues to exist.
length: 10 m
Diameter: 1 m
Payload: 1.57 cubic meter shaped charge warhead, electronic warfare package (usually 20 % of missiles pear pod are equipped with this payload)
m58: The replacement for both of the previous missile designs, the m58 has a 20% increase in dimensions compared to its predecessor, but substantial improvements in engine technology allowed for it to be equipped with a full ship level engine. The previous generation archers were both too small and built in a too technologically primitive era to be equipped with a full ship engine, meaning that only the long-range missiles were large enough to be equipped with one, and the archers had to make do with less effective (though highly advanced) chemical propulsion.
Length: 12 m
Diameter: 1.2 m
payload: 2.826 cubic meter shaped charge warhead, electronic warfare package (usually 20 % of missiles pear pod are equipped with this payload)
Ares missiles:
m35: The oldest missile currently in use by the United Nations space command, the m35 originally began deployment on the turn of the last century, as a replacement for the obsolete m21 ares used in the interplanetary wars. The missile are fully obsolete and only used on specific vessels for which the replacement of the missiles was not considered cost effective, considering their ineffectiveness (the ships) and the difference in diameter of later missiles.
length: 40 m
diameter: 3 m
payload: 56.52 cubic meter shaped charge warhead
m44: The most common long range missile used in the second half of the 25th century, the m44 was first developed in 2461 as a replacement for the m35. The missiles are equipped on a large number of vessels. It has significant performance enhancements compared to its predecessor including a more sophisticated evasion algorithm, superior electronic warfare capabilities, and a larger warhead. It is said that a single full Salvo from Los Angeles class destroyer of m44s is capable of destroying even the largest insurrectionist ships like the refitted colony ship URFS freedom fighter (according to rumors spread by ONI section 2, considering the high rate of interception, at least 3 squadrons of destroyers and a total of 63 missiles would be required for the destruction of the 2 and a half km ship).
Length: 40 m
Diameter: 5 m
Payload: 117.75 cubic meter shaped charge warhead
m48: An attempt to increase the capabilities of vessels still carrying ares missile silos, the silo doors are permanently removed, allowing for a significantly longer missile to be put into the silo. This causes problems with the exposed munitions being a potential danger to the ship, but the superior capabilities of missile was considered a more than worthy trade off. This is the only missile in use capable of carrying a point defense gun.
length: 48 m
Diameter: 5 m
Payload: 235.5 cubic meter shaped charge warhead and M816 Seeker point defense gun
ASGM:
ASGM-10: primary fighter launched anti-ship ordinance, the ASGM-10 is one of the most powerful, non-nuclear, ordinance created by humanity.
Length: 10 m
Diameter: 5 m
Payload: 157 cubic meters explosive ordnance
ST/Medusa missile:
M3250 ST/MMP: The primary fighter launched anti-fighter missile of the UNSC.
Length: 2 m
Diameter: 35 cm
Payload: 0.024 cubic meters of explosives
fusion rocket: designed as a relativistic kill missile, the fusion rocket has enough fuel to get it's 2000 ton mass to 1% the speed of light. Once it reaches its maximum speed, it will either continue on drifting towards its target, or it will detonate into a large debris field capable of completely annihilating multiple vessels or structures.
Streak missiles: The primary ship-based anti-fighter missile of the UNSC
Length: 4 m
Diameter: 50 cm
Payload: 0.1 cubic meters of explosives
Nuclear weapons:
Hyperion nuclear delivery systems:
M4093: One of the primary nuclear delivery systems used by the UNSC and replacement to the venerable harpoon, the M4093 is primarily used as a anti-capital ship or anti-space station weapon.
Type: ship to ship missile
Length: 61.8 m
Width: 15.8 m
Hight: 17.1 m
Payload: nuclear shaped charge
harpoon nuclear delivery system:
M2950: originally developed for the Air Force's planetary Defense initiative in the early days of the 25th century as a satellite based weapon (the Air Force previously had control of orbital planetary defense responsibilities until the later years of the 25th century), the M2950 began its use by the navy as a relatively low cost replacement for the aging M2130 crossbow nuclear delivery system originally introduced in the waning days of the 23rd century. The missile has began to show its age so the UN appropriations committee approved funding in 2503 for a replacement to begin development and the Hyperion began production 14 years later. The harpoon being the primary nuclear delivery system used during the insurrection for long range attacks has led to significant production infrastructure for the missile being in place.
