Editing Merg Vol's Covenant

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{{ArticleName|1}}
{{Affiliation infobox
|name=
|anthem= 
|image=[[File:HSA Covenant remnant fleet in DraetheusV.jpg|350px]] 
|body-title= Type
|body=Religious cult/terrorist organization 
|bodyfigure=[[Merg Vol]] (''de facto'' leader) 
|branch= 
|main= 
|language= Sangheili language serves as ''lingua franca''; [[Covenant languages|various languages]] spoken by different races.<ref>'''[[Halo: Ghosts of Onyx]]'''</ref>
|script= [[Forerunner symbols|Forerunner glyph]]-based system
|religion= Worship of the [[Forerunner]]s and their technology
|notable= 
|formed-title= Formation
|formed= Founded after the end of the Human-Covenant War
|dissolved-title= Fragmentation
|dissolved= [[2554]]
}}
This '''Covenant faction''' was one of the several [[Covenant remnants|splinter groups]] of the former [[Covenant]] who continued to worship the [[Forerunner]]s and oppose the [[United Nations Space Command|UNSC]] in the wake of the [[Human-Covenant War]], the [[Great Schism]], and the disappearance of the [[San 'Shyuum]]. The group was led by [[Zealot]] [[Merg Vol]].<ref name="Umbra"/>

==History==
===Draetheus V=== 
{{Main|Battle of Draetheus V}} 
{{Quote|The fighting started when a splinter sect of Covenant ignored the Ceasefire of 2552 and attacked UNSC forces. By the time the fighting was done... Well, it didn't end well for the UNSC and Covenant, either one.|[[Roland]]<ref name="Umbra">'''Halo: Spartan Assault''' - ''Operation A: Umbra''</ref>}}
In [[2554]],<ref name="catalog">[https://forums.halowaypoint.com/yaf_postsm2994218_Catalog-Interaction.aspx#post2994218 '''Halo Waypoint''': ''Catalog Interaction (Page 43)'']</ref> the faction attacked the planet, and [[X50]], and [[Battle of Draetheus V|clashed with the UNSC]] for the [[Forerunner]] relics present there, lead by [[Zealot]] [[Merg Vol]]. Two [[SPARTAN-IV Program|SPARTAN-IVs]], [[Sarah Palmer]] and [[Edward Davis]], participated in the campaign. The UNSC was successful in alerting the planet of the Covenant's attack and evacuation began. Early in the battle, the faction quickly took control of the moon.<ref>'''Halo: Spartan Assault''', ''[[Mission 4: Live to Fight|Live to Fight]]''</ref>

Later in the battle, Merg Vol discovered the true purpose of Draetheus V's moon. It was a Forerunner device that was used to build or destroy planets. The Covenant forces activated the primary weapon of the X50 construct. Directed toward the planet, the beam began to disintegrate Draetheus V, destabilizing it.<ref>'''Halo: Spartan Assault''' - ''[[Operation C: Monolith]]''</ref> Enormous slabs of rock were slowly floating away from the planet's surface and both UNSC and Covenant troops were scrambling to get to safety as the UNSC continued to evacuate the planet.<ref>'''Halo: Spartan Assault''', ''[[Mission 16: Escape from the Southern Fields|Escape from the Southern Fields]]''</ref> The Covenant continued to attack the planet and the UNSC quickly realized that Draetheus V was ill-prepared for a full evacuation. There was not enough transportation to allow everyone to leave Draetheus V. However, the UNSC raided a Covenant airfield and stole numerous Covenant aircraft. With the help of Spartan [[Sarah Palmer]], 23 Covenant aircraft carrying civilians made it off the planet.<ref>'''Halo: Spartan Assault''', ''[[Mission 20: Defense of the Enemies' Airbase|Defense of the Enemies' Airbase]]''</ref>

While defending the moon, Spartan [[Edward Davis]] was killed by overwhelming [[Sangheili]] forces. Spartan Palmer arrived at X50 and eventually killed Merg Vol in the control center and sabotaged the device, stopping the dismantling process of the planet.<ref>'''Halo: Spartan Assault''', ''[[Mission 25: Battle for the Moon|Battle for the Moon]]''</ref> 

Shortly after the battle, the UNSC discovered a looping transmission of low-frequency static from X50. Palmer and UNSC forces returned to the moon to investigate. However, the UNSC quickly realized that Covenant forces remained on the moon. After fighting through numerous Covenant soldiers, Palmer discovered that the message had originated from her Spartan compatriot Davis, moments before his death. She shut the device down in order to allow her friend to pass away peacefully.<ref>'''Halo: Spartan Assault''' - ''[[Operation F: Hydra]]''</ref>

===Dissolution===
After the Battle of Draetheus V and the death of Merg Vol, his Covenant faction was dissolved.  One of its surviving members, [[Parg Vol]], joined the [[Jul 'Mdama's Covenant faction|Covenant faction]] led by [[Jul 'Mdama]].<ref name="VIP">'''Spartan Ops''', [[S1/Catherine/The VIP|S1E3 - ''The VIP'']]</ref>

