| Type-56 Lich | |
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Manufacturer: |
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Role: |
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| Technical specifications | |
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Length: |
102.8 metres (337 ft)[2] |
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Width: |
50.9 metres (167 ft)[2] |
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Height: |
34.7 metres (114 ft)[2] |
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Engine(s): |
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Other system(s): |
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Hull: |
Nanolaminate hull plating |
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Armament: |
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Complement: |
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Crew: |
Pilot and weapons officer |
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Era: |
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Affiliation: |
Covenant |
The Deployment Platform T-56 Ground Support/Ultra Heavy, colloquially known as the Lich, is a Covenant matériel deployment vessel manufactured by Achoem Weapons.[1] In keeping with the naming scheme of most Covenant vehicles, the Lich is named after a supernatural being.
Overview
The Covenant's largest airborne deployment platform, the Lich boasts heavy armament and is capable of mass deployments of up to forty soldiers. Because of this, UNSC encounters with Liches have almost always resulted in total destruction of the UNSC ground forces, resulting in a lack of available information on the craft.[1] Like smaller Covenant dropships, the Lich is spaceworthy. It is also capable of traveling through slipspace, though presumably it cannot do so under its own power. Its shielding, at the very least, is strong enough to endure the radiation of slipspace while following in Mantle's Approach's wake.[4][5]
Similar to the Type-44 and Type-52 Phantom dropships, the Lich sports a gravity lift on its ventral surface. It likewise has two large bay doors on either side of the hull and Type-52 plasma cannons are stationed at each doorway. The Lich's main gun seems to be an ultra-heavy focus cannon like that of the Scarab. Part of the craft's power core is exposed on an aft pylon.[6]
Identified Liches
- Upright Chalice - Used on the attack against UNSC's Alpha Base.
Deployment history
Though the Covenant used the Lich during the Human-Covenant War, it remained rarely seen due to it usually being used by civilian and security roles.[7] Moreover, the vehicle's great effectiveness often resulted in the annihilation of its human opponents. Thus, it remained poorly documented by the UNSC until the post-war period.[8] Following the Great Schism the need for troop transports outweighed the supply.[9]
Jul 'Mdama's Covenant deployed multiple Liches during their initial foray on the Forerunner shield world Requiem in July 2557. After the UNSC Infinity's Marine and Spartan complement disabled an array of Forerunner particle cannons, they were attacked by a Lich. The Lich quickly disabled a Mammoth's Magnetic Accelerator Cannon and dropped off troops supported by Phantoms dropping in Wraiths and Ghosts. Spartan John-117 and a team of SPARTAN-IVs boarded the craft and destroyed it by destroying its reactor, causing it to explode.[6]
Later, when the Didact set course for Halo Installation 03, several Liches followed his vessel through slipspace. One of them was commandeered by SPARTAN-117 and his AI companion Cortana.[4] Due to a rampant episode, Cortana allowed this Lich to crash into ONI's Ivanoff Station.[10]
In February 2558, during the Requiem Campaign, Roland had Fireteam Crimson activate an alarm at "Apex" that summoned a Lich to the area. Needing a replacement power source for a Harvester at another location, Roland planned to have Crimson steal the Lich's power source. Aided by Fireteam Forest, Crimson defeated the troops deployed by the Lich until it took up position at a nearby cliffside to pepper the area with turret fire. Crimson was able to board the Lich and eliminate the crew. As Roland couldn't override the security locks, Crimson was sent to the engine core rather than the cockpit. Crimson removed the power core, causing the Lich's systems to run wild. Moments after Crimson jumped to safety, the Lich, energy flowing all over it, flew a short distance away and exploded.[11] Crimson was subsequently able to use the Lich's power core to successfully restore power to the Harvester and use it to reach the artifact needed to free Infinity from Requiem.[12]
On March 5, 2558, Vata 'Gajat's mercenary group attacked attacked the peace conference between the UNSC, the Swords of Sanghelios, and Jiralhanae Chieftain Lydus' pack. During the battle one of the mercenaries' Liches was destroyed by Spartan Sarah Palmer when she threw her helmet full of grenades into the Lich's gravity lift.[13] By May 2558, a band of Kig-Yar pirates had collected numerous Liches in a black market base on Ven III.[14]
On October 27th, the Swords of Sanghelios sent a Lich to rendezvous with UNSC Infinity in the Urs System. Fireteam Osiris used the ship to reach Sanghelios, and then inserted to Nuusra aboard a Phantom deployed by the Lich.[15] Arbiter Thel 'Vadam used Liches among his aerial forces during his assault against Covenant forces in Sunaion, travelling aboard one with Osiris until it landed in the city.[16]
By April 2559 the Banished utilized their own variants of the Lich as transports for their Banished outposts during the Second Ark Conflict.[17] They were later employed by Pavium and Voridus following their release of the Flood from the ruins of High Charity.[18]
Trivia
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Browse more images in this article's gallery page. |
- The Lich occupies a remarkably similar gameplay niche to the Scarab in previous games. The Lich is likewise encountered in the campaign and Spartan Ops as a "boss" enemy that must be boarded and destroyed via firing into its power core. Its weaponry, internal layout, and size are also somewhat reminiscent of the Scarab.
