Halo Waypoint/The Universe

Tech[modifier | modifier le wikicode]

Magnum[modifier | modifier le wikicode]

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:

- M6A – Standard issue/black polymer finish
- M6B – “Officer's model”—issued with smart-linked scope [KFA-2]/hard chrome finish
- M6C – “Up-sized,” standard issue/black polymer finish
- M6C/SOCOM – Accurized—issued with smart-linked scope [VnSLS/V 6E]/black polymer finish
- M6D – ”Up-sized,” ”Officer's model”—issued with smart-linked scope [KFA-2]/hard chrome finish
- M6E – Standard issue/electroless nickel finish
- M6F – “Officer's model”—issued with smart-linked scope [KFA-2]/electroless nickel finish
- M6G – “Up-sized,” standard issue/electroless nickel finish
- M6H – “Up-sized,” ”Officer's model”—issued with smart-linked scope [KFA-2]/electroless nickel finish
- M6I – Select-fire variant; detachable shoulder-stock/black polymer finish
- M6J/C – Carbine variant; 355mm barrel, detachable shoulder-stock/electroless nickel finish
- M6K – Police "undercover" variant; 6 round magazine capacity/black polymer finish

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.

Système d'arme défensive personnelle M6.

Le magnum est sans aucun doute l'arme de poing la plus célèbre de l'arsenal des forces armées de l'UNSC, de la police locale et même des criminels humains. Conçue et produite par l'Armurerie Misriah, la série M6 est composée d'une large gamme d'armes à détente et magasin possédant de nombreuses variantes et personnalisations, officiellement, elles sont produites en trois finitions : chromes renforcé, polymère noir et plaqué nickel.

Parmi les nombreuses variantes en production, voici les plus répandues :

- M6A : version standard/finition polymère
- M6B : modèle « Officiers » équipé du viseur [KFA-2]/finition chrome
- M6C : « Taille supérieure », version standard/finition polymère
- M6C/SOCOM : plus précis, équipé du viseur [VnSLS/V 6E]/finition polymère
- M6D : « Taille supérieure », modèle « Officiers », équipé du viseur [KFA-2]/finition chrome
- M6E : version standard/finition nickel
- M6F : modèle « Officiers » équipé du viseur [KFA-2]/finition nickel
- M6G : « Taille supérieure », version standard/finition nickel
- M6H : « Taille supérieure », modèle « Officiers », équipé du viseur [KFA-2]/finition nickel
- M6I : sélection du mode de tir, crosse épaule détachable/finition polymère
- M6J/C : variante carabine du pistolet à canon 355mm, crosse épaule détachable/finition nickel
- M6K : variante Police « agent infiltré », magasin à 6 balles/finition polymère

Ces armes utilisent généralement des munitions 12,7 x 40mm SAP-HE (perçage semi-blindage, hautement explosives) pour une efficacité maximale au combat, malgré leur design encombrant. Plusieurs variantes sont équipées du viseur à lien intelligent KFA-2 qui permet le transfert de données directement de l'arme à l'affichage tête haut de l'utilisateur. La série M6 est depuis des décennies une composante de base de l'armement de l'UNSC, doublée d'une arme puissante et efficace contre l'infanterie humaine et extraterrestre, ce qui ne devrait pas changer au cours des années à venir.

Assault Rifle[modifier | modifier le wikicode]

MA1-MA5 Individual Combat Weapon Systems

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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:

- MA2B – Used sparsely across the UNSC Special Forces with .390 caliber ammunition.
- MA3A – Currently out of production, but still heavily used in the black market and by terrorist organizations.
- MA37 – Consistently in production since 2437, and still heavily favored by the UNSC Army.
- MA5B – Used effectively at short-range by the UNSC Marine Corps and Navy at 60 rounds per magazine.
- MA5C – Used effectively at short-to-mid-range by the UNSC Marine Corps and Navy with 32 rounds per magazine.
- MA5K – A cut-down, carbine variant with a 30 round magazine size, used almost exclusively during Special Forces operations.

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 | modifier le wikicode]

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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 | modifier le wikicode]

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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 | modifier le wikicode]

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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 | modifier le wikicode]

M9 High Explosive-Dual Purpose Antipersonnel Grenade

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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 | modifier le wikicode]

M12 Force Application Vehicle

Warthog 1.
Warthog 2.
Gauss Warthog 1.
Gauss Warthog 2.
Rocket Warthog 1.
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 | modifier le wikicode]

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 | modifier le wikicode]

M9 Wolverine MAAT

Maximum firepower.
Mobility.
XM511 Grenade Launcher.
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.

M9 Wolverine MAAT

Le tank antiaérien Wolverine (dénomination officielle : M9 Wolverine) est une unité énigmatique de l'UNSC. En effet, le Wolverine n'est pas utilisé comme un « tank » traditionnel (machine équipée d'un blindage ultra résistant et d'un arsenal destructeur). Cette classification est basée sur la période de développement de ce véhicule qui coïncide avec celle des principaux tanks de combat actuellement utilisés par l'UNSC (NDLR : uniquement pour le châssis et l'architecture générale). Si l'on étudie l'arsenal du Wolverine, il est aisé de comprendre pourquoi une telle classification est anecdotique, même si elle peut s'avérer pertinente sur le champ de bataille.

