M12 Chaingun Warthog

M12 Warthog LRV

"Hey, Jason, explain to me why human beings would make a jeep that is this big? I mean look how big it is compared to Sergeant Johnson. He looks like a three year old trying to drive it!"

- Marty O'Donnell

"Because it looks awesome."

- Jason Jones

The Warthog is a generic term used to describe the M12 line of United Nations Space Command ground vehicles. The Warthog is mostly used by UNSC Marines as a sort of cavalry unit, as the Covenant rarely employ proper defenses against such attacks, which included light mechanized forces advancing ahead of the main armored Scorpion tanks and foot soldiers to clear the way.

Features

 * The Warthog is the future "Hummer". All of its variants are equipped with a seemingly full-time 4x4 transmission and four-wheel steering to allow for sharper turning; however, higher speeds will result in the under steer that All Wheel Drive (AWD) cars suffer, unless you drive while using the emergency brake. The Standard Warthog can carry 3 people consisting of: 1 driver, 1 gunner, and 1 passenger (with the exclusion of the Warthog APC and the M831 TT). Interestingly, the Warthog LRV is water-resistant; it can easily drive underwater (although water retards its velocity). The Warthog is extremely quick and maneuverable, but is prone to rolling over as a result of tight cornering or being struck by bombs, and explosives.
 * There are a few differences between the Warthogs of Halo: Combat Evolved and Halo 2. While the Warthog in Halo: Combat Evolved was notoriously difficult to control and was indestructible, the revamped Warthog of Halo 2 was a dream come true. The skill required for the vehicle handling was vastly reduced, and allies as well as enemies can now drive, and the difficulty level varies the ability of the driver. There was also the addition of the horn, which can be useful for getting the attention of allies. Additionally, the Warthog now had a handbrake (power slide or drift), which allows the driver to lock up the rear wheels and slide the back end out, making it easier to squash enemies that move out of the way. The 'Hog's strongest point is the vehicle's anterior. The front end can take heavy blows from small or medium firearm attacks before exploding, being able to take a plasma grenade stick, although, two grenades on, or under the vehicle will do it in, and the glass protects the occupants from weapons fire (except for rockets and other explosive projectiles).
 * Within Halo Wars the Warthog (a model used in 2531) has a variety of "flooring" ability that has not been witnessed in other Halo games. This allows the player to ramp the Warthog over canyons and other such jumps, achieving speeds and distances not seen in the other games of the series. However, this feature is reminiscent of when in Halo: CE, in the level 'Halo', you jump over a small chasm inside a Forerunner tunnel.  This makes the Warthog a more versatile and useful attack vehicle.

Crew
1 Driver, 1 Passenger (shoots with what ever weapon they're carrying, except support weapons such as the missile pod), 1 Gunner (either a machine gun or Gauss cannon on an x-y-z axis, providing the ability to shoot at all angles).

Driver
The driver has no forms of attack except ramming enemies with the Warthog itself, which in most occasions instantly kills an enemy on foot in Halo: Combat Evolved. In Halo 2 and Halo 3, factors such as speed and direction do not allow every ram to be a guaranteed kill. Covenant enemies are also able to dodge a ram much easier now. However, when driving in open spaces, before you attempt to ram or run over an enemy, try to slide the Warthog and hit the enemy with the side, that way you have a better chance of killing them. A person carrying an objective item in multiplayer is not allowed to get into the driver seat under default settings (Only in Halo 2 and 3), and would have to get in the passenger seat. In certain mods, the driver is able to hold a weapon in his/her left hand while driving with their right, as well as firing the turret.

