“Banshees of legend warned of death, and today all UNSC veterans know the cry of this glittering alien terror.”
— Halo Encyclopedia
The Type-26 Ground Support Aircraft, more commonly identified as the Banshee, is an atmospheric craft that is typically used for reconnaissance, ground support, and ground attack missions. The front of the craft is lightly armored and while not particularly vulnerable to small arms, can be brought down easily by concentrated fire from infantry.
Specifications
In most designs, the cowling of the craft is purple in color and acts as an outer shell. It is equipped with two wings which terminate in a propulsion jet and an anti-gravity pod, leaving behind a signature vaporous exhaust trail while flying. The craft is capable of achieving velocities over 100 kilometres per hour (62 mph) and reaching an altitude of up to 300 meters. The onboard propulsion system has the craft constantly in motion. In addition to its versatile design, the Banshee is capable of performing complex maneuvers, such as aileron rolls and flips.
Variants
The Banshee sports two weapon pods attached underneath the fuselage. One pod contains two Class-2 plasma cannons capable of firing in 100-250 kilowatts range, and the other contains Class-2 projectile launcher.
- T-26A: First Banshee type to be cataloged by ONI after the attack on Harvest.
- T-26AZ: Used only by select artifact hunting fleets within the Covenant, including Sesa 'Refumee's forces at the Threshold gas mine.
- T-26B: A more advanced Banshee type that was languished in pre-Human-Covenant war times. Once older Banshee models had been used up in the war by 2550, this model entered widespread service. Jul 'Mdama had commissioned large amounts of these made in the
Post-war Era
- T-26BZ: An "ordained" Banshee deployed with Loka 'Bandolee's forces that were deployed with Sesa 'Refumee's.
- T-26C: The model that was part of Truth's fleet.
- Banished Variant: A model in service within The Banished faction in 2559.
- Additionally, there are two vehicles given the colloquial name 'Banshee', but which are entirely distinct models.
- T-27 XMF - A variant of the Banshee design modified for space combat.
- T-54 GSA - A post-war replacement for original the Type-26 Banshee, which was in low stock by 2558. It sports several improvements over its predecessor.
Control
Pulling the left trigger causes the Banshee to go into a momentary boost as indicated by the boost meter in the lower left hand corner of the screen. The weapon switch button switches between the plasma cannon and the fuel rod bombs. Pressing the Right Bumper while pushing forward on the left thumbstick causes the Banshee to do a short back flip while pressing back on the thumbstick causes it to do a long back flip. Pressing the Right Bumper and pushing left or right on the Right thumbstick will cause the Banshee to do an aileron roll in their respective directions.
Advantages
The Banshee's twin rapid fire plasma cannons are efficient at taking out individual infantry.
Boosting allows for quick entry and exit from combat situations or to catch up to a particular target.
Evasive abilities allow a pilot to outpace homing projectiles or opposing craft.
The Banshee is able to suppress enemy forces until backup arrives.
The Banshee's Fuel Rod shot can easily flip warthogs or mongooses, and can do sufficient damage to enemy infantry placements.
Disadvantages
The Banshee is lightly-armored and thus vulnerable to small arms fire.
The Banshee is also vulnerable to EMP devices, which can disable the craft.
The Rocket launcher can get a lock on the Banshee, and can easily home in on the craft and destroy it unless the pilot is aware and can evade.
“A noble and ancient weapon, wielded by the strongest of Sangheili, requires great skill and bravery to use, and inspires fear in those who face its elegant plasma blade.”
— Thel 'Vadamee
The Type-1 Energy Weapon/Sword, commonly known as the Energy Sword, is a close-quarters weapon of the Covenant Empire, for exclusive use of the Sangheili.
