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M808 Scorpion: Difference between revisions

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(Maybe we should just rename the page and have a smaller article for the actual M808)
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{{Era|UNSC|HCW|Post|FA}}
{{Era|UNSC|HCW|Post}}
{{disambig header|the UNSC main battle tank used during the [[Human-Covenant War]]|other uses|Scorpion (disambiguation)}}
{{disambig header|the UNSC main battle tank used during the [[Human-Covenant War]]|other uses|Scorpion (disambiguation)}}
{{Vehicle Infobox
The '''M808 Main Battle Tank''',<ref name="visual">'''[[Halo: The Essential Visual Guide]]''', ''page 164''</ref><ref name="ENC">'''[[Halo Encyclopedia]]''', ''page 238''; ''page 248'' (2011)</ref><ref name="bnet">[http://www.bungie.net/projects/reach/article.aspx?ucc=ordnance&cid=25446 '''Bungie.net''': ''M808 MBT profile'']</ref> commonly known as the '''Scorpion''', is the [[United Nations Space Command]]'s mainline armored mobile weapons platform. The tank was originally manufactured by [[Chalybs Defense Solutions]],<ref name="visual"/> until [[Acheron Security]] took claim following the [[Human-Covenant War]]<ref name="H4 visual">'''[[Halo 4: The Essential Visual Guide]]''', ''page 110''</ref> and the destruction of numerous CDS facilities on [[Meridian]].<ref name="interactive">[http://www.halowaypoint.com/en-US/halo4guide '''Halo Waypoint''': ''Halo 4 Interactive Guide'' (defunct)]</ref>
|image=[[File:H4-M808ScorpionMBT.png|300px]]
|manufacturer=[[Chalybs Defense Solutions]] {{C|Covenant War}}<ref name="visual"/><br>[[Acheron Security]] {{C|Post-war}}<ref name="H4 visual">'''[[Halo 4: The Essential Visual Guide]]''', ''page 110''</ref>
|line=Scorpion
|model=M808
|cost=
|length={{Convert|10.2|m|ft|sp=us}}<ref name="visual">'''[[Halo: The Essential Visual Guide]]''', ''page 164''</ref><ref name="ENC">'''[[Halo Encyclopedia]]''', ''page 238''; ''page 248'' (2011)</ref>
|width={{Convert|7.8|m|ft|sp=us}}<ref name="visual"/>
|height={{Convert|4.4|m|ft|sp=us}}<ref name="universe">[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/universe/vehicles/scorpion '''Halo Waypoint''': ''Scorpion''] (Content updated, backup link on [https://web.archive.org/web/20151103161554/https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/universe/VEHICLES/SCORPION Archive.org])</ref>
|mass={{Convert|66|MT}}<ref name="ENC"/>
|max speed=96.5 km/h (60 mph)<ref name="universe"/>
|engine=
|hull=Ceramic-[[titanium]] armor<ref name="H1man">'''[[Halo: Combat Evolved]]''', ''game manual''</ref><ref name="H2man">'''[[Halo 2]]''', ''game manual''</ref><ref name="flood137">'''[[Halo: The Flood]]''', ''page 137''</ref>
|armament=*One [[M512 smooth-bore high-velocity cannon]]<ref name="visual"/><ref name="manual">'''[[Halo 3]]''', ''game manual''</ref>
*One [[M247T machine gun]]<ref name="visual"/>
|crew=One operator, one gunner<ref name="universe"/>
|complement=Up to four passengers<ref name="ENC"/>
|consumables=
|othersystems=
|firstuse=[[2218]]<ref name="universe"/>
|role=Anti-armor platform, anti-vehicular platform, anti-infantry platform, heavy weaponry<ref name="ENC"/>
|affiliation=[[United Nations Space Command]]
<br>[[Insurrectionist]]s<ref name="grizzly">[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/universe/vehicles/grizzly '''Halo Waypoint''': ''Grizzly'']</ref>
}}
{{Quote|Tank beats Ghost! Tank beats Hunter! Tank beats everything! Oh, man, I could do this all day!|An anonymous [[UNSC Marine Corps|Marine]]'s remark of the M808 Scorpion during the [[Battle of Installation 00]]<ref name="boom">'''Halo 3''', campaign level ''[[The Ark (level)|The Ark]]''</ref>}}


