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{{Era|UNSC|HCW}}
{{Status|Canon}}
{{Vehicle Infobox
{{disambig header|the original M808|other uses|Scorpion (disambiguation)}}
|image=[[File:H4-M808ScorpionMBT.png|300px]]
[[File:HINF Scorpion Render.png|thumb|300px|The M808 MBT.]]
|manufacturer=[[Chalybs Defense Solutions]]<ref name="visual"/>
The '''M808 Main Battle Tank''',<ref name="visual">'''[[Halo: The Essential Visual Guide]]''', ''page 164''</ref><ref name="ENC">'''[[Halo Encyclopedia (2009 edition)]]''', ''page 238''; ''page 248'' (2011)</ref><ref name="bnet">[http://halo.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 premier armored mobile weapons platform. The tank was originally manufactured by [[Chalybs Defense Solutions]],{{Ref/Reuse|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>
|line=Scorpion
|model= M808
|class= Main battle tank
|length= {{Convert|10.2|m|ft|}}<ref name="visual">'''[[Halo: The Essential Visual Guide]]''', ''page 164''</ref><ref name="ENC">'''[[Halo Encyclopedia]]''', ''page 238''</ref>
|width= {{Convert|7.8|m|ft}}<ref name="visual"/>
|height=
|mass= {{Convert|66|MT}}<ref name="ENC"/>
|max speed=
|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 90mm Smooth Bore High Velocity Cannon]]<ref name="visual"/><ref name="manual">'''[[Halo 3]]''', ''game manual''</ref>
*1 pintle-mounted [[M247T Medium Machine Gun]]<ref name="visual"/>
|crew=
*Driver
*Gunner
|complement=Up to four passengers
|consumables=
|othersystems=
|firstuse=
|role=
*Anti-armor platform<ref name="ENC"/>
*Anti-vehicular platform<ref name="ENC"/>
*Anti-infantry platform<ref name="ENC"/>
*Heavy weaponry<ref name="ENC"/>
|affiliation=[[United Nations Space Command]]
}}
{{Quote|<i>Tank beats Ghost!</i> <i>Tank beats Hunter!</i> <i>Tank beats everything! Oh, man! I could do this all day!</i>|An anonymous 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 referred as the "'''Scorpion tank'''", is the [[United Nations Space Command]]'s mainline armored mobile weapons platform. It was manufactured by [[Chalybs Defense Solutions]].<ref name="visual"/>


==Design details==
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 M808 Scorpion is the UNSC's lead armoured vehicle, having served for almost thirty years. 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 manoeuvre 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 MBT, 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 titanium-ceramic armor plating, making it incredibly resilient to small-arms fire; however, it is still possible for infantry-portable anti-armor weapons to inflict catastrophic damage. The M808 Scorpion only requires two personnels to fulfill its effective role; the driver pilots the vehicle and has complete control of the main armament while the gunner would man the machine gun. Up to four additional passengers may 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"/>
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 two-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/Reuse|ENC}}


Along with its weapons system the Scorpion is equipped with anti-mine detecting software and electronics to help increase safety while in use.
==Overview==
===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.{{Ref/Reuse|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>


===Armament===
===Armaments===
The M808 Scorpion is equipped with a two-tier weapon system. Its primary armament is the [[M512 Smooth Bore High Velocity Cannon|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. 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 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/Reuse|visual}}


Its secondary armament is a pintle-mounted [[M247T Medium Machine Gun|M247T machine gun]], capable of firing 7.62mm armor-piercing rounds at a very high rate.<ref name="visual"/>
The machine gun is either co-axial or pintle-mounted.{{Ref/Reuse|ENC}} The variants of the M808 Scorpion have varying armaments, in both cannon and machine gun type.{{Ref/Reuse|universe}}


===Advantages===
==Variants==
The M808 has proven itself to be the workhorse of UNSC armored attack vehicles. Its 90mm cannon can deliver a devastating blow to anything it targets - infantry or armor. Its thick titanium-ceramic armor can withstand a direct hit from a [[Covenant]] [[Fuel Rod Cannon]] and continue on with enough armor to keep fighting.
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/Reuse|ENC}}
 
