ORS-class heavy cruiser

ORS-class heavy cruiser
File:HFB ORS ART.jpg
Production information
Class:	Cruiser
Role:	Survey, occupation support
Technical specifications
Length:	3,000 meters (9,843 feet)
Width:	1,451 meters (4,760 feet)
Engine(s):	Repulsor engines
Slipspace drive:	Equipped
Hull:	Nanolaminate hull plating Equipped with energy shields
Armament:	1x Phar-pattern superheavy excavation beam 1x Ventrax-pattern heavy plasma lances 3x Felo-pattern plasma beam emitters 48x Melusean-pattern heavy plasma cannons 16x Qur-pattern plasma torpedo silos 16x Fet-pattern plasma bombardment mortars 80x Ferriel-pattern pulse lasers
Complement:	Type-31 Seraphs At least 3 Type-28 Ticks
Crew:	Several thousand
Chronological and affiliation
Era:	Human-Covenant War
Affiliation:	Covenant fleet Joyous Exultation Covenant Covenant remnants

The ORS-class heavy cruiser is a capital warship classification within the now-defunct Covenant fleet. It is used for planetary occupation and naval command, as well as to support Covenant flagships. Following the Great Schism, these ships have become invaluable to independent warlords.

Specifications

Equipped with a variety of stealth technology, an energy projector, and plasma turrets, the ORS-class is considerably more powerful than any other cruiser class used by the Covenant. The "O" (for "Ordained") in the cruiser's three-letter classification code indicates that the class has been improved upon with Forerunner technology, specifically a weapons core. The "R" (for "Reverence") denotes that the cruiser is capable of conducting reconnaissance missions and is capable of excavating Forerunner artifacts. The "S" (for "Salvation") indicates that the cruiser is a dedicated warship equipped with a pair of energy projectors.

The ORS-class heavy cruiser fields a vast complement of soldiers and is used as a flagship for small task forces. Although the Reverence-class boasts at least two energy projectors and seven plasma turrets, it is constrained by energy costs. This means it can only fire one energy projector at a time, typically combining its forward-mounted projector with two plasma torpedoes.

Ships of the line

• Blight of the Profane – Commanded by the former Shipmaster Jul 'Mdamaee.
• Foebane (formerly Gathering of Praise) – Destroyed over the planet Carrow in 2558.
• Incorruptible – Destroyed during the Onyx Conflict.
• Unwavering Discipline – Destroyed over the planet Carrow, in 2558.

Halo: Fleet Battles

Covenant ORS Heavy Cruiser

• Cost: 200 points
• Movement: 5"
• Damage Track: 11 • 10 • 5
• Build rating: 4
• Hangars: 5
• Boarding Craft: 3
• Security detail: 4
• System loadouts:
  • Active camouflage
  • Defense array (4)
  • Glide (3")
  • Point defense (5)
• Primary weapon: Plasma lance
  • Range: 18/32"
  • Weapon loadouts: Plasma
  • Firing arc: Forward/Port/Starboard
  • Dice: 14
• Alternative primary weapon: Plasma beam
  • Range: 12/-"
  • Weapon loadouts: Beam/Plasma
  • Firing arc: Forward/Port/Starboard
  • Dice: 9/9/9
• Secondary Weapon: Plasma cannon arrays
  • Range: 10/20"
  • Weapon loadouts: Plasma
  • Firing arc: Forward/Port/Starboard
  • Dice: 10

Covenant Supported ORS Heavy Cruiser

• Cost: 220 points
• Movement: 5"
• Damage Track: 11 • 10 • 6
• Build rating: 5
• Hangars: 6
• Boarding Craft: 3
• Security detail: 5
• System loadouts:
  • Active camouflage
  • Defense array (5)
  • Glide (3")
  • Point defense (6)
• Primary weapon: Plasma lance
  • Range: 18/32"
  • Weapon loadouts: Plasma
  • Firing arc: Forward/Port/Starboard
  • Dice: 14
• Alternative primary weapon: Plasma beam
  • Range: 12/-"
  • Weapon loadouts: Beam/Plasma
  • Firing arc: Forward/Port/Starboard
  • Dice: 9/9/9
• Secondary Weapon: Plasma cannon arrays
  • Range: 10/20"
  • Weapon loadouts: Plasma
  • Firing arc: Forward/Port/Starboard
  • Dice: 12
• Additional secondary weapon: Plasma torpedos
  • Range: 10/24"
  • Weapon loadouts: Missiles/Plasma
  • Firing arc: Forward
  • Dice: 5

Behind the scenes

Browse more images in this article's gallery page.

The ORS-class heavy cruiser was first identified as such in 2011's Halo: The Essential Visual Guide, though its first appearance was as the "Reverence-class" cruiser Incorruptible in 2006's Halo: Ghosts of Onyx. The class' first canonical visual appearance was in Halo: Fleet Battles. As the ORS had never appeared in any visual media prior to 2015, the class had to be designed from scratch for the game. 343 Industries' Franchise Team noted that "Spartan Games 'got' the design language of the Covenant", and so the design of the cruiser went through only a few rounds of iteration. The basic shape was decided upon immediately when the design process began.

The ORS combines design features of the CCS-class battlecruiser, the SDV-class heavy corvette, and the CSO-class supercarrier. The ORS class was intended to be the "big brother" of the CCS class while concomitantly paying homage to the CAS-class assault carrier (which is identical to the CSO). The heavy cruiser was designed to be an apparent visual link between Covenant cruiser and carrier classes in terms of size.

Gallery

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  The heavy cruiser viewed from multiple angles.

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  An overhead view of the ship class.

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  A scale comparison of the ORS to other Covenant warship classes.

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  The prow of the heavy cruiser.

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List of appearances

• Halo: First Strike (First appearance)
• Halo: Ghosts of Onyx
• Halo: Glasslands (Mentioned only)
• Halo: Fleet Battles
• Halo Mythos
• Halo: Envoy