Unggoy

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"Leader down, run away!"

— A frightened Unggoy Minor witnessing its leader being killed.

The Unggoy (Latin, Monachus frigus, meaning "cold monk" and also monkey in Tagalog) are a small species of servant warriors in the unified races of the Covenant. They are the lowest rank, and are usually used as cannon fodder or hard-labor workers. They are usually mistreated by their higher ranking Elites and Brutes. The Unggoy were one of the first species conquered and absorbed into the Covenant. In appearance, they have a combination of reptilian and mammalian features. They were the third Covenant species to be seen by Humans. They are called Grunts by humans because they are weaker than their superiors and they perform the majority of the labor required by the Covenant, such as slavery and to be `cannon fodder'.

Description

In appearance, Grunts are one of the strangest species in the Halo universe. They have small black and red, bead like eyes, although some have reddish orange eyes. Humans have termed such warriors Grunts, due to their size, and because of their speech patterns (as they often make odd squeaking and grunting noises). Grunts share features with a number of Earth animals. Like simians, they walk on their hind legs, using their front legs to pull themselves along, as well as to grab and hold things. Like elephants, their skin hangs loosely over their skeletons, giving them baggy skin. Like lizards and fish, their skin is covered in thick scales and, like crocodiles, seems armored.

Grunts are the lowest-ranked species of the Covenant. They are bitter rivals with the Jackals, who are also one of the lesser species of the Covenant. The higher-ranking races of the Covenant often ignored this rivalry. The rising tensions with the Jackals and the general disinterest from the other Covenant races led to a Grunt Rebellion in 2152. They are often pressed into combat and manual labor, although in Halo 3 you can hear Grunts saying "I didn't sign up for this" suggesting they were also given a degree of choice (although that is most likely just humorous dialogue). Furthermore, they are typically poor and cowardly warriors, are physically diminutive, wear inadequate armor making them very vulnerable to ballistic weaponry, and most of them are tactically inept. However, what they lack in ability they make up for with sheer numbers, as they breed relatively quickly and, if they are focused, are actually quite accurate with their Plasma Pistols and Needlers. In some cases, squads of Grunts have been known to overpower careless marines. The conflict on Harvest, and thus the Human-Covenant War, was in part started by an Unggoy named Yull tearing apart Private Osmo. Special Operations Grunts, who wear black armor, are far more tenacious than the lower tiered ones, and have even been known to carry Fuel Rod Guns, which makes them extremely dangerous foes.

They are unusual in the way that they breathe methane rather than oxygen. Their combat armor/harness has an integrated methane re-breather system, as Grunts appear to be unable to survive long without methane due to asphyxiation much like humans without oxygen, yet in Halo 3, knocking the methane tank off of them by forcefully assassinating will still cause them to linger around for a long period of time. It may be a hindrance to the Unggoy's natural ability.

When faced with danger, Grunts often act with extreme stupidity. They serve as comic relief through most of the Halo games, as quite often they will say something completely unexpected, and to add to the humor they have high pitched, squeaky voices. With the IWHBYD Skull activated, the sleeping ones can sometimes say, "Merry Christmas" or "Jackal Stew" indicating they may eat Jackals.

Grunts have been known to use Needlers, Plasma Pistols, Plasma Rifles, and are also seen using Fuel Rod Cannons.

Culture and History

Grunts were the sixth race to be integrated into the Covenant, (not including Prophets and Elites) about 411 years before the events of Halo 3, roughly coming to their indoctrination in 2142 on the Military Calendar. Before joining the Covenant, the Unggoy had attained Tier 6 technology on the Forerunner charts. While not overly intelligent or creative on the battlefield, they are one of the most cordial and sociable of the Covenant races as they possess a very strong pack mentality, often associating with each other in groups, instigating them to present danger when encountered in large numbers. This allows for their sense of cultural identity to remain, despite their extreme subservience to the other races of the Covenant. The Grunt pack mentality can be compared to the Brute pack mentality but less violent. Grunts are weak creatures and have the best chance of surviving in combat if they stick together. Brutes, however, possess a culture largely centered upon their united pack hierarchy and combat hardened predator instinct.

Unggoy are found seemingly everywhere in the Covenant. They are mostly used for general or menial labor and to serve the higher Covenant, like Elites, although their most prominent role is as the backbone of the Covenant military's ground forces. While individually they are poor soldiers, they make up for this with massive numbers. Indeed, they have been known to be sent into live mine fields simply to clear the way for the rest of the force, and to be thrown relentlessly at a heavily defended position to overwhelm an enemy force with their sheer numbers. Overpopulation is a serious problem and in non-war times, strict laws are placed on Unggoy breeding.

A Brute Captain leads a pack of Unggoy in the Earth Bunker Crow's Nest.

Grunts are considered to be little more than an inferior slave race which they obey the other Covenant races out of fear, not will, because they have no political power in Covenant society; the highest political rank available to an Unggoy is a Deacon. However, within the Grunt community there is a strong hatred of other species; especially Jackals. It has been indicated that at some-time in the Covenant's history, in the 39th Age of Conflict - The Age of Doubt - there was a Grunt Rebellion, where the conflict between the Grunts and Jackals escalated. Eventually, the conflict quelled, thanks in part to an unknown Arbiter, who was called upon during that period for that purpose. Even though losses were large for the Unggoy, this dissent meant that the Grunts remained at the lowest echelon of the Covenant. This fear, as well as the aforementioned war also led to a lack of political loyalty during the Covenant Civil War, as the Grunts did not ally with a particular side, and stayed with whoever commanded them, most likely out of subservient fear to their masters and inability to leave to join the Elites. However, many held support for the Elites and still revered The Arbiter, pointing out to their comrades in Halo 3 that they once served under the Arbiter.

