Shade: Difference between revisions

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[[File:H2A - Grunt on Shade.jpg|thumb|300px|An [[Unggoy Minor]] manning a [[Type-27 Shade]] on [[Installation 05]].]]

'''Shade''' is a common name given to the [[Covenant]]'s manned stationary gun turrets.<ref>'''[[Halo: Reach]]''', ''Bungie.net game stats''</ref><ref name="vis">'''[[Halo: The Essential Visual Guide]]''', ''page 171''</ref> These weapons platforms vary in shape and role, but are similar enough in function and purpose to be grouped into the same category. Specifically designated types of Shade include the [[Type-26 Shade|Type-26]], [[Type-27 Shade|Type-27]], [[Type-29 Shade|Type-29]],<ref name="vis"/> and [[Type-55 Shade|Type-55]] Anti-Infantry Stationary Guns.<ref name="universe">[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/universe/weapons/shade '''Halo Waypoint''': ''Shade Turret'']</ref>

Shade turrets were once exclusively designed and manufactured by the [[Assembly Forges]] of ''[[High Charity]]''. After the holy city [[Fall of High Charity|fell]] to the [[Flood]] and was later [[Raid on High Charity|destroyed]] by [[John-117]], [[Achoem Weapons]]—based in [[Tolvuus]], [[Sanghelios]]—maintains the long-standing tradition of manufacturing the Shade turret.<ref name="universe"/>

==Specifications==

[[File:HCE-T29ShadeASG-Screen.jpg|thumb|250px|A pair of [[Type-29 Shade]]s operated by [[Unggoy]] on [[Installation 04]].]]

The Shades serve as the Covenant's primary stationary gun turrets and are commonly operated by [[Unggoy]]. Virtually all models of the Shade offer a wide field of fire by virtue of their mobile turret chassis nestled on a 360-degree traversal anti-gravity mount. The Covenant use this to their advantage and place Shades at strategic points where they can do the most damage, often around their outposts or [[Military base|bases]]; more permanent facilities are usually also equipped with heavier [[Covenant automated plasma turret|automated plasma turrets]]. Though most of the Shade models fill an anti-infantry role, anti-vehicle and anti-air variants of the Shade turrets also exist.

Anti-infantry Shade guns fire bolts of slow moving, high-powered plasma encased in magnetic fields. The accuracy of a Shade's weapon is fairly low, as the bolts of plasma fired can hit anywhere within the aiming reticle. The anti-infantry Shade is effective against most infantry. However, due to their high intelligence, [[Sangheili]] will often find cover and escape the Shade's range of fire. On this same note, the bolts fired lack the required punch to damage [[Mgalekgolo]], whose armor and combat shield can withstand most Covenant and UNSC small firearms, causing the plasma bolts to have little to no effect on them. It has shown good defense against light vehicles such as the [[Type-32 Rapid Assault Vehicle|Ghost]], and in desperate situations, can serve as anti-aircraft defense, requiring only a few direct hits to destroy a [[Banshee]].

As with its recognizable human counterpart, the [[M41 Light Anti-Aircraft Gun]], the anti-infantry Shade is very effective against both enemy ground forces and light vehicles. Some of its advantages over its human counterpart are that the plasma bolts are accurate and effective at longer distances and it is easier to see where shots are actually going than it is with the M41's rounds, although this might also affect the ability of the target to dodge them. As a disadvantage, the operator will be exposed to enemy fire. While it is useful against enemies in light vehicles, this is not a weapon of choice when facing an enemy armored vehicle. Also, as is the case with the M41, the gunner is unprotected from the rear and particularly vulnerable to [[grenade]]s.

