Adsk-pattern Shadow

The Adsk-pattern Light Transport is an infantry carrying vehicle in the Shadow series of armoured transports used by the Covenant.

Design details
The Adsk-pattern Shadow bears a broad visual resemblance to the more common ; however, its design predates the Ruwaa (and most other commonly-encountered Shadows), while being a much newer vehicle in actual manufacture. The vehicle has a broadly blockier design than other Covenant vehicles, with three seats lining both the left and right sides of the craft and a driver mounted in the front. Unlike the Ruwaa design, the vehicle's main plasma cannon turret (which in itself consists of twin plasma cannons) is mounted in the back.

Usage
The Adsk has a history of inconsistent usage across the battlefields of the Human-Covenant War. United Nations Space Command analysts noted that when encountered, the Adsk was rarely used in quite the same manner twice, with Sangheili especially rarely electing to use the vehicle - speculated to indicate that this is the result of an unfamiliarity with the vehicle's strengths and weaknesses on their part. Noted uses of the vehicle include use as a "battle bus" similar to an infantry fighting vehicle, moving troops to the front lines of the battlefield before remaining in the back to support their advance via use of its plasma cannon, and use in a manner more akin to a tank - thrown against prepared human defences with no infantry support to speak of.

Production notes
The Adsk-pattern Shadow first originated during the production of Halo: Combat Evolved as a vehicle for use by the Covenant as a troop carrier. At this time, the vehicle had no name, and was simply referred to in-game by a variety of names including,  , and. At this stage of development, another vehicle held the name of Shadow, and was similarly-cut. Both of these vehicles would later go on to be revived in Halo 2 as the Spectre and Shadow respectively.

In 2023, the vehicle was restored by the Digsite project for use in Halo modding and officially canonised in a Canon Fodder article. For consistency and ease of use with the Shadow vehicle later introduced in Halo 2, the vehicle was renamed to the Shadow in the provided files and made fully-functional as a vehicle with an operational driver and gunner seat.