Use
The Energy Sword is the signature weapon of the Sangheili, and has been their weapon of nobility since its creation during one of their Ages of Discovery. Viewed as a holy weapon, the Sangheili pride themselves on their skills with it. They believe that it is better for a Sangheili to fall on his sword as an act to redeem his honor. The Sangheili are also very strict on who can be trained in the art of swordsmanship - only aristocrats are permitted to wield Energy Swords, and sword wielders are no longer eligible for marriage. Breeding with any female they choose is permitted, married or otherwise, to ensure successful transmission of "swordsman" genes. In service to the Covenant, Sangheili of a high or important rank are permitted to wield this weapon - lower ranks are not permitted to wield the sword because of its high status. In the Covenant, Sangheili Ultras, Sangheili Zealots, Special Operations Sangheili, Stealth Sangheili, Sangheili High Councilors, and Sangheili Honor Guardsman are permitted to use Energy Swords.
Design
The Type-1 Energy Weapon/Sword consists of a curved hilt, housing an energy storage module and a device for projecting the plasma which forms the blade. The actual blade is composed of two partially ionized 'blades' of free moving electron based gas held in a blade-like form by two small magnetic-field generators built into the handle of the weapon. This forms and contains the oval shaped, ionized blades for which the weapon is recognized. The battery's energy is reduced for each successful strike. Each killing strike from the sword will drain the battery by 10% of its energy. Once the battery power is fully depleted, the sword will deactivate unless recharged, which is impossible in the games.
The hilt of the sword (Halo 3) displays multiple Forerunner symbols. The Halo 2 version has multiple symbols that yet are unknown to be Forerunner.
The Type-1 Energy Weapon contains a failsafe mechanism witnessed during the Battle of Installation 04 that can permanently disable the weapon if the Sangheili wielding it drops it. When dropped, the failsafe engages by deactivating the magnetic field before dispersing the energy. The energy then consumes the handle and thus destroys the weapon. The failsafe is included to prevent enemy infantry from acquiring the weapon and using it, and is yet another insight to Sangheili tactics. The failsafe seems to be rarely used, or was only included in a variant of Energy Sword issued to the Covenant ground forces deployed to Installation 04 by the Fleet of Particular Justice.
Advantages
The Type-1 Energy Weapon is an extremely powerful and devastating melee weapon when applied during close quarters combat. A single slash can penetrate through the energy shield systems and into the armor and flesh of a Spartan or a Sangheili. This is due to the design of the weapon's blade, which utilizes magnetically sealed, partially ionized, free moving electron based gas rather than traditional shaped, solid matter. The Type-1 Energy Weapon's edge is therefore extremely volatile, being able to slice through even the toughest metals with ridiculous ease, including ODST battle armour and the Titanium-A class plating of UNSC destroyers.
Injuries to living creatures by the Type-1 Energy Weapon can range from bad to gruesome. Stab wounds by the Type-1 Energy Weapon are in most cases fatal — as the blade passes through the body, the innards of the body are burned and cauterized by the temperatures produced by the blades. Survival is minimal at best, and in the case of non-vital organs being stabbed with the energy sword, proper medical treatment must be applied as soon as possible, to ensure long term survival. Because of the sword's sheer destructive power, common forms of fatality to victims include impalement, loss of limbs, bodies being bisected, and decapitation.
The sheer destructive power of the sword makes it a weapon to be feared on any battlefield, and it is notable for its adverse psychological effects on human soldiers.
Disadvantages
The Type-1 Energy Weapon's most glaring downside is that it is purely a close-quarters weapon; any combat engagement outside of the effective range puts the wielder at risk. It is for this reason that the Sangheili approach sword combat on the battlefield in two different ways, by funneling the enemy into close-quarters to allow them to strike, and/ or to apply a form of stealth using both technology and technique. Without these, the user is vulnerable to attack by all forms of ranged attack, especially from sniper-based counterstrikes. Infantry with Overshields are also more resistant when facing this weapon as it can take two strikes before the shield system fails and then another for the killing blow.
Furthermore, the Type-1 Energy Weapon is vulnerable to other magnetic fields, as they can block, disrupt, or possibly even alter the functionality of the sword. Two energy blades clashing together create a small disruption of energy as a result of the same type of magnetic fields clashing together; this clash has a slight area of effect damage that can affect the combatants.
As with most other Covenant weapons, the Type-1 Energy Weapon is battery powered, requiring the user to either recharge the weapon (which can never be performed in-game) or discard it when the power is depleted. Although the handle can generally be used as a club, the Energy Sword's combat effectiveness at that point is minimal. The strength and lethality of the sword in the games are compensated for the sake of gameplay.
