Plasma cannon (starship): Difference between revisions

Plasma cannon
	; An Ceudar-pattern heavy corvette firing its plasma cannons
Production overview
Type:	Starship plasma weapon
Specifications
Ammunition type:	Magnetically-contained superheated plasma
Operation:	Plasma bolt guided by shaped magnetic fields
Service history
In service:	Human-Covenant War; Post-Covenant War conflicts;

Revision as of 16:29, September 26, 2022

Template:Outofdate

This article is about the starship weapon. For other uses, see Plasma cannon.

Plasma cannons are starship-mounted weapon systems used by the Covenant and its remnants.^[1] Unlike plasma torpedo turrets, plasma cannons appear to be able to fire only in a straight line and are less powerful than plasma torpedoes. The bolts fired by plasma cannons are typically blue or blue-purple.^[2] These cannons are most prominently mounted in arrays on a variety of Covenant warship classes, such as Ceudar-pattern heavy corvettes.^[1]^[3]^[4] SDV-class corvettes use the cannons for both ship-to-ship combat and ground assaults, and feature manned control stations from which each cannon can be operated individually.^[2]^{[Note 1]}

Known types

Plasma cannons

Gaff Naran-pattern - Used on the Hekar Taa-pattern blockade runner.
Sono-pattern - Used on Ket-pattern battlecruisers.

Heavy plasma cannons

Melusean-pattern - Used on the Sinaris-pattern heavy destroyer, the Varric-pattern heavy cruiser, the Mjern-pattern agricultural support ship, the Makar-pattern light corvette, and the Ceudar-pattern heavy corvette.

Gallery

Plasma bolts impacting the UNSC Pillar of Autumn in Halo: Combat Evolved.
Three of Ardent Prayer's plasma cannons, one of which is firing.
An SDV-class heavy corvette's plasma bolt impacting an evacuating civilian transport during the Fall of Reach in Halo: Reach.
Render of the Ardent Prayer's plasma cannon.
Cropped render of the previous image.
The controls of the Ardent Prayer's plasma cannons.
A view of the plasma cannons on the Ardent Prayer.
Two of a corvette's plasma cannons firing.
The plasma fire from a Hekar Taa-pattern blockade runner in Halo 5: Guardians.

List of appearances

Halo: Combat Evolved (First appearance)
Halo: The Flood
Halo 2
Halo 3
Halo Wars
Halo: Reach
Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary
Halo: Escalation
Halo 2: Anniversary
Halo: Hunters in the Dark
Halo: Fleet Battles
Halo 5: Guardians
Halo: Smoke and Shadow
Halo: Silent Storm

Notes

^ For an elaboration on the plasma cannons' relation to plasma torpedoes and the ambiguities in distinguishing between the two weapon systems, see Plasma torpedo#Terminology.

Sources

^ ^a ^b Halo: The Essential Visual Guide, pages 13, 28, 41
^ ^a ^b Halo: Reach, campaign level Long Night of Solace
^ Halo Waypoint: Covenant Corvette
^ Halo Waypoint: Song of Retribution

[5] For an elaboration on the plasma cannons' relation to plasma torpedoes and the ambiguities in distinguishing between the two weapon systems, see Plasma torpedo#Terminology.

[evg_cannon-1] Halo: The Essential Visual Guide, pages 13, 28, 41

[lnos-2] Halo: Reach, campaign level Long Night of Solace

[3] Halo Waypoint: Covenant Corvette

[hwp_sor-4] Halo Waypoint: Song of Retribution

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[Note 1]

@@ Line 31: / Line 31: @@
 '''Plasma cannons'''
 *''Gaff Naran''-pattern - Used on the [[Hekar Taa-pattern blockade runner|''Hekar Taa''-pattern blockade runner]].
-*''Sono''-pattern - ''Ket''-pattern {{Pattern|Ket|battlecruiser}}s.
+*''Sono''-pattern - Used on {{Pattern|Ket|battlecruiser}}s.
 '''Heavy plasma cannons'''
-*''Melusean''-pattern - Used on the ''Sinaris-pattern'' {{Pattern|Sinaris|heavy destroyer}}, the ''Varric''-pattern {{Pattern|Varric|heavy cruiser}}, the ''Mjern''-pattern {{Pattern|Mjern|agricultural support ship}}, and the {{Pattern|Ceudar|heavy corvette}}.
+*''Melusean''-pattern - Used on the {{Pattern|Sinaris|heavy destroyer}}, the {{Pattern|Varric|heavy cruiser}}, the {{Pattern|Mjern|agricultural support ship}}, the [[Makar-pattern light corvette]], and the {{Pattern|Ceudar|heavy corvette}}.
 {{col-end}}