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{{Ratings}}
{{Status|Canon}}
{{Era|H2|H3|FS|GOO|CH|HGN|UP}}
{{Center|''Were you looking for the rank [[Jiralhanae War Chieftain|War Chieftain]] or [[Chieftain of the Jiralhanae]], the ruler of the [[Jiralhanae]]?''}}
{{Covenant Rank Infobox
{{Unit infobox
|name=Jiralhanae Chieftain
|variant=Cov
|image=[[Image:Brute Chieftain Red.jpg|300px]]
|name=Chieftain
|image=[[File:RegChieftain.png|300px]]
|species=[[Jiralhanae]]
|species=[[Jiralhanae]]
|weapons=*[[Gravity Hammer]]
|mission=*Pack Leaders
*[[Spike Grenade]]
*Battlefield Commanders
*[[Plasma Cannon]]
|role=Spiritual Leaders{{Ref/Reuse|theark}}{{Ref/Reuse|cov}}
*[[Fuel Rod Cannon]]
|affiliation=*[[Covenant]]{{Ref/Game|Id=H3|H3}} <br>
*[[Firebomb Grenade|Firebomb Grenades]]
*[[Covenant remnants]]
|equipment=*[[Invincibility]]
**Individual Jiralhanae factions
 
***[[Jovus' clan]]{{Ref/Comic|Id=RoA|RoA|Issue=[[Halo: Rise of Atriox Issue 5|#5]]}}
*[[Power Drain]]
**[[Keepers of the One Freedom]]
|vehicles=
**[[Banished]]{{Ref/Game|Id=HW2|HW2}}{{Ref/Game|Id=HINF|HINF}}
|missions=Various
**[[Merg Vol's Covenant]]{{Ref/Game|Id=HSA|HSA}}
|role=Pack Commanders
**[[Jul 'Mdama's Covenant]]{{Ref/Game|Id=HSS|HSS}}
|notable=[[Tartarus]] , [[Maccabeus]]
**[[Dhas Bhasvod's Covenant]]{{Ref/Novel|Id=Sacrifice|HSoR|Detail= Adjunct - [[Sacrifice]]}}
|affiliation=[[Covenant]] [[Covenant Loyalists|Loyalists]]
|notable=*[[Castor]]
*[[Cethegus]]
*[[Hekabe]]
*[[Jovus]]
*[[Lydus]]
*[[Parabum]]
*[[Avitus]]
*[[Unidentified Jiralhanae chieftain (Heian)]]
}}
}}
{{quote|Commanding troops requires both strength and audacity.|Jiralhanae Chieftain's mantra}}{{Ref/Game|Id=HRPG|HR|Detail=Post-game carnage report}}


{{quote|The [[The Great Journey|hopes]] of all the [[Covenant]] rest on [[Tartarus|your]] shoulders, Chieftain.|[[Prophet of Truth]]|[[Halo 2]]}}
The '''Jiralhanae Chieftain''', also known as '''Alpha''',{{Ref/Game|H3|Bestiarum}} is a [[Covenant rank structure|position]] within the [[Jiralhanae]] race. It is one of the highest positions in the Jiralhanae hierarchy both in social aspects and in [[Covenant military|military]] rank within the [[Covenant]] and its [[Covenant remnants|splinter factions]], including the [[Banished]].{{Ref/Reuse|RoA}}{{Ref/Reuse|H3}}{{Ref/Reuse|HINF}}


The '''Brute Chieftain''', also known as the '''Alpha Jiralhanae''', is a [[Covenant]] rank for the [[Jiralhanae]] (Brute) race, the highest in the Jiralhanae hierarchy.  
==Overview==
===Roles and responsibilities===
In the [[Covenant]], Chieftains primarily served as military commanders. They are leaders of groups of the half-a-dozen or more Jiralhanae as well as several lower caste species within a "[[pack]]."  In Jiralhanae society, Chieftains are subordinate only to [[Jiralhanae War Chieftain|War Chieftain]]s and the [[Chieftain of the Jiralhanae]] himself. Apart from a pack leadership position, the Jiralhanae Chieftains are also spiritual leaders, giving sermons to their [[pack]]s.{{Ref/Level|Id=theark|H3|The Ark (level)|The Ark}}{{Ref/Level|Id=cov|H3|The Covenant (level)|The Covenant}} [[Maccabeus]], while War Chieftain of the ''[[Rapid Conversion]]'', would lead his pack in religious sermons, like the [[Progression of the Ages]] and blessing pack meals.{{Ref/Novel|HCH|Page=196}}


==Background==
===History===
In ''[[Halo 2]]'', there was only one, named [[Tartarus]], who was killed by the [[Arbiter (character)|Arbiter]] and his [[Sangheili]] allies on [[Delta Halo]]. He used a powerful Gravity Hammer called the [[Fist of Rukt]]. The only known Brute Chieftain before [[Tartarus]] was his uncle, [[Maccabeus]], who was also the previous wielder of [[Fist of Rukt]].
The Chieftain of the Jiralhanae, [[Tartarus]] was [[Battle for the Control Room (Installation 05)|killed]] by [[Thel 'Vadam]], his [[Sangheili]] [[Fleet of Retribution|allies]], and [[Sergeant Major]] [[Avery Johnson]] on [[Installation 05]]. He wielded a powerful ancient and unique [[Gravity hammer (fiction)|gravity hammer]], the [[Fist of Rukt]].{{Ref/Level|Id=TGJ|Game=Halo 2|Level=The Great Journey}} Preceding him was his uncle Maccabeus, the previous wielder of the Fist of Rukt. Maccabeus's death was at his young nephew's hands, as is the tradition within the Jiralhanae culture: a fight to the death over the Chieftain position within the pack. The same can likely be said for most Jiralhanae Chieftains unless the previous Chieftain fell in battle; however contestants may have had to fight to the death for the position if this was the case. This was known to have happened on at least one occasion during the [[Stomping on the Heels of a Fuss|Jiralhanae occupation]] of the colony [[Beta Gabriel]].


In ''[[Halo 3]]'', they command a "pack" of lesser Brutes, and enforce the pack-like mentality.
Due to animosity stoked by the [[Great Schism]], the Jiralhanae and [[Sangheili]] typically did not work together after the war, at least not as equals.{{Ref/Novel|Id=Envoy3|Halo: Envoy|Chapter=1 "The Covenant had failed, obliterated under the weight of many lies; as a result, the Sangheili did not make common cause with Jiralhanae anymore, at least not as equals. No, this was strange. "}} For reasons unknown, a few Jiralhanae Chieftains would eventually join [[Merg Vol's Covenant]] as lesser infantry after the end of the [[Human-Covenant War]]. These few Jiralhanae would fight on behalf of the group during the [[Battle of Draetheus V]] in [[2554]].{{Ref/Reuse|HSA}} Very few Chieftains were depicted serving [[Jul 'Mdama's Covenant]] in a [[UNSC Tactical Simulator]] set during the [[Battle of Installation 03]] in [[2557]].{{Ref/Reuse|HSS}}
In the ''Halo 3'' video documentary "Et Tu, Brute?", there were multiple Brute Chieftains seen, although probably not as high as Tartarus or Maccabeus, who were believed to be the highest of the [[Jiralhanae]]. They wear very elaborate gold or red [[Power Armor]] (which is stronger than usual and impervious to sticky grenades and needler needles), breast-plates, and an even more intricate headdress. [http://media.teamxbox.com/games/ss/1353/1166618976.jpg]
The Brute Chieftain may hold a rank similar to the the Elite [[Zealot]].


