M246 Sperry FCMMagLEV Ultra-Light All-Terrain Vehicle
Crew: 2 (one driver, one passenger)
Armament: None

The Sperry is a multipurpose all-terrain vehicle based on a popular line of civilian ATVs, the Sperry FreeFlyer. As the name indicates, it is capable of limited flight and levitation, similar to an ionocraft, flying on its powerful Electrohydrodynamic thruster similar in function to the ion drives which propel some UNSC spacecraft. However, though this system enables the Sperry to traverse any terrain by simply flying over it, it does have some drawbacks. Its EHD thruster (more colloquially referred to as the MagLEV drive train) is very vulnerable to damage, and if it fails at altitude there are no auxiliary safety systems, in addition this system makes the Sperry very pricey for what it does. It also requires atmosphere to fly and cannot be deployed in vacuum or low atmosphere conditions, as the EHD functions by ionizing the air for propulsion. Consequently, replacing the Sperry with a more conventional four wheel drive ATV built by AMG Transport Dynamics is being evaluated, expected to be in full service by 2533. The Sperry is mainly employed by special operations teams needing mobility above all else, driving the vehicle into combat and then abandoning it, or else using it to deliver critical supplies (such as ammo) to embattled units in difficult to navigate terrain, and can also be pod dropped from orbit via supply drop SOEIVs.

M12 LRV, FAAV, FAV Warthog
Crew: 1 driver
1 Gunner
1 Passenger
Armament: Interchangeable, LRV Variants equipped with M41 Light Anti-Aircraft Gun, FAAV variants either equipped with 102mm Rocket Launcher Turret (A1 model), M68 ALIM Gauss Cannon (G1 model), or M79 MLRS (R model)

Manufactured by AMG Transport Dynamics, few things symbolize the UNSC armed forces like the ubiquitous “Warthog”. Highly mobile with all wheel drive and nearly indestructible “burst proof” tires, there is little that will stop a Warthog. Its 12.0 L liquid-cooled hydrogen-injected engine can achieve speeds of up to 125 km/h meaning it can easily keep pace with any UNSC armored unit, making it a critical component of any mechanized infantry force. Though difficult for inexperienced drivers to handle, in the hands of a well trained professional it can traverse an incredible range of terrain, and thanks to its isolated engine with independent atmosphere reserves it can even operate in airless environments. These features have made the civilian model a runaway success for AMG, popular in both urban locales (for its brutish appearance) and in the outer colonies where muddy, unimproved road surfaces are a facet of daily life. However, it does have some disadvantages. Namely, the ‘hog’s occupants are somewhat exposed, particularly the rear gunner, and its top heavy design is prone to rollover. Still, it fills a critical niche in the UNSC armed forces, and will likely see service for many decades to come.

M831 Troop Transport (APC Hog)
Crew: 1 Driver, 5 passengers

Originally developed by WETA Tactical Systems for CMA militias enforcing the peace on the Outer Colonies, the M831 “APC Hog” soon found its way into limited use by the Marines and Army, primarily as a non-combat transport. A simple refit of a standard warthog, the turret is removed and replaced with a roll cage protected troop compartment. While fine for non-combat duties, it is very hazardous in a combat zone, and M831s pressed into the role typically find themselves adorned with some sort of “hillbilly” armor; typically whatever scrap Titanium-A to be had at hand welded onto the cage for cover.

M914 Recovery Vehicle
Crew: 1 Driver, 1 Passenger

A reality of war is that equipment breaks down and needs replacing, and vehicles are no different. Designed primarily to service lighter UNSC vehicles such as the M112 Bobcat, the M914 Recovery Vehicle posses a small boom crane where most ‘Hogs have a support weapon, enabling it to swap out damaged components and quickly return vehicles to the fight. In addition, it also has a trailer hitch with a standard three point hookup enabling it to pull heavy trailers and other large equipment such as field artillery pieces. The driver and passenger of this vehicle tend to be highly trained mechanics, and carry with them a variety of tools for a wide variety of jobs.