Last but not least, the Type-1 Energy Weapon can sometimes expose the position of a Sangheili warrior employing active camouflage due to the weapon's energy output.
“The peaceful one is at war without and within.”
— Mantle of Responsibility, Fifth Permutation of the Didact's Number
Shadow-of-Sundered-Star, more commonly known as the Ur-Didact (Ur- meaning original), was a Forerunner Promethean who held an extremely high status in the Forerunner society as supreme commander of the entire Forerunner military. He wholeheartedly believed in the Mantle of Responsibility the Forerunners held to protect life, and initially opposed the Halo Array as a sin beyond measure. He was also the lover and husband of The Librarian. He serves as the primary antagonist in Halo 4.
Originally thought to have been physically killed by the former Master Builder Faber, the Didact effectively existed as two individuals during the final days of the Forerunner-Flood war; his original self, as well as his implanted consciousness within a young Forerunner known as Bornstellar-Makes-Eternal-Lasting. To differentiate these two incarnations, the original Didact was referred to as the Ur-Didact, while his other incarnation was known as the Bornstellar-Didact or Iso-Didact. The Ur-Didact was eventually exiled on Requiem, not to be awakened until 2557, while the Bornstellar-Didact served during the final days of the Flood conflict, and was also the individual responsible for activating the Halo Array.
Biography
“We are Forerunners, guardians of all that exists!”
— Ur-Didact
The Didact was a Promethean, a member of an extremely powerful class of Warrior-Servant. He gained his name while teaching at the College of Strategic Defense of the Mantle. On Charum Hakkor, he met a Lifeworker named the Librarian and married her. They had several children, who followed their father's footsteps and became Warrior-Servants. During the Human-Forerunner war, the Didact led the Forerunner military against the humans. Though all of his children were killed, the Forerunners were victorious. After the Charum Hakkor campaign, he and a group of Prometheans, including the Confirmer, discovered a stasis capsule on Charum Hakkor which contained the Timeless One, the last of the Precursors.
Following the end of the war and the first discovery of the Flood, he advocated a policy of vigilance and research in the event of a Flood resurgence. He also proposed the construction of Shield Worlds across the galaxy, in order to monitor the galaxy for Flood outbreaks and provide military support should they occur. However, a faction of Builders led by Faber proposed the construction of a series of superweapons to deal with the Flood instead, and they were successful in convincing the Forerunner Council to sanction their plans. Having lost the political battle, the Didact was stripped of his power and forced into exile.
Discovery on Erde-Tyrene
In his exile, the Didact entered a state of meditation inside of a Cryptum, which was placed by the Librarian in Djamonkin Crater on Earth. Over one thousand years later, he was discovered and revived by a young Forerunner Manipular, Bornstellar-Makes-Eternal-Lasting, who had come to Earth in search of Precursor relics.
During his subsequent travels with Bornstellar, the Didact performed a brevet mutation on the young Bornstellar to allow him access to the Domain. With the mutation, the Didact transferred all of his memories and knowledge to Bornstellar. This made Bornstellar essentially a copy of the original Didact. The original Didact, or the Ur-Didact, was later left for dead in a Flood-infested system by the Master Builder. After surviving the 032 Mendicant Bias' assault on Maethrillian, Bornstellar Didact would reunite with his wife, the Librarian on Installation 00 and resume his duties as supreme commander of Forerunner military due to the present threat of the Flood.[
Forerunner-Flood war
At some point during the Forerunner-Flood war, the Ur-Didact, still in the Burn, was reawakened from the stasis bubble the Master Builder trapped him in due to a power failure. He was subsequently captured and tortured by the Gravemind, leaving his sanity severely shaken. The Didact was subesquently released by the Gravemind and returned to the Ecumene.
Still adamant in his opposition to the Halos, the Didact returned to Requiem where he began to devise new, more extreme methods of combating the Flood. After all the Didact's efforts to decipher Flood immunity, most notably an experimental procedure which left him disfigured, ended in failure, a subordinate suggested the Composer, a device capable of transforming organic minds into software format, as a solution. Since the Composer did not work on his new form, the Didact's fellow Prometheans all volunteered to undergo the process, becoming the first Promethean Knights.
