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Halberd-class light destroyer: Difference between revisions

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mNo edit summary
(My favorite class aside from the Marathon, tbh. Can finally throw out that absurd mass from old Waypoint... if only we could do the same for the Marathon, I doubt a heavy cruiser weighs a fraction the size of a destroyer.)
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|name=''Halberd''-class destroyer
|name=''Halberd''-class destroyer
|image=[[File:Heart of Midlothian.png|300px]]
|image=[[File:Heart of Midlothian.png|300px]]
|manufacturer=
|manufacturer=[[SinoViet Heavy Machinery]]<ref name="wf32">''[[Halo: Warfleet]]'', p. 32-33</ref>
|class=[[Destroyer]]
|class=[[Destroyer]]<ref name="wf32"/>
|role=Fleet escort, assault<ref name="enc">'''[[Halo Encyclopedia]]''', ''page 248'' (2009); ''page 259'' (2011)</ref>
|role=*Attack<ref name="wf32"/>
*Escort and defense<ref name="wf32"/><ref name="enc">''[[Halo Encyclopedia]]'', p. 248 (2009); p. 259 (2011)</ref>
|length={{Convert|485|m|ft|sp=us}}<ref name="enc"/><ref name="waypoint">[http://halo.xbox.com/en-us/intel/theuniverse/tech/gallery/unsc-the-heart-of-midlothian/a0711b9f-4241-4c5b-9e2d-2110775cafa2?page=2 '''Halo Waypoint''': ''UNSC The Heart of Midlothian''] (defunct, backup on [https://web.archive.org/web/20110325074720/http://halo.xbox.com/en-us/intel/related/gallery/unsc-the-heart-of-midlothian/a0711b9f-4241-4c5b-9e2d-2110775cafa2 Archive.org])</ref>
|length={{Convert|485|m|ft|sp=us}}<ref name="enc"/><ref name="waypoint">[http://halo.xbox.com/en-us/intel/theuniverse/tech/gallery/unsc-the-heart-of-midlothian/a0711b9f-4241-4c5b-9e2d-2110775cafa2?page=2 '''Halo Waypoint''': ''UNSC The Heart of Midlothian''] (defunct, backup on [https://web.archive.org/web/20110325074720/http://halo.xbox.com/en-us/intel/related/gallery/unsc-the-heart-of-midlothian/a0711b9f-4241-4c5b-9e2d-2110775cafa2 Archive.org])</ref>
|width=
|width=
|height=
|height=
|mass={{Convert|7900|MT|sp=us}}<ref name="waypoint"/>
|mass=1.8 million metric tons<ref name="wf32"/>
|power=
|power=
|engine=*Four primary [[fusion drive]]s<ref name="Mythos">'''[[Halo Mythos]]''', ''pages 82-83''</ref>
|engine=*Four primary [[fusion drive]]s<ref name="Mythos">''[[Halo Mythos]]'', p. 82-83</ref>
*Four secondary fusion drives<ref name="Mythos"/>
*Four secondary fusion drives<ref name="Mythos"/>
|slipspace drive=[[Shaw-Fujikawa Translight Engine]]
|slipspace drive=[[Shaw-Fujikawa Translight Engine]]<ref name="wf32"/>
|navigation=
|navigation=
|hull=Two meters of [[titanium-A armor]]<ref name="enc"/><ref name="for139">'''[[Halo: The Fall of Reach]]''', ''page 139'' (2001); ''pages 163-164'' (2010)</ref>
|hull=Two meters of [[titanium-A armor]]<ref name="enc"/><ref name="for139">''[[Halo: The Fall of Reach]]'', p. 139 (2001); p. 163-164 (2010)</ref>
|armament=*[[Magnetic Accelerator Cannon|14B11R2 MAC Battery]]<ref name="waypoint"/><ref name="Mythos"/><ref name="for139"/>
|armament=*1 [[Magnetic Accelerator Cannon|14B11R2 MAC battery]]<ref name="waypoint"/><ref name="Mythos"/><ref name="for139"/>
*Twenty-six [[Archer missile]] pods<ref name="for139"/>
*26 [[Archer missile#M58 Archer|M58 Archer missile]] pods<ref name="wf32"/><ref name="for139"/>
*Eight [[Point-defense gun|50mm point-defense guns]]<ref name="enc"/>
*4 [[M870 Rampart point defense gun]]s<ref name="wf32"/>
*Three [[Shiva-class nuclear missile]]s<ref name="for139"/>
*3 [[Shiva-class nuclear missile]]s<ref name="for139"/>
|complement=[[D77-TC Pelican]]s<ref name="cp25">'''[[Halo: The Cole Protocol]]''', ''page 25''</ref>
|complement=*50 [[UNSC Marine Corps|Marines]]<ref name="wf32"/>
|crew=
*2 [[D77-TC Pelican]]s<ref name="wf32"/><ref name="cp25">''[[Halo: The Cole Protocol]]'', p. 25</ref>
|crew=250 sailors<ref name="wf32"/>
|passengers=
|passengers=
|othersystems=
|othersystems=
|era=*[[Insurrection]]
|era=*[[Insurrection]]<ref name="for75">''Halo: The Fall of Reach'', p. 75</ref>
*[[Human-Covenant War]]
*[[Human-Covenant War]]<ref name="Mythos"/>
|introduced=
|introduced=
|affiliation=[[UNSC Navy]]
|affiliation=[[UNSC Navy]]<ref name="wf32"/>
}}
}}


