Sangheili

Template:Covenant Character Infobox The Sangheili are a generic race of warriors and commanders in the unified conglomerate races of the Covenant. The Humans have termed these warriors as Elites, presumably because of their adeptness in combat. On the field, they are the equivalent of the UNSC's SPARTAN supersoldiers.

Introduction

There are a few distinctly different Elite ranks. These ranks are color-coded for rapid identification on the battlefield. Promotions are based on victories over the humans and the amount of humans slain by an Elite. The lowest Elite rank is Minor Domo, while the highest is the Councilor. The increasement of rank also denotes better combat skills (aiming, weapons proficiency, etc...), better tactical skills (strafing, leadership, etc...), access to stronger body armor and energy shielding, and allowance of wielding the higher Covenant weapons, like the Energy Sword. The Energy Sword is a ceremonial, yet pragmatic weapon that is an external indicator of status along as its role as a heavy weapon.

However, regardless of rank, all are roughly 8'6" tall and incredibly strong, over twice as muscular as a Marine. Their strength allows them to rely on brute force when necessary, but they are quite capable of brilliant battlefield tactics as well, compared to standard Marines. Their natural resilience is augmented by a personal energy shield in their armor, which recharges when depleted. They are also known for their cross-weapons proficiency and vehicular training - they are the only Covenant race that can operate vehicles besides Grunts and Brutes.

This unique blend of their defensive systems, augmented by their combat skills and tactics, have led to their place as the iron heart of the Covenant military. This earns them high ranking in the eyes of the Prophets and the lesser races of the Covenant.

Elites are far superior to their subordinates, Grunts, Jackals, and Drones (who are ordered to treat Elites with near-sublime deference), and their energy shielding and combat skills allow them to best UNSC Marines with ease. However, recently, their place in the Covenant and favoritism by the Prophets has been challenged by the audacious Brute race, and their competition in both the military and bureaucratic arms of the Covenant is boiling into genocide...the Civil War of the Covenant.

Culture

Elites consider the other Covenant client races, with the exception of the Prophets, to be below them in all ways. The Elites and Brutes are the only known races permitted to operate starships within the Covenant, though the crews are always a mix of races.

In the Elite culture, names are considered a privilege. Only things of importance are named. The Elites generally consider humans to be nameless, and resent the fact that humans have assigned the label "Elite" to them, as humans have no standing to be naming things. While in Halo 2, names such as 'Elite' are used, it is likely just for the convenience of the average gamer who would not know the proper names.

Because names are important to the Elite society, each element of the name has a meaning. Elite names are constructed from a series of parts. An example is Ado 'Mortumee. "Ado" is his given name, which is all he had until he was considered an adult. As an adult he earned the right to carry the badge name "'Mortumee". This name is made up of three parts: MOR (an adjectival descriptor, such as "fast", or "deadly"), TUM (a créche name (his family name)), and EE (an honorific indicating he is a participant in the military). Most Elites will have names with this kind of construction.

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Two Minor Elites guard the Silent Cartographer on Installation 04.

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The Arbiter enters the Sanctum of the Hierarchs.

The Arbiter and Rtas 'Vadumee discuss their loyalty to each other.

The Covenant military promotion is by merit. A Covenant soldier must succeed to advance. Success is often measured in scalps. A Covenant of "Admiral" or equivalent rank, may have personally slaughtered thousands of individuals to reach that status.

Long ago, the Elites were at war with the Prophets. The Prophets, perhaps tiring of the war, shared with them the myth of the Great Journey. The Elites then became the bodyguards of the Prophets, who would search the galaxy for the Halos, thus starting the Covenant.

In many ways the Elites are much like humans. They communicate, become protective of their troops and become angry and vengeful if other Elites are killed.

Elites do not feel fear as easily as many other Covenant creatures and the only creatures they are known not to command are Prophets and Brutes, though they still interact with both.

In the Conversations from the Universe book included in the Halo 2 Limited Collector's Edition game, it appears the Elites have begun to speculate why the Prophets have declared the destruction of the human race. Saying after countless battles the humans have proven themselves to be worthy. They also wonder what horrible thing the humans did to defy their gods.

From Conversations from the Universe: "The Humans are weak, but they are tenacious. Even the smallest ones hurl themselves against our defenses with honor. If only the Unggoy were as committed."

