M-27 Scimitar

The M-27 Scimitar Assault Shotgun is a shotgun in Mass Effect 2 and Mass Effect 3.

Description
An elite military shotgun capable of rapid fire, this weapon is deadly at short range but ineffective at long range. It is effective against shields and biotic barriers but weak against armor. Upgrades the Katana shotgun.

Manufactured by Ariake Technologies, the Scimitar features twin mass effect generators, giving it a more rapid rate of fire than a traditional shotgun. This weapon was created for the Eclipse mercenary band, but it is rapidly becoming popular with Blood Pack mercenaries as well.

Acquisition
Found during Samara's recruitment mission on Illium. It is located in the room with a weapons locker, after taking the elevator to the mercenary base, and fighting through the first wave of Eclipse mercenaries. The room also has a hallway that leads to Elnora's hiding place. If the first Scimitar is missed, a second one can be found in the room prior to the Gunship fight. A third M-27 Scimitar can be found after your encounter with Niftu Cal, just before the final encounter with Captain Wasea. If the weapon is not picked up at any of these locations, it will be awarded at the end of the mission.

Squad Use
This weapon can be used by Grunt, Jack, Jacob and Tali.

Player Notes
General Notes
 * The Scimitar's high rate of fire and increased ammo capacity give it a greater DPS than any other shotgun, even against armor.
 * This weapon favours aggressive playstyles. Players that prefer a more cautious/defensive playstyle (such as popping out of cover to snap off a shot) may find the other shotguns more effective, as they all do more damage per individual shot than the Scimitar.
 * The Scimitar lacks the range of the Eviscerator, making it less effective at longer ranges.
 * Equipping the Scimitar with Incendiary Ammunition can help compensate for the Scimitar's shortcomings against armor.

Class Specific Notes
 * The Scimitar is very powerful in the hands of a Soldier; A Soldier using Adrenaline Rush can pepper an enemy to death with several headshots at point blank range, finishing up with a melee beatdown or a switch of weapon.
 * The Scimitar is useful for Vanguards who optimize for attacking several foes at once. Load with incendiary rounds, use Area Charge, and set several foes on fire, switching rapidly back and forth between targets. The area charge will knock back or at least momentarily stagger all foes in the vicinity of the charge target, while the incendiary effect will detain any unprotected targets with attempts to extinguish.

Description
Manufactured by Ariake Technologies, the Scimitar features twin mass effect generators, giving it a more rapid rate of fire than a traditional shotgun. This weapon was created for the Eclipse mercenary band, but is rapidly becoming popular with Blood Pack mercs as well.

Acquisition

 * Single-player: Priority: Palaven
 * Multiplayer: Randomly rewarded by purchasing a multiplayer item pack.

Player Notes

 * The Scimitar is a fully automatic shotgun, although it can be fired faster as a semi-automatic weapon.
 * The Scimitar's primary trait is its rate of fire, which allows it to kill enemies quicker than the other shotguns.
 * The Scimitar has an 8 shot capacity, and a good amount of reserve ammo. This makes the Scimitar more versatile in any fight than other shotguns, which either fire slower, or require a reload for every shot fired.
 * The Scimitar has a lower damage than the other shotguns, though this is remedied primarily by its rate of fire. This can make it difficult to kill basic enemies outright, but will make it easier for killing tougher enemies when you need multiple fast shots.
 * The Scimitar has a longer range than the M-23 Katana, which makes it more effective at medium range.
 * For players who struggle to keep their aim on moving targets at close range, the Scimitar can be a good solution, since its rapid fire and large magazine make it forgiving of missed shots, and it tends to stagger enemies when you do score a hit.

Trivia

 * The Scimitar is likely named after a type of sword.
 * In Mass Effect, the Scimitar line of shotguns were manufactured by Elkoss Combine. The change of manufacturer in Mass Effect 2 is likely to be an error, given that Ariake Technologies generally incorporates Japanese terms in their equipment naming.
 * The appearance of the Scimitar line of shotguns resembles the default shotgun from Mass Effect, but with a more substantial rear portion.
 * The Scimitar line of shotguns in Mass Effect were red with white stripes whereas the Mass Effect 2 version has a solid white color.
 * If Samara's recruitment mission is completed and the the M-27 Scimitar shotgun isn't obtained at any of the three places that it can be found, an M-15 Vindicator will be given as an award after talking with Samara in the police station. An M-27 Scimitar will still be given at the end of the mission.
 * There is an occasional bug associated with the Scimitar. Sometimes when switching from the Scimitar to a pistol or SMG, these two weapons will keep the Scimitar's firing and reloading animations.