Halo Waypoint/The Universe

Tech[modifier]

Magnum[modifier]

M6 Personal Defense Weapon System

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The sidearms which fall into the M6 PDWS series represent, without a doubt, the most prominent handguns among all of the UNSC’s Armed Forces, local law enforcement, and even human criminals. Developed and produced by Misriah Armory, the M6 series is a recoil-operated, magazine-fed selection of sidearms with an incredibly large array of variants and customizations, all of which are officially issued in three different finishes: hard chrome, black polymer, and electroless nickel.

Among the many variants in production, the following are the most common:

Their cartridges typically run the range of 12.7 x 40mm SAP-HE (Semi-Armor Piercing, High Explosive) ammunition, making them incredibly effective in the field, despite being somewhat bulky in design. Several variants are also issued with the KFA-2 smart-linked scope which allows the user to have data transferred directly to their armor’s heads-up display. For decades, the M6 series has remained at the forefront of the UNSC’s armament, a powerful and effective tool against all manner of infantry—alien or domestic—something which will likely remain unchanged in the years to come.

Assault Rifle[modifier]

MA1-MA5 Individual Combat Weapon Systems

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  Ammo counter/Flashlight.

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The term “Assault Rifle” is colloquially used throughout the UNSC Armed Forces to describe an array of Individual Combat Weapon Systems with the model prefix “MA.” It is the most commonly associated sidearm of the Army, Navy, and Marines; it is instantly recognizable due to its accentuated and bulky shroud, its practical but heavy design, and its overall efficiency across a wide spectrum of combat scenarios.
The MA series of rifles are typically air-cooled, gas-operated and utilize a rotating bolt. They are easy to clean, easy to use, and can survive harsh environmental conditions. They can carry a variety of ammunition types and magazine sizes, though the most recent iterations—like the Marines’ MA5C and the Army’s MA37—carry between thirty-two (32) and sixty (60) rounds per magazine. Assault Rifles traditionally use the standard 7.62mm round, which can be fired at a full range of settings, the most common of which is fully-automatic.

As of 2552, the most popular Assault Rifles currently in use are as follows:

The MA line of assault rifle remains one of the most dominant weapon series throughout human-controlled space, involved in nearly every military activity from the early 30’s to the Fall of 2552, during the final battles of the Human-Covenant War. Regardless of the persistence of newer weapon models, the MA line is fully expected to continue its military service in some shape or form for decades to come.

DMR[modifier]

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  Barrel and hilt.

The M392 DMR, or Designated Marksman Rifle, is an air-cooled, gas-operated medium-to-long range rifle which fires 7.62 x 51mm FMJ-AP ammunition. Used predominantly by the UNSC Army, the DMR provides soldiers with a functionally reliable alternative to the dominant assault rifle and battle rifle series, with a clean and sturdy overall design and modular hardware components made to withstand a variety of battlefield conditions.

At 109 centimeters (42.9 inches) long, the DMR bears a standard bullpup design with a guarded pistol grip and an EVOS-D optical attachment allowing 3x magnification. It supports a 15-round magazine capacity with two modes of fire: automatic and semi-automatic and is typically fielded in areas where the more versatile but shorter-ranged MA37 or MA5C assault rifles are at a disadvantage.

For decades, the M392’s operation and use was widespread in the UNSC’s armed forces, but with the advent of the BR55 Battle Rifle, and more specifically the heavy barrel variant in 2548, it was quickly surpassed in production in nearly every branch. Nevertheless, the UNSC Army still relies heavily on the DMR, using it during conflicts late into the war, on planets such as New Jerusalem, Tribute, Reach, and eventually, Earth.

Grenade Launcher[modifier]

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  Sight.

The M319 is a single-shot, break-action grenade launcher which fires a 40mm high-explosive, dual-purpose grenade. In standard firing mode, the grenade will detonate on contact with the target, creating a concussive impact which is almost always lethal. In its alternate firing mode, the grenade launches but its detonation contents remain inert until the user releases the trigger. This feature allows the weapon’s operator to fire and detonate the grenade strategically, through indirect fire, or simply remote discharge.

With its first line released in 2263 by Misriah Armory, the M319 Grenade Launcher still holds a surprising amount of sway within the UNSC Army. Historically, this has been attributed to its simple design and its resilience in the field, even in difficult environmental conditions.

Though it was wildly effective during the early years of the rebellion, its contemporary import was made even more evident during the battles against the Covenant. Despite the fact that the aliens’ higher-ranking units sport energy shielding, the M319 could be used with incredible results against the unshielded lower-ranked infantry such as Unggoy, Kig-yar, and even some Jiralhanae detachments. For these reasons, it is likely that this weapon will continue to be used by deployed UNSC Army troops.

Machine Gun Turret[modifier]

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One of a number of machine gun turrets employed by the UNSC, the M247H is an air-cooled, gas-operated, electrically-fired machine gun which is fed linkless 12.7mm HVE (High Velocity, Explosive) rounds. Due to its comparatively light weight and ease of transportability, the M247H is used at most UNSC base locations and high-priority sites.

In its default configuration, the machine gun is affixed to a turret base tripod, with a defensive plate shield and ammunition box residing at its center axis. The heavy barrel points forward while the weapon’s firing mechanism and trigger are located at the rear, allowing the gun to be maneuverable in 180 degrees by any qualified personnel. Though rare, some reports have indicated that soldiers have detached the M247H and fired it from the hip, using it to pursue enemies past the gun’s fixed range of fire. Such reports, however, remain unsubstantiated.

The weapon is primarily used to apply suppressing fire, point-to-point cover fire, and, predominantly, direct fire. While the M247H is the most ubiquitous of the UNSC’s contemporary machine gun turrets, the M247 GPMG (General Purpose Machine Gun) and the AIE-486 HMG are both utilized with great frequency across most theaters of war.

Frag Grenade[modifier]

M9 High Explosive-Dual Purpose Antipersonnel Grenade

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  Angled.

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  Front & back.

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Largely unchanged for centuries, the M9 HE-DP Antipersonnel Grenade is the standard fragmentary explosive used by all branches of the UNSC. Its vaguely spherical design, its digital timer fuse and its magnetic latching transportability have all contributed to the prominence of its use in the field.

In addition to its other attributes, the M9 is yet another example of UNSC matériel enhanced and up-sized for use by augmented soldiers, namely the SPARTAN-II and classified SPARTAN-III personnel. While standard infantry uses a variant roughly 9.4 centimeters (3.7 inches) in diameter, Spartans have been known to use grenades at up to 21.1 centimeters (8.3 inches), which contain significantly more filler thereby creating a larger area of effect.

The standard M9 fragmentation grenade is filled with approximately 190 grams (6.7 ounces) of ComL, a generally stable mixture which is extremely destructive when primed and detonated. When detonation does occur, the grenade’s steel casing, segmented into projectiles, is launched in predetermined directions and with expectedly efficient results. While the killing radius of the standard fragmentation grenade is roughly five meters (16 feet), anyone within 15 meters (49.2 feet) is susceptible to injury, or worse.

Warthog[modifier]

M12 Force Application Vehicle

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  Warthog 1.

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  Warthog 2.

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  Gauss Warthog 1.

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  Gauss Warthog 2.

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  Rocket Warthog 1.

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  Rocket Warthog 2.

Perhaps the most recognizable piece of hardware in all of the UNSC, the M12 FAV is extremely versatile in both maneuverability and offensive functionality. Typically carrying one driver, one passenger, and a rear gunner (though variants may differ), the Warthog excels at scouting and reconnaissance, while still remaining effective at applying direct force to enemy infantry and armor.
The Warthog is roughly three metric tonnes, fueled by a 12.0 L liquid-cooled hydrogen-injected ICE and can reach speeds of up to 125kph (78mph). Apart from its consistent performance in the field, the wide diversity of arms it carries give it an excellent range of possible applications. The predominant examples of this can be seen with the three core models:

- LRV (Light Reconnaissance Vehicle) with an M41 12.7mm LAAG
- LAAV-G (Light Anti-Armor Vehicle, Gauss) with an M68 25mm ALIM
- LAAV-R (Light Anti-Armor Vehicle, Rocket) with an M79 65mm MLRS
While these are the UNSC’s primary configurations for the M12, other versions exist and achieve similar levels of success with their varied roles: carrying troops, supplies, and arms; acting in medical, reconnaissance, and communication roles; or lastly, participating in excursions in extreme weather and/or terrain conditions. All-in-all, the Warthog is the most reliable and the most appreciated piece of equipment throughout all of the UNSC’s armory.

Mongoose[modifier]

M274 Ultra-Light All-Terrain Vehicle

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In the UNSC's fleet of ground vehicles, the M274 ULATV, or Mongoose, is fairly unique in that it bears no formal armament. The Mongoose is usually deployed for transportation of personnel or cargo across relatively short distances and is particulary useful in areas where the terrain is varied and otherwise unnavigable by traditional vehicles.

