Canon

Nanolaminate: Difference between revisions

From Halopedia, the Halo wiki

(While our articles clearly indicate it's pretty much the only form of plating the Covenant use, it's better not to make too specific claims here.)
mNo edit summary
 
(24 intermediate revisions by 13 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
{{Era|Covenant|Human|UNSC|HCW|Post}}
{{Status|Canon}}
[[File:H4 Prologue CAS Carrier.jpg|thumb|290px|Nanolaminate plating provides both the aesthetic and protective functions of the [[Covenant]].]]
[[File:H4 Prologue CAS Carrier.jpg|thumb|290px|Nanolaminate plating provides both aesthetic and protective functions for [[Covenant]] technology.]]
'''Nanolaminate hull plating''' is a form of battle plating found on the [[Covenant]]'s warships.<ref name="Catalog">[https://forums.halowaypoint.com/yaf_postsm2969315_Catalog-Interaction.aspx#post2969315 '''Halo Waypoint''': ''Catalog Interaction - Page 14'']</ref> It is typically purplish in color, although the {{Class|CAS|assault carrier}} has a pale white-blue hull and [[Kig-Yar]] vessels are generally bluish-black in color.<ref>'''[[Halo: Contact Harvest]]''', ''page 26''</ref> Nanolaminate plating was noted for causing the hulls of Covenant vessels to possess an odd, opalescent-like shine.<ref>'''[[Halo: The Fall of Reach]]''', ''page 119''</ref> The plating is very strong and heat resistant, with the support of [[energy shielding]] allowing Covenant ships to take more damage.<ref name="fs79">'''[[Halo: First Strike]]''', ''page 79''</ref> The amount of nanolaminate plating applied to each ship depends on the class, though {{Class|CSO|supercarrier}}s have well over thirty meters of armor plating.<ref>'''Halo: First Strike''', ''page 266''</ref> As of [[2525]], nanolaminate plating is not used in any [[human]] construction.<ref>'''Halo: Contact Harvest''', ''page 176''</ref>
'''Nanolaminate''' is a type of material used as battle plating for [[Covenant]] warships<ref name="Catalog">[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/forums/db05ce78845f4120b062c50816008e5d/topics/catalog-interaction/4c3e1c6f-6519-4ee0-83a4-4bac13bf07a3/posts?page=14#post262 '''Halo Waypoint''': ''Catalog Interaction - Page 14'']</ref> and [[Sangheili]] [[combat harness]]es.<ref name="CU">[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/news/community-update-the-finals-countdown '''Halo Waypoint''' - ''Community Update (07/29/16): The Finals Countdown'']</ref>{{Ref/Site|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/news/the-new-halo-encyclopedia-is-out-today|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=The New Halo Encyclopedia is Out Today|D=11|M=03|Y=2023}} Possessing a characteristic opalescent-like shine,<ref>'''[[Halo: The Fall of Reach]]''', ''page 119''</ref> nanolaminate can range in color from purplish to white-blue or silver, while [[Kig-Yar]] vessels are generally bluish-black in color.<ref>'''[[Halo: Contact Harvest]]''', ''page 26''</ref> The plating is very strong and heat resistant, with the support of [[energy shielding]] allowing Covenant ships to take more damage.<ref name="fs79">'''[[Halo: First Strike]]''', ''page 79''</ref> The amount of nanolaminate plating applied to each ship depends on the class, though {{Pattern|Ruma|light carrier}}s have well over thirty meters of armor plating.<ref>'''Halo: First Strike''', ''page 266''</ref> As of [[2525]], nanolaminate plating has not seen use in any [[human]] construction.<ref>'''Halo: Contact Harvest''', ''page 176''</ref>
 
It is likely that Covenant [[dropship]]s, such as the [[Type-52 Phantom]], or assault platforms, such as the [[Type-47 Scarab]], are covered with nanolaminate hull plating.