Passenger

 * The passenger seat frequently receives fire and so is perhaps the most difficult seat to use effectively. It's also extremely difficult to aim at nearby enemies while the Warthog is moving, especially in uneven areas and because of the restricting movement. Also, the ability to use scopes is prohibited while in the Warthog. Marines, however, are a different story. Being computer-controlled, their aim is not affected by the jostling of off-road driving, and they are quite proficient at hitting enemies from the "shotgun" position. This can be used to a player's advantage if one gives a Marine in the passenger seat a powerful weapon, such as the Rocket Launcher, Sniper Rifle, or a Spartan Laser. In Halo 3, the Plasma Pistol is a popular choice for the occupant in the passenger seat in vehicular combat due to its overcharge shot's vehicle stopping ability. In Halo 2, targeting is altered by the fact that the camera now pulls out to third-person view. The main benefit the passenger seat occupant serves for player characters is transporting the objective carrier in multiplayer skirmishes. If/when you try to melee while in the passenger seat you will hear the attack and hear it hitting the car if you aim for it, but there is no animation (for the Spartan skin in Multiplayer. It is visible if you are using the Elite skin or playing as the Arbiter).


 * The passenger is able to carry objectives such as the bomb in Assault, or the enemies' flag in Capture the Flag unless changed in the game settings. It is suggested to fill the Warthog so there can still be a gunner on the ride back to the base. Also, VIPs can enter the passenger seat, but with the Spartan Laser, Gauss Warthog, and heat seeking missiles from the Hornet, this is not recommended unless in emergencies. However, being in a Gauss Hog can tip the scales in your favor.

Riding in the passenger seat is sometimes called "riding shotgun" or "shotgun" by Marines. This term has its origins in the American west in the 1880's. Wells Fargo stagecoaches often carried a strongbox filled with gold, money, and other valuables, thus making them a popular target for outlaws and thieves. To help to deter the robberies, Wells Fargo assigned each of their stagecoaches a "shotgun messenger" who rode in the seat next to the driver brandishing a 10- or 12-gauge shotgun.


 * In Halo Wars the passenger seat of the Warthog can receive the Grenadier upgrade to enable the passenger to launch grenades from a mounted grenade launcher. While slow firing, it is effective against most forms of light infantry, and a slight assist in attacking Vehicles.

Gunner
The gunner stands in the Warthog's turret and mans the heavy weapon mounted there, whether it be an M41 Light Anti-Aircraft Gun, M68 Gauss Cannon, or Rocket Turret (Halo PC only). He is responsible for defending the driver and passenger of the Hog from incoming enemy fire. So as to not interrupt his line of fire, his heavy weapon is mounted on a 360-degree hydraulic-powered swivel-mount that is not affected by any erratic movement on the driver's part. The M41 Light Anti-Aircraft Gun is very effective against aircraft such as Banshees and is also excellent at neutralizing infantry, while the M68 Gauss Cannon and the 102mm SC-HE Rocket Turret excel in the anti-vehicle role, though the Rocket turret fires faster and less accurately than the Gauss cannon. The gunner is also the most exposed person on the Warthog, and therefore usually the one to take the most damage. A person carrying an objective item in multiplayer isn't allowed to use the Warthog's turret by default.

Character Compatibility

 * Elites (Halo 2 and Halo 3)
 * Spartans
 * Marines
 * ODST
 * Flood Combat Forms (Halo 2, but can still board a slow moving one in Halo 3)

UNSC Remarks

 * “It's (the M12) sort of a bear to wheel around, but that’s something you gotta expect – the thing is twice the size of my granddad’s car – but it’s something you get used to pretty damned quick.”
 * “On the battlefield speed is life and the M12 has that in spades – having a great big damn gun don’t hurt, either.”
 * “One word: handbrake .”
 * “I have yet to come up against an obstacle that the warthog couldn’t go right over.”
 * “The Sarge hates it when we ram stuff, says the ‘hog ain’t indestructible. But it sure feels like it when you’re plowing through a crowd of startled Grunts, though.”
 * “The seats are unreal! I was thinking of pulling a set out of a parts vehicle and shipping them home… but the wife shut it down – says everyone would be able tell where they came from.”
 * “Look at these legs – pretty nice, huh? It’s totally from getting in and out’a the ‘hog's Thirty-six inch damn step height.”