The '''''Halberd''-class destroyer'''<ref name="canonfodder">[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/community/blog-posts/canon-fodder-have-s-moa '''Halo Waypoint''': ''Canon Fodder - Have S'moa'']</ref> is a class of [[UNSC destroyer|destroyer]] in service with the [[UNSC Navy]] with a [[hull classification symbol]] of '''DD'''.<ref name="waypoint"/> The ''Halberd'' class was in service with the Navy during the [[Insurrection]], throughout, and [[Post-Covenant War conflicts|after]] the [[Human-Covenant War]].<ref name="canonfodder"/>
The '''''Halberd''-class destroyer'''<ref name="canonfodder">[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/community/blog-posts/canon-fodder-have-s-moa '''Halo Waypoint''': ''Canon Fodder - Have S'moa'']</ref> is a class of [[UNSC destroyer|destroyer]] in service with the [[UNSC Navy]] with a [[hull classification symbol]] of '''DD'''.<ref name="waypoint"/> Manufactured by [[SinoViet Heavy Machinery]],<ref name="wf32"/> the ''Halberd'' class was in service with the Navy during the [[Insurrection]], throughout, and [[Post-Covenant War conflicts|after]] the [[Human-Covenant War]].<ref name="canonfodder"/>
 
As with other destroyer classes, the ''Halberd'' combines heavy armament with high speed and thick, high-quality armor. A relatively small class of [[warship]], these destroyers can use wolfpack tactics to engage more powerful [[Covenant]] warships with coordinated [[Magnetic Accelerator Cannon|MAC]] fire and hit-and-run attacks to overwhelm their target's often superior defenses.<ref name="wf32"/>


==Specifications==
==Specifications==
===Superstructure and hull===
===Superstructure and hull===
[[File:TFoR AS - Pioneer.jpg|thumb|250px|left|UNSC ''Pioneer'' in the Eridanus system in 2525.]]
[[File:TFoR AS - Pioneer.jpg|thumb|250px|left|UNSC ''Pioneer'' in the Eridanus system in 2525]]
The ''Halberd''-class destroyer features a distinctive "arrowhead" profile.<ref>'''Halo: The Cole Protocol''', ''page 26''</ref> The hull of the ''Halberd'' class is reinforced with approximately two meters of [[titanium-A armor]],<ref name="for163">'''Halo: The Fall of Reach''', ''pages 163-164'' (2010)</ref> with parts of the hull featuring components made up of [[vanadium steel]].<ref name="for247">'''Halo: The Fall of Reach''', ''page 247'' (2010)</ref> The hull is embedded with thermal superconducting radiators to more efficiently transfer the heat generated by the destroyers into space.<ref name="Mythos"/> At 485 meters in length, the class is only seven meters longer than a {{Class|Stalwart|light frigate}}, yet it has almost double the mass at 7,900 metric tons; this is due to the destroyer's thick titanium hull that allows destroyers of this class to take a tremendous amount of damage.<ref name="enc"/><ref name="for139"/><ref name="waypoint"/> The destroyer has six [[emergency thruster]] tanks strategically placed on hardened points of the hull.<ref name="for174">'''Halo: The Fall of Reach''', ''page 174'' (2010)</ref> Fast and requiring only a small crew, ''Halberd''-class destroyers do not have as much armor as larger [[warship]]s within the [[UNSC fleet]]. Though they lack general-purpose utility, the destroyers' heavy armaments compensate for this issue. The ''Halberd'' class has a modular design which allows them to be configured for different missions.<ref name="looking glassed">[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/community/blog-posts/canon-fodder-looking-glassed '''Halo Waypoint''': ''Canon Fodder - Looking Glassed'']</ref>
The ''Halberd''-class destroyer features a distinctive "arrowhead" profile.<ref>''Halo: The Cole Protocol'', p. 26</ref> The hull of the ''Halberd'' class is reinforced with approximately two meters of [[titanium-A armor]],<ref name="for163">''Halo: The Fall of Reach'', p. 163-164 (2010)</ref> with parts of the hull featuring components made up of [[vanadium steel]].<ref name="for247">''Halo: The Fall of Reach'', p. 247 (2010)</ref> The hull is embedded with thermal superconducting radiators to more efficiently transfer the heat generated by the destroyers into space.<ref name="Mythos"/> At 485 meters in length, the class is only seven meters longer than a {{Class|Stalwart|light frigate}}, yet it has almost double the mass at 1.8 million metric tons; this is due to the destroyer's thicker and higher-quality titanium hull that allows destroyers of this class to take a tremendous amount of damage.<ref name="enc"/><ref name="waypoint"/><ref name="for139"/> Replacement armor plates can be quickly cut to shape and patched onto the ship at any naval depot, though any repairs to the destroyer's underlying structure often require the specialized care of a shipwright.<ref name="wf32"/> Fast and requiring only a small crew, ''Halberd''-class destroyers do not have as much armor as larger [[warship]]s within the [[UNSC fleet]]. Though they lack general-purpose utility, the destroyers' heavy armaments compensate for this issue. The ''Halberd'' class has a modular design which allows them to be configured for different missions.<ref name="looking glassed">[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/community/blog-posts/canon-fodder-looking-glassed '''Halo Waypoint''': ''Canon Fodder - Looking Glassed'']</ref>
 
