12,527
edits
Covenant fleet: Difference between revisions
→Ship classification codes
mNo edit summary |
|||
| Line 43: | Line 43: | ||
It is unknown if the repetition of a letter in a class' classification — such as the {{Class|CCS|battlecruiser}} — has any significance. It is also important to note that while Covenant fleet personnel occasionally referred to their vessel's class by one of its three-letter codes, there was not a specific class that a code belonged to. For example, ''[[Incorruptible]]'' was occasionally referred to as a "''Reverence''-class cruiser", although it was actually an ''ORS''-class heavy cruiser. The term "''Reverence''-class" truly refers to multiple vessels ranging from cruisers to small scout ships,<ref name="Have S'moa"/> such as the diminutive {{Class|CRS|light cruiser}}. | It is unknown if the repetition of a letter in a class' classification — such as the {{Class|CCS|battlecruiser}} — has any significance. It is also important to note that while Covenant fleet personnel occasionally referred to their vessel's class by one of its three-letter codes, there was not a specific class that a code belonged to. For example, ''[[Incorruptible]]'' was occasionally referred to as a "''Reverence''-class cruiser", although it was actually an ''ORS''-class heavy cruiser. The term "''Reverence''-class" truly refers to multiple vessels ranging from cruisers to small scout ships,<ref name="Have S'moa"/> such as the diminutive {{Class|CRS|light cruiser}}. | ||
In addition to the classification symbols, Covenant ships were generally organised into four types, if not formalised classes: executioners, the purpose-built warships that formed the bulk of frontline Covenant fleets, dedicated to violence and destruction<ref name="warfleet60">'''[[Halo: Warfleet]]''', pp 60-61</ref>; examiners, powerful ships built for tasks vital enough to dictate the survival of worlds and entire species<ref name="warfleet64">'''[[Halo: Warfleet]]''', pp 64-65</ref>; procurators, supply vessels that maintained the fleets and fed their crews;<ref name="warfleet68">'''[[Halo: Warfleet]]''', pp 68-69</ref> and attack ships, smaller, light and nimble ships designed for swift attack and encompassing anything too small to warrant a Shipmaster's chair.<ref name="warfleet72">'''[[Halo: Warfleet]]''', pp 72-73</ref> | |||
*Executioners were regarded as a distasteful reminder by the Prophets that the Great Journey depended on the use of violence, and were assigned far from [[High Charity]] during times of peace, across the Covenant's expansive border. This made them difficult to bring to bear when the Covenant mobilised for war with humanity, delaying their assignment to the frontlines by years.<ref name="warfleet60"/> | |||
*Examiners were more easily reassigned, and their crews were composed of those considered judicious and bold, but were also more valuable and rare, frequently incorporating recovered Forerunner technology, and Ministries that wished to crew and deploy one needed direct approval from a Hierarch.<ref name="warfleet64"/> | |||
*Procurators were far more common, but were independent of military chains of command or system governors, though usually complied to requests, and needed Hierarch approval to attach to fleets in order to curb the power of the Sangheili. They were also commanded by San'Shyuum Shipmasters, rather than Sangheili, further forcing Sangheili fleets and colonies to depend on the Prophets for their supply lines. When the High Charity fell to the Flood and the Prophet of Truth was killed, many of these ships departed Covenant space with their Prophet commanders and loyal escorts, joining the rest of the San'Shyuum fleeing Sangheili retribution, making them a rare sight in the post-war era.<ref name="warfleet68"/> | |||
*Attack ships were the most common, but were considered beneath the notice of most Fleetmasters, generally being pawned off to Kig-Yar or Jiralhanae crews and assigned to patrol Covenant space, inspecting and escorting shipping that carried the tithes of Covenant worlds or pilgrims to High Charity.<ref name="warfleet72"/> Sangheili crews that found themselves assigned to such vessels tended to regard them as inglorious assignments, eager to prove themselves worthy of transfer to more prestigious assignments in battle, such as examiner type ships,<ref name="warfleet64"/> but were unenthusiastic about protecting executioner ships when assigned as escorts.<ref name="warfleet60"/> | |||
==Known fleets== | ==Known fleets== | ||