Editing Plasma torpedo

{{Status|Canon}}

{{Disambig header|the starship weapon|other uses of the term "plasma turret" and the UNSC operation|Plasma cannon|Operation: TORPEDO}}

{{Quote|Just another item in the Covenant's bottomless arsenal. Not a plasma torpedo, or we'd already be free-floating molecules.|[[Captain]] [[Jacob Keyes]]{{Ref/Novel|Id=TF1|HTF|Chapter=1}}}}

[[File:FoR TAS - Unrelenting fires.png|300px|thumb|''[[Unrelenting]]'' firing plasma torpedoes.]]

'''Plasma torpedoes''' are a type of [[plasma]] naval [[Plasma weaponry|weaponry]] used by the [[Covenant starship|starships]] of the [[Covenant]] and its [[Covenant remnants|remnants]]. They are one of the staple weapons of most larger warships, though may be found in use on smaller vessels and even [[Space fighter|fighters/bombers]] - serving as a rough equivalent to the [[missile]]s heavily employed by the warships of [[human]]ity.

A plasma torpedo is itself a solid-core cylindrical projectile fired from a silo located on the ship's exterior hull.{{Ref/Book|Id=WFG|HWF|Section=Glossary|Page=92}}{{Ref/Book|Id=Enc22|Enc22|Page=261}} When preparing to fire, a core is "lit" with plasma siphoned from the ship's [[pinch fusion reactor]], with the energy contained and enveloped by the core in a sheath. The torpedo is then fired and guided to its target via a command link with the firing warship, before detonating at the target.{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22}} Upon contact, a plasma torpedo causes severe damage to the target, boiling armor or overloading [[Energy shielding|shields]].

The systems used to fire plasma torpedoes are known as plasma torpedo silos{{Ref/Reuse|WFKet}} or plasma turrets, which are located along the hull of the ship. At least on some Covenant vessels, the turret or "silo" is antenna-like in appearance and is installed on universal joints often located along the lateral sides of the ship.<ref>'''Halo: First Strike''', ''pages 36-37''</ref> The torpedoes are typically described as red or purple in color and short, with a ball-like head and a trail.

The torpedoes themselves are initially stored aboard Covenant vessels as inert cores, which are roughly cylindrical objects that range between 3–5 meters in total length. For ''Ket''-pattern {{Pattern|Ket|battlecruiser}}s such as the ''[[Truth and Reconciliation]]'' and probably other ships that are armed with plasma torpedo silos, thousands of these inert cores are carefully packaged and stored in munitions racks before each deployment of the vessel.{{Ref/Reuse|WFKet}}

Although normally launched from starships, self-guiding plasma torpedoes can be deployed as mines to deny strategic locations to enemy forces.{{Ref/Novel|HOblv|Chapter=Epilogue}}

===Operation===

[[File:HWG ArabiaVostok.png|thumb|250px|left|The [[UNSC frigate|frigate]]s [[CMA Arabia|''Arabia'']] and [[CMA Vostok|''Vostok'']] being severed instantly by plasma torpedoes.]]

The inert plasma torpedo cores are ignited in a pinched magnetic field by energy supplied from the ship's [[pinch fusion reactor]]s and guided by magnetic coils. When the weapon charges, a line of superheated plasma forms alongside the exterior plasma conduit adjoining the turret.<ref>'''Halo: Ghosts of Onyx''', ''pages 193, 198''</ref> Once fully charged, the now ignited plasma torpedo core fires outward at its target. The torpedo is guided towards its target by a long-reaching magnetic field projected by the emitter.<ref name="fs266">'''Halo: First Strike''', ''page 266''</ref> Upon impact, the torpedo penetrates most unshielded starships, burning through internal decks and structures, thus causing heavy damage on the target.

