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{{era|H2|H3|H3R|GOO|CH|}}
{{Status|Canon}}
{{ratings}}
{{Center|''This article is about the xeno-arthropodal species. For other uses of Drone, see [[Drone|here]].''}}
<center>''For other uses, see [[Drone]].''</center>
{{Species infobox
{{Covenant Character Infobox
|name=Yanme'e
|name=Yanme'e (''Turpis rex'')
|image=[[File:Yanmee H2A.png|300px]]
|image= [[Image:Palamok.jpg|300px]]
|latin=''Turpis rex''
|classification=Arthropod
|subspecies=
|diet=Carnivorous
|height={{Convert|177.8|cm|ft}}–{{Convert|205.8|cm|ft}}<ref name="ENC">'''[[Halo Encyclopedia (2009 edition)]]''', ''pages 148-149''</ref><ref name="vis">'''[[Halo: The Essential Visual Guide]]''', ''page 51''</ref>
|weight={{Convert|169.7|lb|kg|disp=flip}}–{{Convert|279.9|lb|kg|disp=flip}}{{Ref/Reuse|ENC}}{{Ref/Reuse|vis}}
|distinctions=Xeno-arthropodal morphology, beetle-like wings and exoskeleton. Flight-capable. Vestigial third pair of limbs 
on abdomen
|lifespan=
|homeworld=[[Palamok]]
|homeworld=[[Palamok]]
|height=5 feet, 10 inch (179 cm)
|techlevel=Native Tier 4/Adopted Tier 2{{Ref/Reuse|bestiarum}}
|weight=127 pounds
|notable-person=*"[[Hopalong]]"
|skincolor=Green-yellow
*[[Tek'ch]]
|distinctions=Insect-like creatures with Beetle-like wings. They also have the ability to fly. Small fourth and third leg 
|othernames=*Drone<ref name="cftu">'''[[Halo 2]]''', ''[[Conversations from the Universe]]''</ref>
at the sides of its small abdomen.They can carry people.
*Roach{{Ref/Reuse|cftu}}
|weapons=*[[Type-25 Directed Energy Pistol]]
*Bug/Buggers{{Ref/Reuse|cftu}}
*[[Type-33 Guided Munitions Launcher]]
|languages=
*[[Type-25 Directed Energy Rifle/Jiralhanae Variant|Brute Plasma Rifle]] ("Leaders" only)
|types=*[[Drone Minor|Minor]]
*[[Drone Major|Major]]
*[[Yanme'e Queen|Queen]]
|affiliation=[[Covenant]], later [[Covenant Loyalist]]
|notable
|othernames=*Drone
*Roach  
*Bug/Buggers
}}
}}
{{quote|Drones aren't brave; they're just incapable of feeling fear.|Bungie.net's description of Drones.}}
{{Quote|The flying Yanme'e, simply called the Drones by some, tend to a hivelike society, eusocial and separated by castes, each with its own tasks, subject to the will of a matriarchal queen.|From the [[Zo Resken|Prophet of Clarity]]'s ''[[Notes on the History of the Covenant]]''<ref name="bc186">'''[[Halo: Broken Circle]]''', ''page 186''</ref>}}


The '''Yanme<nowiki>'</nowiki>e''' (Latin ''Turpis rex'', translated to "dishonourable king"<ref name="Beast">[http://carnage.bungie.org/haloforum/halo.forum.pl?read=865756 HBO Forums]  ''Turpis'' means "dishonourable, disgraceful". ''Rex'' means "king".</ref>), also referred to by [[Humans]] as '''Drones''', are a race of sentient, flight-capable insectoid warriors who make up part of the alien religious alliance known as the [[Covenant]].  
The '''Yanme'e''' ([[Latin]], ''Turpis rex'', translated to "dishonorable king"<ref name="Beast">[http://carnage.bungie.org/haloforum/halo.forum.pl?read=865756 '''halo.bungie.org''': ''Bestiarum Latin names translated'']</ref>), referred to by some individuals as '''Drones'''{{Ref/Reuse|bc186}} or '''Buggers''',{{Ref/Reuse|cftu}} are a race of [[Sentience|sentient]], carnivorous, flight-capable insectoids.<ref name="waypointarticle">[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/universe/species/yanme-e-drones '''Halo Waypoint''': ''Yanme'e'']</ref> The Yanme'e were one of the species that composed the religious hegemony known as the [[Covenant]], having become the body's second client species in [[1112|1112 CE]].<ref name="bestiarum">'''[[Halo 3]]''', ''[[Bestiarum]]''</ref> In combat, the Yanme'e served as mechanics and soldiers, often using their ability to fly to carry out ambushes on enemies of the Covenant.{{Ref/Reuse|ENC}}


They are informally referred to by [[UNSC]] infantry as '''"buggers"''' or '''"Drones"'''. Although they have been part of the Covenant for some time, they have just recently been put to use as combatants in the war against the [[Humans]]. Their mastery of antigravity flight assistance has give them an almost insurmountable strategic advantage in combat <ref name="halo2book">Halo 2 instructional manual</ref>. They usually travel in swarms of about 12 to 50.
==History==
The Yanme'e evolved from winged tree-dwelling arthropods on [[Palamok]] which had developed complex [[Wikipedia:motor skill|motor skills]] due to a flexible appendage made up of chitin that functioned as an opposable thumb. Eventually, the species developed higher levels of technology that ultimately led to the evolution of the Yanme'e species, due to societal coordination and cooperation.{{Ref/Reuse|waypointarticle}} The [[Forerunner]]s noted that the Yanme'e were one of the few sapient, arthropodal species in the [[Milky Way]] galaxy that were competent enough to attain tool-making and technological skills.{{Ref/Reuse|bestiarum}}


==Background==
===The Covenant===
The Yanme'e are human sized, insectoid creatures that are covered in natural chitinous body [[armor]], which affords them rather limited protection against modern weaponry, except for the higher rank versions, which offers strong energy shields. Yamme'e typically mount small antigravity devices on their exoskeleton to assist in flight<ref name="halo2book">Halo 2 instructional manual</ref>. It seems, like the other ''[[Covenant]]'' species, Yanme'e share a ranking system in colored armor but it is unclear who is the leader in a swarm. They do not interact with other species except to trade and serve in a military capacity<ref>[http://www.halo3.com www.halo3.com] - Species Bio.</ref> and their exact position in the [[Covenant Hierarchy]] is relatively unknown, although it is reasonable to believe that they are higher in rank than [[Grunts]] and [[Jackals]], but lower rank than [[Elites]] and [[Brutes]]. They are usually used as mechanical crews on ships when [[Engineers]] are not available, though they aren't as effective as the [[Engineers]]. In jealousy, they even killed an Engineer named [[Lighter Than Some]] onboared the covenant vessel [[Rapid Conversion]] when the Huragok was assigned all the drone's tasks. After the [[Covenant Civil War]] began, almost all of the Yanme'e took the side of the [[Covenant Loyalists]]. The Yanme'e replace [[Elite Ranger]]s, as they are much more suited to fly.
Eventually, the Yanme'e became an interstellar-faring, [[Technological Achievement Tiers#Tier 4: Space Age|Tier-4]] species. The Yanme'e first encountered the [[Covenant]] in the year [[1112]], while the Covenant was searching for Forerunner artifacts.<ref>'''Halo Encyclopedia: The Definitive Guide to the Halo Universe''', ''page 159'' (2011 edition)</ref> Initially, first contact was violent as the Yanme'e attempted to resist the alien invaders. Both sides took heavy casualties, but surprisingly,{{Ref/Reuse|bestiarum}} it was the Covenant who fared worse in these battles due to the sheer amount of Yanme'e combatants.{{Ref/Reuse|ENC}} However, the Covenant was unwilling to [[glassing|glass]] Palamok, as the [[San'Shyuum]] believed that Palamok's hives could be guarding Forerunner relics on the planet's surface. The San'Shyuum eventually found an effective way to communicate with the Yanme'e, and subsequently incorporated them into the Covenant by way of a treaty in an effort to prevent a prolonged war. Exploration of Palamok following the war provided no evidence of former Forerunner artifacts on the planet.{{Ref/Reuse|waypointarticle}} The San'Shyuum were quick to make use of their talent for repairing machinery, and employed them as mechanics on Covenant vessels.<ref>'''Halo Encyclopedia: The Definitive Guide to the Halo Universe''', ''page 31''</ref> An assembly of Yanme'e [[Yanme'e Queen|Hive Queens]] was formed, and they conscripted members of the drone caste into the [[Covenant military]].{{Ref/Reuse|bc186}}