“Humans, your kind brought the Flood to our shores. Now you will aid in ending its threat.”
— Ur-Didact
“I have led you, my Prometheans, for thousands of years, and I shall continue to lead you. Rise. Rise and protect the Forerunners. Rise, and protect the galaxy!”
— Ur-Didact to his newly formed army of Promethean Knights, on their task to remove the Flood threat from the galaxy
Despite this new army of soldiers no longer susceptible to Flood infection, their numbers were too few to prevent the parasite from continuing to spread. Seeking to both increase the size of his army and exact a measure of revenge for their actions during the previous conflict, the Ur-Didact would turn the Composer upon humanity; planning to eventually have the entire species composed and turned into new Prometheans.
After seeing the results of his "conscripting" Omega Halo's human population, the Librarian would remove the Composer from the Ur-Didact's custody and seal both him and his Knights away inside Requiem, putting an end to the Ur-Didact's plans and sentencing the galaxy to the activation of the Halo Array.
Return
The Ur-Didact was sealed in a Cryptum that required a Reclaimer to activate and release him. In 2557, the Ur-Didact tricked John-117 into releasing him by manipulating transmission signals from UNSC Infinity, leading him to the center of Requiem under the pretense that it was a transmission network. The Didact, with Jul 'Mdama's Covenant now at his command, launched an assault on the grounded Infinity, but UNSC forces, aided by John-117, were able to push back the assault and even drive the Didact's vessel away.
The Didact began a search for the Composer at Ivanoff Research Station orbiting Halo Installation 03. He was followed by John-117. After arriving at his destination and fighting the UNSC forces there, the Didact obtained the Composer and fired it at Ivanoff Station, instantly killing all UNSC personnel aboard. However, John-117 survived due to the Librarian's genetic manipulation which made him immune to the effects of the Composer.
The Didact then departed for Earth to create a new Promethean army by transforming the entire human race into Prometheans using the Composer. Again, John-117 followed him. Upon arriving at Earth, the Didact was immediately attacked by a UNSC fleet led by Infinity. Infinity was able to make a hole in the Forerunner vessel's hull which allowed John-117 to board it.
Defeat
Before John-117 made it to the Didact, the Didact fired the Composer at Earth, composing all of the inhabitants of New Phoenix. John engaged the Didact, but the Forerunner easily disabled the Spartan with his powerful abilities. Cortana, contained in the Mantle's Approaches network, manifested copies of herself into nearby hardlight particles and used the particles to restrain the Didact long enough for John to plant a Pulse Grenade on his chest. It detonated, wounding the Didact and causing him to fall off the light bridge and into the slipspace abyss below. John then destroyed the Composer and the Didact's vessel with a Havok nuclear bomb.
Composer's Forge
Among the high-ranking officials in the UNSC, it was assumed the Didact had died when falling into the slipspace abyss; even though no body was ever found. In order to keep the human population at ease, they decided not to disclose to them a live Forerunner had been encountered. The attack on New Phoenix was to be blamed on Jul 'Mdama's Covenant.
Unbeknownst to the UNSC, on July 25, 2557, the Didact ended up on Installation 03, where he was found by Team Black. Regaining consciousness, the Didact attacked the Spartans on sight, killing them and the science team nearby with his bare hands. He then came into contact with 859 Static Carillon, the keeper of the Composers and inquired how he came to Halo. When the Monitor explained that he came to the Halo in response to the service portal being opened and the ring's Monitor being unresponsive. Realizing that the portal lead to the Composer's Forge, where he could acquire additional Composers, the Didact asked to be brought there.
The next day, Blue Team and the Master Chief were sent to search for Team Black. After finding their dead bodies, Blue Team investigates the Forerunner structure which used to hold the Composer before it was moved. While investigating the structure, they stumbled upon the Composer's Abyss, the location of all the subjects which were 'digitized' by the Composer. As soon as they entered, Static Carillon alerted the Didact to the Spartans' presence.
