T-47 Ultra Heavy Assault Platform
No other Covenant vehicle can manage to strike the same level of fear in an opponent as the T-47 UHAP Scarab—a heavily-fortified and incredibly dexterous mobile platform capable of carrying substantial numbers of enemy infantry while still providing impressive levels of firepower. The Scarab was originally designed for excavation purposes on widely varied terrain, its maneuverability coupled with its primary weapon, an ultra-heavy focus cannon, made it especially useful for uncovering artifacts of worth.
Though it is still considered by many to be a heavy vehicle, recent intelligence reports seem to indicate that the Scarab is a single biological entity with extensive armor, comprised almost entirely of Lekgolo eels, the same species which take the form of Hunters. The creature is fused into the carapace and appendages in cavernous assemblies such as High Charity. The Scarab is modularly crafted on an assembly line like any other vehicle, its various pieces combined then activated.
At the end of their production, the Covenant typically equip the Scarab's prow with an ultra-heavy focus cannon, an ultra-heavy plasma cannon on the adaxial-aft of its carapace, and a trio of mounted T-52 plasma cannons. This, of course, in addition to the standard crew of one pilot and five defenders. Rather than steer the T-47, the pilot “guides” the beast and directs the artillery when needed. The Scarab has the deck capacity to hold up to twelve defenders, with reasonable combat efficiency, at any given time.
And while the T-47 UHAP is harrowing to behold, it is not without a weakness. At the rear of the carapace is a shielded power core, one of the only locations where the vehicle’s true form—the Lekgolo collective—can be seen. Several well-placed shots can break the shield and tear the creature’s tissue, initiating a chain reaction which will quickly destroy the craft. The act of bringing down a Scarab platform may not be a common occurrence in combat, but they do occur and are usually executed in some shape or form by a Spartan.