The '''M808 Main Battle Tank''',<ref name="visual"/><ref name="bnet">[http://www.bungie.net/projects/reach/article.aspx?ucc=ordnance&cid=25446 '''Bungie.net''': ''M808 MBT profile'']</ref> commonly known as the '''Scorpion''', is the [[United Nations Space Command]]'s mainline armored mobile weapons platform. The tank was originally manufactured by [[Chalybs Defense Solutions]],<ref name="visual"/> until [[Acheron Security]] took claim following the [[Human-Covenant War]]<ref name="H4 visual"/> and the destruction of numerous CDS facilities on [[Meridian]].<ref name="interactive">[http://www.halowaypoint.com/en-US/halo4guide '''Halo Waypoint''': ''Halo 4 Interactive Guide'' (defunct)]</ref>
The Scorpion has remained in service for centuries due to its combination of affordability, simplicity, and versatility and its rugged, adaptable design, features that cannot be matched by any "superior" main battle tank design. Additionally, the Scorpion's functional uses are numerous and widely varied—although the UNSC predominantly uses the tank for direct engagements, local defense, and anti-armor operations. A result of the tank's effectiveness and practicality, the M808 Scorpion has become the UNSC's template for all modern main battle tank designs.<ref name="universe">[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/universe/vehicles/scorpion '''Halo Waypoint''': ''Scorpion''] (Content updated, backup link on [https://web.archive.org/web/20151103161554/https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/universe/VEHICLES/SCORPION Archive.org])</ref>
 
The Scorpion has remained in service for centuries due to its combination of affordability, simplicity, and versatility and its rugged, adaptable design, features that cannot be matched by any "superior" main battle tank design. Additionally, the Scorpion's functional uses are numerous and widely varied—although the UNSC predominantly uses the tank for direct engagements, local defense, and anti-armor operations. A result of the tank's effectiveness and practicality, the M808 Scorpion has become the UNSC's template for all modern main battle tank designs.<ref name="universe"/>


