Editing Mgalekgolo Flak

{{Status|Canon}}
{{Conjectural title}}
{{Unit infobox
|variant=Cov
|name="Flak" Hunter
|image=[[File:H3ODST-GoldHunter.png|300px]] 
|species=[[Mgalekgolo]]
|equipment=[[Assault cannon]]
|mission=
|role=
|notable=
|affiliation=[[Covenant]]
}}
'''"Flak" hunters'''{{Ref/File|Id=H3ODSTEK_B|H3ODSTEK|tags\objects\characters\hunter\hunter_flak.biped}} are a type of [[Mgalekgolo]] employed by the [[Covenant]]. They are notably distinguished by their gold armor plating, as opposed to the typical blue.<ref name="ODST">''Halo 3: ODST''</ref>

==Overview==
So-called "flak" hunters are a rank or role of Mgalekgolo gestalt. They are primarily distinguished from their typically-deployed brethren thanks to their distinctive gold armor. Additionally, they wield a variant of [[assault cannon]] that fires single shots of [[incendiary gel]], while their blue-armored comrades fire streams of the gel. The "flak" hunters' role is unclear within the Covenant, as other hunter types have been observed with the same (or similar) weapon systems as the "flak" hunters. It is possible that the "Flak" role was instituted very late into the Human Covenant War, as their only known appearances were during the Battle for Earth. What's more, no blue armored hunters seen during the Battle for Earth use the same weapon systems Flak hunters do, suggesting the Covenant had only began to assign this role to specific hunters after the Battle of Installation 04, and as such this position may have only existed for less than a year. These gold hunter variants are deployed in both exclusive "flak" pairs, and as paired with a regular "blue" hunter.{{Ref/Reuse|ODST}}

==Operational history==
===Battle for Earth===
Following the departure of the [[Prophet of Regret]] during the [[Battle of Mombasa]] and the [[Battle for Earth]] in [[2552#October|October 20, 2552]], the remaining forces of the [[Fleet of Sacred Consecration]] deployed several gold-armored hunters almost immediately after the [[slipspace]] event. Following his crash-landing, a "flak" hunter was encountered by [[Edward Buck]] near [[Tayari Plaza (location)|Tayari Plaza]] while he searched for [[Veronica Dare]]'s [[M8900 drop pod]].<ref name="tayari">''Halo 3: ODST'' - ''campaign level'' [[Tayari Plaza]]</ref> Later on, several gold-armored hunters were part of the forces deployed by the Covenant to the [[Office of Naval Intelligence]]'s [[ONI Alpha Site (location)|Alpha Site]], though they were ultimately killed by [[Dutch]] and [[Mickey]].<ref name="alphasite">''Halo 3: ODST'' - ''campaign level'' [[ONI Alpha Site]]</ref> Several hours following the initial battle, gold hunters patrolled the deserted and darkened streets of New Mombasa before the city's eventual [[glassing]] by a [[Jiralhanae]][[Truth's fleet|-led excavation fleet]] sent by the [[Prophet of Truth]] that arrived the next day.<ref name="streets">''Halo 3: ODST'' - ''campaign level'' [[Mombasa Streets]]</ref><ref>[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/news/canon-fodder-vergil-reality '''Halo Waypoint''': ''Canon Fodder - Vergil Reality'']</ref>

==Gameplay==
"Flak" hunters appear only in ''[[Halo 3: ODST]]'' as special hunter enemies in the campaign and [[Firefight (Halo 3: ODST)|Firefight]]. Regular "blue" hunters appear in the game, behaving similarly to their ''[[Halo 2]]'' and ''[[Halo 3]]'' counterparts by firing long streams of incendiary gel at enemies while "flak" hunters fire single bolts more similar to their ''[[Halo: Combat Evolved]]'' or later ''[[Halo: Reach]]'' etc. counterparts. One appears in the level [[Tayari Plaza]] in the final section before the player finished the level alongside a regular hunter, and later again during the inner courtyard on [[ONI Alpha Site]]. They appear as enemies wandering the streets of New Mombasa in the [[Mombasa Streets]] level.

Aside from their unique appearance and weapon, the "flak" hunters behave identically to their regular counterparts, with no AI or health etc. differences.{{Ref/File|Id=H3ODSTEK_C|H3ODSTEK|tags\objects\characters\hunter\ai\hunter_classic.character}}

==Production note==
The so-called "flak" hunter is never named in any official source, in-game or otherwise, and their unique appearance has never been elaborated on or seen outside ''Halo 3: ODST''. The "flak" hunters' name is derived from the campaign enemy's filename - <code>hunter_flak</code>, in the absence of any other official name or designation. In game files, the fuel rod cannon they use is referred to as the "flak cannon".{{Ref/File|Id=H3ODSTEK_W|H3ODSTEK|tags\objects\characters\hunter\hunter_flak_cannon\flak_cannon.weapon}}

==Gallery==
{{Linkbox|gallery=yes}}
<gallery>
File:H3ODST Golden hunter firing.jpg|A "flak" hunter fires its assault cannon.
File:ODST TayariPlaza06.jpg|Edward Buck fighting a "flak" hunter in [[New Mombasa Sector 8|Sector 8]].
File:HTMCC-H3ODST GoldHunter.png|A "flak" hunter in Sector 8. 
File:HTMCC-H3ODST DifferentHunters.png|A "flak" hunter, alongside a hunter with standard blue coloration, in Sector 8.
File:HTMCC-H3ODST GoldHunters 1.png|A pair of "flak" hunters standing together in Alpha Site.
File:HTMCC-H3ODST GoldHunters 2.png|A "flak" hunter firing its assault cannon.
File:HTMCC-H3ODST GoldHunters 3.png|A pair of "flak" hunters charging their assault cannons.
File:HTMCC-H3ODST GoldHunters 4.png|Dutch takes on a pair of "flak" hunters.
</gallery>

==List of appearances==
*''[[Halo 3: ODST]]'' {{1st}}

==Sources==
{{Ref/Sources}}

{{Lekgolo}}

[[Category:Mgalekgolo]]