''Halberd''s are also equipped with an advanced sensor array, the Mk. 45 long-range fire director.<ref name="Mythos"/> The destroyer class has a circular [[bridge]] with an array of display monitors for its crew.<ref name="cp25"/> Like all warships of the [[UNSC Navy]], the bridges on ''Halberd'' destroyers give the ship's command crew visibility of surrounding space, as per naval design guidelines.<ref name="wf32"/> Later into the [[Human-Covenant War]], ''Halberd''-class destroyers were outfitted with an ε-pattern layout, providing an increased field of view.<ref name="Mythos"/> Each destroyer of the class has two [[Armory|armories]], each filled with an assortment of firearms and equipment.<ref>"[[Midnight in the Heart of Midlothian]]" – ''[[Halo: Evolutions]]'', p. 86</ref>
 
It took [[SinoViet Heavy Machinery]] at least four months to construction and launch a ''Halberd'' destroyer, given that construction on {{UNSCShip|Iroquois}} began sometime in [[2551]] and was launched in [[2552#April|April 2552]].<ref name="Mythos"/>


''Halberd''-class destroyers are powered by high-thrust [[fusion drive]]s located at the aft, with four primary and four secondary drives.<ref name="Mythos"/> Translight power is provided by a [[Shaw-Fujikawa Translight Engine]], located in the destroyer's expansive engine room.<ref>'''[[Halo: Evolutions]]''', "[[Midnight in the Heart of Midlothian]]", ''page 95''</ref> The aft of the ''Halberd'' class has reinforced armored screens fitted to protect fusion drives and the [[Slipstream space|slipspace]] engine. ''Halberd''s are also equipped with an advanced sensor array, the Mk. 45 long-range fire director.<ref name="Mythos"/> The destroyer class has a circular [[bridge]] with an array of display monitors for its crew.<ref name="cp25"/> Later into the [[Human-Covenant War]], ''Halberd''-class destroyers were outfitted with an ε-pattern layout, providing an increased field of view. The crew quarters are cramped with limited recreational facilities.<ref name="Mythos"/> The [[hangar bay]] of the ''Halberd'' class is small and confined, with little maneuvering room for shuttlecraft.<ref name="cp25"/> The hangar is reconfigurable with an electromagnetic catapult launch assist that can quickly deploy shuttlecraft.<ref name="Mythos"/> Unlike most [[warship]]s of the [[UNSC Navy]], they do not carry [[space fighter]]s.<ref name="for163"/> They do, however, carry several [[D77-TC Pelican]] [[dropship]]s.<ref name="cp25"/> Each destroyer of the class has two [[Armory|armories]], each filled with an assortment of firearms and equipment.<ref>'''Halo: Evolutions''', "Midnight in the Heart of Midlothian", ''page 86''</ref>
===Propulsion===
[[File:Midnight - Destroyer slip engine.jpg|thumb|250px|The slipspace engine of a ''Halberd'' destroyer]]
''Halberd''-class destroyers are powered by high-thrust [[fusion drive]]s located at the aft, with four primary and four secondary drives.<ref name="Mythos"/> Powered by massive reactors, these fusion rockets generate both power and direct thrust with [[deuterium]] and [[Helium|helium-3]] fuel mixed with [[hydrogen]] or [[water]] reaction mass. The superheated exhaust is then redirected with thrust-vectoring plates and magnetic fields to increase the destroyer's manoeuvrability.<ref name="wf32"/>
 
