User blog:Sclera1/List of Covenant vehicles in Halo

In the fictional Halo universe, the Covenant possess a wide array of vehicles. Unlike human vehicles, Covenant vehicles (with a few exceptions) use anti-gravity propulsion, making their vehicles float a few feet above the ground. Typically, Covenant vehicles are painted a deep, solid purple, a stark contrast to the more camouflage-oriented designs of human vehicles. As another contrast, Covenant vehicles can usually be destroyed in Halo Combat Evolved, while human vehicles are most often invincible. This changes in Halo 2, where vehicle destruction is possible on either side. All of the Covenant vehicles, with the exception of the Brute Chopper, Scarab and Brute Prowler, have names relating to or pertaining to ghosts or invisibility, whereas their UNSC counterparts are named after animals.

Brute Chopper
The Type-25 Rapid Assault Vehicle (best known as Brute Chopper) is a lightly-armoured, single-axis motorbike, presumably the Covenant Loyalist analog to the Covenant Separatist Ghost. The Brute Chopper is introduced in Halo 3.

The Brute Chopper is a large and stubborn vehicle, basically one massive engine strapped to the front-end of an otherwise tiny frame. Furthermore, the cockpit is relatively open, aside from the large engine blocking the front. It makes up for this in speed, which can be temporarily doubled to surprise opponents. The primary purpose of the Brute Chopper is rapid-assaults, using blades on the engine and its four 35mm cannons, combined with its speed, to quickly run through enemy lines and retreat just as quickly.

In Contact Harvest, it was revealed that the first Choppers were built by an Engineer from a crashed Spirit Dropship and captured human harvesting vehicles. Originally intended as a peace offering to the humans, it was later repurposed by the Brutes.

Ghost
The Type-32 Rapid Assault Vehicle (which is best known as Ghost) is a small, single-seat, ground-attack vehicle introduced in Halo: Combat Evolved. Highly maneuverable and possessing dual plasma cannons capable of continuous rapid fire, the Ghost is the Covenant's primary assault vehicle. In Halo: Combat Evolved, only the Elites pilot Ghosts, but Brutes and Grunts are able to pilot them in Halo 2. Though the Ghosts are formidable in combat, they offer little protection to the pilot and can be destroyed, discouraging reckless attacks.

Halo 2 sees the introduction of two new features to the Ghosts: a speed boost and a destructible fuel tank. The boost disables the weapons and makes the vehicle go considerably faster, allowing the player to easily run down enemies. The fuel tank is located behind the left wing of the vehicle, which precision fire can detonate, both killing the occupant and destroying the vehicle.

Spectre
Introduced in Halo 2 (and only in this version), the Spectre is the Covenant analog to the UNSC Warthog. It is a high-speed vehicle with a rapid-fire plasma turret on the rear, which must be manned by a gunner to be used. It can also carry two passengers aside from the gunner.

Like the Warthog, the Spectre sacrifices maneuverability for speed, possessing a boost for extra speed but poor lateral motion while moving. Unlike most vehicles, the boost does not disable the weapons. The pilots are also exposed, allowing them to be shot out of the vehicle.

Wraith
The Type-25 Wraith (best known as Wraith), introduced in Halo: Combat Evolved, is the heavily-armed and armored counterpart to the single-person Ghost. Essentially a massive mortar launcher, the Wraith functions as the Covenant's main battle tank.There is also an Anti-Air (Type-52 AAA) Wraith featured in "Halo 3" which replaces the plasma mortar with six rapid-firing fuel rod cannons which self-detonate after a set distance, making it unnecessary to score a direct hit on the target. The Wraith's primary weapon is its plasma-based mortar launcher, which launches slow-moving but highly powerful blasts of plasma. The shots arc when fired, allowing the Wraith to hit objects outside its line of sight. A pair of plasma cannons also allow the Wraith to hit fast-moving targets in Halo 2 but in Halo 3 these are replaced by a turret operated by a second person. The Wraith also possesses a boost to make up for its slow speed, and its hovering method of propulsion allows it to dodge in ways that its UNSC counterpart, the Scorpion MBT, cannot. Also introduced in Halo 3 the Wraith's fusion core intake which is located on the back of the vehicle. If the protective covering is blasted, burnt, or knocked off, it exposes the intake, of which a single melee attack or grenade will destroy the Wraith.

Scarab
The Type-47 Ultra Heavy Assault Platform (best known as Scarab, which is named for its similarity to the Earth scarab) is the only Covenant vehicle that does not hover; instead it walks on four hydraulically-operated, pointed legs. In Halo 2, it is also one of the few vehicles that cannot be destroyed by weapons fire (yet in Halo 3, the player must use weapons to destroy it). It is originally introduced in Halo 2.

In Halo 2, the Scarab is equipped with a massive plasma cannon at its front and a secondary defensive cannon, the latter of which can be destroyed. It is crewed by two or more Elites, accompanied by a mixed contingent of defensive troops (Elites and Grunts) to hold off boarders. The only way to disable it is to board it and kill its crew.