Le Wolverine est équipé du MLRS ou Système de lance-roquettes multiple que l'armée a utilisé de nombreuses façons depuis la seconde moitié du XXe siècle. Issue de l'ancien GSRS (Système de roquettes pour soutien général), cette technologie est le fruit de la collaboration de nombreuses nations terriennes. L'architecture multicapsules du Wolverine permet de tirer des salves de missiles Argent V sur les unités aériennes. Cette technique est particulièrement destructrice et efficace lorsqu'elle est utilisée en rafales et de manière stratégique.

Le Wolverine est également équipé d'un lance-grenades XM511 rotatif. Bien que beaucoup moins puissante que le canon d'un tank d'assaut, cette arme, particulièrement efficace pour éliminer l'infanterie et les blindés lourds, est le complément idéal de l'élément DCA principal dans les zones où les Scorpions ou les Grizzlies n'ont pas été déployés. Dans les moments les plus désespérés, des commandants de Wolverine ont même dirigé leurs missiles Argent V vers des cibles au sol, transformant ainsi l'arsenal antiaérien de leurs blindés en une artillerie courte portée dévastatrice.

Au fil des années, le Wolverine n'a jamais cessé de faire ses preuves au combat, particulièrement pendant la guerre avec les Covenants, où la mobilité et une forte puissance de tir étaient essentielles.

Prototype[modifier | modifier le wikicode]

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.”

Le résultat ultrasecret du double projet HRUNTING et YGGDRASIL.

Sous la direction du vice-amiral Danforth Whitcomb, le service de renseignement de la Marine (ONI) a créé un certain nombre de projets avec des noms de code secrets, du début à la moitié du XXVIe siècle, notamment les programmes les plus connus que sont SPARTAN-II et MJOLNIR. Un autre de ces programmes, connu à la fois sous le nom de HRUNTING et YGGDRASIL, était un système de défense d'armure nucléaires qui pouvait être activé par un simple Marine.

Contrairement à l'autre armure plus compacte de MJOLNIR, l'armure HRUNTING/YGGRADSIL présentait des résultats qui ne nécessitaient pas d'augmentation intensive des risques biologiques pour l'opérateur et pas conséquent, était bien plus onéreuse à concevoir et à fabriquer. Très peu de personnes ont pu se targuer d'avoir vu cette technologie à l’œuvre, car elle est restée à l'état plus ou moins secret asse tardivement dans la guerre contre les Covenants, mais on sait qu'au moins une armure a été déployée au combat avant d'être sabotée par l'ONI soi-disant comme mesure préventive.

Les systèmes de défense mécanique et les capacités balistiques de HRUNTING/YGGDRASIL sont très étendus et dépassent beaucoup MJOLNIR dans presque tous les domaines à l'exception de sa mobilité bio-ergonomique et de sa taille. Bien que l'intégralité de ses caractéristiques n'ait jamais été rendue publique, les rapports ont indiqués que cette armure était équipée des composants suivants :

Prototype d'exosquelette Mark I HRUNTING/YGGDRASIL basé sur une couche d'alliages de titanium et de microfibres de titanium nanocomposite

Technologie de boucliers dissipatif local dynamique

T261 Lucifer AMGG (Gatling monté sur bras) avec des balles à forte explosion de 20 mm, stabilisateur à double poignée

Claymore magnétique de type 18/de style baïonnette pouvant être amorcé, attaché, empalé sur des surfaces non magnétiques

Capteur de mouvement avec portée de 1400 m (dans le mode carte) sur des surfaces planes avec une obstruction minimale

2 x stabilisateurs VTOL ventraux / 2 x stabilisateurs VTOL dorsaux / 4 x propulseurs postcombustion

Missiles LAU-181D/SGM-151 autoguidés à forte explosion, portés à l'épaule

Fusil sans recule monté sur armure RCL Magellan M149 avec balles de 105 mm à forte explosion

On raconte qu'un autre composant était une séquence d'autodestruction par fission nucléaire au plomb de 300 MTA (conformément au protocole Cole et aux conditions hivernales) qui aurait réutilisé les composants de fusion du système d'énergie de l'armure et aurait commencé par un compte à rebours par palier qui ne pourrait être achevé que par l'obtention d'un code de commande vocale, ce code exact n'ayant jamais été révélé au public. Cette méthode fait fortement penser à un style kamikaze plutôt qu'à un simple système de sécurité. Puisqu'elle reste illégale aux yeux de plusieurs conventions, son statut reste officiellement "sécuritaire ".

Falcon[modifier | modifier le wikicode]

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 | modifier le wikicode]

D77 Civilian Pelican New Mombasa Police Department

Design: Chassis remains similar to military variant.
Optics: Optical surveillance systems gird its prow.
NMPD insigna: Color and emblems designate affiliation.
Protection: Armored chassis protects against threats.
Deployment: Primary function is still unit.
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 | modifier le wikicode]

AC-220 Vulture Gunship

Robust arsenal.
Formidable opponent.
Heavy armor.
AC-220 Vulture.
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.

