War sphinx: Difference between revisions

{{Era|Forerunner}}

{{Vehicle Infobox

|hidea=yes

|name        = War sphinx

|length       = 20 meters

|height       = 10 meters

|crew         =

|affiliation =

*[[Forerunner]] [[ecumene]]

**[[Warrior-Servant]]s

'''War sphinxes''' were immensely powerful war machines used by [[Forerunner]] [[Warrior-Servant]]s.<ref name="c43">'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 43''</ref> Classified as midsize [[Combat skin|fighting suits]],<ref name="c43"/> war sphinxes were versatile combat vehicles allowing an individual Warrior to operate seamlessly in space, air or a planetary surface. Their roles ranged from acting as capital ship escorts,<ref>'''[[Halo 4: The Essential Visual Guide]]''', ''page 123''</ref> overwhelming enemy ships in large numbers,<ref name="c163">'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 163''</ref> or being deployed from orbit and conducting continental-scale bombardment operations, boasting firepower to level entire cities.<ref name="c95">'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 95''</ref> In addition to their predominant air and space roles, they were also equipped with arms and legs, enabling them to operate on the ground as bipedal combat vehicles.<ref name="c66">'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 66''</ref>

The war sphinxes were described as being ten meters high and twenty meters long, with an elongated tail that provided lift and power. From the "tail" rose a large rounded torso with a command cabin perched on top. The command cabin was designed to resemble a Forerunner face, with features arranged in an angry or stern expression and two viewports serving as "eyes". The joints of their limbs were composed of [[hard light]].<ref name="c66"/> Much like [[Onyx Sentinel]]s, two sphinxes could also merge to create a larger unit, which still retained a similar "face" at the forward surface.<ref>'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 76''</ref>

Warrior-Servants utilized war sphinxes in large numbers during the [[human-Forerunner wars]]. During the [[Charum Hakkor campaign]], war sphinxes were deployed in the thousands against the human fleet in orbit over [[Charum Hakkor]], swarming human vessels in spiraling cloud-like formations and forcing some to crash into [[Precursor]] [[star road]]s.<ref name="c163"/> Twelve of the machines, once piloted by the [[Ur-Didact|Didact]]'s children, contained their partial essences after they were killed in battle.<ref name="essences"/> These war sphinxes were left to guard the Didact's [[Cryptum]] in the [[Djamonkin Crater]] after he entered his first exile. By the time [[IsoDidact|Bornstellar Makes Eternal Lasting]] arrived in the Djamonkin Crater in the final decade before the [[Great Purification|Halos' activation]], these suits were considered antiquated and outdated.<ref name="c43"/> The war sphinxes continued to serve the Didact, conducting their assigned duties after his revival, and accompanied him as he left Earth on his [[Didact's ship|newly-constructed ship]]. When [[Master Builder]] [[Faber]]'s forces attacked the Didact's ship over [[Janjur Qom]], the war sphinxes attempted to defend the ship and the Didact to the best of their ability, but were outmatched and quickly destroyed by the superior [[Seeker (armor)|Seekers]].<ref name="c195"/>

Around 100,000 years later, in the mid-26th century, the [[Office of Naval Intelligence]] retrieved several Forerunner artifacts from [[Halo Array|Halo]] [[Installation 03]]. One of them was the eye of a war sphinx variant.<ref name="fodder">[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/community/blog-posts/canon-fodder-have-s-moa '''Halo Waypoint''': ''Canon Fodder - Have S'Moa'']</ref> It was designated "Specimen 1534" and studied aboard ''[[Ivanoff Station]]''. The ONI scientists [[Halo 4 audio logs#Specimen 1534|speculated]] that it might have been an imaging component and weapon sight belonging to a Forerunner vehicle. They also required the help of SPECWAR in order to analyse the object. By [[2557|July 24th, 2557]], the sphinx's eye remained in [[Catherine Halsey|Doctor Halsey]]'s former lab aboard ''Ivanoff''.<ref>'''Halo 4''', campaign level ''[[Composer (level)|Composer]]''</ref>

File:H4 - Eye of Sphinx concept.jpg|Concept art for the sphinx's eye kept onboard ''Ivanoff Station'' in ''Halo 4''.  

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