Warthog (Halo)

{{short description|Fictional armoured fighting vehicle in the Halo video game franchise}}

{{Infobox fictional vehicle

| name = M12 FA-LRV "Warthog"

| franchise = Halo

| first_major = Halo: Combat Evolved

| last_major = Halo Infinite

| creator = Bungie Studios

| armaments = Machine gun, rocket, gauss cannon

| image = 250px

| caption = A real Warthog replica created by Microsoft at the Halo 4 E3 booth

}}

The M12 Force Application Light Reconnaissance Vehicle,Halo Encyclopedia, page 240 nicknamed Warthog, is a fictional armoured fighting vehicle that appears in the Halo video game franchise. An anti-infantry military light utility vehicle with a rear-mounted weapon turret, it appears in most major Halo titles as a drivable vehicle. Several working replicas of the Warthog were later created in real life, including by Weta Workshop for use in the cancelled Halo film. Playing an important role in defining the level design and genre of Halo: Combat Evolved during development, the Warthog is an iconic aspect of the Halo series and praised for its design, though the manner in which it has been integrated into the series' gameplay has received a mixed response.

Development

When Halo was still in development as an RTS, the Warthog was originally concepted as a tank that Master Chief, then called the "Super-Soldier", would run alongside. It was later changed to its current design, with Master Chief being made more detailed for third-person driving sections.{{Cite web|last=Simmons|first=Nathan|date=2020-05-12|title=We finally know the origins of Master Chief|url=https://www.svg.com/208915/we-finally-know-the-origins-of-master-chief/|access-date=2020-10-10|website=SVG.com|language=en-US}} Designer Jaime Griesemer stated that "I think the Warthog is the real reason Halo became an action game", saying that "it was so cool to watch a squad of jeeps driving across the terrain [that] we wanted to drive them ourselves". Crediting the entirety of the final design of Halo to the Warthog, he stated that "in some ways, Halo is the story of the Warthog and the universe we built to drive it around in".

Depiction

The Warthog is described as a fast and maneuverable light reconnaissance vehicle.{{cite book|chapter=Getting Around on Halo|title=Halo: Combat Evolved manual|page=22|publisher=Microsoft}} It is a four-wheeled all-terrain vehicle with a 12.7mm three-barreled machine-gun mounted in the rear. The Warthog can be crewed by three people; a driver, an armed passenger and a gunner. Halo 2 added the ability to pull a power slide in the Warthog, and an anti-armour variant (the M12G1 LAAV) armed with a 25mm gauss cannon.{{cite book|chapter=UNSC Ground Transport|title=Halo 2 manual|page=16}} In the games, UNSC soldiers will climb into the Warthog when prompted to provide support to the main character, such as manning the turret.{{Cite web|last=OXM Staff|date=2015-10-27|title=How the original Halo was nearly a very different game|url=https://www.gamesradar.com/making-halo-original-very-different-game/|access-date=2020-10-10|website=gamesradar|language=en}}

In Halo Wars, the Warthog is a fast scouting unit which can run over enemies.{{cite magazine|url=http://blog.wired.com/games/2008/11/hands-on-halo-w.html|title=Hands On: Halo Wars, for Couch-Based Commanders|date=November 18, 2008|author=Nate Ralph|access-date=2008-11-22|magazine=Wired}}

In Halo: Reach, the M12R "Rockethog" variant debuted as a usable vehicle, which differs from the base Warthog model in that it features a pair of mounted rocket launchers in the rear in place of the machine gun. In Halo Infinite, the M15 "Razorback" variant is featured for the first time as a drivable vehicle and differs from the base model in that it features four seats in the back for passengers in place of the mounted weapon, as well as heavier armor.{{Cite web|url=https://gamerant.com/halo-infinite-razorback-stockpile-big-team-battle/|title = Halo Infinite Razorback is Even More Helpful Than It Looks|date = November 18, 2021}}

=In other media=

File:Hoonigan Halo Warthog.jpg in 2022]]

