M808B Scorpion

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"This here is 66 tons of straight-up, HE-spewin', dee-vine intervention!"

— Avery J. Johnson

The M808B Main Battle Tank (abbreviated M808B MBT), commonly known as simply the Scorpion, is a UNSC main battle tank. It is outfitted with a 90mm high-velocity cannon, a coaxial or pintle-mounted 7.62mm machine gun, and titanium-ceramic armor-plating. It can carry four troops (apart from the tank's crew) who can fire their weapons from emergency jump seats on the outside of the tank.

Overview

"Hey, how does 90 millimeters of tungsten strike ya?"

— Gunnery Sergeant Pete Stacker

"Tank beats ghost! ... Tank beats Hunter! ... Tank beats everything! Man, I could do this all day!"

— Unnamed Marine on The Ark

The sturdy M808B Scorpion MBT is an armored tracked vehicle used during planetary combat. It can seat a driver, a gunner and four passengers that sit two on each side. The counterpart to the Covenant Wraith, it lacks speed but the main cannon has a higher rate of fire, allowing for more damage to be dealt out, and has much greater accuracy, with no need to compensate for anything but muzzle-to-target travel time. Its main function is to provide anti-vehicular support. The Scorpion is equipped with two weapon systems. It has a short-to-medium-range coaxial machine gun and an extremely powerful main cannon. While the main cannon can only shoot one round every three to four seconds, the machine gun has unlimited ammunition and can fire even when the cannon is reloading. The Scorpion's chassis is covered with heavy titanium-ceramic armor plating, making it mostly immune to small-arms fire; however, it's still possible for anti-tank infantry weapons to inflict severe damage on the vehicle, even destroying it.

The Scorpion has a dead space around it because the turret is mounted far back and elevated. By the end of the Human-Covenant War, the machine gun turret had been situated further forward, with a narrower dead space in terms of distance, but unable to cover the rear of the tank since the turret blocks its field of fire. The tank houses an interesting track assembly, made of four bogeys, or tread assemblies, with two on each flank of the vehicle, front-to-back. This makes the Scorpion a rather broad target and presumably easy to spot from the air; on the other hand it does give the tank better traction on rough ground.

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An upgraded Scorpion tank, c.2531

Although it has been stated numerous times to be a main battle tank, it seems to have been designed as a lighter armored vehicle. 20th Century MBT's commonly carry crews of four or more, while the Scorpion only has two visible internal crew compartments, and in later models a small area where a crew member can man a machine gun for anti-infantry defensive capabilities. There may be another crew member in the turret serving as a loader/gunner, but it is more likely that the Scorpion uses an autoloader, giving it a probable maximum of three crew members and room for additional passengers on the outside. It may be that advances in tank technology have allowed for smaller crews in MBT's.

Any marines sitting on the tread covers of the Scorpion will be vulnerable to small-arms fire, and any explosions that occur near the tank may kill all the crew sitting on the tread covers, while leaving crew members relatively unscathed. Its cannon, a 90mm piece, also appears weak when compared to modern MBT armaments: the M1 Abrams tank, for example, can mount either a 105mm or 120mm cannon. Alternatively, the 90mm cannon could be the "light" variant of the M808, while a 105mm cannon can be mounted for greater offensive power, an incident which has indeed been recorded.

The Scorpion's light and crew-efficient design could be a response to the requirements of a tank used by the UNSC Marines; a heavy tank would prove useless in their mobile warfare style and be difficult to drop close to or into combat zones. With a "light" version of the MBTs, Marines can react in a quick and efficient manner. Marines can sometimes hitch a ride on the sides of the Scorpion, employing small arms to serve as a sort of point-defense system to stave off enemy infantry. The real weakness of the Scorpion is that it is quite slow and, if enemies are too close to the tank, the driver is unable to get a clear shot. It is also difficult to fatally run an enemy over due to the slow acceleration and low maximum speed of the Scorpion. As such, the anti-infantry defenses of the tank rely largely on passengers and the coaxial machine gun.

Versions

2531

A number of Scorpion tank variants.

Scorpion Tanks saw service at the Second Battle of Harvest as the UNSC's primary tank and a flexible vehicle. The Scorpion could be upgraded into a number of variants, including one with a larger gun with a muzzle break and an external ammo store. This can be further upgraded, with the coaxial auto cannon and external magazine for it at the back, along with a gas extractor on the roof. The Scorpion could also be upgraded to the Grizzly Variant which has two main cannons and a flamethrower turret in place of the machine gun.