Due to their low status, Grunts are not permitted by the Elites to possess family names; their names instead consist of one or two syllables (e.g. Dadab), usually with a repeating group of letters. They do value their ties to their offspring, but are usually separated from their families at an early age, by the requirements of their military service to the Covenant. The Grunts resent this greatly, but due to their social status in the Covenant are unable to muster any response. It is also interesting to note that Grunts do appreciate many of the luxuries presented to them in their service to the Covenant, one of them being heat, as stated by the Grunt, Kwassass.

Despite being held in low stature in the Covenant, Grunts appear to be strong followers of their religion.

File:Grunt.JPG

Two Major Grunts fighting in the jungle armed with Plasma Pistols.

Grunts generally follow a few short, simple guidelines given to them by the Elites; namely "When in doubt, shoot" or "Stay out of the way, live another day."

Grunts feel secure when in large numbers or led by Elite or in the case of Halo 3, a Brute, though if the Elite or most of the squad dies, or if a superior enemy gets too close, they tend to panic and flee. This causes them to be extremely vulnerable as they are rather sluggish and weak, but given the time or when boxed in a corner, they will turn around and once again attempt to fight back against the enemy. Higher-ranking Grunts typically have superior morale and are less likely to panic and flee in combat.

A Heretic Grunt, clad in unique gold armor, with a Needler.

It should be noted that Heretic Grunts, unlike their mainstream brethren, will not flee in combat if the enemy approaches, but will cower in the presence of the Flood. It is unknown why Heretic Grunts have better morale than other Grunts. One possible explanation could be that their enemy is the Arbiter, and the Grunts have had experience with the Elites. This can be ruled out because in Halo 3, Grunts will run from the Arbiter. Another way they could have obtained a higher morale than the Covenant Grunts could be that they are allowed more freedom or a higher status, since they are not bound by the same Covenant hierarchy system. They could also have found heresy as a good cause to fight for, and therefore drawn their strength from that, or a combination of this and the fact that they are not constrained by Covenant society. Alternately, they could be better trained and disciplined than Covenant Grunts, or their behavior could simply be the result of their situation. This could be possible as the team that had to research the facility was part of a Special Operations team, which are known for their combat effectiveness and higher confidence and drive. Yet another possibility is that Sesa 'Refumee, the leader of the Heretics, is a particularly charismatic individual (given that the Prophets deemed his heresy to be such a threat) and that he is able to inspire the Grunts to be more dedicated combatants. Heretic Grunts have a faster rate of fire on Legendary.

It is also important to note that in Halo 3, the Grunts are more courageous than beforehand; fighting more ferociously and are seemingly more hostile to the enemy. In the level Sierra 117 a Marine comments on the fact that even the Grunts weren't pushovers when led by the Brutes. The Arbiter replies that their new found courage is a result of fearing their new Brute masters, who are more cruel and primal than the Elites. Another idea is that the Brutes mixed a gas into the methane tanks to make the Grunts more aggressive, as suggested by a Marine. Also in Halo 3, when a superior ally or many of their allies are killed Grunts have tendencies to ignite two Plasma Grenades and become suicidal; in this case they let out a strange continuous battle call, and start running towards an enemy with two plasma grenades in-hand. These Grunts are known as "Suicide Grunts" to many gamers and are considered one of the more irritating ways to die.

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A Minor Grunt as depicted in Halo 3.

The intelligence of Grunts has often been hotly debated, as much of the source material contradict one another. In the Eric Nylund novels they have been described as dog-like and animals but at rare moments, intelligent, such as the Grunt that inadvertently activates the Nova Bomb. In Halo: The Flood, Grunts are shown to be much more intelligent, pulling off military maneuvers and other actions, such as their attempt to put a grenade into Master Chief's suit and Yayap who has a higher than normal intelligence for a Grunt (though he may have been one of many not mentioned in the novels or games). In game, their battlefield tactics are rather simplistic, but they are more than capable of using a variety of weapons and in Halo 2 and Halo 3 pilot vehicles such as the Ghost, as well as Shades. It is also worth considering that as a slave race, they are most likely left untrained and uneducated to make them easy to control. Grunts seem to outnumber the other races to a large degree and might offer impressive resistance if properly organized. Grunts have been called "cannon fodder" because their Elite or Brute leaders will often send them out to serve as a distraction, rather than actually having them effectively engage an enemy in combat. Therefore, it can be seen that Grunts are intelligent, but their low status does not allow them to fully utilize this intelligence.

While they are a mostly slave race, the Unggoy have managed to retain their cultural identities, and have rebelled in the past more than once.

Anatomy and Physiology

Grunts bleed luminous blue blood when wounded.

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The face of a Minor Grunt in Halo 3.

Grunts are 3½ to 4 feet tall and are relatively weak compared to other Covenant species. Although they can easily walk upright on two legs, they are often seen using their arms as legs and moving in a quadrupedal fashion. While carrying armaments, they are forced to walk upright so that they may support their weapons with their hands, but while trying to flee, or while patrolling without a weapon drawn, they use their oversized arms as forelegs to add speed or stability to their gait. They are also sometimes described as "Hermit Crabs", due to their crab-like appearance.

Grunts' forearms are incredibly over-sized, as are their calves, while their upper arms and thighs are incredibly minute. This has allowed them to be quite excellent climbers, as discovered in Halo: Contact Harvest. The only way for them to even be able to move like this is if their biceps and triceps are in their forearms and calves, although why they would evolve like this is unknown. This may, however, have to do with the claws that protrude from some of their joints, as the extra mass would add to the force used when attacking with their claws, also they could be using their bicep and tricep muscle fibers for extra strength to increase the grip strength and dexterity of their hands. They also have very good finger reflexes, as they can fire a Plasma Pistol at the same rate an Elite can with a Plasma Rifle.