A life-sized Warthog replica was constructed by Weta Workshop for use in director Neill Blomkamp's cancelled Halo movie. It was based on a Nissan Patrol 4x4 truck platform and was fully functional with a six-cylinder diesel engine, four-wheel drive, custom chassis and matching body armor.{{Cite web|last=Flatley|first=Joseph L.|date=2009-02-02|title=Real life Halo Warthog goes for a test drive|url=https://www.engadget.com/2009-02-02-real-life-halo-warthog-goes-for-a-test-drive.html|access-date=2020-10-10|website=Engadget|language=en}} In 2021, rally team Hoonigan Racing Division built a Warthog using a rock crawler's chassis, which has a independent suspension akin to the in-game Warthog, and powered by a V8 Ford small block engine.{{cite magazine|last=Korfhage|first=Jered|url=https://www.motortrend.com/features/hoonigan-halo-warthog/|title=Hoonigan Built a 1,000-HP Halo Warthog! See How They Did It|magazine=Motor Trend|date=November 2, 2021|access-date=March 29, 2022}} The Hoonigan Warthog appears in the film Free Guy and was featured at the movie's world premiere in New York.{{cite news|last=Waltenberg|first=Marcos|url=https://news.xbox.com/en-us/2021/08/04/xbox-unveils-life-size-warthog/|title=Xbox Unveils Life-Size Warthog at 20th Century Studios' "Free Guy" World Premiere|publisher=Xbox|date=August 4, 2021|access-date=May 18, 2022}}

The Warthog appears in Forza Motorsport 4, but it is not drivable. According to Turn 10 chief Dan Greenawalt, "...it's got some technology that's built into Halo that would have been a big investment for us to then build into the game only to support one vehicle."

The Warthog also appears as a playable vehicle in a crossover with Forza Horizon 3 and Forza Horizon 4,{{Cite web|last=Biery|first=Thomas|date=2016-08-30|title=Halo's Warthog drifting into Forza Horizon 3|url=https://www.polygon.com/2016/8/30/12712342/playable-halo-warthog-forza-horizon-3|access-date=2020-10-10|website=Polygon|language=en}}{{Cite magazine|last=Khan|first=Imran|date=2018-09-10|title=Forza Horizon 4 Adds Halo Crossover Mission Using The Warthog|url=https://www.gameinformer.com/2018/09/10/forza-horizon-4-adds-halo-crossover-mission-using-the-warthog|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181123094029/https://www.gameinformer.com/2018/09/10/forza-horizon-4-adds-halo-crossover-mission-using-the-warthog|url-status=live|archive-date=November 23, 2018|access-date=2020-10-10|magazine=Game Informer|language=en}} and in Rocket League on Xbox One.{{Cite web|last=Prell|first=Sam|date=2016-02-17|title=Drive Halo's Warthog in Rocket League on Xbox One, available now|url=https://www.gamesradar.com/rocket-league-xbox-one-halo-warthog/|access-date=2020-10-10|website=gamesradar|language=en}}

The popular Halo machinima Red vs. Blue heavily uses the Warthog, with creator Burnie Burns saying one of his inspirations for the series was a conversation that was recreated in the second episode, where Burns and his friends discussed that the jeep looked more like a puma than a warthog.Burns, Burnie and Ramsey, Geoff. Red vs. Blue Season 1 audio commentary. Rooster Teeth had a life-sized, fully functional Warthog given to them by an English fan, which was showcased in an episode of Red vs. Blue{{'}}s fourteenth season, where it was examined how to do in real life the Warthog flip from the Halo games, where any vehicle that falls over in the game can be returned to an upright position with the click of a button. The episode ends with the Warthog exploding.{{cite web|url=https://roosterteeth.com/watch/immersion-season-4-the-warthog-flip-behind-the-scenes?|title=Immersion The Warthog Flip - Behind The Scenes|publisher=Rooster Teeth|date=October 10, 2016}}{{cite web|url=https://blog.roosterteeth.com/marcus-laporte-explains-how-to-blow-up-a-warthog/|title=Marcus Laporte Explains How to Blow Up a Warthog|publisher=Rooster Teeth|date=October 13, 2016}}

Merchandise

WizKids released a Warthog model for their Halo ActionClix collectable miniatures game.{{Cite web|last=Burg|first=Dustin|date=2007-09-19|title=Go get your Halo ActionClix today|url=https://www.engadget.com/2007-09-19-go-get-your-halo-actionclix-today.html|access-date=2020-10-10|website=Engadget|language=en}}