""I wonder about the Humans, Commander. Their technology is limited, but some of it is useful and their battle techniques are impressive. They are excellent strategists. But what I ask is this: Why have we not offered them the absolution of the Covenant? From the beginning of this war, the Prophets have made no attempt to absorb them or even offer the option of honorable submission. Why?""

The rest is about the possibility of the Prophets fearing them, the atrocity at Halo, and how the humans have won their few battles.

This is only Elite conjecturalization, it should be noted.

However, it is also possible that this could be due to the same misinterpretation of Forerunner writings that created their religion; the Halos were seen as a 'doorway to heaven', but in activation they would kill the Forerunners, or 'Reclaimers'. Humans have also been called Reclaimers, so the war may simply be because the Forerunner said they must die. It should be noted that the higher-ranking Elites have glyphs on the backs of their armor. Upon closer examination, these glyphs were found to be the same symbols that appeared in the Halo Control Room console. This is an example of how the Covenant worship, or at least revere, the Forerunners' "Great Journey".

Rank Structure

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An Arbiter in his armor.

• Arbiter: The rank of Arbiter is bestowed upon a talented, high-ranked Elite warrior only in a time of need, such as the Grunt Rebellion, or the Taming of the Hunters, and most recently, in the events of Halo 2, the threat of heresy. However, every Arbiter in the history of the Covenant has died, so the anointing as "Arbiter" is not only prestigious, but also ominous, warning of impending death. The Arbiter acts as the right hand of the Prophets, possibly giving them equal rank with the Councilors or a Supreme Commander, though with roles and responsibilities more similar to a field general or spec-ops commander. The Covenant have had many Arbiters in its history, and their bodies, along with the Arbiter's armor (each Arbiter, regardless of year, dons the same silvery armor with encarved glyphs and capable of Active Camoflauge), is stored in the Mausoleum of the Arbiter on the orbital city of High Charity. The current Arbiter is the "incompetent" Supreme Commander of the Fleet of Particular Justice, who failed to protect Installation 04, and is the only known Arbiter to survive his mission.

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An Elite Councilor in The Great Journey.

• Councilors: Councilors are the political leaders of the Elites, and share power with the Minor Prophets on the Covenant's High Council. Their ceremonial armor is quite distinct, a silver color with a tall and ornate crested helmet. The Councilors are extremely skilled fighters who favor Energy Swords, but can use any weapon they are given. They also possess extra-strong energy shields, similar to those possessed by the also highly-ranked white "Ultra" Elites.

• Imperial Admiral: Revealed in Halo: Ghosts of Onyx, the Imperial Admiral's role is to command large covenant fleets and armadas. Their armor is silver, and possesses golden Forerunner glyphs as well.

The Supreme Commander from the Halo Graphic Novel, with Spec Ops Commander Rtas 'Vadumee.

• Supreme Commander: The Supreme Commander is the overall commander of a particular fleet; in the Halo Graphic Novel, he is depicted as clad in bright violet armor, with a long cloak that wraps around his shoulders. This particular Supreme Commander was a friend and superior to Spec-Ops Leader Rtas 'Vadumee, and would later become the Arbiter.

Elite Honor Guard.

• Honor Guard: The personal bodyguards of the Prophet Hierarchs, the Honor Guards wear distinct, ceremonial red armor, with glowing orange crests which are in some ways similar to Japanese samurai armor. They usually operate in teams of two, with one Honor Guard wielding an Energy Sword and another dual-wielding plasma rifles. However, in cinematics they are seen carrying the Honor Guard Pike. Honor Guards are chosen at birth. They are known for their quick reflexes and extreme skill with an Energy Sword. It is unknown precisely what their rank is in relation to other Elites, but due to their less active (although religiously significant) role, it can be assumed that they are slightly below Zealots in the Covenant hierarchy. Due to the fact that they are the Prophet Hierarchs' personal bodyguards, it can be assumed that they must have a considerable amount of power.

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A Zealot Commander.