The M808 has proven itself to be the workhorse of UNSC armored attack vehicles. The tank's [[M512 smooth-bore high-velocity cannon|90mm cannon]] can deliver a devastating blow to all targets—infantry or armor. The M808's thick ceramic-[[titanium]] armor can withstand a direct hit from a [[Covenant]] [[fuel rod cannon]] and survive with enough armor to keep fighting. The Scorpion's one man crew severely limits [[human]] casualties; along with its main offensive capabilities, one other man can man the tank's turret as a gunner, and four infantrymen can sit on the tread pods of the tank, providing supporting fire while using the tank as a transport.<ref name="ENC"/>
The M808 has proven itself to be the workhorse of UNSC armored attack vehicles. The tank's [[M512 smooth-bore high-velocity cannon|90mm cannon]] can deliver a devastating blow to all targets—infantry or armor. The M808's thick ceramic-[[titanium]] armor can withstand a direct hit from a [[Covenant]] [[fuel rod cannon]] and survive with enough armor to keep fighting. The Scorpion's one man crew severely limits [[human]] casualties; along with its main offensive capabilities, one other man can man the tank's turret as a gunner, and four infantrymen can sit on the tread pods of the tank, providing supporting fire while using the tank as a transport.<ref name="ENC"/>
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==Specifications==
==Specifications==
===Design details===
===Design details===
{{Quote|I don't know if you've ever operated one of those babies, but it beats the hell out of just about any other mode of transportation on a battlefield.|Spartan [[Edward Buck]], referring to a M808 Scorpion<ref>'''[[Halo: New Blood]]''', ''page 75'' (Google Play edition)</ref>}}
[[File:HCM808Scorpion1.jpg|thumb|250px|left|An M808 Scorpion during the [[Battle of Requiem]]]]
The M808 Scorpion is the [[UNSC]]'s lead armored vehicle, having served for over three centuries. Its four-track nacelles design, with each track mounted on an independent computer-controlled suspension system, allows the M808 Scorpion to traverse, climb over, or maneuver around large debris or other battlefield obstacles, and prevents the vehicle from being easily disabled.<ref name="bnet"/> The Scorpion is not the most powerful or quickest UNSC main battle tank, but it is often considered to be the best marriage between those two qualities.<ref>[[:File:Scorpion Library.jpg|The text appears to describe the M808]]</ref>
The M808 Scorpion is the [[UNSC]]'s lead armored vehicle, having served for over three centuries. Its four-track nacelles design, with each track mounted on an independent computer-controlled suspension system, allows the M808 Scorpion to traverse, climb over, or maneuver around large debris or other battlefield obstacles, and prevents the vehicle from being easily disabled.<ref name="bnet"/> The Scorpion is not the most powerful or quickest UNSC main battle tank, but it is often considered to be the best marriage between those two qualities.<ref>[[:File:Scorpion Library.jpg|The text appears to describe the M808]]</ref>
The central chassis is simple in design containing the main armament at the stern of the hull, a pintle-mounted machine gun, and the crew compartment forward of it. The chassis is covered with heavy ceramic-[[titanium]] armor plating, making it incredibly resilient to damage from small-arms and ordinary [[plasma]] weapons; however, it is still possible for infantry-portable anti-armor weapons to inflict catastrophic damage. The M808 Scorpion only requires two people to fulfill its effective role; the driver operates the vehicle and has complete control of the main armament while the gunner would man the machine gun. Typically, only two personnel operate a M808 Scorpion.<ref name="universe"/> However, if both individuals lack [[neural interface]]s, an additional gunner may be required to assist. Up to four additional passengers may safely<ref name="ENC"/> ride on—and fire from—the vehicle's "jumpseats", though doing so would put them at great risk of enemy counter-attack.<ref name="H1man"/><ref name="H2man"/><ref name="manual"/> If necessary, VIPs and sensitive material can be safely crammed inside the tank's main cabin.<ref name="ENC"/>
The Scorpion's efficient engine allows it to travel up to 750 kilometers (466 miles) before needing to be refueled. Along with its weapons system, the Scorpion is equipped with anti-[[mine]] detecting software and electronics to help increase safety while in use.<ref name="ENC"/>


===Armaments===
===Armaments===
{{Main|M512 smooth-bore high-velocity cannon|M247T machine gun}}
The M808 Scorpion is equipped with a two-tier weapon system. The tank's primary armament is the [[M512 smooth-bore high-velocity cannon]], a gun capable of firing 90mm [[tungsten]] shells and [[S1 canister shell|canister rounds]] with a three-to-four-second interval between each firing session.<ref name="visual"/> The [[M850 Grizzly]] is the only human tank capable of outgunning a Scorpion.<ref name="grizzly">[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/universe/vehicles/grizzly '''Halo Waypoint''': ''Grizzly'']</ref>
The M808 Scorpion is equipped with a two-tier weapon system. The tank's primary armament is the [[M512 smooth-bore high-velocity cannon]], a gun capable of firing 90mm [[tungsten]] shells and [[S1 canister shell|canister rounds]] with a three-to-four-second interval between each firing session.<ref name="visual"/> The primary weapon is also equipped with an autoload feed system, requiring no manual loading from the armor's personnel.<ref name="universe"/> The tank can also be outfitted with a 105mm gun for greater offensive power.<ref name="Halo: The Flood">'''[[Halo: The Flood]]''', ''page 153''</ref> The M512 cannon is very powerful and can destroy a [[Covenant]] [[Type-26 Wraith]] in two to three shots. The main cannon is discernibly devastating to infantry targets at any range, instantly killing targets at the impact zone and severely injuring those close by.<ref name="ENC"/> The [[M850 Grizzly]] is the only human tank capable of outgunning a Scorpion.<ref name="grizzly"/>