== Brute Chieftain Ranks ==
Many Chieftains served in the [[Banished]], leading standard [[pack]]s. Certain Banished Chieftains with massive packs formed them into [[legion#Banished|legion]]s and were titled [[Legionmaster]]s.{{Ref/Novel|Id=SOR4|HSoR}} Other Chieftains with high authority were titled [[Jiralhanae Warlord|Warlord]]s to keep other packs in line.{{Ref/Reuse|SOR4}} The supreme leading Chieftains of the Banished consisted of [[War Chief]]s, including both [[Decimus]] and [[Escharum]],{{Ref/Reuse|SOR4}} and the [[Warmaster]] [[Atriox]].{{Ref/Book|Id=H:OSFM5|OSFM|Page=158|Quote=Atriox: Warmaster of the Banished}}
[[Image:Halo-3-Brute.jpg|thumb|right|250px|A Brute Chieftain-Weapon as seen in the vid-doc Et, Tu, Brute.]]
=== Brute Chieftain - Weapon===
These Brute Chieftains are clad in ornate red and black armor. Whilst it cannot take as much damage as the bronze armor worn by Armor Chieftains, it allows greater speed and mobility. Their [[Power Armor]] cannot be stuck by  [[Plasma Grenades]] or [[Needler]] projectiles. Their primary armament is the [[Gravity Hammer]], and are the only non-Flood enemy who uses the weapon. On Normal, Heroic, and Legendary they carry and almost always use the [[Invincibility]] power-up. However, sometimes they carry a [[Flare]] or [[Spike Grenade]]. On their left arm, the armor is thicker to deliver bone-crushing melee attacks. Weapon Chieftains will be closely guarded by two or more Brutes, only leaving the security of the pack when they feel it is tactically sound or simply when they thirst for blood. Then they will run at the [[Master Chief|Master Chief]] (or [[Arbiter|Arbiter]] if co-op). If they run for you, turn and run as fast as you can. More often than not, unless you've  managed to kill them within the first few seconds, they will activate their Invincibility if they are carrying one and you will not be able to kill them until it wears off. Chieftains can close distances quickly, and will not hesitate to smack anything out of it's path.


=== Brute Chieftain - Armor ===
==Equipment==
===Armor===
{{Main|Chieftain power armor}}
Jiralhanae Chieftains are typically clad in resilient ornate crimson and black/silver [[Chieftain power armor|armor]] and are instantly recognizable by their matching large horned headdress, a design which pays homage to the [[Degaeorth]] of [[Doisac]].{{Ref/Novel|Halo: Envoy|Page=40–41}} However, there's varying types of armor favored by Chieftains,{{Ref/Reuse|H3}}{{Ref/Reuse|HR}}{{Ref/Reuse|HINF}} including one design of armor that is thicker with its left arm to deliver bone-crushing melee attacks should they need to perform one without their gravity hammers.{{Ref/Reuse|H3}} Another chassis also have dual wrist-mounted blades extending over their hands for extra melee capabilities.{{Ref/Reuse|HINF}} While it cannot take as much damage as the bronze, gold-colored armor worn by War Chieftains, it allows greater speed and mobility.{{Ref/Reuse|H3}}{{Ref/Reuse|HR}} They are also equipped with renegerating [[energy shielding|personal energy shields]].{{Ref/Reuse|HR}} Their [[Jiralhanae power armor|power armor]] cannot be stuck by [[Anskum-pattern plasma grenade|plasma grenade]]s, [[Type-2 spike grenade|spike grenade]]s, or [[Type-33 needler|needler]] [[Blamite|projectiles]].{{Ref/Reuse|H3}} However, their armor can be stuck by [[Orgudam Workshop firebomb|firebombs]] and unarmored parts like the Chieftains' weapons, hands, and feet can be stuck by spike and plasma grenades.{{Ref/Reuse|H3}} Unlike the power armor worn by Jiralhanae of lesser ranks, a Chieftain's armor does not fall apart once the shields are disabled.{{Ref/Reuse|H3}} Additionally, their power armor grants Chieftains exceptionally high resistance to energy weaponry; even unshielded.{{Ref/Reuse|H3}}


[[Image:20701459-Full.jpg|thumb|right|250px|An Armor class Chieftain with a [[Type-33 Light Anti-Armor Weapon|Fuel Rod Cannon]] on [[The Covenant (Level)|The Covenant]]]]
There is another variant of the Chieftain [[Jiralhanae power armor|power armor]], which have a different design and better protection than typical types. It had also a techsuit that covers almost the entire body, including the hands.{{Ref/Reuse|Cards}} These armors were issued by several high-ranking Jiralhanae leaders such as [[Avitus]], also known as the "Brute Army Commander", and [[Unidentified Jiralhanae chieftain (Heian)|another Jiralhanae Chieftain]], albeit the former being also colored entirely in red, opposing red-and-black-colored chieftain power armors, and the latter entirely in blue rather than in red.{{Ref/Game|Id=Cards|HW|Detail=[[:File:HWDE Thrallslayer LeaderProfile.jpg|Collectors Edition Leader Cards]]}}{{Ref/Film|Id=legends|Film=Halo Legends|Story=The Babysitter}} Whenever if either the "Army Commander" term is considered a Jiralhanae title given to several of these Chieftains who wear these power armors or possibly a rank, or simply a nickname given to only Avitus is unknown.


The Armor Chieftain relies on heavy firepower weapons like the [[Fuel Rod Cannon]], and [[Portable Plasma Cannon]] and sometimes a spike rifle to crush their foes (It is interesting to note that Armor Chieftains are capable of using melee attacks while holding a portable turret.  They are the only characters in the game that can do this.) Their ornate, bronze-and-gold armor is the most powerful and durable of the Brutes' [[Power Armor]]. Their armor cannot be stuck by [[Plasma Grenades]] or [[Needler]] projectiles unless you manage to get it on a section of their foot without armor or on their weapon. They will carry and occasionally use the [[Flare]] and [[Power Drain]]. Armor Chieftains seldom commit to front-line combat, and are almost always seen commanding their packs from a higher up position, laying down relentless covering fire for packmates. On Legendary, their single Fuel Rod shot can be fatal if not dealt with.
While most Jiralhanae Chieftains were known to have worn power armor, a few were poorly armored, like the bulk of lower-ranked Jiralhanae warriors as a whole until the Great Schism, including [[Parabum]] and [[Lydus]].{{Ref/Book|Book=Halo: Evolution|Section=Stomping on the Heels of a Fuss|SectionLinkText=Stomping on the Heels of a Fuss}}{{Ref/Comic|Id=HE|Comic=Halo: Escalation|Issue=[[Halo: Escalation Issue 1|#1]]}}
{{clear}}


==Counter-Chieftain Tactics==
<gallery>
*Brute Chieftains, as fitting their "commander role", have incredible physical strength and agility, more so than their lesser brethren. Avoid going into melee combat with a Weapon Chieftain and even when facing off against an Armor Chieftain, take care not to get hit.  
File:RegChieftain.png|
File:Reach - Chieftain.png|
File:HINF-Chieftain.jpg|
</gallery>


*It is advised to NEVER charge a hammer wielding Chieftain, as it is almost always a one hit kill.  
===Weaponry===
The Jiralhanae Chieftain's primary and iconic armament is the [[Gravity hammer (fiction)|gravity hammer]],{{Ref/Reuse|H3}} although they sometimes use {{Pattern|Pez'tk|fuel rod gun}}s, {{Pattern|Kopasa'mada|plasma launcher}}s, {{Pattern|Pek|plasma cannon}}s,{{Ref/Game|Id=HR|HR}} {{Pattern|Shea'p|plasma cannon}}s and [[Grenflekt Workshop Scrap Cannon]]s. They usually carry the [[invincibility]] power-up, and sometimes at least another [[equipment]] such as a [[regenerator]], [[flare]], or [[power drain]].{{Ref/Reuse|H3}}


*A hammer-wielding Chieftain will often utilize the invincibility power-up while charging at you if you're firing and backpedaling at the same time.
==Known Chieftains==
*[[Ballas]]
*[[Bracktanus]]
*[[Castor]]
*[[Cethegus]]
*[[Deukalion]]
*[[En'Geddon]]
*[[Ik'Novus|Ik'Novus The Devourer]]
*[[Hekabe]]
*[[Jovus]]
*[[Lydus]]
*[[Parabum]]
*[[Pellius]]
*[[Avitus]]
*[[Ipso]]