• Zealot/Field Master/Ship Master/Fleet Master/- Gold: The Generals and Admirals of the Covenant military; commanders of battalions, ships, and fleets. Field Masters are roughly equivalent to human Generals, although they take a more active role in combat; Ship Masters are the equivalent of Navy Captains or Commanders, and Fleet Masters are roughly equal in status to Vice Admirals. 'Zealot' is a term used to refer to gold-armored Elites as a group. Zealots are some of the toughest and most skilled Elites. In combat, they are constantly moving and seeking cover, making it difficult to maintain continuous fire on them. Unlike other Elites, Gold Elites do not seem to throw any grenades, nor will they ever board a friendly vehicle. They seem to prefer more visceral, close-range combat to the more impersonal gunplay of other Elites. They seem to have a somewhat higher constitution than the rest of the Elites.

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An Ultra.

• Ultra Elite - White/Silver (white armor with a white undersuit indicates a Spec-Ops commander): These are the Covenant's Colonels and Commanders, just below the golden-armored Zealots in rank. Several white Elite corpses were seen in Halo, presumably killed in combat with the Flood, but they do not appear in battle until Halo 2. They command operations, unlike the Zealots who command fleets or armies. Ultras commanded the Scarab in the level "Metropolis" and the defense of the Mausoleum in High Charity. Like the Zealots, the Ultras are extremely skilled warriors. They also possess extra-strong energy shields that can withstand several times as much damage as those possessed by regular Elites, and they can take more physical damage as well. They often fight with heavy or dual-wielded weapons. Many also carry Energy Swords as their secondary weapon; when enemies get too close, Ultras let out a war cry, drop their currently wielded weapon, and pull the sword out for close combat. They are incredibly effective fighters, able to continue in sustained heavy combat long after most Elite warriors' shields would have been depleted.

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A Spec Ops Elite in Halo 2.

• Special Operations Elite - Purple: Special Operations Elites are extremely skilled fighters, sent in by the Covenant to accomplish the most dangerous and difficult of missions. They have superior accuracy, fire in longer bursts, and have slightly stronger shielding than regular Elites. They also do not "berserk" when seriously injured, unlike many other Elites. Most notably, Black Elites operate in squads and are extremely skilled and accurate grenade throwers. There role is similar to the role played by the UNSC's ODSTs. They were assigned to eliminate all Flood on a damaged Covenant cruiser and repair it for immediate departure. They were present when the Master Chief boarded the damaged Truth and Reconciliation to find what was left of Captain Jacob Keyes. They were also present on the Pillar of Autumn just before the first Halo was destroyed by its reactors going critical. In Halo 2, the Arbiter's squad of Special Ops Elites/Grunts are equipped with unlimited Active Camouflage, and use it when needed. In Halo 2, most Special Ops Elites have a dark purple armor, showing subtly that they are no ordinary Elites without drawing lots of attention a Gold, Ultra, or Red Elite would from enemies in combat.

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A Spec Ops Commander.

• Special Operations Commander - White: Special Operations Commanders command a troupe of regular Spec Ops troops. They are equal to Ultras in rank, the only cosmetic difference being more white on the Commander. They are only seen in Halo 2, in Rtas 'Vadumee. It is unknown how strong their shields are or how skilled they are in combat, because 'Vadumee is invincible and an ally.

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Stealth Elite

• Stealth - Black: The Stealth Elites are the Covenant's assassins, and they use Active Camo technology, as the Special Operations Elites do. In Halo:Combat Evolved, they do not have energy shields, but are nearly invisible to the naked eye. In Halo 2, they have energy shields, but are still not as strong as normal. They're often used on ambushes, which, with the help of their active camouflage technology, allows them to take down many enemies, if they're unseen.

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A red-armored Major.

• Major Domo - Red: This veteran Elite warrior is the physical equal of the UNSC's SPARTAN-II. Overall they are more agile, more accurate, and more aggressive than Minors, and seldom make tactical errors in combat. A single Red Elite can hold its own against an entire squad of UNSC Marines. In Halo 2, they can often be seen dual-wielding, piloting Covenant vehicles, or carrying heavy weapons. They are roughly equal in gameplay to the Master Chief, but with inferior aim and tactics.

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A Ranger in action.

• Ranger - Vacuum Blue/Thruster Pack: Rangers are a voluntary group of Elites that work in the worst environment of them all:vacuum. They dual-wield Plasma Rifles and man Plasma Cannons. Their helmets completely encase their heads, protecting them from the vacuum of space. They are usually seen traveling in small groups of 2-3. They wear a variant of Elite armor optimized for zero-gee, no-atmosphere combat. Their armor is cobalt in color, somewhat similar to the armor of the Elite Minor, the lowest of the Elite forces. They can pose a substantial threat, due to their unique movement options, and are seen on Cairo Station, Delta Halo, Regret, and Gravemind.