The Scorpion's secondary armament is a mounted [[M247T machine gun]], capable of firing 7.62mm armor-piercing rounds at a very high rate. Along with its offensive capabilities as an anti-vehicle platform, the M808 also fulfills the role of anti-infantry; its machine gun can effectively take down heavily armored and shielded targets at medium range.<ref name="visual"/> The machine gun is either co-axial or pintle-mounted.<ref name="ENC"/> The variants of the M808 Scorpion have varying armaments, in both cannon and machine gun type.<ref name="universe"/>
The machine gun is either co-axial or pintle-mounted.<ref name="ENC"/> The variants of the M808 Scorpion have varying armaments, in both cannon and machine gun type.<ref name="universe"/>


==Variants==
==Variants==
The M808 Scorpion has more than a half-dozen variants over its many years of service, each with minor adjustments depending on its role. The physiological aspect and versatility of the main battle tank remains unchanged with each variant.<ref name="ENC"/>
The M808 Scorpion has more than a half-dozen variants over its many years of service, each with minor adjustments depending on its role. The physiological aspect and versatility of the main battle tank remains unchanged with each variant.<ref name="ENC"/>
*M808 - The first M808 model entered service in 2218.<ref name="universe"/>
*[[M808B Scorpion|M808B ''Scorpion'']] – An older variant with a coaxial [[M231 machine gun]].<ref name="universe"/>
*[[M808B Scorpion|M808B ''Scorpion'']] – An older variant with a coaxial [[M231 machine gun]].<ref name="universe"/>
*M808B2 ''Sun Devil'' – An anti-aircraft "B" variant with two twin-linked 40mm autocannons that lacks the 90mm cannon.<ref name="universe"/>
*[[M808C Scorpion|M808C ''Scorpion'']] - The "mainline" iteration of the M808 during the Human-Covenant War, features a M512 90mm smoothbore cannon for anti-tank and anti-fortification use, and a pintle-mounted M247T 7.62mm medium machine gun.<ref name="universe"/>
*M808B3 ''Tarantula'' – A "B" variant with its two mounted pods on either side of the turret can fire clusters of hypervelocity Scimitar rockets.<ref name="universe"/>
*M808C - The "mainline" iteration of the M808 during the Human-Covenant War, features a M512 90mm smoothbore cannon for anti-tank and anti-fortification use, and a pintle-mounted M247T 7.62mm medium machine gun.<ref name="universe"/>
==Operational history==
==Operational history==
{{Quote|Hey, how does 90 millimeters of tungsten strike you?|Gunnery Sergeant [[Marcus Stacker]]'s remark of the M808 Scorpion's main cannon during the [[Battle of Installation 00]]<ref name="boom"/>}}
The M808 Scorpion was first manufactured in [[2218]].<ref name="universe"/> During the [[Insurrection]], [[Insurrectionists|rebels]] would utilize stolen Scorpions against the UNSC.<ref name="grizzly"/>
[[File:ODST Campaign Kizingo01.jpg|thumb|right|250px|A M808C Scorpion aids a charge during the [[Battle of Mombasa]]]]
The M808 Scorpion was first manufactured in [[2218]].<ref name="universe"/> During the [[Insurrection]], [[Insurrectionists|rebels]] would utilize stolen Scorpions against the UNSC.<ref name="grizzly"/> The M808C Scorpion was still in service with the UNSC during the events of the [[Human-Covenant War]], serving alongside the [[M808B Scorpion]] and the [[M850 Grizzly]].
 
