CPV-class heavy destroyer

The CPV-class heavy destroyer is one of several destroyer-type warships used by the Covenant and its remnants.

Overview

The CPV-class heavy destroyer was the predominant offensive ship of the Covenant's now-defunct naval forces, used primarily for ship-to-ship warfare and glassing operations. CPVs are deployed aggressively, often being the first ships in a fleet to engage the enemy. Part of the "executioner" category of Covenant naval vessels, heavy destroyers that served in the forces of the various Ministries were largely assigned to crews deemed unfit for service aboard other ships, who had been condemned for disloyalty or disobedience, but whose actions did not warrant execution as heretics. These individuals hoped to earn redemption through service for themselves and their families and were given little other opportunity to redeem their failings. Most glassing operations were undertaken by heavy destroyers, as the work was considered distasteful or suicidal by other shipmasters, and human colonies attacked by the Covenant are littered with the wreckage of CPV-class heavy destroyers eliminated by the UNSC Navy during these engagements. Heavy destroyers were also assigned to combat human forces that a Supreme Commander considered beneath his notice. Even escorting CRS-class light cruisers were unenthusiastic about protecting their assigned ships, and could never be counted on to do more than their basic defensive tasks.

Late in the Human-Covenant War, the crews of heavy destroyers had developed a kind of mercenary culture of their own, with many shipmasters offering their services to various ministries to secure artifacts and relics from conquered human worlds, working alongside or in opposition to artifact retrieval teams. Heavy destroyers are sufficiently equipped to serve as occupation vessels during planetary assaults, in lieu of the more occupation-centered CCS-class battlecruiser and CAS-class assault carrier.

Specifications

Design details

The CPV-class heavy destroyer features a roughly teardrop-shaped fore section that droops downward, forming a bulbous protrusion housing the excavation beam; the dorsal surface of this section contains a recessed area known as "the Furnace," a pinch-fusion reactor that powers the beam during operation. Near the aft, the hull splits into six sleek, wing-like structures, with at least two engines mounted on the junction point. The shortest pair face outward at a slightly upward angle, the mid-sized structures curve upward at an inward-facing angle, and the largest structures curve downward, also facing inward; these two house a single reactor each. Like all Covenant vessels, the hull is made of a lightweight but resilient diamondoid and metal-matrix composite frame covered in a thin layer of nanolaminate laid during the construction process by clouds of programmable nanomachines.

Crew and complement

For normal operations, the CPV-class requires a total of 406 personnel. This includes four Superiors who command the vessel, along with four hundred Menials who man the ship's general systems. Two Huragok are provided for general maintenance duties. Service aboard these ships was frowned upon thanks to the destroyer's single-minded focus on combat and destruction, and as such their disgraced crews are generally considered unstable or unsuitable for other Ministry fleets. Even the Shipmasters had their reputation tarnished by disloyalty or disobedience, and have few other ways to return to the rolls of honor.

CPVs carry large complements for ground engagements, including numerous infantry and ground vehicles. They also carry a large number of aircraft, including Seraph exoatmospheric fighters and Banshee attack craft, and Vampire atmospheric fighters. CPVs can also use their gravity lifts to help assemble prefabricated bases. These are supported by fifty Obedientaries; warriors who have started down the path to command and must experience every facet of war. One hundred Warriors and one thousand, nine hundred Thralls support or operate the destroyer's fleet of vehicles and aircraft.