*Another good tactic to deal with Chieftains is to shoot its helmet/headdress off and shoot it multiple times in its head.
==Gameplay==
[[File:H3 Raging Brute chieftain.jpg|thumb|left|A Brute Chieftain charging towards his opponent.]]
A Jiralhanae Chieftain's shields are stronger than those of a standard Jiralhanae, but, oddly, are slightly weaker than a [[Jiralhanae Captain]]'s. Unlike the power armor worn by Jiralhanae of lesser ranks, a Chieftain's armor does not fall apart once the shields are disabled. Additionally, their heavy helmets protect them from [[headshot]]s, and it requires a handful of shots to the head from a precision weapon to knock off their helmet and leave them vulnerable to a fatal headshot. On any difficulty it only takes one [[Type-50 particle beam rifle|beam rifle]] or [[SRS99D-S2 AM sniper rifle|sniper rifle]] shot to disable their shields, while Jiralhanae Captains require two shots on Heroic or Legendary to bring their shields down. On Heroic, a Chieftain's shield can be brought down with twelve [[MA5C Individual Combat Weapon System|assault rifle]] bullets or eight [[Okarda'phaa-pattern plasma rifle|plasma rifle]] bolts. However, even unshielded, a Jiralhanae Chieftain has extremely high durability and can survive incredibly high amounts of damage; on Heroic, it takes forty-three assault rifle bullets, five particle beam rifle shots, or five direct hits from a [[Type-25 Brute shot|Brute shot]] to kill an unshielded Chieftain, whereas any other Jiralhanae rank dies after only one beam rifle shot or one to two Brute shot grenades once their shields are disabled. This makes the durability of Chieftains much closer to that of the Jiralhanae of ''Halo 2'' than any other Jiralhanae unit in ''Halo 3''. Additionally, their power armor grants Chieftains exceptionally high resistance to energy weaponry; even unshielded, a Jiralhanae Chieftain can withstand more than two hundred plasma rifle bolts before falling, while most standard Jiralhanae die after only a little over a dozen plasma rifle bolts once their shields are gone. Their [[Jiralhanae power armor|power armor]] cannot be stuck by [[Anskum-pattern plasma grenade|plasma grenade]]s, [[Type-2 spike grenade|spike grenade]]s, or [[Type-33 needler|needler]] [[Blamite|projectiles]]. However, their armor can be stuck by [[Orgudam Workshop firebomb|firebombs]] and unarmored parts like the Chieftains' weapons, hands, and feet can be stuck by spike and plasma grenades.


*A good way to kill a Chieftain is to use [[Cloaking]] and [[Assassination|assassinate]] them. This way you are unharmed, but you can also pick up their [[Invincibility]], since they did not have time to activate it. However, you should be careful not to alert any of the surrounding Brutes. If they know that you are there, and even if they cannot see you, the Chieftain can sometimes sense where you are even if you are cloaked and will turn around in your direction. This will make it harder to get behind him and if you touch him, he will hit you and you will temporarily lose your cloaking, allowing them to see and shoot you.
The Jiralhanae Chieftain's primary armament is the [[Gravity hammer (fiction)|gravity hammer]], although they are also known to use {{Pattern|Pez'tk|fuel rod gun}}s, {{Pattern|Kopasa'mada|plasma launcher}}s, and {{Pattern|Pek|plasma cannon}}s. Jiralhanae Chieftains are the only enemy, aside from the occasional [[Flood]] and [[Sangheili General]], who use these weapons. On all level modes, they carry and almost always use the [[invincibility]] power-up. It is also possible for them to carry a [[regenerator]], [[flare]], or [[power drain]].


*Jump over a charging Hammer Chieftain and quickly turn around mid-air to assassinate it after you land.
===Tactics===
Jiralhanae Chieftains will be closely guarded by two or more [[Jiralhanae Bodyguard]]s as well as high numbers of Jiralhanae of other ranks, only leaving the security of the pack when they feel it is tactically sound or simply when they thirst for blood. Chieftains generally hang back and allow their entourage of Jiralhanae to do the fighting, generally only charging forward to attack with their gravity hammers after several of their Jiralhanae pack subordinates have been slain.


*A full magazine from a M6G pistol in it's head will kill a Chieftain on Normal difficulty.
If they run for you, turn and run as fast as you can. More often than not, unless you've managed to kill them within the first few seconds, they will activate their [[invincibility]] if they are carrying one and you will not be able to kill them until it wears off. Chieftains can close distances quickly, and will not hesitate to smack anything out of their path. Though less durable than the more ornate [[War Chieftain]]s, they are far faster and much deadlier in close combat, and they still boast extremely powerful shields and armor.


*Although you cannot stick him, you can stick the Chieftain's Weapon, for instance the [[Gravity Hammer]]. It's quite difficult but it will be a one hit kill.
===Counter-Chieftain tactics===
[[File:2514795-full.jpg|thumb|A Chieftain fighting Thel 'Vadam in the [[Citadel (Structure)|Citadel]].]]
*Jiralhanae Chieftains, as fitting their "commander" role, have incredible physical strength and agility - far more so than their lesser brethren. Avoid going into melee combat with a Chieftain. However, if you do get yourself in the situation, do not try to melee him or he will quickly deliver a direct blow with the gravity hammer, which is a one-hit-kill even on [[Normal]] difficulty. Run away as quickly as possible once you see him trying to get close enough to melee you. Shoot him enough times with one of your weapons, until his Power Armor breaks, then try to shoot his helmet/headdress off so that you can score a [[headshot]].
*Another way, though difficult, is to circle around the back of the Chieftain, wait for them to do his backward melee attack, and again circle around them while they're still turning round to where you used to be. This gives you ample time for an assassination. Believe it or not, this is the best way to kill them: their swing animations are incredibly predictable during Halo 3, and this extends to all hammer-wielding Jiralhanae. Note: assassinations ignore invincibility, making this tactic even more useful.
*One of the best ways to kill a Chieftain is to charge at them from a distance. They will begin to leap at you; use the time when they are crouching down to leap to get up close to them. When they leap, if done correctly, they over the player's head, giving him or her enough time to perform an assassination.
*A hammer-wielding Chieftain will often utilize the Invincibility power-up while charging at you if you're firing and back-pedaling at the same time. However, if the player is able to kill the Chieftain before he activates it, the player can use the Invincibility to great gain.
*Even when Chieftains utilize the invincibility power-up, an assassination will still kill them.
*A good way to kill Chieftains is to use Cloaking and assassinate them. This way you are unharmed, and you can also pick up their Invincibility since they did not have time to activate it. However, you should be careful not to alert any of the surrounding Jiralhanae. If they know that you are there, even if they cannot see you, the Chieftain will sometimes be able to sense where you are even if you are cloaked and will turn around in your direction, although he does not attack. This will make it harder to get behind him and if you touch him, he will hit you and you will temporarily lose your cloaking, allowing the rest of the Jiralhanae to see and attack you.
*Probably the easiest way to kill a Chieftain is to use a Spartan Laser on him. This will kill the Jiralhanae instantly, allowing you to pick up his invincibility and, if you want, his gravity hammer. It is easier to do this as soon as you see them while they are taunting and growling at you, for on higher difficulties, they will activate their invincibility as the laser hits them, rendering the shot wasted. In ''Halo 3'', this can only be done on the level ''the Covenant'', as it is the only Halo 3 level where you are given a Spartan Laser.
*Although you cannot stick Chieftains, if you are a good shot you can stick the Chieftain's weapon, which usually is the gravity hammer. It's quite difficult, but it will kill him immediately. (This does not work on Legendary difficulty.)
*When facing a charging Chieftain, jump up as they try to hit you with their hammer and the blow from the hammer will push you away from the Jiralhanae, giving you more time to damage him and ultimately kill him as well as recharge your shields. Make sure you're not on an edge or the blast from the hammer could knock you over the edge, killing you.
*Incendiary Grenades are a good way to kill a Chieftain, although on Legendary, this is not a guaranteed one hit kill, including a shot from Flamethrower as he can easily activate his Invincibility and negate the effects of your grenade.
*If the Chieftain is alone, you may attempt to lure him into a close range fight and melee him before sidestepping. The Chieftains are surprisingly slow to recover after a melee/hammer attempt, so you can kill them with multiple melee hits by edging around him/jumping over him every time he attempts to melee/hammer you. This is quite risky, however, and is not recommended on higher difficulties.
*Another good way to kill a Chieftain is to dual-wield spikers, as Chieftains seem to have a vulnerability to the spikes. Enough spikes will also slow down the Chieftain, occasionally stopping the Chieftain's charge and if you pump enough into him, he ''will'' eventually go down. Same with plasma rifles.
*When a Chieftain swings their gravity hammer at you, you can perform a 'gravity jump.' While not an actual move incorporated into the game, this involves jumping moments before the hammer hits, so that you ride the shock wave, usually to a place far away from the chieftain. Skilled players may utilize this to get out of an explosive's blast range, or to get head shots from above.
*In ''Halo: Reach'', Chieftain armor can be stuck with plasma grenades. However, their reasonably strong shields and high unshielded durability mean that they can usually survive a stick attempt.
*The sniper rifle is devastating against Chieftains in ''Halo: Reach''. Two head shots will kill any Chieftain on Easy, Normal and Heroic difficulties.
*Unlike energy sword-equipped Sangheili, who will generally make a beeline for their target without evading enemy fire, Jiralhanae Chieftains will jink back and forth as they charge, making them much more difficult to head shot or stick than their Sangheili counterparts. This is compensated for because of their slower speed and the comparative ease of dodging the slower hammer strike compared with a sword swing.
*The Chieftain, if lucky, can be killed in one hit by a Spartan Laser at ''Halo 3: ODST''. Normally, when the laser hits the Chieftain, his power armor will break, but somehow he was able to activate the Invincibility power-up to withstand the blow, forcing the player to fire another round.
**Utilizing Flamethrower is also a good idea, but the player must maintain its distances since breaking the power armor often makes the Chieftain triggers the Invincibility power-up.


