Halo:Reach/Predator Force Swap

[Balrog]

A good ol' fashioned force swap happens between Halo:Reach and the Predator movie. First, instead of the burly commandos (and former governors) being hunted by a Predator in the jungle, they are instead hunted by an Elite, specifically a special ops one. The Elite has his combat harness with energy shields and cloaking ability, and is carrying several weapons: a Covenant carbine, plasma rifle, plasma pistol, energy sword and several plasma grenades. His mission is to wipe out Arnold & co. before they can get to da choppa.

Second, instead of the Predator hunting a bunch of regular human mercenaries, he instead is hunting Noble Team. Similar to the movie the Spartans wipe out an Insurgent camp but they can't get a transport to pick them up right then and there because reasons, and must trek through the jungle to the LZ. The Spartans are wearing their signature armor and carrying the standard armaments and equipment they're depicted with (i.e. Jorge and his HMG), while Noble Six is carrying a battle rifle, pistol and several frag grenades. The Predator sees these humans as worthy foes and will try to collect their skulls before they reach the LZ and escape.

Who wins and who becomes a trophy?

[Sidewinder]

Switch the Predator for the Elite, and Arnold's team is dead, PERIOD. 'Halo' shields are vulnerable to electromagnetic pulses, which a plasma weapon can generate as a short-lived effect of its firing; in the absence of a weapon capable of generating it, the Elite is essentially invulnerable to the weapons available to Arnold's team.

In contrast, Noble Team will laugh at the Predator, once they finish rending the alien to ground meat. The plasmacaster can neutralize the Spartans' shields, but the Predator still has to contend with the Spartans' armor- quite formidable in itself- and I don't see its wristblades doing anything more than scratching the paint, unless it can reach into the joints and other gaps in armor. By the time the Predator is that close, it will be close enough for the Spartans to see it, despite the cloak- and in consequence, fill it with enough depleted uranium bullets to make it blaze like a second sun.

[Joun_Lord]

Switch the Predator for the Elite, and Arnold's team is dead, PERIOD. 'Halo' shields are vulnerable to electromagnetic pulses, which a plasma weapon can generate as a short-lived effect of its firing; in the absence of a weapon capable of generating it, the Elite is essentially invulnerable to the weapons available to Arnold's team.

Halo UNSC weapons don't seem like they have electromagnetic pulse effect. Really other then ammo counters and the ability suck in ways that defy physics and probably some other sciency laws (the assault rifles cone firing, the SMG being uncontrollable even when wielded by a cyborg in power armor, and the Halo 1 Magnum killfucking everything) they don't seem all that different from our current shooty stuff. In fact they are supposed to use the modern 7.62 NATO round in their assault rifles.

The MA5 ain't super great for taking down shields but pumping enough ammo into an Elite will bring the big mother down. Now the MP5s firing the 9mm rounds probably won't do so hot but the 5.56 assault rifles will down an Elite even if they have to put a few mags into him. Ol' Painless and the M60 (both firing the same rounds as the Halo assault rifle) or the wannabe M203s will take down Mr Sangheili definitely.

The only thing the team has to worry about is the Elite being stealthy, something even Elite Spec Ops aren't known for too much, but even then compared to the far more mobile Predator he would be less of a threat. He is confined to the ground where the Predator would use the trees to move around and avoid traps. He would be more direct in his attacks allowing Dutch's team to retaliate far more effectively then they could against the Predator. His cloaking device seems slightly less effective then the Preds. Most importantly Elites tend to want to get close to enemies, both because they prefer melee weapons and the limited range of their plasma weapons.

Maybe if the Elite has half a brain and doesn't go all WORT WORT and charge at the humies he might win but its not a given. It all really depends on who is the dumber fighter, Arnie's team or the Elite.

For the Spartans if they can detect the Predator he is fucked. If not he might have a chance but its just depends on how well his plasmacaster does against Spartan shields and armor.

[Sidewinder]

Switch the Predator for the Elite, and Arnold's team is dead, PERIOD. 'Halo' shields are vulnerable to electromagnetic pulses, which a plasma weapon can generate as a short-lived effect of its firing; in the absence of a weapon capable of generating it, the Elite is essentially invulnerable to the weapons available to Arnold's team.

The MA5 ain't super great for taking down shields but pumping enough ammo into an Elite will bring the big mother down. Now the MP5s firing the 9mm rounds probably won't do so hot but the 5.56 assault rifles will down an Elite even if they have to put a few mags into him. Ol' Painless and the M60 (both firing the same rounds as the Halo assault rifle) or the wannabe M203s will take down Mr Sangheili definitely.