M12 Light Reconnaissance Vehicle
The M12 Warthog LRV (Light Reconnaissance Vehicle) is the most common and versatile type of Warthog used by the UNSC, being common in every Halo game to date. While nominally designed for reconnaissance, its speed and firepower make it very effective in a cavalry role. The rear-mounted, three-barreled M41 Light Anti-Aircraft Gun 12.7 mm, is extremely effective against infantry and light vehicles, and is capable of picking apart armor should the need arise. In Halo Wars, the M41 LAAG seems to have four barrels, this could be a mistake or a new weapon altogether.

This Warthog also has a variant, with the only difference that it is snow camouflaged instead of the standard green. This Warthog can only been seen in the Halo 3 multiplayer map Avalanche. There are also Warthogs in Halo: Custom Edition that have winter camouflage patterns.

Warthogs have a tendency to flip in high-speed turns. If you make a tight fast left turn away from a cliff that you are almost about to drive off of, you will flip off the cliff and plummet to your demise.

Counters and Tactics

Tactic

 * If a Warthog is encountered, but only has a driver, they will attempt to roadkill players. If you are the one doing this, then it is wise to do this on a open fielded map where you can catch a person out in the open that has little room to run or hide. (E.g.Valhalla, Blood Gulch.)
 * If a Warthog is encountered, but also has a gunner (passenger optional) they will attempt to gun down players and then try to flatten them under their tires.

Counters

 * If you are under attack by a one-man Warthog driver, then jumping out of the way at the right time will allow you to leap right over it. Deploying a trip mine will eliminate him/her if they don't have enough time to react to it. Throwing a plasma grenade (if it sticks) will also engulf the driver in a big ball of plasma. A rocket launcher will work extremely well if they are approaching head-on. A Spartan Laser is usually adequate, if you can charge it up in time before you have tire tracks painting your corpse. Dead-eye snipers can eliminate them from a safe distance. Also, if you manage to jump exactly right, you can board (in Halo 2 & 3) the Warthog's driver-seat from mid-air. If you miss and overshoot, you might end up sitting behind the turret, or in the passenger's seat. In the latter you can kill the driver quite easy with his/her only option being jumping out of the vehicle.
 * Utilize your surroundings. In some situations, a well-timed jump to a nearby tree might result in your survival instead of having a face full of LAAG rounds or skid marks down your back.
 * If a Warthog is encountered with a gunner, (passenger optional) then they usually will try to gun you down, rather than running you over. Eliminating them is almost the same as killing a one-man Warthog, but it has to be done faster, or the machine gun will kill you. If you are effective at sniping players in a vehicle, then snipe the guy on the turret first. Here too, you can board the vehicle mid-air, or jump up and simply hit the gunner. One or two shots should kill him/her, leaving the driver fairly defenseless.

On a map like Standoff get the rocket launcher and wait for the enemy warthog to come. Make sure you don't try to hit a warthog that is going way to fast so the rocket won't hit them resulting in your inevitable death because the gunner fires at you instantly. So wait for them to go on a narrow stretch of road like the road in front of the base and the one on the back. Once they're close enough jump out and fire. It will result in both of their deaths or three of em if you're lucky. And it doesn't matter if you kill yourself its a big contribution to your team.

M12A1 Light Anti-Armor Vehicle
The M12A1 Warthog LAAV (Light Anti-Armor Vehicle) is a rare Warthog identified by black paint with yellow stripes and matching seats. This Warthog sports a rear-mounted 102mm SC-HE Rocket Turret which allows it to take out heavily armored targets, such as enemy tanks, with ease. The downside of this is that this Warthogs turret is slow to reload, and not as effective at taking out infantry. Additionally, players have found that firing the three rockets in rapid, succession greatly decreases accuracy, resulting in them falling short or going over the heads of the intended target.

This Warthog variant is only displayed in Halo PC Multiplayer and is replaced in Halo 2 and Halo 3 by the M12G1 Warthog LAAV.

