Canon

User:BaconShelf/Sandbox/PlasmaCannon: Difference between revisions

From Halopedia, the Halo wiki
mNo edit summary
 
Line 109: Line 109:
*Charged plasma cannon = light focus beam (Enc22 Locust){{Ref/Reuse|Enc22Scarab}}
*Charged plasma cannon = light focus beam (Enc22 Locust){{Ref/Reuse|Enc22Scarab}}
*Explosive plasma cannon (Reach AA Shade)
*Explosive plasma cannon (Reach AA Shade)
==Naval cannons==
[[File:Corvette_plasma_cannons.jpg|thumb|right|300px|The ''Melusean''-pattern plasma cannons aboard a ''Ceudar''-pattern heavy corvette.]]
Plasma cannons serve aboard [[Covenant starship]]s as a form of naval artillery, filling a role similar to the [[naval autocannon]]s of [[human]]ity. They have rapid-fire capabilities, though in return fire their plasma bolts at at much slower velocities than other weapons as to conserve energy. In battle, they are fired in massed barrages to form suppressive screens, creating walls of fire.{{Ref/Book|Id=Enc22Naval|Enc22|Page=261}} There is some overlap between the [[#Heavy plasma cannons|heavy]] and [[#Ultra-heavy plasma cannons|ultra-heavy]] classifications of ground plasma cannon, with the Hesduron {{Pattern|Chwich|Saker}} artillery piece retrieved from the hulls of aging [[Vestige]] warships to bolster the ground forces of [[Jul 'Mdama's Covenant]].{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22Emplacement}}
[[Plasma lance]]s serve as a form of ultra-heavy plasma cannon, firing tightly-focused streams of high-velocity plasma at targets.{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22Naval}}
{| class="wikitable"
|+ Covenant starship plasma cannons
|-
! [[Design pattern]] !! Ships
|-
| ''Melusean''-pattern heavy plasma cannon ||
*{{Pattern|Rasus|interdictor}} (24){{Ref/Book|Id=Enc22Ships|Enc22|Page=262-271}}
*{{Pattern|Varric|heavy cruiser}} (48){{Ref/Reuse|Enc22Ships}}{{Ref/Book|HWF|Page=64-65}}
*{{Pattern|Sinaris|heavy destroyer}} (24){{Ref/Reuse|Enc22Ships}}{{Ref/Book|HWF|Page=60-61}}
*{{Pattern|Wik|light destroyer}} (24){{Ref/Reuse|Enc22Ships}}
*{{Pattern|Ceudar|heavy corvette}} (6){{Ref/Reuse|Enc22Ships}}{{Ref/Book|HWF|Page=76-77}}
*{{Pattern|Makar|light corvette}} (4){{Ref/Reuse|Enc22Ships}}
|-
| ''Melusean''-pattern heavy plasma cannon arrays{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22Ships}} ||
*{{Pattern|Mjern|agricultural support ship}} (12){{Ref/Reuse|Enc22Ships}}{{Ref/Book|HWF|Page=68-69}}
|-
|''Gaff Naran''-pattern plasma cannon ||
*{{Pattern|Hekar Taa|blockade runner}} (24){{Ref/Reuse|Enc22Ships}}
*{{Pattern|R'sikosh|man o' war}} (8){{Ref/Reuse|Enc22Ships}}
|-
|''Morfen''-pattern plasma cannon ||
*{{Pattern|Ruma|light carrier}} (7){{Ref/Reuse|Enc22Ships}}
*{{Pattern|Maugen|armored cruiser}} (22){{Ref/Reuse|Enc22Ships}}
|-
| ''Sey''-pattern plasma cannon ||
*{{Pattern|Ester|armored frigate}} (30){{Ref/Reuse|Enc22Ships}}
|-
| ''Sono''-pattern plasma cannon ||
*{{Pattern|Ket|battlecruiser}} (42){{Ref/Reuse|Enc22Ships}}
|}
==Gallery==
===Naval plasma cannons===
<gallery>
File:Corvette plasma cannons.jpg|Three of ''[[Ardent Prayer]]''{{'}}s plasma cannons, one of which is firing.
File:HaloReach - civiliantransport.jpg|An ''SDV''-class heavy corvette's plasma bolt impacting an evacuating [[Egret Spaceliner|civilian transport]] during the [[Fall of Reach]] in ''[[Halo: Reach]]''.
File:HR-CovenantCorvetteCannon.jpg|Render of ''Ardent Prayer''{{'}}s plasma cannon.
File:HR-CovenantCorvetteCannon-crop.png|Cropped render of the previous image.
File:Corvette plasma cannons interior.jpg|The controls of the ''Ardent Prayer''{{'}}s plasma cannons.
File:Reach 468930 Full.jpg|A view of the plasma cannons on the ''Ardent Prayer''.
File:HReach - SDV plasma cannon fire.jpg|Two of a corvette's plasma cannons firing.
</gallery>


==Sources==
==Sources==

Latest revision as of 18:55, July 8, 2023

Plasma cannons are a broad kind of heavy plasma weaponry commonly used by the Covenant empire and its remnants. Plasma cannons are typically heavy ordnance, mounted aboard vehicles, aircraft, and starships - or used as a mounted stationary weapon in various forms of crew-served and automated turret system.