*[[M808B Scorpion]] – An older variant with a coaxial [[M231 machine gun]].{{Ref/Reuse|universe}}
Its one man crew severely limits human casualties; along with its main offensive capabilities, four infantrymen can sit on the tread pods of the tank, providing support while using the tank as a transport until they reach their destination.
**[[M808B2 Sun Devil]] – A modified variant of the M808B featuring twin-linked 40mm autocannons rather than a single cannon {{Ref/Book|Enc|Page=238 (2009 edtition), 248 (2011 edition)}}
 
**[[M808B3 Tarantula]] – A heavy fire support variant armed with twin Scimitar 40x178mm hypervelocity rocket pods.
The Scorpion's efficient engine allows it to travel up to 466 miles or 750km before needing to be refueled.<ref name="ENC"/> Along with its offensive capabilities as an anti-vehicle platform, the M808 also fulfils the role of anti-infantry; its machine gun can effectively take down heavily armored and shielded targets at medium range, and the main gun is devastating to infantry targets at any range, instantly killing targets at the impact zone and severely injuring those close by.
*[[M808C Scorpion]] – The "mainline" iteration of the M808 during the Human-Covenant War, features an M512 90mm smoothbore cannon for anti-tank and anti-fortification use, and a pintle-mounted [[M247T machine gun|M247T]] 7.62mm medium machine gun.{{Ref/Reuse|universe}}
 
*[[M808S Scorpion]] – A variant used by the {{UNSCShip|Spirit of Fire}} during the [[Second Ark Conflict]].<ref name="PL">'''[[Halo Wars 2]]''' [[Phoenix Log]]: Scorpion</ref>
===Disadvantages===
The M808's 90mm cannon must be reloaded after every shot and takes between three to four seconds, the time it takes for the cannon to reload may give the enemy enough time to react against the tank. Its deep dead-zone, or the area within which fire from the tank's guns cannot hit targets, puts the vehicle at risk from enemy anti-tank infantry.
 
Although the Scorpion can carry up to four passengers, any infantryman sitting on the tread covers of the Scorpion would be vulnerable to small-arms fire, and any explosions near the tank can kill all personnel riding on the treads. The M808's slow speed also puts it at a disadvantage, as other more nimble vehicles like the [[Ghost]] can out-maneuver the tank and get within its dead-zone.
 
==Changes from ''[[Halo 3]]''/''[[Halo 3: ODST]]'' to ''[[Halo: Reach]]''==
*The tank has received a visual upgrade, giving it a grittier, more military look, including a greener paint scheme.
*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 tank moves faster: Splattering with the tank is once again possible.
*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.


==Operational history==
==Operational history==
{{Quote|<i>How does 90 millimeters of tungsten strike ya?</i>|A Marine's remark of the M808 Scorpion's main cannon during the [[Battle of Installation 00]].<ref name="boom">'''[[Halo 3]]''', campaign level ''[[The Ark (level)|The Ark]]''</ref>}}
The M808 Scorpion was first manufactured in [[2218]]{{Ref/Reuse|universe}}, rumbling across the sands of [[Mars]] and over the rubble of urban battlezones on [[Earth]].<ref name="LC15">'''[[Halo Legendary Crate]]''', ''[[Halo Legendary Crate/Data Drops|Data Drop #15]]''</ref> Modern examples of the Scorpion tanks only bear a passing resemblance to the earliest models.{{Ref/Reuse|LC15}} During the [[Insurrection]], [[Insurrectionists|rebels]] would utilize stolen Scorpions against the UNSC.{{Ref/Site|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/universe/vehicles/grizzly|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page= Universe - Vehicles|D=04|M=01|Y=2020}}
 
==Non-canon and dubious canon appearances==
The M808 Scorpion was still in service during the events of the [[Human-Covenant War]], serving alongside the [[M808B Main Battle Tank|M808B Scorpion]] and the [[M850 Main Battle Tank|M850 Grizzly]].
===Silver Timeline===
 