A similar version is mentioned in Fall of Reach; instead of the normal 102mm SC-HE Rocket Turret, Senior Chief Petty Officer Franklin Mendez's Warthog features a rack of Argent V Missiles.

M12G1 Light Anti-Armor Vehicle
The M12G1 Warthog LAAV(which is first seen in Halo 2) is a fairly new Warthog variant designed to replace the M12A1 model, removing the Rocket Turret in favor of a faster-firing M68 Gauss Cannon. It basically serves the same purpose as its predecessor, being primarily an anti-vehicular model but with a faster rate of fire at the cost of decreased anti-vehicular effectiveness. The rounds are fired in the same manner of the MAC gun, however, the rounds fired are much smaller in comparison to those used in ships and Orbital Defense Platforms. The upgrade from standard Warthog to M12G1 LAAV costs 800 resource points and requires 3 energy units in Halo Wars.

M831 Troop Transport
This Warthog scraps the back-mounted turret in favor of four side-facing seats, which give the vehicle 360-degree defense (provided there are Marines). This Warthog is ideal for transporting troops across the field. It first appeared in Halo 3, but was planned to appear in Halo 2. In Campaign, the driver and side seats can be used by players, but not the "Transport Carriage" - this is reserved for Marines in which three can ride, despite the fact that there are 2 double seats in the back and enough room for 2 Marines on the back, over the rear bumper. In multiplayer, this variant is not available at all probably due to the fact that Spartans and Elites can't ride in the back. This immense reduction in effectiveness resulted in its removal. However, there is a glitch on the map The Pit, where you can get the troop warthog into the map and have the party leader drive it although it will result in instant death of those who get in to it. Unless help and cooperation from other players is present though, it is near impossible to obtain.

Warthog APC
The Warthog Armored Personnel Carrier. is a United Rebel Front ground vehicle. It is essentially an M12 Warthog modified by the URF to include a heavily armored passenger section capable of carrying troops and supplies. It has appeared in some Halo: Custom Edition maps like "w4rtorn cove"

Flatbed Warthog
Avery Johnson and the militia forces on Harvest use the Flatbed Warthog. It is similar to the Troop Transport Warthog.

Civilian Warthog
Due to the success of the Warthog in battle situations, a civilian variant, called the "Hog" or Yellow Warthog was mass-produced for public use. The adaptation of military vehicles for civilian use has been seen before (e.g. Hummer brand SUV s being based off military Humvees). Obviously, not being intended for combat, the Hog uses standard vehicle walls, rather than armor plating, and is completely unarmed. Sometimes when playing Xbox Live on the Halo 3 map Sandtrap, Warthogs appear without turrets, probably due to lag. On the Halo 3 map The Pit there are 2 Warthogs outside the fence, one of which resembles a civilian warthog due to the lack of armaments. On the Halo 2 multiplayer map Headlong, there is an advertisement for civilian warthogs. Many players of Halo 2 have claimed to have found ways of spawning the Civilian Warthog on Headlong, (Or more commonly called, the "Golden Warthog") but none of these methods have been actually proven.

Multi-player Use
The Warthog is an extremely important aspect in multiplayer games. Because it is a multi-person vehicle, it is mostly used in team matches, although there are people that enjoy running other players over by themselves. It is possibly the most used vehicle in Capture the Flag matches, as you can load 3 people in, then have the person in the side seat go in and grab the flag, while the gunner provides cover fire until they can drive back. It is also among the fastest land vehicles, next to the Mongoose. The horn can signal allies to get in but also alert nearby opponents to take cover when a Warthog is approaching. When the Warthog is at full speed, beware of trip mines.

In Halo 2, it takes:
 * 4 Brute Shot Explosives to blow it up.
 * 1 Rocket from the Rocket Launcher to blow it up.
 * Approx. 73 Beams from the Plasma Rifle to blow it up.
 * 7 Shotgun rounds to blow it up.
 * 12 Sniper Rifle Rounds to blow it up.
 * Approx. 8 seconds. of the Scorpion's 50 cal. to blow it up.

