| M88 Armored Personnel Carrier | |
|---|---|
 A Tundra Bison fitted with cryoweapons, designed by Serina | |
| Production information | |
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Manufacturer: |
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| Technical specifications | |
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Length: |
7.3 meters (24 ft)[1] |
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Width: |
4.2 meters (13.8 ft)[1] |
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Height: |
3.8 meters (12.5 ft)[1] |
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Mass: |
18.5 metric tons (18.2 LT; 20.4 ST)[1] |
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Armament: |
2 X54-2 Coldsnap launchers (Tunda Format variant)[1] |
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Crew: |
1 operator[1] |
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Complement: |
15 passengers[1] |
| Usage | |
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In service: |
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Role(s): |
Cryotech Support Vehicle[2] |
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Affiliation: |
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- "Bison ready to support over."
- — A Bison operator.[3]
The M88 Armored Personnel Carrier, colloquially known as the Bison, is an armored personnel carrier manufactured by Misriah Armory.[1][4][2]
Overview
Design details
Bisons are versatile, light armored vehicles that served as combat elements in a number of roles, including armored personnel carrier and recovery vehicle.[4][2]
Variants
The Bison has historically served as a testbed for a number of experimental and exotic weapons systems.[1]
- M88 APC/Tundra Format - Due to the Bison's ease of maintenance and native adaptability to custom modifications, the platform is often used as a testbed for experimental weapon systems. The "Tundra Format" Bison variant employs an X54-2 Coldsnap launcher.[1]
Operational history
Bisons served as combat elements of the old Colonial Military Authority. It remains in service with several UNSC Army units and local militias such as the Sedran Colonial Guard.[4][2]
Between 2531 and 2537, Serina designed a Bison with a vacuum energy siphon, scientific instrumentation, and cryotech weaponry. As there are no Bisons aboard the UNSC Spirit of Fire, Isabel looked at improving and repurposing the siphon with her own research data on Forerunner vacuum energy cells, but the delicacy and intricacy of Serina's manufacturing template complicates this effort.[4][2]
Gameplay
Halo Wars 2
- Info: Hero Unit, Fires shells that freeze and damage enemies
- Tier: Tier 1
- Cost:
0, 
300, 
275
Bison Upgrade: Cryo Burst
- Info: New Ability, Bison locks down and freezes surrounding area
- Tier: Tier 1
- Cost: 0, 300
Bison Upgrade: Heavy Cryo Cannon
- Info: Weapon Upgrade, Improves Cryo Cannon, increasing damage, range, and freezing speed
- Tier: Tier 2
- Cost: 0, 450
Bison Upgrade: Heavy Cryo Burst
- Info: Unit Upgrade, Increases Cryo Burst area of effect
- Tier: Tier 3
- Cost: 0, 600
The Bison is a hero unit exclusive to Serina. It is a heavily armored and shielded vehicle that works well in conjunction with other cryotech units and abilities. Its Coldsnap Launcher fires experimental cryo shells that damage and chill enemies caught in its area of effect. The Coldsnap Launcher can be upgraded to increase damage, range, and freezing speed. The Bison's Cryo Burst ability allows it to "lock down" and deploy a chilly aura that freezes enemies caught within. They can be purchased at the Armory. Unupgraded Bisons perform well against vehicles, but only okay against infantry, aircraft, and structures. Once the Heavy Cryo Burst upgrade has been purchased, the Bison will perform well against infantry. In Blitz, the Bison costs 220 energy and is a Legendary Unit.
Phoenix Log
 Heavy—duty cryotech support vehicle. The Bison is a hero vehicle available to Serina. In Serina's employ it is a heavily-armored and shielded vehicle that synergizes well with other cryotech vehicles and abilities. It is fitted with a powerful Coldsnap launcher, which fires experimental cryo shells that damage and chill enemies caught in its area—of—effect. The launcher can be upgraded, which increases the launcher's range, rate of fire, and chill effect. When the Bison deploys it leeches ambient heat energy to augment its defensive systems, creating a chill aura that affects nearby enemies. These systems can also be upgraded to further boost defenses and the area of the chill aura. Bisons are versatile, durable vehicles that served in most groundside combat elements of the old Colonial Military Authority [CMA] in a number of roles, including armored personnel carrier and recovery vehicle. It remains in service with several UNSC Army units and local militias [such as the Sedran Colonial Guard]. The variant designed by Serina uses the proven chassis as a testbed which holds a vacuum energy siphon, scientific instrumentation, and cryotech weaponry in one mobile package. As there are no Bisons aboard the Spirit of Fire at present, Isabel has looked at improving and repurposing the siphon with her own research data on Forerunner vacuum energy cells, but the delicacy and intricacy of Serina's manufacturing template complicates this effort. |
Trivia
- Following the UNSC tradition of naming ground vehicles after animals the Bison is named after the Bison, the current largest terrestrial animal of Europe and North America.
- The Bison may have been named after the Canadian Bison APC, to which it bears a resemblance.
- Like the M650 Mastodon, the Bison is seemingly based off the cut Cougar from Halo Wars, and the Kodiak from Halo: Reach.
Gallery
A Tundra Bison in Halo Wars 2.
A Bison being used in multiplayer.
A Bison attacking Aggressor Sentinels.
A Bison using Cryo Burst on Ashes.
A Bison using Cryo Burst in Blitz Firefight.
A close-up of the Bison in-game.
List of appearances
- Halo Wars 2 (First appearance)
Sources
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