*[[Incendiary Grenade]]s are a good way to kill a Chieftain, although on [[Legendary]] this is not a guaranteed one hit kill, as he can easily activate his [[Invincibility]] and negate the effects of your grenade. However, if you follow up with a headshot using an accurate weapon, that will usually take them down.
==Production notes==
*During the early development of ''[[Halo 3]]'', a Jiralhanae Chieftain was seen wielding an [[Type-1 energy sword|energy sword]]. This was probably taken out due to the fact that Jiralhanae prefer their own gravity hammers, and because the energy sword is a [[Sangheili]]-exclusive weapon (and the Jiralhanae dislike the Sangheili).
*All Jiralhanae Chieftains are voiced by [[John DiMaggio]] in both ''Halo 3'' and ''[[Halo 3: ODST]]''.
*In ''[[Halo 3: The Official Strategy Guide]]'', there is a mistake on the last page, where there is a War Chieftain wielding a gravity hammer. There are also images of an ordinary Jiralhanae Chieftain wielding a plasma turret and a fuel rod gun.


*Throwing a [[Spike Grenade]] beneath where they are or are going to be will kill them in one hit. It is best to lure them into a corner, first.
== Trivia ==
{{linkbox|gallery=yes|gallerypage=Images of Jiralhanae Chieftains}}
*If a Chieftain is transformed into a [[Flood]] [[Flood combat form|combat form]] in ''[[Halo 3]]'', his armor will become that of a [[Jiralhanae Minor]]. This is because the game engine does not have any code to transform the Chieftain into a "Chieftain" combat form. This can be easily observed in the Citadel during the level ''The Covenant'', where the Flood temporarily ally with the Master Chief and the Arbiter to attack the remaining Covenant forces. Another good place to see an infected Chieftain is on the level ''[[Halo (Halo 3 level)|Halo]]'', because an infected Chieftain is in a [[Flood dispersal pod]].
*In the ''Halo 3'' level ''[[Sierra 117]]'', a Chieftain is seen hanging onto the side of a Phantom in the clearing with a crashed Pelican down the cliff. Oddly, this Chieftain can be stuck with plasma grenades, but shows no reaction to them, and is completely immune to the blast.
*The Chieftain appears in [[Wikipedia:Epic Games|Epic Games]] and [[Wikipedia:Mediatonic|Mediatonic]]'s ''[[Wikipedia:Fall Guys|Fall Guys]]'' as one of the characters in the Spartan Showdown event.


*[[Carbine]] is a very good weapon to shoot off a Brute Chieftain`s helmet.
== Gallery ==
 
===Concept art and illustrations===
*In the level [[Crow's Nest]], when you first enter the barracks, use the portable Grav Lift to trap the chieftain under the ceilings so they can't move at all.
<gallery>
 
File:H3 Chieftain Concept.jpg|Concept art of a Jiralhanae Chieftain for ''[[Halo 3]]''.
*If the Chieftain has already used his [[Invincibility]], it is possible to kill him through melee combat (even if he has a [[Gravity Hammer]]); you have to melee him from behind. It seems to stun him when you melee him in front, but it extremely dangerous as the Chieftain could easily strike in a second; use this to buy time.
File:H3 RedChieftainConcept.jpg|Another concept for a Chieftain in ''Halo 3'', this time with a more reddish color scheme closer to the final design.
[[Image:1207648317 Halo-3-20061220042626987-000.jpg|thumb|right|Concept art of a chieftain wielding a [[Brute shot]].]]
File:H4_BruteChieftain_Concept.jpg|Chieftain concept art for ''[[Halo 4]]''{{'}}s [[Prologue]] entry.
*The [[assault rifle]] is a viable option against Chieftains because of its high rate of fire. Its melee is fast as well, allowing you to use the above option.
File:Haloinitiation1variant.jpg|A Jiralhanae Chieftain fighting against [[Sarah Palmer]] on the cover of ''[[Halo: Initiation Issue 1]]''.
 
File:H2A Terminals - Murder of the Councilors.jpg|A Jiralhanae Chieftain—possibly an Army Commander—overseeing the massacre of [[Sangheili Councilor]]s on Installation 05 in the ''[[Halo 2: Anniversary]]'' [[Terminal (Halo 2: Anniversary)|terminals]].
*When you fight the first Chieftain on the Halo 3 level Sierra 117, a good tactic is to use the [[Sniper Rifle]] or [[Carbine]] on the Chieftain's head when he is beating up Johnson. His headdress should fall off. Then, later in the battle, as he charges at you shoot him multiple times in the head or chest with the [[Sniper Rifle]] and he will easily fall.
File:HTfS gallery Chieftain.jpg|A Chieftain preparing to fight a Marine in ''[[Halo: Tales from Slipspace]]''.
 
File:HINF-Chieftainconcept.jpg|Concept art of a Banished Jiralhanae Chieftain for ''[[Halo Infinite]]''.
*Another method is to jump when the Chieftain strikes and melee them in the back, like what you may do when fighting a [[Hunter]].
File:HINF-Chieftainconcepts.jpg|More concept art of Banished Chieftains.
 
File:HINF Chibi Chieftain Emblem.png|A ''Halo Infinite'' multiplayer emblem of a Brute Chieftain.
*After they have struck, if you melee them in the stomach they will stagger back. Keep meleeing them and they won't have time to hit. However you must get your timing right as if it is not exactly after they've hit they will hit again. Also make sure all the other [[Brutes]] in the pack are dead or distracted.
</gallery>
 
*When cornered by a weapons Chieftain, there are several methods to escape the almost one-hit kill [[Gravity Hammer]]. None of these methods will help you escape the blow entirely, but they might buy you some time to get in a better position or end up taking less damage: Firstly, you can try jumping. Very risky, as it has to be correctly timed in order to avoid damage. Also, it will cause you to fly in the air, therefore resulting in getting pushed off whatever platform you are on.  
 
*Because of their high firepower at long ranges, it is a good idea to engage an Armor Chieftain in melee combat. Those armed with Fuel Rod Guns won't even fire their weapon when you are close enough to avoid splash damage.
 
*Even though they are impervious to [[Needler]] projectiles, a Chieftain will still attempt to dodge them by diving into cover. This may allow you to get close to an Armor Chieftain.
 
