Halberd-class light destroyer: Difference between revisions

{{Title|''Halberd''-class destroyer}}

{{Ship Class Infobox

|name=''Halberd''-class destroyer

|image=[[File:Heart of Midlothian.png|300px]]

|manufacturer=

|class=[[Destroyer]]

|role=Fleet escort, assault<ref name="enc">'''[[Halo Encyclopedia]]''', ''page 248''</ref>

|length={{Convert|485|m|ft|sp=us}}<ref name="enc"/><ref name="class">'''[[Halo: The Fall of Reach]]''', ''page 139''</ref><ref name="waypoint">'''[[Halo Waypoint]]:''' [http://halo.xbox.com/en-us/intel/theuniverse/tech/gallery/unsc-the-heart-of-midlothian/a0711b9f-4241-4c5b-9e2d-2110775cafa2?page=2 ''UNSC The Heart of Midlothian''] (defunct, backup on [https://web.archive.org/web/20110325074720/http://halo.xbox.com/en-us/intel/related/gallery/unsc-the-heart-of-midlothian/a0711b9f-4241-4c5b-9e2d-2110775cafa2 Archive.org])</ref>

|mass={{Convert|7900|MT|sp=us}}<ref name="waypoint"/>

|power=

|engine=[[Fusion drive]]

|slipspace drive=[[Shaw-Fujikawa Translight Engine]]

|navigation=

|hull=1.5–2 meters [[Titanium-A armor|titanium-A battle plate]]<ref name="enc"/>

|armament=*2 [[Magnetic Accelerator Cannon]]s<ref name="class"/><ref name="waypoint"/>

*3 [[Shiva-class nuclear missile]]s<ref name="class"/>

*26 [[Archer missile]] pods<ref name="class"/><ref name="waypoint"/>

*8 [[Point-defense gun|50mm point-defense autocannons]]<ref name="class"/>

|complement=[[D77-TC Pelican]]s<ref name="cp25">'''[[Halo: The Cole Protocol]]''', ''page 25''</ref>

|crew=

The '''''Halberd''-class destroyer'''<ref name="canonfodder">[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/community/blog-posts/canon-fodder-have-s-moa '''Halo Waypoint''': ''Canon Fodder: Have S'moa'']</ref> is a class of [[UNSC destroyer|destroyer]] in service with the [[UNSC Navy]] with a [[hull classification symbol]] of '''DD'''.<ref name="waypoint"/> The destroyer class was in service with the Navy during the [[Insurrection]], throughout, and [[Post-Covenant War conflicts|after]] the [[Human-Covenant War]].<ref name="canonfodder"/>

==Specifications==

===Superstructure and hull===

The ''Halberd''-class destroyer features a distinctive "arrowhead" profile.<ref>'''Halo: The Cole Protocol''', ''page 26''</ref> The hull of the ''Halberd'' class is reinforced with between one-and-a-half to two meters of [[titanium-A armor]],<ref name="for163">'''Halo: The Fall of Reach''', ''pages 163-164'' (2010)</ref> with parts of the hull featuring components made up of [[vanadium steel]].<ref name="for247">'''Halo: The Fall of Reach''', ''page 247'' (2010)</ref> At 485 meters in length, the class is only seven meters longer than a {{Class|Stalwart|light frigate}}, yet it has almost double the mass at 7,900 metric tons; this is due to the destroyer's thick titanium hull.<ref name="enc"/><ref name="class"/><ref name="waypoint"/> The destroyer has six [[emergency thruster]] tanks strategically placed on hardened points of the hull.<ref name="for174">'''Halo: The Fall of Reach''', ''page 174'' (2010)</ref> Fast and requiring only a small crew, ''Halberd''-class destroyers do not have as much armor as larger [[warship]]s within the [[UNSC fleet]]. Though they lack general-purpose utility, the destroyers' heavy armaments compensate for this issue. The ''Halberd''-class has a modular design which allows them to be configured for different missions.<ref name="looking glassed">[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/community/blog-posts/canon-fodder-looking-glassed '''Halo Waypoint''': ''Canon Fodder - Looking Glassed'']</ref>

Translight power is provided by a [[Shaw-Fujikawa Translight Engine]], located in the destroyer's expansive engine room.<ref>'''[[Halo: Evolutions]]''', "[[Midnight in the Heart of Midlothian]]", ''page 95''</ref> The destroyer class has a circular [[bridge]] with an array of display monitors for its crew. The [[hangar bay]] of the ''Halberd'' class is small and cramped, with little maneuvering room for shuttlecraft.<ref name="cp25"/> Each destroyer of the class has two [[Armory|armories]], each filled with an assortment of firearms and equipment.<ref>'''Halo: Evolutions''', "Midnight in the Heart of Midlothian", ''page 86''</ref> Unlike most [[warship]]s of the [[UNSC Navy]], they do not carry [[GA-TL1 Longsword]] [[starfighter]]s.<ref name="for163"/> They do, however, carry several [[D77-TC Pelican]] [[dropship]]s.<ref name="cp25"/>