The destroyer has six [[emergency thruster]] tanks strategically placed on hardened points of the hull.<ref name="for174">''Halo: The Fall of Reach'', p. 174 (2010)</ref> Translight power is provided by a [[Shaw-Fujikawa Translight Engine]], located in the destroyer's expansive engine room.<ref>"Midnight in the Heart of Midlothian" – ''Halo: Evolutions'', p. page 95</ref> The aft of the ''Halberd'' class has reinforced armored screens fitted to protect fusion drives and the [[Slipstream space|slipspace]] engine.<ref name="Mythos"/>
 
===Crew and complement===
The single [[hangar bay]] of the ''Halberd'' class is small and confined, with little maneuvering room for shuttlecraft.<ref name="cp25"/> When the ''Halberd''-class destroyer was introduced, its hangar was considered state-of-the-art, featuring a specialized set of gravity generators that can decelerate incoming small craft,<ref name="wf32"/> while also being reconfigurable to have an electromagnetic catapult launch assist that can quickly deploy shuttlecraft.<ref name="Mythos"/> Traditional electromagnetic launch hooks and arrestor cables are still fitted, in case of emergencies.<ref name="wf32"/> Unlike most warships of the UNSC Navy, they do not carry [[space fighter]]s.<ref name="for163"/> They do, however, carry two [[D77-TC Pelican]] [[dropship]]s.<ref name="wf32"/><ref name="cp25"/>
 
Requiring a relatively small crew,<ref name="looking glassed"/> ''Halberd'' destroyers are only crewed by 250 sailors. In addition, they can carry a small complement of fifty [[UNSC Marine Corps|Marines]], approximately the size of a single [[platoon]].<ref name="wf32"/> The crew quarters are cramped with limited recreational facilities<ref name="Mythos"/> and only basic kitchen facilities. Strictly utilitarian in design, each crew member is allocated a single sleeping pod, though some personnel may have to share the same pod with another when the ship carries additional personnel.<ref name="wf32"/>


===Armaments===
===Armaments===
Though these destroyers are not as heavily armored compared to other warships in the Navy's fleet, they are armed with enhanced weapons systems that make up for their relatively light defensive capabilities.<ref>[http://shop.spartangames.co.uk/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=HFUN10 '''Spartan Games''': ''UNSC Halberd Upgrade Box'']</ref> The ''Halberd''-class destroyer's primary armament is a spinal-mounted [[Magnetic Accelerator Cannon|14B11R2 MAC Battery]], which is composed of twin-linked [[Magnetic Accelerator Cannon|1170mm/647mm high-velocity coilguns]].<ref name="Mythos"/> The ''Halberd'' class is also armed with twenty-six oversized [[Archer missile|Archer missile pods]],<ref name="for139"/> capable of holding a total of over eight hundred Archer missiles.<ref name="enc"/> The class also holds a payload of three [[Shiva-class nuclear missile]]s.<ref name="for163"/> For defense against single ships, the destroyer class carries eight twin-linked [[Point-defense gun|50mm point-defense autocannons]]. One of the most heavily armed classes of UNSC vessels, a group of ''Halberd''-class destroyers is capable of engaging and inflicting heavy damage upon even the largest of [[Covenant]] ships.<ref name="enc"/>
Though these destroyers are not as heavily armored compared to other warships in the Navy's fleet, they are armed with enhanced weapons systems that make up for their relatively light defensive capabilities.<ref>[http://shop.spartangames.co.uk/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=HFUN10 '''Spartan Games''': ''UNSC Halberd Upgrade Box'']</ref> The ''Halberd''-class destroyer's primary armament is a spinal-mounted [[Magnetic Accelerator Cannon|14B11R2 MAC battery]], which is composed of twin-linked [[Magnetic Accelerator Cannon|1170mm/647mm high-velocity coilguns]].<ref name="Mythos"/> The primary MAC coilgun is capable of firing all standard munition packages, ranging from hyper-dense kinetic slugs to semi-autonomous drone missiles. The secondary, smaller coilgun is only capable of firing kinetic rounds. The MAC battery is powered by capacitor cells that can quickly be swapped out if the cells become damaged or degraded.<ref name="wf32"/>
 