Hélicoptère vautour AC-220

Sans aucun doute le plus gros de sa catégorie, l'hélicoptère d'attaque Vautour AC-220 est le véhicule de combat aérien préféré de l'UNSC pour les batailles aériennes et terrestres de longue haleine, tout particulièrement lorsque l'objectif consiste à détruire une imposante forteresse ennemie. Conçu en 2498 pour étouffer la rébellion naissante dans les colonies extérieures, le Vautour AC-220 arbore une silhouette contemporaine qui n'est pas sans rappeler celle d'un tank, même si cet hélicoptère emprunte ses principales caractéristiques aux AC-47, AC-130 et AC-163, conçus 500 ans auparavant.

Peu rapide, le Vautour est néanmoins extrêmement maniable et d'une efficacité redoutable grâce au rayon d'action de 360 degrés que lui offrent ses systèmes de propulsion à décollage et atterrissage verticaux et ses missiles A-74 dorsaux. De plus, son blindage en titane renforcé le rend particulièrement résistant lors des combats aériens, même contre l'impressionnante force de frappe covenante.

L'équipement de l'AC-220 est aussi complet qu'intimidant. Fixée au châssis avant, la batterie de canons automatiques de type GUA-23/AW peut tirer directement sur l'infanterie et transpercer les armures légères pour en faire des copeaux. À l'arrière se trouvent deux emplacements pour roquettes à guidage autonome : le lance-missiles vertical Sylver A-74 et le porte-missiles double Argent V. Tous deux spécifiquement conçus pour concentrer une puissance de feu massive sur une même cible, ces systèmes balistiques sont capables de transpercer n'importe quelle armure ou n'importe quel bouclier d'énergie. Bien entendu, leur utilisation combinée est dévastatrice.

Pouvant accueillir six membres d'équipage, le Vautour AC-220 de l'UNSC est un véhicule dont le pilotage est réservé aux plus expérimentés. Cet hélicoptère de combat était efficace contre les Covenants, mais en raison de sa taille, de son coût de fabrication et de son manque de protection radioactive nécessaire aux voyages spatiaux, il ne fut utilisé qu'au cours des combats majeurs de cette guerre.

Sabre[modifier | modifier le wikicode]

YSS-1000

Profile.
Top.
Above front/Above back.
Front/Back.
Pilot's cabin.
Angled.

Highly-classified—to the extent that three prior administrations adamantly denied its existence—the Sabre program offers the UNSC’s best option for swift, versatile, and lethal planetary defense. Developed for fighter combat against enemy forces in orbit above Inner Colony worlds, the YSS-1000 or "Sabre" is extensively equipped with a heavy arsenal, a cabin for two operators, and the ability to be launched from a planet’s surface without the use of asynchronous linear-induction, traditional nuclear technology, or other conventional means of off-world transit.
The Sabre is built for the dual purposes of peak acceleration and maneuverability in orbital combat, accomplishing some feats that many ground-to-space-capable vessels are simply incapable of. Its armament further enhances its combat appeal, carting twin M1024 ASW/AC 30mm MLAs and a pair of ST/Medusa missile pods. As such, this craft is intended specifically for lethal encounters, not simply to disrupt, disable or maim targeted craft.

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 | modifier le wikicode]

Open Frame 92 / Extra-Vehicular Activity

Propulsion:

2 x Nuclear Fusion Primary
2 x Nuclear Fusion Secondary
6 x Recursive Thrusters

Arms:

M92 Principle Gauss Cannon
2 x 80mm Ball-Mounted Rotart Cannons
12 x MITV Pods
M41 ELAAGat - Extended Light Anti-Aircraft Gun firing gas-jacketed armor piercing depleted uranium rounds.*

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.

Unité ouverte 92 / Activité extra-véhiculaire.

Unité ouverte 92 / Activité extra-véhiculaire

Propulsion :

2 x Fusion nucléaire principale
2 x Fusion nucléaire secondaire
2 x propulseurs récusifs

Armes :

M92 Canon Gauss principal
2 x Canons rotatifs à boulets de 80mm
12 x Capsules MITV
M41 ELAAGat - Fusil antiaérien extrêmement léger tirant des salvers d'uranium appauvri entourées de gaz et antichar*.

Système de défense :

Technologie protective - RÉDIGÉ
Contre-mesures à leurre/plasma

Le contenu atmosphérique pressurisé des obus garantit une percussion explosive dans un environnement de vide ou d'autres environnements difficiles.

L'Unité Booster est un véhicule d'attaque lourdement armé conçu spécifiquement pour l'hyperespace et les environnements de combat rapproché. L'objectif principal des armes qui l'équipent est de « perturber/submerger/adapter », une technique utilisée pour gérer le double problème des boucliers à champ protecteur et du blindage renforcé. S'il est utilisé conjointement avec les IEM, la puissance d'explosion et de projection peut générer des incisions chirurgicales dans des défenses à grande échelle qui n'auraient pas pu être franchies autrement.

Seules deux missions connues dont état de l'utilisation de l'Unité Booster.

Comme son cockpit ouvert en donne la preuve, il a été conçu en même temps que le projet MJOLNIR et en association avec les recherches sur la technologie AEV ou « Activité extravéhiculaire » à la suite de l'incident du Summa hyperespace. Il a été spécialement pensé pour les unités SPARTAN-II améliorées et n'est totalement exploitable que dans des environnements d'impesanteur/microgravité ou d'introsphère/troposphère basse. Il n'a aucune propriété aérodynamique en dehors de sa masse de base et de son quotient de poussée. Les Unités Booster sont directement déployées dans le vide grâce à un système spécial de treuils hydrauliques qui s'ouvre depuis la baie ventrale d'un certain nombre de navires de combat améliorés de l'UNSC et de véhicules des services secrets de l'ONI.

