HRUNTING/YGGDRASIL Mark IX Armor Defense System

The HRUNTING/YGGDRASIL Mark IX Armor Defense System, also known as the Mantis, is an armored fighting vehicle. It appears in Halo 4's campaign and multiplayer but is unknown if it will be appearing in Spartan Ops.

Overview
The Mantis is a powered exoskeleton armor defense system similar to the Cyclops. However, where as the Cyclops was designed for labor and modified to function in combat, the Mantis was created specifically for combat purposes as an evolution of an earlier model. To that end it is equipped with several weapon and defense systems: including armor plating, energy shielding, and two weapon pods on either side of the cockpit.

The weapon pods contain a machine gun on the right pod and a five-shot rocket launcher on the left pod although presumably these can be replaced with other weapons. The Mantis is also equipped with energy shielding similar to the Sabre and the Mjolnir Armor. The Mantis is also powerful enough to withstand a single Spartan laser shot with full shields. If enemies get too close to the vehicle where the Mantis' weapon pods cannot effectively target then the Mantis can overload its hydraulic systems to perform a stomp that will eliminate close threats. The stomp is powerful enough to severely damage or even destroy small vehicles such as the Ghost or Warthog.

Advanages
The mantis is very heavily armed and very well protected. As such, it is very difficult to attack head on as the machine gun can shred infantry and the missile pod can demolish vehicles. The energy shielding provides protection against most small-arms and only heavy weapons or concentrated fire will be able to quickly take a Mantis down before it can retaliate.

Disadvantages
The Mantis is a slow vehicle and can be easily outmaneuvered by smaller, faster vehicles. The slow turning speed of the main body also means that a quick player can move out of a Mantis's field of fire. The Mantis is also suceptible to being boarded from the rear by enemy players in a similar manner to the way in which players board Scorpion and Wraith tanks.

Trivia

 * It appears to be a "mech" similar to the Cyclops.
 * Like most UNSC vehicles, the Mantis is named after an animal.
 * The Mantis is only the third drivable UNSC vehicle to have shields, after the Sabre and Broadsword.
 * This mech is infamously hilarious to many because of the Ragnarok trailer's ending, which shows the Mantis teabagging a dead player.
 * The Mantis seems, at first, overpowered, but it can be destroyed with relative ease. An overcharged Plasma Pistol shot can be used to disable the Mantis' shields, and then a rocket to completely destroy it. Alternatively, the Mantis can be boarded from the rear, where the player can plant a grenade.
 * It can only be boarded from the back.
 * The Mantis' shields seem to be very slow to recharge.
 * Isn't affected by low gravity zones, highly intensified ones, or even fall damage, although it is affected by man cannons and teleporters.
 * The Mantis apparently is able to haul cargo, as a scientist on Ivanoff research station is overheard saying he had only ever used it for that purpose and had never actually fired its weapons.

Appearances

 * Halo: The Thursday War
 * Halo 4