Kmiro'sish-pattern Lich: Difference between revisions

Type-56 Lich
Production information
Manufacturer:	Achoem Weapons
Role:	Deployment platform of infantry and matériel; Siegeworks/ ultra heavy ground support;
Technical specifications
Length:	102.8 metres (337 ft)
Width:	50.9 metres (167 ft)
Height:	34.7 metres (114 ft)
Engine(s):	Impulse drive system ; Movement control turbines ;
Other system(s):	Gravity lift;
Hull:	Nanolaminate hull plating
Armament:	Primary plasma autocannon (T-56 PEW/M); Side-mounted plasma cannons (4);
Complement:	30-40 passengers; 1 Phantom;
Crew:	Pilot and weapons officer
Chronological and affiliation
Era:	Human-Covenant War; Post-Covenant War conflicts;
Affiliation:	Covenant; Swords of Sanghelios; Jul 'Mdama's Covenant; Vata 'Gajat's mercenary group; Kig-Yar pirates; Banished

Revision as of 23:43, April 6, 2022

This article is about the mainline Lich model. For the variant used by the Banished, see Banished Lich.

The Deployment Platform T-56 Ground Support/Ultra Heavy, colloquially known as the Lich, is a Covenant matériel deployment vessel manufactured by Achoem Weapons.^[1] In keeping with the naming scheme of most Covenant vehicles, the Lich is named after a supernatural being.

Overview

The Covenant's largest airborne deployment platform, the Lich boasts heavy armament and is capable of mass deployments of up to forty soldiers. Because of this, UNSC encounters with Liches have almost always resulted in total destruction of the UNSC ground forces, resulting in a lack of available information on the craft.^[1] Like smaller Covenant dropships, the Lich is spaceworthy. It is also capable of traveling through slipspace, though presumably it cannot do so under its own power. Its shielding, at the very least, is strong enough to endure the radiation of slipspace while following in Mantle's Approach's wake.^[4]^[5]

Similar to the Type-44 and Type-52 Phantom dropships, the Lich sports a gravity lift on its ventral surface. It likewise has two large bay doors on either side of the hull and Type-52 plasma cannons are stationed at each doorway. The Lich's primary weapon consists of a plasma autocannon, designated the Type-56 PEW/M.^[1] Part of the craft's power core is exposed on an aft pylon.^[6]

Identified Liches

Sundered Psalm - Operated by the Shields of Requiem mercenary band.
Upright Chalice - Used on the attack against UNSC's Alpha Base.

Deployment history

Though the Covenant used the Lich during the Human-Covenant War, it remained rarely seen due to it usually being used by civilian and security roles.^[7] Moreover, the vehicle's great effectiveness often resulted in the annihilation of its human opponents. Thus, it remained poorly documented by the UNSC until the post-war period.^[1] At least one notable encounter with a Lich occurred late in the war. During the Battle of Installation 04 in October 2552, the Lich Upright Chalice⁠ was deployed from the destroyer Blameless Conceit to deliver Covenant troops to Alpha Base, in a ploy to destroy the UNSC's primary foothold on the ring. After delivering its compliment, the Lich returned to the Blameless Conceit.^[8]^[9] Following the Great Schism, the need for troop transports outweighed the supply of Liches.^[10]

Jul 'Mdama's Covenant deployed multiple Liches during their initial foray on the Forerunner shield world Requiem in July 2557. After the UNSC Infinity's Marine and Spartan complement disabled an array of Forerunner particle cannons, they were attacked by a Lich. The Lich quickly disabled a Mammoth's Magnetic Accelerator Cannon and dropped off troops supported by Phantoms dropping in Wraiths and Ghosts. Spartan John-117 and a team of SPARTAN-IVs boarded the craft and destroyed it by destroying its reactor, causing it to explode.^[6]

Later, when the Didact set course for Halo Installation 03, several Liches followed his vessel through slipspace. One of them was commandeered by SPARTAN-117 and his AI companion Cortana.^[4] Due to a rampant episode, Cortana allowed this Lich to crash into ONI's Ivanoff Station.^[11]

In February 2558, during the Requiem Campaign, Roland had Fireteam Crimson activate an alarm at "Apex" that summoned a Lich to the area. Needing a replacement power source for a Harvester at another location, Roland planned to have Crimson steal the Lich's power source. Aided by Fireteam Forest, Crimson defeated the troops deployed by the Lich until it took up position at a nearby cliffside to pepper the area with turret fire. Crimson was able to board the Lich and eliminate the crew. As Roland couldn't override the security locks, Crimson was sent to the engine core rather than the cockpit. Crimson removed the power core, causing the Lich's systems to run wild. Moments after Crimson jumped to safety, the Lich, energy flowing all over it, flew a short distance away and exploded.^[12] Crimson was subsequently able to use the Lich's power core to successfully restore power to the Harvester and use it to reach the artifact needed to free Infinity from Requiem.^[13]

