M808B Scorpion

This article is about the older variant of the M808 Scorpion tank. For other uses, see Scorpion (disambiguation).

"This here is 66 tons of straight-up, HE-spewin', dee-vine intervention!"

— Avery Johnson during the Battle of Mombasa.^[1]

The M808B Scorpion, formally the M808B Main Battle Tank,^[2]^[3] is a variant of the M808 Scorpion. The tank features a coaxial-mounted M231 machine gun and lacks a gunner compartment.^[4]

Design details

The M808B features a coaxially mounted M231 Medium Machine Gun. The machine gun is mounted beside the primary weapon and thus points in the same general direction as the main armament, relying in the turret's ability to traverse in order to change arc. The tank can also be outfitted with a 105mm gun for greater offensive power.^[5]

Operational history

An older variant of the Scorpion, the M808B saw use throughout the Insurrection and later the Human-Covenant War.^[4] It served alongside the M808C Scorpion as well as the M850 Grizzly.

A D77-TC Pelican dropping off an M808B Scorpion during the Battle of Mombasa.

In February 2531 the crew of the UNSC Spirit of Fire utilized multiple M808B Scorpions during the end of the Harvest Campaign. Later many would be used to defend the evacuating civilians when the Covenant invaded Arcadia. When the Covenant attempted to conceal a Type-36 Scarab underneath an energy dome several Scorpions were dispatched in order to protect the M145D Rhinos assigned to take down a portion of the dome. Some of those same Scorpions would help Sergeant John Forge and his men later destroy the same Scarab. During the Battle of the Etran Harborage many Scorpions were used by the crew of the UNSC Spirit of Fire to not only combat Covenant forces but the Flood and Sentinels as well.^[6]

Towards the end of the war in August 2552 the UNSC Pillar of Autumn carried a few M808B Scorpions in preparation of Operation: RED FLAG. Subsequently with the Fall of Reach the UNSC Pillar of Autumn was forced to flee and ended up arriving at Installation 04. Met by Covenant forces the ship's MAC was damaged forcing the crew to evacuate and for Captain Jacob Keyes to crash land the ship on the Halo array. UNSC Marines would later arrive at the crash site and managed to salvage four Scorpions for the battle against the Covenant. Spartan John-117 would utilize one of these Scorpions during his assault on Installation 04's control room. The other Scorpions were used to defend Alpha Base. All Scorpions were destroyed, along with Installation 04, when John-117 overloaded the UNSC Pillar of Autumns reactor.^[7]

During the Battle of Earth some M808B Scorpions were used by Marines while engaging Covenant within the city of Mombasa. John-117 utilized a Scorpion given to him by Sergeant Major Avery Johnson in order to cross a Covenant held bridge while another was destroyed by a Type-47A Scarab. Later the UNSC In Amber Clad deployed multiple M808B Scorpions across Installation 05 in an effort to help John-117 assassinate the Prophet of Regret and locate the Activation Index. Later in the battle Flood combat forms used multiple Scorpions against Covenant forces led by Arbiter Thel 'Vadam, remaining UNSC troops, and Sentinels.^[8]

By 2558, the M808C remained the only variant of the original Scorpion in service with Army and Marine Corps armored units, the M808B having been replaced with the smaller, lighter M820 Scorpion.^[9]

Variants

M808B2 Sun Devil: The M808B2 Air Defence System^[10] is built on a slightly modified Scorpion tank hull, the Sun Devil uses a full-rotation turret fitted with two twin-linked 40mm autocannons. Ostensibly an anti-aircraft vehicle, the Sun Devil was used in anti-personnel role throughout the insurrection years, and proved to be very effective in clearing Covenant light infantry from contested points.^[11]

M808B3 Tarantula: Heavy fire support variant. Armed with twin Scimitar 40x178mm hypervelocity rocket pods. Mostly reequipped as M808Bs due to ineffectiveness against Covenant forces.^[12]^[4]

ODST Scorpion: A variant of the heavily armored main battle tank, The ODST Scorpion has been secretly designed for the 105th Special Forces with a stealth gray armor that emits a low RADAR detection signature. Its revamped turret houses a heavily modified 90mm High Velocity Cannon with dual recoil brakes to minimize muzzle blast for greater accuracy and stealth when firing.^[13]

M808B2 Sun Devil.
ODST Scorpion.