UO92/AEV a été conçu par le Bureau du service de renseignements de la Marine en coopération avec les Opérations spéciales de la Marine et l'université de Songnam. Comme pour de nombreux projets ONI, les analyses et les résultats matériels potentiels ont été classés top secret. En raison de leur manque d'intérêt sur le terrain, l'ONI et l'UNSC n'ont pas prévu d'application ou de production à grande échelle. En fait, techniquement, elles sont classées par l'organisme de navigation et de logistique de la marine comme munitions aériennes plutôt que comme appareils d'aviation.

Drop Pod[modifier | modifier le wikicode]

A method of troop deployment.

SOEIV: The angular yet blunt design of a standard SOEIV.
Breach: A single drop pod enters the Earth's atmosphere.
Landing: Some landings are safer than others.
Architecture: Exterior and interior architecture of the SOEIV.
In Amber Clad: HEVs being deployed from UNSC In Amber Clad.
Brakes: SOEIVs use braking chutes to generate drag.
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.

Méthode de déploiement de troupes.

Le VIEOU, Véhicule d'Insertion Exoatmoshérique à Occupant Unique, plus couramment appelé nacelle de largage, est une variante du Véhicule d'Entrée Humain, le VEH, une méthode de déploiement de troupes depuis des altitudes très élevées et dans de nombreux cas, depuis l'espace. Les nacelles de largage sont généralement utilisées par les ODST, bien que les Marines et même les Spartans les aient utilisées dans certaines circonstances.

L'objet rectangulaire, angulaire et peu maniable mesure la plupart du temps 5 mètres de long de la tête à la queue, avec un corps massif d'environ trois mètres et une largeur équivalente, bien que les VEH diffèrent en taille et en forme. Dans un VIEOU standard, un occupant a accès à une ceinture ant-crash et à des ceintures de sécurité, aux commandes de manœuvre de la nacelle et à de nombreux systèmes de ocmmunication qui permettent la synchronisation avec d'autres nacelles déployées pendant un largage donné. Les portes-armes et portes-équipements sont remplis avant le largage et une fois que le largage est terminé, la seule ouverture est activée au moyen d'un système de verrous à gaz explosifs déclenché par l'occupant.

À l'origine, les largages de combat de ce genre ont été utilisés pendant les guerres au début du 20ème siècle par les troupes de paras qui s'en servaient pour passer les lignes ennemies. Au 26ème siècle, les raisons d'un tel déploiement ont très peu changé, bien que l'omniprésence de pluies de météorites et autres débris spatiaux ajoute une autre dimension stratégique à ce genre d'insertion. Les ODST sont généralement déployés de très haut depuis une position à l'extérieur de l'atmosphère et sont lancés vers la surface de la planète jusqu'à ce qu'ils transpercent l'atmosphère. À ce moment, l'occupant tombe en chute libre à grande vitesse jusqu'à ce que le système de freinage automatique de la nacelle soit enclenché, projetant celle-ci vers l'avant avant qu'elle ne touche la terre, en vue d'un atterrissage sécurisé.

Cependant, de nombreux largages se terminent mal. Ces appareils ne contenant qu'un seul occupant, le taux d'usure général est peu élevé mais il existe un risque de plus en plus fréquent de dysfonctionnement matériel ou d'erreur d'utilisation qui le rend extrêmement dangereux. Pourtant, ce genre d'infiltration reste courant, même parmi des espèces différentes. Pendant la guerre avec les Covenants, l'UNSC a remarqué que les troupes d'Élites étaient déployées au cours du combat, avec les nacelles d'équipement et d'autres types de matériel, à l'aide de moyens semblables. Certains rapports indiquent même qu'un ancien parasite qui vivant en dehors de la galaxie avait utilisé une méthode semblable au travers de larges étendues de l'espace, une preuve de l'efficacité générale de la science et de la philosophie de ce genre de techniques.

UNSC The Heart of Midlothian[modifier | modifier le wikicode]

A significant UNSC warship during the conflict with the Covenant.

The Heart of Midlothian: A powerful UNSC destroyer.
Schematics: An early hull design.
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 | modifier le wikicode]

A detailed look at the infamous Covenant ship.

Shape: The amphibious architecture of the battlecruiser.
Armor: A cruisers' energy shields reinforce their armor.
Undercarriage: Ship's undercarriage reveals its intricate design.
Architecture: The origin of the cruiser's design is a mystery.
Bow: Up close, the vessel remains a daunting sight.
Stern: The aft of the vessel holds its propulsion system.
Retribution: The Fleet of Retribution heads to the Sol System.
Profile: The battlecruiser’s profile is elegant and sleek.
Gravity Lift: When lowered, this platform becomes a gravity lift.
Contrast: A cruiser near the much larger assault carrier.
Bay Doors: Two of the four hangar bay doors on a cruiser.
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.

Une présentation du tristement célèbre vaisseau covenant.