*A [[Shotgun]] or a [[Rocket Launcher]] are other ways to deal with Chieftains; however, be careful as they might activate their [[Invincibility]] and charge.
 
*Dual-wielded spikers should take it down, but you'll have to empty a full magazine from both weapons.
 
*An excellent way to kill a hammer-wielding Chieftain on any difficulty level is that when he's charging you, when he's not invincible, charge him as well and when he swings his [[Gravity hammer]] he should jump past you if you're close enough. Then you can turn around and assassinate him. Sticking his weapon with a grenade is another way.
 
*If it has activated it's invincibility, don't even try to confront him, just continue to elude him until it passes.
 
*if you shoot off a chieftain's helmet grenades will stick to them.
 
== Trivia ==
*Early in the development of Halo 3, the Brute Chieftain was seen wielding an [[Energy Sword]]. This was probably taken out due to the fact that [[Brutes]] prefer Hammers over Swords.
*Occasionally, Hammer-wielding Chieftains will throw spike grenades at you when you are just out of striking distance but still close.
*Their [[Power Armor]] will not fall off when you shoot them or [[melee]] them, unlike other Brute ranks.
*The only way to stick them is if you throw a [[Plasma Grenade]] or a [[Spike Grenade]] on their weapon, which is an instant kill. Although, Firebombs will stick to them no matter where you throw it on them.
*If you kill a chieftain and take their [[Gravity Hammer]] and attack his or another pack of [[Brute]]s they will say "Who gave him a hammer?!?", "Recover the Hammer!!!", "Retrieve that damned Hammer!!!" or if you fight a grunt with it, they might say "Oh no! He's got a hammer!!!!!" and will try to run away. Also, if the IWHBYD skull on, they sometimes say "What fool gave that man a hammer?!?!?" or "Who do you think you are, Thor?"  This is a reference to the god Thor, who used a powerful hammer. Coincidentally,  the Master Chief's armor is named MJOLNIR, which is the name of Thor's hammer.
*When a Chieftain gets killed its tribe will then grieve the fallen Chieftain.
*It is possible for some Chieftains to berserk. Possibly from the removal of shields and the headdress, or provoking it to anger by staying alive while avoiding one. This may only be applicable to the Armor Chieftains, as the Weapon already has a Hammer and always charges. You will hear a weapon chieftain go berserk but there is no animation for it.
*In the level The Storm, an Armor Chieftain was seen carrying a [[Spiker]] in his pocket. It is possible to make him drop his Plasma Cannon and make him use the Spiker by letting him board your vehicle.
*If a Chieftain is transformed into a Flood combat form its armor will become that of a minor.
*Underneath the Chieftain Power Armor, they wear the same garments as the [[Brute Stalker]]
*In Halo 3: The Strategy Guide there is a mistake, in that there is an Armor chieftain wielding a gravity hammer. There are also images of a Weapons Chieftain wielding a Plasma Cannon and a Fuel Rod Gun.
*The berserking method in Halo 2 applies to the weapon chieftain in Halo 3.
*Oddly enough, even if you knock off a Brutes Chieftain's helmet, their heads cannot be stuck.
*The Chieftain is voiced by John DiMaggo, who also voiced Marcus Fenix in Gears of War and Bender in the animated T.V series Futurama.
*In the Halo 3 level Sierra 117, a chieftain is seen hanging onto the side of a phantom, in the clearing with a crashed pelican down the cliff. Oddly, this Chieftain can be stuck with Plasma Grenades, but shows no reaction to it, and is immune to the blast. The same cannot be said for the Grunt Heavy manning the Plasma Cannon next to him.
*For unknown reasons, when a Chieftain is infected by Flood before his death, his Gravity Hammer will disappear.
*It is possible to shoot off their helmets with a battle rifle, aim for the upper parts of the headdress.
*Weapon chieftains are the only AI or others in the game to melee with a [[Plasma Cannon]]
*Brute Chieftains can do amazing tricks that regular brutes can't do, such as jumping up into the air really high and then attempts to crush you from above, these attacks can be quite inaccurate, such as if your lucky enough you can make the Chieftain on the level [[The Storm (Level)|The Storm]] jump outside the map. Be careful though, because the Chieftain can then jump out of nowhere and rain down on you or your allies.
*On the level ''The Ark'' at the end of the level where there are multiple brutes the weapon chieftain will say ''You and me here and now!'' while the rest of the pack watches. They wont attack while the chieftan is alive but shoot them or you kill the chieftain then they will come after you.  
*Hammer class Chieftans were, intentionally, to wield the [[Fist of Rukt]], but Bungie most likely cut that out and gave them the [[Gravity Hammer]] we all know. Probably because the [[Fist of Rukt]] was a unique weapon used by [[Tartarus]] during the events of [[Halo 2]].


===Screenshots===
<gallery>
<gallery>
Image:Chieftain_3d_image.jpeg|A Chieftain prototype from McFarlane Toys.
File:emag_halo3_092307_2_bd140.jpg|A Jiralhanae Chieftain attacking John-117 in ''Halo 3''.
Image:H3_brute.jpg|The current Brute Chieftain action figure for [[Halo 3]].
File:2 Chieftains.jpg|A Jiralhanae Chieftain standing near a [[War Chieftain]].
Image:Halo-3-Brute.jpg|A Halo 3 Chieftain equiped with a Gravity Hammer, similar to the [[Fist of Rukt]], as seen in [[ViDoc: Et Tu, Brute?]].
File:ChieftainPrecher.jpg|A Chieftain delivers a sermon to his pack.
Image:Tartarusfull.jpg|Tartarus the only Chieftain of Halo 2. It seems there is a very big difference from Halo 2 to Halo 3. Note the elaborate armor the Halo 3 Brutes carry than the Halo 2 one.
File:HW_Thrallslayer_1.jpg|Avitus, a Jiralhanae Chieftain in ''[[Halo Wars]]''.
Image:3554749-Full.jpg|Close up
File:UnarmedChieftain.png|An unarmed Chieftain in ''Halo 3: ODST''.
Image:XBW49.prev_halo3.chieftan--screenshot_large.jpg|A Chieftain in ViDoc: Et Tu, Brute.
File:Brute_Chieftain_ODST.jpg|A Jiralhanae Chieftain illuminated by [[Visual Intelligence System, Reconnaissance|VISR]].
File:Brute_Chieftain_Close-Up.jpg|A close-up of a Chieftain's elaborate headdress.
File:Chieftain_Action_Figure.jpg|A Jiralhanae Chieftain action figure from [[McFarlane Toys]].
File:HReach - Chieftain Jiralhanae.png|An early build of a Jiralhanae Chieftain in ''Halo: Reach''.
File:Halo- Reach - Brute Chief.jpg|A Chieftain charging a [[Spartan-III]].
File:Brute_chieftain_pose.png|A Chieftain holding its hammer.
File:Reach 6610802 Full.jpg|A Chieftain without its helmet in ''Halo: Reach''.
File:ChieftainHalf.jpg|A Jiralhanae Chieftain with a gravity hammer in ''Halo: Reach''.
File:HTMCC-HR BruteChieftain.png|A Jiralhanae Chieftain with a fuel rod gun in ''Halo: Reach''.
File:Brute Chieftain symbols.png|Pattern on the Chieftain Armor in ''Halo: Reach''.
File:ChieftainFull.jpg|Another view of the Chieftain.
File:H4 SPARTAN-II against Jiralhanae.jpg|A Jiralhanae Chieftain against a [[Spartan-II]] in ''Halo 4''.
File:Spartan_Strike_chieftain.png|A Jiralhanae Chieftain in ''[[Halo: Spartan Strike]]''.
File:HINF-Oiyougotapermitforthat.jpg|A Covenant Chieftain alongside two other Jiralhanae in a flashback during ''[[Halo Infinite]]''.
File:HINF FF PressKit Chieftain.jpg|A Chieftain with a gravity hammer.
File:HINF ChieftainCannon.jpg|A Banished Chieftain welding a {{Pattern|Shea'p|plasma cannon}}.
File:HINF-ReachChieftain.jpg|A Jiralhanae Chieftain guarding a Banished outpost on Installation 07.
File:HINF ChieftainHammer 1.png|A Jiralhanae Chieftain with a gravity hammer.
File:HINF ChieftainHammer 2.png|A Jiralhanae Chieftain smashes the ground with a gravity hammer.
File:HINF ChieftainTurret&Minor.png|A Chieftain alongside a Jiralhanae Warrior.
File:HINF Brute Chieftain hammer.png|A gravity hammer-wielding Chieftain with its armor partially shot off.
File:Enc22 Vheiloth Chieftain.png|A Jiralhanae Chieftain in ''[[Halo Encyclopedia (2022 edition)]]''.
File:FallGuys-Chieftainroar.png|The Chieftain ROAR! emote in ''Fall Guys''.
</gallery>
</gallery>