September, 2552

The earliest seen version features the standard cannon and machine gun found on all Scorpion Tanks. However, the main cannon requires four seconds to reload, leaving the tank highly vulnerable to enemy fire. The main cannon is ineffective at long ranges, due to its rather high shot spread, and the machine gun is unable to reliably hit targets at anywhere outside a few dozen meters. However, the Scorpion tank is fairly fast and maneuverable.

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A Scorpion at Blood Gulch.

One feature unique to this version, is the ability for a soldier to ride on one of the four tread covers (It is possible to jump and land on it to ride, but this makes it difficult to aim and makes you more vulnerable to small arms fire, as you are more exposed). Riding this way is similar to riding in the passenger seat of the Warthog, but leaves riders much more vulnerable. However, the Scorpion can be used this way as a troop transport, keeping wary players away.

One of the few problems is that the shell fired leaves a trail behind it, like that of a sniper rifle. This allows enemies to locate a tank with greater ease, and for a driver to self assess his or her shots. There is an antenna on the top of the tank for communications, however, this does not work in gameplay and can sometimes be exposed when the tank is hidden.

Another bad feature with this tank is that it is easily surrounded and attacked. There's a reason that they have jump seats for infantry support. Have people with Assault Rifles, Sniper Rifles, and/or Pistols jump on, and you're invulnerable to anything except rocket launchers, and snipers, due to the passengers being wide open on the tread covers.

October 2552

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A render of the October Scorpion.

The Scorpion Tank had a massive overhaul after the Battle of Reach. The most noticeable differences are the way the tank drives, the slightly downgraded main cannon, and the removal of the antennas. Instead of driving in the direction the turret is facing, the body and the turret are controlled independently by the left and right thumb stick, respectively. This means that you are able to drive in one direction and shoot in another. The main cannon's reload time has been noticeably shortened and the machine gun is now much more accurate and dependable to take out a group of enemies quickly.

As the roll cage has been exchanged for a hatch, the tank is impervious to sniper fire when it is not damaged, but if the canopy takes enough damage, it will fall off, exposing the driver's head. However, a tactic quickly devised was to drive the Scorpion in reverse using the turret itself to protect the driver from potential snipers. This was possible due to the reverse and forward speeds being identical.

A Scorpion is delivered to the battlefield by a Pelican.

This Scorpion was extremely vulnerable to heavy weapons such as the Rocket Launcher and depending on where the rockets hit the tank could normally only withstand a single rocket with the second rocket destroying the tank. Occasionally the Scorpion could withstand 2 rockets allowing it time to retreat and recover, this was usually at the expense of it's armor plating, the loss of which makes it weaker.

November 2552

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Scorpion on the Ark.

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Scorpion MBT in full snow camouflage.

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A Scorpion's 90mm shell impacts with an obstacle.

The November-era Scorpion Tank's controls are the same as the October variant, with one exception: control of the machine gun has been taken away from the driver, who must now have a passenger to man the gun which changes the capacity from 5 to 6. The speed of the vehicle has also been adjusted so that it is about as fast as its first iteration, but its acceleration is far inferior, taking two or three seconds to get up to full speed. It's reverse speed has been significantly reduced, perhaps in a reaction to reverse driving of the October variant where a driver could be protected from sniping attack by using the tank's turret to obscure his position, often causing the turret operator to be aware of the driver's status. This could also be a reaction to give vehicle boarders a more realistic chance of catching up to a reversing tank.

The Scorpion's main gun was confirmed to use a tungsten-based projectile. Tungsten is a very dense metal that is extremely resistant to physical impact and heat. It is also very heavy, and these factors make it ideal for use in a cannon. A muzzle brake was also added to the barrel of the gun, which is a device that diverts excess muzzle blast sideways reducing recoil of the turret. A similar piece of equipment on an infantry-sized weapon can be seen on the barrel of the SRS-99 Sniper Rifle series. The main gun also has a fair amount of recoil, pushing the tank backwards slightly with each shot.

Like the new Wraith, the Scorpion has a secondary position for the turret gunner. The turret makes boarding much harder, but the gunner is highly exposed to enemy fire, especially snipers. Appearance wise, the Scorpion has more detail and the antennas have returned. Another difference from the October and November versions is the trajectory of the shots from the main cannon. The shots will fall over long distances, and so the driver has to adjust his angle to account for the trajectory.

