Editing Hekar Taa-pattern blockade runner

{{Title|''Hekar Taa''-pattern blockade runner}}
{{Status|Canon}}
{{Ship class infobox
|name=''Hekar Taa''-pattern blockade runner
|image=[[File:H5G-SangheiliBlockadeRunnerStarship.png|300px]]
|manufacturer=[[Vassal Workshops of Clan Makan and Clan Vol]]{{Ref/Reuse|warfleet}}
|class=[[Corvette]],{{Ref/Book|Id=Mythos|HM|Section=Return to Sanghelios|Page=194}} [[Covenant fleet#Major categories|Vestige]]{{Ref/Reuse|warfleet}}{{Ref/Book|Id=Enc22|Enc22|Page=271}}
|role=Blockade runner{{Ref/Site|Id=SoI|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/news/canon-fodder-shadow-of-intense|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=Canon Fodder - Shadow of Intense|D=01|M=03|Y=2021}}
|length={{Convert|2020|m|ft|sp=us|sigfig=4}}{{Ref/Site|Id=canonfodder|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/news/canon-fodder-holiday-shipping|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=Canon Fodder - Holiday Shipping|D=01|M=03|Y=2021}}{{Ref/Reuse|warfleet}}{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22}}
|width=
|height=
|mass=80 million metric tons{{Ref/Reuse|warfleet}}{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22}}
|power=
|engine=[[Repulsor engine]]s
|slipspace drive=Equipped
|navigation=
|hull=[[Nanolaminate]] plating
|armament=*1x ''Pherex''-pattern [[excavation beam]]{{Ref/Site|Id=hot drops|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/news/hot-drops-flag-caps|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=Halo Community Update - Hot Drops & Flag Caps|D=01|M=03|Y=2021}}{{Ref/Reuse|warfleet}}{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22}}
*3x ''Corven''-pattern [[plasma beam emitter]]s{{Ref/Reuse|warfleet}}{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22}}
*24x ''Gaff-Naran''-pattern [[Plasma cannon (starship)|plasma cannon]]s{{Ref/Tabletop|Id=fb|HFB}}{{Ref/Reuse|warfleet}}{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22}}
*16x ''Litrex''-pattern [[plasma torpedo]] silos{{Ref/Reuse|fb}}{{Ref/Reuse|warfleet}}{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22}}
*10x ''Eriu''-pattern [[Pulse laser turret|pulse lasers]]{{Ref/Reuse|warfleet}}{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22}}
|complement=*15 [[Obedientaries]]{{Ref/Reuse|warfleet}}
*100 Warriors{{Ref/Reuse|warfleet}}
*500 Thralls{{Ref/Reuse|warfleet}}
|crew=*5 Superiors{{Ref/Reuse|warfleet}}
*220 Menials{{Ref/Reuse|warfleet}}
|passengers=
|othersystems=*Stealth generators{{Ref/Reuse|hot drops}}
*[[Hyperscanner]]{{Ref/Reuse|warfleet}}
|era=*[[War of Beginnings]]{{Ref/Reuse|canonfodder}}
*[[Blooding Years]]{{Ref/Reuse|canonfodder}}
|introduced=[[War of Beginnings]]{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22}}
|affiliation=*[[Swords of Sanghelios]]{{Ref/Reuse|hot drops}}
*[[Jul 'Mdama's Covenant]]{{Ref/Reuse|hot drops}}
}}
{{Quote|Swift corvette preferred by the boldest and most audacious shipmasters.|[[Curator]]{{Ref/Reuse|Mythos}}}}

The '''''Hekar Taa''-pattern blockade runner'''{{Ref/Reuse|hot drops}} is a vestigial class of [[corvette]] used by the [[Sangheili]] during the [[War of Beginnings]].{{Ref/Reuse|warfleet}} This class of corvette was later utilized by the [[fleet]]s of [[Covenant remnants]], including the [[Swords of Sanghelios]] and [[Jul 'Mdama's Covenant]].{{Ref/Reuse|canonfodder}}{{Ref/Level|H5G|Swords of Sanghelios (level)|Swords of Sanghelios}} While these corvettes lack in armor and protection, blockade runners are fast ships with powerful armaments.{{Ref/Reuse|canonfodder}}