{{Template:BruteRanks}}
==List of appearances==
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
*''[[Halo: First Strike]]'' {{1st}}
*''[[Halo 2]]''
*''[[Halo: Ghosts of Onyx]]''
*''[[Starry Night]]''
*''[[Believe]]''
**''[[Diorama]]'' {{C|Diorama only}}
*''[[Halo: Landfall]]''
**''[[Halo: Last One Standing]]''
*''[[Halo: Uprising]]''
*''[[Halo 3]]''
*''[[Halo: Contact Harvest]]''
*''[[Halo Wars]]''
*''[[Halo 3: ODST]]''
*''[[Halo Legends]]''
**''[[The Babysitter]]''
*''[[Halo: Evolutions]]''
**''[[Stomping on the Heels of a Fuss]]''
**''[[The Return]]''
*''[[Halo: Reach]]''
*''[[Halo: Fall of Reach]]''
**''[[Halo: Fall of Reach - Invasion|Invasion]]''
{{col-2}}
*''[[Halo 4]]'' {{c|[[Prologue]] only}}
*''[[Halo: Spartan Assault]]''
*''[[Halo: Initiation]]''
*''[[Halo: Escalation]]''
*''[[Halo 2: Anniversary]]''
**''[[Terminal (Halo 2: Anniversary)|Terminals]]''
*''[[Halo: New Blood]]''
*''[[Halo: Spartan Strike]]''
*''[[Halo: Last Light]]''
*''[[Halo: Shadow of Intent]]'' {{Mo}}
*''[[Halo Mythos: A Guide to the Story of Halo]]''
*''[[Halo: Tales from Slipspace]]''
*''[[Halo Wars 2]]''
*''[[Halo: Envoy]]''
*''[[Halo: Rise of Atriox]]''
*''[[Halo: Retribution]]''
*''[[Halo: Shadows of Reach]]''{{Ref/Novel|Id=SOR3|HSoR|Chapter=3}}
**''[[Sacrifice]]''
*''[[Halo: Divine Wind]]''
*''[[Halo Infinite]]''
*''[[Halo: The Rubicon Protocol]]'' {{Mo}}
*''[[Halo: Battle for the Blood-Moon]]''
*''[[Halo: Age of Retribution]]''
{{col-end}}
 
==Sources==
{{Ref/Sources}}


{{Jiralhanae Ranks}}
{{Jiralhanae Ranks/Banished}}


[[Category:The Covenant]]
[[Category:Covenant ranks]]
[[Category:Brutes]]
[[Category:Ranks]]

Latest revision as of 12:29, November 8, 2024

Were you looking for the rank War Chieftain or Chieftain of the Jiralhanae, the ruler of the Jiralhanae?
Chieftain
RegChieftain.png

Function:

  • Pack Leaders
  • Battlefield Commanders

Species:

Jiralhanae

Affiliation:

Other role(s):

Spiritual Leaders[8][9]

Notable individuals:

 

"Commanding troops requires both strength and audacity."
— Jiralhanae Chieftain's mantra[10]

The Jiralhanae Chieftain, also known as Alpha,[11] is a position within the Jiralhanae race. It is one of the highest positions in the Jiralhanae hierarchy both in social aspects and in military rank within the Covenant and its splinter factions, including the Banished.[2][1][4]

Overview[edit]

Roles and responsibilities[edit]

In the Covenant, Chieftains primarily served as military commanders. They are leaders of groups of the half-a-dozen or more Jiralhanae as well as several lower caste species within a "pack." In Jiralhanae society, Chieftains are subordinate only to War Chieftains and the Chieftain of the Jiralhanae himself. Apart from a pack leadership position, the Jiralhanae Chieftains are also spiritual leaders, giving sermons to their packs.[8][9] Maccabeus, while War Chieftain of the Rapid Conversion, would lead his pack in religious sermons, like the Progression of the Ages and blessing pack meals.[12]

History[edit]

The Chieftain of the Jiralhanae, Tartarus was killed by Thel 'Vadam, his Sangheili allies, and Sergeant Major Avery Johnson on Installation 05. He wielded a powerful ancient and unique gravity hammer, the Fist of Rukt.[13] Preceding him was his uncle Maccabeus, the previous wielder of the Fist of Rukt. Maccabeus's death was at his young nephew's hands, as is the tradition within the Jiralhanae culture: a fight to the death over the Chieftain position within the pack. The same can likely be said for most Jiralhanae Chieftains unless the previous Chieftain fell in battle; however contestants may have had to fight to the death for the position if this was the case. This was known to have happened on at least one occasion during the Jiralhanae occupation of the colony Beta Gabriel.

Due to animosity stoked by the Great Schism, the Jiralhanae and Sangheili typically did not work together after the war, at least not as equals.[14] For reasons unknown, a few Jiralhanae Chieftains would eventually join Merg Vol's Covenant as lesser infantry after the end of the Human-Covenant War. These few Jiralhanae would fight on behalf of the group during the Battle of Draetheus V in 2554.[5] Very few Chieftains were depicted serving Jul 'Mdama's Covenant in a UNSC Tactical Simulator set during the Battle of Installation 03 in 2557.[6]

Many Chieftains served in the Banished, leading standard packs. Certain Banished Chieftains with massive packs formed them into legions and were titled Legionmasters.[15] Other Chieftains with high authority were titled Warlords to keep other packs in line.[15] The supreme leading Chieftains of the Banished consisted of War Chiefs, including both Decimus and Escharum,[15] and the Warmaster Atriox.[16]

Equipment[edit]

Armor[edit]

Main article: Chieftain power armor

Jiralhanae Chieftains are typically clad in resilient ornate crimson and black/silver armor and are instantly recognizable by their matching large horned headdress, a design which pays homage to the Degaeorth of Doisac.[17] However, there's varying types of armor favored by Chieftains,[1][18][4] including one design of armor that is thicker with its left arm to deliver bone-crushing melee attacks should they need to perform one without their gravity hammers.[1] Another chassis also have dual wrist-mounted blades extending over their hands for extra melee capabilities.[4] While it cannot take as much damage as the bronze, gold-colored armor worn by War Chieftains, it allows greater speed and mobility.[1][18] They are also equipped with renegerating personal energy shields.[18] Their power armor cannot be stuck by plasma grenades, spike grenades, or needler projectiles.[1] However, their armor can be stuck by firebombs and unarmored parts like the Chieftains' weapons, hands, and feet can be stuck by spike and plasma grenades.[1] Unlike the power armor worn by Jiralhanae of lesser ranks, a Chieftain's armor does not fall apart once the shields are disabled.[1] Additionally, their power armor grants Chieftains exceptionally high resistance to energy weaponry; even unshielded.[1]

There is another variant of the Chieftain power armor, which have a different design and better protection than typical types. It had also a techsuit that covers almost the entire body, including the hands.[19] These armors were issued by several high-ranking Jiralhanae leaders such as Avitus, also known as the "Brute Army Commander", and another Jiralhanae Chieftain, albeit the former being also colored entirely in red, opposing red-and-black-colored chieftain power armors, and the latter entirely in blue rather than in red.[19][20] Whenever if either the "Army Commander" term is considered a Jiralhanae title given to several of these Chieftains who wear these power armors or possibly a rank, or simply a nickname given to only Avitus is unknown.