Though these destroyers are not as heavily armored compared to other warships in the Navy's fleet, they are armed with enhanced weapons systems that make up for their relatively light defensive capabilities.<ref>[http://shop.spartangames.co.uk/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=HFUN10 '''Spartan Games''': ''UNSC Halberd Upgrade Box'']</ref> The ''Halberd''-class destroyer is armed with two [[Magnetic Accelerator Cannon]]s, twenty-six oversized [[Archer missile|Archer missile pods]], and three [[Shiva-class nuclear missile]]s.<ref name="for163"/> For defense against single ships, the destroyer class carries eight twin-linked [[Point-defense gun|50mm point-defense autocannons]].<ref name="class"/> One of the most heavily armed classes of UNSC vessels, a group of ''Halberd''-class destroyers is capable of engaging and inflicting heavy damage upon even the largest of [[Covenant]] ships.<ref name="enc"/>

The ''Halberd''-class destroyer was the most commonly deployed [[destroyer]] class during the [[Human-Covenant War]] and the later years of the [[Insurrection]]. Such vessels were in service as early as [[2517]]<ref>'''[[Halo: Fall of Reach - Boot Camp]]'''</ref> and continued to serve throughout the Human-Covenant War. Despite their powerful armament and maneuverability, many fleet officers looked down upon destroyers, considering them too ineffective against Covenant ships. It was generally agreed that seven destroyers were an even match for four [[Covenant frigate]]s.<ref name="for169">'''Halo: The Fall of Reach''', ''page 169'' (2010)</ref><ref name="class"/>

Though ''Halberd''-class destroyers can be configured for a variety of mission types, resource shortages during the Covenant War led to most ''Halberd''s only being configured purely for escort duty, with entire subsystems left out to reduce construction time.<ref name="looking glassed"/> At some point between [[2548]] and [[2552]], one destroyer of this class, {{UNSCShip|The Heart of Midlothian}}, participated in the [[Battle of Algolis]], where it destroyed five Covenant ships when it initiated its [[self-destruct]] fail-safe.<ref name="mithom102">'''Halo: Evolutions''', "Midnight in the Heart of Midlothian", ''page 102''</ref> Many ''Halberd''-class destroyers participated in the [[Battle of Sigma Octanus IV]], most notably the {{UNSCShip|Iroquois}}, which was captained by Commander [[Jacob Keyes]]. During the battle, ''Iroquois'' performed the daring [[Keyes Loop]], destroying three Covenant vessels in the process.<ref>'''Halo: The Fall of Reach''', ''page 182''</ref> Several dozen destroyers later participated in the [[Fall of Reach]].<ref name="for359">'''Halo: The Fall of Reach''', ''page 359'' (2010)</ref> This destroyer type continues to be in service with the Navy by [[2557]], with some serving with the [[UNSC Home Fleet]] over [[Earth]].<ref>'''[[Halo: Escalation]]''', ''[[Halo: Escalation Issue 10|Issue 10]]''</ref>

==Ships of the line==

*{{UNSCShip|Armageddon's Edge}} – Stationed in the [[Ectanus 45]] system<ref>'''Halo: The Cole Protocol''', ''page 19''</ref>

*{{UNSCShip|Halberd}} – The [[Wikipedia:Lead ship|lead ship]] of the class<ref>[[Stephen Loftus]] on the [[Talk:Autumn-class heavy cruiser|''Autumn'' class' talk page]]</ref>

*{{UNSCShip|Herodotus}} – Destroyed during the [[Fall of Reach]]<ref name="for359"/>

*{{UNSCShip|Iroquois}} – Heavily damaged during the [[Battle of Sigma Octanus IV]], last seen at [[Reach]]<ref name="for247"/>

*{{UNSCShip|Pioneer}} – Served as a staging ship for [[Assault on Eridanus Secundus|an operation]] against the [[United Rebel Front]]<ref>'''Halo: The Fall of Reach''', ''page 75''</ref>

*{{UNSCShip|The Heart of Midlothian}} – Destroyed near [[Algolis]]<ref name="mithom102"/>

==Trivia==

The destroyer class was likely named after the [[Wikipedia:Halberd|halberd]], a two-handed pole weapon used during the 14th and 15th centuries.

File:Concept - UNSC_Destroyer.png|Concept art of the UNSC ''The Heart of Midlothian''

File:The Heart of Midlothian 2.png|The destroyer ''The Heart of Midlothian''

File:Heart of the Midlothian Schematic.jpg|A schematic of the ''The Heart of Midlothian''

File:Midnight - Destroyer bridge.jpg|The bridge of the class, with Covenant troops aboard

File:Midnight - Destroyer slip engine.jpg|The slipspace engine used by the class

File:FoR UNSC Pioneer.png|The destroyer UNSC ''Pioneer''

File:Iroquois collision.jpg|The ''Iroquois'' collides with a [[Covenant stealth ship]]

File:Covenant-4.jpg|The UNSC ''Iroquois'' from its bow, unleashing a full volley of Archer missiles

File:HEDestroyers.png|UNSC destroyers, with {{Class|Autumn|heavy cruiser}}s and {{UNSCShip|Infinity}}, over Earth following the [[New Phoenix Incident]]

File:HFB-Halberd&Epoch.png|A Halberd-class destroyer with an {{Class|Epoch|heavy carrier}} in ''[[Halo: Fleet Battles]]''.

*''[[Halo: Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe]]''

{{Reflist|2}}

 

{{UNSC Ships}}

[[Category:UNSC destroyers| ]]