M888 Salamander Infantry Fighting Vehicle
Armament:
1x 30mm Triple Feed Autocannon
2x LAU-18 Anti-Tank Missile Tubes
Crew:
2 crew, 6 passengers

The M888 is a heavy armored personnel carrier built on the chassis of the standard M808 “Scorpion” Main Battle Tank. A joint project between Diamler AG and Caterpillar-Mitsubishi, it was a stopgap project originally conceived during the harsh fighting on the airless moon of Eridanus VII. During the battles in the domed capital city of New Arnhem, many casualties were taken during the final push into the city center, largely due to how exposed the marines were in the standard M12 “Warthog” and M831 Troop Transport. The challenge was to construct an Infantry Fighting Vehicle that would retain the mobility and transportability of the standard Warthogs while providing more adequate protection for the harsh realities of urban warfare.

The most cost effective solution was found to be taking the chassis of the acceptably mobile and acceptably protected Scorpion and converting it into an Infantry Fighting Vehicle. This was accomplished by removing the turret assembly and its autoloader. In its place, a troop bay with adequate space for six passengers connected to the driver’s position was added. In addition to these passengers, another crewmember mans a remote weapon station inside the troop bay which controls a 30mm, triple feed autocannon. This triple-feed design means the operator can switch between three different ammunition types at a time (typically High Explosive – Tracer, Armor-Piercing Discarding Sabot, and High Explosive Fragmentation) mounted on the rear of the APC near where the Scorpion’s turret would be. In addition to this, the gunner controls two potent LAU-18 Anti-Tank Missiles mounted on the flanks of the IFV, which can be either guided by hand or autonomously.

Having been built from the Scorpion’s hull, the M888 Salamander performs similarly in protection and maneuverability. Its thick Ceramic-Titanium armour can withstand a large amount of punishment, the weight saved in losing the turret made up for with a noticeably thicker armour layer then even the Scorpion posses. In addition, the vehicle provides standard Nuclear, Biological, Chemical protection as well as having optional atmosphere reserves for use in harsh conditions such as airless moons. As per it’s design goals, it is air-portable by any UNSC dropship that can transport a Scorpion.

M112 Cougar Armored Personnel Carrier
Crew: 2 (one driver, one gunner)
10 passengers
Armament: 1x M247H HMG or MG460 Automatic Grenade Launcher

In addition to the Salamander, another vehicle to come out of the New Arnhem debacle was a large capacity Personnel carrier, this one originally developed for use by the Army for deployment on open plains territory, designed to operate in concert with armored forces. As a result of this, it sacrifices some protection for a higher top speed and capacity.

The Cougar is a six wheel drive, fully amphibious vehicle, equally at home crossing a river or out on open plains thanks to its solid core, run flat tire system and automatic traction control. It is capable of top speeds of up to 112 kph. As a result of a different armour design (lighter weight rolled titanium-aluminum composite armour as opposed to ceramic-titanium found on most other vehicles) it is one of the few vehicles in the UNSC to still be equipped with slat armour cages to boost its defensive ability.

The Cougar carries 10 passengers and two crew; one driver and one gunner. The gunner mans a remote weapon control station, which typically mounts a M41 Light Anti-Aircraft Gun or MG460 Grenade Launcher.

This vehicle is also available in half-track designs (such as the MAAT-9 Wolverine) and can be outfitted to fit a variety of roles such as field ambulance, mobile command post, and Mortar Carrier)

MAAT-9 Wolverine
Crew: 3 (1 driver, 1 gunner for the missile systems, 1 Turret gunner)
Armament: 2x Argent V missile pods
1x XM511 Heavy Grenade Launcher

Built on the half-track variant of the M112 Cougar APC, the MAAT-9 (Main Anti-Air Tank) is the backbone of the UNSC ground forces air defence network. Using both laser target acquisition and radar fire control, the MAAT-9 can fire potent barrages of Argent V missiles capable of stopping all but the fiercest of Covenant air attacks. While it can fire it’s missiles against ground units, they are not highly effective against heavy armour and although it carries a side mounted XM511 Grenade Launcher, it is still somewhat vulnerable to well coordinated infantry. Supply shortages have limited the number of these vehicles deployed, but they are a critical asset for any UNSC armored division operating in areas where the skies are contested. The driver’s seat is almost identical that of the Cougar, with a simple navigation HUD. The back seat controlling the missile system is somewhat different. While the Wolverine has its own sensor systems, it can also be patched into other sensor networks (such as the Hedgehog system), increasing the effective range of the system. All of this data is projected for the gunner via his heads up display, automatically cueing targets based on estimated threat level. The turret gunner sits to the right of the missile gunner, controlling his grenade launcher via a standard remote weapons system control.