Armament

As an executioner, the CPV-class destroyer is built for nothing less than heavy combat. Its main weapon is a ventral-mounted Infernus-pattern superheavy excavation beam which is often used in glassing operations. Powered directly by the ship's forward pinch fusion reactor, the Infernus exhibits the same power as the excavation beams on the CAS-class assault carrier. Their focusing arrays allow for a similar level of precision, with the operators of the beam capable of tuning its entwining magnetic fields and plasma to burn sigils into the surface of human colonies or carefully expose detected Forerunner reliquaries. In planetside attack operations, this is supported by forty Carnax Et-pattern plasma bombardment mortars, with five mounted on either side of the central reactor. As the mortars are occasionally called to attack areas that have Covenant troops operating in them, the gunners are expected to obey all orders without question or mercy. For ship-to-ship combat, two Aljordan-pattern plasma beam emitters are fitted. The destroyer also sports twenty-four Melusean-pattern plasma cannons: two of these weapons are mounted on the vessel's anterior, two more are mounted on the inside of each ventral wing structure, and at least two more are mounted laterally. An additional six Jaet-pattern plasma torpedo silos have been fitted, which fire powerful guided munitions which are difficult to avoid and can even loop back and hit their targets if they miss. Twenty Gon-pattern pulse laser turrets are carried for destroying incoming fighters and missiles, although their sheer heat allows for a minimal role in ship-to-ship combat.

Operational history

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After the Covenant cruiser Rapid Conversion began destroying Harvest's population centers in February 2525, many CPV-class heavy destroyers were deployed to continue glassing the planet. CPV-class heavy destroyers were deployed throughout the Harvest campaign, which lasted from 2526 to 2531. During the Covenant's counterattacks in the early years of the campaign, CPVs were used to glass areas that had been secured by the United Nations Space Command, eradicating most of the human presence on Harvest; this cycle continued until the planet's liberation in February 2531.

Near the end of the Battle for Arcadia, several CPV-class destroyers arrived to do battle with the counterattacking UNSC forces, of which at least five were present. During this engagement, then-Captain Terrence Hood confronted at least one of these destroyers in a direct attack and was ultimately forced to retreat after finding himself outgunned. Around this time, UNSC Spirit of Fire pursued a CPV to a mysterious planet, which was later revealed to be a Forerunner shield world. One such vessel, possibly the one that Spirit of Fire pursued from Arcadia, was present at the shield world; there it engaged Spirit of Fire after a midair collision between the two ships. The destroyer dispatched several large boarding parties, supported by Banshees, Vampires, and plasma turret fire, in an effort to disable the human vessel, though the attack was repelled. UNSC Battle Group Sierra-3 was nearly destroyed by a CPV-class destroyer at the Battle of 18 Scorpii in 2543, but were saved by the sudden arrival of, and subsequent assistance by, a large independent fleet led by the heavily modified, formerly assumed-destroyed Insurrectionist frigate Bellicose. With the help of the Insurrectionist reinforcements, the UNSC battle group was able to destroy the opposing Covenant vessel.

CPV-class heavy destroyers also appeared in large numbers during the Battle of Sigma Octanus IV and the Fall of Reach in 2552.

After the Human-Covenant War, CPV-class heavy destroyers were used by forces under the command of both Arbiter Thel 'Vadam and Jiralhanae Chieftain Lydus during the Battle of Ealen IV.

Ships of the line

Sinaris-pattern

• Bloodied Spirit
• Esteem (C-10)
• Fighter's Blood
• Hammerstrike
• Proclamation's Tithe
• Radiant Perception
• Reverence (C-7)

Halo: Fleet Battles

Covenant CPV Heavy Destroyer This element includes a single CPV-class heavy destroyer. Cost: 110 points Movement: 8" Damage Track: 8 • 6 • 4 Build rating: 3 Hangers: 2 Boarding Craft: 3 Security detail*: 4 System loadouts: Defense array (3) Glide (4") Point defense (4) Primary weapon: Plasma Beam Range: 12/-" Weapon loadouts: Beam/Plasma Firing arc: Forward/Port/Starboard Dice: 9/9/9 Secondary Weapon: Plasma Torpedoes Range: 12/24" Weapon loadouts: Missiles/Plasma Firing arc: Forward/Port/Starboard Dice: 10 Covenant Supported CPV Heavy Destroyer This element includes a CPV-class heavy destroyer and one SDV-class heavy corvette. Cost: 130 points Movement: 8" Damage Track: 8 • 7 • 4 Build rating: 4 Hangers: 3 Boarding Craft: 4 Security detail*: 4 System loadouts: Defense array (4) Glide (4") Point defense (4) Primary weapon: Plasma Beam Range: 12/-" Weapon loadouts: Beam/Plasma Firing arc: Forward/Port/Starboard Dice: 9/9/9 Secondary Weapon: Plasma Cannon Arrays Range: 10/20" Weapon loadouts: Plasma Firing arc: Forward/Port/Starboard Dice: 5 Additional Secondary Weapon: Plasma Torpedoes Range: 12/24" Weapon loadouts: Missiles/Plasma Firing arc: Forward/Port/Starboard Dice: 12