While most Jiralhanae Chieftains were known to have worn power armor, a few were poorly armored, like the bulk of lower-ranked Jiralhanae warriors as a whole until the Great Schism, including Parabum and Lydus.[21][22]

  • RegChieftain.png
  • Reach - Chieftain.png
  • HINF-Chieftain.jpg

Weaponry[edit]

The Jiralhanae Chieftain's primary and iconic armament is the gravity hammer,[1] although they sometimes use Pez'tk-pattern fuel rod guns, Kopasa'mada-pattern plasma launchers, Pek-pattern plasma cannons,[18] Shea'p-pattern plasma cannons and Grenflekt Workshop Scrap Cannons. They usually carry the invincibility power-up, and sometimes at least another equipment such as a regenerator, flare, or power drain.[1]

Known Chieftains[edit]

Gameplay[edit]

A Brute Chieftain charging towards his opponent.

A Jiralhanae Chieftain's shields are stronger than those of a standard Jiralhanae, but, oddly, are slightly weaker than a Jiralhanae Captain's. Unlike the power armor worn by Jiralhanae of lesser ranks, a Chieftain's armor does not fall apart once the shields are disabled. Additionally, their heavy helmets protect them from headshots, and it requires a handful of shots to the head from a precision weapon to knock off their helmet and leave them vulnerable to a fatal headshot. On any difficulty it only takes one beam rifle or sniper rifle shot to disable their shields, while Jiralhanae Captains require two shots on Heroic or Legendary to bring their shields down. On Heroic, a Chieftain's shield can be brought down with twelve assault rifle bullets or eight plasma rifle bolts. However, even unshielded, a Jiralhanae Chieftain has extremely high durability and can survive incredibly high amounts of damage; on Heroic, it takes forty-three assault rifle bullets, five particle beam rifle shots, or five direct hits from a Brute shot to kill an unshielded Chieftain, whereas any other Jiralhanae rank dies after only one beam rifle shot or one to two Brute shot grenades once their shields are disabled. This makes the durability of Chieftains much closer to that of the Jiralhanae of Halo 2 than any other Jiralhanae unit in Halo 3. Additionally, their power armor grants Chieftains exceptionally high resistance to energy weaponry; even unshielded, a Jiralhanae Chieftain can withstand more than two hundred plasma rifle bolts before falling, while most standard Jiralhanae die after only a little over a dozen plasma rifle bolts once their shields are gone. Their power armor cannot be stuck by plasma grenades, spike grenades, or needler projectiles. However, their armor can be stuck by firebombs and unarmored parts like the Chieftains' weapons, hands, and feet can be stuck by spike and plasma grenades.

The Jiralhanae Chieftain's primary armament is the gravity hammer, although they are also known to use Pez'tk-pattern fuel rod guns, Kopasa'mada-pattern plasma launchers, and Pek-pattern plasma cannons. Jiralhanae Chieftains are the only enemy, aside from the occasional Flood and Sangheili General, who use these weapons. On all level modes, they carry and almost always use the invincibility power-up. It is also possible for them to carry a regenerator, flare, or power drain.

Tactics[edit]

Jiralhanae Chieftains will be closely guarded by two or more Jiralhanae Bodyguards as well as high numbers of Jiralhanae of other ranks, only leaving the security of the pack when they feel it is tactically sound or simply when they thirst for blood. Chieftains generally hang back and allow their entourage of Jiralhanae to do the fighting, generally only charging forward to attack with their gravity hammers after several of their Jiralhanae pack subordinates have been slain.

If they run for you, turn and run as fast as you can. More often than not, unless you've managed to kill them within the first few seconds, they will activate their invincibility if they are carrying one and you will not be able to kill them until it wears off. Chieftains can close distances quickly, and will not hesitate to smack anything out of their path. Though less durable than the more ornate War Chieftains, they are far faster and much deadlier in close combat, and they still boast extremely powerful shields and armor.

Counter-Chieftain tactics[edit]

A Chieftain fighting Thel 'Vadam in the Citadel.
  • Jiralhanae Chieftains, as fitting their "commander" role, have incredible physical strength and agility - far more so than their lesser brethren. Avoid going into melee combat with a Chieftain. However, if you do get yourself in the situation, do not try to melee him or he will quickly deliver a direct blow with the gravity hammer, which is a one-hit-kill even on Normal difficulty. Run away as quickly as possible once you see him trying to get close enough to melee you. Shoot him enough times with one of your weapons, until his Power Armor breaks, then try to shoot his helmet/headdress off so that you can score a headshot.
  • Another way, though difficult, is to circle around the back of the Chieftain, wait for them to do his backward melee attack, and again circle around them while they're still turning round to where you used to be. This gives you ample time for an assassination. Believe it or not, this is the best way to kill them: their swing animations are incredibly predictable during Halo 3, and this extends to all hammer-wielding Jiralhanae. Note: assassinations ignore invincibility, making this tactic even more useful.
  • One of the best ways to kill a Chieftain is to charge at them from a distance. They will begin to leap at you; use the time when they are crouching down to leap to get up close to them. When they leap, if done correctly, they over the player's head, giving him or her enough time to perform an assassination.
  • A hammer-wielding Chieftain will often utilize the Invincibility power-up while charging at you if you're firing and back-pedaling at the same time. However, if the player is able to kill the Chieftain before he activates it, the player can use the Invincibility to great gain.
  • Even when Chieftains utilize the invincibility power-up, an assassination will still kill them.
  • A good way to kill Chieftains is to use Cloaking and assassinate them. This way you are unharmed, and you can also pick up their Invincibility since they did not have time to activate it. However, you should be careful not to alert any of the surrounding Jiralhanae. If they know that you are there, even if they cannot see you, the Chieftain will sometimes be able to sense where you are even if you are cloaked and will turn around in your direction, although he does not attack. This will make it harder to get behind him and if you touch him, he will hit you and you will temporarily lose your cloaking, allowing the rest of the Jiralhanae to see and attack you.
  • Probably the easiest way to kill a Chieftain is to use a Spartan Laser on him. This will kill the Jiralhanae instantly, allowing you to pick up his invincibility and, if you want, his gravity hammer. It is easier to do this as soon as you see them while they are taunting and growling at you, for on higher difficulties, they will activate their invincibility as the laser hits them, rendering the shot wasted. In Halo 3, this can only be done on the level the Covenant, as it is the only Halo 3 level where you are given a Spartan Laser.
  • Although you cannot stick Chieftains, if you are a good shot you can stick the Chieftain's weapon, which usually is the gravity hammer. It's quite difficult, but it will kill him immediately. (This does not work on Legendary difficulty.)
  • When facing a charging Chieftain, jump up as they try to hit you with their hammer and the blow from the hammer will push you away from the Jiralhanae, giving you more time to damage him and ultimately kill him as well as recharge your shields. Make sure you're not on an edge or the blast from the hammer could knock you over the edge, killing you.
  • Incendiary Grenades are a good way to kill a Chieftain, although on Legendary, this is not a guaranteed one hit kill, including a shot from Flamethrower as he can easily activate his Invincibility and negate the effects of your grenade.
  • If the Chieftain is alone, you may attempt to lure him into a close range fight and melee him before sidestepping. The Chieftains are surprisingly slow to recover after a melee/hammer attempt, so you can kill them with multiple melee hits by edging around him/jumping over him every time he attempts to melee/hammer you. This is quite risky, however, and is not recommended on higher difficulties.
  • Another good way to kill a Chieftain is to dual-wield spikers, as Chieftains seem to have a vulnerability to the spikes. Enough spikes will also slow down the Chieftain, occasionally stopping the Chieftain's charge and if you pump enough into him, he will eventually go down. Same with plasma rifles.
  • When a Chieftain swings their gravity hammer at you, you can perform a 'gravity jump.' While not an actual move incorporated into the game, this involves jumping moments before the hammer hits, so that you ride the shock wave, usually to a place far away from the chieftain. Skilled players may utilize this to get out of an explosive's blast range, or to get head shots from above.
  • In Halo: Reach, Chieftain armor can be stuck with plasma grenades. However, their reasonably strong shields and high unshielded durability mean that they can usually survive a stick attempt.
  • The sniper rifle is devastating against Chieftains in Halo: Reach. Two head shots will kill any Chieftain on Easy, Normal and Heroic difficulties.
  • Unlike energy sword-equipped Sangheili, who will generally make a beeline for their target without evading enemy fire, Jiralhanae Chieftains will jink back and forth as they charge, making them much more difficult to head shot or stick than their Sangheili counterparts. This is compensated for because of their slower speed and the comparative ease of dodging the slower hammer strike compared with a sword swing.
  • The Chieftain, if lucky, can be killed in one hit by a Spartan Laser at Halo 3: ODST. Normally, when the laser hits the Chieftain, his power armor will break, but somehow he was able to activate the Invincibility power-up to withstand the blow, forcing the player to fire another round.
    • Utilizing Flamethrower is also a good idea, but the player must maintain its distances since breaking the power armor often makes the Chieftain triggers the Invincibility power-up.