==Characteristics==
==Characteristics==
===Defensive capabilities===
===Defensive capabilities===
[[File:ApexBattleImage.png|thumb|250px|A ''CPV''-class destroyer collides with the ''Spirit of Fire'', with the former vessel taking little damage.]]
[[File:ApexBattleImage.png|thumb|250px|A ''CPV''-class destroyer collides with the ''Spirit of Fire'', with the former vessel taking little damage.]]
The hull plating allows ships to be resilient to most [[UNSC]] weaponry. UNSC [[point-defense gun]]s are not powerful enough to do significant damage to the plating,<ref>'''Halo: The Fall of Reach''', ''page 272''</ref> [[Archer missile]]s prove to be very effective against the unshielded hull of a Covenant vessel causing the ship to become very vulnerable following the resulting explosions of the missiles.<ref>'''Halo: The Fall of Reach''', ''page 179''</ref> [[Magnetic Accelerator Cannon]]s are often used to disable and destroy Covenant vessels after the energy shielding fails, being powerful enough to pierce the nanolaminate hull plating of most ships with a single round.<ref>'''Halo: The Fall of Reach''', ''page 297''</ref> A single pack of [[C-12 shaped charge]]s can easily puncture a large hole through the hull of a [[Covenant cruiser]].<ref>'''[[Halo: Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe]]''', "[[Blunt Instruments]]", ''page 202''</ref> A Covenant cruiser is capable of taking a direct hit from a [[mass driver]] at near point-blank range with only minor structural damage done to the nanolaminate plating, but a second hit in the same spot was capable of piercing the vessel.<ref>'''Halo: Contact Harvest''', ''page 342''</ref>
Nanolaminate hull plating allows ships to be resilient to most [[UNSC]] weaponry. UNSC [[point-defense gun]]s are not powerful enough to do significant damage to the plating,<ref>'''Halo: The Fall of Reach''', ''page 272''</ref> [[Archer missile]]s prove to be very effective against the unshielded hull of a Covenant vessel, causing the ship to become very vulnerable following the resulting explosions of the missiles.<ref>'''Halo: The Fall of Reach''', ''page 179''</ref> [[Magnetic Accelerator Cannon]]s are often used to disable and destroy Covenant vessels after the energy shielding fails, being powerful enough to pierce the nanolaminate hull plating of most ships with a single round.<ref>'''Halo: The Fall of Reach''', ''page 297''</ref> A single pack of [[C-12 shaped charge]]s can easily puncture a large hole through the hull of a [[Covenant cruiser]].<ref>'''[[Halo: Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe]]''', "[[Blunt Instruments]]", ''page 202''</ref> Some Covenant cruisers are capable of taking a direct hit from a [[mass driver]] at near point-blank range with only minor structural damage done to the nanolaminate plating, but a second hit in the same spot will puncture the vessel.<ref>'''Halo: Contact Harvest''', ''page 342''</ref>
 
However, Covenant weaponry is more effective against nanolaminate plating. The ''CSO''-class supercarrier ''[[Ascendant Justice]]'', one of the most powerful vessels in the [[Covenant fleet]], was heavily damaged by a single [[plasma turret|plasma torpedo]], with several layers of the armor plating boiling away.<ref>'''Halo: First Strike''', ''page 76''</ref>


The nanolaminate plating is also durable against direct collisions with other vessels. [[Unidentified CPV-class heavy destroyer|A ''CPV''-class heavy destroyer]] took negligible damages after a direct collision with the {{UNSCShip|Spirit of Fire}}, with its energy shields seemingly not active.<ref>'''[[Halo Wars]]''', campaign level, ''[[Repairs]]''</ref> Although during the [[Second Battle of Requiem]], a {{Class|RCS|armored cruiser}} equipped with energy shields, one of the former Covenant's most armored vessels, was obliterated after it endured a collision with the {{UNSCShip|Infinity}}, with seemingly no damage done to the ''Infinity''.<ref>'''[[Halo 4]]''', ''[[Departure]]''</ref>
However, Covenant weaponry is more effective against nanolaminate plating. The carrier ''[[Ascendant Justice]]'', one of the most powerful vessels in the [[Covenant fleet]], was heavily damaged by a single [[plasma turret|plasma torpedo]], with several layers of the armor plating boiling away.<ref>'''Halo: First Strike''', ''page 76''</ref>


The Sangheili continued to improve their ships' nanolaminate plating and other onboard technologies in the wake of the Human-Covenant War. Following a joint anti-[[piracy]] operation with the [[UNSC Navy]] in a [[Joint Occupation Zone]] in [[2557]], [[ONI]] analysis noted improvements to the hull plating of the assault carrier ''[[Shadow of Intent]]''.<ref name="Catalog"/>
The Sangheili continued to improve their ships' nanolaminate plating and other onboard technologies in the wake of the Human-Covenant War. Following a joint anti-[[piracy]] operation with the [[UNSC Navy]] in a [[Joint Occupation Zone]] in [[2557]], [[ONI]] analysis noted improvements to the hull plating of the assault carrier ''[[Shadow of Intent]]''.{{Ref/Reuse|Catalog}}