The Yanme'e are a eusocial species; meaning their society usually consists of a single reproductive queen, reproductive males and non-reproductive female workers and/or soldiers. Because of this, they can be extremely dogmatic and hive minded<ref name="Contact">[[Halo: Contact Harvest]]</ref>; something that may have made for an easy conversion into the [[Covenant]] hierarchy. They were one of the newest races to join the [[Covenant]]. They are respected by the other [[Covenant]] for their natural intelligence, obedience, and technological skill. Their skills with technology have brought them into an often violent rivalry with the [[Huragok]], as seen in [[Halo: Contact Harvest]].
The Yanme'e were one of the first species to make contact with [[humanity]], on the human colony of [[Harvest]] in [[2525|February 2525]]. They were first identified by the [[United Nations Space Command]] in the [[First Battle of Harvest#Siege on Gladsheim|siege]] of [[Gladsheim]], a small town on Harvest.<ref>'''[[Halo: Contact Harvest]]''', ''page 286''</ref> During the later fight on the [[Tiara]], several Yanme'e killed the [[Huragok]] [[Lighter Than Some]] out of jealousy, causing the enraged [[Unggoy]] [[Deacon]] [[Dadab]] to slaughter them in revenge.<ref>'''[[Halo: Contact Harvest]]'''</ref>
While they have been in the Covenant for hundreds of years, for unknown reasons, they were not intentionally used in any major Covenant campaigns until the [[Battle of Earth]], possibly due to their small and weak stature. The Yanme'e fought for the Covenant Loyalists during the Covenant Civil War. Some may possibly have joined the Separatists after the Civil War, although it is unknown if any actually did.


The Yanme'e, much like the [[Grunts]] and [[Hunters]], are a conquered race that was forced into service by the [[Covenant]]. Despite this, unlike those other races, they remained with the [[Covenant Loyalist]] faction during the [[Covenant Civil War]]. They strictly follow the [[Covenant]] religion and obey any command without question, yet do not partake in social norms due to communication difficulties with other species. They view the [[Prophet]]s as "Queens", a remnant of their former hive lifestyle. The Queens of the Drones have been described as "enormous" and had to be supported by multiple wingless Drone males. The Drones' language is a cacophony of high-pitched clicking or screeches from the rubbing of their waxy, leaf like wings<ref name="Contact">[[Halo: Contact Harvest]]</ref>. They are also capable of making loud screeching "vocalizations" that is likely produced by forcing air through their respiratory system or by some other sound making organ.
After the [[Hierarchs]] declared war on humanity, Yanme'e were used as military combatants against UNSC forces. They were deployed during many major conflicts, including the [[Fall of Reach]]. During  the [[Battle of Meridian]], five or six Yanme'e were deployed by an {{Pattern|Ceudar|heavy corvette}} to finish off the survivors of a boat it had fired upon. [[Dorian Nguyen]] was able to kill one by slamming it with a guitar, crumpling its wings and sending the Yanme'e into the sea. Dorian managed to escape, but the Yanme'e slaughtered the hundreds of other people on the boat, including Dorian's friends and bandmates.<ref>'''[[Halo: Battle Born]]''', ''Chapter 4''</ref>


===Anatomy and Physiology===
During the [[Battle for Earth]], they boarded [[orbital defense platform]]s along with other Covenant infantry.<ref>'''Halo 2''', campaign level, ''[[Cairo Station]]''</ref> When the Covenant made landfall in [[New Mombasa]], the Yanme'e immediately established a large hive in the [[Superintendent|Superintendent's]] data center.{{Ref/Reuse|Datahive}}
The Yanme'e are not true insects, as they do not share a common ancestry (as far as we know) with Terrain life. The Yanme'e have segmented bodies supported by an exoskeleton, a hard outer covering made of what may be mostly chitin. It is not known for sure if the Yanme'e exoskeleton consists of true chitin, but considering its abundance in unrelated species on Earth it's certainly possible. In reality, pure chitin is actually leathery, rather than hard. Arthropods with hard exoskeletons combine calcium and chitin to make for a harder support structure.


Unlike insects, which have three body sections, or tagmata, the segments of the Yanme'e body are broken into five: a head, a cephalothorax, a thorax, a pelvis and an abdomen. The head supports a pair of sensory antennae and a pair of compound eyes. The mouth consists of sets of mandibles like those found on insects. The cephalothorax, or "neck", most likely houses what must be an enlarged brain. The thorax has a pair of segmented arms with razor sharp claws, and two pairs of wings; complete with beetle like wing covers. The first pair of legs are attached to a pelvis like structure, while the second pair is attached to the abdomen. The last set of limbs may help the Yanme'e latch onto surfaces, but otherwise appear vestigial.
During the [[Great Schism]], the Yanme'e joined the San'Shyuum and the [[Jiralhanae]].<ref>'''Halo 2''', campaign level, ''[[Uprising]]''</ref> Many were present as combatants during the [[Battle of Installation 00]].<ref>'''Halo 3''', campaign level, ''[[The Ark (level)|The Ark]]''</ref>


Yanme'e exoskeletons are covered with multiple bumps, grooves, indentations and markings. Many of the markings may have evolved as camouflage. On close inspection these markings bear resemblance to a head. This is reminiscent of many Earth insect species that bear markings that confuse predators into attacking less vital parts of their anatomy.
===Post-war===
After the Human-Covenant War, many Yanme'e happily returned to their [[Napret system|home system]].{{Ref/Reuse|waypointarticle}} In [[2554]],<ref name="catalog">[https://forums.halowaypoint.com/yaf_postsm2994218_Catalog-Interaction.aspx#post2994218 '''Halo Waypoint''': ''Catalog Interaction (Page 43)'']</ref> Many Yanme'e served in [[Tem'Bhetek's faction]] which attempted to use the [[Prototype Halo installation]] to destroy [[Sanghelios]] and the Sangheili. Many were killed by [[Rtas 'Vadum]] and [[Tul 'Juran]] after mortally wounding [[Tem'Bhetek]] with the remaining ones trying desperately to get to [[Boru'a'Neem]] to stop him from firing the miniature Halo again. They were killed when Tem destroyed the installation.<ref>'''[[Halo: Shadow of Intent]]'''</ref> A large number of Yanme'e were present during the [[Battle of Draetheus V]], serving in [[Merg Vol]]'s [[Merg Vol's Covenant|Covenant]].<ref>'''[[Halo: Spartan Assault]]'''</ref> Many more served in [[Jul 'Mdama]]'s [[Jul 'Mdama's Covenant|Covenant]] during the [[Battle of Installation 03]].<ref>'''[[Halo: Spartan Strike]]'''</ref> For the most part, though, the Yanme'e mostly kept to themselves. The UNSC attempted a "don't poke the nest" policy toward the Yanme'e, attempting to avoid direct provocation while the UNSC focused on more immediate threats within the [[Covenant remnants]]. This policy was largely successful, though there were exceptions.<ref>'''[[Halo: New Blood]]''', ''Chapter 16''</ref>


Very little is known about Yanme'e internal anatomy, but we can make some educated inferences based on what has been witnessed in combat. Yanme'e blood appears a mix of green and grey substances which implies they may have an open circulatory system like insects. The Yanme'e can live for a unknown amount of time in zero gee conditions, a strong argument against the open circulatory system. The Yanme'e are too large to rely entirely on the same type of trachea system found in insects; instead they may have some form of true lung system that delivers oxygen directly to the hemolymph, which in turn may carry copper containing hemocyannins (or something similar) instead of hemoglobin though they can do without atmosphere for an unknown though logicaly limited period of time.
When [[Cortana]] made her offer at the beginning of the [[Created conflict]] to the species of the galaxy, she did not include the Yanme'e in her list of species that she offered to fall under her protection. Upon hearing her message, Spartan [[Edward Buck]] noted her exclusion of the Yanme'e and didn't blame Cortana for excluding them as the Yanme'e creeped him out.<ref>'''[[Halo 5: Guardians]]''', campaign level ''[[Guardians]]''</ref><ref>'''[[Halo: Bad Blood]]''', ''page 5''</ref>


