Karo'etba-pattern Ghost

Were you looking for the similarly named Ghosts of Halo?

Template:Ship The Type-32 Rapid Assault Vehicle (abbreviated Type-32 RAV) otherwise known as the Ghost (by the UNSC), is the Covenant's standard reconnaissance and rapid attack vehicle. It is equipped with two of what are now accepted as the standard light vehicle mounted weapons: a directed energy weapon capable of projecting a bolt of super-heated plasma in the 100-250 kW range. It was first seen in Halo: CE as one of two drivable Covenant vehicles (the other being the Banshee).

Overview

Ghosts are a simple single-pilot transport and reconnaissance vehicles, polished in lucid dark purple in color. They boast a streamlined design and make-up concept to optimize speed and agility, and two wing-like structures on either side for maneuverability. They hover off the ground using Covenant anti-gravity technology, and feature an unlimited boost and two plasma cannons. They can accelerate very rapidly, up to speeds of over 90 kilometers per hour, however, when using the boost function, it can't fire its plasma bolts.

Propulsion

A Ghost's propulsion is imparted by a form of anti-gravity engine known as a Boosted Gravity Propulsion Drive, allowing the Ghost to skim about half a meter above the ground while it is activated. This drive is visible as a bright, fluorescent area of blue energy emanating from the underside of the Ghost. Each "wing" of the Ghost contains a vent that disperses excess heat, most obviously demonstrated by a bright purple glow when the Ghost is boosting, and on the left wing the engine resides and if this is shot the Ghost will detonate.

Later Ghosts have modified engines possessing a 'speed boost' feature that nearly triples its speed, allowing for periods of greater velocity but compromised maneuverability. This allows Ghost pilots to enter and leave the combat zones rapidly. In this mode a Ghost can easily run down, or "splatter," enemy infantry and evade more durable foes. As a trade-off, a Ghost's energy reserves are drained rapidly in this mode, and its energy weapons are disabled.^[1] Judicious use of the speed boost can help prevent a Ghost from flipping over after skipping over a boulder or other obstacle.

The Ghost hovers low above the ground, usually between one and two meters up. In Halo: Combat Evolved, the Ghost floated high enough that it could not be jumped over and low enough that it could not be crouched under. This made it uniquely dangerous to infantry. In Halo 2, this ability was "turned off", and the Ghost moves lower along the ground, less than a meter up, and by far low enough to jump over. Its ability to kill enemies on impact was also severely reduced; a direct hit with the boost engaged will not always kill the opponent. Indeed, it may send them flying wildly away, saving their life.

The Ghost also has the ability to briefly pull its nose upwards, allowing it to avoid impacting small obstacles, as well as stay level while falling or flipping over. This ability, known as "doing a wheelie," is far more pronounced at higher speeds, especially when the boost is active.

Strengths

The vehicle's light weight and great speed make it one of the most agile vehicles in the Halo series. Its ability to stop or accelerate with great rapidity, as well as its capacity for lateral motion, make it adept at avoiding all but the fastest-moving projectiles. The boost feature is not only excellent for entering and exiting combat zones in relative safety, but can turn the vehicle itself into a weapon due to its ability to crush infantry. Its plasma cannons are extremely effective against light vehicles and infantry, and even if the vehicle is disabled, they can still be used to devastating effect. Ghosts can be transported to and from the battlefield by a variety of craft, such as Spirits, Phantoms, and Shadows. They allow great tactical flexibility for Covenant ground force commanders as fast, hard-hitting vehicles to harass enemy infantry formations within a short time. They are especially effective as infantry support, used to finish off forces scattered by infantry combat.

File:1210319966 1678635202 b7363a4645.jpg

A Halo 3 Ghost from sideview

Weaknesses

The boost systems of the Ghost greatly increase its speed, but strip it of its vaunted maneuverability, including lateral movement. Also, while the Ghost's boost system is in use, the weapons are disabled and maneuverability is reduced.Due to the open-topped design of the Ghost, drivers are often extremely vulnerable to small arms fire, especially when unaware of enemies or while idle. Because of the Ghost's light weight, it is easily overturned by explosions, heavy fire, and collisions. Ghosts are also easy to board, and such actions commonly result in the death of the pilot. Ghosts also have large, vulnerable fuel cells on the sides of the driver's seat, which explode very easily, invariably destroying the vehicle and killing the pilot and are great target for snipers. Ghosts are easily susceptible to the disabling effects of the Power Drain or Plasma Pistol overcharge, and once they have been disabled make excellent targets. The Ghost is almost always driven by a Ultra Grunt, who is easy to kill. Unlike other vehicles, the turrets only have a 150° field of fire, and so attackers may approach the vehicle from behind without any fear of retribution. The Ghost is also very ineffective in close quarters, due to its deep blind spot, slow braking action and wide turns.
Additionally, the ghost is rather easy to stick with a grenade as you are about to be splattered.
The ghost can also be catapulted into the air by a portable grav lift.
In Halo 2 the ghost can be destroyed by one shot if the shooter can hit the reactor tank on the left side of the Ghost, right behind the wing. This will not kill the driver if they get out soon enough.
Reboarding is a serious problem with ghosts, although skilled players can easily avoid it. An easy way to avoid this is to reverse as soon as you board a ghost and shoot the enemy you stole it off.

