by F1at1ined on Wed Feb 17 19:04:11 2010, filed in News

With the recent arrival of the newest installment of the Call of Duty franchise attracting a strong online presence in the first person shooter field on XBox Live, it may seem out of date that we are posting an article about a vehicle from Halo 3, one of its established competitors. However, the Warthog happens to be one of the best playable vehicles in a video game of all time, and it well worthy of an article all about it. It probably is one of the most iconic vehicles to appear in a videogame. However, there is more to this vehicle than just jumping in and aiming it towards the enemy. Here's some invaluble intel from our very own Addict3d 2Cha0s!

Revisiting the Halo 3 'Hog

One of the clan's resident Halo 3 diehards, Addict3d 2Cha0s is still very passionate about her love for Bungie's FPS masterpiece. One of her favorite elements in the vivid Haloverse is the Warthog, a vehicle that can carry up to three players and is an ideal troop transport, support vehicle, raider and attacking force. It has evolved as the Halo trilogy evolved. It went from being a popular doorway blocker in Halo:CE, to a moving deathtrap in Halo 2 (due to the lock on 'fire and forget' mechanism in play for the Rocket Launchers) to being a mobile tool of destruction in Halo 3 (where skillful drivers have a chance to avoid or shake what may have been a killing shot in Halo 2). But rather than me extol the virtues of the Warthog, I'll let Addict3d 2Cha0s do the talking. Enjoy the article, and many thanks to Addict3d 2Cha0s for the time spent typing this article up!


The Halo 3 Warthog is a fickle beast. She alternately can chew down the enemy, making for a very quick game, and plunge into battle ferociously, to quickly be shut down by the enemy before a single kill is made. This is a gamble few are driven to make for the thrill of the "good run".

Following are some tips and tricks that can be used as reminders to those familiar with Hogging, and offer direction for those who have decided to see what it's all about.



Awareness

It takes more than a skilled driver or gunner to keep a Hog up and running. It takes a focused Hog team. One of the first things gunners and drivers need to be focused on is the awareness that what they are looking at is not necessarily what the other sees. Gunners, remember that your driver cannot look around without turning the entire Hog. Drivers, always be aware of where your gunner is firing, and remember the turret turns very slowly. Keep that in mind before moving the Hog into an area with a threat.

Communication

Because the gunner has better range of vision but the driver is in control of their destiny, it is imperative the Hog team use good communication. If you Hog a lot with the same person, you may be on the same page, otherwise assumptions will get you killed.

Gunner, communicate where you see baddies, and driver let your gunner know when you are approaching enemies when your gunner isn't facing forward. Prioritize your communication and don't hesitate to get loud when you see the missile pod!

Prioritize

Gunners, don't always keep shooting the same person until they are dead: prioritize by selecting the nearest threat to your Hog team. Drivers, pay attention to team callouts and prioritize where you need to take your Hog team for support.

When there is no immediate threat or need for Hog support and you are roaming, there is a neat trick to prioritizing where you drive that is especially useful on maps with lots of cover. Pay close attention to where your gunner is firing and drive directly away in the opposite direction. This keeps your Hog rolling to avoid rocket fire and stickys while keeping your gunner's target in sight. Visualize the map layout outside your field of vision as you drive by and imagine where your gunner is firing and you will have a good idea if their target is moving behind cover, adjusting where you take the Hog next to try and finish the kill.

Team Support

It takes the eyes of the entire team to protect their Hog and look for threats, calling out enemy Hogs, rockets, brute shots and missile pods. The Hog is such an important power weapon that making this a priority can win the game (this also applies to the hornet on Avalanche and the Banshee on Valhalla).

Timing is of the essence - if the team needs the big guns ASAP to run down the flag or take down a power weapon it is up to the members of the team, the two closest, to get this done, whether they are regular drivers/gunners or not. Once the threat has been dealt with, if you no longer wish to be in the Hog, communicate with your regular Hog team a place you can leave the Hog for them to pick up where you left off.

And remember, the Hog is not a mongoose! Please do not steal the team Hog sans gunner only to use it as a mode of transport, gifting it to the enemy.



The Hog is one of the things that keeps bringing me back to Halo. I don't claim to be an expert at hogging, I've only developed an affinity for it that naturally has resulted in observations and experience. ~CHa0s