The ''Halberd'' class is also armed with twenty-six oversized [[Archer missile#M58 Archer|M58 Archer missile pods]],<ref name="wf32"/><ref name="for139"/> capable of holding a total of over eight hundred individual Archer missiles.<ref name="enc"/> The class may also hold a payload of three [[Shiva-class nuclear missile]]s.<ref name="for163"/> For defense against single ships, the destroyer class carries four twin-linked [[M870 Rampart point defense gun]]s.<ref name="wf32"/> One of the most heavily armed classes of UNSC vessels, a group of ''Halberd''-class destroyers is capable of engaging and inflicting heavy damage upon even the largest of [[Covenant]] ships.<ref name="enc"/>


==Operational history==
==Operational history==
The ''Halberd''-class destroyer was the most commonly deployed [[destroyer]] class during the [[Human-Covenant War]] and the later years of the [[Insurrection]]. Such vessels were in service as early as [[2517]]<ref>'''[[Halo: Fall of Reach - Boot Camp]]'''</ref> and continued to serve throughout the Human-Covenant War. Despite their powerful armament and maneuverability, many fleet officers looked down upon destroyers, considering them too ineffective against Covenant ships. It was generally agreed that seven destroyers were an even match for four [[Covenant frigate]]s.<ref name="for169">'''Halo: The Fall of Reach''', ''page 169'' (2010)</ref><ref name="for139"/>
The ''Halberd''-class destroyer was the most commonly deployed [[destroyer]] class during the [[Human-Covenant War]] and the later years of the [[Insurrection]]. Such vessels were in service as early as [[2517]]<ref>''[[Halo: Fall of Reach - Boot Camp]]''</ref> and continued to serve throughout the Human-Covenant War. Despite their powerful armament and maneuverability, many fleet officers looked down upon destroyers, considering them too ineffective against Covenant ships. It was generally agreed that seven destroyers were an even match for four [[Covenant frigate]]s.<ref name="for139"/><ref name="for169">''Halo: The Fall of Reach'', p. 169 (2010)</ref>


Though ''Halberd''-class destroyers can be configured for a variety of mission types, resource shortages during the Covenant War led to most ''Halberd''s only being configured purely for escort duty, with entire subsystems left out to reduce construction time.<ref name="looking glassed"/> At some point between [[2548]] and [[2552]], one destroyer of this class, {{UNSCShip|The Heart of Midlothian}}, participated in the [[Battle of Algolis]], where it destroyed five Covenant ships when it initiated its [[self-destruct]] fail-safe.<ref name="mithom102">'''Halo: Evolutions''', "Midnight in the Heart of Midlothian", ''page 102''</ref> Many ''Halberd''-class destroyers participated in the [[Battle of Sigma Octanus IV]], most notably {{UNSCShip|Iroquois}}, which was captained by Commander [[Jacob Keyes]]. During the battle, ''Iroquois'' performed the daring [[Keyes Loop]], destroying three Covenant vessels in the process.<ref>'''Halo: The Fall of Reach''', ''page 182''</ref> Several dozen destroyers later participated in the [[Fall of Reach]].<ref name="for359">'''Halo: The Fall of Reach''', ''page 359'' (2010)</ref> This destroyer type continues to be in service with the Navy by [[2557]], with some serving with the [[UNSC Home Fleet]] over [[Earth]].<ref>'''[[Halo: Escalation]]''', ''[[Halo: Escalation Issue 10|Issue 10]]''</ref>
Though ''Halberd''-class destroyers can be configured for a variety of mission types, resource shortages during the Covenant War led to most ''Halberd''s only being configured purely for escort duty, with entire subsystems left out to reduce construction time.<ref name="looking glassed"/> At some point between [[2548]] and [[2552]], one destroyer of this class, {{UNSCShip|The Heart of Midlothian}}, participated in the [[Battle of Algolis]], where she destroyed five Covenant ships when the [[self-destruct]] fail-safe was initialized after she was [[Boarding|boarded]].<ref name="mithom102">"Midnight in the Heart of Midlothian" – ''Halo: Evolutions'', p. 102</ref> Many ''Halberd''-class destroyers participated in the [[Battle of Sigma Octanus IV]], most notably {{UNSCShip|Iroquois}}, which was captained by [[Commander]] [[Jacob Keyes]]. During the initial skirmish, ''Iroquois'' performed the daring [[Keyes Loop]], destroying three Covenant warships in the process.<ref>''Halo: The Fall of Reach'', p. 182</ref> Several dozen destroyers later participated in the [[Fall of Reach]] as part of the [[Epsilon Eridani Fleet]].<ref name="for359">''Halo: The Fall of Reach'', p. 359 (2010)</ref> ''Halberd'' destroyers continue to be in service with the Navy by [[2557]], with some serving with the [[UNSC Home Fleet]] over [[Earth]].<ref>''[[Halo: Escalation]]'', [[Halo: Escalation Issue 10|Issue #10]]</ref>


