The Black Hound (ブラックハウンド Burakku Haundo) (codenames SV-001/III and MS-BH) is an unmanned Super Vehicle used by the Ptolemaic Army and serves as a secret mid-boss in the first mission of Metal Slug 5.
Info
A disc containing top secret data for the next-generation of Metal Slug vehicles was stolen by the Ptolemaic Army. Using this data, they created the experimental "Black Hound", which is similar to the original Metal Slug but painted black with a devilish eye and smile. According to its description in Metal Slug Defense and Metal Slug Attack, it is an unmanned vehicle designed to function autonomously.
In addition to the Vulcans and main cannon, the Black Hound also features a rapid-fire mortar on the back accompanying the Vulcans, along with a laser gun mounted on a mechanical arm that deploys from and retracts into the entry hatch on the turret. Its armor and agility is also improved from the original SV-001 Metal Slug. The range of its cannon also appears to have a higher projectile velocity than the original's. It could also perform jumping shots using the cannon.
This heavily-armed vehicle was undergoing field testing within the Corridor of Fire, where for reasons unknown, it had malfunctioned and became rampant, killing everything in sight. This is evidenced when, at the second fork after the lower path in the first one, Ptolemaic Guerillas and Natives can be heard screaming as they are killed off by the malfunctioning Slug.
In Metal Slug 5's debug levels, another Black Hound unit can be found and fought like in Mission 1, but only in an unused area of Mission 3. This also suggests that the Ptolemaic Army was planning on producing more than one of these unmanned Slugs.
Boss Synopsis
The Black Hound appears in an area at the left side of the second fork, using its cannon, mortar, Vulcan guns, and laser. The boss fight can be somewhat tricky for newer players, as its attacks are fast and dangerous. As it uses its weapons against the player, it can also plow into them at high speed, but it can easily be dodged due to its build-up time.
In Other Games
Metal Slug Advance
The Black Hound appears as a playable Slug. The player can access the Black Hound by finding its corresponding card and activating it. It will use the mortar (essentially an Enemy Chaser-style weapon with unlimited ammo) as a replacement for its Vulcans.
Metal Slug Attack
The Black Hound returns as a Rare unit; parts can be bought in the Battle shop. Multiple variants are also introduced.
Metal Slug Attack introduces various vehicles controlled by sentient A.I. starting with MS-Alice, who is created by Marco and controls the SV-001. The Black Hound would later get an artificial intelligence of its own in Little Lady Black, who is created by Caroline.
Variants
Mainline
 |
Black Hound: The original unmanned Ptolemaic Super Vehicle. |
 |
Regular Army Black Hound: Manned Version of the Black Hound belonging to the Regular Army. It lacks a laser and its Vulcans are replaced by a mortar that can fire an infinite amount of Enemy Chaser ammo. Appears in Metal Slug Advance. |
Metal Slug Attack
 |
Black Hound Type-R: A reformed version of the original Black Hound sharing the same attacks but with greater durability and cyan plating. |
 |
Black Hound Ver. Expedition: A brown plated version of the Black Hound deployed by the Land Blowfish. |
 |
Golden Hound: A golden-plated version of the Black Hound which specializes in close-quarters combat by activating its laser and ramming at its enemies at very high speed. |
 |
Little Lady Black: A Black Hound with AI created by Caroline resembling a young punk girl. This Black Hound has been customized with stealth technology to hide the tank, though it occasionally becomes visible for brief moments of time. |
 |
Reverse Hound: A Black Hound developed by the Reverse Trinity. It moves at extremely rapid speeds, firing its laser nonstop at enemies until destroyed. |
Gallery
Trivia
- In early Metal Slug Advance gameplay footage, the Black Hound was presented in much the same way as it was in Metal Slug 5 - including the laser gun, the mortar on its back and Vulcans. Much of the features however was cut later in development, possibly due to memory constraints and/or to prevent the Black Hound from becoming overpowered.
- When defeated, the Black Hound self-destructs in a similar manner to that of the SV-001 when its health meter reaches 0, right down to the Vulcans flying off of it. The exception lies in its remains however, which do not explode.
- Concept art for the Black Hound depicts the laser weapon as being mounted with the Vulcans and mortar (labeled as a rocket launcher), but it was moved to the inside of the vehicle beneath the entry hatch in the final game.
- In MSD/MSA, its Vulcans and missile compartment are of a lighter color, while the in-game sprites in Metal Slug 5 are the same color as the rest of the Black Hound itself. Its laser weapon is the same, however.
| Metal Slug Advance | |
| Heroes | Walter Ryan • Tyra Elson |
|---|---|
| NPCs | POW • Rumi Aikawa • Allen O'Neil Jr. • Rebel Army • Regular Cadets |
| Enemies | Rebel Infantry • Fanatics • Grenade Soldier • Bazooka Soldier • Shielded Soldier • Bikers • Rebel Rifleman • Mortar • Cannon Diver • Rocket Diver • Natives • Japonese Infantry • Bat • Cabracan Pod |
| Enemy Vehicles | T-2B Melty Honey • Nop-03 Sarubia • Girida-O • R-Shobu • MH-6S Masknell • Flying Tara • Turrets • Balor |
| Bosses | Formor • Emain Macha • Kaladgolg • The Keesi III • Cabracan Mini-Bosses: Allen Jr. |
| Weapons | Heavy Machine Gun • Rocket Launcher • Shotgun • Flame Shot • Enemy Chaser • Iron Lizard • Super Grenade • Drop Shot • Grenade • Fire Bomb • Armor Piercer |
| Slugs | SV-001 (SV-001 Type-R) • Slug Flyer • Slug Gunner • Black Hound |
| Missions | Mission 1 • Mission 2 • Mission 3 • Mission 4 • Mission 5 • Dungeon |
| Other | Cards • Items • PA33-21 Boat |