Abomination

Abomination
General overview
Classification:	Key mind
Distinctions:	Massive with two immensely large tentacles for arms which can reach and attack low-altitude aircraft
Method of attack:	Uses its two tentacles to smash and pulverise enemy infantry and even vehicles with relative ease

"This thing seems to be leading the others, enhancing their strength! Focus fire on it!"

— Pavium, regarding Abominations during the Outbreak on Installation 00.

The Abomination is a large and powerful Flood key mind war-form.

Overview

Abominations are mobile key minds created as an evolution of the Juggernaut command form in scenarios in which a Flood hive cannot be established. Appropriately, they heavily resemble the Juggernaut, consisting of towering bipedal hulks with a central bulking mass and multiple arm tendrils which can be used as whips to attack enemies. They also heavily resemble the much smaller Gaunts, though differ hugely in size and role; Abominations are mobile command forms, while Gaunts are agile ambush predators.

The Abomination's role in combat is to direct lesser Flood, using its coordinating intelligence to increase the effectiveness of the nearby Flood as a whole. As the Flood gathers strength, small armies of Flood assemble around Abominations to protect it until such a time as a Proto-Gravemind can be established.

Abominations are extraordinarily powerful beings, and can be used to assault enemy fortifications and mechanised defences. Should multiple Abominations focus on defeating an enemy stronghold, the odds of survival are extremely slim.

In-game information

Halo Wars 2

The Abomination is the super unit for the Flood faction in the Awakening the Nightmare expansion for Halo Wars 2. It appears in both the expansion's campaign and Terminus Firefight modes exclusively as an enemy unit that cannot be utilised by the player. The Abomination has the ability to strengthen the Flood's firepower and defenses, allowing the packs surrounding the Abominations to become more durable and lethal to their enemies. It possesses a powerful slam for the attack, utilizing its tentacle arm to whip the ground, dealing considerate damage to infantry, and in close range, it can whip air units with less effort.

It is best to eliminate Abominations quickly before the other Flood Forms rally around them. The best unit to deal with Abominations is long-range units like the Kodiak, Blisterback, Snipers, or any unit that can dodge its attack. Super Units, such as Retriever Sentinels, Condors, and Scarabs are recommended to take an Abomination head-on. UNSC Snipers are also effective in dealing with Abomination, especially when Stanchion Sniper System upgrade is researched, allowing each shot to slow it down. Air units must stay away from Abomination as its attack can deal considerable damage, and it may kill tier three upgraded Banshees or Hornets in one hit.

Phoenix Log

Phoenix Log - Abomination

Hive commanders. A massive key mind war-form, the Abomination brings order and direction to the lesser Flood, turning feral parasites into a cunning and efficient collective. An evolved form of the Juggernaut command form, these towering nightmares are used when standard hives cannot be established and the Flood must stay mobile to avoid detection and destruction. Abominations increase the speed and health of all nearby Flood units. As the parasite grows in strength, it will construct attack waves around these "generals". Blunting their onslaught requires making a difficult choice between attacking the Abomination or prioritizing the smaller, more immediate threats.

Production notes

The Abomination was introduced as the Flood super unit in Halo Wars 2's Awakening the Nightmare expansion. Its design is derived from the Flood Juggernaut, a Flood form that was originally created for Halo 2 but was ultimately cut from the game, though the Abomination is significantly larger than its forebear in-game. In the concept and modelling stages, the Abomination was referred to internally as the "Flood Commander", before being named the Abomination in the final game.

In Awakening the Nightmare, a notable discrepancy is found with the depiction of what appear to be Abominations in the ending Blur Studio cutscene of the level What Could Go Wrong?. In the cutscene, the Banished are attacked by Flood forms resembling Abominations, except much smaller and more agile, appearing to roll and jump around the battlefield and use their tendrils to immobilise and ensnare enemies - a stark contrast from the lumbering behemoths found in gameplay. Renders of Blur's model posted to ArtStation retain the Flood Commander filename. In the Halo Encyclopedia (2022 edition), this difference was formally canonised with the cutscene Flood described as Gaunts while the in-game enemies are the Abominations. Despite this, the Encyclopedia appears to use the Abomination's original concept art to depict the Gaunt, while using the render of the Gaunt's cutscene model to represent the Abomination. Due to this error, this page uses of the in-game model of the Abomination.

Gallery

Browse more images in this article's gallery page.

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  Concept art of the Abomination for Halo Wars 2.

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  Abominations in the concept art/loading screen for The Last Bastion.

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  Render of an Abomination.

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  Render of an Abomination used in the Blur cutscenes, referred to as a "Commander".

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  The Abomination in Terminus Firefight.

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  The Abomination striking a Condor.

List of appearances

• Halo Wars 2
  • Halo Wars 2: Awakening the Nightmare (First appearance)