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A Minor wields a Carbine.

• Minor Domo - Cobalt: The most common and least experienced Elite, Minor Elites are still skilled warriors superior to any human Marine, but they are somewhat weaker than Red Elites or SPARTAN-IIs. Their energy shields are not quite as powerful, and they often make tactical errors such as standing in one place while firing, or rushing forward into enemy fire. They also fire in shorter bursts, and have somewhat less accuracy. Along with Red Elites, they often lead squads of Grunts into battle.

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Anatomy and Physiology

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A standing Elite without armor.

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A kneeling Elite without armor.

Elites have an interesting physical appearance. Their jaw is quadruple-hinged; they have an upper jaw, and then four mandible-like lips which are lined with sharp teeth, hence the human nickname "Split-lip". It is unknown, given this structure, how Elites chew, swallow food, or even speak.

They have multiple hearts. They appear to have a double set of pectoral muscles. Their hands have four fingers; two middle fingers and two thumb-like fingers on the outside for grasping. Their legs are digitigrade so they can jump great distances compared to humans, and their unusually shaped hoof-like feet give them tremendous balance. They have grayish-brown skin and purpleish blood. It is not known what chemical makes their blood this color, though it is assumed they breathe oxygen or nitrogen because they can breathe the same atmosphere as humans, and cannot survive in space. The majority of Elites have dark blue/black eyes, but there are some exceptions, such as the Arbiter (golden/orange) and Rtas 'Vadumee (green).

In the Halo Wars announcement trailer, the Elites are different on several points. First: They were at least 10 feet tall, and were much more muscular, although the latter could be because much thicker armor for cold weather purposes. They also have a more animalistic growl. It's unknown if they're a different race of Elites, but it could also be because the animators wanted to interest the players. Another example of this type of elite would be Xytan 'Jar Wattinree who stood over 11 and a half feet tall. It may be a different species of Elites that exists but is much fewer.

Intelligence

A Covenant Elite Zealot from Halo 2.

Elites are extremely intelligent and demonstrate it in combat. Elites are normally on the move when fighting, constantly running and ducking. When presented with a severely dangerous obstacle like a Warthog driving at them, they will leap out of the way. They are also smart enough to hide, in Halo 2 if you have stripped their shield layer they will hide and or duck behind a box or crate. Because of this action, Elites lure inexperienced players into a trap. Players will see the Elite fall back and hide, and then the player will rush the position. This is a fatal mistake on anything but Easy and Normal difficulty. As the player approaches, the Elite will normally then spring from it's position and land a massive melee hit on the unsuspecting enemy. Elites are also good tactitians. Elites wielding energy swords will sometimes lure enemies into chasing them and then jump at the enemy to land a killing blow. Elites are never to be underestimated.

The Elites of Halo 2 are excellent pilots and boarders, in terms of:

-They can run enemies over with relative ease.

-Can use the weapons mounted to the vehicle properly.

-Can successfully kill targets from the side seat of a Warthog or Spectre or Scorpion.

-They can operate tanks properly and can launch a devastating attack with a Wraith or Scorpion.

-Can and do board all vehicles. This is very surprising if the player is inexperienced and not used to the game in general.

-Their ability to react to other allied vehicles. A good example is the level in Halo 2, Uprising. Where the Elites have access to many Covenant Ghosts and a Spectre.

-Are quick to react, on any level where Elites operate vehicles and are an enemy. They will spot you if on foot and or driving a vehicle. A example of this very good reaction time is when you charge a Elite piloted Ghost. They will normally boost at you in an attempt to kill you and not have you board them.

Known Elites

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Rtas 'Vadumee strides forward.