Grunts have hooves on their three-toed feet, and their skin is leathery and purple-gray, although Contact Harvest describes them as having a tough exoskeleton. They have a single claw that protrudes from each elbow and knee, but its function is unknown, since there are no known instances where it was used in combat. While they are small, stocky, and are not agile; however, they are quite sturdy, and most may be weak, as they seem to be unable to carry a weapon heavier than a Plasma Pistol, although certain Grunts of higher ranks appear to be surprisingly strong, able to carry an undeployed Plasma Cannon or fire a Fuel Rod Gun with one hand and without toppling from the recoil. However, physical strength may not actually go along with rank; the types of weapons available to them may be a part of a "trust" issue with the other Covenant. As rank-and-file Grunts are clumsy and tactically inept, more powerful weapons are likely only issued to those who are more disciplined and experienced.

Grunts have been described as breeding prodigiously in many instances, with large egg clutches and short childhood periods. This might explain why there are so many Grunts on the battlefield. This combined with the large number of young per clutch and rapid sensory motor integration development was one of the primary reasons why the species were given the role of disposable cannon fodder. Their unburdened neural pathway allows them to absorb knowledge more freely compared to their peers. As such, they are constantly monitoring the void for traces of human communication and have developed a clear understanding of two or even three human languages. This serves as a river of confidence in times of great stress for them.

The standard methane re-breather apparatus.

Grunts also have average eyesight and hearing, but they seem to have a very well developed sense of smell, sometimes sniffing the air to detect traces of foes or hidden enemies. This is facilitated through the olfactory membranes installed in their masks.

There are notable differences between the Unggoy of Halo: Combat Evolved and Halo 2, and the Unggoy of Halo 3. Some of the differences of the Halo 3 Grunts are elongated heads, the lack of the elbow claws, red eyes, and a leaner torso. This may be attributed to different races of Grunt. Halo: Combat Evolved is the only game to feature "curlback" armored Grunts. However, the "curlback" may simply be a stripped-down methane tank; when a Halo 3-era Grunt's methane tank is removed, the metal plate to which it attaches looks very similar to a "curlback". Halo 3's Grunts have Grey mottled skin rather than the black, porous skin of the previous games' Grunts. Also, if the player manages to knock off the gas mask worn by the Grunts, a set of whitish-gray, sharp teeth can be seen that is somewhat similar to that of Humans. A Grunt does not die if its mask is removed, and will panic, running around in circles, until killed. They have a distinct manure/vomit smell.  

Grunts seem to be physically stronger than unaided Marines and are capable of carrying extremely heavy equipments such as the Plasma Cannon and the Fuel Rod Gun, where as UNSC Marines have trouble. In Halo 3, Grunts can be seen carrying Fuel Rod Guns with one arm, as well as Plasma Cannons, although they do not use the latter the way Spartans, Brutes and Elites do; instead, they try and find a place to mount these massive guns.

Nomenclature

Grunts often have names which reflect a language of very simple phonics. Common names, such as Yayap and Dadab, start with a reduplicated consonant and consist of two syllables. Other names consist of a single syllable with clusters of consonants, as in "Flim." Some exceptions have occurred wherein a name has more consonants than is usual while following the first method of naming, as in Kwassass.

Grunt names encountered so far consist of these phonemes:

• The vowels short A and short I.
• The consonants D, F, K , L , M , S, W, P, and Y.

As mentioned above, Grunts do not have family names. Instead they identify themselves by famous ancestors, their homeworld, and where on that planet they lived.

Homeworld

Main article: Balaho

The Grunt home world of Balaho is a temperate, swampy planet with a methane atmosphere and naturally occurring pillars of fire. The cold season of their planet makes them highly covet any source of warmth and light they can find, mainly due to the blue death. Although not much has been revealed about it, the warm season is likely taken advantage of by Balaho's residents.

File:BestiarumGrunt.jpg

A Grunt, as depicted in the Bestiarum.

Since their natural environment has a methane atmosphere, Grunts need to carry methane tanks and breathing apparatus with them whenever they travel into areas without high levels of methane in the air. Since all the other races of the Covenant, and their Human enemies, breath oxygen instead, the Unggoy find themselves wearing breathing masks more often than not. They have also been seen inhabiting large environment domes that have airlocks and methane filters for them to breathe, while not in armor or restocking their methane reserves at Battlefield Methane Tanks. Grunts also have high-pitched and squeaky voices, possibly due to acclimation to prolonged, methane gas exposure. Although this is the normal air for the Unggoy, so they themselves find nothing abnormal about their speech. The high-pitched voices are commonly regarded as humorous by most other races, since they tend to sound like frightened children trying to sound intimidating.

Grunts also have thick, bio-luminescent, light-blue blood, possibly a result of methane-based proteins in the blood to facilitate methane-based respiration. Horseshoe Crabs also have blood that is very similar in color, it may be that their blood, like the horseshoe crabs, is blue due to high copper content. They may also go as far as to contain a protein very similar to hemocyanin (copper based) which is the horseshoe crabs equivalent of hemoglobin (iron based). Apparently while on military service, Unggoy eat a sludge-like substance from something called a Food Nipple. In their home environment though, the Grunts fed on meats and vegetables on their native planet.

Furthermore, Grunts are known for their frequent naps, even sleeping in high-risk combat environments, sometimes even in open daylight or immediately after an enemy has retreated. This is believed to not be a product of their methane-based metabolism, but that they are simply extremely lazy, frequently being punished for sleeping on the job.

During the Grunt Rebellion, the Grunts proved to the Prophets that they are surprisingly strong in numbers and can be deadly if they are motivated enough. Also, due to this rebellion, the Grunt homeworld was nearly glassed.