MR-42 Hedgehog Tactical Missile System
The MR-42 is a collection of missile systems designed to function at the theatre level. It consists of a mobile radar system (M114 Owl), the mobile erector and launcher (MS121 Aardwolf), an ammunition carrier and loader, and a mobile command center (M557 Lancet). This system is a universal solution to all of the missile needs of the UNSC. It is able to launch and control Tactical Ballistic Missiles (nuclear and conventional), “Arablest” cruise missiles, “Glow Worm” Surface to Air missiles, and even SSMN-126A “Archer” Missiles. The tactical missiles alone have ranges of up to 500km, while archer missiles (though significantly more bulky) can function as decent anti-orbital weaponry.

M808B Scorpion MBT
Crew: 1 Driver/Gunner
1 Commander
Armament: 90mm M512 Smooth Bore High Velocity Cannon, M247T 7.62mm Medium Machine Gun (coaxial), M247T (Commander pintle-mount)

Almost as iconic as the Warthog, the M808B Scorpion Main Battle Tank is a critical part of the UNSC Marine Corps. Though a rather light tank in comparison to the armour comprising the UNSC Army, the M808B’s light design is critical to the Marine Corps, since it allows the Scorpion to be transported by most UNSC air transports; this ability to airdrop powerful armored support where it is needed quickly and without a massive (and vulnerable) dropship or assault ship has proven its utility many times over.

As a significantly lighter tank then the mainline army tanks, the Scorpion is capable of significantly higher speed. The tank relies on speed and agility over the durability and hitting power of army tanks such as the M-820A Lion. The Driver/Gunner of the tank posses a CNI (Command Neural Interface) and controls many of the functions of the tank via thought. An autoloader and sophisticated target tracking interface assist in aiming and firing the tank’s main gun. The nature of this experience instills in Scorpion drivers a very arrogant nature, akin to the old “fighter jocks”, and it is not uncommon for Marine tankers to have a fierce rivalry with Army tankers.
In addition to the driver/gunner, many versions of the Scorpion retain a separate commander position, with a simple M247 turret. The commander assists the Driver/Gunner by watching for enemy infantry and helping to report the location of friendly and enemy forces. Should the need arise, friendly troops can hitch a ride on the four tread nacelles, but this is not recommended as it makes the riding infantry very vulnerable. The main armament is also very flexible, and can be swapped out for a 105mm cannon, twin rocket pods (Scimitar 4x178mm for bombardment support), or quad 40mm autocannons.

M808B Scorpion “Grizzly” remodel
Crew: 1 (driver/gunner)
Armament: 2x 120mm High Velocity Guns
1x M247 Coaxial Machinegun

The Grizzly remodel of the standard Scorpion is more in line with a tank destroyer then a well balanced main battle tank. Like the Scorpion, it retains its CNI for the driver/gunner; however it drops the commander position in return for more armour. It is a slower, heavier tank and requires at least an Albatross for transport. The payoff is a tank that, while not on the same level as the M-820A Lion, comes close in terms of lethality.

SP42 Cobra Self Propelled Howitzer
Crew: 1 Driver
1 Gunner
Armament: Dual Variable Railguns (8MJ, 16MJ with stabilizers deployed)

While the Hedgehog missile system provides fire support at the theatre level, the Cobra exists to provide fire support at the battalion level. Designed around the principle of “shoot and scoot”; firing and moving to a new position to avoid counter-battery fire, they are very effective artillery pieces, with ranges of up to 150km. They may also be deployed in the counter-battery role when assisted by forward spotters or counter-battery radar/acoustic ranging. In addition to this, the fusion powered vehicle can be dug in as an anti-armor gun or used as a tank destroyer while mobile (though it is vulnerable to return fire, not being heavily armored). It has the ability to “lock down”, deploying stabilizers that brace the vehicle against whatever surface it is on to help cope with the massive recoil of the rail guns. While deployed, it is even a threat to Scarab armor, much like the Lion. It is not a particularly fast vehicle, but it is capable of keeping pace with most UNSC armored divisions. In spite of a drastically different role and design from the Cougar, it maintains a similar drivers interface; steering wheel, pedals, and a navigation HUD, with the addition of controls governing the PTO interlink and stabilizer deployment. The gunners interface is similar to that found in the MAAT-9; it collates sensor data to assist the gunner in acquiring and neutralizing targets.