The M274 touts a 1000cc liquid-cooled, longitudinally mounted, four-stroke, hydrogen-injected internal combustion engine, allowing it to maximize its speed at 96kph (60mph), even in varied terrain. The Mongoose is second to only the Warthog in switf and nimble transportation, sometimes supersending the Hog due to its maneuvrability in tightly confined environements, whether that be a dense urban city, a rocky canyon floor or even the equipment hangars of capital ships.

At just over three meters in lengh and approximately 400 kilograms, the Mongoose seats one driver and sports a rear cargo rack which can carry weapons, equipment and if the stirrup tracks are engaged, passanger. In this configuration, the passenger can fire a weapon from the rear of the M274, effectively arming the vehicle. Field obsersations have indicates that when two Spartans are operating a Mongoose in this way, it becomes truly formidable, eclipsing its role of basic transportation and becoming something more akin to a force application vehicle.

Wolverine[modifier]

M9 Wolverine MAAT

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  Maximum firepower.

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  Mobility.

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  XM511 Grenade Launcher.

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  Field variants.

The Wolverine Main Anti-Aircraft Tank (official designation: M9 Wolverine) is somewhat of an enigma within the UNSC in that it is not used as a “tank” in the standard hard-hitting, hard-armored tradition. Its classification is based chiefly on the vehicle’s historical development alongside the Main Battle Tanks currently employed by the UNSC—but only with regard to its general architecture and framework. When reviewing the actual arsenal employed by the Wolverine, one can quickly see why such a classification is vestigial, though relevant on the battlefields on which it is deployed.
Central to the Wolverine’s arsenal is the MLRS or Multiple Launch Rocket System, which has seen many different forms of military use since the mid-to-late-20th century. Birthed from the antiquated GSRS (General Support Rocket System), this technology was created through a joint effort among a variety of nations across Earth. With regard to the Wolverine, its multiple-pod implementation can fire a bevy of Argent V missiles toward enemy aircraft—an incredibly powerful and effective force when used strategically and en masse.

Ancillary to the twin pods, the M9 Wolverine has incorporated a dorsal-mounted pivoting XM511 grenade launcher. While nowhere near as potent as an MBT’s cannon, this weapon supports its primarily anti-air Argent component by clearing the ground of infantry and heavy armor in areas where Scorpions or Grizzlies have not been deployed. In moments of desperation, some Wolverine commanders have even turned their anti-air missiles groundward as makeshift, but devastating, close-range artillery.

Prototype[modifier]

The highlt-classified result of dual projects HRUNTING and YGGDRASIL.

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Under the direction of Vice Admiral Danforth Whitcomb, the Office of Naval Intelligence created a number of classified codename projects during the early-to-mid 26th century, including the more publicly-known SPARTAN-II and MJOLNIR programs. Another such program—known simultaneously as HRUNTING and YGGDRASIL—was a nuclear-powered armor defense system which could be operated by a standard UNSC Marine.
Unlike the more compact armor variant of MJOLNIR, HRUNTING/YGGDRASIL’s results would not require extensive and risky biological augmentations for the operator and, as a result, would be much more expensive to design and manufacture. Very few have reported seeing this technology in the field since it remained in a somewhat secretive state well into the war with the Covenant—at least one suit is known to have been deployed in-combat before reportedly being scuppered by ONI as a security precaution.

HRUNTING/YGGDRASIL’s mechanical defense systems and weaponry capabilities are expansive—far outstripping MJOLNIR in almost every way save for bio-ergonomic mobility and size. Although its full technical specifications were never made public, reports have indicated the following components were equipped:

- HRUNTING/YGGDRASIL Mark I Prototype Exoskeleton based on titanium alloy plating and nanocomposite titanium microfiber

- Dynamic Local Dissipative Shield Technology

- T261 Lucifer AMGG (Arm-Mounted Gatling Gun) with 20mm high-explosive rounds, alternate-hand grip stabilizer

- Type-18 Magnetic/Bayonet-style Claymore which can be primed, attached, or otherwise impaled into nonmagnetic surfaces

- Motion Sensor with 1400m+ range (within map mode) across flat surfaces with minimal obstruction

- 2 x Ventral VTOL Stabilizers / 2 x Dorsal VTOL Stabilizer / 4 x Afterburner Thrusters

- LAU-181D/SGM-151 Shoulder-mounted, self-guided high-explosive missiles

- M149 Magellan RCL–armor mounted recoilless rifle with 105mm high-explosive ordnance

Another rumored component was a 300 MT lead-tampered nuclear fission self-destruct sequence (in compliance with Cole Protocol and Winter Contingencies) which would re-use the fusion components of the suit’s power system and begin with a staggered countdown and could only be completed by delivery of a voice command code word—the exact word never having been publicly revealed. This method hints strongly at a kamikaze-style purpose rather than simple security. Since this is illegal under several intact conventions, its official status remains “security.”

Falcon[modifier]

UH-144/Primary air-to-ground support/transport VTOL

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Within the UNSC, there is no shortage of vertical take-off and landing craft—after all, they’re agile, versatile, and effective when appropriately leveraged. But unlike the heavy D77-TC Pelican, the beastly AC-220 Vulture gunship, the nimble AV-14 Hornet, or the swift AV-22 Sparrowhawk, the UH-144 Falcon is exceptionally discrete, while remaining incredibly effective. The Falcon’s open cabin, its relatively heavy weaponry, and its maneuverability make it an equally viable option for the tight confines of a narrow gorge, a dense forest, or even a skyscraper-laden cityscape. The pilot resides in a closed cabin, while the crew have their choice of two gunner seats in extended buckets, two passenger seats, an aft bench, and a limited amount of standing room. A pair of Falcons can easily and quickly transport a fully-equipped infantry squad, making it one of the most popular transports within the UNSC Army.

In terms of firepower, fixed below the pilot’s main cabin is an M638 20mm auto-cannon and flanking the vehicle on both sides are modular turrets depending on the Falcon version in use: either the UH-144A or the UH-144S models. The former includes a pair of M460 automatic grenade launchers, while the latter sports standard M247H 12.7mm heavy machine guns. Both have been incredibly effective against Covenant Banshees and providing point-to-point suppressive/attack fire on enemy ground emplacements and infantry.

NMPD Pelican[modifier]

D77 Civilian Pelican New Mombasa Police Department

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  Design: Chassis remains similar to military variant.

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  Optics: Optical surveillance systems gird its prow.

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  NMPD insigna: Color and emblems designate affiliation.

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  Protection: Armored chassis protects against threats.

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  Deployment: Primary function is still unit.

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  Surveillance systems: Employed during riots or other emergencies.

If one could trace back the intermingling of the civilian sector with the United Nations Space Command, they would likely find themselves during the throes of the Interplanetary War hundreds of years before the war with the Covenant. This earlier conflict sowed the seeds for such materiel compromises in the 26th century as the D77C-NMPD, the New Mombasa Police Department’s Pelican dropship.

Very few modifications have been made to the D77C over the existing D77H model, beyond the superficial color scheme and minor chassis alterations. The standard Pelican’s missiles and guns have been completely removed, replaced for civilian use with optical and sensory surveillance systems for the tracking and seizing of fugitives as well as addressing large-scale emergencies. For situations such as natural disasters, terrorist attacks, riots or other strategic integrations which would require a heavily armored vehicle for airborne transportation, nothing comes close in utility to a Pelican.

During the Covenant’s initial invasion of Earth, the local D77C-NMPD dropships were a lifesaving element of the evacuation effort, and they later facilitated the military operations which followed the New Mombasa Slipspace Event.

Vulture[modifier]

AC-220 Vulture Gunship

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  Formidable opponent.

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  AC-220 Vulture.

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  Early prototype.

Easily the largest in its class, the AC-220 Vulture gunship is the preferred aerial combat vehicle of the UNSC during protracted air-and-ground engagements, particularly when addressing a heavily-fortified enemy stronghold. Its contemporary, tank-like design was conceived in 2498 to curtail the spreading rebellion in the Outer Colonies—although its core attributes have been present since the AC-47, AC-130, and AC-163 five hundred years earlier. The Vulture is not a remarkably fast vehicle, but it can be mobile and even more so, functionally effective, within a 360-degree radius chiefly due to its VTOL directed-thrust propulsion systems and its dorsal A-74 armament. Additionally, the craft has a heavy, titanium-based plating which makes it extremely dominant in aerial encounters, even against the Covenant’s imposing armament.

The materiel components of the AC-220 are as robust as they are intimidating. Extending from its fore undercarriage are a series of GUA-23/AW/Linkless Feed Autocannons which can directly fire into infantry and light armor, shredding it where it stands. On its back are two self-guided missile emplacements: the A-74 Sylver Vertical Missile Launcher and the dual Argent V missile bays; both are specifically tailored to unleash a unified barrage on a target, overwhelming any energy or armor shielding it might have. The net results of such a combined arsenal are, as expected, extraordinarily destructive.