On March 5, 2558, Vata 'Gajat's mercenary group attacked attacked the peace conference between the UNSC, the Swords of Sanghelios, and Jiralhanae Chieftain Lydus' pack. During the battle one of the mercenaries' Liches was destroyed by Spartan Sarah Palmer when she threw her helmet full of grenades into the Lich's gravity lift.^[14] By May 2558, a band of Kig-Yar pirates had collected numerous Liches in a black market base on Ven III.^[15]

On October 27th, the Swords of Sanghelios sent a Lich to rendezvous with UNSC Infinity in the Urs System. Fireteam Osiris used the ship to reach Sanghelios, and then inserted to Nuusra aboard a Phantom deployed by the Lich.^[3] Arbiter Thel 'Vadam used Liches among his aerial forces during his assault against Covenant forces in Sunaion, travelling aboard one with Osiris until it landed in the city.^[16]

By April 2559 the Banished utilized their own variants of the Lich as transports during the Second Ark Conflict.^[17] They continued to use these modified variants throughout the year, with Atriox's personal Lich Pegoras later playing a key role during Operation: WOLFE^[18] and the later stages of the war on The Ark.^[19]

Trivia

The Lich occupies a remarkably similar gameplay niche to the Scarab in previous games. The Lich is likewise encountered in the campaign and Spartan Ops as a "boss" enemy that must be boarded and destroyed via firing into its power core. Its weaponry, internal layout, and size are also somewhat reminiscent of the Scarab.
When the Lich is first encountered in the level Reclaimer, Commander Lasky refers to it as an "unidentified Covenant vehicle" despite the craft being cataloged in 2556, though it may refer to him not seeing the vehicle until it was in sight.

Gallery

Halo 4 Concept Art by Albert Ng 04b.jpg

Concept art of a control panel that later became the Lich's control panel in Halo 4.
Lich control panel in Halo 4.
A Lich flying through space toward Ivanoff Station in Halo 4.
A Lich firing at an M510 Mammoth.
The Lich's plasma cannon.
A Lich flying through Apex.
A Lich hovering in place at the Apex on Requiem.
A destroyed Lich at Line Installation 9-12.
The underside of the aforementioned Lich.
The Lich's power core.
A corridor on the Lich.
The control room of the Lich.
Closeup of the Lich's core.
A T-56 Lich and two T-44 Phantoms on Impact in Halo: The Master Chief Collection.
A Lich being used by Vata 'Gajat's mercenary group during the Battle of Ealen IV in Halo: Escalation.
A Type-56 Lich is destroyed during the Battle of Ealen IV by Spartan Sarah Palmer.
Several T-56 Liches and T-44 Phantoms are destroyed by F-41 Broadswords during the Mission to Ven III.
A Swords of Sanghelios Type-56 Lich in Halo 2: Anniversary.
Arbiter Thel 'Vadam and Spartan Jameson Locke, along with their respective teams, prepare to exit a T-56 Lich.
A Swords of Sanghelios Lich in Halo 5: Guardians.
A Swords of Sanghelios Lich during the Battle of Sunaion.
Upright Chalice, a Covenant Lich used in the Battle of Alpha Base in Halo: Fireteam Raven.
The Covenant Lich Upright Chalice.

List of appearances

Halo 4 (First appearance)
- Spartan Ops
Halo: Escalation
Halo 2: Anniversary
Halo: Spartan Strike
Halo 5: Guardians
Halo Mythos
Halo Wars 2
Halo: Envoy (Mentioned only)
Halo: Fireteam Raven
Halo: Shadows of Reach
Halo: Divine Wind

Sources

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Halo Waypoint, Halo 4 Interactive Guide - Vehicles: Lich (Retrieved on May 1, 2013) [local archive] [external archive]
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Halo 4: The Essential Visual Guide, page 120
^ ^a ^b Halo 5: Guardians, campaign level Swords of Sanghelios
^ ^a ^b Halo 4, campaign level Shutdown
^ Halo 4, campaign level Midnight
^ ^a ^b Halo 4, campaign level Reclaimer
^ Halo 4: Official Game Guide, page 63: Collector's Edition
^ Halo Waypoint, Canon Fodder - That's So Raven (Retrieved on Oct 30, 2021) [archive]
^ Halo: Fireteam Raven, campaign level Alpha Base
^ Halo: Warfleet, page 79
^ Halo 4, campaign level Composer
^ Halo 4 - Spartan Ops, episode 10, level Seize the Power
^ Halo 4 - Spartan Ops, episode One Last Time
^ Halo: Escalation, issue 2
^ Halo: Escalation, issue 11
^ Halo 5: Guardians, campaign level Battle of Sunaion
^ Halo Wars 2, Banished Lich in-game unit
^ Halo: Shadows of Reach
^ Halo: Divine Wind