==Ships of the line==
==Ships of the line==
*{{UNSCShip|Armageddon's Edge}} – Stationed in the [[Ectanus 45 system]].<ref>'''Halo: The Cole Protocol''', ''page 19''</ref>
*{{UNSCShip|Armageddon's Edge}} – Stationed in the [[Ectanus 45 system]].<ref>''Halo: The Cole Protocol'', p. 19</ref>
*{{UNSCShip|Halberd}} – The [[Wikipedia:Lead ship|lead ship]] of the class.<ref>[[Stephen Loftus]] on the [[Talk:Autumn-class heavy cruiser|''Autumn'' class' talk page]]</ref>
*{{UNSCShip|Halberd}} – The [[Wikipedia:Lead ship|lead ship]] of the class.<ref>[[Stephen Loftus]] on the [[Talk:Autumn-class heavy cruiser|''Autumn'' class' talk page]]</ref>
*{{UNSCShip|Herodotus}} – Destroyed during the [[Fall of Reach]].<ref name="for359"/>
*{{UNSCShip|Herodotus}} – Destroyed during the [[Fall of Reach]].<ref name="for359"/>
*{{UNSCShip|Iroquois}} – Heavily damaged during the [[Battle of Sigma Octanus IV]], last seen at [[Reach]].<ref name="for247"/>
*{{UNSCShip|Iroquois}} – Heavily damaged during the [[Battle of Sigma Octanus IV]], last seen at [[Reach]].<ref name="for247"/>
*{{UNSCShip|Pioneer}} – Served as a staging ship for [[Operation: TALON|an operation]] against the [[United Rebel Front]].<ref>'''Halo: The Fall of Reach''', ''page 75''</ref>
*{{UNSCShip|Pioneer}} – Served as a staging ship for [[Operation: TALON|an operation]] against the [[United Rebel Front]].<ref name="for75"/>
*{{UNSCShip|The Heart of Midlothian}} – Destroyed near [[Algolis]].<ref name="mithom102"/>
*{{UNSCShip|The Heart of Midlothian}} – Destroyed near [[Algolis]].<ref name="mithom102"/>


Line 84: Line 103:


==Behind the scenes==
==Behind the scenes==
The destroyer class was likely named after the [[Wikipedia:Halberd|halberd]], a two-handed pole weapon used during the 14th and 15th centuries.
The destroyer class was likely named after the [[Wikipedia:Halberd|halberd]], a two-handed pole weapon used during the 14th and 15th centuries. A [[Halo Waypoint]] article for {{UNSCShip|The Heart of Midlothian}} claimed that the ''Halberd'' destroyer has a mass of 7,900 metric tons,<ref name="waypoint"/> a rather unrealistic weight significantly lighter than many modern auxiliary ships. This was later amended in ''[[Halo: Warfleet]]'', giving the destroyer a mass of 1.8 million metric tons.<ref name="wf32"/>


==Gallery==
==Gallery==

Revision as of 00:23, September 6, 2017

Halberd-class destroyer
Heart of Midlothian.png
Production information

Manufacturer:

SinoViet Heavy Machinery[1]

Class:

Destroyer[1]

Role:

Technical specifications

Length:

485 meters (1,590 ft)[2][3]

Mass:

1.8 million metric tons[1]

Engine(s):

Slipspace drive:

Shaw-Fujikawa Translight Engine[1]

Hull:

Two meters of titanium-A armor[2][5]

Armament:

Complement:

Crew:

250 sailors[1]

Chronological and affiliation

Era:

Affiliation:

UNSC Navy[1]

 

The Halberd-class destroyer[8] is a class of destroyer in service with the UNSC Navy with a hull classification symbol of DD.[3] Manufactured by SinoViet Heavy Machinery,[1] the Halberd class was in service with the Navy during the Insurrection, throughout, and after the Human-Covenant War.[8]

As with other destroyer classes, the Halberd combines heavy armament with high speed and thick, high-quality armor. A relatively small class of warship, these destroyers can use wolfpack tactics to engage more powerful Covenant warships with coordinated MAC fire and hit-and-run attacks to overwhelm their target's often superior defenses.[1]

Specifications

Superstructure and hull

Halo: The Fall of Reach - The Animated Series screenshot
UNSC Pioneer in the Eridanus system in 2525