There seem to be several different varieties - a copper-colored type<ref>''[[Halo: Contact Harvest]]'', pg. </ref>, and two green varieties. Though physical details of the copper type are unknown, the first of the green varieties differs from the other in a different mandible structure, feathery antennae, and a lighter coloration<ref>''[[Halo 2]]''</ref>. The second green type has a more insectile mandible structure, more simple antennae, and a darker coloration<ref>''[[Halo 3]]''</ref>. Whether these traits are indicative of different tasks or functions, or simply a result of genetic variation, is unknown.
==Description==
===Anatomy and physiology===
[[File:Drones1.jpg|thumb|250px|Diversity of Yanme'e protectors hanging asleep from a [[Kez'katu-pattern Phantom|Phantom]].]]
{{Quote|They're built kinda like beetles, and they flit around on twinned pairs of transparent wings that flap faster than you can see.|[[Edward Buck]] on the Yanme'e<ref name="nb69">'''Halo: New Blood''', ''pages 69-70'' (Google Play edition)</ref>}}
The Yanme'e share many similarities with [[Earth]]’s beetles and colonial insects. They are bipedal arthropods with hard exoskeletons made from a glossy chitinous substance, as well as two pairs of veined wings. These adaptations are a response to the high gravity of the Yanme'e homeworld, [[Palamok]]; their shells allow them to withstand hard falls, and the thick atmosphere of Palamok allows the winged Yanme'e to achieve just enough lift to perform fluttering leaps or naturally short bursts of flight.<ref name="enc309">'''Halo Encyclopedia: The Definitive Guide to the Halo Universe''', ''page 309'' (2011 edition)</ref> In lower-gravity environments, Yanme'e are capable of using their wings for actual aerial maneuvering, but the weight of their exoskeletons prevent them from flying.{{Ref/Reuse|ENC}} When the [[Covenant]] discovered this natural ability, scientists extended their flight capabilities by fixing gravity-dampening modules to their bodies. The module adjustment gave the Yanme'e the ability to take flight freely, and the species proved to be impressive fliers—particularly on worlds that had less gravity than Palamok.{{Ref/Reuse|waypointarticle}} Yanme'e are also impressively strong, despite their frail appearance. They can also be seen lifting their enemies off the ground to impressive heights.{{Ref/Reuse|nb69}}<ref name="h3 crow">'''Halo 3''', campaign level, ''[[Crow's Nest]]''</ref>


During the level Data Hive on Halo 3:&nbsp;ODST two of them can be seen sitting on two dead NMPD officers in the lower tunnels, apparently eating the corpses. While the Drones sleep, they do so hanging upside down from the ceiling, similar to bats.
Unlike Earth insects, which have three body segments, Yanme'e have five: a head, a cephalothorax, a thorax, a pelvis, and an abdomen. The head supports a pair of feathery sensory antennae and luminous,<ref>'''Halo: Contact Harvest''', ''page 202''</ref> compound eyes that give the species adept vision.<ref name="ch267">'''Halo: Contact Harvest''', ''page 267''</ref> The mouth consists of several sets of mandibles like those found on insects. Their hands sport opposable thumbs and three dextrous fingers. Yanme'e are "polydextrous", meaning that they are capable of using both their prehensile hands and feet to operate tools. The primary pair of legs are attached to a pelvis-like structure, while a smaller pair is attached to the abdomen. Although they generally use their primary set of limbs, Yanme'e can use this last set of limbs to operate weapons, grasp enemies, or latch on to ceilings and hang down vertically during sleep.{{Ref/Reuse|waypointarticle}}<ref>'''Halo 3: ODST'''</ref> The Yanme'e have extremely sharp claws, located on all limbs,<ref>'''Halo: Contact Harvest''', ''page 371''</ref> that they can use to defend themselves if necessary, though they prefer to avoid close-quarters combat.<ref name="ENC159">'''Halo Encyclopedia: The Definitive Guide to the Halo Universe''', ''page 159''</ref> Yanme'e are a carnivorous species. Early in their history, the Yanme'e developed and bred types of feral livestock for food.{{Ref/Reuse|bestiarum}}


===Social Behavior and Caste Structure===
There is essentially no apparent sexual dimorphism between male and female Yanme'e. Yanme'e exoskeletons are brightly colored, with different hues representing different functions or class.{{Ref/Reuse|waypointarticle}} Adolescent, or pupal, Yanme'e have translucent shells that glow luminescent yellow and orange. Almost nothing is known about the Yanme'e life cycle beyond the fact that the queen lays eggs. It is possible that the Yanme'e go through a complete metamorphosis including an egg, larva, pupae and adult stage, as many terrestrial insects and arthropods do.
As mentioned before, the Yanme'e are a eusocial species. They live in colonies built around a single reproductive queen, wingless males, workers and soldiers. The following section will use the correct scientific terminology for eusocial insect castes, rather than the more common UNSC slang names given to this species.


*'''[[Yanme'e Queen|Queen]]'''
To [[human]]s, Yanme'e have a natural musty odor.{{Ref/Site|URL=http://halo.bungie.net/projects/odst/guide.aspx|Site=Bungie.net|Page=Halo 3 ODST : Field Guide - Drone|D=25|M=05|Y=2013|LocalArchive=Archive:Bungie.net/Halo 3: ODST: Field Guide#Enemies}}
The queen is the central figure of the hive. Her primary role, as with ants and bees, is to propagate the species. Being a sentient species, the queen likely serves as an absolute matriarchal leader, making her a queen in the literal sense as well. The queen has been described as being large with the distended, egg producing abdomen seen in queen termites. This extra bulk would likely limit the queen's mobility. It has been observed that her weight is supported by at least six wingless male drones. It is not likley that a single queen could support an entire speices so there is likely multiple, though possible subordinent, queens


*'''Drones (Males)'''
===Intelligence===
These are drones in the true sense of the word. They are the reproductive male caste of the hive, like drone bees. The term "drone" is often incorrectly used for the worker caste of many eusocial species. Little is known about their appearance other than that they are wingless. To prevent inbreeding, the drones would have to come from an unrelated hive. It's likely that they have wings earlier in their lives so they can travel, but they are later lost or removed after mating with the queen. This behavior can be seen in ants and termites. Like the males of eusocial insects, they probably lack any natural weaponry and have enlarged eyes. The males probably exist for the sole purpose of fertilizing the queen, as well as caring for her and move her from place to place. The lack of wings may also render them "mute" as it seems the Yanme'e use their wings to communicate<ref name="Contact">[[Halo: Contact Harvest]]</ref>.
Yanme'e are a eusocial species, and therefore their intelligence is geared toward working in concert with large groups. They can accomplish tasks swiftly and efficiently when working together, and their knowledge of machinery is rivaled only by the [[Huragok]]. However, they lack individuality because of their hive lifestyle; their instincts and societal conditioning suppress creative thought and encourage total obedience to authority. They do not appear to experience higher emotions; it is known that they are able to feel jealousy, as seen when they killed the Huragok [[Lighter Than Some]] because he usurped their role as technician on board ''[[Rapid Conversion]]''.<ref name="ch369">'''Halo: Contact Harvest''', ''page 369''</ref> Yanme'e were allegedly incapable of feeling fear.<ref name="bungiestates">[http://halo.bungie.net/Stats/GameStatsCampaignHalo3.aspx?gameid=20779 '''Bungie.net:''' ''Stats'']</ref> Despite their hive-minded nature, Yanme'e are still individually quite intelligent.{{Ref/Reuse|nb69}}
 
*'''Workers and Soldiers'''  
As with many species of ants, there may not be a true division in the worker and soldier caste, but the two may simply be different sizes of worker. Most insect workers are biologically female, but incapable of reproduction. Within the worker/soldier caste, there appear to be minors (workers) and majors (soldiers). Minors are the most common form and have a very low (as low or lower than the grunts) position in Covenant society. Majors could represent a separate soldier caste: they have larger wings, fly faster, are more skilled in combat and often carry Needlers.


===Rank===
Certain Yanme'e are unable to function in a hive society due to a form of personality disorder; these "[[Unmutuals]]" are capable of independent thought and tactical planning, although they tend to be extremely violent and aggressive. However, some of these Yanme'e appear to be very intelligent independently.<ref name="BI26">'''[[Halo: Evolutions]]''', "[[Blunt Instruments]]", ''page 26''</ref> [[Hopalong|One]] individual was able to tamper with the inner circuitry of a [[UNSC]] [[Interrogator]] and allowed the device to translate the Yanme'e language into [[English]] in a matter of seconds.<ref name="BI13">'''Halo: Evolutions''', "Blunt Instruments", ''page 13''</ref>
While there is no clearly stated rank structure, it can be surmised. The bright green Drones are clearly the weakest. In keeping with tradition, this would mean that they are of the lowest rank. The pale green Drones are just a little bit tougher than the other green ones. The blue and white Drones are tougher than the green ones, but if the [[Thunderstorm]] skull is turned on during the [[Data Hive]] mission in Halo 3: ODST, all non-leader Drones appear white. This would put the white Drones at a higher rank than the blue ones. The ODST service record on bungie.net shows a separate rank known as Drone Leaders. These are the red and gold varieties. There is no clear superior between these two types; however, red drones are much more commonly encountered in Firefight. If this is taken to mean that the gold drones are of a higher rank, it would be in keeping with the rank structure previously established by the Elites.


