CRS-class light cruiser

The CRS-class light cruiser^[1] is a Covenant capital warship classification.

Overview

The CRS-class have been described as resembling "luminous manta rays",^[2] and are essentially a smaller, weaker version of the CCS-class battlecruiser.^[1] While the CRS-class light cruiser and the CCS-class battlecruiser are virtually identical in outward appearance, one can distinguish them by the spikes protruding from near CCS-class's bow.^{[note 1]}

Operational history

Several such vessels were used over Reach during the Covenant's invasion of the planet.^[3] Following the Human-Covenant War, the CRS-class forms the backbone of the fleet of the Covenant remnant, which deployed numerous CRS-class cruisers to Requiem during the Requiem campaign.^[4] After finding the UNSC Forward Unto Dawn, one approached the ship with its shields down, not expecting a threat, in order to deploy boarding parties. However, the Master Chief destroyed it with one of the Forward Unto Dawn's Hyperion nuclear missiles. Several were also destroyed when the gravity well of Requiem pulled them in.^[5] More CRS-class cruisers were sent by the remnant to deploy troops into Requiem's core.^[6] Numerous light cruisers were sent to attack the Template:UNSCship after it crashed into Requiem, but at least two were destroyed by the Infinity's defenses.^[7]

Gallery

Renders of the CRS-class light cruiser.
Covenant remnant CRS-class light cruisers swarm the remains of the UNSC Forward Unto Dawn.
The remnant's light cruiser fleet.

List of appearances

Halo: The Fall of Reach (First appearance)
Halo: First Strike
Halo 4

Notes

^ While the majority of the Covenant cruisers seen in Halo 4 closely resemble the CCS-class in design, they are much smaller; this is clearly evident from their appearance in the level Dawn, where even the 490-meter long Charon-class light frigate UNSC Forward Unto Dawn is noticeably larger. The size difference is also conspicuous in the first episode of Spartan Ops, in which the UNSC Infinity rams a large Covenant cruiser (evidently of the CCS-class) while many of the smaller cruisers are seen nearby. Since the Essential Visual Guide describes the CRS-class as being essentially a smaller version of the CCS-class, and its given size coincides with the smaller cruisers in Halo 4, one can surmise that the cruisers seen in Halo 4 belong to the CRS-class.

Sources

^ ^a ^b Halo: The Essential Visual Guide, page 41
^ Halo: First Strike, page 205
^ Halo: First Strike, page 167 -- "Two exceptions to this patrol pattern were a pair of light cruisers hovering over Menachite Mountain"
^ Halo 4
^ Halo 4, campaign level Dawn
^ Halo 4, campaign level Forerunner
^ Halo 4, campaign level Infinity

Template:CovenantShips

[3] While the majority of the Covenant cruisers seen in Halo 4 closely resemble the CCS-class in design, they are much smaller; this is clearly evident from their appearance in the level Dawn, where even the 490-meter long Charon-class light frigate UNSC Forward Unto Dawn is noticeably larger. The size difference is also conspicuous in the first episode of Spartan Ops, in which the UNSC Infinity rams a large Covenant cruiser (evidently of the CCS-class) while many of the smaller cruisers are seen nearby. Since the Essential Visual Guide describes the CRS-class as being essentially a smaller version of the CCS-class, and its given size coincides with the smaller cruisers in Halo 4, one can surmise that the cruisers seen in Halo 4 belong to the CRS-class.

[EVG-1] Halo: The Essential Visual Guide, page 41

[2] Halo: First Strike, page 205

[4] Halo: First Strike, page 167 -- "Two exceptions to this patrol pattern were a pair of light cruisers hovering over Menachite Mountain"

[H4-5] Halo 4

[Dawn-6] Halo 4, campaign level Dawn

[7] Halo 4, campaign level Forerunner

[8] Halo 4, campaign level Infinity

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[note 1]

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