Description
The Majors appear to have red or gold exoskeletons and blue spots shaped like eyes on their shells. A Major Drone has longer wings and can fly faster than Drone Minors, and they come equipped with very weak energy shields, that most weapons can take down with a single bullet (even on legendary difficulty). Major Drones are rarely seen on lower difficulties. The Drone Majors usually have Brute Plasma Rilfes as their weapons in the games.
Due to the difference in mentality of Drones compared to other species, it is possible that Drones become a Major once they have reached a certain age by which point they will have a certain amount of experience, meaning less experienced Drones can follow them, rather than due to distinguished service or bravery as seen in other major creatures such as Unggoy and Kig-Yar. This is similar to how older insects in sociable colonies take on different roles, such as from scout to guard.
Rank
Drone Majors are one step higher than the Minors. They still appear low in rank, about the same as a Minor Jackal. They are most often seen commanded by Jackal Majors, Brutes, and even Specops Grunts. They are fairly common on higher difficulty levels. They will mostly come armed with Brute Plasma Rifles.
Combat
Drone Majors are more skilled in combat than Drone Minors, and will often use Brute Plasma Rifles. They can drain your shields in seconds, and are extremely lethal after you're vulnerable. They still are a fairly easy kill.
If you encounter a lone Major, concentrate on taking it down and then focusing on the Minors. If there is a Major swarm, try to stick one with a Plasma Grenade, bombard them with Needler fire, or try dual-wielded Plasma Rifles. If you want, you can also use ballistic fire, as this seems to cause Major Drones to scatter so they can be taken down individually. On the other hand, it's easier to kill a Major swarm when they're clustered together, so using UNSC weaponry isn't the best idea. Whatever weapon you use, don't forget to attack ground-based foes as well- it is not advisable to fire only on the Drones while a Brute or Jackal nearby fires freely on you. As with all enemies who move in groups, firing seven Needler rounds will produce an explosion that will most likely kill an entire group of Drones.
Trivia
- In Halo 3: ODST, the Drone Major's armor possesses a weak energy shield that will break after only two SMG bullets.
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