During the [[Fall of Reach]] in 2552, M808C Scorpions were dispatched around the continent of [[Eposz]], battling the Covenant invaders, particularly during the [[Battle at Szurdok Ridge]].<ref>'''[[Halo: Reach]]''', campaign level ''[[Tip of the Spear]]''</ref> As the invasion drew to the end, an M808C Scorpion was abandoned near the Covenant-occupied [[Farragut Station]], near the ONI facility [[SWORD Base]]. It was recovered by [[SPARTAN-B312]] and the ODST squad accompanying the Spartan, and used to destroy the nearby Covenant [[Type-38 Anti-Aircraft Cannon|anti-air cannons]] and pave the team's way to SWORD Base's gate.<ref>'''Halo: Reach''', campaign level ''[[The Package (level)|The Package]]''</ref> More Scorpions saw action during the [[Battle of Aszod]], but most of them were destroyed under the overwhelming Covenant forces.<ref>'''Halo: Reach''', campaign level ''[[The Pillar of Autumn (Halo: Reach level)|The Pillar of Autumn]]''</ref>
 
Numerous M808C Scorpions were utilized by the UNSC Marines during the [[Battle of Mombasa]], but most of them, again, were destroyed by the Covenant, especially because the diminishing number of Marines in the city.<ref group="note">Two Scorpions can be found unmanned in the campaign level ''[[Kizingo Boulevard (level)|Kizingo Boulevard]]''. Scorpion wrecks are found scattered on the bridge to [[ONI Alpha Site]] and on the [[New Mombasa Waterfront Highway]].</ref> As the battle drew to an end, three ODSTs from squad [[Alpha-Nine]] commandeered a M808C Scorpion during their escape on the city's Waterfront Highway while escorting [[Quick to Adjust|an important asset]].<ref>'''[[Halo 3: ODST]]''', campaign level ''[[Coastal Highway]]''</ref> During the later parts of the [[Battle of Earth]], the military base [[Crow's Nest]] was used as a storage for UNSC vehicles, including Scorpions, some of which were destroyed when the Covenant [[Battle of Voi#Crow's Nest|assaulted]] the base.<ref>'''Halo 3''', campaign level ''[[Crow's Nest (level)|Crow's Nest]]''</ref>
 
[[File:Battle at Red Slate.png|thumb|250px|left|A M808C Scorpion battles a T-26 Wraith on Draetheus V]]
Near the conclusion of the Human-Covenant War, particularly throughout the [[Battle of Installation 00]], three M808C Scorpions, one of them commandeered by [[John-117]], were deployed from {{UNSCShip|Forward Unto Dawn}} near [[Installation 00]]'s [[Cartographer]] to punch through the Covenant defense to get to the Cartographer.<ref name="boom"/> In the ending hour of the war, a M808C Scorpion, dropped from a [[D77H-TCI Pelican]] was utilized in the [[Battle of the Citadel]], in which it played a vital role to eliminate the two Covenant [[Type-47 Scarab]] walkers.<ref>'''Halo 3''', campaign level ''[[The Covenant (level)|The Covenant]]''</ref>
 
Following the end of the war, M808C Scorpions were popular during [[War Games]] matches aboard [[Anvil Station]] and the {{UNSCShip|Infinity}}. In [[2554]], M808C Scorpions were a part of the UNSC garrison on [[Draetheus V]]. Many were assigned to the [[23rd Armored Cavalry]] and operated during the [[Battle of Draetheus V|battle]] for the planet.<ref>'''[[Halo: Spartan Assault]]''', campaign level ''[[Mission 10: Battle at Red Slate|Battle at Red Slate]]''</ref> ''Infinity'' carried several M808Cs during her operations in both [[Battle of Requiem]], two of which were commandeered once again by John-117, the first being used to clear a path to the grounded ''Infinity'', and the second to punch through the Covenant defenses around the [[gravity well]] generator holding the ship within [[Requiem]].<ref>'''[[Halo 4]]''', campaign level, ''[[Infinity (level)|Infinity]]''</ref> At the [[Battle of Installation 03]], a M808C Scorpion was used to eliminate Covenant and [[Promethean]] opposition at the [[Altar]].<ref>'''[[Halo: Spartan Strike]]''', campaign level ''[[Mission 15: Till Death Do Us Part|Till Death Do Us Part]]''</ref>
 