Reception

The Warthog has been called a "fan favorite",{{cite magazine|author=Vicious Sid|date=January 11, 2007|title=Bungie talks up new Halo 3 vehicle "Mongoose"|url=http://www.gamepro.com/news.cfm?article_id=93568|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070118080604/http://www.gamepro.com/news.cfm?article_id=93568|archive-date=January 18, 2007|access-date=August 27, 2008|magazine=GamePro}}{{Cite web|author=Matt Liebl|date=September 14, 2012|title=Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn vignette takes the Warthog for a 'Joyride'|url=https://www.gamezone.com/news/halo-4-forward-unto-dawn-vignette-takes-the-warthog-for-a-joyride/|access-date=2020-10-10|website=GameZone|language=en-US}} and "iconic" by critics.{{Cite magazine|date=August 26, 2011|title=Halo Warthog included in Forza 4|url=https://www.mcvuk.com/business-news/consoles/halo-warthog-included-in-forza-4/|access-date=2020-10-10|magazine=MCV/DEVELOP|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|author=Rick Lane|date=August 13, 2018|title=Forza Horizon 4 leak shows potential event inspired by Halo's Silent Cartographer mission|url=https://www.pcgamer.com/forza-horizon-4-leak-shows-potential-event-inspired-by-halos-silent-cartographer-mission/|access-date=2020-10-10|website=PC Gamer|language=en-US}} Kristen Lee of Jalopnik stated that "the fun of the Warthog [...] is to drive around and mow down enemies with the big gun", but criticized the vehicle's handling, saying that it was "slow, sloppy in turns" and "a handful to manage", and that it had not been changed across the series.{{Cite web|last=Lee|first=Kristen|date=2018-06-11|title=Dammit The Halo 6: Infinite Trailer Has The Hateful Warthog Again|url=https://jalopnik.com/dammit-the-halo-6-infinite-trailer-has-the-hateful-war-1826731325|access-date=2020-10-10|website=Jalopnik|language=en-us}} Nicole Carpenter from Polygon criticized AI drivers in the series, remarking that they "have always been pretty bad" with regards to their ability to maneuver the Warthog competently, and singled out Halo: Reach as the worst of the series in this regard.{{Cite web|last=Carpenter|first=Nicole|date=January 10, 2020|title=First rule of Halo: Reach — don't let the AI drive|url=https://www.polygon.com/2020/1/10/21060465/halo-reach-ai-driving-bad-master-chief-collection-windows-pcurl-status=live|access-date=2020-10-10|website=Polygon|language=en-US}}

Cultural influence

The Warthog replica built by Weta Workshop was displayed at Sydney Harbour in early August 2009.{{Cite web|last= Sliwinski|first=Alexander|date=August 6, 2009|title=Check out Weta's Halo Warthog this weekend in Sydney Harbor|url=https://www.engadget.com/2009-08-06-check-out-wetas-halo-warthog-this-weekend-in-sydney-harbor.html|access-date=2020-10-10|website=Engadget|language=en}} Another Warthog replica was built by Halo fan Bryant Havercamp and is street-legal.{{Cite web|author=Ethan Gach|date=August 21, 2017|title=Halo Fan Loves The Warthog So Much He Built His Own|url=https://www.kotaku.com.au/2017/08/halo-fan-loves-the-warthog-so-much-he-tried-to-build-his-own/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170821063148/https://www.kotaku.com.au/2017/08/halo-fan-loves-the-warthog-so-much-he-tried-to-build-his-own/|url-status=dead|archive-date=August 21, 2017|access-date=2020-10-10|website=Kotaku|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|last=Vitelli|first=Jesse|date=2018-09-18|title=Halo Fan Builds a Real Life, and Street Legal, Warthog|url=https://twinfinite.net/2018/09/halo-fan-builds-a-real-life-and-street-legal-warthog/|access-date=2020-10-10|website=Twinfinite|language=en-US}} A Warthog appeared along with a reveler dressed as a Spartan soldier at the 2013 Seattle Pride Parade, which was endorsed by a representative from 343 Industries.{{Cite web|last=Kietzmann|first=Ludwig Kietzmann|date=July 2, 2013|title=Halo Warthog gets rainbow colors in Seattle Pride parade|url=https://www.engadget.com/2013-07-02-halo-warthog-gets-rainbow-colors-in-seattle-pride-parade.html|access-date=2020-10-10|website=Engadget|language=en-US}}

In January 2008, Kotaku reported that the design of the then-newly unveiled Hummer HX was very similar to the Warthog, though Carl Zipfel, GM's director of exterior design denied the association.{{Cite web|date=January 14, 2008|author= Michael McWhertor| url=http://kotaku.com/344697/hummer-designers-deny-halo-influence-on-new-concept-truck |title= Hummer Designers Deny Halo Influence On New Concept Truck|url-status=dead|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20080430175030/http://kotaku.com/344697/hummer-designers-deny-halo-influence-on-new-concept-truck |archive-date=April 30, 2008|access-date=2020-10-10|website=Kotaku|language=en-US}} Elon Musk stated on Twitter that the Tesla Cybertruck was also inspired by the design of the Warthog, calling it "Warthog irl!"{{Cite web|last=Felicia|first=Miranda|date=2019-11-25|title=Elon Musk Says the Tesla Cybertruck Is 'Inspired by Games Like Halo'|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2019/11/25/tesla-cybertruck-reveal-internet-reactions-funny|access-date=2020-10-10|website=IGN}}