Claymore



The M18A1 Anti-Personnel Mine, frequently referred to as the Claymore is an Anti-Personnel Mine used by the United States military. It was named after a large Scottish sword by its inventor, Norman A. MacLeod. It features in both the single player and multiplayer in Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 as a player set explosive. In the multiplayer, it is unlocked at Level 23 in Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, and Level 31 in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2.

Description
The M18A1 consists of a horizontal, convex olive-green plastic case holding 700 steel ball bearings in front of a block of C4 explosive set into an epoxy resin. On the front of the mine, the words "FRONT TOWARDS ENEMY" are printed, whereas the simple word "BACK" is located on the rear of the mine. The mine can be propped on a pair of scissor legs, allowing it to be detonated vertically.

The mine can be operated as an ambush or defensive device. It can be detonated with the use of an M57 "Clacker" detonator or through infrared sensors, tripwires and timed fuses.

When detonated, the mine releases the 700 balls, breaking them from their resin wall and creating a 60-degree spread that is two meters high with a range of 50 meters. The force of the explosion deforms the steel balls into a shape roughly similar to a .22 Rimfire bullet. The mine is devastating against infantry, though it can also be of some use against unarmored vehicles. It is usually used as an anti-infiltration device or during ambushes. The Claymore is typically deployed in one of three modes: Controlled (also known as Command Detonation), Uncontrolled (also known as Victim Initiated Detonation), or Time-delayed.

History
The Mine can trace its origins to WWII, from the discovery of the Misznay-Schardin Effect. Named after Misznay, a Hungarian and Dr. Hubert Schardin, they discovered that when a solid metal plate is placed behind an explosive, the force of detonation is pushed away from the metal plate to a single direction. They originally applied the design to a prototype for an anti-tank weapon, but the war ended before production could begin.

Later, during the Korean War, U.S. forces faced Chinese infantry waves, often numbering in the hundreds. With no official weapon capable of fighting such human waves, it was a serious threat during any combat engagement. In 1952, MacLeod's design was introduced to the U.S. military, though it was not until 1961 when several were exported to Vietnam that it saw any service and only until the improved M18A1 was issued did it become a significant weapon.

Since that time, the mine has been produced in a variety of versions by the United States Army as well as many licensed and unlicensed reproductions. One in particular, the MON-50 produced by the former Soviet Union, is a near carbon-copy of the M18.

While the weapon is considered an anti-personnel mine, it does not always violate the U.N. Mine Ban Treaty. Wiring a Claymore as a command-detonated weapon (manually detonated by an operator via a firing device) doesn't violate the treaty, whereas wiring it as a victim-activated device (automatically detonated by tripwire or sensor) does. The United States does not adhere to this treaty.

Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
The Claymore is used in both the Single and Multiplayer modes. In single player, the Claymore can be used to prepare an area for enemy assault or to cover a vulnerable flank, as it only causes damage directly in front of the mine as opposed to a bubble-effect like grenades or C4.

In single player, claymores will usually be in your inventory at the start of the level, and you will often start with 2 of them. Many players will rarely use them as they have no real tactical purpose except in One Shot, One Kill. The only claymore preset in the game is in One Shot, One Kill. After sniping Zakhaev, look to the left before roping down. There is a claymore in front of the door (in case an enemy came upstairs to ambush the sniper team).

In multiplayer, the Claymore is unlocked at level 23 and can be used to defend a position from enemy assault. This is mostly used by snipers who want to defend their position from an enemy bent on killing them. You are given only two at a time, however, as a perk in your first slot; thus, other possible choices such as an RPG-7 or extra Special Grenades are forfeited. You can also increase the amount of damage delivered by the claymore by using it with the Sonic Boom perk, which increases the damage of all your explosive weapons. When activated, the Claymore will make a single clicking sound, before detonating (.83s delay). A Claymore can be spotted by the red lasers it produces or with the Bomb Squad perk. Defeating a Claymore can be done by throwing a grenade at its position or shooting the mine. Although not harmful to the person setting it down when detonated if said person is standing behind it, it will kill or seriously injure a player if it is detonated with them in front of it.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
The Claymore returns in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, but this time it uses the Equipment slot instead of being given via a perk. Also, you only receive one instead of two. It takes roughly one full second to activate once tripped. The actual blast radius has been increased. A suspecting or fast-reacting enemy can hear it tripped as soon as it is first flipped and back off just before it explodes. However, even the most skilled of players will find it difficult to evade a well-placed Claymore that they didn't know was there.

