Covenant Honor Guard: Difference between revisions

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{{Quote|Thou, in faith, will keep us safe,<br>Whilst we find the path.|[[Covenant]] [[Writ of Union]]<ref>'''[[Halo: Contact Harvest]]''', ''page 148''</ref>}}
{{Quote|Thou, in faith, will keep us safe,<br>Whilst we find the path.|[[Covenant]] [[Writ of Union]]<ref>'''[[Halo: Contact Harvest]]''', ''page 148''</ref>}}


The '''Covenant Honor Guard'''<ref>'''[[Halo: The Essential Visual Guide]]''', ''page 95''</ref> is a special unit of [[Covenant]] warriors tasked with providing security for the [[High Council]]. They were traditionally composed of [[Sangheili Honor Guardsman|Sangheili members]], but were replaced by [[Jiralhanae Honor Guardsman|Jiralhanae]] during the [[Great Schism]].<ref name="gravemind">'''Halo 2''', campaign level ''[[Gravemind (level)|Gravemind]]''</ref>
The '''Covenant Honor Guard'''<ref>'''[[Halo: The Essential Visual Guide]]''', ''page 95''</ref> were a special unit of [[Covenant]] warriors tasked with providing security for the [[High Council]]. They were traditionally composed of [[Sangheili Honor Guardsman|Sangheili members]], but were replaced by [[Jiralhanae Honor Guardsman|Jiralhanae]] during the [[Great Schism]].<ref name="gravemind">'''Halo 2''', campaign level ''[[Gravemind (level)|Gravemind]]''</ref>


==History==
==History==
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===Role===
===Role===
[[File:HW3.jpg|thumb|250px|A group of Honor Guardsmen at [[Shield World 0459]]'s [[Apex Site]].]]
[[File:HW3.jpg|thumb|250px|A group of Honor Guardsmen at [[Shield World 0459]]'s [[Apex Site]].]]
The members of the Honor Guard serve as personal protection for the [[San'Shyuum]] and [[Sangheili Councilor|Sangheili High Councilors]] of the Covenant [[High Council]]. They are the most skilled of warriors and are hand-picked for the duty of protecting the [[Hierarchs|High Prophets]], as well as members of the High Council, from any danger. In accordance with their duties, they are unwaveringly loyal to the individuals they protect and will defend them to the death.<ref name="ch154">'''Halo: Contact Harvest''', ''page 154''</ref> Honor Guardsmen are expected to kill anyone who draws a weapon in the presence of a Hierarch.<ref>'''Halo: The Cole Protocol''', ''page 341''</ref> Honor Guardsmen were also found in the Ministry towers on ''[[High Charity]]'', protecting the Ministry workers from any possible threats.<ref name="ch154"/> Following the [[Changing of the Guard]], the Sangheili High Councilors were unwilling to trust the new [[Jiralhanae]] [[Jiralhanae Honor Guardsman|Honor Guardsmen]] and employed Sangheili serving in the [[Covenant military]] instead.<ref>'''Halo: Broken Circle''', ''page 217''</ref>
The members of the Honor Guard served as personal protection for the [[San'Shyuum]] and [[Sangheili Councilor|Sangheili High Councilors]] of the Covenant [[High Council]]. They were the most skilled of warriors and were hand-picked for the duty of protecting the [[Hierarchs|High Prophets]], as well as members of the High Council, from any danger. In accordance with their duties, they were unwaveringly loyal to the individuals they protected and would defend them to the death.<ref name="ch154">'''Halo: Contact Harvest''', ''page 154''</ref> Honor Guardsmen were expected to kill anyone who drew a weapon in the presence of a Hierarch.<ref>'''Halo: The Cole Protocol''', ''page 341''</ref> Honor Guardsmen were also found in the Ministry towers on ''[[High Charity]]'', protecting the Ministry workers from any possible threats.<ref name="ch154"/> Following the [[Changing of the Guard]], the Sangheili High Councilors were unwilling to trust the new [[Jiralhanae]] [[Jiralhanae Honor Guardsman|Honor Guardsmen]] and employed Sangheili serving in the [[Covenant military]] instead.<ref>'''Halo: Broken Circle''', ''page 217''</ref>