- When the Lich is first encountered in the level Reclaimer, Commander Lasky refers to it as an "unidentified Covenant vehicle" despite the craft being cataloged in 2556, though it may refer to him not seeing the vehicle until it was in sight.
Gallery
- Halo 4 Concept Art by Albert Ng 04b.jpg
Concept art of a control panel that later became the Lich's control panel in Halo 4.
Lich control panel in Halo 4.
A Lich flying through space toward Ivanoff Station in Halo 4.
A Lich firing at an M510 Mammoth.
The Lich's plasma cannon.
A Lich flying through Apex.
A Lich hovering in place at the Apex on Requiem.
A destroyed Lich at Line Installation 9-12.
The underside of the aforementioned Lich.
The Lich's power core.
A corridor on the Lich.
The control room of the Lich.
Closeup of the Lich's core.
A T-56 Lich and two T-44 Phantoms on Impact in Halo: The Master Chief Collection.
A Lich being used by Vata 'Gajat's mercenary group during the Battle of Ealen IV in Halo: Escalation.
A Type-56 Lich is destroyed during the Battle of Ealen IV by Spartan Sarah Palmer.
Several T-56 Liches and T-44 Phantoms are destroyed by F-41 Broadswords during the Mission to Ven III.
A Swords of Sanghelios Type-56 Lich in Halo 2: Anniversary.
Arbiter Thel 'Vadam and Spartan Jameson Locke, along with their respective teams, prepare to exit a T-56 Lich.
A Swords of Sanghelios Lich in Halo 5: Guardians.
A Swords of Sanghelios Lich during the Battle of Sunaion.
Upright Chalice, a Covenant Lich used in the Battle of Alpha Base in Halo: Fireteam Raven.
The Covenant Lich Upright Chalice.
List of appearances
- Halo 4 (First appearance)
- Halo: Escalation
- Halo 2: Anniversary
- Halo: Spartan Strike
- Halo 5: Guardians
- Halo Mythos
- Halo Wars 2
- Halo: Envoy (Mentioned only)
- Halo: Fireteam Raven
- Halo: Shadows of Reach
- Halo: Divine Wind
Sources
- ^ a b c d Halo 4 Interactive Guide
- ^ a b c d e Halo 4: The Essential Visual Guide, page 120
- ^ Halo 5: Guardians campaign level Swords of Sanghelios
- ^ a b Halo 4, campaign level Shutdown
- ^ Halo 4, campaign level Midnight
- ^ a b Halo 4, campaign level Reclaimer
- ^ Halo 4: Official Game Guide (Collector's Edition) Page 63
- ^ Halo Waypoint: Lich
- ^ Halo Warfleet, p. 79
- ^ Halo 4, campaign level Composer
- ^ Spartan Ops, S1010 Seize the Power
- ^ Spartan Ops, S1010 One Last Time
- ^ Halo: Escalation, Issue #2
- ^ Halo: Escalation, Issue #11
- ^ Halo 5: Guardians campaign level Swords of Sanghelios
- ^ Halo 5: Guardians campaign level Battle of Sunaion
- ^ Halo Wars 2
- ^ Halo Wars 2: Awakening the Nightmare
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