Halo 3 Multiplayer Strategy

 * Only Two People: Only load three people in the warthog if you are playing Capture the Flag because if you are in Slayer and someone takes you out, it is an instant triple kill for the other team. If you use the Warthog for transport reasons and make sure you destroy it when you reach your destination so the enemy cannot use it.
 * Slow Down: When approaching an enemy slow down so the gunner doesn't have to turn around therefore giving him more to time to aim and kill the enemy.
 * Drive Around the Outside: Drive around the outside of the map because if you go in the middle the enemies can kill you faster and get a quick sticky grenade on you.
 * Running over other players: If you are in a Warthog that has taken a lot of damage or if you want to have a Warthog that is not damaged go find the other team and run them down. Try not to get hit by anything while you try this strategy out.
 * Three Passenger Vehicles: Just like Only 2 People, when you're playing CTF one player can drive, the other can be the gunner and the passenger can get the flag. Then once the flag has been retrieved the driver can go to their base rapidly.
 * Slow And Steady: Until you have developed more skill in the Warthog, driving it at top speed can cause difficulties for the gunner, meaning that you get killed quickly, and loss of a vital instrument in team games.
 * Get Away: If you are fighting a Warthog on foot, try to throw a Plasma Grenade onto one of the back wheels. This will send the Warthog flying away from you, keeping you safe on the off-chance that the crew survives.
 * Watch for grenades: Watch for grenades when driving the warthog. A well timed grenade can flip you over or even kill you, so it is best to drive at a steady pace, as mentioned above. However, as a steady or slow pace means you are an easy target for rockets and plasma grenades.

Halo Wars Stats

 * Air damage: 5
 * Vehicle Damage: 1
 * Infantry Damage: 9
 * Structure Damage: 1
 * Defense: 7
 * Cost: 1 Population unit, 150 resource units and requires 0 energy.