The UNSC’s AC-220 Vulture requires highly-trained pilots and can service a crew of six. The gunship was effective in combat against the Covenant, but due to their size, lack of radioactive shielding needed for space travel, and general manufacturing cost they were only used in key battles in that war.

Sabre[modifier]

YSS-1000

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Across the Inner Colonies, there are several well-hidden launch sites, the newest lying on the banks of Farkas Lake on Reach. Apart from their top-secret locations and heavy array of gun batteries, these sites are largely standard launch complexes, consisting of multiple bays, each with various maintenance tiers and control decks. Despite its internally-lauded performance against a Covenant Corvette and, by extension, the supercarrier Long Night of Solace just prior to Reach’s demise, the Sabre project remains a well-guarded secret.

Booster Frame[modifier]

Open Frame 92 / Extra-Vehicular Activity

Open Frame 92 / Extra-Vehicular Activity

Propulsion:

Arms:

Defensive Systems:

Shield Technology - REDACTED
Chaff/Plasma Countermeasures

The pressurized atmospheric contents of the shells ensure an explosive percussion in a vacuum or other challenging environment. The Booster Frame is a heavily-armed, open-frame incursive vehicle specifically intended for deep space use and close-quarters environments. Its weapon loadout is designed primarily for "Distrupt/Overwhelm/Adapt" - a technique employed to deal with the twin problems of field-effect shielding and armor plating. When used in concert, the combination of EMP, explosive and projectile force can make surgical incisions in large-scale, otherwise impenetrable defenses.

There are only two officially recorded missions where the Booster Frame's use has been logged.

As evidenced by its open cockpit design, it was developed alongside the MJOLNIR project and in tandem with the research done on EVA technology or "Extra-vehicular Activity" following the Summa Deep Space Incident. It was specifically engineered for use by augmented SPARTAN-II units and is only usefully operable in zero/low-G and zero/low-atmosphere environments. It has no aerodynamic properties beyond its basic mass and thrust quotient. Booster Frames are deployed directly into vacuum through a specialized hydraulic winch system which extends from a ventral bay on a select number of modified UNSC warships and undisclosed ONI special service vehicles.

OF92/EVA was developed by the Office of Naval Intelligence in conjunction with Naval Special Operations and the University of Seongnam. As with many ONI projects, both the analysis and eventual materiel response were heavily classified. Because their overall cost clashes with their expendable nature, ONI and the UNSC have no plans for widespread application or production. In fact, it is technically classified by the Naval shipping and logistics organization as Aircraft Ammunition rather than Aircraft.

Drop Pod[modifier]

A method of troop deployment.

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  SOEIV: The angular yet blunt design of a standard SOEIV.

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  Breach: A single drop pod enters the Earth's atmosphere.

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  Landing: Some landings are safer than others.

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  Architecture: Exterior and interior architecture of the SOEIV.

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  In Amber Clad: HEVs being deployed from UNSC In Amber Clad.

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  Brakes: SOEIVs use braking chutes to generate drag.

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  Delta Halo: ODSTs dropping to the surface of Delta Halo.

The Single-Occupant Exoatmospheric Insertion Vehicle, or SOEIV, commonly referred to as a drop pod, is a variant of the Human Entry Vehicle, a method of troop deployment from very high altitudes or in many cases from space. Drop pods are most commonly used by Orbital Drop Shock Troopers (ODSTs), although conventional Marines and even Spartans have been known to use them in certain circumstances.

The unwieldy rectangular shape is roughly over five meters long from nose to tail, with a bulk span of three meters and a width of similar dimensions. Within a standard SOEIV, an occupant would have access to a crash seat with secured belts, controls for maneuvering the pod, and a variety of communication systems which would allow synchronization with others being deployed during a given drop. Weapon and equipment racks are filled prior to drops and once a successful drop has been achieved, the single hatch is expelled by way of an explosive-gas bolt system triggered by the occupant.

Combat drops such as this were historically performed during the wars of the early 20th century by paratroopers who used them to circumvent enemy lines. In the 26th century, the reasons for such deployment has changed very little—although the near ubiquity of meteor and other debris showers in many solar systems adds another strategic component to this type of insertion.

ODSTs are typically deployed from high altitude or from an exoatmospheric location, being fired toward the planet's surface until the atmosphere is breached. At this point, the occupant is free-falling at terminal velocity until the pod's automated braking-chute system is initiated, thrusting the pod backward prior to its terrestrial contact—the intended result being a safe landing.

Many drops, however, do not end safely. Though these engagements have low overall attrition yields due to the singular occupant nature of the drops, the heightened risk of equipment malfunction or user error make it extremely dangerous.

Still, this type of combat infiltration is not uncommon even across different species. During the war with the Covenant, the UNSC observed that Elites were being deployed into combat through similar means, alongside equipment pods and other materiel. Some reports even indicate that the extragalactic parasite known as the Flood used an analogous method of deployment across large spans of localized space, a testament to the overall science and philosophy of such techniques.

UNSC The Heart of Midlothian[modifier]

A significant UNSC warship during the conflict with the Covenant.

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  The Heart of Midlothian: A powerful UNSC destroyer.

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  Schematics: An early hull design.

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  DD-366: Midlothians[sic] ship serial number.

The Heart of Midlothian was a UNSC destroyer which participated in a number of engagements throughout the Covenant War—the final being a fateful journey to the remote colony of Algolis. Approximately 485 meters from stem to stern and weighing in at 7,900 metric tons, the Midlothian hefted a pair of magnetic accelerator cannons, a Shiva-class nuclear payload, and an Archer missile firing array. It was, without a doubt, a ship to be reckoned with.

Although UNSC destroyers were historically employed on escort missions or in large-scale fleet engagements, the Midlothian had been sent alone to the planet of Algolis, where a small Covenant contingent had made landfall. Upon arrival, the Midlothian was to slingshot the gravity well of a nearby gas giant, following an asteroidal trajectory toward the planet.

After deploying a groundside detachment which included ODSTs, the destroyer was to rendezvous with a frigate in low orbit to assist with evacuation efforts. After evacuating the population and destroying a series of classified prototype weapon systems—preventing Covenant capture of cutting-edge technology—these ships were then to loop out of orbit and escape prior to the arrival of a larger enemy force.

The Heart of Midlothian, however, never made it to Algolis. The destroyer was assaulted by a battlegroup of Covenant ships. Shortly after it was forcibly boarded, the ship was destroyed—as required by the Cole Protocol—an act which would prevent information about the location of Earth from falling into enemy hands.

Battlecruiser[modifier]

A detailed look at the infamous Covenant ship.

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  Shape: The amphibious architecture of the battlecruiser.

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  Armor: A cruisers' energy shields reinforce their armor.

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  Undercarriage: Ship's undercarriage reveals its intricate design.

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  Architecture: The origin of the cruiser's design is a mystery.

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  Bow: Up close, the vessel remains a daunting sight.

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  Stern: The aft of the vessel holds its propulsion system.

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  Retribution: The Fleet of Retribution heads to the Sol System.

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  Profile: The battlecruiser’s profile is elegant and sleek.

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  Gravity Lift: When lowered, this platform becomes a gravity lift.

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  Contrast: A cruiser near the much larger assault carrier.

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  Bay Doors: Two of the four hangar bay doors on a cruiser.

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  Fins: Part of the ship's immediately recognizable design.

Since the very beginning, the Covenant's primary mode of intergalactic transportation has consistently been the battlecruiser. Unlike the larger assault carriers or the more aggressive destroyers, the battlecruiser serves a role somewhere in between—a fully weaponized warship with the ability to apply meaningful military deployment. This must be central to the reason it is frequently utilized, easily surpassing the numbers of any other known Covenant vessel.

Nearly two kilometers from stem to stern, the standard battlecruiser follows the typical architecture of a Covenant ship—a sleek amphibious design with sweeping contours and perfect symmetry. Along its undercarriage are four hangar bays aft of a large circular platform which can be detached and lowered onto a planet's surface. The ship then generates a vertical gravity beam between the ground and the vessel for surface-to-air conveyance of infantry, supplies, and assets. Within the ship, various bays consist of engineering, medical, armory, barracks, and religious facilities, all compartmentalized and interconnected by a network of narrow corridors and lifts. Buried deep within the vessel's heart is the command deck, a large room with a centralized bridge platform typically occupied by only the highest-ranking officers.

A considerable amount of intel on Covenant battlecruisers was discovered in September 2552 within a CCS-class ship that was infiltrated and captured by UNSC forces just above an alien ringworld known as Halo. The Master Chief and a handful of Marines assaulted the Truth and Reconciliation as it ferried troops and supplies between the ship and ground, eventually stealing their way inside the vessel and recovering Captain Jacob Keyes, who had been captured by the Covenant.