{{Main|Silver Timeline}}
During the [[Fall of Reach]] in 2552, 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 draws to the end, a 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, later causing the destruction of the nearby Covenant [[Type-38 Anti-Aircraft Cannon|anti-air cannons]], and paving 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>
M808 Scorpions are used by the UNSC against the Covenant.{{Ref/YouTube|Id=HTVOT|5KZ3MKraNKY|Paramount+|Halo The Series (2022) Official Trailer|Y=2022|M=1|D=30}}
 
Numerous 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 wreckages are found scattered on the bridge to [[ONI Alpha Site]] and on the [[New Mombasa Waterfront Highway]].</ref> As the battle draws to an end, three ODSTs from a surviving [[Unidentified Shock Trooper squad|squad]] commandeered a Scorpion during their escape on the city's Waterfront Highway and escort [[Unidentified Huragok|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>
 
Near the conclusion of the Human-Covenant War, particularly throughout the [[Battle of Installation 00]], three 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 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 Ultra Heavy Assault Platform|Scarab]] walkers.<ref>'''Halo 3''', campaign level ''[[The Covenant (level)|The Covenant]]''</ref>
 
==Variants==
*[[M808B Main Battle Tank|M808B ''Scorpion'']]
 
==Gameplay tactics==
{{Expand-section}}
===Campaign===
*Unless there is a large amount of infantry who can inflict large damage to you, let your gunner eliminate them. Vehicles, if present, are always your first priority.
*You should always try to give your allies good weapons, such as the [[M41 Rocket Launcher]]. A good configuration, especialy in tight quarters, such as those offered by Kizingo Boulevard, is to give the rear-most Marines Rocket Launchers, so they can destroy vehicles, and the other two Marines either the [[MA5C Assault Rifle]] or the [[M90 Shotgun]], if possible, so they can kill any enemies which get close to the hull.
===Multiplayer===
*Another popular tactic is to use a [[wikipedia:hull-down|"hull-down"]] position. The tactic essentially requires the tank to be positioned such that its hull (the main part of the vehicle) is behind a crest or other raised ground, but its turret (or a superstructure or roof-mounted weapon) is exposed.
*Using a [[Power Drain]] or a [[Plasma Pistol]] Overcharge will temporarily disable the tank's mobility and will greatly weaken its driver. While the tank's weaponry will still be functional, it will be unable to move and can be easily [[Boarding|boarded]].
*An effective hijacking technique is to grab [[Active Camouflage]] and wait for the tank to pass-by or approach the player.
*On ''[[Sandtrap]]'', a good tactic to hijack a Scorpion is to wait for the tank to go into the middle depression and board it from above.
 
==Trivia==
===General===
*A scorpion is a predatory arthropod animal, in keeping with the UNSC's tradition of naming atmospheric vehicles after real animals, with the exceptions of the [[Cyclops]] and [[Gremlin]], which are named after mythical creatures, and the [[Longsword]], [[Shortsword]], and [[Sabre]], 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.
*In ''[[Halo: Reach]]'', if enough damage is directed into certain areas of the Scorpion, it is possible for the main turret to be destroyed and become useless, but you can still drive the tank. The same is true of the tank's machine gun turret.
*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 Egg===
*In every ''[[Halo]]'' game the Scorpion's serial number is the [[Birthdate on Tank|birthdate]] of [[Marcus R. Lehto]], [[Bungie]]'s senior art director.
*Underneath the turret of the Scorpion, there is a Jack-O-Lantern drawn in blood. This can be found by destroying the turret, then standing on the upside-down turret.
*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).
 
===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.
*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.
 