{{Main|Type-25 Shade}}

The Type-25 Shade is a rare iteration of the turret. According to [[Office of Naval Intelligence|ONI]] analysis, the [[Type-25 Spirit]]'s [[Heavy plasma cannon|plasma cannon]] appears to be a slightly older variation of the weapon installed on the Type-25 Shade turret.<ref>[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/universe/vehicles/spirit '''Halo Waypoint''': ''Spirit'']</ref>

 

===Type-26===

{{Main|Type-26 Shade}}

The Type-26 Anti-Infantry Stationary Gun is the most widely used version of the Shade turret, and is generally regarded as the most effective one. This is in no small part due to its versatility; the components of the Type-26 Shade are interchangeable, allowing for different weapon configurations to suit a variety of roles, including anti-armor fuel rods or more powerful plasma bolts and additional energy shielding for anti-air defense.<ref name="vis"/>

 

The Type-26 ASG is made up of a main turret component, which rests on a circular anti-gravity cradle which allows for 360-degree movement. Though several different configurations of the gun have appeared, the chassis of the basic version offers little protection for the gunner other than two flaps of armor on the side flanks.<ref>'''Halo: Reach'''</ref> A heavier armored version of the weapon also exists; this variant provides excellent front and side protection for the gunner. The heavy variant was first observed during the [[Battle of Earth]].<ref>'''Halo 3'''</ref> One iteration of the latter variant lacks a plate of armor in the top middle, in between its guns, exposing the operator to enemy snipers. This variant also appears to rotate somewhat quicker.<ref>'''Halo 3: ODST'''</ref>

 

{{Main|Type-27 Shade}}

The Type-27 ASG is one of the rarer variants of the Shade turret. Like the other variants, it is made up of a turret component resting on an anti-gravity mount. The T-27 variant is equipped with a frontal energy shield to protect the gunner. It is lighter in design than the other variants and thus far more portable.<ref name="vis"/> It fires red plasma bolts similar to the [[heavy plasma cannon]] of the [[Type-52 Phantom]].<ref name="h2">'''Halo 2'''</ref>

 

The Type-27 Shade saw use by the [[Prophet of Regret]]'s occupation forces deployed from ''[[Solemn Penance]]'' to [[New Mombasa]] and [[Installation 05]] in [[2552]].<ref name="h2"/>

 

{{Main|Type-29 Shade}}

The Type-29 Shade consists of a sturdy base of three legs and a floating, mobile, turret-like seat with control systems for its plasma cannon. It fires three rounds of slow, purple plasma bolts at once, and has very limited precision and a medium rate of fire. It provides greater mobility than some of the other variants, at the expense of protection.<ref name="vis"/>

 

{{Main|Type-55 Shade}}

The Type-55 Shade is a more recently-encountered model, notably deployed by [[Jul 'Mdama's Covenant]] during the [[First Battle of Requiem|first]] and [[Second Battle of Requiem|second]] battles of [[Requiem]] in [[2557]] and [[2558]], respectively.<ref name="H4">'''Halo 4'''</ref>

The Banished Shade is a model similar to the Type-29 used by the Banished during their occupation of Installation in [[2559]].<ref name="HW2">'''Halo Wars 2'''</ref>

The Shade was first seen in the E3 demo atop a [[Spectre]] and made its first gameplay appearance in ''Halo: Combat Evolved''<nowiki />'s level, [[The Truth and Reconciliation]].  The campaign version of the gun is almost twice as fast as the multiplayer version.

*In [[Forge/Halo: Reach]], the shade turret is the only covenant vehicle that can be colored based on the team, only changing the base of the turret

File:HCE Shade.png|A Type-29 Shade in ''Halo: Combat Evolved''.

File:H2-T27ShadeASG.png|A Type-27 Shade in ''Halo 2''.

File:Type26 ASG.png|The heavy version of the Type-26 Shade in ''Halo 3''.

File:HW shadeturret.jpg|Type-29 Shade in ''Halo Wars''

File:T26 ASG.png|The light variant of the T-26 Shade in ''Halo: Reach''.

File:AA Shade.png|The anti-air variant of the T-26 Shade in ''Halo: Reach''.

File:Fuel rod Shade.png|The fuel rod variant of the T-26 Shade in ''Halo: Reach''.

File:HCEA-T29ShadeASG.png|A Type-29 Shade in ''Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary''.

File:H4-T55ShadeASG.png|A Type-55 Shade in ''Halo 4''.

File:H5G - Shade render.png|The Type-26 Shade in ''Halo 5: Guardians''.

File:HW2 Artwork ShadeDrop.jpg|[[Blitz]] card of a Banished Shade in ''Halo Wars 2''.

File:HW2-Shades.png|Banished Shades in ''Halo Wars 2''.