Rank

File:1216048610 Grunts Phantom.jpg

A pack of Grunts, led by a Brute, being deployed via a Phantom.

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A Minor Grunt without his mask as depicted in the Halo 2 Official Strategy Guide, showing the species' sharp teeth which make them slightly intimidating.

Overall

"Bad Cyborg!!"

— A Grunt, fleeing from John-117.

The Grunts are the lowliest beings for troops before battle, as well as other tasks, indicating there is a small amount of respect for the Unggoy from Prophets and higher ranks and that they are important in keeping Covenant religious views to other members strong. They are also known to be bitter rivals with Jackals as they are both on the bottom of the social hierarchy, and want to earn more respect within the Covenant. and from a political and military standpoint, are expected to obey the commands of Elites or Brutes without hesitation. This unwavering faithfulness is enforced by the threat of punishment, although on the battlefield, such social protocols are often ignored, where as the Grunt will run in fear as to seeing the Master Chief or the Arbiter or when their leader is killed.

Grunts are subdivided into sub-rankings; lower-ranked Grunts are typically poor combatants, while higher-ranked Grunts may be formidable adversaries in combat and even show signs of leadership capability as well as bravery. A good way to see that low-ranked Grunts are poor fighters is that most Grunts who sleep on duty are Minors. In groups they can be deadly as well as tenacious (but it depends on the level of difficulty), especially if they have an Elite or Brute commander. The Unggoy are also considered to be somewhat humorous by other species, like Jiralhanae, Humans, and Sangheili for their small stature, squeaky voices, and somewhat cute personality.

Rank Structure

Grunts have five classes which are easily identifiable by the color of their armor:

Rank	Image	Description
Grunt Leaders
Grunt Ultra	File:White grunt.gif	Bungie apparently refers to these grunts as Halo 3 Spec-Ops grunts whose color theme changed because of the Brutes. These Grunts appear to be field commanders for other Grunts, and wear distinctive white-lilac armor reminiscent of the Ultra Elites. While they appear to have some authority over lesser-ranked Grunts (besides Special Operations Grunts, who are of a different jurisdiction), they have no control whatsoever over the other Covenant races. Grunt Ultras are also stronger opponents than their subordinates, and are more accurate with firearms, throw Plasma Grenades often, and have heavier armor, making them able to sustain more damage than most other Grunts. They very rarely run, and when present, other Grunts do not run either. Grunt Ultras mostly sided with the Covenant Separatists. There are two on Halo 3 that can be seen wielding Brute Spikers. They also are rarely seen on easy and normal (except with the Thunderstorm Skull activated).
Grunt Specialists
Special Operations Grunt	File:Grunt-black.gif	Experienced and specially-chosen Grunts that wear distinctive jet-black armor and are commanded by Special Operations Elites. They are part of the Covenant Special Operations division of the Covenant Separatists Special Warfare Group. They also have an Active Camouflage, similar to the Elites. Special Operations Grunts are extremely skilled in warfare compared to the Grunt species, and don't panic too often in combat situations, if they do at all. They are sometimes seen wielding Fuel Rod Guns, and they throw Plasma Grenades more often than lesser Grunt ranks, as well as throwing them more accurately. Most of the Special Operations Grunts sided with the Arbiter and Covenant Separatists during the Covenant Civil War however, some did side with Covenant Loyalists now wearing white armor similar to Ultra Grunts. Some Loyalist Grunts were seen during the Battle of Installation 00. These Grunts will not flee when their commander is killed, but rather seek revenge, often utilizing excessive use of plasma grenades.
Heavy Grunt	File:Green grunt.gif	They seem to be the equivalent of a UNSC Lance Corporal or Corporal. Specialized Grunts wearing green armor often deployed in defensive actions whose primary purposes are to deploy Plasma Cannons and man them, but occasionally wield Fuel Rod Guns as well. Additionally, they also have been seen operating/driving Ghost vehicles and Shades. They can also rarely be seen wielding a Brute Spiker, such as on The Ark.
Grunt Infantry
Grunt Major	File:Red grunt.gif	Veteran Grunts that wear crimson armor. They appear to be the equivalent of a UNSC Private First Class or a Lance Corporal. They sometimes command several Grunt Minors and are slightly more skilled in combat and courageous than Grunt Minors, though this difference is not always substantial. In Halo: Combat Evolved, they take two Sniper Rifle shots in the chest to die on Legendary, since although they have roughly the same health as a Spartan, although the multipliers should allow them to withstand a large caliber shot such as the sniper rifle's. Sometimes they will not run away but keep shooting at you if everyone around them is dead.
Grunt Minor	File:Orange grunt.gif	The Covenant equivalent of a UNSC Private or Private First Class, these wear orange armor. They are often the least dangerous and most cowardly, and are often inaccurate marksmen. When their commanding Elite or Brute is killed, they almost always break formation and flee, but sometimes they come back regrouped and start firing at you again. It is to be noted that Grunts under the command of Brutes are substantially more aggressive.

Other Ranks

Deacon: The only position open to the Grunts in the Ministry of Tranquility. This rank doesn't often involve combat or hard manual labor, though they have been known to carry around Plasma Pistols and Needlers, the former possibly meaning it is the lowest position on the Covenant hierarchy. But as seen in Halo: Contact Harvest the Deacon ordered around other Unggoy whenever it came to matter of religion. In Halo Wars, Deacons are available as the final upgrade for Grunts. They further bolster and strengthen the abilities of the Grunt squads. Interestingly, these Grunts wear elongated helmets not dissimilar of their Sanghieli counterparts.

A cylindrical-Backed Grunt as seen in The Last Voyage of the Infinite Succor.