==Notes==
<references group="note"/>


==Gallery==
==Gallery==
<gallery>
<gallery>
File:UNSC-Scorpion-logo1.png|Detail of the scorpion emblem.
File:HSS m808.jpg|An M808 scorpion on [[Installation 03]].
File:Scorpion.jpg|Blueprint of the M808 Scorpion.
File:HW2-M808.png|An M808 Scorpion on [[Installation 09]].
File:Snow Scorpion.png|"Snow-bug", the winter-variant of the M808 MBT.
File:HReach-M808ScorpionMBT.png|The final build of the M808 Scorpion in ''Halo: Reach''.
File:Reach MPBeta Scorpion2.png|A view of the M808 Scorpion during the beta stage of ''Halo: Reach''.
File:Halo Reach Scorpion.png|The M808 Scorpion as seen in the final build of ''Halo: Reach''.
File:H3-M808ScorpionMBT.png|The M808 Scorpion as seen in ''Halo 3''.
File:H4-Scorpion-Campaign.jpg|The M808 Scorpion in use in the Campaign of ''Halo 4''.
File:Ih scorpion01.jpg|Concept art of the M808 Scorpion in ''Halo: Reach''.
</gallery>
</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]]''
*''[[Halo: Contact Harvest]]'' {{Mo}}
*''[[Believe]]''
**''[[Diorama]]'' {{C|Diorama only}}
*''[[Halo 3]]''
*''[[Halo 3]]''
*''[[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]]''
*''[[Halo: Spartan Assault]]''
*''[[Halo 2: Anniversary]]''
*''[[Halo: New Blood]]'' {{Mo}}
*''[[Halo: Spartan Strike]]''
*''[[Halo 5: Guardians]]'' {{Mo}}
*''[[Halo: Ground Command]]''
*''[[Halo Mythos]]''
*''[[Halo Wars 2]]''
*''[[Halo: Fireteam Raven]]''
*''[[Halo: Official Spartan Field Manual]]''
*''[[Halo Infinite]]''
*''[[Halo: The Television Series Season One]]''
**''[[Contact]]''
*''[[Halo: Hippocratica]]'' {{Mo}}
*''[[Halo: The Television Series Season Two]]''
**''[[Reach (TV Series)|Reach]]''
*''[[Halo: Fireside]]''


==Sources==
==Sources==
<references/>
{{Ref/Sources|2}}
{{UNSC Vehicles}}
 
{{Human vehicles}}

Latest revision as of 11:36, February 22, 2024

This article is about the original M808. For other uses, see Scorpion (disambiguation).
The M808 MBT.

The M808 Main Battle Tank,[1][2][3] commonly known as the Scorpion, is the United Nations Space Command's premier 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 two-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]

Overview[edit]

Design details[edit]

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[edit]

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 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[edit]

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]

Operational history[edit]

The M808 Scorpion was first manufactured in 2218[6], rumbling across the sands of Mars and over the rubble of urban battlezones on Earth.[10] Modern examples of the Scorpion tanks only bear a passing resemblance to the earliest models.[10] During the Insurrection, rebels would utilize stolen Scorpions against the UNSC.[11]

Non-canon and dubious canon appearances[edit]

Silver Timeline[edit]

Main article: Silver Timeline

M808 Scorpions are used by the UNSC against the Covenant.[12]

Gallery[edit]

List of appearances[edit]

Sources[edit]

  1. ^ a b c Halo: The Essential Visual Guide, page 164
  2. ^ a b c d Halo Encyclopedia (2009 edition), page 238; page 248 (2011)
  3. ^ a b Bungie.net: M808 MBT profile
  4. ^ Halo 4: The Essential Visual Guide, page 110
  5. ^ Halo Waypoint: Halo 4 Interactive Guide (defunct)
  6. ^ a b c d e Halo Waypoint: Scorpion (Content updated, backup link on Archive.org)
  7. ^ The text appears to describe the M808
  8. ^ Halo Encyclopedia (2009 edition), page 238 (2009 edtition), 248 (2011 edition)
  9. ^ Halo Wars 2 Phoenix Log: Scorpion
  10. ^ a b Halo Legendary Crate, Data Drop #15
  11. ^ Halo Waypoint, Universe - Vehicles (Retrieved on Jan 4, 2020) [archive]
  12. ^ YouTube - Paramount+, Halo The Series (2022) Official Trailer (Retrieved on Jan 30, 2022)

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