Known Scorpion Tanks

• 030569
• 12-9F5
• 957-A3
• UE8-14
• TB-SB-1
• HJ3-213

Behind the Scenes

Multi-player Use

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A scorpion from Halo Wars multiplayer

The Scorpion, being one of the most powerful vehicles in multiplayer, is used mainly for large assaults and infantry cover as other players can hide behind it. A popular tactic in multiplayer is to use a sniper in conjunction with the tank to spot out targets that the tank can't see. Then, the tank bombards said targets acting as a sort of "mobile artillery". It is often used as a "flag transport"—a player who has taken the enemy's flag may board a passenger seat and rely on the tank's high firepower to see him safely back to his own base. If a player is able to approach an enemy tank from a blind side, the player can jump on it and shoot the driver through the hatch. This should not be tried often, as you will need a perfect opportunity for this to work. This works better in Halo PC. In the PC version of Halo CE, the tank driver is actually very vulnerable to infantry with a pistol or sniper rifle. It is actually no real challenge to shoot the driver through the hatch. However, speed is obviously essential in such an endeavor else you will likely be targeted.

Countermeasures

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The apparently unfinished animation for a Scorpion's tungsten penetrator.

• A Gravity Hammer works best at close range because it has the ability to destroy the Scorpion with two well placed hits. Using this method with the Plasma Pistol works best because of the it's EMP ability. Beware: the tank can still fire while disabled. Aim for its relatively weak back plating.
• Firing a Rocket Launcher or a Fuel Rod Gun at the Scorpion generally inflicts damage or kills the driver and gunner. In addition, the Spartan Laser is very effective against a tank. It destroys the tank in a single shot if the shot is well placed, probably in the back hatch, but the slow charging time and the faint red line the laser may reveal the wielder of the Spartan Laser to the lethal fire of the tank's main gun.
• Like the tactic above, the Spartan Laser is more effective than either the Rocket Launcher or Fuel Rod Gun; since it takes time for the shots to trave to the intended target giving the tank time to move away. Unlike the near instantaneous hit from the Spartan Laser makes it the most effective anti-tank/anti-vehicle weapon. Aiming for the hatch that covers the driver's seat guarantee's that the driver will be killed leaving the tank intact, albiet heavily damaged, however this tactic is hazardous, as the shot has to be a dead-on center hit in order to disable it and the only way is to be right in front of the tank.
• In 'Halo: Combat Evolved', even small pieces of cover, such as the spires on the top of Blood Gulch's bases, can stop players taking damage. Taking cover behind these spires while the cannon fires and firing while it reloads is effective, just watch out for the machine gun, which, at close range, is quite lethal.
• In Halo: Combat Evolved where the driver is exposed, it is possible to eliminate the driver with a single shot from the sniper rifle. But a player must be very sure that they can do one of the following: hit and kill the driver, that they are too far away to be effectively attacked, switch to heavy weapon or throw grenades, or have some cover. Otherwise if a player misses and is in the open, this tactic is suicidal.
• Boarding the tank is quite effective, especially if the boarder plants a grenade inside the vehicle's housing. This tactic will almost invariably kill the driver, but the boarder must be careful that the coaxial gun does not kill him as he boards. Although in Halo 2 and, Halo 3 it is better to just beat the driver senseless because a grenade will probably destroy the Tank and it is a very powerful weapon
• Another tank or anti-tank vehicle is usually the most efficient method of stopping a Scorpion. The Wraith's high accuracy and speed make it ideal for this task. The Gauss Warthog is also quite effective, as long as the driver takes care to avoid the main gun. The Hornet's missiles can easily destroy the tank, but its slow speed and lack of maneuverability make such an undertaking risky, if not suicidal.
• Using a Power Drain or a Plasma Pistol on overcharge will temporarily disable the movement of the tank and will greatly weaken its driver. While the tank's weaponry will still be functional, it will be unable to move and can be easily boarded.
• Although risky, it is possible to take out a tank using two plasma grenades in Halo: Combat Evolved/Halo PC, as they are significantly stronger than in Halo 2/Halo 3. This tactic is especially useful if you have unlimited grenades. In the sequels, this is no longer widely possible.
• A Plasma Pistol overcharge followed by a Plasma Grenade is also an effective anti-tank tactic, so long as the driver is hit, and the Plasma Grenade lands on or near the tank. This works best in Halo: Combat Evolved, as the driver is reasonably exposed.
• One of the most suicidal tactics against a Scorpion is to get up right beside it, where the main cannon can't fire at you. As the cannon has a slow turning rate, you will be able to hijack it, stick it with a grenade or destroy the back paneling. However, the problem of this tactic would be either getting splattered, or being taken out by the machine-gunner on the Scorpion. This tactic can be recommended if you are lucky enough to get near unnoticed by the driver of the tank.
• The option to ride on the tread covers had been removed in Halo 2. However, you can still stand on the tread covers in front of the cannon. It could be a good transport and if the tank is hijacked, the one standing on it can get it back for their team. AI characters, such as Marines and Elites, can still sit and ride on the canopy, however. Elites lose the ability to ride on the treads in Halo 3.