Only months later, the Prophet of Regret would lay siege to Earth with a small fleet composed of two assault carriers and thirteen battlecruisers—the latter of which were eventually tasked with the weighty responsibility of maintaining the Covenant's war effort after the humans had quickly destroyed one of the assault carriers and forced the other to retreat. These battlecruisers kept the UNSC's naval presence occupied in space, while deploying a bevy of expeditionary and reconnaissance forces planetside—a coordinated effort to locate a significant religious artifact.

Throughout the war, the Covenant battlecruiser has repeatedly proven to be a stalwart and vital element to their space efforts, having given them a numeric, strategic, and technological advantage. While humanity will likely always associate the battlecruiser with horror and dread, it was ironically the Elite-led Fleet of Retribution, an armada of eight battlecruisers, that ultimately halted the Covenant's swath of devastation and ended the war high above the Forerunner installation known as the Ark.

UNSC Say My Name[modifier]

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  Human fleet: One of eight cruisers within Earth's fleet...

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  Game plan: Briefing table lies adjacent to deployment bays...

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  Still: Despite the war, its interior remains still...

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  Deployment: ODSTs were to converge on Regret's carrier...

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  UNSC Navy lies shattered above Earth...

As the Covenant forces broke past the orbital defense grid surrounding the Earth's atmosphere, a contingent of UNSC vessels attempted to intercept, engaging as they accelerated toward the planet's surface. During the conflict, a single Covenant assault carrier burrowed into the atmosphere, coming to rest above the city of New Mombasa–demanding the military’s immediate and focused attention.

Enter UNSC heavy cruiser Say My Name.

Equipped with a Magnetic Accelerator Cannon and Archer missile pods, this powerful vessel was not a stranger to military conflicts with the Covenant. Nevertheless, Fleet HQ would issue an order that even the ship’s admiral had not anticipated. The UNSC Say My Name was to jettison a number of Orbital Drop Shock Troopers onto the carrier’s outer hull, breaching its armature and gaining access to its interior.

Whether their ultimate goal was destroy the ship from inside or to covertly apprehend the Covenant’s Prophet of Regret, all the UNSC’s plans would quickly become irrelevant. As the drop took place, the assault carrier tore a hole into subspace directly above the city, escaping to a newly discovered Forerunner installation and ushering in large-scale devastation. The majority of ODST units deployed in this mission perished during the initial Slipspace rupture while still airborne.

Of the handful of troopers which survived, five were from a squad consisting largely of replacements, recently confiscated by ONI for use in a classified, groundside operation–and this new mission saved their lives during the drop, leading them away from the carrier’s devastation and toward the planet’s surface.

Gauss Technology[modifier]

Magnetic acceleration in combat.

• 

  Gauss Hog: The lethal M68 mounted on the back of a Warthog

• 

  The final assault: Part of the final efforts against the Covenant.

• 

  M68: M68 Asynchronous Linear-Induction Motor

• 

  Prow: Cannons lie on the bow of frigates and cruisers

• 

  The Siege of Voi: The largest display of MAC weaponry on Earth

• 

  Intimidation: The firing of a MAC has always been intimidating.

• 

  Cairo Station: One of the defensive platforms orbiting Earth

• 

  Magnetic Accelerator Cannon: The MAC rests perpendicular to the platform

• 

  Battle cluster: Cairo, Malta, and Athens were equipped with MACs

• 

  Orbital Weapon Platform Array: Cairo made first contact during the invasion

• 

  Booster Frame: Booster Frames are equipped with Gauss technology

• 

  SP42 Cobra: M66 Gauss cannons fire when the Cobra is mobile

Though Karl Friedrich Gauss is an unlikely subject of conversation in the corps, every UNSC soldier knows the basic principles of magnetic induction which the scientist pioneered. While complicated in detail, the central values behind such technology are fairly simple. Triggering magnetic energy currents in sequential order can exponentially accelerate an object, hurling it at an impressively violent speed. In scientific jargon, this process is called "asynchronous linear induction." While such technology was used for transportation throughout the 21st century and beyond, only much later were machines such as mass drivers created. Using the same principle, mass drivers could launch payloads from terrestrial locations, ultimately delivering them into space at hyper-sonic speed. It wasn't long after that the military began to explore a more strategic use of this technology, the earliest of such field applications were precursors to the Gauss cannon. And although using a magnetic field to channel high-density objects became an effective measure in terrestrial combat, it was even more potent in space, removed from atmospheric conditions and local gravity. The most common planetside applications of magnetic induction are the UNSC's M12G1 Warthog LAAV and the SP42 Cobra, using M68 and M66 asynchronous linear-induction motors respectively. Magnetic Accelerator Cannons, or MACs, also use this technology. Housed on orbital platforms that surround specific worlds, these massive weapons are organized into battle clusters and provide a planet's first line of defense against outside attack. Other less common, but notable applications include the M99 Stanchion, a sniper rifle that was used during Operation: TREBUCHET, and ONI's prototypic OF92/EVA, or Booster Frame, which was rumored to have been deployed in a handful of highly classified space operations.

The MJOLNIR Project 1[modifier]

The armor which served to augment and protect the UNSCs last hope for survival.

The MJOLNIR Project 2[modifier]

The armor which served to augment and protect the UNSCs last hope for survival.

While many Spartans perished during the fall of Reach, MJOLNIR has been historically viewed as a technological success. Even those who remain skeptical of the individual Spartan programs have admitted that without the effective military application of MJOLNIR, the human species would have likely been brought to extinction.

VISR[modifier]

Visual reconnaissance technologie for field operations.

• 

  Enemies outlined in red.

• 

  Allies outlined in green.

• 

  Smart-Linked sight in VISR.

When Project: MJOLNIR launched, ONI was forced to mitigate the substantial losses it incurred during the development and real-world production of its armor technology. Because of MJOLNIR’s embedded fusion reactors, each suit of armor costs significantly more than any other comparative item within the ONI's Special Operations budget—estimated to be somewhere near the cost of a standard warship. For this reason, the UNSC was committed to the widespread application of a variety of individual technologies derived directly from MJOLNIR, specifically for functional use within the military. The Visual Intelligence System Reconnaissance Class, or VISR, is one of these, now used by a wide spectrum of Special Operations personnel. Unlike the variant used by SPARTAN-II super-soldiers, there is no neural interface prerequisite to the VISR. Despite this, it operates in a very similar manner to the heads-up display incorporated into the Mark V and Mark VI suites of MJOLNIR software.

At its core, VISR is a standard HUD that offers real-time tactical information about the wearer's health, ammunition count, and mission objectives. In addition to this, VISR can store a considerable amount of data for later review, including custom mission intel, navigational layouts, and audio files to assist the user operating behind enemy lines. The most obvious alteration to the existing MJOLNIR version, however, is the ability to view in low-light mode, highlighting allies, enemies, and points of interest with a brightly lit wire silhouette.

Modular Dispersal Technology[modifier]

An ancient technology repurposed.

• 

  Decision: The commander decides to scuttle the aft section.

• 

  Concussive force: Explosions sever the connection to the ship.

• 

  Slipspace: Some sections remain capable of Slipspace.

• 

  Design: Modular Dispersal Technology conceptualized.

Unlike humanity, whose technological breakthroughs were achieved through exploration and iteration, the Prophets and Elites leveraged found Forerunner artifacts for many of their own advances. Reverse engineering these relics allowed the Covenant to progress in a variety of areas from general materiel technology to extremely precise Slipstream space manipulation. But on occasion, these artificial technical advancements would reveal the Covenant’s misunderstanding and general ignorance of the Forerunners’ intended use of those relics found by the Covenant. One prominent example of this has been catalogued by the UNSC as “MDT” or Modular Dispersal Technology—the large-scale, rapid disassembly of Covenant starships while in a vacuum and, in some situations, during the course of a battle. When vessels were significantly damaged or suffering from atmospheric breaches, rather than immediately return the craft to a shipyard or repair center, the Covenant could simply detach noncritical sections and continue to operate—some ships even retaining the capacity to enter Slipspace.

Due to the modular architecture of Covenant ships, a damaged vessel could fully function even after scuttling large portions of its hull and general mass. Upon returning to a refitting station, the ship could then be reconstituted and redeployed with minimal loss. This functionality is easily reconciled with the Covenant’s broader design rationale, in that they commonly prefer the use of redundant, simultaneous components, rather than a centralized system for their ships.

Although the Forerunners may have used this technology for this purpose from time to time, it has been determined that the origin of MDT was the Forerunner war with the Flood and that MDT appears to have a different primary purpose for the Forerunners. When the shield and hull of a warship were breached by the implacable parasite, the Forerunners would initiate this measure to disable and scuttle compromised sections of their ships during the battle. The vacuum would then claim whatever Flood remained in the inert portions, providing a somewhat pyrrhic victory against the parasite’s overwhelming dominance.