==Overview==
===Design details===
[[File:Blockaderunnerblueprint.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Blockade runner blueprint.]]
The ''Hekar Taa''-pattern blockade runner is a swift class of [[corvette]], abstaining from protection for speed and firepower. As with most older [[Sangheili]] designs, these [[warship]]s were designed for the sole purpose of breaking through enemy formations, as well as flanking around enemy lines to hunt down and destroy damaged vessels.{{Ref/Reuse|canonfodder}}{{Ref/Site|Id=reinforcements|URL=http://www.spartangames.co.uk/halo-fleet-battles-reinforcements|Site=Spartan Games|Page=Halo: Fleet Battles – Reinforcements|D=29|M=07|Y=2017}} Like most Sangheili warships, the aesthetics of the blockade runners of the ''Hekar Taa''-pattern have strong biomimetic elements, bearing a resemblance to the [[arkon taa]], a type of carnivorous fish found in the northern waters of [[Sanghelios]]{{Ref/Book|Id=warfleet|HWF|Page=78-79}} and other [[Sangheili colonies]].{{Ref/Reuse|canonfodder}} The blockade runner is comparable to the modern {{Pattern|Ket|battlecruiser}}, albeit with less armor.{{Ref/Reuse|reinforcements}}

Sleek and nimble, yet a powerful medium-sized warship, blockade runners are designed to allow even the boldest [[shipmaster]]s to complete their missions.{{Ref/Reuse|reinforcements}} Configured with only minor modifications, the ancient ''meesa'' stealth generators that these corvettes are outfitted with conceal the vessel's location through brute-force jamming and expenditure of small [[drone]]s, as opposed to the sensor distortion grids utilized by modern [[active camouflage]] systems installed on [[Covenant]] designs.{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22}}{{Ref/Reuse|hot drops}} Blockade runners also host a large complement of crew, for countering [[Naval boarding|boarding]] efforts and launching attacks of their own.{{Ref/Reuse|reinforcements}} However, they are purely Sangheili warships, and modifications made for other species are typically clumsy refits. Even then, many Sangheili still find serving aboard a ''Hekar-Taa'' an uncomfortable experience, due to the ships' scented air and droning subsonic hymnals that were once standard features two millennia ago.{{Ref/Reuse|warfleet}}

The [[repulsor engine]] found on the ''Hekar Taa'' is a cruder model than those found on more modern Covenant warships, requiring constant monitoring and adjustment to operate at full power in contrast to the longevity of their newer counterparts. While its [[hyperscanner]] panels are still far superior to most human sensors, modern Covenant ships are able to easily avoid being detected.{{Ref/Reuse|warfleet}}

===Armaments===
[[File:H5G-Blockaderunnerpew.png|thumb|250px|A blockade runner firing a plasma torpedo.]]
The blockade runner's armaments are antiquated, but not ineffective.{{Ref/Reuse|warfleet}} The unrefined [[energy projector]]s offended [[San'Shyuum]] bureaucrats of the Covenant, but they are more than capable of disabling the [[energy shielding]] and shattering the hulls of modern warships.{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22}}{{Ref/Reuse|hot drops}} The [[plasma torpedo]]es equipped to the blockade runner primarily shoot backwards, further aiding the corvette in its breakthrough strategies.{{Ref/Reuse|reinforcements}} These corvettes are also outfitted with [[Plasma cannon (starship)|plasma cannon]]s.{{Ref/Reuse|fb}} Often supported by more modern designs, such as the {{Pattern|Akton|escort}}, a blockade runner is still capable of generating enough firepower to threaten even the most powerful warships of the Covenant, [[Swords of Sanghelios]], [[Banished]], or [[UNSC Navy]].{{Ref/Reuse|hot drops}}

The older style of energy projector found equipped on the blockade runner generally lacks range and delicacy, but makes up for these shortcomings in sheer power. These cannons can be further overcharged beyond what the Covenant consider prudent, though this double-edged sword may lead inexperienced crews to run the risk of crippling their weapon systems.{{Ref/Reuse|warfleet}} The blockade runner additionally contains a centrally-located hangar, with many older models still stocked with ancient designs of the [[Type-26 Banshee|Banshee]] and other craft, now discarded or recycled during modern-day refits.{{Ref/Reuse|warfleet}}

==Ships of the line==
*''[[Joori's Light]]''{{Ref/Reuse|canonfodder}}
*''[[Scorrin's Blade]]''
===Simulation-only===
*''[[Purity of Spirit]]'' {{C|Simulations only}}{{Ref/Note|''Purity of Spirit'' was previously confirmed to be a ''Ket''-pattern battlecruiser, and only appeared as a blockade runner in [[War Games]] simulations.}}{{Ref/Site|Id=cannonfodder2|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/news/canon-fodder-beta-late-than-never|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=Cannon Fodder - Beta Late Than Never|D=01|M=03|Y=2021}}
*''[[Undiminished Entelechy]]'' {{C|Simulations only}}{{Ref/Note|It being the [[Wikipedia:Sister ship|sister ship]] of ''Purity of Spirit'', we can deduce that they are both the same class. As such, its representation as a blockade runner is simply down to changes in the simulation.}}{{Ref/Reuse|cannonfodder2}}