If the firing ship is destroyed, all plasma torpedoes guided by its magnetic fields are either detonated prematurely or fly about aimlessly.{{Ref/Reuse|fs266}} However, it appears that torpedoes are sometimes able to hold together for a small amount of time, as demonstrated during the [[Fall of Reach]], when fired torpedoes destroyed UNSC [[orbital defense platform]]s even after their firers had been destroyed.<ref>'''Halo: The Fall of Reach''', ''page 299''</ref>

As with many other examples of their technology, the Covenant themselves only understand a fraction of the underlying science involved with the operation of the plasma turret. As a result, despite their overwhelming power against human ships, the Covenant's methods of using their weapons systems are highly inefficient, relying on crude brute-force calculations and causing wasteful energy expenditure due to their slow operation; this is also why the turrets glow before firing. When in control of the Covenant ship ''[[Ascendant Justice]]'', UNSC [[smart AI|AI]] [[Cortana]] was able to use the vessel's plasma turrets to their full potential; she created an entirely new system to control the plasma, using [[electromagnetic pulse]]s to direct the plasma into precision beams within a microsecond. This enabled her to use the weapons with far greater power and precision than the Covenant themselves, cutting through Covenant vessels like a scalpel, not unlike an [[energy projector]]. According to Cortana, she could have improved the plasma turrets even further had the Covenant ship possessed better electromagnetic systems.<ref name="fs171">'''Halo: First Strike''', ''pages 171-172''</ref>

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Plasma torpedoes may also be employed on select aircraft - particularly those intended in a bomber role.

*[['Ahtulai Workshop Banshee]] - while not standard, plasma torpedo launchers are available for select missions which require their usage.{{Ref/Book|Enc22|Page=471}}{{Ref/Game|HW2|Phoenix Logs|Detail=Banshee}}

*The [[Eklon'Dal Workshop Antlion]] (and presumably, its {{Pattern|Emp'seam|Antlion|}} forebear) utilise plasma torpedoes as munitions for their massive [[Plasma mortar#Siege plasma mortar|siege plasma mortars]].{{Ref/Game|Id=PL|HW2|Phoenix Logs|Detail=Mega Turret}}

===Discrepancies===

There is a notable inconsistency in the way plasma torpedoes are described in [[Eric Nylund]]'s novels (particularly ''[[Halo: First Strike]]'' and ''[[Halo: Ghosts of Onyx]]'') and later media, namely ''[[Halo: Mortal Dictata]]'' and ''[[Halo: Warfleet]]''. According to the earlier novels, plasma torpedoes were simply created from an amorphous supply of plasma, rather than being physical projectiles, and several plot points and scenes are constructed around this fact. ''Halo: Mortal Dictata'' was the first media to refer to the plasma torpedoes of the battlecruiser ''[[Pious Inquisitor]]'' as physical objects stored aboard the vessel in a dedicated "torpedo bay".<ref>'''Halo: Mortal Dictata''', ''pages 439, 443, 445, 446''</ref> ''Halo: Warfleet'' confirmed that there is a tangible component to the munitions, in the form of inert plasma torpedo cores carried aboard Covenant starships.<ref>'''Halo: Warfleet''', ''page 62''</ref> However, in the novella, ''[[Halo: Shadow of Intent]]'', the CAS-class assault carrier of the same name was shown using plasma torpedoes in a method similar to what is seen in older media, rather than using canisters.<ref>'''Halo: Shadow of Intent'''</ref> According to [[343 Industries]], the notion of plasma torpedoes being physical projectiles originates from their [[Halo Story Bible]], though no explanation has been offered to reconcile the discrepancy to the depictions in the early novels.<ref>[https://youtu.be/aE_O_it1Q5k ''YouTube: An Inside Look at Halo: Warfleet – A Guide to the Spacecraft of Halo'']</ref>