Type: ship to ship missile
Length: 31 m
Diameter: 4.13 m
Payload: nuclear shaped charge
Bident:
M4020: a contemporary of the m58 archer missile, even though it was beat out by the m58 for the position of primary anti-ship ordinance due to its lower cost and higher payload, the UNSC still uses the bident because of its significantly superior speed as a ship chasing ordinance and nuclear delivery system. The bident has significantly superior engines than the archer and a higher fuel capacity.
Type: ship to ship missile
Length: 20 m
Diameter: 1.2 m
Payload: nuclear bomb pump laser, nuclear warhead, kinetic rods, or shaped charge
shiva nuclear warhead/ missile:
VE-3: before the introduction of the Hyperion, the Shiva was the most powerful nuclear weapon commonly in service in human space. The Shiva has two variants, the first consists of the warhead and reaction control thrusters without any primary engines, the second adds a 30 m engine block that gives the Shiva a relatively low cruising speed for a missile of it's size. Both models are in use by the UNSC with the smaller one being used on fighters and the larger one being used on ships. The Shiva was originally developed in the 25th century for use as a planetary bombardment weapon, but during the insurrection, it was discovered to be particularly effective as a anti-ship weapon.
Type: ship to ship missile, guided bomb
Diameter: 10 m
Length: 20 m or 50 m
Payload: nuclear warhead, or nuclear shaped charge
Rudra nuclear missile: A obsolete nuclear weapon previously used by the United Nations space command in the 25th century. All missiles of this type are currently in storage waiting for either deconstruction or use in an emergency.
Type: ship to ship missile
Diameter:8.5 m
Length: 38 m
Payload: nuclear shaped charge
FENRIS: a nuclear weapon originally created in the 24th century, the FENRIS has served the UNSC longer than humanity has traveled between the stars. Its most notable use in recent history was in 2497 by ONI section 3 in a false flag attack on the civilian liner Walker of stars over the colony Arcadia in order to decrease the popularity of the local insurrectionist faction, and sway the united earth government into increasing military funding.
Type: handheld
length: 51 cm
Diameter: 24 cm
Payload: nuclear warhead
Fury tactical nuclear weapon: originally designed as a special forces inserted weapon, the fury is capable of extreme alterations in the yield of the warhead, from only 50 tons of TNT to almost 1 Mt. The fury has seen frequent use as a self destruct device on prowlers due to its relatively low cost for a nuclear weapon, while still not leaving any traces of the ship remaining.
Type: handheld, or self destruct device
length: 30.5 cm
Diameter: 15 cm
Payload: nuclear warhead
HAVOK tactical nuclear weapon: Less a singular type of weapon, and more a single core component with multiple different possible attachments, the havoc tactical nuclear weapon is built around a single core warhead with a maximum yield of 30 Mt. Around the warhead multiple different outer shells that alter the performance and capabilities of the havoc can be added, including a mine shell, excavation shell, and a anti-ship shell.
Variant V: the primary anti-ship variant of the havok, the variant V channels the warheads power into a nuclear shaped charge that is pointed at an enemy vessel.
Type: antiship missile
Length: 6 m
diameter: 80 cm
payload: nuclear shaped charge
HAVOK nuclear mine: a ground-based nuclear mine used by the UNSC.
Type: mine
radius (hemispherical): 40 cm
Payload: nuclear warhead
Mark 2521 Medium Fusion Destructive Device: a excavation nuke used by the UNSC.
Type: excavation tool
Length: 35 cm
Width: 18 cm
Hight: 19 cm
Payload: nuclear warhead
11-B1 intercontinental ballistic missile: A exceptionally obsolete weapon system originally created as a weapon of last resort during the interplanetary wars, the 11-B1 is nonetheless kept in storage in case it is necessary that its use be continued.
Type: intercontinental ballistic missile
Length: 18.5 m
Diameter: 1.92 m
Payload: 14 nuclear warheads
M441 Hornet Remote Explosive System: the primary space based anti-ship nuclear mine used by the UNSC.
Type: mine
Diameter: 1 m
Payload: nuclear shaped charge