Invisible Turret

This glitch will make it so that the turret is still technically there, but it cannot be seen. If a player enters the gunner's seat, they will be able to fire, but there will only be a muzzle flash. To get the glitch you need to get an Energy Sword. Then jump on the Scorpion and hit the turret repeatedly with the Sword (B only), until the turret snaps off. Be careful not to destroy the tank. Then get in and enjoy the effect.

This glitch was most likely overlooked by Bungie during the development process of the game.

Character Compatibility

• Spartans
• Elites (Halo 2 and Halo 3)
• Flood Combat Form (Halo 2 only)
• Marines

Halo Wars Stats

• Air Damage: 22
• Vehicle Damage: 93
• Infantry Damage: 40
• Structure Damage: 51
• Defense: 34
• Cost: 500 Resource units, requires 3 Pop. Cap. and 2 energy units.

Trivia

• The Halo: CE Scorpion only appears once in the campaign, on the level Assault on the Control Room.
• Strangely, every Halo game manual describes the tank as the M808B. This is odd since the Halo 3 Scorpion is clearly a variant from the original tank. Furthermore, this fact is even more marked with Halo Wars, in which many Scorpion variants appear.
• In Halo 2 a "Date of Birth" is on the front left tread cover. Similarly, the Scorpion's serial number is the same as Bungie's Art Director's Birthday.

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Balancing a Scorpion tank in Halo: CE

• In Halo 2 if the tank head gets blown off it reveals a face under it.
• In Halo: Combat Evolved and Halo 2, the Scorpion Tank is specifically cited in the manuals for each respective game as firing 90mm HE shells. Halo: The Flood claims that there are variants that fire 105mm shells. This is strange as the Rocket Launcher fires a 102mm shot, larger than either of those alleged HE-shots. Red vs Blue states that Scorpions fire 130mm shells. However the games are considered 'more canon' than any other material. Also Sheila says she is an M808V whereas in the games and everything else the featured tank is an M808B, so Sheila is a slightly different model.
• Underneath the turret of the Scorpion, there is a Jack-O-Lantern drawn in blood. This can be found by destroying the turret, then standing on the upside-down turret.
• The Scorpion tank resembles an actual Scorpion with the front boogies being the pincers, the rear bogie's being the legs and the cannon being the tail and its stinger. However, this may refer to the FV101 Scorpion Light Tank used by the British Army in 1973. Ironically, the real-life British Scorpion tank is a light tank, compared to the Halo Scorpion heavy tank. However, later variants of the real-life Scorpion also featured a 90mm main weapon.

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Sheila from Red vs. Blue series

• In Red vs. Blue, the AI Sheila operated a Scorpion tank. She was more of a background character, but was the feature of one of the soldier's affections, which eventually morphed into a bizarre love-triangle between Sheila, Caboose and Lopez, the Red's personal robot mechanic.
• In Halo: Combat Evolved, the Scorpion tank cannon was a solid object, while in Halo 2 and Halo 3 the player will go through if they try to walk on the barrel and for an odd reason the characters legs separate from the body.
• The Legendary Map Pack features the map Avalanche, a remake of the classic Sidewinder. For the remake, the M808B is adorned in full snow camouflage, along with all other UNSC vehicles. Avalanche is the first Halo 3 multiplayer map to feature a Scorpion Tank by default.
• It is possible to do the turretless vehicle trick in a Scorpion. It is not possible to then attach another weapon though and still be able to drive; for some reason it automatically applies the parking brake.

Gallery

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  The Scorpion accompanied by a group of Spartans.

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  A platoon of Scorpions.

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  A "Snow Scorpion".

• Scorpionturret.jpg

  A view of the Scorpion's turret and emblem.

• 1218570779 Scorpion2.jpg

  A Scorpion fires on multiplayer map Valhalla.

• Scorpion fire Halo 3.jpg

  A Scorpion firing it's 90mm High Velocity Gun.

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  The blast from a Scorpion firing is extremely large, though it only lasts a split second.

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  Muzzle flash of a Scorpion.

Related Pages

• Grizzly - A variant of the M808B
• Rhino - The UNSC's Self-Propelled Artillery Vehicle or Heavy Tank
• Wraith - The Covenant equivalent of the Scorpion MBT