The Halberd-class destroyer features a distinctive "arrowhead" profile.[9] The hull of the Halberd class is reinforced with approximately two meters of titanium-A armor,[10] with parts of the hull featuring components made up of vanadium steel.[11] The hull is embedded with thermal superconducting radiators to more efficiently transfer the heat generated by the destroyers into space.[4] At 485 meters in length, the class is only seven meters longer than a Stalwart-class light frigate, yet it has almost double the mass at 1.8 million metric tons; this is due to the destroyer's thicker and higher-quality titanium hull that allows destroyers of this class to take a tremendous amount of damage.[2][3][5] Replacement armor plates can be quickly cut to shape and patched onto the ship at any naval depot, though any repairs to the destroyer's underlying structure often require the specialized care of a shipwright.[1] Fast and requiring only a small crew, Halberd-class destroyers do not have as much armor as larger warships within the UNSC fleet. Though they lack general-purpose utility, the destroyers' heavy armaments compensate for this issue. The Halberd class has a modular design which allows them to be configured for different missions.[12]

Halberds are also equipped with an advanced sensor array, the Mk. 45 long-range fire director.[4] The destroyer class has a circular bridge with an array of display monitors for its crew.[6] Like all warships of the UNSC Navy, the bridges on Halberd destroyers give the ship's command crew visibility of surrounding space, as per naval design guidelines.[1] Later into the Human-Covenant War, Halberd-class destroyers were outfitted with an ε-pattern layout, providing an increased field of view.[4] Each destroyer of the class has two armories, each filled with an assortment of firearms and equipment.[13]

It took SinoViet Heavy Machinery at least four months to construction and launch a Halberd destroyer, given that construction on UNSC Iroquois began sometime in 2551 and was launched in April 2552.[4]

Propulsion

The slipspace engine of a Halberd destroyer

Halberd-class destroyers are powered by high-thrust fusion drives located at the aft, with four primary and four secondary drives.[4] Powered by massive reactors, these fusion rockets generate both power and direct thrust with deuterium and helium-3 fuel mixed with hydrogen or water reaction mass. The superheated exhaust is then redirected with thrust-vectoring plates and magnetic fields to increase the destroyer's manoeuvrability.[1]

The destroyer has six emergency thruster tanks strategically placed on hardened points of the hull.[14] Translight power is provided by a Shaw-Fujikawa Translight Engine, located in the destroyer's expansive engine room.[15] The aft of the Halberd class has reinforced armored screens fitted to protect fusion drives and the slipspace engine.[4]

Crew and complement

The single hangar bay of the Halberd class is small and confined, with little maneuvering room for shuttlecraft.[6] When the Halberd-class destroyer was introduced, its hangar was considered state-of-the-art, featuring a specialized set of gravity generators that can decelerate incoming small craft,[1] while also being reconfigurable to have an electromagnetic catapult launch assist that can quickly deploy shuttlecraft.[4] Traditional electromagnetic launch hooks and arrestor cables are still fitted, in case of emergencies.[1] Unlike most warships of the UNSC Navy, they do not carry space fighters.[10] They do, however, carry two D77-TC Pelican dropships.[1][6]

Requiring a relatively small crew,[12] Halberd destroyers are only crewed by 250 sailors. In addition, they can carry a small complement of fifty Marines, approximately the size of a single platoon.[1] The crew quarters are cramped with limited recreational facilities[4] and only basic kitchen facilities. Strictly utilitarian in design, each crew member is allocated a single sleeping pod, though some personnel may have to share the same pod with another when the ship carries additional personnel.[1]

Armaments

Though these destroyers are not as heavily armored compared to other warships in the Navy's fleet, they are armed with enhanced weapons systems that make up for their relatively light defensive capabilities.[16] The Halberd-class destroyer's primary armament is a spinal-mounted 14B11R2 MAC battery, which is composed of twin-linked 1170mm/647mm high-velocity coilguns.[4] The primary MAC coilgun is capable of firing all standard munition packages, ranging from hyper-dense kinetic slugs to semi-autonomous drone missiles. The secondary, smaller coilgun is only capable of firing kinetic rounds. The MAC battery is powered by capacitor cells that can quickly be swapped out if the cells become damaged or degraded.[1]

The Halberd class is also armed with twenty-six oversized M58 Archer missile pods,[1][5] capable of holding a total of over eight hundred individual Archer missiles.[2] The class may also hold a payload of three Shiva-class nuclear missiles.[10] For defense against single ships, the destroyer class carries four twin-linked M870 Rampart point defense guns.[1] One of the most heavily armed classes of UNSC vessels, a group of Halberd-class destroyers is capable of engaging and inflicting heavy damage upon even the largest of Covenant ships.[2]

Operational history

The Halberd-class destroyer was the most commonly deployed destroyer class during the Human-Covenant War and the later years of the Insurrection. Such vessels were in service as early as 2517[17] and continued to serve throughout the Human-Covenant War. Despite their powerful armament and maneuverability, many fleet officers looked down upon destroyers, considering them too ineffective against Covenant ships. It was generally agreed that seven destroyers were an even match for four Covenant frigates.[5][18]