Cylindrical-Backed Grunts: It was in concept art for Halo: Combat Evolved and was seen again in a Halo Wars screen shot on The Halo Wars official Website. It has since been revealed that in Halo Wars the cylindrical-backed Grunts became the chosen design of the Suicide Grunt unit. They are also seen in the Halo Graphic Novel, in the story The Last Voyage of the Infinite Succor. They are seen at the start of the story, putting out a fire, and being ambushed by the Flood. Some of them also accompanied a squad of Elites on the Infinite Succor. Others are seen in Halo: Uprising.

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A Spec-Ops curl-back grunt as seen in Halo:CE.

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The Chief targets a curl-backed Grunt.

Curl-Back Grunt: In Halo: Combat Evolved, there was an alternate suit for the Grunt Infantry. It was a slightly larger mask that covered more of the face and a methane tank that curled upwards instead of it sticking out. The reason for this is because they could roll out of Spirit dropships, possibly to take cover and to get out of the ships faster as this variation is only seen in Halo: Combat Evolved. This could have been used before an actual rank and suit were made for the Heavy Grunts. This is supported by the fact that most Turrets in Halo: Combat Evolved are controlled by curl-backs (on higher difficulties), and that there are screen shots depicting them on turrets in Halo Wars. But if the player looks closely, he/she will find that ALL Grunt ranks on Halo: Combat Evolved have this armor design, including Minor Grunts, Major Grunts and Spec Ops Grunts. Also some people think that the methane tanks on the "Curl-Back Grunts" could have not been refilled unlike the other grunts methane tanks in the Halo series. Curl-back design could also be a type of out-dated suit that was slowly being removed from the Grunt military. The reason for the curl-back methane tank is that it was in fact, a different version, which would contract for easier transportation as it ran out of methane.

Merchants: Though it's never named a rank and only mentioned once, it was said in Contact Harvest, that well respected Grunts in the Hierarchy are merchants. When Truth was sworn into office the Drone Queen, Jackal Ship Masters, and Merchant Grunts were said to be there. It was said also, that their combat harness was adorned with large jewels.

Suicide Grunts: The suicide grunt rank appear in Halo Wars. They serve as the Arbiter's unique units, coming in squads of four. They resemble standard grunts except for a large, transparent, cylinder-shaped methane tank replacing the standard, triangular tank. These grunts seem to be one of the lowest ranks considering the facts that they wield Plasma Pistols and that they commit suicide kamikaze-style. Their Y ability consists of lighting their methane tanks and charging the enemy in a similar fashion to some grunt minors. Once the grunts come in contact with the chosen enemy, they violently explode. They also seem to have a higher pitched voice compared to normal grunts.

Heretic Grunts: These Grunts have different methane tubes than their non-Heretic counterparts. They have just two round tubes, instead of the pointed-pyramid shape. Another feature of the Heretic Grunt armor is a small mouth-breather that exposes a Grunt's teeth.

Unlike the armor of the Heretic Elites, there is only one uniform color for a Grunt's armor, which is a shining, golden-brown. Because of this, there is no hierarchy or ranking system, and Heretic Grunts are inferior only to Heretic Elites.

They're seen only in the levels The Arbiter and Oracle, both in Halo 2.

Heretic Grunts fight differently than the Covenant-loyal Grunts normally encountered by one fact: They never try to escape, even during Easy difficulty. Though they may say "They got our Elite, run!" or "Run Away!", a Heretic Grunt will stand its ground. The only exception to this rule is when a Heretic Grunt is stuck with a Plasma Grenade, needles, or otherwise knows it will soon die; even then, they will run towards you, setting the precedent for Kamikazes in Halo 3.

Heretic Grunts are also superior to their Covenant counterparts by their equipment and usage thereof. They almost always use Needlers, or occasionally Fuel Rod Guns, but never the weak, inaccurate Plasma Pistol that is so often overused by their counterparts. They also try to set up turrets sometimes like Heavy Grunts. Beware, their skill with the Needler is unchallenged; they fire incredibly quickly, accurately, and reload when taking cover.

Judging by the fact they always wield Needlers or Fuel Rod Guns, it indicates that they are better treated than their Covenant counterparts, and are not used as cannon fodder.

They are also far harder to kill than the average Unggoy. Any Heretic Grunt can take as much damage as a Major Grunt. They do not come in ranks, and all have the same life and intelligence as each other. The only difference in difficulty facing them is the weapons they carry. Depending on what weapon you are better against will usually depend on how hard it is to beat the Grunt. In combat, Covenant Grunts will usually be encountered in groups of four or more, where as the Heretic Grunts are normally in smaller groups, of about four or less. Heretics Grunts are also harder to melee because of the reduced size of their methane tanks. In fact, in Legendary, they can take as many body shots as you can. They are still vulnerable to high-power weapons like the Energy Sword, and rapid-fire weapons like the Needler or Sentinel Beam.

Combat

"When in doubt, shoot."

— Unggoy saying

Individually, Grunts are weak. However, in groups they are destructive and violent.

The Grunt can use any sort of weapon that is designed to be held in one hand. In some situations grunts have been seen to use heavy artillery weapons, such as the Fuel Rod Gun. So, on higher difficulties, the Grunt can prove to be a dangerous enemy to the Player and his/her allies.

Grunts usually fight in groups consisting of mostly Minor Grunts, one or two Major Grunts, and an Elite leading them in Halo 1 and Halo 2 or a Brute in Halo 3. Most of the time, when the Elite or Brute leading them is dead, the Grunts will run away, even the higher-ranking ones. If playing on the lower difficulties such as Easy or Normal, Grunts may run away even if they just see you, though Minor Grunts will sometimes regroup and attack you. If the Brute or Elite leading them is dead, but the Major Grunts aren't, some Grunts will stay and fight because they will have someone leading them. Grunts have a typical tactical style in combat, which the Minor Grunts combine their firepower for softening and lowering their enemies health, body armor or shields, so that the Major Grunts, Elite or Brute leader will easily kill or quickly finishing off enemy units. A group of Grunts are mostly used to slow enemy advancements or do as much significant damage as possible to weaken enemy forces and forced to waste enemy ammunition on themselves or simply used as cannon fodder.There are times they take advantage of their size, they can easily hide and ambush or surprise their enemies with a hail of plasma fire.