Covenant Escorted CPV Heavy Destroyer This element includes a CPV-class heavy destroyer and one ADP-class escort. Cost: 130 points Movement: 8" Damage Track: 8 • 6 • 5 Build rating: 4 Hangers: 2 Boarding Craft: 3 Security detail*: 5 System loadouts: Defense array (4) Glide (4") Point defense (6) Primary weapon: Plasma Beam Range: 12/-" Weapon loadouts: Beam/Plasma Firing arc: Forward/Port/Starboard Dice: 9/9/9 Secondary Weapon: Plasma Torpedoes Range: 12/24" Weapon loadouts: Missiles/Plasma Firing arc: Forward/Port/Starboard Dice: 14 Covenant Defended CPV Heavy Destroyer This element includes a CPV-class heavy destroyer and two ADP-class escort. Cost: 150 points Movement: 8" Damage Track: 8 • 6 • 6 Build rating: 4 Hangers: 2 Boarding Craft: 3 Security detail*: 5 System loadouts: Cloaking system Defense array (4) Glide (4") Point defense (6) Primary weapon: Plasma Beam Range: 12/-" Weapon loadouts: Beam/Plasma Firing arc: Forward/Port/Starboard Dice: 9/9/9 Secondary Weapon: Plasma Torpedoes Range: 12/24" Weapon loadouts: Missiles/Plasma Firing arc: Forward/Port/Starboard Dice: 16 Special Rule: Penitents Security Details on this Element are considered to have the Assault Specialist (1) Loadout.

Gallery

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  CPV-class heavy destroyers glassing Harvest in Halo Wars: Genesis.

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  Concept art of a CPV-class heavy destroyer in space for Halo Wars.

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  A group of CPV-class heavy destroyers glassing Harvest.

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  Several CPV-class heavy destroyers punch through the UNSC fleet defending Alpha Corvi II, crippling a Marathon-class heavy cruiser among other vessels.

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  A CPV-class heavy destroyer collides with the UNSC Spirit of Fire, destroying a large portion of the latter vessel's port side.

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  A CPV-class heavy destroyer, flanked by several CCS-class battlecruisers, deploys invasion forces to the surface of a human colony in Halo Legends: Origins.

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  Several CPV-class heavy destroyers during the Battle of Sigma Octanus IV in Halo: Fall of Reach.

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  The UNSC Spirit of Fire pursues several CPVs present at the Battle of Arcadia in Halo: Escalation.

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  Terrence Hood, then-captain of the UNSC Roman Blue, ordering a retreat from a losing battle with the Radiant Perception.

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  A CPV-class heavy destroyer with SDV-class heavy corvettes in Halo: Fleet Battles.

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  CPV-class heavy destroyers in Halo: Fleet Battles.

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  A CPV-class heavy destroyer in Halo Mythos.

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  Profile of the CPV.

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  CPV-class heavy destroyers in Halo: Rise of Atriox.

Browse more images in this article's gallery page.

List of appearances

• Halo: Ghosts of Onyx (First appearance)
• Halo Wars: Genesis
• Halo Wars
• Halo Legends
  • Origins
• Halo: Evolutions
  • The Impossible Life and the Possible Death of Preston J. Cole
• Halo: Fall of Reach
  • Covenant
  • Invasion
• Halo: Escalation
• Halo 2: Anniversary (Poster only)
• Halo: Fleet Battles
• Halo Mythos
• Halo: Fractures
  • Into the Fire (Mentioned only)
• Halo: Smoke and Shadow
• Halo: Envoy
• Halo: Rise of Atriox
• Halo: Collateral Damage
• Halo: Meridian Divide