The Halo 3 Scarab has several dramatic changes: its back turret is larger, it can be destroyed by heavy weapons and vehicles firing at its nucleus, and it is controlled by the game's artificial intelligence as opposed to Halo 2's method of scripted movement.This version is known as the Scarab Tank. This version is, as opposed to a crew, controlled by a Lekgolo worm network.

In "Halo Wars" there is a Scarab that has purple armor and seems stronger than its counterparts'. Also, it has the ability to climb vertical surfaces and is much smaller (its main beam is smaller as well, but has the same destructive power as the beams of Halo 2's Scarabs). It seems that the only way to destroy it is to call in an air strike of some sort. Unlike the other two iterations of the Scarab, this one lacks a turret.

Brute Prowler
Introduced in Halo 3, the Type-52 Infantry Support Vehicle (best known as Brute Prowler) is the Brute's version of the Spectre, with the main body resembling the Brute Chopper. It also has rails on the bottom that resembles a sled. Unlike the Spectre, the Prowler is incapable of moving horizontally.

Shadow
The Shadow is the Covenant's primary APC, transporting light vehicles such as Ghosts and Spectres onto the battefield. It does not, however, deploy any personnel in-game.

Though the transport itself is well armoured, its contents are not: both the pilot and the vehicles can be shot and destroyed before they exit the Shadow. A rapid-fire plasma cannon is mounted high on its front section to fend off infantry. While a human player cannot pilot the vehicle, they can use the turret if they can manage to kill the operator.

Though the Shadow cannot normally be piloted, modded hardware can allow for it. Additionally, the use of such hardware reveals that the vehicle is capable of carrying infantry, specifically Grunts and Elites (who have unique animations for sitting and piloting the vehicle).

Additionally, this vehicle only appears in Halo 2

Banshee
The airborne equivalent of the Ghost, the Type-26 Ground Support Aircraft (best known as Banshee) is a lightly-armored, single-person fighter. Like the Ghost, it is equipped with two primary plasma cannons. It also sports a fuel rod cannon for larger targets. The Banshee was first introduced in Halo: Combat Evolved, and gets its name from the eerie howling/shrieking sound it makes while in flight, which sounds akin to the mythical creatures of Irish mythology.

Being an aircraft, the Banshee has the ability to fly, which allows it to fly well out of range of attack, flying into range only to strafe its targets and retreat. The gravity-manipulation pods mounted on the ends of its rudimentary wings allow it to execute tactical maneuvers such as barrel rolls and flips (only in Halo 2 and 3). Such maneuvers can be used to dodge most enemy fire, even the homing rockets employed by UNSC personnel. It can take off from a standing position. Halo 2 sees the introduction of a boost feature to the vehicle, as with most others. Like the others, its weapons are disabled while the boost is active.

While the Banshee is pilot-able in every Halo game, its fuel rod cannon is restricted to campaign mode in the first and second games, but has it in multi-player mode in Halo 3. It was removed from Halo: Combat Evolved's multi-player but was added in the PC version.

Phantom
Another UNSC analong, the Type-52 Troop Carrier (best known as "Phantom") is the Covenant's equivalent to the UNSC Pelican, introduced in Halo 2. It is capable of delivering more troops than the Spirit and at a faster rate. It can also transport heavier support vehicles, specifically the Wraith. It also sports three times the firepower of its counterpart: three free-floating plasma turrets on the underside.

While the Phantom, like the Spirit, is invulnerable to small arms fire, its three main cannons are not. In Halo 3, they can be destroyed. Furthermore, in Halo 3, Phantoms are vulnerable to heavy vehicular weapons, such as the 90mm cannon on the M808B Scorpion MBT. They can also be shot down using the missiles mounted on the Hornet, the UNSC analog to the Banshee.

Also in Halo 3, the Elites' Phantoms are green instead of the original purple color and can utilize an active camouflage system.

Seraph
The Seraph-Class Starfighter is the Covenant's interceptor aircraft, a more powerful alternative to the Banshee. Though similarly armed, its weapons (two plasma cannons and a secondary plasma torpedo) do more damage.

The vehicle is first discussed in-game during the Covenant's assault on the Heretic fortress. It is first viewed during the Cairo Station action, flying past the airlock as two UNSC Longsword fighters pursue it. During the final action of the assault, Elite Special Operations commander Rtas 'Vadumee mentions the fighter as a means of escape for the Heretic Leader. It is first seen clearly in a boss battle between the Arbiter and the Heretic Leader.

It is described as being "teardrop shaped" in Halo: The Flood and Halo: First Strike

Spirit
The DX-Class Dropship (best known as Spirit) is the Covenant's standard dropship, able to deposit both a small number of troops and light vehicles onto a battlefield. A single defensive plasma cannon (a Shade cannon) discourages approaching the dropship during such times. It is introduced in Halo: Combat Evolved.

The Spirit is completely invincible in-game; however, Halo: The Flood describes it as fairly easy to ground through the coordinated use of anti-air weaponry. This vehicle can only be piloted through various game modifications.

The Spirit was phased out in Halo 2 and Halo 3 in favor of the Phantom dropship.