Upon her return to the planet six months later during the [[Requiem Campaign]], ''Infinity'' again deployed M808C Scorpions to assist in ground operations, including another two that were assigned to Spartan [[Fireteam Crimson]] during their mission to the site codenamed [[Apex]].<ref>'''[[Spartan Ops]]''', ''Episode 9, Chapter 3: "[[Key/Science Mountain|Science Mountain]]‎"''</ref> By October, 2558, the [[M820 Scorpion|M820]] had replaced the M808C as the "mainline" iteration of the Scorpion.<ref name="universe"/>
{{Clear}}
 
== Gameplay changes ==
=== Changes from ''Halo 3''/''Halo 3: ODST'' to ''Halo: Reach'' ===
*The tank has considerably less armor than its earlier counterparts, making it somewhat more balanced with the [[Wraith]].
*The tank visually recoils when firing the main gun. Shell casings are released out the back of the turret when it is fired.
*The cockpit now has a translucent canopy, which reveals the driver.
*The main gun is more powerful, with a larger blast radius; it has the ability to destroy a Wraith with two shots.
*The main gun can be blasted off, rendering the tank ineffective in assaulting.
*The velocity of the main cannon fire has been slightly decreased.
*The reticule of the main gun now has vertical bars on its sides that fill as the the cannon is reloaded.
*The secondary turret now overheats after continuous fire, much like the Wraith's turret.
*The turret now slows down to a stop after rotating, it also turns slower than in ''Halo 3'' and the Scorpion's rotating speed is also slower.
*The tread coverings may be destroyed, which prevents the [[ODST]]s on the level ''[[The Package (level)|The Package]]'' from riding on them.
 
===Changes from ''Halo: Reach'' to ''Halo 4''===
*The velocity of the main cannon has been drastically reduced, now traveling at a fraction of the speed seen in any other game. The shot also arcs visibly at long range.
*Along with other UNSC vehicles, a heavily damaged Scorpion will emit a siren.
*The tank's speed has once again been decreased.
*The pintle-mounted machine gun has been given more accuracy and now behaves more similarly to the Warthog's machine gun turret.
*The tank's reticule has been changed to a more closed design with a circle at the centre.
 