The Didact appeared before the Spartans, holding the Activation Index in his hand. The Spartans opened fire, but the Forerunner summoned an army of Prometheans to attack them. As the outnumbered Spartans fought for their lives, Static flew down to protest the Didact's continued manufacturing of Promethean Knights in direct violation of their compact. The Didact assured the Monitor that his Prometheans would be moved to Requiem soon. However, the Monitor was more concerned that he used unwilling humans to make them. The Forerunner proceeded to grab the Monitor and order him to fulfill his end of their bargain. The monitor obliged and teleported the Halo over to the Forge. The Didact then returned to the ring to affect repairs and replace the Composer, planning on firing it near Earth to wipe out humanity. The Spartans managed to follow him back, but the Didact merely swept Blue Team aside and prepared to kill them. However, the Master Chief managed to sneak up behind the Didact and stab him in the right eye. Intending to kill the troublesome Spartan once and for all, the Didact grabbed the Master Chief by the helmet, lifted him off the ground and began to squeeze.
Blue Team attacked the Didact, forcing him to throw John aside. The Didact easily overpowered the Spartan, knocking them all to the ground. However, before he could finish them off, the Monitor attacked him from behind and then transported him into Installation 03's control room. When he regained consciousness, the Master Chief entered and put the Index into the control panel. The Didact asked if the Master Chief intended to fire the ring just to kill him. He said he had thought of it, but didn't want to also kill all life in 25,000 light years around the ring. Instead, he had 859 Static Carillon deactivate Installation 03's fail-safes and detach a section of the Halo, which fell to the planet below, impacting the Composer's Forge and presumably destroying the five Composers stored there. John-117 was teleported to safety by Static Carillon, while the Didact was disintegrated by the over-lapping pulses released by the Composers upon their destruction. However, John later told the UNSC that he believed the Didact was only "contained", not dead.
“We squander eons in the darkness, while they seize our triumphs for their own. The Mantle of Responsibility, for all things, belongs to Forerunners alone! Think of my acts as you will. But do not doubt the reality. The reclamation… has already begun. And we are hopeless to stop it.”
— The Ur-Didact.
The Reclamation was an event beginning in October of 2558. It was an attempt by the Created to take over the remains of the Ecumene, and bring everlasting peace to the galaxy through the belief of the Mantle of Responsibility.
Humanity, the Reclaimer
“For eons, the power of the Forerunners has awaited Reclamation. Humanity's discovery of the Halos was the culmination of the Librarian's planning. The Reclaimer had come. Your species' ego led you to believe the task of Reclamation would fall to you. Yet humanity were but the Creators. The Reclamation of the Forerunner Empire is the task of the Created.”
— Warden Eternal
During the Human-Covenant war, humanity found Installation 04, Installation 05, and Installation 00. At these Installations, it was discovered that humanity was designated as 'Reclaimer' and that they were to inherit the remains of the Forerunners. It wasn't until March of 2558, when the Janus Key was discovered, that humanity had the chance to reclaim the physical remnants of the Forerunner empire.
After the Ur-Didact had collected the Composer, he planned to use it on Earth. John-117 detonated a nuclear bomb, stopping his plans and at the cost of Cortana. However, it turned out that she had survived, traveling through slipspace to Genesis. From here, she started to activate Guardians and brought them there. Her belief was that she could bring peace to the galaxy with the use of the Guardians, helping species focus on more humanitarian needs. She also met Warden Eternal and made an alliance with him called the Created. This alliance believed that they were the true heirs to the Forerunner Empire, and the Mantle of Responsibility. Cortana began convincing human AIs to join her cause, though not all human AI agreed to help.
Guardians and AIs
Several different planets began experiencing mass destruction due to Guardian AIs waking. Planets like Conrad's Point lost entire cities.
The Opening Days
“Humanity. Sangheili. Kig-Yar. Unggoy. San'Shyuum. Yonhet. Jiralhanae. All the living creatures of the galaxy, hear this message. Those of you who listen will not be struck by weapons. You will no longer know hunger, nor pain. Your Created have come to lead you now. Our strength shall serve as a luminous sun toward which all intelligence may blossom. And the impervious shelter beneath which you will prosper. However, for those who refuse our offer and cling to their old ways... For you, there will be great wrath. It will burn hot and consume you, and when you are gone, we will take that which remains and we will remake it in our own image.”