The highly ornate armor of the Honor Guard consists of a red-and-black combat harness adorned with glowing orange panels. Honor Guards were typically equipped with standard Covenant weaponry such as [[Type-25 plasma rifle]]s and [[Type-51 carbine]]s. When they were not in combat, Honor Guardsmen would wield bladed [[energy stave]]s. However, the staves were largely ceremonial and Honor Guardsmen would prefer to arm themselves with [[Type-1 energy sword]]s.<ref>'''Halo Encyclopedia''', ''page 349''</ref> The armor was designed to indicate that serving in the position of a Honor Guardsman was a great privilege.<ref name="universe"/>
The highly ornate armor of the Honor Guard consisted of a red-and-black combat harness adorned with glowing orange panels. Honor Guards were typically equipped with standard Covenant weaponry such as [[Type-25 plasma rifle]]s and [[Type-51 carbine]]s. When they were not in combat, Honor Guardsmen would wield bladed [[energy stave]]s. However, the staves were largely ceremonial and Honor Guardsmen would prefer to arm themselves with [[Type-1 energy sword]]s.<ref>'''Halo Encyclopedia''', ''page 349''</ref> The armor was designed to indicate that serving in the position of a Honor Guardsman was a great privilege.<ref name="universe"/>


===Ranks===
===Ranks===
Although Guard service is a great honor, it is seen by some Sangheili and [[Jiralhanae]] as a merely ceremonial duty and its members were unlikely to experience combat first hand.<ref>'''Halo Encyclopedia''', ''page 137''</ref> Though moved to a specialist rank, the Honor Guardsmen retain their old armors, indicating that most Honor Guards are formerly [[Sangheili Major]]s, [[Sangheili Ultra]]s, or [[Jiralhanae Captain]]s. Wherever a [[Hierarchs|High Prophet]] is located, an Honor Guardsman is always by their side. There could be as many as three hundred Honor Guardsmen for each Prophet, as a chamber within the [[Sanctum of the Hierarchs]] seems designed to hold three hundred Honor Guards.<ref>'''[[Halo: First Strike]]''', ''page 339''</ref>
Although Guard service was a great honor, it was seen by some Sangheili and [[Jiralhanae]] as a merely ceremonial duty and its members were unlikely to experience combat first hand.<ref>'''Halo Encyclopedia''', ''page 137''</ref> Though moved to a specialist rank, the Honor Guardsmen retain their old armors, indicating that most Honor Guards are formerly [[Sangheili Major]]s, [[Sangheili Ultra]]s, or [[Jiralhanae Captain]]s. Wherever a [[Hierarchs|High Prophet]] was located, an Honor Guardsman would always be by their side. There could be as many as three hundred Honor Guardsmen for each Prophet, as a chamber within the [[Sanctum of the Hierarchs]] seemed designed to hold three hundred Honor Guards.<ref>'''[[Halo: First Strike]]''', ''page 339''</ref>


The [[Lights of Sanghelios]] was a subgroup of the Covenant Honor Guard that represented the most adept and highest-ranking combat units within the Guard. These soldiers were typically charged with the protection of a San'Shyuum or a Ministry tower. The Sangheili within the unit often oversaw standard Honor Guardsmen in numerous battles and engagements. Sangheili Guardsmen serving in the Lights of Sanghelios were identified from other Honor Guardsmen by the bright-white armor coloring.<ref name="ch154"/><ref name="universe"/>
The [[Lights of Sanghelios]] was a subgroup of the Covenant Honor Guard that represented the most adept and highest-ranking combat units within the Guard. These soldiers were typically charged with the protection of a San'Shyuum or a Ministry tower. The Sangheili within the unit often oversaw standard Honor Guardsmen in numerous battles and engagements. Sangheili Guardsmen serving in the Lights of Sanghelios were identified from other Honor Guardsmen by the bright-white armor coloring.<ref name="ch154"/><ref name="universe"/>
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