Only a handful of instances have been recorded in which the Covenant have effectively used this technology in naval combat—and even those remained clouded in mystery.

The Covenant on Reach[modifier]

A look at the conglomerate of alien species laying siege to the planet of Reach.

The Covenant is a broad and expansive empire of races, governed by a singular military goal: the recovery of Forerunner artifacts. Although the arrival of the Covenant at a human planet - and the bloodbath that always followed - has become almost routine to mankind, the aliens' discovery of Reach is both shocking and ominous. Reach, the UNSC's key military stronghold, is the last line of defense against the Covenant's merciless march of destruction towards humanity's homeworld: Earth.

Spike Rifle[modifier]

Type-25 Carbine

• 

  Profile.

• 

  Bayonet.

• 

  Handle.

• 

  Barrel.

• 

  Sight.

Unlike most species within the Covenant, the Jiralhanae were allowed to incorporate their own ordnance into the vast armament that the Sangheili had been honing for centuries. While it’s unknown how exactly this came about, it has become customary (though not exclusory)—since their induction—for Jiralhanae troops to primarily use Jiralhanae weapons, with several having even been enhanced through preexisting Covenant technology. The Spike Rifle, or “Spiker” as it’s referred to in the field, is a Jiralhanae weapon which has seen relatively little iteration since its first design on Doisac. Engineered to fire superheated spikes at a low but effective muzzle velocity, it bears two large bayonets, attached to the barrel. The Spike Rifle is fully automatic and its magazines are typically capable of carrying 40 rounds, though there is evidence to suggest that this number is not standard across all versions of the weapon. The Spike Rifle was engineered to be held in one hand by a standard Jiralhanae troop, but due to its intimidating size (81.3 cm/32.17 inches in length) and weight (7 kg/15.5 lbs.), most humans are forced to use two hands when firing it. Unlike other Covenant technology which directs high volumes of energy at a target with the specific intent to kill, the spikes and bayonets are intended to puncture and dismember their targets, engendering a significant psychological response from any group unfortunate enough to face them.

Gravity Hammer[modifier]

Type-2 Energy Weapon/Hammer

• 

  Gravity Hammer.

• 

  Head.

• 

  Handle.

• 

  Profile.

• 

  Face.

• 

  Blade.

At the center of the Jiralhanae’s armament of brutal and horrific weaponry lies the Gravity Hammer, a two-meter-long device built for extremely close-range melee combat. In the Jiralhanae culture, it served dual purposes as a weapon as well as a defining ceremonial vestige of clan leadership, and is thus typically wielded by a chieftain or other high-ranking member. The hammer would be relinquished only when the leader was overthrown in combat, whereupon the winner would take the new leadership mantle along with the hammer. The weapon’s design is simple and unsurprisingly violent: it is without a doubt a war hammer, its head composed of a heavy base on one end and a razor-sharp blade on the other. Both are extremely effective at either crushing or dismembering any unfortunate opponents who find themselves within range. Inside the head itself lies another component: a short-range gravity drive, which was integrated not long after the Jiralhanae’s conversion into the Covenant in 2492. This device can effectively displace gravity at the user’s discretion in targeted locations—though conventional manipulation of the weapon typically eliminates the need for such extraordinary use. Not all Gravity Hammers function or look identical. Some have been aesthetically-tailored to the use of specific clans, families, or packs. For example, a hammer like the Fist of Rukt, which is one of the more infamous weapons of recent Jiralhanae heritage, carries its own customized design, as well as the legacy of the blood it’s spilled.

Energy Sword[modifier]

• 

  Profile.

• 

  Top/Bottom.

• 

  Handle.

• 

  Front and blade.

The close-combat weapon most frequently fielded by the Covenant is a single-handed, double-bladed energy weapon formally called the Type-1 Energy Weapon/Sword. The weapon is physically composed of a grooved hilt which generates, through a magnetic field, twin blades of superheated, shaped plasma. While the blades are not pure energy in the strictest sense, their overall effect is indistinguishable and just as terrifying.

The Energy Sword originates from an ancient Sangheili weapon referred to as a "curveblade," historically used for hunting and close-quarters combat. The sword was originally crafted from hardened resin found in trees which lined the coastal territories of Sanghelios, but as they began carefully exploring Forerunner technology, the weapon was refined over time, eventually taking its current state.

Interestingly, outside of the Covenant proper’s military training, the Sangheili have a rigid system of rules when it comes to sword-wielders in their culture. Only aristocratic nobles may choose to wield swords. By making that choice, however, they are no longer allowed to marry, though they may breed with any female they choose, whether married or unmarried. This ensures that the genetic material which result in sword-wielding traits are properly transmitted to each subsequent generation.

Focus Rifle[modifier]

• 

  Profile.

• 

  Top/Bottom.

• 

  Stock.

• 

  Barrel.

• 

  Top/Bottom.

Remaining mysterious even in post-war times is the Covenant’s Focus Rifle, or T-52 Special Applications Rifle. Developed in the cavernous war factories deep within High Charity, the Focus Rifle appears to be the product of reverse-engineered Forerunner technology and, more specifically, technology which is employed by Sentinel drones. While much of the Covenant’s arsenal originates from the knowledge gleaned from dormant Forerunner artifacts, the Focus Rifle is a repurposing of existing, active Forerunner machines—in this case, beam weapons, which were captured, disabled and reconstituted. The T-52 SAR is 145.2 centimeters (57.2 inches) from end to end, its length consisting of an elongated firing channel, a centralized coil set, and an ergonomic—for Sangheili—grip within a exotic metal alloy stock. The optics system enhances visuals from 3.5x to 9.5x magnification, and is smart-linked by default to Sangheili battle harnesses and Kig-Yar marksman hardware. The rifle’s coil set gathers and primes the plasma energy before electromagnetically directing and accelerating it down the firing channel—a continuous beam of superheated plasma, strikingly reminiscent of the Sentinel Beam. The downside of the Focus Rifle is easily its energy expenditure, which is significantly higher than that of other Covenant weapons. While it can be recharged in the field, the time committed to such a task, and the frequency at which it is needed, tempers the T-52’s overall effectiveness to some degree. Still, in the hands of an experienced marksman, the Focus Rifle can deliver an incredible amount of damage to the most heavily shielded or armored opponent.

Concussion Rifle[modifier]

• 

  Profile.

• 

  Back.

• 

  Bottom.

• 

  Front.

• 

  Housing.

• 

  Stock.

• 

  Top.

Engineered by the Merchants of Qikost, the Concussion Rifle’s overall design predates the Writ of Union and the formation of the Covenant, one of many examples of technology introduced into the alliance's armament by the Sangheili, by way of their pre-existing military dominance. Though its physical configuration has evolved since its first inception, its core purpose and functionality remains unchanged. Unlike much of the Covenant weaponry, the T-50 uses magazine cells rather than a battery system, and thus requires the kind of reload usually experienced with traditional ballistic weaponry. In the case of the Concussion Rifle, the cell allows the semi-automatic firing of six bolts of explosive plasma. The energy and its delivery system are strikingly similar in design to that of the Covenant’s heavier mortar vehicles, though the aliens themselves are reticent to include the rifle in the same category. The Concussion Rifle’s size and power dictate that it be used only by higher-ranking infantry and officers, namely Sangheili, and more specifically those with leadership roles within Zealot or Special Operation classes. For this reason, those who use the weapon are trained in specific battlefield tactics often associated with it.

Fuel Rod Gun[modifier]

• 

  Profile.

• 

  Stock and shoulder mount.

• 

  Barrel and sight.

• 

  Loading chamber and grip.

• 

  Top and bottom.

Available in a variety of shapes and sizes, the Covenant’s Type-33 Light Anti-Armor Weapon, frequently referred to as the “Fuel Rod Gun,” is a recoil-operated, shoulder-mounted, anti-personnel/anti-armor munitions launcher used by infantry and other groundside forces. The Covenant deploy a number of launchers in the field, but the Fuel Rod Gun is, without a doubt, the most commonly used, typically attributed to the fact that many Unggoy have been trained to operate it. The T-31 Fuel Rod Gun is a rare breed in that, as with only a handful of other Covenant weapons, it uses ballistic rounds rather than directed energy or superheated plasma. These 38mm rounds, colloquially referred to as “fuel rods,” contain a stable, yet radioactive composition that is primed and synchronously launched down the weapon’s barrel. Once the rod leaves the weapon, it continues in a parabolic arc similar to that of a grenade launcher or other mass launching weapons, hitting targets accurately at up to 165 meters (541 feet), detonating upon impact. While much of the Covenant matériel witnessed in battle is named and designated for the year it was first observed by the UNSC, there are several exceptions, the most notable of those is, in fact, the Fuel Rod Gun. The T-33 LAAW was believed to be first observed during the ground conflict on Harvest in early 2531, only to be properly catalogued by the Office of Naval Intelligence in 2533, over two full years later.