==Trivia==
{{Linkbox|gameplay=yes|gallery=yes}}
{{Linkbox|gameplay=yes|gallery=yes}}
===General===
*A [[Wikipedia:scorpion|scorpion]] is a predatory arthropod, in keeping with the UNSC's tradition of naming vehicles after real animals with the exceptions of the [[Cyclops]] and [[Gremlin]], which are named after mythical creatures, and [[starfighter]]s, which are named after bladed weapons.
**The Scorpion tank resembles an actual scorpion with the front body being the pincers, the rear body being the legs and the cannon being the tail and its stinger.
*The [[Legendary Map Pack]] features the map [[Avalanche]], a remake of the classic [[Sidewinder]]. For the remake, the Scorpion tank is adorned in full snow camouflage, along with all other UNSC vehicles. Avalanche is also the first ''[[Halo 3]]'' multiplayer map to have a Scorpion placed in it by default.
*In ''[[Halo: Reach Multiplayer Beta]]'', the Scorpion had the word "MARINES" marked on its armor. This is not present in the final game.
*In ''Halo: Reach'', the achievement "[[Tank Beats Everything]]" is earned by keeping the tank intact during the [[The Package (level)|ninth mission]] on Legendary difficulty.
*A Scorpion tank is on display in the [[Museum of Humanity]]. A small model of the tank is also on display in the museum.
===Easter eggs===
*In ''Halo: Reach'', the code "S-052" is painted on the side of the Scorpion. This is a reference to Spartan [[Jorge-052]], as well as a reference to Bungie's obsession with the number [[seven]] (0+5+2=7).
*In ''Halo 4'' several different warning labels are present on the Scorpion. They read:
**"''DANGER! STRONG MAGNETIC FIELD; NO METALLIC IMPLANTS; NO NEURO STIMULATORS; SERIOUS INJURY MAY RESULT''"
**"''DANGER: KEEP HANDS CLEAR OF MOVING MACHINERY''"
**"''DANGER: ELECTRIC SHOCK RISK 121 GW''"
**"''ELECTRICAL CONNECTION PORT; CONTAINS HIGH VOLTAGE: RISK OF ELECTRICAL SHOCK; CAN CAUSE INJURY OR DEATH; DISCONNECT ALL REMOTE ELECTRICAL POWER SUPPLIES BEFORE SERVICING''"
**"''INVISIBLE LASER RADIATION: AVOID EYE OR SKIN EXPOSURE TO DIRECT OR SCATTER RADIATION LASER TYPE UNSC HIGHVOL WAVELENGTH [[343 Industries|343]]NM, 1024NM; OUTPUT POWER: CLASS IV LASER''".
**One of the labels appears backwards.
*All of the Scorpions in ''Halo 4'' bear the number 0383, a reference to the number seven (0+3+8+3=14, 14/2=7). They also bear two skull decals; one on the left front tread and another on the left side of the main gun's barrel.
===Glitches===
*It is possible to perform the [[turretless vehicle glitch]] on a Scorpion. It is not possible, however, to then attach another weapon and still be able to drive; for some reason, the Scorpion automatically applies the parking brake.
*In ''Halo 3'', if you melee off the machine gun turret, it will still fire with the bullets appearing to be coming out of where the turret barrel would have been.
==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:UNSC-Scorpion-logo1.png|Detail of the scorpion emblem
File:H3-M808HUD.png|HUD of the M808C Scorpion in ''Halo 3''
File:Scorpion.jpg|Blueprint of the M808C Scorpion
File:H3-M808ScorpionMBT.png|The M808C Scorpion in ''Halo 3''
File:Snow Scorpion.png|"Snow-bug", the winter-variant of the M808C MBT
File:HCM808Scorpion.jpg|The M808C Scorpion in ''Halo 3: ODST''
File:Ih scorpion01.jpg|Concept art of the M808C Scorpion in ''Halo: Reach''
File:HReach-M808ScorpionMBT.png|The M808C Scorpion in ''Halo: Reach''
File:Scorpion H4guide.png|The M808C Scorpion in ''Halo 4''
File:H4-Scorpion-Campaign.jpg|The M808C Scorpion in use in the Campaign of ''Halo 4''
File:H4-Scorpion-Versus-Wraith.jpg|An M808C Scorpion MBT battling a [[Type-26 Wraith|T26 Wraith AGC]] in ''Halo 4''
File:M808_bumper_sticker.jpg|Bumper sticker of an M808C MBT, c. 2557
File:M808_cockpit.jpg|Cockpit of an M808C, c. 2557
File:Scorpion.png|The HUD icon of the M808C Scorpion in ''Halo 4''
File:Scorpion SpartanAssault.png|Two M808C Scorpions engaged in combat with a few Wraiths in ''Halo: Spartan Assault''
</gallery>
==List of appearances==
==List of appearances==
*''[[Halo: The Fall of Reach]]'' {{1st}}
*''[[Halo: Combat Evolved]]''
*''[[Halo: The Flood]]''
*''[[Halo: First Strike]]''
*''[[i love bees]]''
*''[[Halo 2]]''
*''[[Halo Graphic Novel]]''
*''[[Halo: Ghosts of Onyx]]''
*''[[Believe]]''
*''[[Believe]]''
**''[[Diorama]]'' {{1st}} {{C|Diorama only}}
**''[[Diorama]]'' {{C|Diorama only}}
*''[[Halo 3]]''
*''[[Halo 3]]''
*''[[Halo: Contact Harvest]]'' {{Mo}}
*''[[Halo: The Cole Protocol]]''
*''[[Halo Wars]]''
*''[[Halo 3: ODST]]''
*''[[Halo 3: ODST]]''
*''[[Halo Legends]]''
**''[[Origins]]''
*''[[Halo: Reach]]''
*''[[Halo: Reach]]''
*''[[Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary]]''
**''[[Terminal/Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary|Terminals]]''
*''[[Halo 4]]''
*''[[Halo 4]]''
**''[[Spartan Ops]]''
**''[[Spartan Ops]]''
*''[[Halo: Spartan Assault]]''
*''[[Halo: Spartan Assault]]''
*''[[Halo 2: Anniversary]]''
*''[[Halo: New Blood]]'' {{Mo}}
*''[[Halo: New Blood]]'' {{Mo}}
*''[[Halo: Spartan Strike]]''
*''[[Halo: Spartan Strike]]''
Line 151: Line 53:
*''[[Halo: Ground Command]]''
*''[[Halo: Ground Command]]''
*''[[Halo Online]]''
*''[[Halo Online]]''
==Note==
<references group="note"/>


