Shade

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Shade is a common name given to the Covenant's stationary gun turrets.^[1] While these weapons platforms vary in shape and role, only one model, the Type-26 Anti-Infantry Stationary Gun, has been identified.

Design details and operation

The Shade is a Covenant stationary gun, commonly operated by Unggoy. The Shade offers a wide field of fire and a 360-degree traversal mount. The Covenant use the Shade's field of fire to their advantage and place them at strategic points where they can do the most damage. Though most of the Shade models fill an anti-infantry role, anti-vehicle and anti-air variants of the Shade also exist.

Variants

Anti-infantry Shade

The anti-infantry version of the Shade gun fires two or three bolts of slow moving, high powered plasma encased in magnetic fields. The accuracy of a Shade's weapon is fairly low, as the bolts of plasma fired can hit anywhere within the aiming reticle. The anti-infantry Shade is effective against most infantry. However, due to their high intelligence, Sangheili will often find cover and escape the Shade's range of fire. On this same note, the bolts fired lack the required punch to damage Mgalekgolo, whose armor and combat shield can withstand most Covenant and UNSC small firearms, causing the plasma bolts to have little to no effect on them. It has shown good defense against light vehicles such as the Ghost, and in desperate situations, can serve as anti-aircraft defense, requiring only a few direct hits to destroy a Banshee.

As with its recognizable human counterpart, the anti-infantry Shade is very effective against both enemy ground forces and light vehicles. Some of its advantages over its human counterpart are that the plasma bolts are accurate and effective at longer distances and it is easier to see where shots are actually going than it is with the M41's rounds, although this might also effect the ability of the target to dodge them.

As a disadvantage, the player will be exposed to enemy fire. While it is useful against enemies in light vehicles, this is not a weapon of choice when facing an enemy armored vehicle. Also, as is the case with the M41, players are unprotected from the rear. Additionally, the Halo 3's version of the Shade has an extremely slow turning rate, making it a detriment to the user. The Shade's rate-of-fire is also slower than that of the M41.

Fuel Rod Shade

A more rarely seen variant, the anti-vehicle Shade is armed with a single fuel rod cannon. The variant can also be used in an anti-air or anti-infantry role. Its basic shape is similar to the Type-26 ASG, but it is colored iridescent green instead. This variant only appears in Halo: Reach, on the levels Tip of the Spear and New Alexandria.

Anti-air Shade

Armed with twin heavy plasma cannons with explosive bolts, the anti-air Shade is used to repel enemy aircraft. The AA Shades bolts have limited range, as they explode after traveling a certain distance. As with the fuel rod Shade, its chassis appears to be based on the T-26 ASG. However, the anti-air shade possesses an energy shield to protect the operator. The anti-air Shade appears in Halo: Reach, on the levels Tip of the Spear and New Alexandria.

Models

Halo: Combat Evolved and Halo Wars

The Shade was first seen in the E3 demo atop a Spectre and made its first gameplay appearance in Halo: Combat Evolved's level, The Truth and Reconciliation. The Shade also makes an appearance in Halo Wars and is identical to the Halo: Combat Evolved Shade.

The Shade in Halo: Combat Evolved and Halo Wars consists of a sturdy base of three legs and a floating, mobile, turret-like seat with control systems for its "nozzle".

Halo 2

The Shade returned in Halo 2, and is referred to as the Shielded Plasma Cannon.^{[citation needed]} Similar to the Phantom of Halo 2, this turret fires slow moving red plasma bolts. To protect the gunner, this turret is equipped with an energy shield, similar to the Kig-yar Point Defense Gauntlet. These turrets are featured in the highway tunnel in Outskirts.

The turret on the Shadow is very similar in appearance to the Shade in Halo: Combat Evolved. In addition, these turrets seem to be more powerful than the standard Shade in Halo 2, and offer more protection as they are fixed to the armored personnel carrier and, as such, are mobile. The rate of fire is also considerably faster by as much as three times.

Halo 3, Halo 3: ODST, and Halo: Reach

Main article: Type-26 Anti-Infantry Stationary Gun

The Shade returned in Halo 3 and had major visual and technical updates from its predecessors; the Shade now is in the shape of a ball-turret, has a higher rate of fire, and provides excellent front and side protection for the gunner. Like all Shades that have appeared in previous games, it is elevated on a small gravity lift that hovers the turret in the air, and so has a full 360 degree field of view.

Interestingly, the Shade's aiming reticule was similar to a Needler's, except with a circle of lines at the center. The Shade was in multiplayer only in Halo 3 Epsilon, as it was removed from the final version, even in Forge. Modders are still able to mod the game to get the Shade on certain maps.

In Halo 3: ODST, the Shade seems to rotate quicker than it did in Halo 3. It is also worth noting that in Halo 3: ODST, the Shade lacks a plate of armor in the top middle, in between its guns, exposing the operator to enemy snipers.

In Halo: Reach, the Shade's rate of fire is the same of its Halo: Combat Evolved incarnation, although it fires the plasma bolts of the Halo 3 Shade. The flaps at the side no longer cover the user, instead giving the user more angular cover. Shades are now available, free of modding, on some forge maps. Anti-air and anti-vehicle variants of the Shade are also introduced in Halo: Reach.

Tactics

Campaign

Heavy weapons, vehicles or grenades are perfect to destroy Shades.
In Halo Combat Evolved, if you get close to a Shade and try to push it, the operator can turn the turret and splatter you with the gun.
In Halo 3: ODST, Automags and snipers can be used to kill the gunner if no heavy weapons can be found.
Ramming it with any vehicle at speed is an instant kill except in Halo: Combat Evolved and Halo Wars.
In Halo 3 if you shoot a Shade from a distance and in the middle between the two pieces that jut out, the operator might jump out.
In Halo 3, if you stand right in front of the turret, in between the guns, the operator will not turn the turret to make you slide in front of it, making you a harder target.
In Halo: Reach, enemies on Legendary can fire the shade turret at an extreme rate.
In Halo: Reach, if you get close to the turret, the operator will jump out of it.

Trivia

Neither the Power Drain nor an overcharged Plasma Pistol shot can disable the Shade's firing mechanisms, though either of these will temporarily disable its ability to rotate, this applies to all EMP weapons.

Gallery

A close up of a Shade's Plasma bolt in mid-flight in Halo 3.
Shade Plasma bolts in mid-flight in Halo: Combat Evolved.
Shade in Halo 2.
Shielded Plasma Turret-transparent.png

A render of the Shielded Plasma Turret in "Halo 2".
ShadowH2.png

A Shade on top of a Shadow.
The T-26 anti-infantry Shade in Halo: Reach.
An anti-air Shade in Halo: Reach.
The fuel rod Shade turret in Halo: Reach.
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First person view of the fuel rod Shade.
Turnaround reference of the fuel rod Shade.
A turnaround reference image of the T-26 ASG in Halo: Reach.