Production notes[edit]

  • During the early development of Halo 3, a Jiralhanae Chieftain was seen wielding an energy sword. This was probably taken out due to the fact that Jiralhanae prefer their own gravity hammers, and because the energy sword is a Sangheili-exclusive weapon (and the Jiralhanae dislike the Sangheili).
  • All Jiralhanae Chieftains are voiced by John DiMaggio in both Halo 3 and Halo 3: ODST.
  • In Halo 3: The Official Strategy Guide, there is a mistake on the last page, where there is a War Chieftain wielding a gravity hammer. There are also images of an ordinary Jiralhanae Chieftain wielding a plasma turret and a fuel rod gun.

Trivia[edit]

Main-Superintendent.png Browse more images in this article's gallery page.
  • If a Chieftain is transformed into a Flood combat form in Halo 3, his armor will become that of a Jiralhanae Minor. This is because the game engine does not have any code to transform the Chieftain into a "Chieftain" combat form. This can be easily observed in the Citadel during the level The Covenant, where the Flood temporarily ally with the Master Chief and the Arbiter to attack the remaining Covenant forces. Another good place to see an infected Chieftain is on the level Halo, because an infected Chieftain is in a Flood dispersal pod.
  • In the Halo 3 level Sierra 117, a Chieftain is seen hanging onto the side of a Phantom in the clearing with a crashed Pelican down the cliff. Oddly, this Chieftain can be stuck with plasma grenades, but shows no reaction to them, and is completely immune to the blast.
  • The Chieftain appears in Epic Games and Mediatonic's Fall Guys as one of the characters in the Spartan Showdown event.

Gallery[edit]

Concept art and illustrations[edit]

Screenshots[edit]

  • A Jiralhanae Chieftain attacking John-117 in Halo 3.

    A Jiralhanae Chieftain attacking John-117 in Halo 3.

  • A Jiralhanae Chieftain standing near a War Chieftain.

    A Jiralhanae Chieftain standing near a War Chieftain.

  • A Chieftain delivers a sermon to his pack.

    A Chieftain delivers a sermon to his pack.

  • Avitus, a Jiralhanae Chieftain in Halo Wars.

    Avitus, a Jiralhanae Chieftain in Halo Wars.

  • An unarmed Chieftain in Halo 3: ODST.

    An unarmed Chieftain in Halo 3: ODST.

  • A Jiralhanae Chieftain illuminated by VISR.

    A Jiralhanae Chieftain illuminated by VISR.

  • A close-up of a Chieftain's elaborate headdress.

    A close-up of a Chieftain's elaborate headdress.

  • A Jiralhanae Chieftain action figure from McFarlane Toys.

    A Jiralhanae Chieftain action figure from McFarlane Toys.

  • An early build of a Jiralhanae Chieftain in Halo: Reach.

    An early build of a Jiralhanae Chieftain in Halo: Reach.

  • A Chieftain charging a Spartan-III.

    A Chieftain charging a Spartan-III.

  • A Chieftain holding its hammer.

    A Chieftain holding its hammer.

  • A Chieftain without its helmet in Halo: Reach.

    A Chieftain without its helmet in Halo: Reach.

  • A Jiralhanae Chieftain with a gravity hammer in Halo: Reach.

    A Jiralhanae Chieftain with a gravity hammer in Halo: Reach.

  • A Jiralhanae Chieftain with a fuel rod gun in Halo: Reach.

    A Jiralhanae Chieftain with a fuel rod gun in Halo: Reach.

  • Pattern on the Chieftain Armor in Halo: Reach.

    Pattern on the Chieftain Armor in Halo: Reach.

  • Another view of the Chieftain.

    Another view of the Chieftain.

  • A Jiralhanae Chieftain against a Spartan-II in Halo 4.

    A Jiralhanae Chieftain against a Spartan-II in Halo 4.

  • A Jiralhanae Chieftain in Halo: Spartan Strike.

    A Jiralhanae Chieftain in Halo: Spartan Strike.

  • A Covenant Chieftain alongside two other Jiralhanae in a flashback during Halo Infinite.

    A Covenant Chieftain alongside two other Jiralhanae in a flashback during Halo Infinite.

  • A Chieftain with a gravity hammer.

    A Chieftain with a gravity hammer.

  • A Banished Chieftain welding a Shea'p-pattern plasma cannon.

    A Banished Chieftain welding a Shea'p-pattern plasma cannon.

  • A Jiralhanae Chieftain guarding a Banished outpost on Installation 07.

    A Jiralhanae Chieftain guarding a Banished outpost on Installation 07.

  • A Jiralhanae Chieftain with a gravity hammer.

    A Jiralhanae Chieftain with a gravity hammer.

  • A Jiralhanae Chieftain smashes the ground with a gravity hammer.

    A Jiralhanae Chieftain smashes the ground with a gravity hammer.

  • A Chieftain alongside a Jiralhanae Warrior.

    A Chieftain alongside a Jiralhanae Warrior.

  • A gravity hammer-wielding Chieftain with its armor partially shot off.

    A gravity hammer-wielding Chieftain with its armor partially shot off.

  • A Jiralhanae Chieftain in Halo Encyclopedia (2022 edition).

    A Jiralhanae Chieftain in Halo Encyclopedia (2022 edition).

  • The Chieftain ROAR! emote in Fall Guys.

    The Chieftain ROAR! emote in Fall Guys.

List of appearances[edit]

Sources[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Halo 3
  2. ^ a b Halo: Rise of Atriox, issue #5
  3. ^ Halo Wars 2
  4. ^ a b c d Halo Infinite
  5. ^ a b Halo: Spartan Assault
  6. ^ a b Halo: Spartan Strike
  7. ^ Halo: Shadows of Reach: Adjunct - Sacrifice
  8. ^ a b Halo 3, campaign level The Ark
  9. ^ a b Halo 3, campaign level The Covenant
  10. ^ Halo: Reach: Post-game carnage report
  11. ^ Halo 3, Bestiarum
  12. ^ Halo: Contact Harvest, page 196
  13. ^ Halo 2, campaign level The Great Journey
  14. ^ Halo: Envoy, 1 "The Covenant had failed, obliterated under the weight of many lies; as a result, the Sangheili did not make common cause with Jiralhanae anymore, at least not as equals. No, this was strange. "
  15. ^ a b c Halo: Shadows of Reach
  16. ^ Halo: Official Spartan Field Manual, page 158: "Atriox: Warmaster of the Banished"
  17. ^ Halo: Envoy, page 40–41
  18. ^ a b c d Halo: Reach
  19. ^ a b Halo Wars: Collectors Edition Leader Cards
  20. ^ Halo Legends - The Babysitter
  21. ^ Halo: Evolution - Stomping on the Heels of a Fuss
  22. ^ Halo: Escalation, issue #1
  23. ^ Halo: Shadows of Reach, chapter 3

v • d • e
 
Jiralhanae ranks (Covenant)
Chieftains
Officers
Specialists
Infantry
Minor • Major • Ultra
Other

v • d • e
 
Jiralhanae ranks (Banished)
Banished Chieftains
Affiliated Chieftains
Officers
Specialists
Infantry
Warrior (Standard • Chosen)
Other
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