Editing Ester-pattern armored frigate

{{Title|''Ester''-pattern armored frigate}}
{{Status|Canon}}
{{Infobox/Ships
|name            = ''Ester''-pattern
|image           = [[File:Enc22 SoTP CAR.png|300px]]
|caption         = 
|modules         = 
{{Infobox/Ships/Class
|hide-class           = 
|class identification = UNSC [[Three-letter ship classification system|Three-letter code]]: '''CAR'''{{Ref/Generic|Id=CARNote|See the [[Ester-pattern armored frigate#Production notes|production notes]].}}
|class operator       = [[Covenant]]
|class manufacturer   = <!--Who makes the ship class-->
|class architect      = <!--The naval architect(s) for the class-->
|class built          = <!--How many ships of this class were constructed-->
|class in service     = [[Age of Discovery|Third Age of Discovery]]-present{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22}}
}}
|hide-characteristics=<!--leave blank unless you want to hide the characteristics section header-->
|nocollapse      = yes
|type            = [[Covenant frigate|Frigate]]
|length          = {{Convert|3280|ft|m|sp=us|disp=flip}}{{Ref/Book|Id=Enc09|Enc09|Page=268}}{{Ref/Book|Id=Enc11|Enc11|Page=280}}{{Ref/Book|Id=Enc22|Enc22|Page=267}}
|width           = 
|height          = 
|mass            = 34 million tonnes{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22}}
|power           = 
|maneuver drive  = 2 [[repulsor engine]]s
|slipspace drive = [[Borer]]
|crew            = <!--Describes crew counts only-->
|complement      = 
|troops          = <!--Describes on-boarded Marine, Army etc ground troop forces-->
|hull            = [[Nanolaminate]] plating
|shielding       = [[Energy shielding]]
|sensors         = <!--Describes sensors and whatnot-->
|ew              = <!--Describes electronic warfare capabilities-->
|armaments       = 
*1 [[Plasma lance|''Baen Ka''-pattern plasma lance]]{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22}}
*2 [[Plasma beam emitter|''Enteros''-pattern plasma beam]] emitters{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22}}
*30 [[Plasma cannon (starship)|''Sey''-pattern plasma cannons]]{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22}}
*4 [[Pulse laser turret|''Phot Et''-pattern pulse lasers]]{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22}}
|aircraft        = <!--Describes embarked aircraft and dropships-->
|air facilities  = <!--Describes hangars and whatnot-->
}}

The '''''Ester''-pattern armored frigate'''{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22}} {{3Letter|CAR|frigate}}{{Ref/Reuse|CARNote}} is a classification of [[Covenant frigate|frigate]] within the now-defunct [[Covenant fleet]]. 

==Overview==
===Design details===
The ''Ester''-pattern is considered relatively unremarkable by the standards of [[Covenant starship]]s, and averages in at a similar size to the {{Pattern|Ceudar|heavy corvette}} or the slightly smaller {{Pattern|A'uzr|sword frigate}}.{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22}}

===Armaments===
The ''Ester''-pattern boasts a fairly average loadout for its weapons complement, with the notable exception of a [[Plasma lance|''Baen Ka''-pattern plasma lance]] - a weapon considered unusually high-grade given the ship's rating and reputation. The frigate otherwise hosts two [[Plasma beam emitter|''Enteros''-pattern plasma beam]] emitters, thirty [[Plasma cannon (starship)|''Sey''-pattern plasma cannons]] and four [[Pulse laser turret|''Phot Et''-pattern pulse lasers]].{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22}} They may, however, employ a number of tertiary weapons systems depending on the specific [[commanding officer]] and crew.{{Ref/Reuse|Enc09}}{{Ref/Reuse|Enc11}}

===Usage===
During the [[Human-Covenant War]], the ''Ester'' was rarely employed on the front lines, and instead primarily saw use in second-rate roles for internal security and mop-up operations once a fleet had moved on from a given target. These frigates were charged with surveying and recording [[Glassing|devasted worlds]].{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22}} Several frigates of this class participated in the [[Fall of Reach]].{{Ref/Book|Id=Enc09CAR|Enc09|Page=274-275}}{{Ref/Book|Id=Enc11CAR|Enc09|Page=286-287}}  By the time of the [[Great Schism]], many of the frigates surrounding [[High Charity]] had begun to be crewed with [[Jiralhanae]] - resulting in them being used against the [[Covenant separatists|separatist]] [[Sangheili]] fleets.{{Ref/Reuse|Enc09}}{{Ref/Reuse|Enc11}}