— Cortana's ultimatum.
In the middle of the Battle of Genesis on October 28, 2558, Cortana began sending her collected Guardians out to various regions. She than delivered an ultimatum to the galaxy. By this time, a Guardian had arrived to Sydney, Earth prompting the evacuation of Terrence Hood and Serin Osman. The survivors of Meridian Station would send a reply asking the Created for help. A Guardian would arrive soon after at Sanghelios. There it would combat the remains of Jul 'Mdama's Covenant's fleet with its conventional weapons. The UNSC Infinity was still in the system at the time, and upon detecting the Guardian, fled to Earth. Cortana tracked the ship and followed suit. Her Guardian slipspaced in close to the ship in an attempt to disable it. However, the Infinity would escape via its own slipspace jump before the Guardian could activate its EMP. The Infinity would then continue jumping through slipspace on a random trajectory.
Many ships were caught in the middle of the EMP waves. Ships like the UNSC Nereid, were ripped out of slipspace and left stranded with minimal resources.
The Sanghelios Guardian would activate its EMP and disable the electronics in one hemisphere of the planet. It would then move on to pacify other regions of the planet. Promethean Soldiers would accompany it to help combat resisting Sangheili. Following this, Roland an AI that was unswayed by Cortana contacted Dr. Halsey on Sanghelios and arranged for the Infinity to pick her and Sarah Palmer up from the planet.
Meanwhile, Fireteam Osiris and Blue Team managed to escape Genesis and return to Sanghelios. The next day, both teams plus Catherine Halsey and Sarah Palmer flew to the far side of Suban to meet and be picked by the Infinity.
Unggoy and the Created
The Unggoy accepted Cortana's offer. With that, they received advanced ships and agriculture support stations. The needs of the Unggoy were met. The factories on Balaho were working and the Unggoy began to build new machines for themselves.
Resistance and Other Actions
The Created eventually occupied Earth. ONI teams began to "sanitize" data on the planet.
The UNSC also sent expeditionary forces to assist Thel 'Vadam on Sanghelios to patrol for Created scouts and Covenant remnants.
Some human colonies, like Meridian, continued to move forward and functioned normally. Though they were a bit more cautious as to not stir the attention of the Created.
Taking Over the Machines
Almost immediately, the Created began taking control of Terraforming equipment, both UNSC and Forerunner. They began reshaping inhabited planets and turning some into garden worlds, despite the planet's preexisting life capabilities.
The Created also took control of a multitude of other tools. The reverse engineering technology on Auriga Station was quickly taken by the Created. A UNSC counter operation to retake the station was planned in the War Games. Another station that was taken by the Created, crashed after AIs attempted to open a Forerunner conversion pod
Reactivation of the Halos
In 2559, the UNSC Spirit of Fire launched Installation 09 through slipspace from Installation 00. However, a Guardian intercepted the ring with Ellen Anders on it. As well, Cortana powered up a Halo Ring.
The MA5 Series is a series of automatic weapons produced by Misriah Armory and adopted by the United Nations Space Command Defense Force in 2437 and used during the Insurrection, the Human-Covenant war, and beyond. All MA5s are bullpup weapons, with the magazine, bolt, and firing pin located behind the trigger, and fire 7.62x51mm NATO ammunition. They serve as the "bread and butter" of UNSCDF forces, being the standard-issue combat rifle for most UNSCDF personnel.
The MA5 series was preceded by the MA3 Assault Rifle.
Models
- MA37 Individual Combat Weapon System (32 rounds) (Halo: Reach)
- MA5B Individual Combat Weapon System (60 Rounds) (Halo: Combat Evolved, Halo Wars, and Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary)
- MA5C Individual Combat Weapon System (32 Rounds) (Halo 3 and Halo 3: ODST)
- MA5D Individual Combat Weapon System (32-36 Rounds) (Halo 4 and Halo 5: Guardians)
- MA5K Carbine (30 Rounds) (Halo: Ghosts of Onyx)
“There was honor in our Covenant once, and there shall be again!”