Depuis le début, le croiseur de combat est le moyen de transport intergalactique principal des Covenants. Contrairement aux grands vaisseaux de combats ou aux très agressifs destroyers, le croiseur de combat joue un rôle intermédiaire : navire de guerre parfaitement armé, il a la capacité de déployer les ressources militaires nécessaires. Et ceci doit être essentiel au vu de la fréquence de son utilisation par rapport aux autres navires covenants connus.

Ce croiseur de combat standard, qui mesure près de 2 kilomètres de long, est conforme à l'architecture habituelle d'un vaisseau covenant : une conception amphibienne racée aux contours élégants et à la symétrie parfaite. À son châssis sont accrochés quatre hangars arrières sur une grande plateforme circulaire, qui peuvent être détachés et descendus à la surface d'une planète. Le vaisseau génère alors un rayon de gravité verticale entre le sol et lui qui transporte l'infanterie, les ressources et le matériel. À l'intérieur du vaisseau, les différentes baies sont constituées de salle d'ingénierie et d'armurerie, de casernes et d'installations médicales et religieuses, toutes découpées en compartiments reliés les un aux autres par un réseau d'étroits couloirs et d'ascenseurs. Caché au centre du vaisseau se trouve le pont de commandement, une grande salle avec un pont central sur lequel seuls les officiers les plus gradés peuvent se rendre.

Une quantité considérables d'informations sur les croiseurs de combat covenants a été découverte en septembre 2552 dans un navire CCS infiltré et capturé par les forces de l'UNSC juste au-dessus d'un anneau extraterrestre appelé Halo. Le Master Chief et une poignée de Marines ont attaqué le vaisseau Vérité et Réconciliation au moment où il faisait descendre au sol des troupes et des ressources et ont fini par se frayer un chemin à l'intérieur pour récupérer le capitaine Jacob Keyes qui avait été fait prisonnier par les Covenants.

Quelques mois plus tard, le Prophète du Regret allait assiéger la Terre avec une petite flotte composée de deux croiseurs d'attaque et de treize croiseurs de combat, ces derniers ayant la lourde tâche de poursuivre les velléités guerrières des Covenants après que les humains aient rapidement détruit un des croiseurs d'attaque et aient forcé l'autre à reculer. Les croiseurs de combat continuèrent à occuper les navires de l'UNSC dans l'espace tout en déployant des forces d'expédition et de reconnaissance sur la planète dans un effort coordonné pour localiser un artefact religieux très important.

Durant la guerre, le croiseur de combat a maintes fois prouvé qu'il était un élément fiable et essentiel de l'occupation de l'espace par les Covenants, leur offrant un avantage numérique, stratégique et technologique. Alors que l'humanité associera certainement et pour longtemps le croiseur de combat à l'horreur et à la mort, ironiquement, ce sera la flotte du châtiment menée par les Élites et composée d'une armada de huit croiseurs de combat, qui mettra finalement un terme aux ravages des Covenants et à la guerre, très loin au-dessus de l'installation Foreunner appelée l'Arche.

UNSC Say My Name[modifier | modifier le wikicode]

Human fleet: One of eight cruisers within Earth's fleet...
Game plan: Briefing table lies adjacent to deployment bays...
Still: Despite the war, its interior remains still...
Deployment: ODSTs were to converge on Regret's carrier...
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 | modifier le wikicode]

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.

Accélération magnétique pendant le combat.

Bien que Karl Friedrich Gauss soit un sujet de conversation peu probable dans l'armée, chaque soldat de l'UNSC connaît les principes de base d'induction magnétique dont le scientifique est l'inventeur. Si les détails en sont complexes, les valeurs fondatrices de cette technologie sont assez simples. Déclencher des courants d'énergie magnétique dans un ordre séquentiel peut accélérer un objet de manière exponentielle, le projetant à une vitesse extrêmement élevée. Dans le jargon scientifique, on appelle ce processus "l'induction linéaire asynchrone".

Alors que cette technologie était utilisée pour le transport pendant toute la durée du 21ème siècle, et même après, ce n'est que beaucoup plus tard que furent créées des machines comme les catapultes électromagnétiques. Basées sur le même principe, ces catapultes pouvaient lancer des charges depuis la Terre afin de les livrer dans l'espace à une vitesse supersonique.

Ce n'est que peu de temps après que l'armée a commencé à explorer une utilisation plus stratégique de cette technologie, les première applications sur le terrain étant les précurseurs du canon de Gauss. Et bien que l'utilisation d'un champ magnétique pour guider les objets à haute densité soit devenue très utile au combat, elle l'était encore plus dans l'espace, débarrassée des conditions atmosphériques et de la gravité.

Les applications les plus courantes d'induction magnétique connues sur des planètes sont le LAAV Warthog M12G1 et le Cobra SP42 de l'UNSC qui utilisent des moteurs à induction linéaire M68 et M66. Les canons à accélérateurs magnétiques, ou canons AM, utilisent également cette technologie. Ces énormes armes, assises sur des plateformes orbitales qui entourent certains mondes, sont organisés en batteries de combat et sont la première ligne de défense de la planète contre les attaques extérieures.

D'autres applications moins connues, mais tout aussi importantes, sont la Colonne M99, un fusil sniper utilisé pendant l'opération : TRÉBUCHET et le prototype OF92/EVA, ou Cadre d'accélération, de l'ONI, qui, selon la rumeur, a été déployé pendant de nombreuses opérations spatiales classées top secrètes.

