This guide is a compilation of all the most impactful Power Weapons, Vehicles, Equipment and Powerups in Halo 3. Information up to date as of 19.7.2020

The categorization is as follows:





The first column indicates a Weapon, Vehicle, Equipment or Powerup and the second colum shows the time to respawn for the item.


In Halo 3 a weapon's respawn timer starts ticking down 2 seconds after the weapon is disturbed. There are 2 different methods that this mechanic is manipulated in Halo 3:
1. In standard gametypes the weapons spawn on the ground and thus the respawn timer starts ticking 2 seconds after you pick up the weapon. The weapon will respawn even if you have the same previously picked up weapon still in hand.
2. In MLG maps the weapons spawn in the air and drop down to the ground disturbing the weapon and beginning the respawn timer 2 seconds after hitting the ground. This mimics the static weapon spawn system used in Halo CE. The weapon will respawn even if you have the same previously picked up weapon still in hand. Unlike the weapons in MLG Maps, the respawn timer for a Powerup like Camo will begin once it has been picked up. These static spawn times are marked 'like this' to easily distinguish them from regular timer respawns.

DOES NOT WORK IN MCC PC ANYMORE: In MLG maps you can manipulate a weapon's respawn timer by "Dirtying the Weapon" Dirtying a weapon refers to interrupting or picking up the weapon during the 2 second timer, which will not start its respawn timer until you stand still for 2 seconds and trigger the respawn or drop the weapon on the ground. ShyWay has a great explanation on dirtying weapons.

To despawn a weapon from the map you can either:
1. Use up all the ammo and change the weapon out for another weapon on the ground
2. Drop the weapon on the ground and wait out the 30 sec despawn timer. Note: If you walk over the weapon withing the 30 sec despawn timer, the timer will reset. So let's say you dropped a weapon on the ground at 0:00 and you walk over that gun at 0:29. If uninterrupted, the weapon will now despawn at 0:59.

In practice you can pick up a Sniper Rifle (with a respawn of 2:30 min) at 0:00, wait to 2:30 and a new Sniper Rifle will spawn even if you had not used any ammo and are still holding the old Sniper Rifle in your hand.
In MLG maps you can dirty a Sniper Rifle to offset its respawn timer for the rest of the game and confuse the enemy team.


For vehicles the respawn timer starts ticking down after the vehicle has despawned from the map. To despawn a vehicle from the map you can either:
1. Destroy the vehicle and wait for the wreckage to despawn
2. Wait out the 1:00 minute despawn timer. Note: The vehicle has to be moved fully out of its spawn location in order for the despawn timer to take effect. If you just get in the vehicle when it spawns and get out, the vehicle will stay there until destroyed.
If you get in the vehicle before the 1:00 minute despawn timer has passed, you will reset the despawn timer making it start the 1:00 minute cycle when you get out of the vehicle again.


See pictures:
Green Zone: Staying in the green zone radius (about 1 Wraith length) from the vehicle's center point will not begin the vehicle's despawn timer. When you exit the green zone, the despawn timer will begin. If you leave the green zone after exiting your vehicle and then come back inside the green zone in under 1:00 minute, you will stop the vehicle from despawning. If you have been holding back the vehicle despawn by standing inside the green zone and 1:00 minute has passed, upon exiting the green zone the vehicle will immediately despawn.

Orange Zone: If you exit your vehicle and put your crosshair on the vehicle within 1:00 minute, you can go outside of the green zone into the orange zone radius (about 3 Wraith lenghts) while holding your crosshair on the vehicle and not have it despawn after 1:00 minute. If after exiting the vehicle 1:00 minute has passed and you're in the orange zone and you have your crosshair on the vehicle, moving the crosshair off the vehicle will immediately despawn the vehicle. Upon going outside of the orange zone whilist holding your crosshair on the vehicle, it will despawn. Weird mechanics.

In practice you can be flying in a Hornet (with a respawn of 3:00 min) and have it be destroyed at 1:00. Wait out the 3:00 min and be waiting at the Hornet's spawn location on 4:00 to fly it again.

All maps included from
Steam\steamapps\common\Halo The Master Chief Collection\halo3\hopper_map_variants
&
Steam\steamapps\common\Halo The Master Chief Collection\halo3\map_variants
with the exception of the minigame modes for each map.

The map categorizing had to be cut into smaller sections because steam couldn't handle it.

The Rocket Launcher is out of map[i.imgur.com]

The Wraith is bugged and will spawn when the map loads, but will get destroyed and spawn again after 2:30 minutes have passed.

The map contains 2 different playable areas.

Send me your feedback and bugs that you found in the comments!

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Thanks for viewing!