===Reproduction and Life Cycle===
==Culture==
Almost nothing is known about the Yanme'e life cycle beyond the fact that the queen lays eggs. It's possible that the Yanme'e go through a complete metamorphosis including a egg, larva, pupae and adult stage, but it's equally possible they do not.  
The Yanme'e are an insectoid species with a hive-minded social structure. Their society consists of reproductive [[Yanme'e Queen|queen]]s, reproductive male drones and non-reproductive workers and soldiers. It is unknown if the soldier and worker caste is specific to one gender or another, but it is confirmed that the Yanme'e worker [[Hopalong]] was a male. Because of their eusocial nature, they can be extremely dogmatic and hive-minded,{{Ref/Reuse|ch267}} a trait that may have made for an easy conversion into the Covenant hierarchy. The Hive Queen is the center of Yanme'e society and culture, to the point of her being the reason for the species' technological progress and advancement. This includes most major advances in science and other technology that typically results in emphasized protection and augmentation of the queen and the hives.{{Ref/Reuse|waypointarticle}}


===Intelligence===
Yanme'e obeyed the commands of the higher castes without question in the [[Covenant]], but had little concept of religion and did not partake in social norms due to communication difficulties with other species. They referred to the [[San'Shyuum]] as "Queens", a remnant of their former hive lifestyle.{{Ref/Reuse|bestiarum}} They did not interact with other Covenant member races except to trade resources and to serve in the military, where they typically serve as mechanics and repair crews on warships. Although highly skilled with technology, they aren't nearly as effective as [[Huragok]]; this has often brought them into a state of rivalry with [[Huragok]], and in jealousy, the Yanme'e aboard ''[[Rapid Conversion]]'' even killed a Huragok named [[Lighter Than Some]] when it was assigned all of their former tasks.{{Ref/Reuse|ch369}}
Drones probably operate under a collective hive mind, but there is little known about individual drone intelligence and emotional capability. It ''is'' known that they are able to feel jealousy; as seen when they killed [[Engineer]] [[Lighter Than Some]] because he usurped their role as technician on ''[[Rapid Conversion]]''. In the level [[Crow's Nest (level)|Crow's Nest]], [[Thel 'Vadam]] can be seen trying to convince individual Drones (while fighting them) to reject the [[Prophet]]s' lies and rebel. However, the Halo 3 [[Campaign Scoring]] description of [[Drone Major]]s states that Drones are incapable of feeling fear.


===Capabilities===
===Role within the Covenant===
Yanme'e are deployed in battle situations, such as aerial insertions, among the [[Covenant]], and during the [[Covenant Civil War]], the [[Covenant Loyalists]]. They, unlike all other types of Covenant, can fly without using technology (such as jet packs). They're used for surprise aerial ambushes and assaults, such as catching [[Human]] troops off guard and causing them to shoot upwards as a diversion so that their allies may attack on the ground. This is a common Covenant tactic used to wipe out a whole squad of [[UNSC Marines]].
[[File:HR Sinoviet Drones.jpg|thumb|250px|A Yanme'e combat swarm on [[Reach]].]]
Yanme'e were initially conscripted into the Covenant only as mechanics and laborers. The Yanme'e were not as technically skilled as the [[Huragok]], but they still proved to be incredibly competent mechanics and were efficient at general maintenance.<ref>'''Halo Encyclopedia: The Definitive Guide to the Halo Universe''', ''page 121''</ref> After years of serving in only custodial positions within the [[Covenant military]], the Covenant had eventually developed numerous combat roles for the Yanme'e—largely due to their impressive flight capabilities.{{Ref/Reuse|waypointarticle}} They are typically used for surprise aerial ambushes and assaults, such as catching infantrymen off guard and diverting their attention so that their Covenant allies may gain the upper hand. The Yanme'e physiology made the species well-suited in infiltration roles.{{Ref/Reuse|bungiestates}} Yanme'e are quite capable of using most light Covenant weaponry, and depending on their rank may wield [[Type-25 plasma pistol|plasma pistol]]s, [[Type-33 Needler|Needler]]s, and [[Okarda'phaa-pattern plasma rifle|plasma rifle]]s. The limb dexterity of the Yanme'e allows them to have competent aiming skills while in flight or while they are climbing over a structure. In addition, their speed and adept sight made the Yanme'e one of the most threatening infantry units in the entire Covenant military.{{Ref/Reuse|bestiarum}}


In [[Halo 3]], Yanme'e can be seen lifting [[UNSC]] [[Marines]] off the ground (Such as in [[Crow's Nest (Level)|Crow's Nest]]), to impressive heights considering a Yanme'e's thin, fragile-looking body. This suggests that Yanme'e or their additional gravity generators are stronger than they seem, possessing incredible strength contrary to their appearance. Real insects sometimes have disproportionate strength, such as ants, who can lift many times their own weight.
Yanme'e were very territorial over the tasks they were assigned to. Although the Yanme'e would respect the Covenant's [[Covenant religion|religious]] principles and would loyally obey their [[Sangheili]] and San'Shyuum commanders, they had no particular passion for the Covenant religion or desire to follow Covenant social normalities. Due to their lack of individual initiative, the Yanme'e remained low in the Covenant hierarchy, often commanded on the battlefield by Sangheili, [[Jiralhanae]], or [[Kig-Yar]].{{Ref/Reuse|ENC159}} Due to their low position, the Yanme'e were not represented on the [[High Council]], but their interests were instead vetted by the [[Ministry of Concert]].<ref>'''Halo: Contact Harvest''', ''page 150''</ref>


==Homeworld==
During large-scale ground engagements, Yanme'e have a tendency to entrench themselves and establish hives within enemy territory, as seen during the [[Fall of Reach]] and the [[Battle of New Mombasa|conflicts]] in [[New Mombasa]]. This can make them a persistent threat, as the hives provide a constant supply of Yanme'e to reinforce occupying Covenant troops.<ref name="Datahive">'''[[Halo 3: ODST]]''', campaign level, ''[[Data Hive (Level)|Data Hive]]''</ref>
The Yanme'e homeworld is [[Palamok]], a planet much like Earth but twice the size with over twice the gravity (2.2G). It seems extremely unlikely that a flying pseudo-insectoid species could evolve on such a world, since they would likely be incapable of flying even in Earth's gravity (due to their heavy exoskeleton) if it were not for their antigravity generators. Some have proposed that their exoskeletons are hollow, with a lattice work of struts similar to the bones of birds. This is certainly likely, and would be a needed adaptation for such a large creature to fly in Earth's gravity (as well as to simply keep from collapsing under its weight) but it would simply not be enough to fly in 2.2Gs. Of course their antigravity technology would allow them to exist on [[Palamok]], but this still begs to question as to how they evolved in the first place.


One of the most likely answers to the problem of Yanme'e evolution may be found on one of Palamok's four moons; Naxook, Oquiu, Ka'amoti and Kami. [[Palamok]] is large enough to support an approximately Mars sized moon with roughly half the gravity of Earth. This would certainly be the ideal location for a large flying insectoid species to evolve. It's possible that they evolved sentience and eventually space flight and antigravity technology on one of these four moons. The development of small antigravity generators would have allowed them to colonize [[Palamok]] in much the same way as spacesuits would allow humans to colonize Mars. Since [[Palamok]] is a very large world, it would likely support more Yanme'e then their actual world of origin.
===Hives===
[[File:Hives 3.jpg|thumb|250px|A Yanme'e hive under [[New Mombasa]].]]
{{Quote|The first thing the Drones usually do when they set up in a place is build a hive made of spit, shit, and whatever else they can find lying around. It's how they mark a conquered area as their own.|Edward Buck{{Ref/Reuse|nb69}}}}
Yanme'e have the ability to form fully functional hives at incredibly fast rates; during the [[Battle of New Mombasa]], the Yanme'e generated a vast hive structure within the city's data center within hours. Hives are primarily constructed from a collection of mud, wood, and cellulose materials that is then mixed with Yanme'e excretions, which are formed into large stalactite-shaped structures. Yanme'e are able to establish hives in any location where sufficient raw material was available. However, hives are most commonly found underground or in vast jungle canopies, like the ones that cover a majority of [[Palamok]]'s surface. The Yanme'e have also formed densely packed hives within the massive geological structures on Palamok's [[moon]]s of [[Ka'amoti]] and [[Oquiu]].{{Ref/Reuse|waypointarticle}} A defining characteristic of Yanme'e hives is that they radiate heat to their surroundings from vent-like openings, elevating the temperature over a large area.{{Ref/Reuse|Datahive}}


===Combat===
During their service with in the Covenant, Yanme'e that are deployed in combat roles are often ordered to create temporary, makeshift hives that allowed the rest of the Covenant military to easily access enemy territory. The hives served as Covenant strongholds for invading forces, often hidden within enemy territory on cavernous ceilings or underground.{{Ref/Reuse|waypointarticle}} Hives were established on [[Earth]] and [[Verge]] by the Yanme'e during the [[Human-Covenant War]].{{Ref/Reuse|Datahive}}<ref name="BI21">'''Halo: Evolutions''', "Blunt Instruments", ''page 21''</ref> They would often use these hives to show that they had conquered an area on a world.{{Ref/Reuse|nb69}}
[[Image:Drone Swarm.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Drones often overwhelm their opponents in large swarms in enclosed spaces.]]
Drones prefer to stay at a distance and use long-range tactics; however, they are skilled close-range combatants as well if the need arises. Since they appear in swarms, they can often confuse or disorientate the enemy, which gives them an advantage over fewer, slower-moving enemies. Drones also have the distinction of being able to [[Boarding|board]] vehicles. They do not seem capable of driving them, but will claw mercilessly at the driver until he is killed or gets out of the [[vehicle]]. However, their melee is weak, you can simply wait it out until someone shoots it down or simply crash into a structure, causing it to lose its grip on you. Their capability for limited flight allows them to easily weaken an enemy and retreat as necessary when in danger.