Changes from Halo: CE to Halo 2

The Ghost has greater mobility due to the boosting systems.
The Ghost has a higher rate of fire. Also, the fire alternates between cannons which makes it far more accurate.
The wheelie feature has been removed (performed by using jump control, the ghost's front will lift off the ground up to 60 degrees).
Like all other vehicles, Ghosts can now be hijacked.
Exposed reactor tank that can be shot by sniper to destroy the Ghost.
The extended drift has been removed when going at high speeds.
The Ghost was slightly downsized from its Combat Evolved counterpart.
The Ghost no longer has its own health bar and whether or not it is destroyed depends on whether or not the player survives.
The Ghost can now be destroyed without a pilot.
When it is destroyed, after several seconds it causes a secondary explosions which can injure or kill careless players.
The sound of the engine has changed.

Changes from Halo 2 to Halo 3

The Ghost can take more damage, even a shot to the reactors won't destroy the ghost.
The Ghost's fire does slightly more damage.
When using the boost, it takes slightly longer to reach top speed.
Rate of fire is slower, but shots travel slightly faster.
The twin plasma canons are slightly less accurate and cross each others path.
File:1210494509 46513-4.jpg
An exploding Ghost.

Equivalents

Brute Chopper - Covenant Loyalist equivalent.
M274 Ultra-Light All-Terrain Vehicle/Mongoose-UNSC equivalent.

Trivia

In a very rare case, a Grunt will drive a Ghost in Halo 2.
The Ghost's appearance advanced noticeably between the pre-release and final versions of Halo: Combat Evolved.
It is the only vehicle Marines are compatible to drive in Halo: Combat Evolved. The Marines can go into the driver seat of a Warthog, but he won't move anywhere. The only time the marines can be seen driving it is in the first cinematic in the Pillar of Autumn level. That is due to scripting and cinematic timing.
In Halo 3 the Covenant Loyalist Brutes almost never commandeer Ghosts, the only times you see them is during the first part of the level The Storm before you go onto the first lake bed. Otherwise, the only other times Brutes would pilot Ghosts is when they hijack a player riding on a Ghost, or if there is a Ghost nearby that the player left behind.
Another trick with the A button is possible only in Halo 2 and possibly in Halo 3. Holding A while using the boost feature allows the driver to turn more easily, making for speedy getaways with tight cornering. It also raises the nose of the vehicle, so when driving it is possible to simply drive over small vertical obstacles such as guard rails. It should be noted the Ghost often flips more easily when this trick is used, as well as having its top speed lowered.
The view screen on the Ghost highlights terrain as blue and vehicles or enemies as red-orange, much like thermal vision.
The Ghost (with boost) is the fastest land vehicle in the Halo franchise. Even without boost, it is still considerably faster than most other vehicles in the game, except for the Shadow.
You can get a Ghost on the level Halo (Halo 3) by starting from the beginning on Legendary difficulty and Co-op. There are four ghosts directly under the ramp to the left as you exit the control room building to make your run to the Forward Unto Dawn.
This is an excellent vehicle to take out Wraiths on a Big Team Battle as the Wraith fires singular salvos into the air, giving you ample time to make a quick getaway before it impacts near you and destroys the Ghost your driving. If you're assaulting it, quickly get beside it, where it takes only a few shots at its weak point to destroy it.
The Ghost can also do significant damage or kill when using boost to ram or run over troops on foot, but enemies can dodge it by moving left or right (or in muiltiplayer, jump over it) since it is hard to maneuver while in boost.
In the final episode of the popular Halo machinima Red Vs Blue, Caboose is killed by a ghost that exploded and flew into the air and then proceeded to land on him.
The Ghost takes 7 seconds to explode a second time, in keeping with the Bungie tradition of using the number 7 in their games.
It is the most commonly encountered Covenant vehicle, especially so in Halo 2.
In Halo 2, Flood Elite Combat Forms seem to "surf" on the Ghost, by riding it while standing up. Plus if they board a ghost, they will not kick you out, but instead they will whack you with their tenticle.
In Co-op, your teammate can stand on the wing of a Ghost, allowing for faster travel even when two Ghosts are unavailable, but that can block your view.
A Marine nickname for the ghost is "gee"
There is a glitch involving the Spartan Laser that allows a player to remain clinging to half a Ghost. This glitch occurs when a player is boarding a Ghost and the Ghost is shot with a Spartan Laser (this also works with a plasma or spike grenade).
While driving a ghost holding the A button will angle the ghost giving it more lift on jumps.

Images

A Marine pilots a Ghost as seen in Assault on the Control Room in Halo: Combat Evolved.
The Ghost as depicted in the E3 Halo 2 demo.
Halo3ghostsnowbound.jpg

A Ghost on Snowbound in the Halo 3 Beta
A Ghost being boarded in Halo 3.

Sources

^ Halo 2