Editing Brhi Xur-pattern Leech

{{Title|''Brhi Xur''-pattern Leech}}
{{Status|Canon}}
{{Disambig header|the boarding craft introduced in ''[[Halo: Combat Evolved]]''|the model featured in ''[[Halo 2]]''|R'sisho-pattern Tick}}
{{Ship class infobox
|name=''Brhi Xur''-pattern Ship Breacher
|image=[[File:Enc22 Leech.png|300px]]
|manufacturer=[[Assembly Forges]]{{Ref/Book|Id=Enc22|Enc22|Page=281}}
|class=
|role=[[Boarding]] craft
|length={{Convert|91.1|ft|m|sp=us|disp=flip}}{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22}}
|width={{Convert|27.3|ft|m|sp=us|disp=flip}}{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22}}
|height={{Convert|10.5|ft|m|sp=us|disp=flip}}{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22}}
|mass=
|power=
|engine=
|slipspace drive=
|navigation=
|hull=
|armament=1 [[heavy plasma cannon]]{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22}}
|complement=40{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22}}
|crew=1 [[pilot]]{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22}}
|passengers=
|othersystems=
|era=[[Human-Covenant War]]
|introduced=
|affiliation=[[Covenant]]
}}
This '''''Brhi Xur''-pattern Ship Breacher''', known to [[human]]ity as the '''Leech''', is a [[Covenant]] boarding craft specifically designed for [[boarding]] an enemy vessel.{{Ref/Level|Id=pillar|HCE|The Pillar of Autumn (Halo: Combat Evolved level)|The Pillar of Autumn}}

==Overview==
===Design details===
The ''Brhi Xur'' bears many outward design similarities to the {{Pattern|Dextro Xur|Spirit}} dropship, featuring an almost identical cockpit and panelling style. The craft is roughly tube-shaped, featuring an airlock at one end and a [[heavy plasma cannon]] on the other.{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22}}

===Usage===
When a [[UNSC starship|UNSC ship]] is being attacked by Covenant forces, if the Covenant determine that the ship holds valuable navigational data, [[AI]]s, or other materials, the Covenant may attempt a boarding operation. In such a situation, the boarding craft is used. The Covenant tended to choose their entry points carefully, burning holes through hangar bay windows or using the empty [[Class-3 Enclosed Heavy Lifeboat|UNSC escape pod]] docking rings to board a vessel. These vessels usually carried a compliment of up to 8-10 Covenant warriors, usually [[Unggoy]] and [[Sangheili]].{{Ref/Reuse|pillar}}

In the [[Post-Covenant War conflicts|post-war]] era, the Leech continues to be a common sight across former-Covenant space - seeing heavy use as a cargo transport and passenger shuttle.{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22}}

==Production notes==
{{Main|Cut Halo: Combat Evolved vehicles}}
Although the interior of the Leech boarding craft was first viewed in ''[[Halo: Combat Evolved]]'', the exterior remained unknown until the [[2022]] release of the ''[[Halo Encyclopedia (2022 edition)|Halo Encyclopedia]]''.{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22}} The model featured in the book is the exact same model and textures first created by [[Bungie]] for the original ''Combat Evolved'' game, before it was ultimately [[Cut Halo: Combat Evolved vehicles|cut from release]]. In the original [[Development of Halo: Combat Evolved|development of ''Halo: Combat Evolved'']], the Leech was present in the game files for the [[Xbox]] release until relatively late in the production process, before being removed at relatively last-minute. The Leech asset was restored as part of the [[Digsite]] initiative conducted by [[343 Industries]], with contributor General_101 going as far as to turn what was originally a simple prop asset into an asset ready for [[Modding|modders]] to turn into a game-ready vehicle for use in ''Halo''.{{Ref/Site|Id=DigsiteDeliveries|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/news/digsite-deliveries|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=Digsite Deliveries|D=07|M=07|Y=2023}}

The Digsite team, including 343 senior writer [[Kenneth Peters]], believe that the Leech may have been intended for use in the opening cutscene of [[The Pillar of Autumn (Halo: Combat Evolved level)|The Pillar of Autumn]] - the first level of ''Combat Evolved'' - due to the level's originally-planned much more extensive opening sequence.{{Ref/Reuse|DigsiteDeliveries}}

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:HCE-CovenantBoardingCraftInterior.jpg|The interior of a Covenant boarding craft in ''Halo: Combat Evolved''.
File:Covenant_Boarding_Party.png|A group of Covenant soldiers prepare to board the ''Pillar of Autumn'' in ''Halo: Combat Evolved''.
File:HCEA The Pillar of Autumn Boarding Craft 2.png|The interior of the boarding craft in ''[[Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary]]''.
File:HCEA The Pillar of Autumn Boarding Craft 1.png|The Leech's interior.
File:HCE Digsite Vehicles 1.jpg|A Leech restored into ''Halo: Combat Evolved'' (left) among a number of other Digsite-restored vehicles.
File:HCE Leech Driving Screenshot 1.png|Driving the Leech.
File:HCE Leech Driving Screenshot 2.png|Driving the Leech.
</gallery>

==List of appearances==
*''[[Halo: Combat Evolved]]'' {{1st}}
*''[[Halo: The Flood]]''
*''[[Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary]]''

==Sources==
{{Ref/Sources}}

{{Covenant Atmospheric/Exoatmospheric Vehicles}}