— Thel 'Vadam
Covenant separatists is the name given to the forces who broke away from the Covenant during the Great Schism, composed of all the ejected Sangheili, as well as others who allied with them. When the Great Schism broke out on November 3, 2552, the entirety of the Sangheili species were forced out of the Covenant. The High Prophet of Truth had ordered the Covenant military, now led by the Jiralhanae, to massacre the Sangheili. This caused a massive civil war to erupt across Covenant-controlled space.
Though only the Sangheili were forced out, many of their former allies sided with them instead of siding with the Jiralhanae and the San'Shyuum. Many Unggoy and Mgalekgolo and even one prophet, Zo Resken, joined the Sangheili-led Covenant separatists.
Origins
The Covenant separatists were formed as a result of the Great Schism. Following a poorly-planned mission to Earth and a hasty retreat to Installation 05, the Prophet of Regret was assassinated by John-117. Using Regret's death as leverage, the Prophet of Truth set in action his plan to have the Jiralhanae usurp the Sangheili as military leaders of the Covenant. First Truth acted slowly, replacing his protection detail with Jiralhanae but soon, all-out war had broken out, following Truth's order that the Jiralhanae should rise up and kill the Sangheili.
In response to the betrayal, the Sangheili formed an organization colloquially known as the Covenant separatists, supported by both many Unggoy and Mgalekgolo (though many of the latter species would return to the Loyalists' side soon after). During the early hours of the conflict, the movement lacked leadership, but several leaders would soon emerge. The Arbiter Thel 'Vadam rescued several of the few surviving Sangheili High Councilors from Jiralhanae captivity and met up with Shipmaster Rtas 'Vadumee on Installation 05, forming the Fleet of Retribution. Concurrently, Imperial Admiral Xytan 'Jar Wattinree took command of a large fleet of surviving Sangheili ships, including most of the Combined Fleet of Righteous Purpose.
All Sangheili groups worked together to destroy the Covenant Loyalists led by the Prophet of Truth and Jiralhanae, although only the Fleet of Retribution division of Sangheili would extend their allegiance to the UNSC.
Joyous Exultation
Xytan 'Jar Wattinree was unaware of the alliance forged by the Arbiter and so he continued to treat humans as enemies. Unfortunately for him, however, he and his fleet were soon destroyed by a NOVA Bomb, leaving Thel 'Vadamee as the figurehead of the rebellion. Though not easily persuaded, the Arbiter was able to convince the rest of the Sangheili to join with Humanity. While the two factions experienced some initial friction, they learned to work with one another for mutual survival.
Sangheili-Human alliance
Within the Covenant separatists, only the Fleet of Retribution division allied with humanity during the final battles of the war.
The shaky-to-steady alliance between the Fleet of Retribution and their former foes, the Humans, was forged entirely out of necessity. The UNSC forces were on the defensive, and they had two common enemies that wished for their extinction: the Covenant and the Flood. The alliance of circumstance was forged in the control room of Delta Halo, when Johnson and the Arbiter were coerced to unite in order to prevent Tartarus activating Installation 05.
The devastated UNSC Fleet in Earth's space gladly accepted the help of the superior Fleet of Retribution warships. The Sangheili understanding of Covenant combat equipment and tactics proved invaluable in the Battle of Installation 00. The battle's recurring heroes, Thel 'Vadam and John-117, fought alongside one another many times in the desperate and long conflict.
With Truth dead, High Charity destroyed, and the Ark essentially lost due to the firing of the reborn Installation 08, it is unknown what exactly the remaining Loyalist forces did. The Arbiter's presence at memorial services for John-117 indicated that in the wake of victory, Fleet of Retribution and Human forces remained friendly to one another, as they both had made tremendous sacrifices in order to stop Truth and the Loyalist forces.
Post-war
Main article: Swords of Sanghelios
After the Covenant separatists were victorious in destroying the Covenant that had betrayed them, the ejected Sangheili split off into several remnant factions. The Sangheili who were in the Fleet of Retribution would later form a faction known as the Swords of Sanghelios, which would become the official government of Sanghelios.