Plasma Launcher[modifier]

• 

  Profile.

• 

  Rear Angle.

• 

  Front Angle.

• 

  Top and Bottom.

• 

  Front and Back.

• 

  Stock.

Type-52 Guided Munitions Launcher/Explosive

Furthering the same technology incorporated into the Plasma Grenade, the Covenant’s Plasma Launcher is a shoulder-mounted munitions cannon which fires up to four bolts of latent plasma which actively and persistently track a target’s heat signature. Upon making contact, the bolts detonate with violently explosive and typically lethal results.

The T-52 Guided Munitions Launcher/Explosive is 108.8 centimeters (42.8 inches long), making it one of the larger infantry weapons employed by the Covenant. It is composed of a centralized, rotating launch chamber, a large, ablative shroud-wrapped barrel and a contoured mount for the operator’s shoulder. At the top of the launcher’s housing is an optics system which offers 2.5x zoom capability, smart-linked to the operator’s heads-up display.

The Plasma Launcher fires in two modes: the first and primary being burst, when the weapon is primed and propels four charged bolts at a subject in quick succession and the second being semi-automatic, where the operator carefully releases a single bolt, allowing the weapon to conserve ammunition, especially when engaged with numerous soft targets, like infantry. This versatility and the ammunition’s ability to actively track a target make it an indispensible part of the Covenant frontline.

Plasma Cannon[modifier]

• 

  Profile.

• 

  Top.

• 

  Bottom.

• 

  Front angled.

• 

  Back angled.

• 

  Front and back.

The Plasma Cannon is a broad, rather open-ended colloquial designation for the Covenant’s Class-1 directed energy cannons, typically deployed as a stationary emplacement, within the heavy support role. The T-52 Directed Energy Support Weapon is the most updated variant of this weapon-type employed by the Covenant late in the war. Earlier, the leaner T-42 Plasma Cannon was frequently observed, its narrow, elongated shape vaguely resembling that of the T-51 Plasma Repeater. Contemporarily, the T-52 Plasma Cannon is the most pervasive of Covenant stationary turrets, being deployed predominantly in areas where the T-26 Shade cannot be, or simply where swift, transportability takes precedence over heavier firepower. The weapon is composed of a large rear housing system, a coil set buried deep within its internal components and a circuit emitter at its nose, allowing the primed plasma to be fired at an extraordinarily fast muzzle velocity. Plasma Cannons are often, though not always, manned by Unggoy, due to their ease of control and light energy shielding, which protect the diminutive aliens' comparatively slight size. Another attribute of the T-52 DESW is its modular, copper-colored cooling units which are the cannon’s primary maintenance need, something easily repaired and replaced by Unggoy units.

Plasma Grenade[modifier]

• 

  Front.

• 

  Back.

• 

  Top and Bottom.

• 

  Right and Left.

• 

  Bottom Right and Left.

• 

  Top Right and Left.

Type-1 Antipersonnel Grenade

The Plasma Grenade is easily the most recognizable of the Covenant’s antipersonnel grenades, fielded by just about every unit and always found in large numbers. Covenant records indicate that it has been in production, largely unchanged, for centuries and its functionality remains impressively effective.

The grenade’s design is relatively simple, though well beyond humanity’s existing technology. Upon priming the grenade, it is quickly engulfed in a white-blue flame as latent plasma forms around it. The grenade is then thrown at a target, typically one emitting a notable heat signature. When striking the target, the plasma bonds the grenade to the subject’s mass until it detonates.

The bonded explosion is lethal against unshielded infantry and, for the most part, against shielded infantry as well. When a single grenade detonates near others, the explosion can create a chain reaction from all of the grenades, generating a significantly larger killing radius. This raw, violent efficiency, married to the grenade’s unique abilities adhesive, make it an unparalleled munition for the Covenant frontlines.

Ghost[modifier]

Type-32 Rapid Attack Vehicle

• 

  Chassis.

• 

  Front air dam.

• 

  Anti-gravity system.

• 

  Operator's seat.

• 

  Arsenal.

• 

  Full cell.

Perhaps the most commonly used vehicle in the Covenant arsenal is the Type-32 RAV or Ghost, an incredibly swift and agile single-pilot craft with an armament well-suited for assaulting opposing infantry and, when necessary, even fortified enemy positions. The craft’s most prominent use, however, has been that of reconnaissance, allowing the front line of any Covenant military incursion to have quick and solid intel with low risk to the accompanying forces.

Unlike the T-25 AGC Wraith or the T-48 LAGC Revenant which utilize a plasma mortar mechanism as their primary armament, the Ghost fires a pair of lower grade, but significantly faster class-2 directed energy cannons. With two of these girding the Ghost’s air dam, the twin weapons can be used formidably either up close or at range, though even the front of the vehicle itself can also be used as an effective battering ram. Since the vehicle can reach impressively high speeds out in the open, it can be particularly devastating to high concentrations of enemy infantry.

The Ghost uses a boosted gravity propulsion drive which is standard among most Covenant infantry support vehicles, though this specific drive set has been tweaked to offer smoother versatility and mobility rather than raw power. The dual combination of speed and armament make the Ghost an exceptional asset for a wide variety of military endeavors, which is repeatedly evidenced by its frequent use across most theaters of war.

Revenant[modifier]

Type-48 Light Assault Gun Carriage

• 

  Top/Bottom.

• 

  Front/Back.

• 

  Profile.

• 

  Undercarriage.

• 

  Operator cabine.

• 

  Armor.

The Covenant command an array of vehicles custom-tailored for a variety of combat situations, hammered into existence through centuries of war and bloodshed. For some time, the T-32 RAV Ghost has been predominantly used for swift attacks and reconnaissance while the T-26 AGC Wraith has run the gamut of heavy ground assault types—but the role found in between has been somewhat difficult to fill. The T-52 ISV Prowler, operated exclusively by the Jiralhanae and the T-46 ISV Spectre, which saw intermittent use in recent years, were both attempts at a solution; but neither held popular favor.

Enter the T-48 LAGC Revenant.

The Revenant is a lightly-armored mobile artillery vehicle which simultaneously leverages the speed and maneuverability of the Ghost with the heavier brand of firepower that the Wraith commands. Rather than fire pulsed bursts of plasma energy in rapid succession, the Revenant utilizes a slightly weaker plasma mortar, trading its bigger brother’s vicious armament for size, speed, and agility.

In addition, its ability to boost forward at a high velocity and the craft’s well-armored nose combine to make it incredibly useful against close-range infantry in an open environment. Its only real drawback is that both the operator and the passenger are exposed at all times. But among Covenant vehicles, this is not an uncommon design element, likely due to the aliens’ heavy reliance on personal energy shields.

In the end, it is probable that the Revenant will supersede the other Infantry Support Vehicles, perhaps even coming to rival the Ghost and the Wraith over time.

Scarab[modifier]

Type-47 Ultra-Heavy Assault Platform

• 

  Top/Bottom.

• 

  Angled front.

• 

  Profile.

• 

  Front/Back.

• 

  Main platform.

• 

  Leg.

No other Covenant vehicle can manage to strike the same level of fear in an opponent as the T-47 UHAP Scarab—a heavily-fortified and incredibly dexterous mobile platform capable of carrying substantial numbers of enemy infantry while still providing impressive levels of firepower. The Scarab was originally designed for excavation purposes on widely varied terrain, its maneuverability coupled with its primary weapon, an ultra-heavy focus cannon, made it especially useful for uncovering artifacts of worth.

Though it is still considered by many to be a heavy vehicle, recent intelligence reports seem to indicate that the Scarab is a single biological entity with extensive armor, comprised almost entirely of Lekgolo eels, the same species which take the form of Hunters. The creature is fused into the carapace and appendages in cavernous assemblies such as High Charity. The Scarab is modularly crafted on an assembly line like any other vehicle, its various pieces combined then activated.

At the end of their production, the Covenant typically equip the Scarab's prow with an ultra-heavy focus cannon, an ultra-heavy plasma cannon on the adaxial-aft of its carapace, and a trio of mounted T-52 plasma cannons. This, of course, in addition to the standard crew of one pilot and five defenders. Rather than steer the T-47, the pilot “guides” the beast and directs the artillery when needed. The Scarab has the deck capacity to hold up to twelve defenders, with reasonable combat efficiency, at any given time.

And while the T-47 UHAP is harrowing to behold, it is not without a weakness. At the rear of the carapace is a shielded power core, one of the only locations where the vehicle’s true form—the Lekgolo collective—can be seen. Several well-placed shots can break the shield and tear the creature’s tissue, initiating a chain reaction which will quickly destroy the craft. The act of bringing down a Scarab platform may not be a common occurrence in combat, but they do occur and are usually executed in some shape or form by a Spartan.