[Guide-1] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Halo Waypoint, Halo 4 Interactive Guide - Vehicles: Lich (Retrieved on May 1, 2013) [local archive] [external archive]

[H4VG-2] Halo 4: The Essential Visual Guide, page 120

[H5SoS-3] Halo 5: Guardians, campaign level Swords of Sanghelios

[Shutdown-4] Halo 4, campaign level Shutdown

[Midnight-5] Halo 4, campaign level Midnight

[Reclaimer-6] Halo 4, campaign level Reclaimer

[7] Halo 4: Official Game Guide, page 63: Collector's Edition

[CFRaven-8] Halo Waypoint, Canon Fodder - That's So Raven (Retrieved on Oct 30, 2021) [archive]

[AlphaBase-9] Halo: Fireteam Raven, campaign level Alpha Base

[W79-10] Halo: Warfleet, page 79

[11] Halo 4, campaign level Composer

[12] Halo 4 - Spartan Ops, episode 10, level Seize the Power

[13] Halo 4 - Spartan Ops, episode One Last Time

[14] Halo: Escalation, issue 2

[15] Halo: Escalation, issue 11

[16] Halo 5: Guardians, campaign level Battle of Sunaion

[17] Halo Wars 2, Banished Lich in-game unit

[18] Halo: Shadows of Reach

[19] Halo: Divine Wind

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@@ Line 50: / Line 50: @@
 ==Deployment history==
-Though the Covenant used the Lich during the [[Human-Covenant War]], it remained rarely seen due to it usually being used by civilian and security roles.{{Ref/Book|Halo 4: Official Game Guide|Detail=Collector's Edition|Page=63}} Moreover, the vehicle's great effectiveness often resulted in the annihilation of its human opponents. Thus, it remained poorly documented by the UNSC until the post-war period.{{Ref/Reuse|Guide}} Following the [[Great Schism]] the need for troop transports outweighed the supply.{{Ref/Book|Id=W79|HWF|Page=79}}
+Though the Covenant used the Lich during the [[Human-Covenant War]], it remained rarely seen due to it usually being used by civilian and security roles.{{Ref/Book|Halo 4: Official Game Guide|Detail=Collector's Edition|Page=63}} Moreover, the vehicle's great effectiveness often resulted in the annihilation of its human opponents. Thus, it remained poorly documented by the UNSC until the post-war period.{{Ref/Reuse|Guide}} At least one notable encounter with a Lich occurred late in the war. During the [[Battle of Installation 04|Battle of]] [[Installation 04]] in [[2552#October|October 2552]], the Lich ''[[Upright Chalice]]''⁠ was deployed from the [[Covenant destroyer|destroyer]] ''[[Blameless Conceit]]'' to deliver Covenant troops to [[Alpha Base (Installation 04)|Alpha Base]], in a [[Battle of Alpha Base|ploy to destroy]] the UNSC's primary foothold on the ring. After delivering its compliment, the Lich returned to the ''Blameless Conceit''.{{Ref/Site|Id=CFRaven|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/news/thats-so-raven|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=Canon Fodder - That's So Raven|D=30|M=10|Y=2021}}{{Ref/Level|Id=AlphaBase|HFR|Alpha Base (Halo: Fireteam Raven level)|Alpha Base}} Following the [[Great Schism]], the need for troop transports outweighed the supply of Liches.{{Ref/Book|Id=W79|HWF|Page=79}}
 [[Jul 'Mdama's Covenant]] deployed multiple Liches during [[Battle of Requiem|their initial foray]] on the [[Forerunner]] [[shield world]] [[Requiem]] in July [[2557]]. After the {{UNSCShip|Infinity}}'s [[UNSC Marine Corps|Marine]] and [[SPARTAN Program|Spartan]] complement disabled an array of Forerunner [[particle cannon]]s, they were attacked by a Lich. The Lich quickly disabled a [[M510 Mammoth|Mammoth's]] [[Magnetic Accelerator Cannon]] and dropped off troops supported by Phantoms dropping in Wraiths and Ghosts. [[SPARTAN-II program|Spartan]] [[John-117]] and a team of SPARTAN-IVs boarded the craft and destroyed it by destroying its reactor, causing it to explode.{{Ref/Reuse|Reclaimer}}