Grunts can be tenacious fighters as long as they have someone leading them. Higher-ranking Grunts may not run away, but instead, keep fighting you. The Covenant think of the Grunt race as only cannon fodder and do not care how many of them die in combat. Grunts make tactical mistakes, such as throwing a grenade too near to themselves, or turning their backs and running away, allowing for a quick kill. They are very vicious little creatures and when they are determined and have motives they can be deadly especially when lead by a higher rank although they can lead themselves.

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Two Heavy Grunts sleeping.

Weaponry

Grunts are often armed with the ubiquitous Plasma Pistol, although they are often seen wielding Needlers and Plasma Rifles. Occasionally, Grunts will overcharge their Plasma Pistol, which will instantly deplete your shields.  Grunts are especially dangerous in groups. Their combined fire, even with weaker plasma pistols, can quickly erode an enemies shields. Grunts are never seen equipped with two-handed weapons like Covenant Carbines, Brute Shots, Beam Rifles, etc. The exception to this is the Fuel Rod Gun which is fired with two hands. Special Operations grunts and Grunt Heavies are occasionally seen bearing these Fuel Rod Guns. These Fuel Rod Guns appear smaller than the standard variety. Grunt Heavies can carry folded Plasma cannons. On The Storm and The Ark, a Grunt can be seen with a Brute Spiker. If a Grunt is in a Phantom that is shot down, and somehow manages to survive, it will sometimes be wielding a Spiker.

All Grunts are equipped with and often use Plasma Grenades,although Ultra Grunts, Special Operations Grunts and Major Grunts throw grenades in combat more often. Special Operations Grunts also use Fuel Rod Guns in combat. With the Catch skull enabled, Grunt Heavies have been observed throwing upwards of six plasma grenades. They have been known to "'Spam'" Plasma Grenades on the Legendary difficulty, which means that in a group of 10 Grunts, as many as eight of them will throw Plasma Grenades, one after the other, in an attempt to easily dispatch their foes. In Halo 3, Grunts will arm two Plasma Grenades and rush to the player, causing an explosion as a result of being frightened or observing allies being killed. These Grunts are generally referred to as "Kamikaze Grunts".

The weapon most commonly used by Grunts seems to be the Plasma Pistol, however, the Needler is a close second. Grunts prefer Needlers over Plasma Pistols and Plasma Rifles, the standard weapons issued to them. It is also possible for a Grunt to wield a Brute Spiker. A Grunt will usually resent being given a weaker weapon in place of the one they are currently wielding, and this will cause the Grunt to get very upset; they will pound their "fists" on the ground in a temper tantrum and may say something opposing the action. If on the other hand, you give a Grunt a more powerful weapon such as a Fuel Rod Gun it may say "me not worthy" and bow. This comical behavior can also be associated with impatience or excitement. Despite a grunt's danger, many players on easy find them very cute and humorous in Halo 2 and very funny in Halo 3.

Grunts do not only wield Covenant weapons but you can give them Human weapons on levels such as Sacred Icon you can give them the Human Magnum and SMG by dead Flood Combat Forms, however, this is difficult, as you have to make sure they survive the flood attack when entering the first room with the flood.

On the level Uprising, Grunt teammates can be equipped with the Human Rocket Launcher, but the size of the Rocket Launcher shrinks a little. Sometimes Grunts can wield a Heavy Machine Gun.

Two Grunts are also seen using Assault Rifles in the Halo Graphic Novel.

Grunts are seen in almost every mission in the Halo trilogy. Grunt Majors are especially useful because of they almost always use Needlers. Grunts are literally what the rest of the Covenant think of them as: Cannon Fodder.

Turrets/Vehicles

File:Grunt-turret.jpg

A Grunt Minor firing a Plasma Turret on board a Scarab.

In Halo: Combat Evolved, Minor and Major Grunts are the primary operators of the stationary Shade Turrets, although the turrets are open to use by other races but is not common, only when the heavy grunt is killed and turret is vacant. In Halo 2 and Halo 3, it is the specific task of Heavy Grunts to man Plasma Cannons or Shielded Plasma Turrets, yet if no Heavy Grunts are available, Minor or Major Grunts will often man the turret instead. If it is available to them, grunts may operate human machine gun turrets.

In all three halo games and ODST, if a turret operator is killed, nearby Grunts will move to man the unmanned cannon unless the cannon itself is destroyed (halo 2 and up).

Grunts are also surprisingly capable with vehicles, as they can man a variety of Covenant ground vehicles:

• Ghost Halo 2, Halo 3, and late in Halo 3: ODST
• Shadow (Seen in Halo 2 E3 Demo, have animation but not used in Halo 2)
• Shade (Halo: Combat Evolved, Halo 3, and Halo 3: ODST)
• Shielded Plasma Cannon (Halo 2)
• Plasma Cannon (Halo 2, Halo 3, and Halo 3: ODST)
• Human machine gun turret (Halo 3 and Halo 3: ODST)
• Missile Pod (Halo 3: ODST)

Combating Grunts

File:1210473322 Grunts.jpg

A Grunt Major and two Grunt Minors wielding Plasma Pistols.

