M12G1 Gauss Warthog

The M12G1 Light Anti-Armor Vehicle (M12G1 LAAV), commonly known as the Gauss Warthog, is a United Nations Space Command ground vehicle. The M12G1 is a variant of the M12 Warthog FAV armed with a mounted Gauss cannon, with the M68 serving as standard during the Human-Covenant War and the M555 coming into use in the following years.

Design details
The M12G1 LAAV is one of the UNSC's anti-armor vehicles. It is primarily designed to quickly and efficiently defeat lightly armored vehicles such as the Type-25 Chopper and Type-32 Ghost, but can also be a threat to Type-26 Wraiths. The Gauss Warthog is almost exactly the same in every detail to the M12 Warthog LRV except that it is equipped with a mounted M68 Gauss Cannon, which fires a 25mm hypersonic projectile by means of magnetic acceleration. It takes about a half a second to recharge between cannon shots. Although it appears more rarely than the standard Warthog, its capabilities make it a fearsome, agile and powerful vehicle to use.

Operational history
Numerous Gauss Warthogs were used by the UNSC during the Harvest Campaign. Sergeant John Forge used a Gauss Warthog during the battles of Arcadia and the Etran Harborage.

In the opening actions of the Fall of Reach in July 2552, Noble Team members Kat-B320 and SPARTAN-B312 drove a Gauss Warthog when returning to Sword Base after clearing out Covenant hostiles in Sword Base's outposts Airview Base and Farragut Station. They used the Warthog to destroy a number of Revenants and other troops guarding the gate of the base.

During the Battle of Mombasa, Gunnery Sergeant Stacker drove a Gauss Warthog and offered it to MCPO John-117 in Kilindini Park Cultural Center, New Mombasa. John-117 used Stacker's Warthog to fight his way through Covenant heavy armor and reach a UNSC Marine command post in Sector B. As the Battle of Mombasa drew to a close, ODSTs Edward Buck and the Rookie commandeered a Gauss Warthog on the city's Waterfront Highway in order to cover Captain Veronica Dare's commandeered Olifant that the intelligence officer was using to escort an important asset out of the city.

During the Battle of Installation 05, UNSC Marine forces assaulting the Installation 05 Library deployed a Gauss Warthog along with many other vehicles to battle the Flood forms in the Quarantine Zone. They were either killed or infected by the Flood, as the Warthog was under the control of several combat forms by the time Arbiter Thel 'Vadamee and his Special Operations team passed through the area. The Warthog, along with many other Flood-controlled vehicles were destroyed by the Covenant team as they made their way towards the Library.

During the final battle of the Human-Covenant War, the Marines from the Forward Unto Dawn utilized a Gauss Warthog during their push to secure Installation 00's Cartographer. The Gauss Warthog was offered to John-117 by PFC Chips Dubbo. The Spartan and Dubbo used the Warthog to aid a trio of Scorpion tanks in destroying a large contingent of Wraiths and other Covenant units guarding the Cartographer building. The Warthog also helped John-117 destroy a Scarab that entered the battle shortly afterwards. Another Gauss Warthog was dropped by a Pelican to support the UNSC forces attacking the Citadel. Many more aided the Master Chief during his battle against a pair of Scarabs that were dropped in from orbit in front of the Citadel by the Covenant.

In July 2557, during the initial battle on Requiem, several Gauss Warthogs were deployed to engage Covenant ground forces. Several were attached to Gypsy Company, and John-117 used one during his defense of the Mammoth assigned to destroy the Forerunner particle cannons guarding the gravity well holding the within the planet. Upon the Infinity's return to Requiem later in 2558, more Gauss Hogs were deployed to the interior of Requiem to aid in the removal of Covenant forces. Several were used by Fireteam Crimson during their missions, including the clearing of the location known as Quarry and the defense of Cauldron Base.

On October 25, 2558, during the Battle of Meridian, Fireteam Osiris used a Corp Gauss Warthog to combat Promethean forces while attempting to return to their D79-TC Pelican.

M12 variants

 * Spirit of Fire variant - The Spirit of Fire Warthog, also known as the Fireball Warthog, is a variant used by the crew of the . This variant has a flame decal on it.

M12B variants

 * Corp Gauss Warthog - Officially, these are purchased to keep out large, aggressive animals. In reality they are typically deployed to keep out large, unruly crowds. Features extra armor used by the Liang Dortmund Corporation.
 * Tundra Gauss Warthog - A tundra camouflaged variant used by the UNSC. Features better armor than the Corp Hog.
 * Urban Gauss Warthog - Product-improved anti-tank Warthog with upgraded armor plating and redundant damage-bypass systems. An urban camouflaged variant that features better armor than the Corp Hog.
 * Woodland Gauss Warthog - In rugged terrain the Gauss Warthog is a deadly tank hunter, easily picking off Covenant boosted-gravity vehicles slowed to a crawl in dense foliage. A woodland camouflaged variant that features better armor than the Corp Hog.
 * ONI Gauss Warthog - The ONI Gauss Warthog features a highly classified gauss cannon that produces lingering area of effect damage. The ONI Warthog features better armor than the camouflaged models.

Halo Wars 2
Warthog Warthog Upgrade: Gauss Cannon M12G1 Warthog Gauss Warthogs can be built by all UNSC leaders besides Morgan Kinsano and Avery Johnson at the Garage. Warthogs perform well against infantry and okay against vehicles, aircraft, and structures. Gauss Warthogs are only available after the Warthog LRVs have been upgraded. In Blitz Trooper Warthogs cost 100 energy.
 * Info: Core Vehicle, Fast moving, Can ram enemies, Good all-round vehicle
 * Tier: 2
 * Cost: Population 3, Supplies 235, Power 35
 * Info: Weapon upgrade, Damage boost, Range boost
 * Tier: 3
 * Cost: Population 0, Supplies 600, Power 180

Trivia

 * In the E3 2000 Halo: Combat Evolved trailer, a Warthog was shown featuring a turret similar in appearance to the Halo 2 Gauss turret.
 * In the Halo Wars campaign, Sergeant Forge's Warthog will always be an M12G1, regardless of whether the player has researched the Gauss cannon.
 * During the Halo 2 E3 Demo, the Gauss cannon of the Gauss Warthog was shooting at a fairly rapid speed. In an early beta multiplayer phase, however, the Gauss cannon had been slowed down considerably. It was later revamped to its original rate of fire during the game's final stages.
 * In Halo: Reach, the Gauss cannon is capable of shooting through all Forged objects in the multiplayer map Forge World.

List of appearances

 * Halo 2
 * Halo: Uprising
 * Halo 3
 * Halo Wars
 * Halo 3: ODST
 * Halo: Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe
 * Palace Hotel
 * Halo: Reach
 * Halo 4
 * Spartan Ops
 * Halo 2: Anniversary
 * Halo 5: Guardians
 * Halo: Ground Command
 * Halo Wars 2
 * Halo: Envoy
 * Halo: Legacy of Onyx