The MJOLNIR Project 1[modifier | modifier le wikicode]

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

It was common knowledge within Section Three of the Office of Naval Intelligence that Doctor Catherine Halsey was working on something critical to the UNSC’s war efforts—just what that was remained a mystery for quite some time. When the Spartans’ existence was finally revealed, much fanfare was paid to their enhanced combat abilities and reinforced physical bodies. But what might have mattered most was their armor—the one thing which would protect them in the most brutal of combat scenarios.
That armor was called MJOLNIR, and this is its story...

The MJOLNIR Project 2[modifier | modifier le wikicode]

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

In August of 2552, nearly all surviving SPARTAN-II super-soldiers returned to the planet Reach to be briefed on a top-secret mission. When they arrived, they were equipped with the MJOLNIR Mark V armor—a specialized upgrade to the existing armor that had been serving them well for decades.
Mark V, however, was only the tip of the iceberg. For years, the UNSC and ONI had already been crafting a large number of variations on this armor—all of them customized toward specific attributes and functions on varied battlefields. These steps would play a crucial role in the battles to come, creating specialized classes and teams designed for specific purposes.

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 | modifier le wikicode]

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 | modifier le wikicode]

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.

Une ancienne technologie réutilisée.

Contrairement à l'humanité, dont les avancées technologiques naquirent de l'exploration et de tentatives répétées, les Prophètes et les Élites utilisèrent les artéfacts Forerunners pour leurs propres avancées. Les opérations de rétroingénierie sur ces reliques permirent aux Covenants de progresser dans de nombreux domaines, de la technologie matérielle générale à la manipulation spatiale extrêmement précise de l'hyperespace. Parfois, ces avancées culturelles artificielles révélèrent le manque de compréhension et l'ignorance générale des Covenants sur l'utilisation prévue de ces artéfacts par les Forerunners.

Un exemple pertinent de cette situation a été répertorié par l'UNSC sous le nom « TDM » ou Technologie de dispersion modulaire, soit le démontage rapide et à grande échelle des vaisseaux spatiaux covenants en plein vol et, dans certaines situations, pendant une bataille. Lorsque les vaisseaux avaient subi d'importants dégâts ou étaient victimes de failles atmosphériques, plutôt que de retourner directement dans une base navale ou un centre de réparation, les Covenants pouvaient tout simplement détacher des parties non vitales des vaisseaux endommagées et continuer le combat. Certains vaisseaux parvenaient même à rentrer en hyperespace.

En raison de l'architecture modulaire des vaisseaux, conçue grâce à la découverte de plusieurs machines Forerunner, un vaisseau endommagé pouvait parfaitement fonctionner même après s'être débarrassé de plusieurs parties de sa coque et de sa masse globale. Lors de son retour en station de réparation, le navire pouvait alors être reconstitué et redéployé sans dysfonctionnement majeur. Cette fonctionnalité correspond bien à l'esprit des Covenants qui préfèrent l'utilisation simultanée de composants superflus à un système centralisé pour leur vaisseaux.

Bien que les Forerunners aient pu occasionnellement utiliser cette technologie dans ce but, on a découvert que l'origine de la TDM s'inscrit au début de la guerre contre les Parasites. Lorsque les implacables Parasites franchissaient le bouclier et la coque d'un vaisseau de guerre, les Forerunners mettaient cette mesure en place pour désactiver les sections infectées de leurs vaisseaux et s'en débarrasser pendant la bataille. Le vide aspirait alors les Parasites restants dans les parties inertes, offrant une victoire à la Pyrrhus sur l'écrasante domination des Parasites.

Seuls quelques exemples ont été enregistrés de l'utilisation efficace par les Covenants de cette technologie pour les combats navals mais ceux-ci restent un mystère.

The Covenant on Reach[modifier | modifier le wikicode]

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 | modifier le wikicode]

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 | modifier le wikicode]

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 | modifier le wikicode]

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 | modifier le wikicode]

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 | modifier le wikicode]

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 | modifier le wikicode]

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 | modifier le wikicode]

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 | modifier le wikicode]

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 | modifier le wikicode]

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 | modifier le wikicode]

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 | modifier le wikicode]

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 | modifier le wikicode]

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 | modifier le wikicode]

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.

Chasseur polyvalent exoatmosphérique de Type 27

Observé pour la première fois en 2527, le chasseur banshee est l'un des nombreux vaisseaux spatiaux polyvalents des Covenants. Son architecture générale est typique du design covenant, avec des contours lisses et une segmentation organique similaire à tout le matériel et les structures de ces extraterrestres. Même s'il semble partager de nombreuses caractéristiques avec le banshee T-25[sic], son profil aérodynamique et les pièces qui le composent ont été spécifiquement conçus pour ce vaisseau.

Les ailes du banshee T-27 possèdent un système de poussée similaire, mais elles ont un profil plus avancé et elles ont subi une modification mécanique pour rendre ce vaisseau incroyablement manœuvrable dans l'apesanteur du vide inter spatial. Le chasseur dispose également d'un stabilisateur renforcé sur sa queue pour gérer les turbulences de transitions entre les conditions d'apesanteur lors de son arrimage. Mais la caractéristique la plus spéciale du T-27 est certainement ses imposants canons plasma jumeaux installés à l'avant de l'appareil. La puissance de feu qu'ils fournissent améliore la portée et la performance de l'armement du vaisseau, bien mieux pourvu pour les combats dans l'espace que le T-25[sic].