M312 Elephant HRV
Crew: 1 Driver, 2 gunners, up to 16 passengers
Armament: Flexible, can be up to 3 M41 LAAGs and 1 M247 GPMGT Autocannon, more commonly 1 M41 LAAG and 2 AIE-486H Heavy Machine Guns.

Built by Jotun Heavy Industries, the Elephant is a slow, heavily armored vehicle originally built to service the larger tanks in the UNSC Army, such as the Lion and Alligator. It was later found to be a very flexible vehicle able to perform a large variety of functions from urban assault command center to armour recovery. The enclosed troop transport variant is commonly called the Behemoth class, and Jotun has even started to sell the Elephant to civilian markets as an off-road dump truck and trash truck.

M-820A Lion (Medium/Cruiser Tank)
Crew: 4
Armament:
1x 150mm Gauss Cannon
1x 110mm Rotary Cannon
1x Arbalest Cruise Missile tube

The M-820 Lion is the newest tank in the UNSCDF's arsenal, having come into service in the UNSC's Army around 2520 and being updated to the M-820A in 2527. Weighing over hundred metric tons unloaded, it is more than a third heavier than the UNSCMC's somewhat comparable 'Grizzly' modification of the M-808B Scorpion, and half again as large and heavy when fully loaded. Designed far more for open field battles than the Scorpion, with a significantly thicker armoured casemate and a more traditional twin-track design, the Lion sacrifices manuverability and ability to traverse particularly difficult areas for a greater top speed and much more armour protection.

The Lion's armament is also significantly greater: its main gun is a gauss accelerator cannon that fires 150mm (~6 inch) projectiles - a 50kg solid tungsten shot, high explosive, or airburst shell - at a velocity of 17,000 metres per second, giving it 'horizon range' firing capability against a wide range of targets, as well as over-the-horizon firing up to fifty kilometres when assisted by observation. The disadvantage of this, however, is the amount of power required - there is a delay of up to twenty seconds between shots, during heavy use, as heat is dissipated and the required energy is built up from the fusion reactor in the rear of the tank. In optimal conditions, however, a firing rate of around seven rounds per minute can be achieved

To counter this weakness, its secondary co-axial armament is an 110mm rotary cannon, of the same kind as used on Longsword interceptors, though this has sharply limited ammunition before resupply, with only fifteen seconds' firing worth of ammunition in the internal drum. Finally, on top of the turret is mounted a large missile tube: this is usually used for firing long-range 'Arbalest' cruise missiles carrying 'Fury' tactical nuclear warheads, though the missile carrying capacity in the cramped turret is very limited - usually only one in the tube and one reload - and the re-armament process takes a significant length of time.

The design is not without problems, however. Thanks to its power generation method and high power requirements, the Lion has lots of trouble with heat dissipation: ground troops, generally, do not wish to be anywhere near a Lion in battle, thanks to the enormous amount of heat that radiates from it. Tank crews, after a battle, have been known to place kettles, saucepans, and other heating containers on top of the turret in order to cook their meals. This also renders it vulnerable to being detected by heat sensors.

The difficulty of the frequent lack of close infantry support is readily apparent - while it is well armoured, and the heat generated can make even the most determined assailant blanch, it has no close-in defences, and none of its weapons can traverse to fire on nearby targets. Consequently, in battles against both insurrectionists and the Covenant, there have been reports of determined infantry being able to get up close and destroy Lions with planted explosives or mines.

The M-820A Lion carries a crew of four: commander/radio operator, driver, weapons operator, and reactor technician. All are also expected to be proficient at maintenance tasks and to have some cross-training to take up any of the other positions.


