Zurdo-pattern Wraith

Wraith

The Wraith (pronounced 'rāth') is a Covenant ground vehicle.

Introduction
The Wraith mobile artillery is the Covenant's main assault vehicle for ground engagements. It fires large bolts of super heated plasma encased in a magnetic field into the air. These bolts then rain down on enemy troops from above with tremendous force. Because the Wraith fires in an arc, rather than line-of-sight, this vehicle's attacks are very dangerous. The indirect fire is capable of catching many off guard with tragic consequences. The mortar can bypass most defenses that its enemies can muster. It is equipped with anti-gravity plates underneath its mainframe similar to those of the Ghost but on a much larger scale, allowing it to hover over any anti-vehicular mines that have been placed in its path as a deterrent. The pilot is completely encased within the armoured hull of the tank and thus protected from all small-arms fire. The vehicle can only be incapacitated by heavy weapons, artillery or internal explosions.

The Wraith's engines can be pushed to provide an excellent boost in speed, but at the cost of manueverability and weapon power. Mimicing the Ghost once again, however as a result of the Wraith's much greater weight the increase in speed is marginal.

The Wraith is the main heavy vehicle of the Covenant army and can be seen as a counterpart to the UNSC M808B Scorpion Main Battle Tanks. However, the two tanks are considerably different. The Wraith weighs approximately twenty tons, and can move much faster.

Its main weapon, a short barelled plasma mortar, can be tilted vertically but remains in fixed position horizontally, meaning that the whole vehicle has to turn to aim the weapon. The mortar can be withdrawn inside the chassis whilst not in use.

The Wraith moves in the same fashion the Ghost, hovering above ground. Its armor is unevenly divided similar to modern tanks; the bulky front skirt can take more punishment than the flanks or rear making frontal assault fruitless efforts and often a waist of ammunition.

Halo: Combat Evolved
In Halo 1, the Wraith is a very tough adversary, and can take as many as 3 direct rocket hits, even on normal difficulty, before being destroyed. This version of the Wraith has no anti-personnel weapons. The first time a Wraith is seen on the game is in the Grav-Bay of the Truth and Reconciliation. Some are also seen in the storage and shuttle bays of the ship. The only two levels they are used in combat are Assault on the Control Room and Two Betrayals. Also of note is that the player cannot pilot the Wraith. Another note is that the mortar is not as detailed in Halo 1, looking more like a tube.

Halo 2
In Halo 2, the Wraith has two weapons: the standard plasma mortar and two anti-personnel plasma auto-cannons. The main plasma mortar launcher fires a ball of intensely hot blue plasma approximately one meter in diameter into the air. Unlike the blasts from the Scorpion Tank, the plasma shot is affected by gravity, meaning that the shots 'arc' allowing for indirect fire and giving the Wraith a second designation as a mobile gun platform. This can be and is often used to hit enemies behind cover.

The secondary plasma defense weapons are almost identical to the portable plasma cannons used as squad support weapons by the Covenant. The turrets will attack any enemy which comes within range, though they are not very accurate. They appear to be automated as they have no visible space for a gunner since the Wraith is a single pilot vehicle. They can take down energy sheilds relatively easily. This makes boarding a Wraith slightly more difficult. Oddly, the auto-cannons cannot be used by the player. Only Computer A.I. players, such as Brutes, Elites, or even marines, can take advantage of them. This makes them enitrely useless when a player is controlling the Wraith.

The Wraith also has a booster engine, capable of tripling the tank's speed for about one second. Once it is used, it takes about five seconds to recharge. Though this can be used to travel more quickly, it is commonly used to run over enemies who are getting too close. It can also flip small vehicles, such as Ghosts or Warthogs. A bug in Halo 2 makes it possible to boost a Scorpion Tank up in the sky.

The player is able to pilot the Wraith in Halo 2.

Halo 3
The Wraith has been confirmed to reappear in Halo 3, and is hinted at being more powerful in the recent ESPN trailer, Starry Night.

The appearance of the newer Wraith is also slightly different, featuring what appear to be rudimentary headlights. It is now a 2-user vehicle with the driver being in side the cockpit, while the gunner is exposed and has a 270 degree view around him. The turret is used for anti personnel defense. Providing a means to repel possible hijackers. The mortar blasts from the Wraith travel slightly faster now, it can fire at a lower trajectory, and the turret fires blasts like the Plasma Rifle instead of a beam the Spectre fires. A new single propulsion jet similar to the one the spectre uses has been added on the back, plus the regular ones, so its speed boost seems to have increased. It also seems to have a greenish hue like the banshee and a pattern or lattice on its armor.



Deployment
The Wraith can be ferried to and from the bettlefield and deployed in a combat ready state by either Spirit or Phantom dropships. Allowing devastating firepower to be delivered to the field rapidly, a common bane of UNSC soldiers.

Character Compatability

 * Elites
 * Spartans (Halo 2 Only)
 * Brutes (Halo 2 Only)
 * Flood Combat Forms (Human)(Halo 2 Only)
 * Flood Combat Forms (Elite) (Halo 2 Only)
 * Marines (Halo 2 Only)

Trivia

 * It is possible that the plasma mortar appearance and idea were inspired by the Plasma Bugs of the film Starship Troopers. The beetle-like appearance of the Wraith could also be as a result of such inspiration. However this is pure speculation.

Related Links

 * Scorpion Tank