Zurdo-pattern Wraith: Difference between revisions

The '''Type-26 Assault Gun Carriage''',<ref name="ENC"/> commonly identified as the '''Wraith''' by the [[United Nations Space Command|UNSC]], is the [[Covenant Empire|Covenant]]'s main heavy assault vehicle for ground engagements.  

The Type-26 Assault Gun Carriage is the primary armored ground vehicle used by the [[Covenant]].<ref>'''[http://www.bungie.net/projects/reach/article.aspx?ucc=ordnance&cid=25444 Bungie.net Halo: Reach Ordnance Page]'''</ref> The Covenant deploys Wraiths as a heavy assault vehicle in tactical ground engagements, to provide anti-armor and anti-infantry firepower and also use these vehicles to bring down structures<ref name="H2spec">'''[[Halo 2: Special Collector's Edition Manual]]''' ''page 17''</ref> in the way of ground forces attempting to advance in an area.

Like all Covenant vehicles, the Wraith's design is a sleek, bulbous design more akin to an insect or an aircraft than a ground vehicle. The Wraith is composed of four major components: The chassis is the first and major component and consists of the cockpit, which includes the controls that move the tank, the controls that align the mortar on target, and one in the center that arms and fires the main battery. Holographic control surfaces and displays show the pilot a 360-degree view outside the Wraith.<ref>'''[[Halo: First Strike]]''' ''page 113''</ref> Underneath is its propulsion system consisting of a [[boosted gravity propulsion drive]]<ref name="h2manual">'''Halo 2 Manual''' ''page 19''</ref>, the chassis also contains the necessary systems that power all other systems on the vehicle. Two wide lateral fins are the second major component to the Wraith, the fins stabilize the vehicle on terrain, as well as provide the vehicle thrust to attain limited boost for enhanced maneuverability.<ref name="h2manual"/> The third major component is the rudders which control the turning of the vehicle, which utilize two independent propulsion drives to help turn the vehicle in the desired direction. The fourth major component is the Wraith's main weapon, the heavy mortar cannon. The huge bulk of the Wraith is well shielded by an armored shell that is nearly two feet thick and made up of a polymer that is still poorly understood by human physicists.<ref name="ENC"/>  

 

The main weapon of the Type-26 AGC is the heavy plasma mortar.<ref>'''Halo: Reach Manual''' ''page 9''</ref> The Type-26 AGC's plasma emitter is attached to a fixed mounting, in order to fire in a specific direction the vehicle must rotate to face the target directly.<ref name="ENC"/> The plasma mortar works by creating a large, compressed, magnetically encapsulated blob of superheated plasma and fired at a high velocity. Once fired, the bolt is magnetically guided in a ballistic trajectory until it strikes the ground or target. When the bolt hits, the magnetic bubble collapses and the plasma rapidly expands from its compressed state creating a superheated explosion that will vaporize everything within twenty meters of impact.<ref name="strike">'''[[Halo: First Strike]]''' ''page 112</ref> Titanium battleplate, concrete, or flesh is instantly obliterated by the superheated white fire. Anything just outside of the kill zone is at risk of injury or death — after the initial impact, the plasma begins to cool and thermal expansion takes over, creating a wave of fire traveling outward that can travel away from the initial blast zone. Infantry caught in the flame can be burned alive and if not caught in the flames can suffer heat trauma. The concussive force released from the resulting explosion can splinter bones and destroy vital organs<ref>'''[[Halo: Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe|Halo: Evolutions]]''', "[[Palace Hotel (short story)|Palace Hotel]]", ''page 351''</ref>. Flammable materials are especially at risk of igniting due to the intense heat release and can cause further damage. As the resulting temperatures cool, the impact zone is nothing but a glass-smooth surface.

The secondary weapon is a medium plasma weapon that is used as a anti-infantry weapon. All Type-26 AGC's in service up to 2549 were equipped with two automated plasma cannons.<ref name="H2spec"/> These plasma cannons mounted on each wing, and are operated autonomously, it is not understood what method the system uses to designate and fire upon an enemy. All Type-26 AGC's in service after 2549 are equipped with a [[plasma cannon]] fixed to a ring mount that is operated by a gunner,<ref>'''[[Halo: Reach]]''' ''Career Stats''</ref> the role of the plasma cannon as a anti-infantry weapon means that the firepower produced by this weapon is considerably high, able to penetrate flesh with considerably gruesome results. The plasma cannon functions like most plasma based weapons used by the Covenant by rapidly cycling, loading, ignition, and release of plasma at high velocities. The plasma is contained and guided by a electromagnetic bottle which guides the plasma until it either travels too far away from the magnetic source and dissipates, or strikes its intended target. Against infantry, the lethality of the plasma cannon is severe as injuries inflicted to infantry with light body armor are severe fourth-degree burns, this level of injury completely chars all flesh, leaving only bone tissue. Body fluids along with moist tissue and flesh would be subjected to flash vaporization, and fluids trapped in organs or arteries in addition to the rapid expansion of heat would cause ruptures or small steam explosions causing additional damage to the body.

The Type-26 AGC is the Covenant’s most destructive mobile armor. Its huge bulk is well shielded from small arms fire and is resistant to medium explosive weapons, its ability to provide covering fire to infantry and armor alike, in addition to dealing heavy damage to structures, infantry and armor alike makes it a inestimably dangerous thing to go up against in ground battles. Its ability to be deployed with the aid of dropships makes insertions into battlefield fairly easy — with a boost drive attached the Wraith can temporarily attain a speed boost for fast insertions, or to plow through enemy infantry, armor or obstructions in the way of the tank. Its mortar cannon provides devastating damage to anything in its ways and is known for its physiological effects on humans at the mere sight of one.<ref name="strike"/>

The Type-26 AGC's main disadvantage is its slow speed, because of the vehicle's massive weight. While the boost drive on the vehicle can propel the vehicle to high speed the maneuverability of the vehicle is compromised — because the gravity propulsion drive does not contain anything to counter the vehicle's moving mass it is possible for the vehicle to run into anything from friendly vehicles to infantry to even propelling itself off a ledge or into a ditch. Wraiths also encounter difficulty traversing inclines and pushing through multiple barricades because of its weight and the brief nature of its boosts. Like most tanks, the Type-26 AGC has a dead area, a zone in which the mortar cannon cannot fire without risking damaging or destroying itself.<ref>'''[[Halo: The Flood]]''' ''page 184''</ref> The slow speed and cumbersome nature of the Wraith makes it prone to boarding action — while the front of the tank is harder to board because of the Type-52 DESW, the rear is most susceptible to boarding because of a weak spot in the rear. A small rotating cylinder exhaust port in the back is a vulnerable spot that if hit with a medium explosive device can damage the tank severely. The gunner operating the Type-52 DESW is also an easy target for marksman and sniper fire; because of the massive cannon right behind the gunner the turret ring cannot traverse a full 360 degrees.