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- Mark IX Armor Defense System
- The Mantis is a combat vehicle used in a number of different configurations by
- the UNSC and licensed security forces. The Mantis replaces the Warthog in
- Sergeant Johnson's force. Its default weapon is a chaingun, which can target
- both ground and air targets. The Missile/Shield Requisition upgrade increases
- the number of missiles the Mantis can fire and adds energy shielding, while the
- Gauss/Designator Requisition upgrade replaces the conventional chaingun with
- a gauss repeater and adds a networked target designator. The target
- designator allows the Mantis to "paint" a single unit and coordinate attacks
- using the local battlenet, increasing all damage the target takes from friendly
- units. Groups of Mantis walkers will smart target their designators.
- Highly mobile, well-protected, air-droppable, and reconfigurable, the Mantis
- represents the state-of-the—art in infantry walkers. Mantis units were
- stationed at the Henry Lamb Research Outpost for site security, but many
- were destroyed in the initial Banished attack. Well aware of their combat
- potential, Isabel has begun producing a modified version of the Mantis for the
- use of Spirit of Fire's ground forces, with adjustments to reuse parts produced
- for the Cyclops and Colossus. While capable, these units lack the neural
- interface control systems installed on contemporary UNSC models; a necessary
- concession due to the Spirit of Fire's older manufacturing technology.