Trivia
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 * In Halo: Combat Evolved, when you were in the side seat of a Warthog, you saw from first-person view. In Halo 2 and Halo 3, you see from third person view. Many snipers do not like this, as it was easy to snipe while someone was in a parked Warthog in Halo: Combat Evolved
 * The LAAG Warthog is considered by many fans to be Halo's 'trademark vehicle'.
 * Out of all multiplayer maps in the Halo trilogy, 25 maps feature Warthog(s).
 * There was a civilian version of the Warthog made called the Sports Warthog, of which there are advertisements on the Halo 2 map, Headlong.
 * During Halo 2's development Bungie considered more specialized warthog variants including a 'Snow', 'Jungle' and 'Transport' Warthog. Eventually, the 'Snow' and 'Transport' variants would be features in Halo 3, though the 'Jungle' version was not. These designs have been used in mods for Halo: Custom Edition, mainly in larger maps.
 * In the Halo 2 level Outskirts, it is possible to get an Invincible Warthog. The Hog will show damage but cannot be destroyed.
 * In Halo 2 and Halo 3, if you hold down the R button (honk the horn) without stopping for a while, the horn will stop sounding and you will be unable to use it again for a while. Sounding the horn while keeping the Warthog motionless will still give you away on the motion sensor.
 * In Bungie's information release on the Warthog (March 26, 2007), a code can be seen in the VideoRama of the Warthog, reading X.XX.713>ghost.713/non-auth/activity ongoing.
 * The Warthog's appearance on the Halo 3 map Avalanche is re-coated with icy crusts. It is the only map to have a Warthog appearance makeover in the entire Halo trilogy Multiplayer.
 * WETA Workshop, in New Zealand, built a full-scale, operating, accurate Warthog. It has several numbers on it, some possibly pertaining to that specific model or maybe even that specific Warthog, including, but not limited to, 5c8611, N/AAV-20, and others. WETA's Warthog is accurate in every function, including a "working" minigun, four-wheel steering, digital displays, air bags, and the ability to "crab crawl" . If you look at the driver's side of the windscreen, there are stamps portraying the number and type of Covenant troops killed. It can be seen in the short films "Halo: Arms Race". It can also be seen here: . Some of the team members of Bungie were given the chance to drive the WETA workshops Warthog. Three members of the Bungie team were driving the warthog around a parking lot when they scraped the side of the warthog on a small wooden structure built onto the side of a wall. This can be seen in the video on the right of the page.
 * In the popular machinima series Red vs. Blue, the Warthog is referred to as "the Jeep" and "the Puma". The name "Puma" arose after Grif said, "It doesn't look like a Warthog to me. It looks more like a Puma". As a joke by Bungie, the word "Puma" can be seen on the tires of the Warthogs in Multiplayer.
 * The dashboard of the vehicle changes in appearance throughout the series. It always showed a red line meter that glowed red when the Warthog accelerated, and glowed blue when the vehicle was driving.
 * Many of the features of the Warthog can be blown off its chassis, including the hubcaps, bumper and engine covers.
 * The concept of the Hummer HX SUV by General Motors resembles the Warthog in the Halo games. If it were to be produced, it would be the closest vehicle to a Halo Warthog with the exception of the WETA Workshop Warthog.
 * In Multiplayer of Halo: PC, there is an overview of the map that you are currently playing with on the control screen of the Warthog.
 * The passenger seat aiming system was changed from Halo: Combat Evolved to the one in Halo 2. In Halo: Combat Evolved, the passenger views everything in first-person. But in Halo 2, it was changed to third person. It remains unchanged in Halo 3.
 * The Troop Carrier Hog can be used on The Pit in Forge through a glitch.
 * In Halo: PC, there is a glitch which allows you to drive two Warthogs at once.
 * The windshield of any type of Warthog will deflect any plasma grenade that is thrown at it from the front. The grenade will, instead of sticking, bounce off of the windshield. In multiplayer games in Halo PC with infinite grenades, this can actually be used to throw grenades much farther than usual by throwing one plasma grenade onto the hood of the Warthog so it sticks, then throwing another plasma grenade onto the windshield so it bounces and is sent shooting off by the first grenade's explosion.
 * The Warthog was originally going to be a Humvee like vehicle in the early stages of development of Halo.
 * On the Multiplayer map Valhalla you can find hydrogen jerry can containers, presumably for fueling Warthogs, especially since they are usually placed close to the Warthogs.
 * For information on how to obtain a turretless Warthog in Halo 3 see page Turretless Vehicle.
 * If you pre-order Halo Wars: Limited Edition, you'll receive an exclusive "Flaming Warthog" skin for game use.
 * On very rare occasions, if two Warthogs go at each other, they might sometimes collide and explode like when two Choppers collide using boost.
 * On the Halo 3 level The Ark (level) there is a destroyed Warthog on which the turret is still usable. It appears after you arrive at the first downed Pelican. It is useful for taking on the Prowlers on lower difficulties or with proper cover on co-op.
 * In Halo:CE, the physics engine allowed the Warthog to bounce off Tanks and Ghosts to incredible heights, and even drive under a tank at high speeds, flipping it over. In Halo 2 and 3, this is no longer possible thanks to the improved physics engine.
 * In Halo: Combat Evolved, Marines in a warthog are immune to melee attacks, even though you can hear armor clashing sounds.
 * In Halo Custom Edition, there are heavily modified versions of the warthog, from varietions which allow it to fire Fuel Rod Cannon mortars from its turret, to being close on four times the original speed.
 * To get the flaming Warthog in Halo Wars you have to turn it on through the skull menu which is in the pause menu.
 * The Warthog is the first usable vehicle ever in the Halo trilogy.
 * In [Halo Wars] the Warthog doesn't start out with a turret at all instead it can only ram other units as its special ability. You can only receive the turret by upgrading at your base command center.

Related Pages

 * Warthog Jump
 * "Spectre" - Covenant Separatist equivalent.
 * Type-52 Infantry Support Vehicle - Covenant Loyalist equivalent.

M12 Warthog