M-790 Alligator (Heavy/Artillery Tank)
Crew: 5
1 passenger
Armament:2x 300mm Gauss Accelerator Cannons
2x 110mm Rotary Cannon
Multiple Automated M310 Sentry guns (5.56mm)

The Alligator is a venerable design, going back to the early 25th century. It is usually, in the present, considered a relic of a bygone era - a weapon to be used, not against enemy forces with any real air support or nuclear capability, but as a weapon of terror to mollify the populations of entire cities into submission. It is an enormous, difficult to transport UNSCDF design, weighing over three hundred metric tons, and covered in large amounts of by-now primitive, nonreactive titanium armour. Its main armament is fearsome: a pair of 300mm (~12 inch) gauss accelerator cannons, firing solid or high explosive 350kg shells - though only a few can be carried.

These two barrels are never fired at the same time; the Alligator's design is already straining to deal with the force of one firing without suffering damage. The reload time for each cannon is around thirty seconds, with the reactor and charge capacitors able to hold enough energy to fire both barrels before a further one-minute wait for a recharge. In addition to the obvious inability to fire while moving, the Alligator must remain stationary to recharge, making it vulnerable to counter-battery fire. A cautious weapons operator can, consequently, give the tank a firing rate of two rounds per minute, though with the enormous devastation caused by the 15,000 m/s, 350kg rounds, this is more than enough. With observer uplink from orbit, aircraft, or spotters on the ground, the range of these guns can extend into the hundreds of kilometres.

Its secondary armament consists of two 110mm rotary cannons, mounted in turrets on either side of the hull. These serve as both close protection and point defence against enemy aircraft, each under the control of a 'dumb' AI, and with their ammunition taking up large amounts of internal space. As the Alligator can also serve as a mobile command post, it is also equipped with a tertiary armament of several hidden, automatic 5.56mm machine guns at strategic points on the casemate, designed to prevent the approach of infiltrating infantry towards its static position. The crew of an Alligator is five, with space for a sixth: commander/radio operator, driver, weapons operator, systems engineer, reactor technician, and optionally a senior command officer using the Alligator as a protected field base.

In the modern age, the Alligator tends to be used in an indirect-fire artillery role only. They are no longer in production, but so few of the old machines have been destroyed that there are still many left. In the past, however, they have served as heavy tanks in their own right; a notable incident being the battle between three M-790 tanks and an experimental, thousand-ton super-heavy tank (produced by the colonial Sorakin government in secret before their attempted declaration of independence) nicknamed 'Bolo' in 2445.

Air

F-88 Peregrine Multirole Air Superiority Fighter
Crew: 1 Pilot
Armament:1x 50mm Autocannon
10x Long Range Air to Air Missiles (LRAAM) or up to 8,000 lbs of conventional bombs

Poster child of the UNSC air forces (Army Air Force and Marine Corps Aviation ), the F-88 is one of the few manned fighters in the UNSC inventory. It is however the backbone of the UNSC air forces and its mission of maintaining aerial superiority. It is a “stealthy” aircraft, utilizing a low radar cross section thanks to a combination of the latest in radar absorbing materials and possessing no vertical or horizontal tailplanes. Instead it relies on three-dimensional thrust vectoring and has a forward-swept, aeroelastic wing that enables excellent performance be it at its maximum or minimum speed. It is a strictly atmosphere only aircraft, but it can fly at altitudes of up to 20,000 meters on its hypersonic scramjets.

Part of this aircraft’s design, is that while it posses a minimal armament of one fifty millimeter cannon and a an internal bomb/missile bay, its true strength lies in a large amount of high bandwidth data links, that enable this aircraft to control, via the pilot’s neural interface its attached drones. The pilot is able to give simple orders such as “follow me” or “attack this target” simply by thought.

Flying this aircraft is a challenge even for the best pilots, but it is a very serious force to be reckoned with, even able to go toe to toe with Covenant Seraphs when they operate in atmosphere.

F-99 Wombat UCAV
Armament: 2x 50mm Autocannon
4x LRAAM
2x Argent V Short Range Air-to-Air Missiles

Desgined with a similar style to the F-88 Peregrine, the Wombat is a highly versatile, long endurance recon and combat UCAV designed primarily for Air-to-air combat. It carries a potent mix of missiles, has a high performance (Mach 8 at up to 20-30,000 meters), and carries a target designator alongside its powerful optics package for vectoring in friendly fire support.