'Halo' shields recharge. If the Elite takes a hit, he'll likely take cover and then wait for his shields to recharge. The difficulty, of course, is to keep hitting him so his shields cannot recharge- and the Elite's active camouflage will make it as difficult to hit as the Predator.

The only thing the team has to worry about is the Elite being stealthy, something even Elite Spec Ops aren't known for too much, but even then compared to the far more mobile Predator he would be less of a threat. He is confined to the ground where the Predator would use the trees to move around and avoid traps. He would be more direct in his attacks allowing Dutch's team to retaliate far more effectively then they could against the Predator. His cloaking device seems slightly less effective then the Preds. Most importantly Elites tend to want to get close to enemies, both because they prefer melee weapons and the limited range of their plasma weapons.

Conceded regarding the Predator's superior mobility and sniper tactics.

[Mr Bean]

Your forgetting a prime part of this scenario... the Elite won't fuck around, he will walk in, stick one of them with a plasma grenade, shoot one or two more with his plasma weapons then move back out and hide until the explosions settle down. Arnold's team is dead, they will lose three members in seconds and then the Elite has hours to pick them off. The Elite will have two or three plasma grenades to flush them plus the ability to simply set the jungle on fire with plasma to force the team out of position.

The Elite can move in and out, counting on his shields to save him from lucky shots and armor to save him from anything else. Twenty minutes all of them will be dead and the Elite untouched. He won't take his time hunting and stalking when being able to sprint around faster than a human combined with shields+invisibility will let him flank them time and and again.

[TheFeniX]

The Predator in the first movie could have killed Dutch's entire team at any given time. Literally, hide in a tree, day or night, snipe one or two with the shoulder cannon, move off, rinse repeat. Dutch's team would have no counter for this. Spartans are supposed to be on equal footing with Elite's, and normal humans are basically lambs compared to them, but Bungie loves their cutscene coolness, when even a "normal" human is able to wrestle with an Arbiter. This ignores how incredibly stupid this cutscene is: "You caught me monologuing you sly dog."

That said, an Elite not looking to make sport out of anything can flush Dutch's team out with grenades and rely on superior weaponry and even his energy sword to kill them.

And a squad a Spartans against one Predator? He's toast the second he decides to engage. Maybe he could get one, but Pred weapons don't generally fair well against armor, so I don't see him being able to take out any Spartan's in an ambush and will eat a hail of lead for his trouble, since Spartans already have experience fighting cloaked enemies that like to ambush them.

[Sidewinder]

Spartans are supposed to be on equal footing with Elite's, and normal humans are basically lambs compared to them, but Bungie loves their cutscene coolness, when even a "normal" human is able to wrestle with an Arbiter.

The "normal human" in this cut scene is Sgt. John Forge. Some fans speculate he's a SPARTAN-I or 1.1 (Master Chief is a SPARTAN-II), as noted in http://www.halopedia.org/Talk:ORION_Project#John_Forge https://www.bungie.net/en/Forum/Post/2961602/0/0 and http://halo.wikia.com/wiki/Talk:John_Forge though the fact 'Halo Wars' doesn't have a sequel, means hard evidence does not yet exist.

[Irbis]

And a squad a Spartans against one Predator? He's toast the second he decides to engage. Maybe he could get one, but Pred weapons don't generally fair well against armor, so I don't see him being able to take out any Spartan's in an ambush and will eat a hail of lead for his trouble, since Spartans already have experience fighting cloaked enemies that like to ambush them.

The problem is, predators aren't stupid. They handicap themselves to give the hunted a chance, but I don't think they would dick around a squad of combatants of equal strength. Can Spartan withstand a plasma hit to very bright, very noticeable visor? If not, predator would most likely make a hunt sniping them and only move to hand to hand combat once only one Spartan without gun is left.

As for armour defeating weapons, I am not sure if P1 Predator had these on his ship, but other Predators had a number of things capable of defeating armour at range:

http://avp.wikia.com/wiki/Combi-Stick
http://avp.wikia.com/wiki/Smart-Disc
http://avp.wikia.com/wiki/Spear_Gun
http://avp.wikia.com/wiki/Net_Launcher
http://avp.wikia.com/wiki/Shuriken
http://avp.wikia.com/wiki/Plasma_Pistol

I'd say a smart predator has every chance of taking out most if not all Noble team unless they land a lucky hit. I only played two Halo games but elites never made impression of particularly smart or dangerous in these, unlike predators.