While the term "plasma torpedo" is used throughout the novels, the weapons used to fire the torpedoes are only identified as "plasma turrets" in ''[[Halo: First Strike]]'', which also describes their operational mechanisms in detail. [[Halo Waypoint]]'s article for the ''[[Song of Retribution]]'' introduces a distinction between the assault carrier's "Anterior Plasma Cannons" and "Plasma Torpedo Silo Network", listing these weapon systems as the ship's secondary and tertiary armament, respectively.<ref name="hwp sor">[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/universe/vehicles/song-of-retribution '''Halo Waypoint''': ''Song of Retribution'']</ref> This is a change from the [[Halo novels|novels]], which (with some exceptions) mainly describe the Covenant using three layers of starship weaponry: [[energy projector]]s, plasma torpedoes and [[pulse laser turret|pulse lasers]]. The term "plasma cannon" is also used in reference to Covenant warships' secondary armament throughout ''[[Halo: The Essential Visual Guide]]'',<ref name="evg cannon">'''[[Halo: The Essential Visual Guide]]''', ''pages 13, 28, 41''</ref> and in ''[[Halo: Contact Harvest]]'', a "heavy plasma cannon" (most often referred to only as a "plasma cannon") is mentioned as the ''[[Rapid Conversion]]''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s main weapon system.<ref>'''Halo: Contact Harvest''', ''page 226''</ref> In the ''[[Halo Legends]]'' episode ''[[The Package (animated short)|The Package]]'', what appear to be plasma torpedoes (although smaller and more numerous than typically described in the novels) are referred to as "plasma rounds".

However, it should be acknowledged that the terms "cannon" and "turret" are rather general and are likely used descriptively rather than being restricted to specific weapon systems. From the context in ''Contact Harvest'', for example, it is apparent that the ''Rapid Conversion''{{'}}s "plasma cannon" is in fact referring to the ship's [[energy projector]]. Therefore it can be assumed there is a substantial amount of overlap between the terms.

''[[Halo: Combat Evolved]]'', ''[[Halo 3]]'' and ''[[Halo: Reach]]'' depict Covenant starships firing blue or blue-purple bolts of plasma which are seemingly unguided. Meanwhile, the novels consistently describe plasma torpedoes as being red as well as highly maneuverable. Given these differences, it is likely that the plasma weapons depicted in the games are in fact representative of the "plasma cannons" listed in the ''Song of Retribution''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s arsenal rather than plasma torpedoes. ''Halo: Combat Evolved'' depicts the {{UNSCShip|Pillar of Autumn}} being struck by numerous blue plasma bolts. In ''[[Halo: The Flood]]'', [[Jacob Keyes|Captain Keyes]] remarks that the Covenant cannot be targeting the ''Autumn'' with plasma torpedoes, or else the ship would have been reduced into ''"free-floating molecules"'';{{Ref/Reuse|TF1}} thus, the plasma weapons in question must be some other form of starship plasma weapon. Halo Waypoint's article for Covenant corvettes corroborates this distinction, listing "plasma cannons" as the corvettes' sole weapon system.<ref>[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-gb/universe/vehicles/covenant-corvette '''Halo Waypoint''': ''Covenant Corvette'']</ref> The distinction between "plasma cannons" and "plasma torpedoes" is carried over to ''[[Halo: Fleet Battles]]'', where many classes of Covenant ships are listed as being armed with both types of weapon systems.

''[[Halo: Warfleet]]'' establishes that many types of Covenant starships such as {{Pattern|Ket|battlecruiser}}s, {{Pattern|Varric|heavy cruiser}}s, and {{Pattern|Sinaris|heavy destroyer}}s are armed with both plasma torpedo silos and plasma cannons. These plasma torpedo silos can only be assumed to be the "plasma turrets" that are described in ''[[Halo: First Strike]]'', while the separate plasma cannon weapon systems seem to explain the multiple instances in-game of Covenant starships firing unguided blue bolts of plasma.

File:CCS Legends.jpg|A {{Pattern|Ket|battlecruiser}} firing "plasma rounds" and [[pulse laser turret|pulse lasers]] in ''[[Halo Legends]]'': ''[[The Package (animated short)|The Package]]''.

*''[[Halo: Oblivion]]''

*''[[Halo: Outcasts]]''

{{Ref/Sources}}

{{Covenant heavy weapons}}