Not just for kills, Claymores are often also used as an early-warning system that enemies are coming. They are now also temporarily disabled by enemy Stun Grenades and Flash Grenades detonating nearby (and grenades thrown by the person who planted the Claymore). Deactivated Claymores will spark and smoke a little. After about 5 seconds the Claymore will reactivate and will explode as normal when triggered. Additionally, Claymores are immediately placed when the equipment button is pressed, instead of being drawn with one button press and placed with the primary fire button, as in MW1. This means Claymores can be placed as a last-ditch reaction when the enemy is rushing, which can be a good way to get a kill from beyond the grave. If you have a Claymore placed and you die, it will disappear once you respawn, so if you died from an enemy that is near your Claymore, you may want to wait a little bit before you spawn; you may just get a kill. It is also useful to have the perks Scavenger and Danger Close equipped. These will allow you to pick up extra Claymores from dead enemies and will make them more powerful. One Man Army can also be used for more Claymores. By switching to any class with Claymores equipped (including your current class), you will have another Claymore ready for use. In multiplayer one can only place two Claymores at a time; if a third is placed, the first will explode. If two Claymores are placed so that the laser detectors cross, both will explode. It should be noted that you plant the Claymore immediately after switching to it, unless you hold down the equipment button in which you will then be holding the Claymore in a position ready to deploy it. A few perks can easily counter Claymores. Scrambler Pro delays Claymores about 3 seconds longer than usual when they are tripped, rendering your Claymores almost useless. Using Lightweight and/or Marathon also allows players to run right by a Claymore before it explodes. Players using the SitRep perk can easily detect claymores and can find a way to destroy, disable or evade them, and some tactically-aware players can pinpoint enemy camping locations using the equipment locations. A well-placed Claymore will still often kill or damage these players, however. Depending on your playing style and how well you can place Claymores depends on how well they will work for you.

Given the distance at which SitRep will reveal claymores, C4, and Tactical Insertions, using it with full metal jacket attachments can be a key method of disabling these objects for a rush.

Some of the more effective methods of claymore placement are to put them inside "non-colliding" debris on the ground, inside cardboard boxes (such as the ones on Highrise), facing almost completely the other direction from an entry point where an enemy will attempt to run past the claymore but really be blown up from behind, and sometimes even placed out in the open in a high traffic area right in the middle of the road. Facing completely forward, they will trigger from a distance that will kill anyone without speed or scrambler perks, regardless of their reaction time, particularly if they are being led to concentrate on something else, such as weapons fire or what may appear to them to be a camper to easily be knifed from behind. Claymores also prove themselves effective in no respawn gamemodes, such as Search and Destroy, because Claymores will only dissapear after the person who has planted them respawns. This means that kills may be achieved a long time after the player who planted the mine has died.

Tips

 * A Claymore will only detonate when a person walks in front of it OR it is shot. This region is designated by two lasers pointing away from the claymore.
 * Sometimes a person will walk near a claymore and then walk away from it. This can result in heavy damage but not death. It is recommended that you stay near your claymore in case of this.
 * Claymores are great for tunnels and areas with only one entrance. Examples of this is at the top of the ladder on Rust, where a claymore can only be viewed once one reaches the top. The bunkers and tunnels at Afghan are also a great place for claymores, as the tunnels are traversed often and the bunkers only have one entrance.


 * In Afghan, Claymores can easily look like rocks or debris, making them highly beneficial here.


 * Claymores do not camoflage well in snowy/arctic levels.


 * Sometimes a flash or stun grenade will go off near a claymore. This may cause the claymore to short out, giving it a small time until it rearms.


 * The trigger laser for the Claymore is actually misleading, as the real trigger appears to be slightly shorter than the actual laser.
 * A Claymore can be placed facing a thin wall as a way to find enemy players as the lasers will stick out through the wall and will still detonate, but will cause no damage.


 * A Claymore explosion/triggering can be heard going off by the planter no matter how far away from it they are located.

Trivia

 * The sound of the Claymore clicking before it detonates uses the same audio as the mines that would click before detonating as the player walked over them in Call of Duty and Call of Duty 2.
 * The Claymore will do more damage if it is on an elevated position.
 * The click of a claymore doesn't always mean it has gone off.
 * The Claymore clicking sound is also played when you enter prestige mode in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
 * Despite the MW2 Claymores being infra-red detonated, the game mechanics actually use movement. This means that a claymore planted directly toward an enemy will not go off until the enemy moves. (Turning does not count as movement).
 * In MW2, In Search & Destroy your claymore will stay where it was put after the person who placed it dies.