Editing Merg Vol's Covenant

{{Status|Canon}}
{{disambig header|the rogue splinter faction during the [[Post-Covenant War conflicts|post-war]] era|the original theocratic empire|Covenant}}
{{Conjectural title|1}}
{{Affiliation infobox
|name=Merg Vol's Covenant
|image=[[File:HSA Covenant remnant fleet in DraetheusV.jpg|350px]]
|type=Religious cult/[[terrorist]] organization
|founder=[[Merg Vol]]
|documents=
|head=Merg Vol
|executive=
|legislative=
|judicial=
|branch=
|main=
|anthem=
|language=[[Sangheili (language)|Sangheili]] serves as ''lingua franca''; 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
|techlevel=
|notable=
|formed=After [[2552#December|December 11, 2552]]: [[Battle of the Citadel|Dissolution of the Covenant]]
|dissolved=[[2554]]
|affiliation=
}}

This '''Covenant faction''' was one of the several [[Covenant remnants|splinter groups]] of the former [[Covenant]] who continued to worship the [[Forerunner]]s and began to oppose the [[United Nations Space Command|UNSC]] after the  end of the [[Human-Covenant War]]. The group was led by [[Sangheili Zealot]] [[Merg Vol]].{{Ref/Reuse|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> led by [[Sangheili Zealot]] [[Merg Vol]], the faction attacked [[Draetheus V]] and its moon [[X50]] and [[Battle of Draetheus V|clashed with the UNSC]] for control of the [[Forerunner]] relics present there. Two [[SPARTAN-IV Program|SPARTAN-IVs]], [[Sarah Palmer]] and [[Edward Davis]], participated in the campaign. The UNSC was successful in alerting the planet of Merg Vol's Covenant invading 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. Vol's Covenant forces activated the primary weapon of the X50 construct. Directed toward the planet, the beam began to disintegrate Draetheus V, destabilizing it. Though Davis managed to deactivate the device, it was too late for Draetheus V which had already begun to break up.<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> Merg Vol's Covenant continued to attack the planet and the UNSC quickly realized that Draetheus V was ill-prepared for a full evacuation while his Covenant ground forces were rapidly losing morale. There was not enough transportation to allow everyone to leave Draetheus V as much of the UNSC's aircraft had been destroyed in the initial stages of the battle. However, the UNSC raided a Covenant airfield and stole numerous Covenant [[Dextro Xur-pattern Spirit|Spirit dropships]]. With the help of Spartan [[Sarah Palmer]], 23 Covenant dropships carrying civilians made it off the planet while stranding Vol's Covenant ground forces who had just had their only way off of Draetheus V stolen.<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. In order to ensure that the civilians evacuated safely, Palmer was ordered to return to X50 and kill Merg Vol who provided the remaining Covenant forces with a rallying point and cry. As a result, Merg Vol had to be eliminated if the colonists were to escape safely. Palmer was able to steal ground commander [[Parg Vol]]'s [[R'shwupa-pattern Phantom|personal transport]] and use it to sneak past Merg Vol's Covenant fleet in orbit of X50. On the moon's surface, Palmer fought her way to the Forerunner structure, eliminating Merg Vol's most devout followers who were defending the approach to the structure in an icy gorge. Palmer was able to eliminate his Covenant forces, including Merg Vol's six most loyal lieutenants.<ref name="Operation E">'''Halo: Spartan Assault''' - ''[[Operation E: Frostbite]]''</ref> After arriving at the structure, Palmer engaged Merg Vol himself and despite the cult leader activating the structure's defense systems, Palmer was able to defeat him and execute Merg Vol.<ref>'''Halo: Spartan Assault''',''[[Operation E: Frostbite]]'' - ''[[Mission 25: Battle for the Moon|Battle for the Moon]]''</ref> Before escaping in Parg Vol's ship, Palmer sabotaged the Forerunner device so that it could never be used by anyone again.{{Ref/Reuse|Operation E}}

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 as well as many of his lieutenants, his Covenant faction was dissolved.  One of its surviving members, [[Parg Vol]], joined the [[Jul 'Mdama's Covenant|reformed Covenant]] led by [[Jul 'Mdama]].{{Ref/SpOps|Id=VIP|Catherine|The VIP}} However, he was later [[Assassination of Parg Vol|assassinated]] by [[Fireteam Crimson]] in [[2558#Februaruy|February 2558]] during the [[Requiem Campaign]].{{Ref/SpOps|Id=trip|Catherine|Hunting Trip}}

==Military structure==
As in the Covenant hegemony, the Sangheili served as this group's military leadership caste, albeit free from the Prophets who had betrayed them. 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]] were deployed as snipers and light infantry. The group had [[Jiralhanae]] [[Jiralhanae Jumper|Jumpers]] and [[Chieftains]] employed for reasons unknown, which were deployed very rarely. The group may have employed [[Mgalekgolo]], though it is unclear whether this was so.{{Ref/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.}}

{| 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]] by [[SPARTAN-IV program|Spartan]] [[Sarah Palmer]].
*[[Parg Vol]] - Commander of the faction's ground forces who had his [[R'shwupa-pattern Phantom|personal transport]] stolen during the [[Battle of Draetheus V]]. Survived the battle and dissolution of the faction; later became a freelance assassin and arms dealer before joining [[Jul 'Mdama]]'s [[Jul 'Mdama's Covenant|reformed Covenant]].<ref>'''[[Halo 4: The Essential Visual Guide]]''', ''page 29''</ref> [[Assassination of Parg Vol|Assassinated]] by [[Fireteam Crimson]] during the [[Requiem Campaign]] in [[2558#February|February 2558]].{{Ref/Reuse|trip}}

==Military assets==
Merg Vol's Covenant utilized much of the same equipment that the original Covenant used. Most [[Unggoy]] used the [[Type-25 plasma pistol]] while [[Kig-Yar]] troops made use of [[Type-33 Needler]]s. [[Sangheili]] personnel were typically armed with the {{Pattern|Nakata'vho|plasma repeater}}. Higher-ranking members of the group used the [[Type-33 Needler]] and {{Pattern|M'tara|focus rifle}}. [[Jiralhanae]] within the faction regularly used [[Type-25 Brute Shot]]s and [[Gravity hammer (fiction)|gravity hammer]]s. {{Pattern|Karo'etba|Ghost}}s and {{Pattern|Zurdo|Wraith}}s made up the majority of the faction's ground vehicles with {{Pattern|Ogab'd|anti-aircraft Wraith}}s serving as anti-aircraft artillery. The faction also made use of the {{Pattern|Cheru|Tyrant}} and {{Pattern|Emp'seam|Antlion}}. Like the original Covenant the [[Type-26 Banshee]] remained as the main aircraft of the faction. Both {{Pattern|Dextro Xur|Spirit}}s and {{Pattern|Ru'swum|Phantom}}s were used as troop transports with at least one {{Pattern|R'shwupa|Phantom}} 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 {{Pattern|Ket|battlecruiser}}s.{{Ref/Reuse|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/Note|In a [[:File:HSA mission overview.jpg|mission briefing screenshot]] revealed before ''Halo: Spartan Assault'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.}} 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 Davis TradingCard.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 {{Pattern|Emp'seam|Antlion}} on Draetheus V.
File:Assault on the Supply Lines.png|An anti-air Wraith defending Merg Vol's 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}}

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

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

{{Organizations}}

[[Category:Covenant remnants]]