Though Halberd-class destroyers can be configured for a variety of mission types, resource shortages during the Covenant War led to most Halberds only being configured purely for escort duty, with entire subsystems left out to reduce construction time.[12] At some point between 2548 and 2552, one destroyer of this class, UNSC The Heart of Midlothian, participated in the Battle of Algolis, where she destroyed five Covenant ships when the self-destruct fail-safe was initialized after she was boarded.[19] Many Halberd-class destroyers participated in the Battle of Sigma Octanus IV, most notably UNSC Iroquois, which was captained by Commander Jacob Keyes. During the initial skirmish, Iroquois performed the daring Keyes Loop, destroying three Covenant warships in the process.[20] Several dozen destroyers later participated in the Fall of Reach as part of the Epsilon Eridani Fleet.[21] Halberd destroyers continue to be in service with the Navy by 2557, with some serving with the UNSC Home Fleet over Earth.[22]

Ships of the line

Halo: Fleet Battles

Axe Formation

This element includes four Halberd-class destroyers.

  • Cost: 50 points
  • Movement: 10"
  • Damage Track: 4 • 4 • 4
  • Build rating: 2
  • Hangars: 0
  • Boarding Craft: 1
  • Security detail: 1
  • System loadouts:
    • Elusive
    • Hard Burn (3")
    • Missile barrage*
    • Point defense (3)
    • Titanium armor (3)
  • Primary weapon: Light MACs
    • Range: 10/20"
    • Weapon Loadouts: MAC (2)
    • Firing arc: Forward
    • Dice: 8
  • Secondary weapon: Missile Batteries
    • Range: 12/24"
    • Weapon Loadouts: Missiles
    • Firing arc: Forward or Port+Starboard
    • Dice: 3

Behind the scenes

The destroyer class was likely named after the halberd, a two-handed pole weapon used during the 14th and 15th centuries. A Halo Waypoint article for UNSC The Heart of Midlothian claimed that the Halberd destroyer has a mass of 7,900 metric tons,[3] a rather unrealistic weight significantly lighter than many modern auxiliary ships. This was later amended in Halo: Warfleet, giving the destroyer a mass of 1.8 million metric tons.[1]

Gallery

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List of appearances

Sources

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z Halo: Warfleet, p. 32-33
  2. ^ a b c d e f Halo Encyclopedia, p. 248 (2009); p. 259 (2011)
  3. ^ a b c d e Halo Waypoint: UNSC The Heart of Midlothian (defunct, backup on Archive.org)
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Halo Mythos, p. 82-83
  5. ^ a b c d e f g Halo: The Fall of Reach, p. 139 (2001); p. 163-164 (2010)
  6. ^ a b c d Halo: The Cole Protocol, p. 25
  7. ^ a b Halo: The Fall of Reach, p. 75
  8. ^ a b Halo Waypoint: Canon Fodder - Have S'moa
  9. ^ Halo: The Cole Protocol, p. 26
  10. ^ a b c Halo: The Fall of Reach, p. 163-164 (2010)
  11. ^ a b Halo: The Fall of Reach, p. 247 (2010)
  12. ^ a b c Halo Waypoint: Canon Fodder - Looking Glassed
  13. ^ "Midnight in the Heart of Midlothian" – Halo: Evolutions, p. 86
  14. ^ Halo: The Fall of Reach, p. 174 (2010)
  15. ^ "Midnight in the Heart of Midlothian" – Halo: Evolutions, p. page 95
  16. ^ Spartan Games: UNSC Halberd Upgrade Box
  17. ^ Halo: Fall of Reach - Boot Camp
  18. ^ Halo: The Fall of Reach, p. 169 (2010)
  19. ^ a b "Midnight in the Heart of Midlothian" – Halo: Evolutions, p. 102
  20. ^ Halo: The Fall of Reach, p. 182
  21. ^ a b Halo: The Fall of Reach, p. 359 (2010)
  22. ^ Halo: Escalation, Issue #10
  23. ^ Halo: The Cole Protocol, p. 19
  24. ^ Stephen Loftus on the Autumn class' talk page

v • d • e
 
Human ship classifications
Stealth craft
Heavy frigates Paris-class • Strident-class
Light frigates Anlace-class • Charon-class • Mulsanne-class • Stalwart-class
Heavy destroyers Able-class • Hillsborough-class
Light destroyers Diligence-class • Halberd-class • Unidentified
Heavy cruisers Autumn-class • Marathon-class • Valiant-class
Light cruisers Halcyon-class
Unclassified
By human faction: UEG (UNSC • CAA) • Insurrectionist
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