Ruwaa-pattern Shadow

For the flight-capable craft resembling the Shadow in Halo: Escalation, see Covenant cargo tug.

The Type-29 Troop/Vehicle Transport (T-29 T/VT), also known as the Shadow, is a Covenant ground transport vehicle.

Description
The Shadow is a Covenant troop transport vehicle analogous to human armored personnel carriers. It is heavily armored and very slow. However, it possesses a powerful defensive plasma turret above the cabin, which can rotate 360 degrees to provide covering fire. The vehicle itself can be easily outmaneuvered by smaller vehicles such as the Warthog or Type-32 Ghost.

The vehicle is almost always manned by a Sangheili driver and a gunner. Shadows encountered so far have been observed transporting one unmanned Ghost and therefore had a crew complement of only two. Infantry transport versions are typically able to carry approximately eight passengers, though the exact number varies depending on their species. Because the transport bay is exposed, the passengers can lend their own firepower to the Shadow's defense.

Operation
Shadows are the Covenant's main method of moving large numbers of troops around ground based battlefields. They have one driver, a gunner and up to eight occupants, depending on the species of the passengers.

The Shadow also doubles as a small vehicle transport, and can carry one Ghost in its troop bay. However, their main purpose is to deploy infantry, such as Elites, Brutes, Grunts, and Jackals. For point defense, they are equipped with a single heavy plasma cannon.

The main cannon of the Shadow requires a period of time to 'cycle up' to maximum firing rate (similar to the M41 Light Anti-Aircraft Gun on the Warthog). This maximum fire rate is superior to that of both the portable Type-42 plasma cannon and the Type-27 Shade turret.

Operational history
T-29 Shadows were used by the Covenant during the Battle of Earth in 2552 as a troop and prisoner transport.

Production notes
The Shadow's design dates back to the original 2000-era builds of Halo: Combat Evolved, when the game was still intended to be a third-person shooter. At this time, the vehicle was simply known as, and had a noticeably blockier appearance. The vehicle was ultimately one of many vehicles cut from Combat Evolved, later making its in-game debut in Halo 2's Outskirts level.

Interestingly, during the original Combat Evolved era, another vehicle was intended for inclusion under the name of the Shadow. This vehicle was also similarly-cut, and ultimately also revived in Halo 2 - ultimately renamed as the Spectre.

Trivia

 * In the level Outskirts, a total of 7 Shadows can be found.
 * Halo 2's files show the Shadow as being hijackable and drivable, but this is not possible to do in the base game. Using mods, these mechanics can be accessed. Additionally there are two versions of the Shadow, one which transports Ghosts (seen in-game) and another which transports infantry.


 * It is arguably the most rarely seen vehicle in the series, making an appearance in only one level in Halo 2 and even there, it is not usable by the player.

List of appearances

 * Halo 2
 * Halo Graphic Novel
 * Second Sunrise over New Mombasa
 * Halo: Ghosts of Onyx
 * Halo: Uprising
 * Halo 2: Anniversary
 * Halo: Shadows of Reach