M12B4 Warthog Knight Force Application Vehicle

The Warthog Knight in the latest version of the infamous Warthog Force Application Vehicle family.
==Features and Changes==
The M12B4 is a four-wheel all-terrain vehicle designed for increasing the mobility of UNSC ground forces. The M12B4's engine is a monolithic forward-housed low-profile liquid-cooled hydrogen-injected Internal Combustion Engine power plant, coupled with an automatic infinitely variable manual transmission. The hydrogen fuel is burned at very high temperature with a synthetic carbon/silicon catalyst to achieve lower fuel consumption. Hooked up to the engine is a pair of parallel Turbo Chargers, with coolant radiators, wastegates and E-Boost to eliminate turbo-lag. The M12B4 features a Graf/Hauptman solar/saline actuator, and will convert up to twelve litres of fresh, brackish or salt water into hydrogen on the fly, detritus is compacted on board and then ejected, this allows the Warthog to travel 790 kilometres or 490 miles before it needs to be refuelled. The massive carbon-ceramic disc brakes and its automatic braking systems allow the vehicle to come to a near immediate, but controlled stop should the driver be ejected, or choose to leave the vehicle. The Warthog's tires have moved away from previous inert-gas pocket inflation with equally burst-proof single unit nanotube skeletons with inert nitrogen injected. The wheels are carried on four independently suspended axles carried on fully operable hydrodynamic suspension. The drive and suspension are all linked to the drive computer to ensure maximum traction through anti-slip and four wheel drive. It has the option to adjust the under carriage, optional crab crawl mode and weight balance to achieve maximum mobility. The vehicle has a fully operable CPU developed by Jotun that is linked into all the onboard sensors and engine to allow the computer system to map the local area and direct itself to a predestined position. This auto-drive allows vehicle drivers to direct the vehicle between objectives without having to drive the vehicle, allowing effective multi-tasking. The vehicle's sensors utilise a suite of IFF, Motion Detectors, thermal cameras, LIDAR systems to boost its tactical capability, along with a GPS system and a Satellite Communications Radio.
It features run flat tires as standard along with a redesigned underside, with a mild V shaped slope so that should it hit a mine or a IED, all of the explosion is vented sideways, blowing off the wheels and leaving the crew intact. Armour has been improved with ablative defensive and a AEGIS filled aggregate improving the defensive capability tenfold. The composite armour plating at resin bonded onto the titanium chassis. 
The Warthog FAV has a wide variety of variations, most common being Light Reconnaissance and Troop Carrier, along with armament carrier, ambulance, reconnaissance vehicle, or communications vehicles. 
==Variants==
===M12B4 Warthog Knight Force Application Vehicle===
The most basic model in the family, the Warthog FAV, better known as just the Scout Hog, is an all-purpose vehicle. Forming the basis of every other variant, the Scout Hog features no weaponry, and instead has an open cargo bay in the back, which can be used to carry soldiers, or equipment. All purpose, and dependable, the Scout warthog is rarely seen in combat, but is ever present in the UNSC. 
===M12B4 Warthog Knight Light Reconnaissance Vehicle===
The M12B4 Warthog Knight LRV is the most commonly seen variant of the Warthog, and is as much a symbol of the UNSC as the MA series rifle, or the Eagle & Globe icon. Where ever the UNSC goes, as peace keepers, explorers, or as a military, the Warthog LRV is at the front lines. This Warthog's main armament is a long barrelled M343A2 Light Anti-Aircraft Gun, a five-barrelled .50 calibre weapon. While technically an anti-air gun, and deadly against light aircraft, its equally deadly against infantry, and light armour. 
The Warthog LRV is used in every role imaginable, including mechanized combat, patrol, transport, reconnaissance, air defence, and close support. It is by far the most popular and ubiquitous vehicle in the UNSC, to a point where every UNSC infantryman is trained in its use. 