The "R", or Reverence, in the frigate's three-letter classification code, "CAR", denotes that the frigate is capable of conducting reconnaissance missions and is capable of excavating [[Forerunner]] artifacts.{{Ref/Site|Id=canon fodder2|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/news/canon-fodder-have-s-moa|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=Canon Fodder: Have S'moa|D=30|M=06|Y=2021}}

==Ships of the line==
*''[[Contrition]]'' – Participated in the [[Fall of Reach]].{{Ref/Reuse|Enc09CAR}}{{Ref/Reuse|Enc11CAR}}
*''[[Penance (ship)|Penance]]'' – Participated in the Fall of Reach.{{Ref/Reuse|Enc09CAR}}{{Ref/Reuse|Enc11CAR}}
*''[[Revenant (ship)|Revenant]]''{{Ref/Reuse|Enc09}}{{Ref/Reuse|Enc11}}{{Ref/Reuse|CARNote}}
*''[[Tenebrous]]''{{Ref/Reuse|Enc09}}{{Ref/Reuse|Enc11}}{{Ref/Reuse|CARNote}}
*''[[Twilight Compunction]]''{{Ref/Reuse|Enc09}}{{Ref/Reuse|Enc11}}{{Ref/Reuse|CARNote}}
*While unconfirmed, the description provided for the appearance of the frigate ''[[Steadfast Strike]]'' may indicate it to be an ''Ester''.

==Production notes==
The CAR-class frigate was first mentioned in [[Transmissions]], a type of promotion for the then-new game ''[[Halo: Combat Evolved]]''. The transmissions are directly linked to the [[Cortana Letters]] and are considered [[:Category:Canon|canon]] because of their inclusion in the [[2009]] edition of the ''[[Halo Encyclopedia (2009 edition)|Halo Encyclopedia]]''.{{Ref/Reuse|Enc09CAR}} The ship was later featured in ''[[Halo: Ghosts of Onyx]]'' as the simply-named "Covenant frigate" - given no particular specific class name or statistics except for the mention of 1-3 plasma turrets on the ship's lateral surfaces, and 4 point-defence weapons. The three frigates featured in the book were later included in the 2009 ''Halo Encyclopedia'' and its [[Halo Encyclopedia (2011 edition)|2011 reprint]] with a given length measurement of {{Convert|3280|ft|m|sp=us|disp=flip}}{{Ref/Reuse|Enc09}}{{Ref/Reuse|Enc11}} - a statistic ultimately reused in the ''[[Halo Encyclopedia (2022 edition)]]'' (alongside the count of 4 point-defence weapons) and effectively combining the Cortana Letters' CAR-class with the unnamed ''Ghosts of Onyx'' frigate type and the new lore written for the ship.{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22}}

Alongside these stats, the frigate was first visually depicted in the 2022 edition of the encyclopedia. The image used in this book, and at the top of this page, is a 3D model created by artist [[:Category:Images by Jared Harris|Jared Harris]] for the ''Halo'' fan mod ''[[Sins of the Prophets]]'' to represent the CAR-class frigate.{{Ref/Site|URL=https://www.artstation.com/artwork/3ozbZm|Site=ArtStation|Page=Sins of the Prophets: Covenant CAR-class frigate|D=27|M=09|Y=2023}}{{Ref/Site|URL=https://www.moddb.com/mods/halo-sins-of-the-prophets/images/covenant-car-class-frigate-v2|Site=Moddb|Page=Covenant CAR-class Frigate V2|D=27|M=09|Y=2023}} The official recognition of this ship as the canon depiction of the ''Ester''-pattern was part of an official collaboration between the ''Sins of the Prophets'' team and [[343 Industries]]. with several of ''Sins of the Prophets''{{'}} ship models being used in the book.

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:SoTP CARFrigate Renders 1.png|Renders for the ''Sins of the Prophets'' model of the ''Ester'' that was featured in the ''Halo Encyclopedia''.
File:SoTP CARFrigate Renders 2.png|Renders for the ''Sins of the Prophets'' model of the ''Ester'' that was featured in the ''Halo Encyclopedia''.
File:SoTP CARFrigate Renders 3.png|Renders for the ''Sins of the Prophets'' model of the ''Ester'' that was featured in the ''Halo Encyclopedia''.
</gallery>

==List of appearances==
*[[Transmissions]] {{C|First; non-canon}}
*''[[Halo: Ghosts of Onyx]]'' {{1st}}

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

{{Covenant Ships}}

[[Category:Frigate classes]]