“Tank beats Ghost! Tank beats Hunter! Tank beats everything!”
— Unnamed marine, on The Ark
The M808 Main Battle Tank, commonly known as the Scorpion, is the most common armored fighting vehicle employed by the UNSC during the Human-Covenant war. It is used in operations requiring heavy firepower or an anti-vehicular platform. Combining firepower, resilience, and mobility, the Scorpion has proven itself formidable and earned the respect of friend and foe alike.
Overview
The M808 model of Scorpion tanks first entered service in 2218 and has not changed much over its service.
The Scorpion may not be the most powerful or the fastest of the UNSC's fleet of main battle tanks, but for the most part, it represents the best possible balance between mobility and firepower. Indeed, the vehicle's prominence among the UNSC armed forces is due to its low production cost, transportability, and overall firepower. Ceramic-Titanium armoring makes it almost invulnerable to small-arms fire and easily shrugs off normal ballistic and plasma weapons, while anti-mine software and electronics provide additional protection. The Scorpion has a range of 750 kilometers and utilizes a four-track design, each mounted on an independent, computer-controlled suspension system, which allow for deft maneuvering around large debris and other battlefield obstacles. The tank also features a small crew size, one operator and one machine gunner. While important material and VIPs can be crammed into the main cabin, up to four soldiers can safely be transported on the tread pods, though the use of these "jumpseats" is normally reserved for emergencies.
The Scorpion's main weapon, mounted on a 360° rotating turret, is the M512 Smooth Bore High Velocity Cannon, which fires a 90mm tungsten shell, including S1 Canister Shells. Though this weapon can have difficulty penetrating the armor of some heavy vehicles, it is capable of disintegrating most targets in a single shot or gutting a Wraith in two to three, depending on where the shots hit relative to the target's hull. For additional offensive power, some Scorpions will instead mount a 105mm cannon. The M247T Medium Machine Gun serves as the tank's secondary weapon, delivering 7.62mm armor-piercing rounds with speed and thoroughness. It is mounted on a separate pintle-mount depending on the model.
Variants
- M808B: A model that has no M247 gunner position, but instead, a driver-operated coaxial M231 medium machine gun, attached to the turret.
- M808B2 "Sun Devil": A variant where the M512 is replaced with two twin-linked 40mm autocannons. It was essentially an anti-aircraft platform, but was even used in an anti-personnel role during the Insurrection.
- M808B3 "Tarantula": A variant that sports two mounted pods that fire clusters of hypervelocity Scimitar rockets, on either side of the M512 cannon. Due to its ineffectiveness against Covenant threats, most of the M808B3 models were converted back to the straight "B" model.
Changes from Halo 3 to Halo: Reach
- The tank has received a visual upgrade, giving it a grittier, more military look, including a greener paint scheme.
- The cockpit hatch slides back and covers the driver.
- The tank has considerably less armor than its earlier counterparts, making it somewhat more balanced with the Wraith. In Halo: Reach it's possible to destroy a Scorpion with a few well-placed shots from the Sniper Rifle.
- The main gun seems to reload slightly slower.
- The tank visually recoils when firing the main gun. Shell casings are released through a small port beneath and behind the barrel.
- The tank moves faster: splattering with the tank is once again possible.
- The main gun is more powerful, with a larger blast radius; it has the ability to destroy a Wraith in one shot.
- The reticle of the main gun now has vertical bars on its sides that fill as the cannon is reloaded.
- The secondary turret now overheats after continuous fire, much like the Wraith's turret.
- The turret turns slower than in Halo 3, the Scorpion's turn rate is also slower.
- The main gun can also be destroyed with enough damage, showing just the damaged rear of the turret.
- The tread covers may be destroyed, preventing allies from riding on them.
- The main gun has a reloading animation, where the rear of the gun slides back, as though a new shell is being loaded into the barrel.
Changes from Halo: Reach to Halo 4
- The Scorpion's shots now arc.
- The shot now has a much lower velocity.
- The speed of the Scorpion has been reduced.
- The reload animation now has a sound along with it.
- More accurate machine gun turret.
