Qavardu Workshop Prowler

Were you looking for the human spacecraft, the prowler?

The Type-52 Infantry Support Vehicle, informally known among UNSC personnel as the Brute Prowler, is a Jiralhanae ground vehicle in service with the Covenant.

Overview
The Type-52 ISV is similar in function to the Covenant Type-46 Spectre, though it is utilized only by the Jiralhanae. The Prowler seems to hover on a gravity-assisted "sled", as the bottom incorporates a pair of metal runners with an anti-gravity projector running between them. A plasma turret is located at the front of the vehicle, the driver sits in the rear of the vehicle, and two passengers can make use of the jump seats on either side. It's aesthetically similar in its clear-cut, brutal nature to the Type-25 Chopper. The concept of its anti-gravitational propulsion is also similar to the Chopper's, but it differs by utilizing two dual engines rotating in opposite directions. The origin of the Prowler's design is unknown, though theories range from an arctic fast-attack vehicle to naval patrol boat.

The automatic plasma cannon is capable of 360 degree movement, making it extremely dangerous as it allows the vehicle to target enemies regardless of which way the Prowler is facing. This makes it very difficult to ambush Prowlers, as a competent gunner will constantly check all directions for enemy movement. Like most other Brute vehicles, it is an effective battering ram. While the vehicle cannot strafe, it is capable of tilting from side to side.

The two side-mounted seats on either side of the Prowler turret housing increases the vehicle's deadliness. If the passengers are armed with powerful explosive weaponry, such as a Type-33 fuel rod gun or M41 rocket launcher, the Prowler can effectively take out large armored vehicles such as M808 Scorpion or Type-26 Wraith tanks. If the passengers decide to use automatic weapons such as a Type-25 plasma rifle, they can complement the plasma turret and make for an extremely effective weapons platform for cutting down infantry and suppressing light vehicles. It's also effective if passengers are armed with Type-52 Maulers or M90 Shotguns, as they can shoot any enemy that gets too close to the Prowler and prevent a potential boarding.

Unlike the M12 Warthog and the older Spectre, the gunner does not stand up in the turret, but rather sits in a cavity in the center of the vehicle. The gunner's cavity covers the lower body, leaving only their upper back and head exposed. The gun is also in a more central location than the other two vehicles, providing even more protection. The driver also receives protection from being in the rear, with the entire bulk of the Prowler in front of him. However, the driver has limited protection from the sides. Unlike many other Covenant vehicles, the Prowler lacks a boost function, but is still fairly fast.

Advantages
Unlike the Warthog, which is prone to rollovers, the Prowler is incredibly stable, and like the Chopper, it is surprisingly hard to flip over. The Prowler can also fit one more passenger than the Warthog can, which lets the crew fight off hijackers with ease. The Prowler is more effective than the Warthog at splattering enemies, and can easily be used as a battering ram. It is relatively quieter than the Warthog, and provides a smaller chance of giving enemies enough time to react and save themselves if you are attempting to splatter them. Additionally, it also possesses much more firepower than the M12 Warthog LRV or Chopper (a trait which can be built upon even further with the weapon choices of your passengers), and it has a much larger field of fire. In the realm of performance, its strength is its great speed. The design of the Prowler makes it capable of flipping vehicles with ease. It also accelerates noticeably quickly in reverse. All of these traits make the prowler surprisingly effective at engaging heavily defended slow moving or stationary targets.

A key advantage of the Prowler is its stability: one can throw it almost recklessly over jumps and cliffs that would be unsafe, unfeasible, or downright stupid in a Warthog or Spectre. This is mostly due to the "sleds" on the underside of the vehicle. When airborne, the two sleds will extend outward to either side, widening the surface area of the bottom of the vehicle, and therefore making it more likely that it will land in the proper position when it hits the ground. The sleds also seem to allow the Prowler a limited "glide" when making large jumps.

Disadvantages
Although very stable, the Prowler cannot maneuver around as well as the Warthog. The Prowler also provides less protection from the sides and rear for the driver than the Warthog does. The Prowler may be the replacement to the Spectre, but it does not have all of the capability as to the Spectre. Unlike the Spectre, the Prowler is not able to strafe left and right, and is not able to boost, which diminishes the Prowler's splattering capabilities. Its main weapon is also slower and less accurate.

Although the Prowler has more firepower than the Chopper and the Ghost, its Plasma Turret has a low rate of fire and is less accurate; thus it is not as well suited for direct assaults and splattering on mobile targets. Though the Prowler is capable of splattering at minimal velocity, sometimes even being able to splatter enemy vehicles in head-on collisions (much like the Chopper), infantry will have an easy time avoiding the Prowler due to its slow speed and relatively poor handling. The driver is prone to approximately 270 degrees of fire, making the driver a much easier target for said infantry or an experienced sniper compared with most other vehicles, which could ultimately leave the Prowler a driverless, sitting duck: a perfect target for a Rocket Launcher.

In general, the occupants of a prowler (especially those on the sides) are at risk of being killed by a long-ranged attack, and mid- or short-range combat can also leave some of the occupants dead or injured if the driver makes a poor decision or if the occupants do not work effectively. The driver should be especially careful, as only the bulk of their machine protects them from being picked off from long ranged fire and an attack from behind can easily kill the driver if the turret is unmanned or occupied by other targets. The prowler is also vulnerable to explosives, with a single grenade or explosive round being able to eliminate several of the vehicle's crew due to its open nature.

Extreme caution should be taken if you plan on using this vehicle in a low-lying area where enemies can shoot or jump down from above. Such areas leave your vehicle prone to sniping or an opponent coming from above to hijack the turret or driver's seat.

Operational history
The Type-52 Prowler was used extensively in 2552 during the end of the Human-Covenant War. During the Battle of Installation 00 many Jiralhanae used Prowlers in an unsuccessful attempt to stop UNSC and Sangheili forces from reaching the Ark's cartographer and citadel. The Prowler was still in use in 2558 during the Battle of Carrow.

Campaign
The Prowler is a light recon vehicle, much like the Warthog. It only appears in Campaign mode on the levels The Ark and The Covenant. It has moderate infantry support capabilities, as well as being able to transport four soldiers rapidly across a battlefield. With two Prowlers, an entire team of eight can travel together. A Prowler loaded with a gunner and two riders with heavy weapons is a force to be reckoned with.

Multiplayer

 * The Prowler does not appear on any Halo 3 map by default, but can be added in Forge on certain maps. In Matchmaking, the Prowler appears on alternate Sandtrap map variants Sand Tarp and "Sandtrap Heavy", as well as on the Avalanche variant "Avalanche Heavy".
 * Prowlers can be very useful in CTF games, because it can carry four people. The driver could drive to the flag's area possibly splattering a defender or two; the gunner could provide cover fire while the two passengers go in to get the flag. One passenger could cover the flag carrier while they make their way back to the Prowler for a quick getaway.
 * Prowlers are an excellent way of splattering if used correctly. The large front end of the Prowler can be used to block enemy fire, giving the driver a clear run at their victim. The large area of the Prowler can also compensate for the slower speed, in that at its top speed it is quite easy for the driver to splatter people and hard for others to avoid

Trivia

 * The Prowler was originally going to be called the "Mauler" but that name was given to the Type-52 Pistol.
 * Sangheili perform a backflip animation when boarding the turret from the left side.
 * The Prowler is the only Brute vehicle that fires plasma rounds.
 * The Prowler is one of few player-operable vehicles in the entire series that can seat four players.

List of appearances

 * Halo 3
 * Halo: Ground Command
 * Halo: Envoy