===M12G4 Warthog Knight Light Anti-Armour Vehicle===
Nicknamed the 'Gauss Hog', the Warthog Light Anti-Armour Vehicle is a highly mobile tank hunter. It mounts the M555 Electromagnetic Launcher, a high power Gauss weapon. Using this gun, it can fire armour-piercing 25mm slugs, capable of annihilating most enemy armour with ease, and tearing down enemy positions. Highly prized for the mixture of agility and fire power, the Gauss Hog is often used to hunt down light armour, and can even take down heavier vehicles using its speed to out manoeuvre them. 
===M12R4 Warthog Knight Light Anti-Air Vehicle===
The Warthog LAAV, also referred to as the 'Rocket Hog', is a specialised warthog used for deploying missiles against air and ground targets. it uses the M80 MLRS, made up of a command/sensor module and two rocket pods, each capable of firing 3 rockets at once, with 24 more in ammo cells. An 'intelligent' weapon system, it can autonomously track targets, designate the target, determine the difference between air/ground, and soft/hard targets, and reloads without input. The Rocket Hog's roles are numerous, being deadly against armour, fortifications, and air targets. Its ability to quickly blanket an area in fire, or target and destroy armour at range, makes it highly prized for Warthog formations. 
===M12BG4 Warthog Crusader===
The M12BG4 Warthog Crusader, known as the Guard Hog, is a heavily up-armoured variant of the Warthog. Designed to combat the ever increasing Insurrectionist activity in urban areas. Each Crusader is an existing Warthog that has been fitted with the Crusader armour package at Ash Point Armoury on Arcturus. This features heavier armour around the front end, sides, a canopy over the driver, heavy plating across the back, and a larger turret shield, protecting the front and sides of the gunner. The Crusader package can fit the FAV, LRV, or either of the LAAV models. 
===M12C4 Warthog Assassin Rapid Assault Vehicle===
A specially modified Warthog variant, it doesn't refer to one particular vehicle, but a broad category of vehicles modified for use by special forces. Featuring improved engine and armour components sourced from the civilian sector, energy shielding taken from experimental models, and other performance enhancements. Often singularly customised, the Warthog Assassin RAV is used for a variety of roles by top-echelon special forces, including direct action, raiding, patrol, and transport. 
===M831A Warthog Troop Transport===
A modification of the Warthog, the M831A swaps out the rear bay for a large tray with seating and a roll cage. It uses this set up to carry 4-10 soldiers and marines. While not officially a combat variant, the Warthog TT is often used to accompany more heavily armed LRVs, providing force deployment capabilities. 
===M864 Warthog Difficult Terrain Vehicle===
Known as the Tread Hog, the Warthog DTV is used as an all-environment vehicle, being capable of operating in the harshest environments, without pause. The wheels are removed, and instead replaced with self-contained caterpillar tracks, allowing for it to handle rougher terrain. The cab is now enclosed, with sealed doors that serve as an environmental protection layer. The sealed cab has its own air-filters, oxygen supply, and environmental controls, allowing for it to be used in oxygen-free environments, radioactive or chemical tainted areas, harsh cold, punishing heat, or any mixture of those. The vehicle also possesses a number of other improvements, including improvements to armour, and environment-proofing of its main systems, sensors, engine components, and anything else with even the tiniest risk of being exposed to the elements. 
The Tread Hog is used as a reconnaissance vehicle, transporter, and explorer, being capable of travelling through deserts, jungles, Arctic wastes, through the aftermath of chemical and nuclear attacks, and across lunar surfaces. 
===M12M4 Warthog Medical Vehicle===
The Med Hog is used as a battlefield ambulance, quickly finding the injured and ferrying them out of combat zones at high speed. 
The Med Hog is nearly identical in build to the regular Warthog, with the exception of the back. The bed of the Med Hog has been changed into a sealed cabin, to allow for the carrying of up to 4 litter patients, or 8 ambulatory patients, along with medical equipment and a medic. The rear cabin is sealed, with a rear loading ramp, allowing patients to climb in, or with the aid of the adjustable suspension, step on. 
The vehicle bares the red cross, but it is removable, as often this has marked it as a target by the Covenant and Insurrection. 