==Operational history==
The blockade runners were first used by the [[Sangheili]] against the [[San'Shyuum]] during the [[War of Beginnings]]. One legendary blockade runner, ''[[Joori's Light]]'', succeeded in evading destruction and capture at the hands of the San'Shyuum during the war. When the war came to an end and the [[Covenant]] was established through the [[Writ of Union]], the crew of ''Joori's Light'' refused to join the Covenant and instead escaped to uncharted space.{{Ref/Reuse|canonfodder}} Many current-surviving blockade runners are vestiges of this time, having originally belonged to a fleet headed by [[Ophon 'Qaram]], with the blockade runners serving as his signature warship. These ships were used to strike at San 'Shyuum fortifications, before vanishing prior to retaliation by enemy forces.{{Ref/Reuse|warfleet}}

Over the course of history the ships received upgrades. As the [[Blooding Years]] embroiled [[Sanghelios]], blockade runners were pulled from hidden stocks in the outer edge of the [[Joori]] system by [[Thel 'Vadam]]'s [[Swords of Sanghelios]] and [[Jul 'Mdama]]'s [[Jul 'Mdama's Covenant|Covenant]] to bolster their fleets.{{Ref/Reuse|warfleet}}{{Ref/Reuse|hot drops}} Upgraded to modern specifications,{{Ref/Site|URL=http://www.haloarchive.com/forum/topic/9-canon-fodder-and-random-lore-chat/?page=59|Site=Halo Archive|Page=Canon Fodder thread (page 59)|Quote=I mean, it's not like there wouldn't be upgrades to those older designs as well...|Quotee=Jeff Easterling|D=25|M=05|Y=2018}} these corvettes have been used in supporting ground operations during the civil war against the better judgement of their [[shipmaster]]s.{{Ref/Reuse|canonfodder}} In [[2558#October|October 2558]], some blockade runners were present during the [[Battle of Kamchatka]],{{Ref/Level|H5G|Osiris (level)|Osiris}} the [[Operation: BIRD IN HAND|attack]] on ''[[Argent Moon]]'',{{Ref/Level|H5G|Blue Team (level)|Blue Team}} and the [[Battle of Sunaion]].{{Ref/Level|H5G|Battle of Sunaion (level)|Battle of Sunaion}}

[[Spartan-IV]]s aboard {{UNSCShip|Infinity}} trained in a [[Truth (level)|simulation]] of [[War Games]] set during the [[Battle of Installation 04]], but with the ships from the [[Fleet of Particular Justice]] replaced by these ships.{{Ref/Map|H5G|Truth}} Sometime around [[2560]], the Swords of Sanghelios used a fleet largely consisting of blockade runners and {{Pattern|Zanar|light cruiser}}s in a battle against a large [[Banished]] fleet of [[karve]]s and a [[Banished dreadnought|Dreadnought]] over [[Suban]].{{Ref/Map|Id=prism|HINF|Prism}}

==''Halo: Fleet Battles''==
{{Col-begin}}
{{Col-2}}
===Covenant blockade runner===
[[File:HFB-BlockadeRunner1.jpg|thumb|250px|A blockade runner in ''[[Halo: Fleet Battles]]''.]]
This element includes a single ''Hekar Taa''-pattern blockade runner.
*Cost: 170 points
*Movement: 9"
*Damage Track: 7 • 6 • 4
*Built Rating: 3
*Hangars: 2
*Boarding Craft: 3
*Security Detail: 4
*System loadouts:
**Cloaking System
**Defence Array (4)
**Glide (4")
**Point Defence (3)
*Primary Weapon: Plasma Lance
**Range: 18/32"
**Weapon loadouts: Plasma
**Firing Arc: Forward/Port/Starboard
**Dice: 12
*Alternative Primary Weapon: Plasma Beam
**Range: 12"/-
**Weapon loadouts: Plasma
**Firing Arc: Forward/Port/Starboard
**Dice: 7/7/7
*Secondary Weapon: Plasma Cannon Arrays
**Range: 10/20"
**Weapon loadouts: Plasma
**Firing Arc: Forward/Port/Starboard
**Dice: 14
*Additional Secondary Weapon: Plasma Torpedoes
**Range: 12/24"
**Weapon loadouts: Missiles/Plasma
**Firing Arc: Forward/Port/Starboard/Aft
**Dice: 6
{{Col-2}}
===Covenant Escorted blockade runner===
[[File:HFB-BlockadeRunner.png|thumb|250px|A blockade runner with an {{Pattern|Akton|escort}} from ''Halo: Fleet Battles''.]]
This element includes a ''Hekar Taa''-pattern blockade runner and one ''ADP''-class escort.
*Cost: 210 points
*Movement: 9"
*Damage Track: 8 • 6 • 4
*Built Rating: 4
*Hangars: 2
*Boarding Craft: 3
*Security Detail: 5
*System loadouts:
**Cloaking System
**Defence Array (4)
**Glide (4")
**Point Defence (4)
*Primary Weapon: Plasma Lance
**Range: 18/32"
**Weapon loadouts: Plasma
**Firing Arc: Forward/Port/Starboard
**Dice: 12
*Alternative Primary Weapon: Plasma Beam
**Range: 12"/-
**Weapon loadouts: Plasma
**Firing Arc: Forward/Port/Starboard
**Dice: 7/7/7
*Secondary Weapon: Plasma Cannon Arrays
**Range: 10/20"
**Weapon loadouts: Plasma
**Firing Arc: Forward/Port/Starboard
**Dice: 14
*Additional Secondary Weapon: Plasma Torpedoes
**Range: 12/24"
**Weapon loadouts: Missiles/Plasma
**Firing Arc: Forward/Port/Starboard/Aft
**Dice: 9
{{Col-end}}