[TheFeniX]

The "normal human" in this cut scene is Sgt. John Forge. Some fans speculate he's a SPARTAN-I or 1.1 (Master Chief is a SPARTAN-II), as noted in http://www.halopedia.org/Talk:ORION_Project#John_Forge https://www.bungie.net/en/Forum/Post/2961602/0/0 and http://halo.wikia.com/wiki/Talk:John_Forge though the fact 'Halo Wars' doesn't have a sequel, means hard evidence does not yet exist.

Hence the quote around normal, but Forge is protected by a lot of plot armor in Halo Wars. That entire cutscene was trying to pull off "badass" and really just made me exercise my muscles with repeated eye-rolls. Either way, there's no evidence I recall of Forge being anything but a peak human in physical strength and toughness.

The problem is, predators aren't stupid. They handicap themselves to give the hunted a chance, but I don't think they would dick around a squad of combatants of equal strength. Can Spartan withstand a plasma hit to very bright, very noticeable visor? If not, predator would most likely make a hunt sniping them and only move to hand to hand combat once only one Spartan without gun is left.

With their shields? Against weapons that rip through flesh with ease, yet create mild sparks against trees or only blow small chunks out of thousand-year-old stone? Plasma casters are weird. They make Xenomorphs explode on hit, yet misses do little damage to inert objects.

EDIT Also, a Predator would get fucking destroyed by a SPARTAN in hand-to-hand combat. Some are almost 7' tall and weight 800lbs in their armor.

I'd say a smart predator has every chance of taking out most if not all Noble team unless they land a lucky hit. I only played two Halo games but elites never made impression of particularly smart or dangerous in these, unlike predators.

Unlikely against genetically engineered humans with cybernetics, who are much likely physically stronger and tougher than a Pred, and also have experience dealing with cloaked enemies that love to ambush them. A squad of SPARTANS can take on a squad of Elites who have access to superior weaponry and cloaking and I'm supposed to buy one Predator taking out "most, if not all" of Super-awesome-mc-cool Noble team?

Yea, if they stand around pounding beers while the Predator picks them off from a distance? Sure, why not. But SPARTANs are literally born, bred, and modified super-soldiers whose whole lives are devoted to killing aliens that are basically Predators++.

Also, based on an old interview about Halo 1: Legendary is the canonical difficulty. On lower difficulties, a lot of the AI is cut out, for both sides and low TTK makes it hard to see any of what's left as even Elite's die extremely quickly.

On Legendary, it takes a full mag from an assault rifle just to drop an Elite's shields. Elites ambush, use grenades to flush out the PC and NPCs, use cover, flank, retreat and regroup, and all other kinds of extremely cool shit. It was literally some of the best AI I had seen. You could force Elites into an enrage mode where they would blindly charge you with melee attacks, but even one is extremely deadly in Halo 1, especially the "Golds." In fact, enrage mode was even worse because the Elite is so much tougher than you and it takes 1, maybe 2, melee attacks for it to kill you.

Load up some old Halo 1 levels where the UNSC has a presence. Find one of those skirmishes where Covenant are battling UNSC NPCs. Make sure they don't notice you and just sit back and watch. It's really cool.

[Balrog]

With their shields? Against weapons that rip through flesh with ease, yet create mild sparks against trees or only blow small chunks out of thousand-year-old stone? Plasma casters are weird. They make Xenomorphs explode on hit, yet misses do little damage to inert objects.

Clearly they have variable yields Although they have made regular humans explode in one hit in the last Predators movie.

Also, based on an old interview about Halo 1: Legendary is the canonical difficulty. On lower difficulties, a lot of the AI is cut out, for both sides and low TTK makes it hard to see any of what's left as even Elite's die extremely quickly.

On Legendary, it takes a full mag from an assault rifle just to drop an Elite's shields. Elites ambush, use grenades to flush out the PC and NPCs, use cover, flank, retreat and regroup, and all other kinds of extremely cool shit. It was literally some of the best AI I had seen. You could force Elites into an enrage mode where they would blindly charge you with melee attacks, but even one is extremely deadly in Halo 1, especially the "Golds." In fact, enrage mode was even worse because the Elite is so much tougher than you and it takes 1, maybe 2, melee attacks for it to kill you.

Load up some old Halo 1 levels where the UNSC has a presence. Find one of those skirmishes where Covenant are battling UNSC NPCs. Make sure they don't notice you and just sit back and watch. It's really cool.

The Silent Cartographer is the best example of this, especially since the level starts off with you & AI companions storming a Covvie beach. Hell there were times I started that level just to watch the two fight it out while I stood on the sidelines, see which side won.