How much damage the rocket does is purely gameplay. Yes, it's likely to be higher in the new model of rocket launcher because we've gone from a two-round clip to single shot, but it's not intrinsic to the modern-ish redesign.

: The SRS99 looks very much like the Denel NTW-20 sniper rifle while the MA5 is
: fairly reminiscent of the Fabrique Nationale F2000 and the Heckler &
: Koch XM29.

That second one was actually a coincidence. The MA5 was designed months before the designer had ever seen an FN F2000.

: The thing with Halo is that it has really never ever been a generic war
: shooter despite the equipment we can use or merely see, some of which is
: actually considerably low-tech compared to technology in-use today, but
: most of which is derived very much from contemporary designs.

You're right. You're absolutely right. The UNSC is rooted in a mix between Cold War aesthetic and a Space Age Futuristic aesthetic, and people get pissed when the balance is pushed toward a more modern concept. We've lost the Warthog. The UNSC weapons have had keymod rails slathered all over them. Now one of the more offbeat designs has been sidelined, and I seriously doubt that anything is taking its place. Nothing is being added to maintain that mix I mentioned earlier.

And no, crap inspired by Gundam or Mechwarrior doesn't help.