Banshee Fighter[modifier]

• 

  Firing channels/Tail (open).

• 

  Firing channels/Tail (closed).

• 

  Canard kift system (open).

• 

  Canard kift system (closed).

• 

  Front/Rear (open).

• 

  Front/Rear (closed).

• 

  Top/Bottom (open).

• 

  Top/Bottom (closed).

First observed in 2527, the Banshee Fighter is one of the Covenant’s several multirole spacecraft. Its overall framework and architecture are typical of Covenant design, bearing the same swooping contours and organic segmentation seen across the aliens’ matériel and structures. Though it appears to share many architectural design features with the T-26 Banshee, its overall profile and its individual parts are wholly unique to the craft.

The T-27 Banshee’s wings feature a similar-looking lift-generating canard system, but they are swept forward and mechanically altered to make the craft incredibly maneuverable within the zero G, vacuum conditions of space. The fighter also features an extended tail stabilizer which dampens turbulent transitions in and out of atmospheric conditions when docking. The most prominent characteristic of the T-27 is likely its twin heavy plasma cannons’ extended firing channels, two large weapons affixed to the frontend of the craft. This system improves the distance and performance of the plasma bolt in space dogfights which occur over significantly larger area than the T-25’s[sic] combat scenarios.

Though an individual Banshee Fighter is an effective vehicle against stationary weapon emplacements and EVA-equipped infantry, or even in the establishment of recon pickets, its greatest strength is clear when it is deployed in large numbers. With high-volume deployments, the T-27 can overwhelm heavier-armed fighters and even larger ships, like human frigates and cruisers. And while Covenant naval forces rely primarily on Seraph fighters for single ship combat, the Banshee Fighters can often play a critical role in interception, interference, and distraction, tipping the scales of most large-scale space battles in the Covenant’s favor.

Spirit[modifier]

T-28 TC/Primary Troop Carrier

• 

  Top/Bottom

• 

  Back/Front.

• 

  Stern/Bow.

• 

  From below.

• 

  Fuselage.

• 

  Profile.

The ability to effectively invade an opposing force’s occupied territory is fundamental to the success of the Covenant military’s modus operandi. For such purposes, they have a wide variety of troop deployment options available: gravity-manipulated lifts from capital ships, teleportation spires for large-scale, surgical infiltrations, and specialized drop pods for Elite combatants are some of the more exotic—but such methods are not always the most practical for the duration of a protracted military campaign.

Enter primary troop carriers, of which the Covenant have two predominant versions: the T-52 Phantom and the T-28 Spirit. Heavily-armored and capable of carrying up to thirty passengers, the Spirit is one of the most common Covenant vessels seen in combat. Though it lacks the local gravity lift of the Phantom, its armored carapace has historically provided better protection for its troops—they are never exposed prior to deployment.

Below its aft armature, where the pilot’s cabin is situated, is a heavy plasma cannon which can offer extensive suppressive fire when the ship is engaged in a deployment action. And similar to the Phantom, the Spirit can deploy vehicles into combat—either two smaller craft or a single, heavy one.

Despite the size and unique shape of the Spirit, the Covenant have used it well over the course of the war—its deft maneuverability and fortification make it a critical asset to the Covenant’s war machine and a powerful force against the UNSC resistance.

Phantom[modifier]

• 

  Front Profile.

• 

  Left Profile.

• 

  Angle Top.

• 

  Angle Bottom.

• 

  Top and Bottom.

• 

  Front and Back.

Type-52 Troop Carrier

The Phantom is one of the Covenant’s primary methods of infantry transportation and deployment in both atmospheric and exoatmospheric environments. The T-52 Troop Carrier is composed of a circular central hull with a closed operator cabin in the fore and a pair of twin turbines set into the craft’s outer edges, which contour up and back into the shape of aerodynamic fins. On both sides lie open bay doors and below a ventral gravity lift, all three allowing swift and relatively painless infantry deployment in nearly any terrain type.

Slightly larger than the UNSC’s Pelican from nose to tail, the Phantom is capable of transporting up to 30 passengers, a number which is contingent, however, on personnel size. While it is wider than the Covenant’s more traditional Spirit dropship, the Phantom is significantly more maneuverable, particularly in tightly-cropped environments like narrow gorges, caverns or even the urban warrens of a human cityscape.

Though they are rarely deployed in a gunship role, Phantom’s tote an impressive armament, with a single heavy plasma cannon located underneath its nose and twin, flanking T-52 DESW (Directed Energy Support Weapons) propped in the dropship’s open bay doors. In addition to this, the Phantom can utilize its gravity lift for towing purposes, carrying a variety of vehicles into the battle including the Covenant’s heavy mortar tanks, the T-26 Wraith, which bring even more firepower to the fight.

Locations[modifier]

Algolis[modifier]

A look at the colonie and research world of Algolis.

• 

  UNSC Weapons Research Facility (Lieu de recherche en armement de l'UNSC).

• 

  Horizon.

• 

  Night's sky.

• 

  Orbit.

• 

  Escape.

• 

  Secrets.

With its own civilian population largely aloof to such endeavors, the planet of Algolis had been the home to a number of prototype weapon projects including HRUNTING and YGGDRASIL. These simultaneous programs eventually culminated in the creation of an armor system that was unmatched within the UNSC’s arsenal.

This particular item was perhaps why the Covenant held specific interest in Algolis, sending a small but effective invasion fleet to what was a sparsely-populated human settlement. When the Covenant first arrived, civilians immediately prepared their ships for evacuation—but many were destroyed before they could even breach the planet’s atmosphere. Those who survived the risky escape did so by the narrowest of margins, retreating to lone frigate which hung in orbit.

During this swift and cruel siege, a UNSC demolitions crew nicknamed the “Hades Corps” was sent in to eliminate the potential threat of the Office of Naval Intelligence’s armor prototype falling into Covenant hands. But after the Cole Protocol was initiated, all communication was lost with the UNSC ground forces, and reports on the incident are inconclusive.

Although the local UNSC frigate assisting with evacuations was scheduled to link up with a destroyer by the name of The Heart of Midlothian for an escorted Cole-compatible loop back to Earth, contact with the ship was never made. The fate of the planet, the frigate, and its civilians remains unknown, though ONI remains confident that the technical data and prototypes of HRUNTING and YGGDRASIL will remain a secret.

Shield World[modifier]

A Forerunner shelter from the firing of the Halo Array.

• 

  Arrival.

• 

  Horizon.

• 

  Balcony.

• 

  Above the clouds.

• 

  Entrance.

• 

  Infestation.

• 

  Interior.

• 

  Apex Site.

• 

  Forerunner fleet.

While the Forerunners were responsible for the creation of the Halo Array—a weapons network which consisted of seven ringworld installations distributed throughout the galaxy—their plan against the Flood included yet another critical component.
“Shields” or “shield worlds” were also created as a shelter against the galactic holocaust unleashed by the firing of the Halo Array. In response to the Flood’s brutal and virulent spread across the galaxy, the Forerunners would activate the Halo Array, placing salvageable life forms within these shield worlds for preservation. Although only two of these installations have ever been historically documented, the differences between the two are distinct and intriguing.

The first was discovered in 2531, when the UNSC Spirit of Fire stumbled upon a remote planet in the uncharted regions of our galaxy. As they traveled toward the world, they found their ship forcefully drawn to an aperture on its surface—an aperture which took them to the planet’s interior. Within it lied the revelation that the entire structure was an artificially-created Micro Dyson Sphere—a shell-like installation with a vast interior surface and a burning sun at its center.

During their exploration of this mysterious shield world, the Spirit’s crew discovered that the Flood had somehow been unleashed on its surface—the same parasite which the installation was ultimately intended to protect against. After engaging Covenant forces within the planet’s interior, the Spirit was forced to destroy the shield world, the Flood outbreak and a dormant Forerunner fleet which the Covenant were frantically seeking to activate.

Twenty years later, a contingent of ONI personnel and Spartans found themselves stranded on the remote and hidden planet known as Onyx. This planet would also be revealed to be a Forerunner shield world—and while its ultimate purpose would be similar, its design would be wholly different.

Within the center of Onyx was a controlled Slipspace rift—a technological concept which far outstripped anything humanity had ever encountered before. Escaping into the rift to evade a Covenant army, these humans found themselves with yet another Micro Dyson Sphere, this one existing outside of normal space. Though its dimensions were astronomical, the environment was completely hidden in Slipspace, safe from the obliterative pulse of Halo.

While these installations were both fascinating and impressive, it remains unknown whether their true purpose was ever successfully realized.

Arcadia[modifier]

A critical outer colony early in the war with the Covenant.

• 

  Arcadia.

• 

  Metropolis.