===Heat resilience===
===Heat resilience===
The nanolaminate plating is very heat resistant, allowing Covenant vessels to enter extreme atmospheres or absorb the long-range damage from [[human]] [[nuclear weapon]]s. Upon entering the gas giant [[Threshold]]'s atmosphere shield-less, the hull of ''Ascendant Justice'' heated to three hundred degrees Celsius, with no actual structural damage done to the ship.<ref name="fs79"/> Only when the ship reached temperatures of over seventeen hundred degrees Celsius did minor hull tearing and conduit melting occur.<ref>'''Halo: First Strike''', ''page 84''</ref> However, at such high temperatures, the superstructure of the vessel becomes considerably softened.<ref>'''Halo: First Strike''', ''page 223''</ref>
The nanolaminate plating is very heat resistant, allowing Covenant vessels to enter extreme atmospheres or absorb the long-range damage from [[human]] [[nuclear weapon]]s. Upon entering the gas giant [[Threshold]]'s atmosphere shield-less, the hull of ''Ascendant Justice'' heated to three hundred degrees Celsius, with no actual structural damage done to the ship.{{Ref/Reuse|fs79}} Only when the ship reached temperatures of over seventeen hundred degrees Celsius did minor hull tearing and conduit melting occur.<ref>'''Halo: First Strike''', ''page 84''</ref> However, at such high temperatures, the superstructure of the vessel becomes considerably softened.<ref>'''Halo: First Strike''', ''page 223''</ref>


==Trivia==
==Trivia==
The shield used by the [[Covenant]]'s [[Mgalekgolo]] soldiers appears to be made up of a similar alloy.
The shield used by the [[Covenant]]'s [[Mgalekgolo]] soldiers is made up of starship-grade nanolaminate alloy.<ref>[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/universe/species/lekgolo-mgalekgolo-hunter '''Halo Waypoint''': ''Lekgolo'']</ref>


==Gallery==
==Gallery==
<gallery>
<gallery>
File:H4-Render-CRS.jpg|Renders of the ''CRS''-class light cruiser, with its hull quite visible.
File:H4-Render-CRS.jpg|Renders of the ''CRS''-class light cruiser, with its hull quite visible.
File:Reach - Supercarrier.png|A render of a ''CSO''-class supercarrier, armored with over 30 meters of nanolaminate plating.
File:HR CAS assaultcarrier Render2.png|A render of a ''CAS''-class assault carrier, whose hull is reinforced with nanolaminate.
File:InfinityRam.jpg|An ''RCS''-class armored cruiser is destroyed after the ''Infinity'' collides with it.
File:InfinityRam.jpg|An ''RCS''-class armored cruiser is destroyed after the ''Infinity'' collides with it.
File:DeliverHope - CCSBattlecruiser.png|The war-torn nanolaminate plating of a ''CCS''-class battlecruiser.
File:DeliverHope - CCSBattlecruiser.png|The war-torn nanolaminate plating of a ''CCS''-class battlecruiser.
File:Seraph reach.jpg|Covenant [[space fighter]]s, like the [[Type-31 Seraph|Seraph]], were armored with nanolaminate plating.
File:Seraph reach.jpg|Covenant [[space fighter]]s, like the [[Type-31 Seraph|Seraph]], are armored with nanolaminate plating.
File:Elite minor render.png|Sangheili combat harnesses featured nanolaminate plating.
</gallery>
</gallery>


==Sources==
==Sources==
<references/>
{{Ref/Sources}}


[[Category:Armor]]
[[Category:Armor]]
[[Category:Materials]]
[[Category:Materials]]

Latest revision as of 09:14, May 6, 2023

Nanolaminate plating provides both aesthetic and protective functions for Covenant technology.

Nanolaminate is a type of material used as battle plating for Covenant warships[1] and Sangheili combat harnesses.[2][3] Possessing a characteristic opalescent-like shine,[4] nanolaminate can range in color from purplish to white-blue or silver, while Kig-Yar vessels are generally bluish-black in color.[5] The plating is very strong and heat resistant, with the support of energy shielding allowing Covenant ships to take more damage.[6] The amount of nanolaminate plating applied to each ship depends on the class, though Ruma-pattern light carriers have well over thirty meters of armor plating.[7] As of 2525, nanolaminate plating has not seen use in any human construction.[8]

Characteristics[edit]

Defensive capabilities[edit]

A CPV-class destroyer collides with the Spirit of Fire, with the former vessel taking little damage.