Locally-produced variants

030569 - A variant that was attached to Fire Team Zulu during the Battle of Installation 04 in September 2552.^[14]
052496 - Painted with a camouflage.^[15]
12-9F5 - Painted brown, this Scorpion had a wider-set track and an enhanced undercarriage, making it ideal for urban warfare.^[12]
957-A3 - Painted gray, the 957-A3 had enhanced electronics for a more accurate cannon shot.^[12]
957-A4 - A variant used on the War Games simulation Bloodline.
UE8-14 - Painted olive green, this variant had thinner armor, was lighter, and was designed for medium-armor warfare.^[12]
TB-SB-1 - Painted black, the TB-SB-1 had thicker armor than the standard Scorpion and featured a sturdier chassis.^[12]
HJ3-213 - With thicker treads than the standard M808B, this variant had a sturdier chassis and was built for rough terrain.^[12]

Gameplay changes

Changes from Halo: Combat Evolved to Halo 2

Players now cannot ride on the tank's tread covers. Standing on them is much easier with the revamped physics engine.
The reticule for the tank has also changed and is a lot smaller, for increased accuracy.
The tank now moves a lot slower, further limiting its movement and its evasive capabilities.
The tank's canopy has been replaced with a solid metal cover like in Halo: Combat Evolved's Campaign, preventing the driver from being sniped while it is intact. However, vehicle damage has been added to human vehicles, and so the player is in danger of the tank exploding if too much damage is taken.
The main cannon reloads twice as fast, requiring only a two second delay. The dots during the reload time are now removed. It is also more accurate.
The machine gun is now much more accurate. Previously, the machine gun fired in a very wide area.
Driving and aiming controls are now completely divorced allowing for greater maneuverability when firing. Previously the aiming and steering controls were linked, meaning the player had to steer more or less in the same direction they were aiming.
Tank shell projectile now travels faster and can no longer be seen with the naked eye.
The Scorpion tank is no longer indestructible.

Halo Wars

From left to right: the Scorpion from the least to the most upgraded variant in Halo Wars.

The Scorpion is the mainline UNSC vehicle, and can be produced from the Vehicle Depot. 500 resources, three population slots, and a tech level 2 is required to build one. It has the following upgrades:

Canister shell - A special attack with a blast radius which is devastating to infantry. The upgrade costs 400 resources and requires a tech level of 3.
Power turret - The turning speed of the turret is doubled. The upgrade costs 900 resources and requires a tech level of 4.
Grizzly - Turns M808B Scorpion into the M850 Grizzly (available only if Sergeant Forge is the leader). The upgrade costs 1800 resources and requires a tech level of 4.

Changes from Halo 2 to Halo 2: Anniversary

This section needs expansion. You can help Halopedia by expanding it.

Trivia

In Halo: Combat Evolved, the Scorpion tank's cannon was a solid object, but in Halo 2 and Halo 3, the player will go through if they try to walk on the barrel - the character's legs will separate from their body.
In Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary, the M808B uses the M808's model from Halo: Reach, with the machine gun and its operator's compartment removed.
In the Halo: Combat Evolved manual, it was stated that the M808B Scorpion required a crew of 2 non-augmented soldiers to operate the vehicle (presumably a driver and a gunner), or a single Spartan. This has not been further addressed, but it does indicate that it is possible that non-Spartan crewed M808B Scorpions may have a larger crew.

Gallery

Detail of the scorpion emblem.
The Scorpion in Pre-Xbox Halo.
The Scorpion accompanied by a group of Spartan-IIs in Halo: Combat Evolved.
Render of the M808B Scorpion Main Battle Tank used in Halo: Combat Evolved multiplayer.
A render of the M808B Scorpion Main Battle Tank in Halo: Combat Evolved.
The HUD of the M808B Scorpion in Halo: Combat Evolved.
A render of the M808B Scorpion Main Battle Tank in Halo 2.
A Scorpion being delivered to New Mombasa in Halo 2.
Unit 957-A3 under fire by a Covenant Scarab in Halo 2.
TB-SB-1.jpg

Scorpion tank, unit TB-SB-1.
H2 Scorpion-Jack.jpg

A Scorpion tank being hijacked.
The HUD of the M808B Scorpion in Halo 2.
The Scorpion tank in Halo Wars.
M808Bs on Harvest.
M808Bs with canister shot.
M808Bs with power turret.
A render of the Scorpion in Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary.
The Heads-Up Display when driving an M808B Scorpion in Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary.
Scorpion Library.jpg

An M808B Scorpion, as displayed in the Library feature of Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary.
M808Bs aboard the UNSC Pillar of Autumn.
The M808B Scorpion in Halo 2: Anniversary.
The HUD of the Scorpion in Halo 2: Anniversary.
The Scorpion being used on Bloodline in Halo 2: Anniversary multiplayer.
The HUD of the Scorpion on Awash.