They wield lightweight [[weapons]] such as the [[Needler]] and [[Plasma Pistol]], though they never overcharge their [[Plasma Pistol]] to break a shield, as with Jackals. They also enter battle in a swarm (the number differs depending on the difficulty); furthermore, they are not susceptible to headshots, though [[sniper]] weapons will always kill them with a single shot regardless of where it hits them and the difficulty level. This is most likely due to a natural physical weakness, as the [[sniper rifle]]'s shot would likely travel straight through the exoskeleton and cause the Drone to go into a state of shock. Drones never dual wield or have heavy weapons because they can only become airborne while lifting a small amount of weight. When fighting, they have to take frequent rests while in the air, probably due to the gravitational pull from [[Earth]] and [[High Charity]]. They are said to have replaced the [[Ranger Elite|Elite Rangers]] after the [[Covenant Civil War]] began, probably due to their inherent maneuverability and incredible aim. Even though their weapons aren't very effective, be wary of their precise aim because too many hits, even from a weak weapon, can be fatal.
===Language===
It has been noticed that the [[Spiker]] and [[Assault rifle]] are the best weapons against Drones, and when dual-wielding anything, you can literally shred your way through a swarm.
The Yanme'e language is a cacophony of high-pitched clicking or whining from the rubbing of their waxy, leaf-like wings.<ref>'''Halo: Contact Harvest''', ''page 311''</ref> They are also known to communicate sonically with loud shrieks and screeches, as well as through the use of pheromones.{{Ref/Reuse|ENC}}{{Ref/Reuse|waypointarticle}} Combat units will usually elect an attaché to serve as a translator, learning how the other races communicate and relaying the relevant information to the other Yanme'e. However, the attaché still does not socialize with other species, only learning enough about their allies to keep the other Yanme'e organized and informed.{{Ref/Reuse|ENC159}} By [[2552]], the Yanme'e language was still not completely translated by the [[Office of Naval Intelligence]] due to lack of information about the species. ONI's [[Interrogator]] [[translation software]] was only capable of poorly imitating Yanme'e clicks, but the output was unintelligible to the species.{{Ref/Reuse|BI13}}


On [[Easy]] and [[Normal]] difficulty, the Drones are easy to kill and present no real threat; however, on [[Legendary]], they can be an extremely deadly enemy to face. Their ability to fly means that if you have cover, they can still fly over and around you, and due to their pack mentality they can outnumber and kill you very quickly. Individually, however, they are still rather weak in resistance. One tactic is to lead the pack into a narrow corridor and throw any kind of [[M9 High-Explosive Dual-Purpose Grenade|grenade]] at them. Most of the time this tactic will kill a majority of the swarm.
==Castes==
The Yanme'e race, inclining towards a hive-like and eusocial society, are divided by several castes. Most individuals fall into one of the three main, distinct Yanme'e castes: domestic, worker, or protector. The colorations of the Yanme'e shell will indicate its caste, and function within the caste. All castes are subservient to the [[Yanme'e Queen|Hive Queen]].{{Ref/Reuse|bc186}}{{Ref/Reuse|waypointarticle}}


In ''Halo 3'', Drones have the ability to lift [[Marines]] from the ground, similar to the [[Jiralhanae|Brutes]]. The only time this has been witnessed is during scripted events, and if you kill the Drone in question it will let the [[Marine]] go. They have also kept the ability to board [[vehicles]] and melee the driver.
===Hive Queen===
{{Main|Yanme'e Queen}}
The Hive Queen is the central figure of a hive. Her primary role, as with [[Wikipedia:ant|ants]] and [[Wikipedia:bee|bees]], is to propagate the species. The queen serves as the leader of the Yanme'e species. The Yanme'e lead an aggressively matriarchal society, with the other castes of the Yanme'e serving the queen and carrying out her orders to ensure the preservation of the hive. Yanme'e queens are responsible for the species reproduction and way of life, leading to the well-being of a queen being the uppermost importance of a hive.{{Ref/Reuse|bc186}}{{Ref/Reuse|waypointarticle}} The queen is substantially larger than the other castes of the race, with a distended, egg-producing abdomen and thick legs.<ref name="ch381">'''Halo: Contact Harvest''', ''page 381''</ref>


There is a moment in the [[Halo 3]] level Tsavo Highway where approximately twenty Drones swarm out and attack you and your passengers in whatever vehicle you currently have. On Easy, Normal, and sometimes Heroic, the Marines will shred through the Drones with minimal fuss, but on Legendary it is a battle to be reckoned with. In addition, on the level Crow's Nest after the bomb is activated, a huge swarm of fifteen or so clumped-together Drones will fly past you. If you throw a plasma grenade into their midst it will usually stick one and kill most, if not all of them. This will incite the wrath of any nearby [[Grunts]] and the remaining Drones.
===Protector caste===
[[File:Yanme'e2.jpg|thumb|250px|Yanme'e soldiers from the protector caste.]]
Similar in function to the soldier caste within many [[Earth]]-based insect species, the protector caste is charged with defending the queen. This caste was artificially merged with the worker caste by the [[Covenant]], following the Yanme'e's joining of the Covenant.{{Ref/Reuse|waypointarticle}} The protector caste was used as the Yanme'e military, within hive society and in the [[Covenant military]]. Within the protector caste, there appear to be many ranks. [[Yanme'e Minor|Minor]]s are the most common form and have a very low position in Covenant society. [[Yanme'e Major|Major]]s likely represent higher class in the protector caste: they have larger wings, fly faster, are more skilled in combat and often carry [[Type-33 Needler|Needlers]].<ref>'''[[Halo: Reach]]'''</ref>


== Tactics ==
===Worker caste===
Drones are weak, even more so than [[Major Grunts]] but about as strong as [[Minor Grunts]]. However, in large numbers (as they travel in swarms), they can be more deadly than Brutes. First, '''find cover'''. If you recklessly charge in headfirst, you may take out some of the buggers, but your shields will be overwhelmed, and you will be cursing your fate as you see the Drones shoot your corpse. Then, toss your more powerful weapons (not too far, as the point is ammo conservation) for a SMG or plasma rifle. In addition, you may wish to get a Battle Rifle. First, through a hole or crouching, snipe a few out the air. Then, duck and wait for them to forget about you. Repeat this as many times as necessary. Then, switch to your SMG for cleanup and pick off the few lone survivors (shouldn't be too arduous).  The main essential tactic, though, is to use fully-automatic weapons. Sniper Rifles will maybe only take down a few out of dozens, and plasma grenades might as well pass through them like thin air. Assault Rifles and SMGs are the the best common weapons against them.
The worker caste is similar to the worker castes of similar function found within many eusocial Earth-based insect species. This caste was artificially merged with the protector caste by the Covenant, following the species' incorporation into the Covenant.{{Ref/Reuse|waypointarticle}} The caste is likely responsible for creating the hives and were likely employed by the Covenant in custodial positions. When the Covenant forced Yanme'e workers into combat positions on ''[[Rapid Conversion]]'', several individuals became unusually clumsy and flustered; they became confused over the change in task.{{Ref/Reuse|ch267}}


===''[[Halo 2]]''===
===Other castes===
[[Image:Bugger04.jpg|200px|thumb|right|A ''[[Halo 2]]'' Drone on [[Earth]].]]
Yanme'e males that are unable to fit in with the caste system or are born with destructive tendencies are known as [[Unmutuals]], and are exiled from hives.{{Ref/Reuse|waypointarticle}} These are Drones unable to work in concert with the rest of the hive, and have in fact been known to go on rampages, destroying nests, smashing eggs, even murdering other adult Yanme'e. They are generally imprisoned to prevent them from communicating with the rest of the hive, and on at least one known occasion have been sent to mine [[Helium|helium-3]] on planets captured by the Covenant. Yanme'e in these penal colonies are often guarded by Kig-Yar who may work them to death. On one occasion, a Kig-Yar actually removed the legs of a Drone whom [[SPARTAN-II Program|SPARTAN]] [[Team Black]] named [[Hopalong]]. He helped the SPARTANs infiltrate their objective, deceiving them long enough to release the rest of the Drone prisoners.{{Ref/Reuse|BI26}}


