M313 Elephant

Elephant

The Behemoth-class Troop Transport, more commonly known as the Elephant, is a heavy UNSC Marine Corps Mobile Assault, Support, and Recovery Platform. It is only available in multiplayer games on the map Sandtrap. The Elephant has two turrets, a detachable one on the side and one that is similar to the LRV Warthog's stationary M41 Light Anti-Aircraft Gun that cannot be detached from its position. The Behemoth-class also houses a Mongoose in its lower bay. The Elephant seems to serve a similar role to the Shadow of Halo 2.

Specifications
The Elephant is a mobile command base and repair vehicle. Twelve soldiers can ride in it and a Mongoose respawns in its forward hold. It is armed with a forward M41 LAAG on the top right and a AIE-486H Heavy Machine Gun on the mid left. It is a three storied vehicle with the bottom story, the respawn locale that opens out into the rear cargo tray, the second story, a walkway around the cargo ramp and leads onto the driver's cabin then a small, elevated third story where the M41 LAAG is assembled. It features a crane, numerous firing ports and elevated positions for defending it. It shares the same track set-up as the Scorpion Tank, with a set of four tracked boogies along its chassis. Its chassis is as high as it is long, providing stability. An IGN video shows its top speed, driver's cabin and turrets. In multiplayer, it can respawn troops, and holds both the flag and the capture point for certain multiplayer maps on Capture The Flag mode. Therefore, in CTF you can actually bring the Capture Point to the enemy flag, though this makes it easier to steal yours. The elephant is one of the best weapons on huge battles. These mobile command bases can spawn troops and vehicles into battle quickly. Although it may not seem possible, this Elephant can't be destroyed. In addition to the Elephant's indestructibility, it also grants the pilot a few advantages. Due to the indestructible nature of the elephant, the pilot is immune to damage from frontal fire, though lucky SPARTAN laser blasts may over penetrate the driver's window and kill him. However, the pilot is not immune to damage and any shots from behind will hurt him as they would normally. Even with these good qualities this vehicle is basically useless in Free For All custom games.

Known Elephants

 * E-2073 46833-S - UNSC Elephants stationed on Sandtrap

Trivia

 * If you go to the bottom level of the elephant, there is a screen. If you look at the screen (zoom required) it will say in the top left corner Mobile Assault Support and Recovery Platform Statistics. You can also see a map of Sandtrap. It is interesting to note that it says there are 2 mobile turrets(Ones that you can rip off) while there is actually only one. Perhaps one was removed for balance issues as there is a spot right oppisite of the other.
 * If by some chance you do manage to flip over an Elephant, the usual "Hold RB to flip " script dialog is replaced with "Hold RB to flip...wait, what? How did you do that?", referencing the fact that it is the biggest vehicle in the game and that it is impossible for it to be flipped even by Spartans or Elites. That means that probably only heavy cranes or bigger machines could flip it. Also if you hold the RB button while the message is displayed the Elephant will still flip to its regular position.
 * On the left hand side of the red team's Elephant there is a spray-paint graffiti with text that reads "BEHEMOTH" and a red cartoon-ish picture of a woolly mammoth. On the blue team's elephant it says "LEVIATHAN"and has a picture of a blue, whale-like sea creature sporting a mean grimace and wearing a comically tiny golden crown.
 * The Behemoth and Leviathan are two mythological creatures that are enormous in stature and girth. It is said that when the world ends, it is because these two creatures are fighting. The Elephant's size is probably what got them these call signs, and that is another reference to mythology that Bungie uses. The Behemoth is more hippo-like, while the Leviathan is more whale-like. Leviathan is aquatic and the Behemoth is terrestrial.
 * One way to flip the elephant (without the use of Forge) is to drive the Elephants toward each other. This will usually make one of the Elephants to flip over and roll, or it may make one of the Elephants land right on top of each other.
 * The Elephant by default spawns a Mongoose at the front, but can hold more vehicles.
 * One way to flip an Elephant is to spawn a closed drop pod in the cockpit and throw down a grav lift right near it.
 * It appears to be impossible to drive the Elephant into the minefield, due to an invisible wall. If you make the Elephant fly as it goes round the map it is kept in by an invisible wall around the edge of the minefield. This invisible barrier only works on the Elephant, there is another one further on that keeps everything else inside the map.
 * The name "Elephant" is a possible reference to Fred Saberhagen's classic science fiction book Empire of the East in which the protagonist defeats an oppressive empire in a post-apocalyptic future using a giant nuclear-powered tank known as the Elephant.
 * You can lift up and, dangerous to anyone else on the Elephant at the time, carry the Elephant around. To do this, in Forge, hook a closed Drop Pod under the Elephants 'control room' and pull the pod away from the Elephant, so that it catches on the visors/windows. Pull away slowly enough and you'll be able to drag the Elephant around as you like.
 * The anti-gravity chamber: This is an amusing glitch found on Sandtrap. Take one of the two elephants on the map, and drive it to the rear of the other. Drive the elephant into the back of the other Elephant until yours begins to lift into the air. Once you reach a good angle, dismount your Elephant and take its mongoose. Drive it into the back of the other Elephant. It will be tossed into the air helplessly. Any vehicle will exhibit this behavior. It is a fun and amusing trick to play when you are being chased by a warthog. Also, this is an easy way to flip an elephant.
 * The Elephants are capable of fitting a single Scorpion inside when the tank is being carried in forge. This can allow you to wedge the tank inside and pick up the Elephant - unfortunately a little less gracefully than most vehicles.
 * If you move the mongoose, you can fit 2 Choppers on the bottom floor. Landing a Banshee on top will make this a deadly assault vehicle, especially if you have people manning the guns.
 * If you can get a Scorpion Tank on top of it, you can get somebody to shoot its cannon while you drive. The Scorpion Tank on top will also protect you from air attacks.
 * You can also flip the Elephant in forge using a Scorpion or Wraith and simply pull or drag it so it sticks on the Elephant. A lot easier than using fusion coils and/or plasma batteries.
 * If the Elephant is flipped, a planted bomb or a flag on its stand will stay in the same spot, essentially flipping with the vehicle, rather than dropping to the ground.
 * If the Elephant is upside down and there is someone inside of it, if it is flipped, it is possible to send the player inside flying across the map.
 * The elephant can be piloted if you secure a hornet using barricades in the rear and use the anti-grav glitch on the bottom of it. It can be turned left and right, flown back and forth and can rise and fall all under the control of the Hornets pilot.
 * Ensemble Studios says the Elephant may be in Halo Wars
 * All the land vehicles of the UNSC are name after a land animal,for example: The Warthog, Scorpion, Elephant, Wolverine, Rhino, Cougar, Mongoose, Albatross, Sparrowhawk and Pelican.
 * A fun glitch to do with friends is to get every fusion coil and plasma battery you can find, stick em in front of the Elephant, blow them up, run under and you will be catapulted out of the map.
 * The Elephant is the only drivable vehicle where you can place Turrets on it without them moving when you drive off. If you placed a crate or two in the cargo bay of the Elephant and place a turret on top of them and then delete the crates, then you can drive the Elephant with the Turret keeping place over the Elephant without it moving, this would make a funny glitch in custom games.
 * If you drive/spawn a ghost onto the control room roof and then drive towards the cargo bay, the ghost will float above the Elephant.
 * Because of it's size it cannot be driven into the minfield.

Related Links
Videos
 * http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=DzsNrfrBvCs