==Sources==
==Sources==

Revision as of 09:28, March 28, 2016

This article is about the UNSC main battle tank used during the Human-Covenant War. For other uses, see Scorpion (disambiguation).

The M808 Main Battle Tank,[1][2][3] commonly known as the Scorpion, is the United Nations Space Command's mainline armored mobile weapons platform. The tank was originally manufactured by Chalybs Defense Solutions,[1] until Acheron Security took claim following the Human-Covenant War[4] and the destruction of numerous CDS facilities on Meridian.[5]

The Scorpion has remained in service for centuries due to its combination of affordability, simplicity, and versatility and its rugged, adaptable design, features that cannot be matched by any "superior" main battle tank design. Additionally, the Scorpion's functional uses are numerous and widely varied—although the UNSC predominantly uses the tank for direct engagements, local defense, and anti-armor operations. A result of the tank's effectiveness and practicality, the M808 Scorpion has become the UNSC's template for all modern main battle tank designs.[6]

The M808 has proven itself to be the workhorse of UNSC armored attack vehicles. The tank's 90mm cannon can deliver a devastating blow to all targets—infantry or armor. The M808's thick ceramic-titanium armor can withstand a direct hit from a Covenant fuel rod cannon and survive with enough armor to keep fighting. The Scorpion's one man crew severely limits human casualties; along with its main offensive capabilities, one other man can man the tank's turret as a gunner, and four infantrymen can sit on the tread pods of the tank, providing supporting fire while using the tank as a transport.[2]

Specifications

Design details

The M808 Scorpion is the UNSC's lead armored vehicle, having served for over three centuries. Its four-track nacelles design, with each track mounted on an independent computer-controlled suspension system, allows the M808 Scorpion to traverse, climb over, or maneuver around large debris or other battlefield obstacles, and prevents the vehicle from being easily disabled.[3] The Scorpion is not the most powerful or quickest UNSC main battle tank, but it is often considered to be the best marriage between those two qualities.[7]

Armaments

The M808 Scorpion is equipped with a two-tier weapon system. The tank's primary armament is the M512 smooth-bore high-velocity cannon, a gun capable of firing 90mm tungsten shells and canister rounds with a three-to-four-second interval between each firing session.[1] The M850 Grizzly is the only human tank capable of outgunning a Scorpion.[8]

The machine gun is either co-axial or pintle-mounted.[2] The variants of the M808 Scorpion have varying armaments, in both cannon and machine gun type.[6]

Variants

The M808 Scorpion has more than a half-dozen variants over its many years of service, each with minor adjustments depending on its role. The physiological aspect and versatility of the main battle tank remains unchanged with each variant.[2]

  • M808B Scorpion – An older variant with a coaxial M231 machine gun.[6]
  • M808C Scorpion - The "mainline" iteration of the M808 during the Human-Covenant War, features a M512 90mm smoothbore cannon for anti-tank and anti-fortification use, and a pintle-mounted M247T 7.62mm medium machine gun.[6]

Operational history

The M808 Scorpion was first manufactured in 2218.[6] During the Insurrection, rebels would utilize stolen Scorpions against the UNSC.[8]

List of appearances

Sources

Template:UNSC Vehicles