Drones were first seen in the game ''Halo 2'', after a long period as combatants during the [[Battle of Earth]], and were featured often in overwhelming swarms in open spaces. They had less distinguished, shinier, chitinous armour, and much smaller, luminescent eyes and a less insectoid and more alien-like appearance.
The domestic caste forms another large division within the Yanme'e caste structure, but its functions remain unknown. It is likely related to the wingless males that serve the queens.{{Ref/Reuse|ch381}}


===''[[Halo 3]]''===
==Homeworld and colonies==
[[Image:Drone_Halo3-1934538.jpg|right|200px|thumb|A Drone from [[Halo 3]].]]
{{Main|Palamok}}
The Yanme'e homeworld is Palamok, an [[Earth]]-like planet but twice the size with over twice the gravity (2.2 G). Palamok is a flat and geographically featureless world, with little tectonic or volcanic activity.{{Ref/Reuse|bestiarum}} The planet features a warm atmosphere and a stable environment.{{Ref/Reuse|enc309}} The planet's high gravity led to the Yanme'e evolving with hard shells that are able to absorb a large amount of damage. Due to their planet's high gravity, the Yanme'e are only capable of short bursts of flight on Palamok, though they can fly quite well in 1.0 G environments.{{Ref/Reuse|vis}} The Yanme'e have several colonies throughout the [[Napret system]], with [[Oquiu]] and [[Ka'amoti]] being the most prominent.{{Ref/Reuse|waypointarticle}}


The best tactics for dealing with a Drone swarm is to hide behind cover and take the Drones down one at a time. Also, if a Drone boards a vehicle it will claw at the driver until they are killed, a certain amount of time has passed, or they themselves are killed. An effective, but dangerous way to remove them from vehicles is to ram the vehicle into a nearby wall or large structure. This does, however, risk the destruction of the vehicle and possibly death.
==Military structure==
Yanme'e follow a similar [[Covenant rank structure|ranking system]] to that used by the rest of the Covenant. A number of ranks are divided into two categories; infantry{{Ref/Site|URL=https://halo.bungie.net/stats/halo3/careerstatsodst.aspx?player=Sniper%20X%20Remix#|Site=Bungie.net|Page=Halo 3: ODST Stats|D=23|M=7|Y=2019}} and leader.{{Ref/Book|EVG|Page=51}} Infantry are usually ill-armed and armoured, instead deployed in vast swarms to overrun enemy defenses from the air. Leaders are usually equipped with [[energy shielding]] and larger weapons such as {{Pattern|Okarda'phaa|plasma rifle}}s, and appear rarely on the battlefield to direct vast swarms of infantry.


On the level [[Crow's Nest (Level)|Crow's Nest]], if the player is vigilant enough, he/she can take and save a [[Deployable Cover]] from the hangar. After the Drones grab a Marine (seen through the mesh), run to the left and place it in front of the .50 Cal Turret. Doing so will enable one to shoot through and kill while avoiding the incoming Plasma Pistol shots from the Drones. Since Deployable Covers are commonplace on Crow's Nest, all the player needs to do is to seal up the pipes and keeping them from coming out.
Yanme'e rank progression is often signified by physiological changes within the Yanme'e individual itself, signifying that age is a factor into Yanme'e promotions. The youngest [[Yanme'e Pupa|pupal]] Yanme'e glow with a soft yellow light, and are rarely seen outside of the hives in which they grow.{{Ref/Book|Id=H3ODSTguide|Halo 3: ODST Official Strategy Guide|Page=25}} These pupal-stage Yanme'e are extremely susceptible to gunfire, indicating that their carapaces are incapable of fending off attacks until fully-grown.{{Ref/Reuse|ODST}} Once out of the pupal stage, Yanme'e continue to grow, with the carapaces of Captains and Captain Majors becoming more protective and ornate{{Ref/Reuse|ODST}} while Majors and Ultras see the growth of "horns" on the head{{Ref/Game|Id=HR|HR}} - though some-observed Majors and Ultras exhibit the same lack of morphological change as a regular Minor.{{Ref/Game|Id=ODST|H3ODST}}{{Ref/Game|Id=H3|H3}}
{| class="wikitable"
! '''Rank'''
! '''Image'''
! '''Description'''
|-
! colspan="3"|'''Yanme'e Leaders'''
|-
|'''[[Yanme'e Queen]]'''
|[[File:Enc22 Yanme'eQueen.jpg|150px]]
|Queens are the leaders of Hives, responsible for the birth of new members of the Swarm.
|-! colspan="3"|'''Yanme'e Leaders'''
|-
|'''[[Yanme'e Hiveward|Hiveward]]'''
|[[File:H3ODST DroneCapMaj Crop 1.png|150px]]
|The highest-known rank of the Yanme'e, Hivewards command vast numbers of Yanme'e and have been rarely seen on the battlefield outside of a hive.
|-
|'''[[Yanme'e Captain|Captain]]'''
|[[File:H3ODST DroneCaptain Crop.png|150px]]
|The lowest-known rank of Yanme'e leader, Captains regularly appear on the battlefield to command large units of infantry.
|-
! colspan="3"|'''Yanme'e Infantry'''
|-
|'''[[Yanme'e Ultra|Ultra]]'''
|[[File:HR YanmeUltra 2.png|150px]]
|An Ultra is considered the highest regular military rank for the species. They are distinguished by their blue and cyan or silver-white exoskeletons, along with paired forked horn-like structures on their head and cephalothorax.
|-
|'''[[Yanme'e Major|Major]]'''
|[[File:H3ODST DroneMajor 2.jpg|150px]]
|Majors can be distinguished by a light blue{{Ref/Reuse|ODST}} or brown-red exoskeleton and set of three horns{{Ref/Reuse|HR}}, though some may also appear identical to the Minors below them.{{Ref/Reuse|H3}} They typically command a small unit of 2-3 Minors.{{Ref/Reuse|ODST}}
|-
|'''[[Yanme'e Minor|Minor]]'''
|[[File:HTMCC Avatar Drone 2.png|150px]]
|Drone Minors are the lowest of the Drone ranks, signified by their lack of extra horns or carapace - and green colouration.
|-
|'''[[Yanme'e Pupa|Pupa]]'''
|[[File:H3ODST DronePupa 2.png|150px]]
|These Yanme'e are [[Wikipedia:Pupa|pupa]], and undergoing transformation. They are extremely weak and emit a soft glow; they are rarely seen outside of a hive.
|}


One more simple and effective tactic to deal with Drones is when they are in a swarm, all that is required is a sticky grenade to stick one of them in the center, or an explosive (such as the Rocket Launcher) and most, if not all of the swarm, should be wiped out. The projectiles Brute Choppers fire can easily kill drones in one or two hits. This tactic can be used while sitting outside the first blue energy field on the level Tsavo Highway.  
==Production notes==
[[File:HCE DroneEngineer Concept 1.jpg|thumb|One of several concepts for the Drone Engineer featured in ''[[The Art of Halo: Creating a Virtual World]]''.]]
The Drones have had a number of cut variants over the years. During the [[Development of Halo: Combat Evolved|development]] of ''[[Halo: Combat Evolved]]'', one such cut unit was the Drone Engineer. At this stage in development, the Drone Engineer was envisioned to take the role of the [[Huragok]] featured in later media; with early designs depicting the Engineer as a fusion of insectoid and cybernetic elements. A number of designs were produced along this theme, eventually evolving into the Engineer design ultimately cut from the game.{{Ref/Book|The Art of Halo: Creating a Virtual World|Page=46}} This design was later re-considered for ''[[Halo 2]]'', in which the Drone Engineer concept was brought back as a new flying infantry unit, while the "gas-bag" design of Engineer that was modelled (though not implemented) in ''Combat Evolved'' was also canonised as a separate entity in ''[[Halo: First Strike]]'', ''[[Halo Wars]]'' and ''[[Halo 3: ODST]]''.


===Halo 3: ODST===
The drones went on to recieve considerable expansion in ''ODST'', seeing five rank variants introduced and a [[Data Hive|level]] set inside one of the Drones' hives. The same year's ''[[Halo Wars]]'' also intended to introduced Drones as a playable unit, though this was ultimately [[Cut Halo Wars units#Recon Drone|cut from]] the game. The "Recon Drone" would have served as the Covenant's scout unit, with no attack abilities. Another Drone unit was also cut from ''[[Halo 4]]''; this drone was intended to be a [[Yanme'e Sniper|sniper unit]] and was fully-concepted - though never implemented in the final game.
[[Image:Drones1.jpg|right|200px|thumb|New ranks of Drones introduced in ''[[Halo 3: ODST]]'' hanging dormant on a Phantom.]]
In ''Halo 3: ODST'', there have been radical changes to the Drones. There are now several different colour schemes for the Drones, Minors are green, blue, or silver coloured, and they use needlers and plasma pistols. In contrast to popular belief, these drones do not have any form of energy shielding. Whenever a minor drone is killed, a field similar to that of an energy shield pops on and then off instantly. However, these are not recharging shields.