Overview

Plasma cannons are a broad classification of heavy weaponry used by the Covenant, ranging from infantry-portable crew-served weapons similar in role to a machine gun up to artillery systems and naval cannons.

Plasma cannons can be "overclocked".[1]

Classifications

In the classification systems developed by the Office of Naval Intelligence for cataloguing Covenant materiel recovered during the Human-Covenant War, plasma cannons are generally designated as Directed Energy Cannons. When catalogued in ONI records, the plasma cannon classes roughly correspond with the following:

  • Class-1 directed energy cannons[2] - Light plasma cannons
  • Class-2 directed energy cannons[3] - Medium plasma cannons[4]
  • Class-3 directed energy cannons - Heavy plasma cannons
  • Class-4 directed energy cannons[5] - Ultra-heavy plasma cannons[6]

Light plasma cannons

Light plasma cannons, or Class-1 Directed Energy Cannons, typically take the form of rapid-fire and infantry-portable weapon systems.[2][7] These are the most common manifestation of plasma cannon, and are intended for use as a defensive weapon operated by personnel at chokepoints. They maintain an internal plasma generator that can power the weapon for an extended period before requiring a recharge - detaching the turret from its base mounting results in a security override being activated that limits the power generation capabilities.[8] In Covenant lexicon, these weapons may also be known as Sweeping Turrets.[8]

Although their use as infantry-carried and operated weapons is the most common application, light plasma cannons are often mounted as a secondary weapon among heavy vehicles and dropships to serve as a light weapon for fending off infantry attacks and potential borders.[8]

List of light plasma cannons
Weapon UNSC classification Deployment(s)
A cropped screenshot of the Shepsu-pattern plasma cannon from Halo 2: Anniversary's campaign.
Shepsu-pattern plasma cannon		 Type-42 Directed Energy Support Weapon[2] Deployable turret
H3-T52DESW-PlasmaCannon.png
Pek-pattern plasma cannon		 Type-52 Directed Energy Support Weapon[9] Deployable turret
Vehicle-mounted
Scarabs (Deutoros-pattern and Sumda'te-pattern),[6] Kmiro'sish-pattern Lich and Ru'swum-pattern Phantom secondary gun
H5G - Plasma turret render.png
Shea'p-pattern plasma cannon		 Type-58 Directed Energy Support Weapon[7] Deployable turret
Vehicle-mounted
Wraiths (Kemu-pattern and Muv'te-patterns), Ekesan-pattern Umbra and Phantoms (Mikpramu-pattern and Eklon'Dal)
Wraith plasma cannon Type-26 Directed Energy Weapon Emplacement[10][11] Vehicle-mounted
Wraith (Zurdo-pattern and Ogab'd-patterns)[Note 1]
H2A-Spectre.jpg

Spectre light plasma cannon		 T-46 Directed Energy Weapon/Mounted[12] Mounted aboard the Wuzum-pattern Spectre[4][13]
Concept art of the Phelent-pattern Revenant c.2011.

Scout Revenant light plasma cannon		 N/A Mounted aboard the Phelent-pattern Revenant[4]
ProwlerTurret.jpg

Prowler light plasma cannon[14]		 N/A Mounted aboard the Qavardu Workshop Prowler[4]

Medium plasma cannons

Medium plasma cannons, or Class-2 Directed Energy Cannons,[3][15][16] generally tend to be plasma cannons mounted on the vehicular fleet of the Covenant - both ground and airborne. As their naming suggests, they are generally heavier weapons in nature - though still exhibit broadly similar properties. Medium plasma cannons are, like their light brethren, rapid-fire, automatic weapons in nature though lack the man-portability element that characterises light plasma cannons.

Class-2-equipped vehicles include:

Ground vehicles
Aircraft

Heavy plasma cannons

Heavy plasma cannons have never been officially assigned a Class-designation, though given their position they are presumably Class-3 Directed Energy Cannons. Heavy plasma cannons are typically mounted on heavy aircraft, or used in the Covenant's sky striker artillery systems in both ground attack and air-defence roles. Heavy plasma cannons are comparable in scale to starship-scale plasma cannons, with the Hesduron Chwich-pattern Saker taken of starship-grade plasma cannons stripped off aging Vestige hulls and repurposed as ground artillery.[27]

Ultra-heavy plasma cannons

Ultra-heavy plasma cannons, or Class-4 Directed Energy Cannons,[5] are the heaviest classification of plasma cannon used in planetary warfare, and operate on a scale comparable to the plasma cannons mounted aboard full warships. They are most commonly seen used as part of anti-aircraft weapon systems designed for warding off warships from a given ground installation. The sole known exception to this is the ultra-heavy plasma cannon found on the Deutoros-pattern Scarab, which instead operates as an automatic rapid-fire plasma cannon used for shooting down nearby hostile aircraft, and to a limited extent in ground attack missions.[40]

  • The main ultra-heavy cannon on a Mantis firing during the Battle of Voi.