BQ-12 Badger Bomber UCAV
Armament: 100,000 lbs carrying capacity, can carry a wide variety of armaments from traditional free fall bombs to precision cruise missiles.

While the F-99 Wombat is used as primarily an air-to-air drone, the Badger is used primarily as an air-to-ground drone. Almost as long as a Longsword, it is able to take off and land vertically, as well as accept commands from any UNSC aircraft. In addition to this, this UCAV can also be flown via remote. Its bomb payload is easily equal to that of a Shortsword, and it frequently functions alongside SkyHawks and Sparrowhawks operating in the ground attack role. In appearance it has a sharp, narrow profile with four engine nacelles. It is able to operate at altitudes of up to 20,000 meters and can attain a maximum speed of mach 6.

EF-96 Civet Electronic Warfare Drone
The smallest drone in the UNSC, it is still roughly the same size as a Wombat UCAV, but unlike the Wombat, it is completely unarmed. The Civet instead dedicates its entire body to the complicated computer systems needed for powerful Jamming equipment and other necessities of electronic warfare. In addition to this, it also carries a small payload of anti-radiation missiles.

A-440 SkyHawk
Armament: 4x 50mm Autocannon
10x ATGM-140 Anti-Tank Missiles
Crew: 1 pilot

In the wake of the Sorakin Independence movement of 2445, the UNSC Army Air Force and Marine Corps took a serious look at their ground attack capability, and found that given the Sorakins were able to amass such a potent armored force without them knowing about it, it would be wise to have an improved air to ground platform for stopping heavy armour. The result was a comparatively slow (capable of only Mach 2) aircraft that was well armored and performed well at low altitudes and slow speeds. It is capable of STVOL (Short Takeoff, Vertical Landing), able to operate from short, unimproved runways. Every system in the aircraft from its avionics to its engines has quadruple redundancy. It is widely celebrated by pilots for this reason; it is a joy to fly and the cockpit is very well protected.

AV-46 Sparrowhawk
Armament: 2x GUA-23/AW/Linkless Feed Autocannon
1x Scimitar 4x178mm Rocket Rack
Optional- 2 pods of LAU-18 Anti-Tank Missiles
Crew: 1 pilot, 1 gunner

The Sparrowhawk is a VTOL close air support aerodyne employed by the UNSC Marine Corps. It is designed to operate from Forward Operating Bases right on the frontline, flying sorties and returning to rearm and refuel. Originally, it was armed with a nose mounted Weapon/Anti-Vehicle Model 6 Grindell/Galilean Nonlinear Rifle, however this was replaced with a Scimitar Rocket Rack following a series of technical issues with maintaining the laser in the Sparrowhawk’s harsh operating conditions, in addition to having trouble supplying the weapon’s massive power requirements. The Sparrowhawk is due to be phased out due to reliability concerns over the ducted fan propulsion.

AV-14 Hornet
Armament: 2x AIE-486H Heavy Machine Guns
2x Class-II Guided Munition Launch System
Crew: 1 pilot
4 passengers (clipped onto skids)

The Hornet is a lightweight VTOL craft originally designed to function as a scout for packs of Sparrowhawks, it has seen use in a wide variety of roles thanks to its flexibility, the most important of which has been its use by Special Operations Command, inserting small fire teams into areas too dangerous for pelicans and other larger craft to enter. It also sees use delivering critical supplies to embattled groups and performing CASEVAC in emergency situations, able to strap 2 stretchers on its skids. Though the Hornet carries a respectable armament for its size, the pilot should not let this affect his judgement; it is still a tiny aircraft not built for combat.

UH-144 Falcon
Armament: 1x Chin Mounted GUA-23/AW/Linkless Feed Autocannon
2x M247H Heavy Machine Guns or two MG460 Automatic Grenade Launchers
Crew: 1 pilot
2 door gunners
4 Passengers

Produced by the Misrah Armories, the Falcon is primarily employed by the Army as a versatile tiltrotor transport. It is a low altitude, atmosphere only craft, but for the army these limitations are acceptable as they have no real need for orbital capability; planetary invasion is simply not their job. It is used in many roles from insertion to CASEVAC to CSAR, and is a favorite of its pilots for its responsive handling and easy, intuitive controls.