Un chasseur banshee est efficace contre des armes stationnaires et l'infanterie équipée d'EVA, mais c'est manifestement lorsqu'il est déployé en nombre que le T-27 est le plus redoutable. Les formations de banshees peuvent maîtriser des chasseurs des plus lourdement armés, voir même des vaisseaux plus imposants, comme les frégates et les croiseurs humains. Et même si les forces navales covenantes s'appuient principalement sur les chasseurs seraph pour les combats à un vaisseau, les banshees jouent souvent un rôle critique dans l'interception et les manœuvres d'interférence et de diversion, pour faire pencher la balance en faveur des Covenants dans les plus grandes batailles spatiales.

Spirit[modifier | modifier le wikicode]

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 | modifier le wikicode]

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 | modifier le wikicode]

Algolis[modifier | modifier le wikicode]

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 | modifier le wikicode]

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.

Un abri forerunner contre l'activation du dispositif Halo.

Bien que les Forerunners aient été responsables de la création du dispositif Halo, un réseau d'armes qui était constitué de sept installations en forme d'anneau éparpillées dans toute la galaxie, leur plan contre les Parasites comprenait un autre élément critique.

Les « boucliers » ou « mondes-boucliers » furent également créées pour constituer des abris contre l'holocauste galactique déclenché par l'activation du Halo. En réponse à l'expansion brutale et virulente des Parasites dans toute la galaxie, les Forerunners allaient activer le dispositif Halo, et placer des formes de vie qui pourraient être sauvées dans ces mondes-boucliers. Bien que des documents historiques n'existent que sur deux de ces installations, les différences qui existent entre elles sont nettes et intéressantes.

La première fut découverte en 2531, lorsque le Spirit of Fire de l'UNSC découvrit par hasard une planète lointaine dans des régions inexplorées de la galaxie. Alors que le vaisseau voyageait vers ce monde, il fut soudainement aspiré dans une ouverture à sa surface qui le mena à l'intérieur de la planète. À l'intérieur, son équipage découvrit que la structure entière était une sphère Micro Dyson créée artificiellement et en forme de coquille avec une immense surface intérieure et un soleil brûlant en son centre.

Pendant leur exploration de ce mystérieux monde-bouclier, les membres de l'équipage du Spirit découvrirent que les Parasites avaient, d'une façon ou d'une autre façon ou d'une autre, été relâchés à sa surface, ces mêmes Parasites contre lesquels l'installation était censée les protéger. Après des combats contre les Covenants à l'intérieur de la planète, le Spirit dut se résoudre à détruire le monde-bouclier, les vagues de Parasites et une flotte forerunner abandonnée que les Covenants cherchaient frénétiquement à activer.

Vingt ans plus tard, un contingent du personnel de l'ONI et des Spartans se retrouvèrent par hasard sur une planète lointaine et inconnue, appelée Onyx. Cette planète allait également s'avérer être un monde-bouclier des Forerunners et alors que son objectif final était semblable à celui d'Algolis, sa mise en œuvre allait être entièrement différente.

Au centre d'Onyx se trouvait une fissure artificielle de l'hyperespace, un concept technologique qui dépassait largement tout ce que l'humanité avait pu rencontrer auparavant. Utilisant cette fissure pour échapper à l'armée covenante, les humains se retrouvèrent avec une nouvelle sphère Micro Dyson, mais celle-ci se situait en dehors de l'espace habituel. Malgré ses extraordinaires dimensions, elle était complètement dissimulée dans l'hyperespace, à l'abri des effets dévastateurs d'Halo.

Alors que ces installations étaient à la fois fascinantes et impressionnantes, personne ne sait si leur véritable objectif fut un jour atteint.

Arcadia[modifier | modifier le wikicode]

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.

Une importante colonie extérieure du début de la guerre avec les Covenants.

Arcadia, qui faisait partie du système Procyon, était une planète colonie qui ne nécessitait pas de mesures de terraformation importantes quand elle fût envisagée comme lieu d'habitation des humains. En fait, elle était couverte de forêts et de jungles denses et luxuriantes, et nombre d'entre elles restèrent d'ailleurs inexplorées pendant des dizaines d'années. Elle possédait également d'immenses réserves des éléments nécessaires à l'accueil des humains.

Comme de nombreuses colonies extérieures, Arcadia allait rapidement être exploitée sur le plan de l'agriculture et des loisirs, devenant à la fois un monde agricole et une destination touristique. Mais cette planète ne se limitait pas à ces deux industries : Arcadia était également le site de la Zone de recherche de l'hyperespace, ce qui fit ironiquement dire à certains que les Arcadiens connaissaient mieux les cieux que les jungles épaisses qui se trouvaient à leur porte.

Arcadia possédait six continents connus : Eire, Pacifica, Mu, Caledonia, Lemuria et Avalon et chacun d'eux était composé de régions provinciales, la plus peuplée étant la capitale métropolitaine, Pirth. Celle-ci fut rapidement découverte par les Covenants lors de leur arrivée au début de l'année 2531 et ces derniers consacrèrent une large partie de leurs ressources locales à sa destruction.