• 

  Unexplored regions.

• 

  Weapons ready.

• 

  Industrial district.

• 

  Farming industry

• 

  The swaps.

• 

  Beaches.

• 

  Fallen Scarab.

Based in the Procyon system, Arcadia was a colonial planet which needed no aggressive terraforming measures when it was first considered for human habitation. In fact, covered in densely lush forests and jungles—many of which remained unexplored for decades—the world had an incredibly plentiful supply of all the ingredients needed to support human settlement.

Like many Outer Colonies, Arcadia would quickly find itself exploited for agricultural and recreational reasons—becoming both a farming world and a tourist destination. But the planet was no t limited to these two industries: Arcadia was also the site of the Deep Space Research Array, leading some to point out the irony that the Arcadians knew more about the heavens than they did about the dense jungles of their own backyard.

Arcadia had six designated continents: Eire, Pacifica, Mu, Caledonia, Lemuria and Avalon—and within each of those a number of provincial regions exist, the most popular of which was the metropolitan capital of Pirth. This was quickly discovered by the Covenant upon their arrival in early 2531, and they focused a significant amount of their local resources on an effort to destroy it.

Though UNSC forces would eventually push the Covenant back, it would reveal what they were ultimately looking for. Buried deep within its jungles, Arcadia held a series of ancient structures which predated humanity’s presence—structures which would later be revealed as Forerunner. These relics led the Covenant to a shield world—a Forerunner installation created as a shelter against the firing of the Halo Array.

While the Covenant would leave Arcadia only days later, they would eventually return in 2549 to obliterate whatever remained. When they arrived, the Covenant found the surviving Arcadians in a bizarre, anachronistic state—flora had overgrown their cities and whatever remained of their civilization had slipped into a state of lawlessness.

Even in that dark hour, many Arcadians would do what they had always done: continue to plant and grow crops for the Inner Colonies, clinging to their trade and whatever vestiges of civilization still remained.

That is, until the planet was wiped out by the Covenant almost two decades later.

Space Tether[modifier]

The mechanics and purpose of the orbital space elevator.

• 

  Foundation: Reinforced mount holds the tether securely.

• 

  Tether: The tether stretches thousands of kilometers.

• 

  Remains: New Mombasa's tether strewn across the savanna.

• 

  Orbital: An empty bay within an orbital station.

• 

  View: High above Quito, Ecuador.

• 

  Communication: A series of consoles monitor the tether.

Over two and a half centuries before the war with the Covenant, humankind began construction on the Earth's first orbital space elevator at the coastal city of New Mombasa. It was the first of six such elevators spread across the planet's surface. The orbital space elevator eventually became a common, affordable means of extra-atmospheric conveyance, allowing the UNSC and private corporate entities the ability to ferry large amounts of material and personnel into space at comparatively low costs.

Commonly referred to as "space tethers," the orbital space elevators vary in size and shape, but they are all typically composed of the same raw material. Meshed together as a complex composite of intertwining nano-fibers, these ingredients form a series of massive cords and rings several hundred meters wide. They bind to a grounded set of anchors larger than most buildings which hold the elevator’s structure in place while the Earth spins on its axis. The zenith of the elevator, commonly known as the "orbital" or "terminus," is then pulled taut by the Earth's rotational inertia, sliding into geosynchronous orbit thousands of kilometers above the planet.

While Earth has six space elevators, many planets found within the Outer Colonies have more since there is a heavy human reliance on the production and shipment of agricultural and mineral goods from remote worlds. Prior to the Covenant's invasion, the farming colony of Harvest, for example, had seven elevators, while some mineral-rich worlds had as many as nine.

Of Earth's six elevators, only four remained intact at the end of the 2552 CE. On October 20, 2552, an incident known as the New Mombasa Slipspace Event severed the city's space elevator, spreading its shattered remnants across East Africa. Only weeks later, a separate event—in Havana, Cuba on November 3, 2552—resulted in the destruction of what was known as the Centennial Orbital Elevator.

Visegrad at Dawn[modifier]

A critical relay outpost on the planet Reach goes offline.

On July 24, 2552, a communication relay fifty klicks from Visegrad has gone offline, cutting off the planet Reach from the rest of the UNSC. Though local insurgents are considered the likely culprits, the truth is far more horrific than anyone could have imagined.

Welcome to Reach[modifier]

Intel on the planet Reach—humanitys chief military stronghold and shipyard.

Apart from Earth, the planet of Reach is humanity’s most important world. Here’s everything you need to know before your feet hit the ground.

Halo 101[modifier]

Timeline[modifier]

The key events in the grand chronology of the Halo Universe.

• 

  The firing of the Halo Array: 100,000 BCE.

• 

  Invention of the Shaw-Fujikawa Translight Engine: 2291 CE.

• 

  Human colonization begins: 2362 CE.

• 

  Colonization surges throughout the galaxy: 2390 CE - 2490 CE.

• 

  The seeds of dissension: 2478 CE.

• 

  Insurrection and its repercussions: 2494 CE.

• 

  The new threat: 2525 CE.

• 

  Outer Colonies obliterated: 2525 CE - 2535 CE.

• 

  The Siege of the Inner Colonies: 2535 CE - 2552[sic].

• 

  The discovery of Halo: 2552 CE.

• 

  The end of the war: 2553 CE.

Heroes and Villains[modifier]

A look at central characters in the Halo Universe.

• 

  Master Chief Petty Officer John-117.

• 

  Cortana.

• 

  Captain Jacob Keyes.

• 

  Staff Sergeant Avery Johnson.

• 

  Commander Miranda Keyes.

• 

  Fleet Admiral Lord Terrence Hood.

• 

  Arbiter Thel 'Vadam.

• 

  Shipmaster Rtas 'Vadum.

• 

  The Prophets of Truth, Regret and Mercy.

• 

  Tartarus, Chieftain of the Brutes.

• 

  The Forerunners.

• 

  343 Guilty Spark.

• 

  The Gravemind and the Flood.

While the characters of Halo are great in number, at their core, they represent very simple ideals—ideals which resonate with all of us. This is perhaps why the saga of Halo is so gripping and relevant, despite being firmly set half a millennium in the future.

There are heroes and villains, allies and enemies, bystanders and opportunists, prey and predator—all of whose decisions and actions form the tapestry of the Halo saga. And though things like majestic vistas, emotive sonatas, and frenetic Multiplayer modes are more readily lauded, the story and its players are where the heart and soul of Halo lie.

The Basics[modifier]

A brief overview of the story of Halo.

The Forerunners[modifier]

The discovery of the Floods.

Long before Humanity shed its own terrestrial bonds, an ancient race known as the Forerunners had already mastered the heavens. Using their advanced technology, they took it upon themselves to protect all life in the galaxy. But when a threat emerged from the blackness beyond their stars, the Forerunners were caught off guard.

The Flood, a parasitic species which could only spread through the infection of sentient beings, had already rooted itself on a variety of worlds within the Milky Way. By the time the Forerunners took action, it was too late; the Flood had already surpassed any efforts at containment.

The Array[modifier]

A catastrophic last-ditch effort.

Indisponible

Humanity's Plight[modifier]

Insurrection and the SPARTAN-II project.

The Covenant[modifier]

The newfound threat.

The Covenant were consumed with mankind's destruction, crushing every human population they could find. But despite being greatly outnumbered, the Spartans engaged the alien enemy in groundside conflicts, frustrating the Covenant’s advancement every step of the way. Nevertheless, each terrestrial victory ultimately proved insignificant, because the Covenant dominated space battles without contest.

Still, it wasn't until the alien forces attacked the planet of Reach, on the veritable doorstep of Earth, that the legendary Spartans fell. Humanity found itself standing on the brink of extinction.

Halo[modifier]

The discovery of Halo.

Indisponible

The Ark and aftermath[modifier]

The final battle against the Covenant.

Indisponible

Events[modifier]

Lost With All Hands[modifier]

The Halo Wars story retold.

Visegrad at Dawn[modifier]

A critical relay outpost on the planet Reach goes offline.

The Arbiter Part 1[modifier]

A look at the legendary role of the Arbiter.

Indisponible

The Arbiter Part 2[modifier]

A look at the legendary role of the Arbiter.

Indisponible

The Arbiter Part 3[modifier]

A look at the legendary role of the Arbiter.

Indisponible

The Long Road to Home[modifier]

A look at the story in between Halo 2 and Halo 3.

Assault on the Stars 1[modifier]

Noble Team sets their sights on the Covenant supercarrier, Long Night of Solace.

Assault on the Stars 2[modifier]

Noble launches into space, setting into motion Operation: UPPER CUT.

Assault on the Stars 3[modifier]

After defending Anchor 9 from a Covenant assault, Noble Six returns the favor to a nearby corvette.

Ten Twenty[modifier]

The events on and around October 20, 2552.