Nanolaminate hull plating allows ships to be resilient to most UNSC weaponry. UNSC point-defense guns are not powerful enough to do significant damage to the plating,[9] Archer missiles prove to be very effective against the unshielded hull of a Covenant vessel, causing the ship to become very vulnerable following the resulting explosions of the missiles.[10] Magnetic Accelerator Cannons are often used to disable and destroy Covenant vessels after the energy shielding fails, being powerful enough to pierce the nanolaminate hull plating of most ships with a single round.[11] A single pack of C-12 shaped charges can easily puncture a large hole through the hull of a Covenant cruiser.[12] Some Covenant cruisers are capable of taking a direct hit from a mass driver at near point-blank range with only minor structural damage done to the nanolaminate plating, but a second hit in the same spot will puncture the vessel.[13]

However, Covenant weaponry is more effective against nanolaminate plating. The carrier Ascendant Justice, one of the most powerful vessels in the Covenant fleet, was heavily damaged by a single plasma torpedo, with several layers of the armor plating boiling away.[14]

The Sangheili continued to improve their ships' nanolaminate plating and other onboard technologies in the wake of the Human-Covenant War. Following a joint anti-piracy operation with the UNSC Navy in a Joint Occupation Zone in 2557, ONI analysis noted improvements to the hull plating of the assault carrier Shadow of Intent.[1]

Heat resilience[edit]

The nanolaminate plating is very heat resistant, allowing Covenant vessels to enter extreme atmospheres or absorb the long-range damage from human nuclear weapons. Upon entering the gas giant Threshold's atmosphere shield-less, the hull of Ascendant Justice heated to three hundred degrees Celsius, with no actual structural damage done to the ship.[6] Only when the ship reached temperatures of over seventeen hundred degrees Celsius did minor hull tearing and conduit melting occur.[15] However, at such high temperatures, the superstructure of the vessel becomes considerably softened.[16]

Trivia[edit]

The shield used by the Covenant's Mgalekgolo soldiers is made up of starship-grade nanolaminate alloy.[17]

Gallery[edit]

  • Renders of the CRS-class light cruiser, with its hull quite visible.

    Renders of the CRS-class light cruiser, with its hull quite visible.

  • A render of a CAS-class assault carrier, whose hull is reinforced with nanolaminate.

    A render of a CAS-class assault carrier, whose hull is reinforced with nanolaminate.

  • An RCS-class armored cruiser is destroyed after the Infinity collides with it.

    An RCS-class armored cruiser is destroyed after the Infinity collides with it.

  • The war-torn nanolaminate plating of a CCS-class battlecruiser.

    The war-torn nanolaminate plating of a CCS-class battlecruiser.

  • Covenant space fighters, like the Seraph, are armored with nanolaminate plating.

    Covenant space fighters, like the Seraph, are armored with nanolaminate plating.

  • Sangheili combat harnesses featured nanolaminate plating.

    Sangheili combat harnesses featured nanolaminate plating.

Sources[edit]

  1. ^ a b Halo Waypoint: Catalog Interaction - Page 14
  2. ^ Halo Waypoint - Community Update (07/29/16): The Finals Countdown
  3. ^ Halo Waypoint, The New Halo Encyclopedia is Out Today (Retrieved on Mar 11, 2023) [archive]
  4. ^ Halo: The Fall of Reach, page 119
  5. ^ Halo: Contact Harvest, page 26
  6. ^ a b Halo: First Strike, page 79
  7. ^ Halo: First Strike, page 266
  8. ^ Halo: Contact Harvest, page 176
  9. ^ Halo: The Fall of Reach, page 272
  10. ^ Halo: The Fall of Reach, page 179
  11. ^ Halo: The Fall of Reach, page 297
  12. ^ Halo: Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe, "Blunt Instruments", page 202
  13. ^ Halo: Contact Harvest, page 342
  14. ^ Halo: First Strike, page 76
  15. ^ Halo: First Strike, page 84
  16. ^ Halo: First Strike, page 223
  17. ^ Halo Waypoint: Lekgolo
Retrieved from "https://www.halopedia.org/index.php?title=Nanolaminate&oldid=1578382"