There has also been radical changes to the Drone Major, they now have red or gold exoskeletons and wield [[Brute Plasma Rifles]]. Drone Leaders possess recharging energy shields.
==Trivia==
 
{{Other languages
Drones have also received a running animation, featured prominently in the mission [[Data Hive (Level)|Data Hive]]. There they have been seen feasting on the corpse of [[Marine]]s, and while they are sleeping, they do so hanging upside down on the ceiling, similar to bats.
|fr={{Tooltip|''Les Drones''|The Drones}} in all media.<br>
 
{{Tooltip|''Les Vermines''|The Vermin}} (nickname) in ''Halo: Reach''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s manual.
== Trivia ==
}}
*The multiplayer map [[Guardian]] has visual similarity to the description of the Drone's home world [[Palamok]], and the sounds of Yanme'e can be heard in the background.
{{Linkbox|gallery=yes|gameplay=yes}}
*The nickname "buggers" is coincidentally the same name given to the Arachnids from ''Starship Troopers'', and the Formic race in the Orson Scott Card novel ''Ender's Game''. Additionally, the Drones' true name, Yanme'e, could be based on the Japanese 蜻蜓 (''yanma''), meaning "large dragonfly".
*The nickname "buggers" is likely a reference to the Formic race in the Orson Scott Card novel ''[[wikipedia:Ender's Game|Ender's Game]]''. Additionally, the Drones' native name, Yanme'e, could be based on the Japanese 蜻蜓 (''yanma''), meaning "large dragonfly".
*Although the Yanme'e have been a part of the Covenant since at least before 2525, they were, along with the [[Huragok]], predominantly used as technicians on board vessels until their effectiveness in combat was discovered during the attacks on New Mombasa. Also, despite their primitive appearance and mentality, Drones are actually an advanced race, and have attained "Tier 4" on the Forerunner Technological Advancement Scale, prior to their joining the Covenant.
*The weight of a Drone averages around 77 kilograms, a reference of [[Bungie]]'s love of the number [[Seven|7]].
*[[Flood]] infected Drones have not been seen, likely because a Drone has no basic skeleton upon which the Flood organism grafts its biomass into. However, the chitinous shells and liquid innards may be used as a source of biomass.
*During concept stages for ''Halo 3'', the Yanme'e were planned to have an animation in which they would [[:File:Bugger Animated.gif|carry away a Marine]].<ref>[http://halo.bungie.net/News/content.aspx?type=topnews&link=Animation_BillOBrien '''Bungie.net''': ''A Certain Sense of Movement'']</ref> This animation was cut from the final game but one does pick up a Marine for a short time at the beginning of the first swarm attack in [[Crow's Nest (location)|Crow's Nest]].
*In ''[[Halo 2]]'', if a Drone is shot and killed in a certain way, their wings will jut out from their coverings like they were about to take off similar to that of a swatted fly or mosquito. This also happens in Halo 3. If you kill them, their wings will still be out on rare occasions.
*In ''[[Halo: Reach]]'', when Drones are killed with a headshot, they explode, leaving behind only limbs.
*The Drone is the only [[Covenant]] species not to appear in ''Halo Wars''. Probably because they didn't fight twenty years prior to the Halo event, but were only mechanics, though this theory is doubtful, given that even the [[Engineer]]s make an appearance in that game.
*In ''Halo: Reach'', Drones are not encountered in [[Firefight]] mode, unlike ''[[Halo 3: ODST]]''.
*Drones are described as having a slight musty odor associated with them.<ref>http://www.bungie.net/projects/odst/guide.aspx</ref>
*On the [[Bungie.net]] game stats for ''Halo: Reach'', Yanme'e are referred to as "Buggers" rather than their more common nickname, "Drones".
*It was once thought that Drones were very low in the Hierarchy of the Covenant, but in ''[[Halo 3: ODST]]'', Grunts will go suicidal - as they do often when their Brute superiors die - when a red or gold drone is killed, and on exceedingly rare occasions, Brute Minors and even Brute Majors at times, will go berserk when they die.
*In [[Halo 3: ODST]], on the level [[Data Hive]], you can find multiple Yanme'e eating the corpses of deceased police officers. This is the only time we are presented with a Covenant species actively eating human flesh in any [[Campaign]] level, albeit multiple claims that numerous species among the [[Covenant]], predominantly [[Jiralhanae]], consume human flesh.
*Apart from the brownish-green drones seen in Halo 3, several new types have been introduced in Halo 3: ODST. One of these is a bright green drone with a bio-luminescent midsection that glows orange. These drones are very weak and only require one body shot from a carbine to kill, even on higher difficulies. These drones may be the same ones found in ''Halo 2'', as they appear very similar. There is another type that has a pale green shell and appears much more like the drones from ''Halo 3''. Tougher blue and white drones now appear. They take considerably longer to kill than the pale green ones with a standard weapon like the SMG. Drone leaders now come in two varieties: gold and red. These leaders carry [[Brute plasma rifles]] and wear personal energy shields, similar to those of the Elites, but much weaker.<ref>Halo 3: ODST Firefight Mode</ref>
*Although the red and gold drone leaders are the only variety that wear recharging energy shields, it would appear that all drones wear a very basic form of shields. Upon close inspection, one will see that just before a drones is shot to death, an energy shield pops on and off instantly. This kind of defensive system may be more similar to that of the Brutes. It is also worth noting that Drone leaders lack this weaker shield, as there is no energy pop just before their deaths.
*A Drone is the symbol for the ''Halo 3: ODST'' achievement [[Data Hive (Achievement)|Data Hive]], as that level is not started by finding a clue.


==Gallery==
==Gallery==
<gallery>
<gallery>
Image:Incoming32001200.jpg|A group of Drones flying forward.  
File:H2-YanmeeDrone-EarlyRender.png|Early render of the Yanme'e drone in ''[[Halo 2]]''.
Image:54885513-Full.jpg|Drones [[hijacking]] a [[Ghost]].
File:H2-Yanme'eDrone.png|A Yanme'e drone  in ''Halo 2''.
Image:1215495677 43652110-Full.jpg|A Drone's blood stain.
File:Waypoint - Yanme'e.jpg|A Yanme'e in ''Halo 2''.
Image:Hives 3.jpg|The Yanme'e hive, as seen in [[Data Hive]]
File:Incoming32001200.jpg|A group of Drones flying forward in [[Halo 2 (Windows Vista)|''Halo 2'' for Windows Vista]].
File:Bugger Animated.gif|An animation cut from ''[[Halo 3]]''.
File:H3-Yanme'eDrone.png|Yanme'e drone Minor in ''Halo 3''.
File:Yanme'eInsectDrone.png|A Yanme'e drone in ''Halo 3''.
File:HTMCC-H3 DroneAttack 2.png|A swarm of Yanme'e in ''Halo 3''.
File:H3 Drones and a ghost.jpg|A group of Drones attempting to [[hijack]] a {{Pattern|Karo'etba|Ghost}} in ''Halo 3''.
File:HW_Drone_Sculpt.jpg|A sculpt of a Drone, ultimately unused, intended for inclusion in ''[[Halo Wars]]''.
File:HW_Drone_Textured.jpg|The final Drone model, cut from ''Halo Wars''.
File:Homecoming_Drone_Concept.png|Concept art of the Yanme'e drone for ''[[Halo Legends]]: [[Homecoming]]''.
File:Bloodline Verge.png|Yanme'e in ''[[Halo: Bloodline]]''.
File:HaloReach - Drone.png|A Yanme'e in ''[[Halo: Reach]]''.
File:H4 - Yanme'e Sniper 2.jpg|Unused concept art for Yanme'e snipers for ''[[Halo 4]]''.
File:Yanme'e SpartanAssault.png|Drones fighting [[SPARTAN-IV program|Spartan]] [[Edward Davis]] in ''[[Halo: Spartan Assault]]''.
File:Yanmee H2A.png|A Yanme'e drone in ''[[Halo 2: Anniversary]]''.
File:HSS-Gameplay-Regeneration.jpg|A Drone in ''[[Halo: Spartan Strike]]''.
File:Halo Rise of Atriox3.png|Yanme'e attacking [[Atriox]] and [[Decimus]] on the cover of ''[[Halo: Rise of Atriox#3]]''.
</gallery>
</gallery>
==List of appearances==
{{Col-begin}}
{{Col-2}}
*''[[Halo 2]]'' {{1st}}
**''[[Conversations from the Universe]]'' {{Mo}}
*''[[Halo 3]]''
**''[[Bestiarum]]''
*''[[Halo: Contact Harvest]]''
*''[[Halo 3: ODST]]''
*''[[Halo Legends]]''
**''[[Homecoming]]''
**''[[Origins]]''
*''[[Halo: Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe]]''
**''[[Blunt Instruments]]''
**''[[Wages of Sin]]'' {{Im}}
*''[[Halo: Blood Line]]''
*''[[Halo: Reach]]''
*''[[Halo: Spartan Assault]]''
*''[[Halo: Broken Circle]]''
*''[[Halo 2: Anniversary]]''
*''[[Halo: New Blood]]''
{{Col-2}}
*''[[Halo: Spartan Strike]]''
*''[[Halo 5: Guardians]]'' {{Mo}}
*''[[Halo: Shadow of Intent]]''
*''[[Halo: Ground Command]]'' {{Mo}}
*''[[Halo Mythos]]''
*''[[Halo: Recruit]]'' {{C|Non-canonical appearance}}
*''[[Halo: Rise of Atriox]]''
*''[[Halo: Bad Blood]]'' {{Mo}}
*''[[Halo: Fireteam Raven]]''
*''[[Halo: Silent Storm]]''
*''[[Halo: Battle Born]]''
*''[[Halo: Lone Wolf]]''
*''[[Halo: Outpost Discovery]]''
*''[[Halo: Oblivion]]''
*''[[Halo: Meridian Divide]]''
*''[[Halo Infinite]]''
**''[[Season 03: Echoes Within]]''
{{Col-end}}