Bien que les forces de l'UNSC soient parvenues à repousser les Covenants, la planète allait tout de même révéler ce que ces derniers recherchaient. Au cœur de ses jungles, Arcadia dissimulaient une série de structures ancestrales présentes avant l'arrivée des humains, structures qui allaient s'avérer provenir des Forerunners. Ces reliques menèrent les Covenants vers une monde bouclier, une installation des Forerunners envisagée comme un refuge après l'incendie d'Halo Array.

Bien que les Covenants aient quitté Arcadia quelques jours plus tard, ils allaient revenir en 2549 pour éradiquer ce qui en restait. À leur arrivée, les Covenants découvrirent les Arcadiens ayant survécu dans un étrange état : la végétation avait recouvert leurs villes et ce qui restait de leur civilisation état dans un était d'anarchie totale.

Même pendant les heures les plus sombres, de nombreux Arcadiens continuèrent à faire ce qu'ils avaient toujours fait : planter et faire pousser leurs cultures pour les colonies intérieures, se raccrochant à leur commerce et aux quelques vestiges restants de leur civilisation.

En tout cas, jusqu'à ce que la planète ne soit éliminée par les Covenants, presque deux décennies plus tard.

Space Tether[modifier | modifier le wikicode]

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.

Les mécanismes et objectifs de l'ascenseur spatial en orbite

Plus de deux siècles et demi avant la guerre avec les Covenants, l'humanité se mit à construire sur Terre, le premier ascenseur spatial en orbite de la ville côtière de Nouvelle Mombasa. Ce fut le premier des six autres ascenseurs disséminées à la surface de la planète. L'ascenseur spatial en orbite finit par devenir un moyen usuel et peu cher de voyager en dehors de l'atmosphère permettant ainsi à l'UNSC et aux entités institutionnelles privées d'envoyer d'importants volumes de matériel et de personnel dans l'espace à des prix relativement bas. Généralement appelés les "élévateurs spatiaux," les ascenseurs spatiaux en orbite varient en taille et en forme mais ils sont généralement fabriqués dans le même matériaux brut. Assemblés en un composite complexe de nanofibres, ces ingrédients forment une série d'énormes cordes et cercles larges de plusieurs centaines de mètres. Ils sont attachés à un ensemble d'ancres fixées dans le sol et plus grandes que la plupart des bâtiments qui maintiennent la structure des ascenseurs en place alors que la Terre tourne sur elle-même. Le sommet de l'ascenseur, communément appelé l'"orbite" ou le "terminus," est ensuite tendu au maximum par l'inertie rotationnelle de la Terre et glisse en orbite géosynchrone à des milliers de kilomètres au-dessus de la planète. Alors que la Terre possède six ascenseurs, de nombreuses planètes des colonies extérieures en ont bien plus car les humains comptent beaucoup sur la production et l'expédition de ressources agricoles et richesses minérales de mondes lointains. Avant l'invasion covenante, la colonie agricole d'Harvest, par exemple, comptait sept ascenseurs alors que des mondes riches en minéraux en avaient jusqu'à neuf. Parmi les six ascenseurs terriens, seuls quatre restèrent intacts à la fin de l'année 2552. Le 20 octobre 2552, un incident connu sous le nom de l'événement de l'hyperespace de Nouvelle Mombasa déchira l'ascenseur de la ville et éparpilla ses restes dans l'espace jusqu'en Afrique de l'Est. Quelques semaines plus tard, un événement indépendant eut lieu le 3 novembre 2552 à La Havane à Cuba et provoqua la destruction de ce qu'on appelait alors l'Ascenseur séculaire en orbite.

Visegrad at Dawn[modifier | modifier le wikicode]

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 | modifier le wikicode]

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 | modifier le wikicode]

Timeline[modifier | modifier le wikicode]

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 | modifier le wikicode]

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 | modifier le wikicode]

A brief overview of the story of Halo.

The Forerunners[modifier | modifier le wikicode]

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 | modifier le wikicode]

A catastrophic last-ditch effort.

Indisponible

Humanity's Plight[modifier | modifier le wikicode]

Insurrection and the SPARTAN-II project.

One hundred thousand years later, mankind did finally turn to the stars. But even after developing the technology of Slipspace travel—which allowed them to colonize distant worlds—they refused to learn from their primitive nature, still choosing to fight amongst themselves. A powerful governing body known as the United Nations Space Command (UNSC) came down hard on the insurrectionist factions, but there seemed to be nothing which could halt the mounting tide of violence.
It was then that an agency referred to as the Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI) commissioned the SPARTAN-II project. This extreme measure sanctioned the abduction of young children who would be genetically engineered into the most advanced super-soldiers their race had ever seen. And for a time, this solution worked flawlessly; the Spartans meted out swift judgment against any who resisted the UNSC.

The Covenant[modifier | modifier le wikicode]

The newfound threat.

In 2525 CE, all of that changed.
The colony of Harvest was obliterated by an unknown force, a force which would later reveal itself to be the Covenant. This alliance of alien species believed that humanity was a stain which needed to be wiped from the galaxy, and they committed themselves to this belief without any question or remorse.

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.