• Arbiter - ex-Supreme Commander of the Fleet of Particular Justice
• Imperial Admiral Xytan 'Jar Wattinree
• Zealot Commander Voro Nar 'Mantakree
• Heretic leader Sesa 'Refumee
• Councillor Soha 'Rolamee
• Zealot Commander Orna 'Fulsamee - Shipmaster of the Truth and Reconciliation
• Zealot Commander Noga 'Putumee
• SpecOps Commander Rtas 'Vadumee
• Kusovai- Special Ops sub-commander
• SpecOps Major Zuka 'Zamamee
• SpecOps Major Huki 'Umamee
• Major Isna 'Nosolee
• Major 'Kasamee
• Minor Ado 'Mortumee
• Minor Bako 'Ikaporamee
• 'Ontomee
• 'Qualomee
• Tano 'Inanraree
• Y'gar 'Pewtrunoee

Weapon Compatibility

Because of their toughness and versatility on the combat field, Elites can use any weapon on the battlefield, be it Human or Covenant, even though most elites would rather die than use a human weapon.

Trivia

• The dialog spoken by the Elites of Halo 1 was made by reversing and slowing sound clips of Sergeant Johnson. "Wort wort wort" is the reversed phrase, "Go, go, go!".
• Elites have a jaw structure much like the Predators from the Predator movie.
• Elites were first seen after the UNSC fought against Hunters in the year 2552.

Combat

A Minor Elite mows down enemies with a Shade.

A Zealot prepares to lunge.

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An early Elite study.

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An Elite multiplayer character model

Despite their advantages, Elites also have vulnerabilities:

'Counter-Elite Tactics'
M6D Pistol	THe pistol's low rate of fire are ineffective against them. However, about five or six headshots will deplete a shield and kill whatever was behind it.
MA5B Assault Rifle	Not the most effective weapon, but useful for shield breaking.
M6C Magnum Sidearm	Effective if used in conjunction with a 'shield breaker' weapon, like the Plasma pistol, since it's powerful against unshielded Elites.
BR55 Battle Rifle or Carbine	Highly effective against Elites, especially if used in conjunction with the plasma pistol. Both are a high step up from the MA5B. The BR55's 3 round burst or the Carbine's semiautomatic mode makes these workhorse weapons good all around.
SMG	Good when coupled with the Plasma Pistol or the Plasma Rifle, breaks shields quickly, and is excellent when it does.
Shotgun	Very effective weapon at close range, except against higher Elites armed with Energy Swords.
Sniper Rifle or Particle Beam Rifle	One shot will deplete an Elite's shielding on lower difficulty settings. But one head shot will kill them instantly.
Fragmentation Grenade	Elites have good reflexes and dodge most grenades thrown at them, but this behavior can easily be put to your advantage, despite it won't kill them instantly; it will destroy their shield. They're useful in narrow areas, close quarters, or for making the enemy break cover. One blast could kill only Stealth Elites.
Plasma Cannon or Shade	Very useful, though few and far between. Basically a 3 second way to break an Elite's shield and put it away.
Rocket Launcher or Fuel Rod Cannon	Very good against Elites in cover and for taking out groups of 2 or more, but for the sake of practicality, carry something else to switch to for one-on-one combat.
Plasma Pistol	Resist the urge to fire a charged shot; an Elite will most likely dodge it. Instead, fire continuously to bring down more quickly. This weapon's upgraded lock-on in Halo 2 makes it practical for shield breaking. An excellent tactic for killing an Elite very quickly, especially on Legendary, is to charge it up, fire at the target Elite, then quickly(while its shields are down) switch to the Battle Rifle for a headshot.
Plasma Rifle or Brute Plasma Rifle	Very effective if your aim is true. If not, the overheat can leave you vulnerable to a charging and angry Elite. Dual-wielding is good too. For the Brute variant, dual-wielding is necessary to avoid overheating of both guns.
Needler	Highly effective. If you catch an Elite in the open, fire a whole clip then retreat and the needles will home in on it, piercing its shield and killing it. An example of a "shoot-and-forget" weapon.
Plasma Grenade	Run up close, or take good aim, then throw it at an Elite. If it becomes scared, it runs toward the rest of its squad, blasting them as well. Beware against higher ranking Elites or on higher difficulty levels as certain Elites, when stuck with a plasma grenade will attempt to rush you, killing you in the explosion, in these circumstances simply backpedal and fire at the Elite to stagger it until the grenade detonates.
Brute Shot	The grenades bounce high unless you hit first try and the explosion radius is small compared to other grenades, but can take out an Elite in only one or two hits.
Energy Sword	This weapon is effective at close quarters, and is fatal in one hit for lower ranking Elites. Two lunges are required to slay an Ultra Elite, even on the Easy difficulty.

Related Links

• Elite Personal Energy Shield

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