Covenant carrier: Difference between revisions

Assault carriers are the Covenant carrier type most commonly encountered by Covenant forces, classed as [[Examiner]]s in the [[Covenant ship classification system]]. They are generally the ones tasked with leading fleets of smaller warships and acting as primary combatants in [[space warfare]].{{Ref/Book|EVG|Page=28}} The [[Three-letter classification system]] developed by the [[United Nations Space Command]] designates most of these vessels as '''CAS-class assault carriers''',{{Ref/Site|Id=WPShadow|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/universe/vehicles/shadow-of-intent|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=Shadow of Intent|D=11|M=05|Y=2021}}{{Ref/Site|Id=WPSong|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/universe/vehicles/song-of-retribution|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=Song of Retribution|D=26|M=01|Y=2021}}{{Ref/Book|Id=EVG|EVG|Page=28}}{{Ref/Book|Id=Enc09|Enc09|Page=264}}{{Ref/Book|Id=Enc11|Enc11|Page=276-277}}{{Ref/Book|Id=H4EVG|H4EVG|Page=195}} with the [[Office of Naval Intelligence]] considering the Class-5 flagship carrier.{{Ref/Generic|Id=DD4|[[Data Drop|Data Drop 4]]}}

|{{Pattern|Kerel|assault carrier}} || [[File:H3-ShadowOfIntent-Side.png|300px]] || {{Convert|5347|m|ft|sp=us|sigfig=4}} || 2.1 billion tonnes || {{Ref/Reuse|WPShadow}}{{Ref/Reuse|WPSong}}{{Ref/Reuse|EVG}}{{Ref/Reuse|Enc09}}{{Ref/Reuse|Enc11}}{{Ref/Reuse|H4EVG}}

|{{Pattern|Syfon|assault carrier}} || [[File:HFB-CAS&CCS&SDV.jpg|300px]] || {{Convert|5347|m|ft|sp=us|sigfig=4}} || 2.1 billion tonnes || {{Ref/Reuse|WPShadow}}{{Ref/Reuse|WPSong}}{{Ref/Reuse|EVG}}{{Ref/Reuse|Enc09}}{{Ref/Reuse|Enc11}}{{Ref/Reuse|H4EVG}}

|[[Unidentified Covenant assault carrier class|Unidentified pattern]] || [[File:HR_LNoS_AssaultCarrier_Screenshot_1.png|300px]] || N/A || N/A || {{Ref/Reuse|LNoS}}

Only one known classification of light carrier has been encountered in Covenant service, dubbed the {{Pattern|Ruma|light carrier}}. These vessels are rarely encountered far from [[harborage]]s and ports, and serve as troop transports, [[Space fighter|strikecraft]] tenders and flagships for reserve fleets in the Covenant's rear lines.{{Ref/Reuse|enc22pg262}} These vessels are given the three-letter code '''DDS-class light carrier''' in UNSC classification schemes.{{Ref/Reuse|EVG}}

There is also an unidentified model of light carrier. Measuring 1,455 meters (4,790 ft) in length, it boasts 13 launch bays that contain a total of 300 [[Seraph]] fighters, 200 [[Banshee]]s, and 34 [[dropship]]s, and is crewed by more than 4,000 Covenant troops. It is armed with multiple [[plasma torpedo]] silos and [[pulse laser turret]]s. As it is less common and more powerful than a Covenant cruiser, it is most likely designed to act as a command ship and provide fighter support during engagements.{{Ref/Reuse|Enc11}}

The largest warships in the Covenant armada were sometimes referred to as "supercarriers" to distinguish them from lighter carrier vessels that filled support roles.{{Ref/Site|Id=canonfodder|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/news/canon-fodder-have-s-moa|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=Canon Fodder - Have S'moa|D=16|M=3|Y=2021}} They are extremely large warships bordering on overlap with harborages such as [[Unyielding Hierophant]], or the [[Exarch]] class of vessels in Covenant service. In UNSC three-letter classification, the ''Sh'wada''-pattern supercarrier is dubbed the '''CSO-class supercarrier''', and is considered a Class-5 flagship carrier similarly to the smaller assault carriers.{{Ref/Reuse|DD4}}

Alongside the ''Sh'wada''-pattern, an unidentified model of supercarrier even larger in scope also exists in service with the Covenant fleet, rarely documented by the UNSC. Like other models of supercarrier they are often used as flagships for Covenant fleets, and may be used by Prophets as their personal command ships. One example, ''[[Sublime Transcendence]]'', led the [[Combined Fleet of Righteous Purpose]], while another commanded the [[Second Fleet of Homogeneous Clarity]].{{Ref/Reuse|enc22pg262}}

|Unidentified pattern || N/A || {{Convert|32490|m|ft|sp=us|sigfig=4}} || N/A || {{Ref/Reuse|enc22pg262}}

For a number of years leading up to the [[Human-Covenant War]], several Covenant carriers were served as support ships and some along with "supercarriers" were assigned in the [[Second Fleet of Homogeneous Clarity]] of the [[High Charity defense fleet|defense fleet]] of ''[[High Charity]]''.{{Ref/Novel|[[Halo: First Strike]]|Page=338}} By [[2526#April|April 15, 2526]], a Covenant supercarrier ''[[Hammer of Faith]]'' was under construction at the [[Ring of Mighty Abundance]] and above [[Zhoist]], a Covenant-controlled [[world]], and remained incomplete, it was destroyed by two [[HAVOK tactical nuclear weapon]]s by [[John-117]] and [[Kelly-087]] during the [[Attack on Zhoist]], along with its surrounding fabrication barns.{{Ref/Novel|SS}} On [[2552#July|July 17, 2552]], a carrier, escorted by a pair of [[Covenant frigate]]s and a [[Wik-pattern light destroyer|destroyer]], attempted to [[Battle of Sigma Octanus IV|seize control]] of the [[human]] [[human colonies|colony]] world [[Sigma Octanus IV]]. When the destroyer and the two frigates were destroyed by Captain [[Jacob Keyes]], the carrier retreated until reinforcements arrived. However, the carrier did succeed in deploying 34 [[dropship]]s to the surface of the planet to initiate an invasion while hailing the rest of the [[Second Fleet of Solemn Accord|Covenant fleet]].{{Ref/Novel|Halo: The Fall of Reach|Page=170-180 (2010 edition)}}

During the [[Battle of Installation 05]] and the [[Great Schism]], the light carrier ''[[Lawgiver]]'' assisted ''[[Incorruptible]]'' during the battle against the [[Jiralhanae]] and the [[Flood]].{{Ref/Novel|Id=goo193|Halo: Ghosts of Onyx|Page=193-195}} A carrier would also go on assist [[Joyous Exultation Covenant|Covenant forces]] in the [[Onyx Conflict]] later that month.{{Ref/Novel|Halo: Ghosts of Onyx|Page=305}}