Editing Cut Halo: Combat Evolved vehicles

During the [[Development of Halo: Combat Evolved|development]] of ''[[Halo: Combat Evolved]]'', the game went through many different styles including a [[Real-time strategy|strategy game]], a third-person shooter and a [[first-person shooter]]. Throughout these iterations, many different '''vehicles were cut''' from the game, some of which presented notably different design styles from those found in the final [[2001]] release.

In the RTS era of ''Halo'', the [[Covenant]] did not exist yet as an entity, simply being the "aliens". There were to be several vehicles used by what would later become the Covenant and [[Forerunners]].{{Ref/Reuse|Evolution}} A later variation of the alien tank, created in 1999, features the vehicle in the Covenant's purple color scheme.

Not to be confused with a [[Cut Halo 2 levels#forerunnertank|cut level]] of the same name from ''[[Halo 2]]'', the Forerunner Tank as intended for the first ''Halo'' game was concepted by [[Marcus Lehto]] as a heavy vehicle intended for use by the [[Forerunners]]. At this point in time around [[1998]], the Forerunners were little more than an idea, though the intention was for the Forerunners to still be alive in the active setting of the game.{{Ref/Twitter|game_fabricator|724379019903275008|Marcus Lehto|Quote=In 98 the Forerunners were very much alive - even though they were barely a zygote of an idea.|D=02|M=6|Y=2021}} Lehto designed the tank to contrast the art direction of the existing [[Covenant]] and [[UNSC]] tanks, with the tank design focused on asymmetry and unique forms.{{Ref/Reuse|LehtoArt}}{{Ref/Twitter|game_fabricator|724352358428221440|Marcus Lehto|Quote=Agreed - The upper left was built and focused on asymmetry and some sharper forms which kinda worked.|D=02|M=6|Y=2021}} Lehto visualised the vehicle as coloured an "off-white" like an "old skull", with weathered "dried blood-red" accent colours.{{Ref/Twitter|game_fabricator|724379857191206912|Marcus Lehto|Quote=I was thinking of off-white, like an old skull, with some weathered accent colors.|D=02|M=6|Y=2021}}{{Ref/Twitter|game_fabricator|724398518769577984|Marcus Lehto|Quote=Red, but like old blood that dried in the sun|D=02|M=6|Y=2021}}

The Kestrel was a human aircraft of some kind that was modelled for inclusion in ''Halo''. Little is known of the vehicle's intended role within ''Combat Evolved''.{{Ref/Twitter|game_fabricator|464436273029980160|Marcus Lehto|Quote=Did the Kestrel ever get out to the public?|D=11|M=7|Y=2021}} The vehicle was cut in-part because ''Combat Evolved'' lacks vehicle physics that can effectively simulate VTOL aircraft.{{Ref/Reuse|H2CE}}{{Ref/Site|Id=Halo Waypoint|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/news/cutting-room-floor|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=Cutting Room Floor|D=6|M=7|Y=2022}} The vehicle was later concepted for (and also cut from) ''Halo 2'', before eventually being brought to life as a [[MEGA Brands]] set. The vehicle would then go on to see its in-game debut in [[2015]]'s ''[[Halo: Spartan Strike]]'' as the [[AV-30 Kestrel]]. The original version of the vehicle would later be canonized as the [[JOV-99 Kestrel]].

Known as the "Shadow" in this stage of development, this vehicle would later evolve into the [[Wuzum-pattern Spectre|Spectre]] seen in ''[[Halo 2]]''. The cut ''Combat Evolved'' Shadow would later be canonized as the [[Wuchek-pattern Spectre]].{{Ref/Reuse|Origin}}

The Stealth Tank was cut before the game moved to development on the Xbox console.{{Ref/Twitter|game_fabricator|1413325079421718542|Marcus Lehto|Quote=That’s the stealth tank. I had to cut that before we started dev for Xbox|D=11|M=7|Y=2021}} As part of 343 Industries' Digsite Alpha initiative to uncover and restore cut content for ''Halo: Combat Evolved'', the stealth tank has been canonized as the [[M700 Viper]].{{Ref/Site|Id=Halo Waypoint|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/news/cutting-room-floor|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=Cutting Room Floor|D=6|M=7|Y=2022}}