Bkowe'nei-pattern Vampire: Difference between revisions

|class=Ground-attack aircraft{{Ref/Site|Id=canon fodder|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/news/canon-fodder-local-units|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=Canon Fodder - Local Units|D=30|M=06|Y=2021}}

|engine=[[Impulse drive]]{{Ref/Reuse|canon fodder}}

The '''''Bkowe'nei''-pattern support fighter'''{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22}} {{Type|29|Close-Support Fighter}},{{Ref/Reuse|EVG}} more commonly known as the '''Vampire''', is an atmospheric anti-aircraft fighter formerly in service with the [[Covenant]] [[Covenant military|military]].{{Ref/Reuse|canon fodder}} Manufactured by [[Assembly Forges]], the Vampire was used during the early years of the [[Human-Covenant War]]. However, its role was eventually overtaken by better-armed and more versatile vehicles, leading to the Vampire seldom seeing deployment in the war.{{Ref/Reuse|EVG}}

The Type-29 Close-Support Fighter is a specialized ground-attack aircraft,{{Ref/Reuse|canon fodder}} with impressive anti-air support capabilities in part due to its speed and maneuverability. Sleek and swift,{{Ref/Book|Id=enc283|Enc11|Page=283}} the Vampire has a semi-circular shape and a concave maw, making the aircraft one of the more recognizable vehicles formerly in service with the [[Covenant]].{{Ref/Reuse|canon fodder}} The Vampire is generally crewed by a single [[pilot]],{{Ref/Reuse|EVG}} though the aircraft can also be operated with the aid of a second pilot.{{Ref/Reuse|HW.com}} Like most [[Covenant military]] vehicles, the cockpit is located toward the rear of the Vampire in an environmentally sealed pod, with all weapons and heaviest armor directed towards the front of the aircraft.{{Ref/Reuse|canon fodder}}

The Vampire is equipped with a space-capable [[impulse drive]], allowing the aircraft to achieve hypersonic velocities. However, the impulse drive is rarely utilized due to the Vampire typically being used in atmospheric environments.{{Ref/Reuse|canon fodder}} While the Vampire was not as powerful as other aircraft employed by the Covenant military, the Vampire still served as an extremely effective anti-air support vessel.{{Ref/Reuse|enc283}}

The Vampire mounts a mix of seemingly disparate weapons on its heavy flying chassis.{{Ref/Reuse|canon fodder}} The Vampire's primary armament is a forward-facing [[needle cannon]],{{Ref/Reuse|EVG}}{{Ref/Reuse|enc283}} an augmented version of the [[blamite]]-based weaponry typically employed by Covenant infantry. The cannon fires large shards of self-tracking blamite capable of detonating in a massive combined explosion when multiple shards are impaled in the same area.{{Ref/Reuse|canon fodder}} The heavy needle cannon allows the Vampire to quickly overwhelm enemy air forces with a large barrage of blamite.{{Ref/Reuse|HW.com}} The Vampire is also armed with two [[medium plasma cannon]]s, with one mounted on each side of the aircraft. These plasma cannons, serving as the Vampire's secondary armament, automatically track and fire on enemy targets via an [[actuator plug]], over which the pilot has intermittent control.{{Ref/Reuse|EVG}}

In addition to the aircraft's already impressive armament, the Vampire is also equipped with a [[stasis cannon]] mounted in front of the cockpit,{{Ref/Reuse|EVG}} though this cannon is not a standard feature on all Vampires.{{Ref/Reuse|canon fodder}} The cannon renders targeted vehicles immobile and their weapons inert by way of an [[electromagnetic pulse]]. The Vampire's stasis cannon is quite adaptable, offering several upgrades at the operator's discretion.{{Ref/Reuse|EVG}}

Though infrequently encountered,{{Ref/Reuse|canon fodder}} the Type-29 Vampire was in service with the [[Covenant]] during the early years of the [[Human-Covenant War]], first being formally documented by the [[United Nations Space Command]] in [[2529]].{{Ref/Reuse|EVG}} Notably, numerous Vampires were attached with the [[Fleet of Glorious Interdiction]] during the final months of the [[Harvest campaign]] in [[2531]]. Vampires would later be deployed by the [[fleet]] during the following [[Battle for Arcadia|Battle]] for [[Arcadia]] and the [[Battle of the Trove|engagement]] at [[Trove]].{{Ref/Game|Id=wars|HW|Vampire in-game unit}} However, despite serving the [[Covenant military]] well in its role, the Vampire was eclipsed by other vehicles with heavier armaments and higher versatility in the following years, as the Covenant War tipped from evenly matched combat to cleanup operations and genocide.{{Ref/Reuse|EVG}} They continued to be employed as late as the [[Defense of Concord|invasion]] of [[Concord]] in [[2551#December|December 2551]], wherein they engaged in dogfights with the UNSC's [[S-14 Baselard]] strikecraft, many of which sacrificed themselves to lure the Vampires into range of the UNSC [[M9 Wolverine]] anti-air artillery.{{Ref/Novel|Id=WC|Halo: Winter Contention}}