Protos-pattern Scarab

"We've all run the simulations. They're tough, but they ain't invincible!"

- Sergeant Major Avery Johnson

The Type-47A 'Protos' Ultra-Heavy Assault Platform is a Covenant quadrupedal mining platform Scarab.

Design details
On the Protos Scarab, an energy shield can be produced in front of the corridor leading to the cockpit in order to hamper boarding actions.

Mobility
Unlike most vehicles deployed by the Covenant, the Scarab does not employ anti-gravity propulsion to move; it instead uses a quadrupedal "leg" assembly for locomotion. These jointed legs are very powerful, capable of crushing vehicles ranging from civilian cargo trucks to M808B Scorpion tanks.

Armaments
Protos Scarabs are armed with two seperate suspensor-mounted heavy plasma repeaters that are optimized for anti-aerospace use. There is also a fine-tunable focus cannon and specialized sensor arrays.

Development history
The Protos Scarab has unknown origins to even the Covenant who used it.

Operational History
The Covenant rarely used the Protos Scarab in direct combat, using it more as a specialized artifact-retrieval vehicle during the Human-Covenant War. The features of this Scarab were rarely observed by human forces, as Protos Scarabs quickly burned their way through UNSC defenses.

When the High Prophet of Regret invaded Earth, he deployed at least five Type-47 Scarabs to Mombasa, Africa, where at least two of them were the Protos Scarab. Two Scarabs were placed in New Mombasa, while another three were deployed in Old Mombasa. One of the Scarabs in New Mombasa was apparently charged with destroying the Mombasa Tether, though John-117 managed to board and destroy the walker just minutes before Solemn Penance jumped into slipstream space. Shortly after, the managed to disable another Protos in the city with its MAC. A nearby detachment of UNSC Marines promptly engaged the surviving Covenant forces in an attempt to recover the Scarab for themselves.

During the Battle of Installation 05, Sergeant Major Avery Johnson piloted a T-47A Scarab and blasted open the doors to Installation 05's control room to allow Arbiter Thel 'Vadam to enter and stop the activation of the Halo.

Halo 2
The Halo 2 Scarab was almost indestructible and immune to damage in the game. Its movement was entirely scripted, and no damageable parts appear to have been coded for it. It was only destroyed in a cutscene. When the T-47A Scarab fires, some molten, green liquid (possibly coolant or excess plasma) will leak out below the main cannon. The forward plasma turret could be destroyed with just a few melee attacks, as could the rear plasma turret. The flaps on the main gun could be destroyed only by using a Scorpion tank. Also, the underside grate could be destroyed.

Trivia

 * During an interview, Shi Kai Wang joked that the Protos Scarab looks like a shopping basket.
 * In Halo 2, the player can obtain the "Scarab Gun" on the level Outskirts and Metropolis. The weapon uses the Plasma Rifle chassis, though it fires the same plasma stream as the Scarab's main gun, never overheats, and can fire indefinitely. Obtaining the Scarab Gun in Halo 2 Vista rewards the player with an achievement. Obtaining the Scarab Gun in Halo: The Master Chief Collection will grant the player the Scarab Lord achievement for 20 Gamerscore.

List of appearances

 * Halo 2
 * Halo Graphic Novel
 * Second Sunrise over New Mombasa
 * Halo: Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe
 * Palace Hotel
 * Halo 2: Anniversary