Grunts are the most commonly encountered enemy in the Halo series, and are lightly armored and lack any form of additional shielding. In battle, most weapons easily dispatch them. Weapons such as the M6D Pistol and BR55 Battle Rifle are very effective in executing headshots and penetrating through their thin armor with one or two shots. Like many other unshielded enemies, a single headshot from any gun on any difficulty will kill them (though there are some guns that for game play reasons cannot execute headshots). Grunts are also very easily killed with brief bursts of automatic fire from weapons such as the Assault Rifle, SMG, and the Plasma Rifle. If just out of melee range, the player may fire a quick burst, as the Grunt reels from the hit, the player can melee the Grunt. Some players prefer to melee Grunts to death, and save ammo for stronger enemies such as Brutes, Elites, and other shielded foes. On the other hand, high ranked grunts, such as Ultra and Special Operations Grunts, have stronger body armor and can withstand more damage than lower-ranking Grunts. Melee attacks generally kill Grunts in one or two blows. They can prove to be stealthy choices of action when clearing out sleeping Grunts. In Halo 3, an attack will sometimes blow off the flimsy cover of a Grunts methane tank, and may rupture the tank inside. The respirator can also be knocked off, which is fatal after a certain amount of time. Even after the respirator has been knocked off they will continue to fight. A leakage of methane gas can turn a situation perilous in the presence of a flame.

Because Grunts often fight in tight formations, frag grenades and Rockets can be used to great effect. Spikers can also work to a great effect also, as they can kill a Grunt with a few shots. However, when stuck with Plasma Grenades, Grunts will panic and start running in random directions, posing a threat to both the player and their allies. It may be heard that the Grunt, when stuck by a Plasma or Spike grenade, may yell, "Noooooo!", "Pull it off!", "Not again!", or just screaming. However, sticking them is particularly useful, as the stuck Grunt will often run towards its comrades, decimating an entire squad at times. However, sometimes they may charge you, resulting in your demise.

Also, when you play Halo: CE, or Halo 2 as Spartan-117, a good tactic is to kill the Elite that leads them. Up to Heroic Mode, grunts will break ranks and flee. When they do that, take your Assault Rifle in Halo: Combat Evolved or Halo 3 and mow them down, or use your SMG to tear them apart. Frag grenades are also very efficient at taking them out when they are in tight groups.

Suicide Grunts

File:Gruntybomb.PNG

A Kamikaze Grunt charging at his foes.

A Suicide Grunt, also known as a "Kamikaze Grunt", is like a "berserk" mode for the Unggoy in Halo 3 and its expansion Halo 3 ODST. Occasionally, an Unggoy will hold a Plasma Grenade in each hand while screaming in rage and charge towards enemy forces. This is usually triggered by their leader being killed (usually in a brutal way such as sticking him with a grenade, or beating them to death), and you can sometimes hear them scream, "For the Great Journey!" or "Witness my beliefs!", "For the Covenant!", "Follow the light my brothers!", "Please enjoy my BRIGHT! BLUE! BALLS!","GIVE ME HUGS DEMON!" or "Help me stick you!" (an obvious reference to the Pillar of Autumn's crewmen "Help me help you!" quote), "*hums the Halo Theme Song*", rarely "I bet I can stick him!" (reference to Cortana's quote "Bet you can't stick em'!" line during the Halo 2 E3 Demo), but most of the other noises consist of unintelligible screams. Most of the intelligible words are of the former of quotes seeming to indicate that they deeply believe and follow the Prophets and the Covenant religion, but some of them are just for humor. Sometimes, some berserkers may not make a noise at all and stealth creep up on you without you knowing that they are there. This mode can be achieved by any Unggoy, so it is most likely a parallel to the Brute berserk mode; however, Brutes tend to go bloodthirsty, while the Grunts become suicidal, and the Grunts don't do it nearly as often as Brutes do. An odd thing about Kamikaze Grunts is that when you throw a Plasma Grenade it lasts about 2 seconds but when Kamikaze Grunts hold two plasma grenades in their hands they can last over 5 seconds. This explains why Plasma Grenades don't stick to the hand of the user. It is likely that the user holds the button on the grenade down and it only is "armed and sticky" after the button is release. To see more Kamikaze Grunts more often, activate the skulls Famine and Tough Luck, as observed with one player's encounter with a whole swarm of them going suicide. A good way to deal with a swarm of these Grunts is to kill one (best with headshot) and by the time next Suicide Grunt comes the fallen grenades will explode, killing that Grunt and the rest of them. Ironically, one Elite said, "If only the Unggoy were as committed". It was a wish come true for the Elites but instead became a living nightmare especially since they are used against The Covenant Separatists.

In Halo Wars, Suicide Grunts are a special forces unit, starting with a plasma pistol, being only the leader-specific unit of the Arbiter. These Grunts have large, cylindrical methane tanks on their backs which hold far more of the gas than other Grunt's tanks. These tanks are used as explosives. The grunts charge at their enemies and detonate their methane bombs, causing massive splash damage. An example of this is the fact that at least 10 fully-upgraded Suicide Grunts can destroy a UNSC base. Suicide Grunts will also charge their plasma pistols, making them very effective against the Prophet of Regret, the Spartans, Wraiths and Ghosts with shields and Shield Generators.

When In Combat

File:1215817890 Grunt.jpg

A Minor Grunt fleeing from battle.

File:1220722413 Grunt blood.jpg

A grunt bloodstain from Halo: Combat Evolved.