===M597B4 Warthog Ammunition Carrier===
The Ammo Hog is a mobile munition dispensary, carrying ammunition safely and securely. While larger vehicles are more common, the Ammo Hog has popularity in its own way, often supporting highly mobile front line units. The rear bed has been expanded into a large, sealed cabin, that can be loaded with crates, shells, and other supplies. It features a miniaturised crane for loading and unloading, and is often used for quickly ferrying ammunition from supply vehicles to front line combatants. The cabin is designed in such a way that if the ammunition is detonated, it explodes away from the vehicle. 
===M914B4 Warthog Recovery Vehicle===
The Warthog RV is used to recover equipment in the field. Mostly used for rescuing downed and damaged vehicles and weapon systems on the front line, the Warthog RV is thoroughly upgraded for this role. It is stripped down, and features a bulked engine with more torque. It has a flatbed on the rear with loading ramps and a winch, allowing it to pull damaged vehicles onto it. It can safely tow damaged vehicles out of the battle, or has the necessary tools to perform patch jobs there. 
===M917B4 Warthog Flatbed Truck===
The Warthog truck has a extended six wheeled chassis with a rear flatbed for carrying large loads of equipment.
===M12E4 Warthog Mobile Electronic Warfare Support===
The Warthog MEWS is used by electronic warfare specialists to increase the manoeuvrability of friendly units by attacking the enemy in the electromagnetic and cybernetic spectrums and increasing communication capabilities.
The Sparkhog is designed to be used by Electronic Warfare Battalions to preform subversive electromagnetic warfare on enemy forces. The Sparkhog is fitted with a high power, self erecting, telescoping receiver, which can intercept enemy radio, microwave and MASER communications and translating them. This allows a Sparkhog, stationary or Mobile, to gather reconnaissance in the field. Once analysed, the Sparkhog can attempt to discover the source of the communique, with a 98% success rate, and then attempt to jam their communications by either 'blinding' the entire area with 'static' or preforming a directed jam attack on only a small area. It has a self erecting PAVE JAY magnetic sensor capable of picking up enemy electromagnetic activity, or magnetic activity, allowing it to detect forces producing high amounts of electromagnetic radiation. In support of it's role, it can project it's own Electromagnetic Pulse, through a number of high power nanomesh capacitor coils, allowing it to send everything in a 600 metre radius back to the stone age. The vehicle itself is heavily shielded against EMP effects, and the liquid state electronic systems allow it a unprecedented reboot time of just under 30 seconds. Its secondary antennae is capable of directing cyber attacks on enemy computer systems, using a set of three self modulating attack arrays held in series, with a pair of attack barriers and a pair of dummy barriers for protection, as well as clip on 'black collars' for the operators. The system has a degree of automation for attack, allowing the operators to direct their attention elsewhere. The Warthog also has a external extension allowing the crew chief to plug it into local network connections, or exposed cables. The entire Warthog is sealed in a protected faraday cage, with extended electromagnetic protection and sealed crew cabin and driver bay, with gold tinted windows to stop electronic interference. The rear cabin is fitted with a pair of electronic and cyber attack stations, with two in reach of each operator. 
===M12R4 Firehog Counter-Battery RADAR===
The Firehog is used in artillery counter batteries to detect incoming artillery fire and direct return fire, as well as detect enemy air assets for directing air defence.
The Firehog has a sealed driver's cabin, with a expanded passenger electronic suite for the RADAR operator. The suit includes a networked computer allowing them to upload RADAR input to the War Net, allowing for friendly forces to direct their efforts against artillery assets. The RADAR operator's desk includes the RADAR output, linked to the onboard CPU, allowing them detect, analyse and direct artillery onto enemy artillery systems in under a minute. The RADAR system itself consists of a pair of AESA RADAR panes placed on the rotating assembly on the back of the warthog. The RADARs collapse when not in use and fold down flat upon the back, giving it a low impact silhouette. These expand when activated by the operator and rotate and emit pulses, allowing for a near constant view of the surrounding fifty kilometres.
==UNSC Remarks==
"It goes like shit of a stick and still packs a bloody tough punch."
"You see those 'Assassins'? I haven't; I don't know if that's because the IVs are so damn secretive or just because they are too damn well camo'd."
Category:UNSC Vehicles