==Production notes==
In the real world, [[Wikipedia:Blockade runner|blockade runners]] were lightly armed and armored warships designed for speed, intended to evade engagement by blockading naval forces, usually to transport cargo or to carry messages or personnel to other ports.

==Gallery==
{{Linkbox|gallery=yes|gallerypage=Images of Hekar-Taa pattern blockade runner}}
<gallery>
File:HM-BlockadeRunner.png|A profile of a blockade runner.
File:H5G_BlockadeRunner_Render.jpg|A render of the blockade runner.
File:H5 - Truth ship render.png|Alternate preview of a blockade runner.
File:HFB-Lotsofships.png|The blockade runner to scale with numerous other Covenant and [[UNSC]] warships, rivalling the ''Ket''-pattern battlecruiser in size.
File:H5G-SangheiliBlockadeRunner-Screen.jpg|Screenshot of a Sangheili blockade runner in ''Halo 5: Guardians''.
File:H5 - Truth ship.png|A blockade runner in a simulation over Installation 04 in ''[[Halo 5: Guardians]]''.
File:H5 - Truth pair of ships.png|A pair of blockade runners.
File:H5 - Truth ship back.png|The aft of the vessel.
File:H5 - Truth ship aft.png|A simulated blockade runner over [[Threshold]].
File:H5 - Truth ship prow.png|The prow of the ship.
File:H5 - Truth ship engines.png|A view of the vessel's engines.
File:H5 - Truth ships.png|The Fleet of Particular Justice as simulated in War Games.
File:H5 - Truth fleet.png|The ships accompanied by a {{Pattern|Rwaru|carrack}}-class vessel.
File:H5-Truth-Ships.png|The introductory scene of games set on the map Truth.
File:H5G-Kamchatkadescent.png|Several blockade runners participating in the [[Battle of Kamchatka]].
File:Blockade runner.png|Blockade runner and Banshees during the [[Battle of Sunaion]].
File:Halo 5 - Blockade Runner and Man O' War.png|A blockade runner escorted by a Sangheili Man O' War.
File:H5G-SanctumBlockadeRunner.png|A blockade runner on [[Attack on Sanctum]].
File:H5G-Blockaderunneraftplasma.png|A blockade runner firing a plasma torpedo from its aft section.
File:H5G-Blockaderunnerleaves.png|A blockade runner flees from Attack on Sanctum.
File:Enc22_BlockadeRunner.png|A rendering of the Hekar Taa-pattern blockade runner as shown in the Halo Encyclopedia (2022 edition).
File:HINF_SangheliosBlockadeRunners.png|Concept art for blockade runners on Sanghelios, produced for ''[[Halo Infinite]]''{{'}}s pre-production stage.
File:HINF PrismSkyboxBattle 3.png|A Swords of Sanghelios ''Hekar Taa''-pattern blockade runner being fired upon by a [[Banished]] [[Karve]] during the [[Battle of Suban]] in ''[[Halo Infinite]]''.
</gallery>

==List of appearances==
*''[[Halo: Fleet Battles]]''
*''[[Halo 5: Guardians]]'' {{1st}}
*''[[Halo Mythos]]''
*''[[Halo Infinite]]''
**''[[Season 05: Reckoning]]''
*''[[Halo: Battle for the Blood-Moon]]''

==Notes==
{{Ref/Notes}}

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

{{Covenant Ships}}

[[Category:Corvette classes]]
[[Category:Sangheili ship classes]]