==Military structure==
As in the Covenant hegemony's prime, the Sangheili served as this group's military leadership caste. The [[Unggoy]] likewise continued to serve as cannon fodder.<ref>[http://halo.xbox.com/blogs/Headlines/post/2012/05/09/The-Halo-Bulletin-5912.aspx ''The Halo Bulletin - 5.9.12'']</ref> The [[Kig-Yar]], (at least the Jackals), were deployed as snipers and light infantry. Unlike [[Jul 'Mdama's Covenant faction]], this group also employed [[Jiralhanae]] and [[Yanme'e]] infantry. The group also have employed [[Mgalekgolo|Hunters]], though it is unclear whether this was so.<ref group="note">Although a Hunter is depicted on ''Halo: Spartan Assault''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s cover art, none are encountered in gameplay. It is thus ambiguous whether Merg Vol's Covenant utilized Hunters.</ref>

{| class="wikitable" style="width:640px; margin:5px auto; font-size:smaller; text-align:center;"
|-
!Classes
![[Sangheili]]
![[Unggoy]]
![[Kig-Yar]]
![[Yanme'e]]
![[Jiralhanae]]
|-
|colspan="8" | Ranks and type classes
|-
|Standard ranks
|[[Sangheili Minor|Minor]]<br>[[Sangheili Major|Major]]
|[[Unggoy Minor|Minor]]<br>[[Unggoy Major|Major]]
|[[Kig-Yar Minor|Minor]]
|[[Yanme'e Minor|Minor]]
|
|-
|Specialized troops
|[[Stealth Sangheili|Stealth]]<br>[[Sangheili Ranger|Ranger]]
|
|
|
|[[Jiralhanae Jumper|Jumper]]
|-
|Leaders
|[[Field Master]]<br>[[Sangheili Zealot|Zealot]]
|
|
|
|[[Jiralhanae Chieftain|Chieftain]]
|-
|}

===Notable individuals===
*[[Merg Vol]] - The faction's religious and military leader; killed during the Battle of Draetheus V
*[[Parg Vol]] - Commander of the faction's ground forces; later became a freelance assassin and arms dealer before joining [[Jul 'Mdama's Covenant faction|Jul 'Mdama's Covenant]]<ref>'''[[Halo 4: The Essential Visual Guide]]''', ''page 29''</ref>

==Military assets==
Merg Vol's Covenant utilized much of the same equipment that the original Covenant used. Most [[Unggoy]] and [[Kig-Yar]] used the [[Type-25 plasma pistol]], while [[Sangheili]] personnel were typically armed with the [[Type-51 plasma repeater]]. Higher ranking members of the group used the [[Type-33 Needler]] and [[Type-52 focus rifle]]. [[Jiralhanae]] within the faction regularly used [[Type-25 Brute Shot]]s and [[Type-2 gravity hammer]]s. [[Type-32 Ghost]]s and [[Type-26 Wraith]]s made up the majority of the faction's ground vehicles with [[Type-52 Anti-Aircraft Wraith]]s serving as anti-aircraft artillery. The faction also made use of the [[Type-38 Tyrant]] and [[mega turret]]. Like the original Covenant the [[Type-26 Banshee]] remained as the man aircraft of the faction. Both [[Type-25 Spirit]]s and [[Type-52 Phantom]]s were used as troop transports with at least one [[Phantom gunboat]] being used as Parg Vol's personal transport.<ref>'''Halo: Spartan Assault''', ''[[Mission 21: Hunt for the Phantom|Hunt for the Phantom]]''</ref> The faction's fleet was composed of at least four {{Class|CAS|assault carrier}}s and five {{Class|CCS|battlecruiser}}s.<ref name="Umbra"/><ref>'''Halo: Spartan Assault''', ''[[Mission 6: Siege of Faraday|Siege of Faraday]]''</ref>

Most members of Merg Vol's Covenant (regardless of species) wore armor that saw common use during the [[Human-Covenant War]].<ref group="note">In a [[:File:HSA mission overview.jpg|mission briefing screenshot]] revealed before ''Halo: Spartan Assault''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s release, a Grunt Major can be seen wearing his typical red harness. The Grunt Major was replaced by a Grunt Minor in the released game's [[:File:Assault on CF-32.png|same mission briefing]], most likely because Grunt Majors in ''Spartan Assault'' don a silver harness similar to that of [[Unggoy Ultra|Grunt Ultras]] in previous games, instead of the red one.</ref> However, Vol himself wore a variant of the [[Sangheili Zealot#Hesduros-inspired design|Zealot combat harness]] common to Zealots from [[Hesduros]], which is ubiquitous in Jul 'Mdama's Covenant.

==Gallery== 
<gallery>
File:Operation C.png|[[Merg Vol]] activating [[X50]].
File:HSA-SpartanEdwardDavis-LastFight.jpg|Spartan [[Edward Davis]] surrounded by Vol's forces.
File:The Mirror Mantle Counter-Assault.png|A Phantom escorted by Banshees over X50.
File:Live to Fight.png|Wraiths advancing on [[Research Facility Alpha]].
File:Hunt for the Sangheli Command.png|An Unggoy-operated Shade turret on Draetheus V.
File:Battle for Epsilon Expanse.png|A Sangheili and a [[mega turret]] on Draetheus V.
File:Assault on the Supply Lines.png|An anti-air Wraith defending the Covenant supply lines.
File:Defense of the Enemies' Airbase.png|Spirits over Draetheus V.
File:Infiltration of the Cult Leader's Base.png|Tyrant AA guns defending Merg Vol's base.
File:Superstructure Assault.png|Kig-Yar defend the entrance to the [[Cistern]].
</gallery>

==List of appearances==
*''[[Halo: Spartan Assault]]'' {{1st}}

==Note==
<references group="note"/>

==Sources==
<references/>

{{Organizations}}

[[Category:The Covenant]]