    The main ultra-heavy cannon on a Mantis firing during the Battle of Voi.

  • The main ultra-heavy cannon on the Tyrant firing during the Battle at Szurdok Ridge.

    The main ultra-heavy cannon on the Tyrant firing during the Battle at Szurdok Ridge.

  • The main cannon on the dorsal surface of the Sumda'te-pattern Scarab is rated as an ultra-heavy plasma cannon, and is considered analogous to that found on the Mantis AA platform.[5]

    The main cannon on the dorsal surface of the Sumda'te-pattern Scarab is rated as an ultra-heavy plasma cannon, and is considered analogous to that found on the Mantis AA platform.[5]

  • An automatic, rapid-fire ultra-heavy plasma cannon firing atop the Deutoros-pattern Scarab.

    An automatic, rapid-fire ultra-heavy plasma cannon firing atop the Deutoros-pattern Scarab.

Other classifications

  • Charged plasma cannon = light focus beam (Enc22 Locust)[6]
  • Explosive plasma cannon (Reach AA Shade)

Sources

  1. ^ Halo Encyclopedia (2022 edition), page 475
  2. ^ a b c Halo Waypoint, Plasma Cannon (Retrieved on Nov 1, 2011) [archive]
  3. ^ a b Halo Waypoint, Ghost (Retrieved on Oct 28, 2011) [archive]
  4. ^ a b c d Halo Encyclopedia (2022 edition), page 272
  5. ^ a b c Halo Waypoint, Scarab (Retrieved on Jun 30, 2021) [archive]
  6. ^ a b c d e Halo Encyclopedia (2022 edition), page 278-279
  7. ^ a b Halo Waypoint, Plasma Cannon (Retrieved on Jan 25, 2016) [archive]
  8. ^ a b c Halo Encyclopedia (2022 edition), page 300-301
  9. ^ Halo 4: The Essential Visual Guide, page 94
  10. ^ Halo 4: The Essential Visual Guide, page 117
  11. ^ a b c Halo 4: The Essential Visual Guide, page 228
  12. ^ Halo Waypoint, Spectre (Retrieved on Nov 27, 2022) [archive]
  13. ^ Halo: The Essential Visual Guide, page 184
  14. ^ Halo: The Essential Visual Guide, page 150
  15. ^ Halo Legendary Crate, Data Drop 16: Ghost
  16. ^ Halo Legendary Crate, Data Drop 17: Banshee
  17. ^ a b Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named Enc22
  18. ^ Halo 4: The Essential Visual Guide, page 116
  19. ^ a b Halo: Combat Evolved manual, page 23
  20. ^ Halo Encyclopedia (2022 edition), page 274-275
  21. ^ Halo Encyclopedia (2022 edition), page 276-278
  22. ^ a b Halo Encyclopedia (2022 edition), page 302
  23. ^ a b Halo Encyclopedia (2022 edition), page 282-283
  24. ^ Halo 4: The Essential Visual Guide, page 119
  25. ^ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named Enc22Banshee
  26. ^ Halo Encyclopedia (2022 edition), page 289
  27. ^ a b c d e Halo Encyclopedia (2022 edition), page 304-305
  28. ^ Halo Encyclopedia (2022 edition), page 301
  29. ^ a b c d e f Halo Encyclopedia (2022 edition), page 281
  30. ^ Halo: Warfleet, page 74-75
  31. ^ Halo Waypoint, Spirit (Retrieved on Jul 12, 2012) [local archive] [external archive]
  32. ^ Halo: The Essential Visual Guide, page 187
  33. ^ Bungie.net, Spirit (Retrieved on Feb 7, 2021) [archive]
  34. ^ a b Halo: Reach manual, page 9
  35. ^ Halo Encyclopedia (2022 edition), page 466-467
  36. ^ Halo Encyclopedia (2022 edition), page 287
  37. ^ Halo: The Essential Visual Guide, page 19
  38. ^ a b Halo Encyclopedia (2022 edition), page 288-289
  39. ^ Halo: Warfleet, page 58-59
  40. ^ Halo Legends, timestamp Origins

Notes

  1. ^ Halo: The Essential Visual Guide pages 9 and 206 erroneously describes the Wraith and anti-air Wraith's armament as consisting of a medium plasma cannon. All subsequent sources have ignored this.
Retrieved from "https://www.halopedia.org/index.php?title=User:BaconShelf/Sandbox/PlasmaCannon&oldid=1584814"