User:SPARTAN 119/M810 Hippo Amphibious Light Tank

The M810 Hippo was a UNSC amphibious light tank used during the Human-Covenant War. The vehicle was developed shortly after the M808 Scorpion Main Battle Tank and looks similar to a smaller version the Scorpion, the most obvious difference between the two being the single track on each side, as opposed the Scorpion, which has its tracks in four bogies, two on each side of the vehicle. Because of this, the tank did not handle quite as well over rough terrain as the Scorpion, but it was still more than capable of traversing all terrain types.

The Hippo was designed with speed, rather than firepower or armor in mind, weighing only 12 tons, compared to 66-ton Scorpion. The tank's 12 cylinder hydrogen fueled engine gave it a top speed of about 100 kilometers per hour (60 mph), extraordinarily fast for a tracked vehicle. This allowed the vehicle to keep up with vehicles such as the Cougar Armored Personnel Carrier, Cobra Mobile Gun System, and the Warthog Light Reconnaissance Vehicle. The tank was also amphibious, with small propellers in the rear allowing for a top speed of 7 kilometers per hour in the water. Because of the low water speed, the the amphibious capability was generally used mostly crossing rivers, though the tank could be deployed directly for a "wet" Navy amphibious assault ship, "swimming" onto shore, though it was usually carried on board a landing hovercraft or deployed from the air by Pelican Dropship.

The tank carried a 76mm main gun, which, while not packing the firepower of the Scorpion's 90mm or 105mm main gun, could still destroy a Covenant Wraith or Locust with a well-placed shot, especially in the weaker rear or side armor. To increase their firepower against enemy armor, some Hippos were outfitted with a 30mm M66 rail gun similar to the weapon mounted on the Cobra Mobile Gun System.