Suicide Grunts can be very dangerous if not taken care of quickly. To locate and avoid being killed by them it is advisable to take the following three precautions. First, keep an eye out for them - they are usually quite easy to spot since they have a blue glow on each side of them. Second, listen for the Kamikaze Grunts' distinctive screams. This is helpful when you are not using your Motion Tracker. Finally, do not wait for them to explode on their own. The grenades will last a long time unless the Grunt wielding them is killed. A strategy that can work under certain circumstances is to try and lead them near a crowd of enemies and killing it, causing the grunt to drop his grenades and kill nearby enemies. Once the Grunt is killed, the grenades will fall to the ground and detonate, destroying anything in the blast radius of the grenades. This can often be used to your advantage. If there are enemies near by, they may be caught in the blast radius. Be careful though, for the explosion may set off stray grenades lying around on the floor. Often Kamikaze Grunts can be a threat if you are sniping and don't hear the screams. Often, these Kamikaze Grunts are, on higher difficulties, lower ranks, such as the Grunt Minor. It is unknown as to why this is, possibly the fact being that higher ranking Grunts on higher difficulties can prove to be even more dangerous when they don't Kamikaze you and simply use the weapons and tactics they already have, or maybe the lower ranking Grunts do this thinking that this is their only chance of stopping the player from advancing any further.

Gameplay

Halo Wars

In Halo Wars, the Grunt Squad (file) serves as the main infantry unit for the Covenant Army, as goes with all games. On default, the squad is composed of three Unggoy commanded by either an Elite Minor, or a Brute Minor, depending on whichever individual was selected to be the leader unit for the game. They are the direct counterpart to the "Marine Squad" unit of the UNSC, serving as an all-round infantry unit. Though they may be inferior to "Marine Squads", they do move slightly faster. As with all Covenant units, the Grunt Squad is inferior to the Marine Squad, in both armament and skill. Being the main infantry unit, the Grunt Squad is effective against most types of units due to its varied armament. Their standard, primary weapon is the plasma pistol, and their secondary weapon/special ability is the plasma grenade, which is much more effective against light vehicles and even armor.

In-Game Upgrades

Grunts depicted in Halo Wars.

As with all Halo Wars units, the Grunt Squad can receive three upgrades to significantly increase their combat effectiveness. The upgrades are in order as follows.

• Peons - Upgrades the Squad with an additional grunt.
• Needler - Upgrades the Grunts with Needlers rather than Plasma Pistol, increasing their damage.
• Deacon - Adds a Grunt Deacon to the Squad. Deacons will sometimes outlive their Elite/Brute leader and the entire squad. They guide the squad with battle cries and promises of the Great Journey. A Deacon boosts combat values through spirituality. Note that the actual effect of the Deacon is a further increase in damage.

Note: Deacon grunts carry Plasma Pistols rather than Needlers however, the Deacon will charge his plasma pistol when needed.

Suicide Grunts in Halo Wars are a special forces unit only available if the Arbiter is the Leader unit. They can be upgraded to:

• "Zeal": Speed boost while in Suicide mode.
• "Defile": Suicide explosion does extra splash damage.

Flood-Infected Grunt Squad

On some levels, a Grunt squad might become infected by the Flood. Even though the whole squad is infected, the Elite/Brute will be separate as they are called infected Elites, infected Brutes and infected Grunts. The Grunts go through changes in the event.

• The skin turns yellow.
• Their armor automatically turns red.
• Use Plasma pistols instead of Needlers if upgraded.

File:Grunt Animated.jpg

A Grunt as depicted in Red Vs Blue: Animated.

Trivia

• In the Halo 2 Official Guide, it states that Grunt Minors have yellow armor, rather than orange.
• Grunts do have a melee animation, but it is almost never used. It is sometimes used to move debris out of the way. This can be easily seen in the beginning stages of the Halo 2 level Sacred Icon.
• A "Grunt" is also a term used in real life military that is slang for infantrymen.
• In the beginning of the level Delta Halo, in the beginning cinematic there is a Grunt playing with various objects including Master Chief and Grunt action figures as well as fire. The action figures, however, disappear after the cinematic ends.
• In all of the comics, Grunts with cylinders on their back can be seen among the common ones. In Halo: Uprising, when shot at by Myras Tyla with a plasma pistol, they explode, killing their teammates near them. In Halo Wars it is shown that these Grunts are used for suicide bombings and kamikaze attacks.
• It is hinted that when they disobey orders, they are fed to Jackals as punishment.
• In Halo: Combat Evolved, the Grunt's blood is used as a placeholder for all Covenant bodies, even Elites and Jackals.
• Halo Wars is the first and so far only game where Grunts become Combat Forms when infected by the Flood.
• Strangely, the symbol for the Peons research in Halo Wars shows '+2', but in the game it only gives each squad one extra grunt.
• Grunts usually complain when they are ordered to move. This can be commonly heard in Halo Wars as you move a Grunt squad, they will usually say "Go here, go there," as in protest.
• Grunts were recently ranked #5 in Game Informer's "The Top 10 Most Pathetic Enemies" list.Template:Fact
• Grunts were also number 3 in Screwattack´s "Top 10 ass bitches in gaming" list
• In the Halo: Combat Evolved manual, it says that Grunts are approximately 5 feet tall when actually they are only about more than half as tall as an average Marine. It also states that they can be seen wielding Plasma Rifles and Plasma Pistols, but in the game they wield Needlers and Plasma Pistols, and not Plasma Rifles. Also, in the book The Fall of Reach, John-117 and Blue Team encounters some Grunts wielding Plasma Rifles.
• Grunts are affiliated with the most factions of any species in the Halo Universe; the Covenant, the Heretics, the Covenant Separatists, and the Covenant Loyalists.
• Strangely, Bungie actually made an AI tag for a Grunt wielding a Spiker, since these Grunts are extremely rare and rarely seen, and it may or may not be worth it to make a Grunt with a Spiker. The process is easy, however, since you just change their weapon specified and need not make an entirely new file.
• In Red vs Blue: Animated, Grunts have a more aggressive additude and  evil appearence. They're eyes glow and they are not afraid of the enemy and tend to charge head on and beat them up.