==Sources==
==Sources==
<references/>
{{Ref/Sources|2}}


{{Covenant}}
{{Navbox/Species}}
[[Category:Insects]]
[[Category:Yanme'e| ]]
[[Category:Covenant Species]]
[[Category:Arthropods]]
[[Category:Living Organisms]]
[[Category:Sapient species]]
[[Category:Covenant species]]
[[Category:Flying species]]

Latest revision as of 12:45, August 19, 2023

This article is about the xeno-arthropodal species. For other uses of Drone, see here.
Yanme'e
Yanmee H2A.png
Biological overview

Latin name:

Turpis rex

Classification:

Arthropod

Diet:

Carnivorous

Physical information

Avg. height:

177.8 centimetres (5.83 ft)–205.8 centimetres (6.75 ft)[1][2]

Avg. weight:

77.0 kilograms (169.7 lb)–127.0 kilograms (279.9 lb)[1][2]

Distinctions:

Xeno-arthropodal morphology, beetle-like wings and exoskeleton. Flight-capable. Vestigial third pair of limbs on abdomen

Sociocultural information

Homeworld:

Palamok

Technology level:

Native Tier 4/Adopted Tier 2[3]

Notable individuals:

Also known as:

 

"The flying Yanme'e, simply called the Drones by some, tend to a hivelike society, eusocial and separated by castes, each with its own tasks, subject to the will of a matriarchal queen."
— From the Prophet of Clarity's Notes on the History of the Covenant[5]

The Yanme'e (Latin, Turpis rex, translated to "dishonorable king"[6]), referred to by some individuals as Drones[5] or Buggers,[4] are a race of sentient, carnivorous, flight-capable insectoids.[7] The Yanme'e were one of the species that composed the religious hegemony known as the Covenant, having become the body's second client species in 1112 CE.[3] In combat, the Yanme'e served as mechanics and soldiers, often using their ability to fly to carry out ambushes on enemies of the Covenant.[1]

History[edit]

The Yanme'e evolved from winged tree-dwelling arthropods on Palamok which had developed complex motor skills due to a flexible appendage made up of chitin that functioned as an opposable thumb. Eventually, the species developed higher levels of technology that ultimately led to the evolution of the Yanme'e species, due to societal coordination and cooperation.[7] The Forerunners noted that the Yanme'e were one of the few sapient, arthropodal species in the Milky Way galaxy that were competent enough to attain tool-making and technological skills.[3]

The Covenant[edit]

Eventually, the Yanme'e became an interstellar-faring, Tier-4 species. The Yanme'e first encountered the Covenant in the year 1112, while the Covenant was searching for Forerunner artifacts.[8] Initially, first contact was violent as the Yanme'e attempted to resist the alien invaders. Both sides took heavy casualties, but surprisingly,[3] it was the Covenant who fared worse in these battles due to the sheer amount of Yanme'e combatants.[1] However, the Covenant was unwilling to glass Palamok, as the San'Shyuum believed that Palamok's hives could be guarding Forerunner relics on the planet's surface. The San'Shyuum eventually found an effective way to communicate with the Yanme'e, and subsequently incorporated them into the Covenant by way of a treaty in an effort to prevent a prolonged war. Exploration of Palamok following the war provided no evidence of former Forerunner artifacts on the planet.[7] The San'Shyuum were quick to make use of their talent for repairing machinery, and employed them as mechanics on Covenant vessels.[9] An assembly of Yanme'e Hive Queens was formed, and they conscripted members of the drone caste into the Covenant military.[5]

The Yanme'e were one of the first species to make contact with humanity, on the human colony of Harvest in February 2525. They were first identified by the United Nations Space Command in the siege of Gladsheim, a small town on Harvest.[10] During the later fight on the Tiara, several Yanme'e killed the Huragok Lighter Than Some out of jealousy, causing the enraged Unggoy Deacon Dadab to slaughter them in revenge.[11]

After the Hierarchs declared war on humanity, Yanme'e were used as military combatants against UNSC forces. They were deployed during many major conflicts, including the Fall of Reach. During the Battle of Meridian, five or six Yanme'e were deployed by an Ceudar-pattern heavy corvette to finish off the survivors of a boat it had fired upon. Dorian Nguyen was able to kill one by slamming it with a guitar, crumpling its wings and sending the Yanme'e into the sea. Dorian managed to escape, but the Yanme'e slaughtered the hundreds of other people on the boat, including Dorian's friends and bandmates.[12]

During the Battle for Earth, they boarded orbital defense platforms along with other Covenant infantry.[13] When the Covenant made landfall in New Mombasa, the Yanme'e immediately established a large hive in the Superintendent's data center.[14]

During the Great Schism, the Yanme'e joined the San'Shyuum and the Jiralhanae.[15] Many were present as combatants during the Battle of Installation 00.[16]

Post-war[edit]

After the Human-Covenant War, many Yanme'e happily returned to their home system.[7] In 2554,[17] Many Yanme'e served in Tem'Bhetek's faction which attempted to use the Prototype Halo installation to destroy Sanghelios and the Sangheili. Many were killed by Rtas 'Vadum and Tul 'Juran after mortally wounding Tem'Bhetek with the remaining ones trying desperately to get to Boru'a'Neem to stop him from firing the miniature Halo again. They were killed when Tem destroyed the installation.[18] A large number of Yanme'e were present during the Battle of Draetheus V, serving in Merg Vol's Covenant.[19] Many more served in Jul 'Mdama's Covenant during the Battle of Installation 03.[20] For the most part, though, the Yanme'e mostly kept to themselves. The UNSC attempted a "don't poke the nest" policy toward the Yanme'e, attempting to avoid direct provocation while the UNSC focused on more immediate threats within the Covenant remnants. This policy was largely successful, though there were exceptions.[21]

When Cortana made her offer at the beginning of the Created conflict to the species of the galaxy, she did not include the Yanme'e in her list of species that she offered to fall under her protection. Upon hearing her message, Spartan Edward Buck noted her exclusion of the Yanme'e and didn't blame Cortana for excluding them as the Yanme'e creeped him out.[22][23]

Description[edit]

Anatomy and physiology[edit]

Diversity of Yanme'e protectors hanging asleep from a Phantom.

"They're built kinda like beetles, and they flit around on twinned pairs of transparent wings that flap faster than you can see."
— Edward Buck on the Yanme'e[24]

The Yanme'e share many similarities with Earth’s beetles and colonial insects. They are bipedal arthropods with hard exoskeletons made from a glossy chitinous substance, as well as two pairs of veined wings. These adaptations are a response to the high gravity of the Yanme'e homeworld, Palamok; their shells allow them to withstand hard falls, and the thick atmosphere of Palamok allows the winged Yanme'e to achieve just enough lift to perform fluttering leaps or naturally short bursts of flight.[25] In lower-gravity environments, Yanme'e are capable of using their wings for actual aerial maneuvering, but the weight of their exoskeletons prevent them from flying.[1] When the Covenant discovered this natural ability, scientists extended their flight capabilities by fixing gravity-dampening modules to their bodies. The module adjustment gave the Yanme'e the ability to take flight freely, and the species proved to be impressive fliers—particularly on worlds that had less gravity than Palamok.[7] Yanme'e are also impressively strong, despite their frail appearance. They can also be seen lifting their enemies off the ground to impressive heights.[24][26]

Unlike Earth insects, which have three body segments, Yanme'e have five: a head, a cephalothorax, a thorax, a pelvis, and an abdomen. The head supports a pair of feathery sensory antennae and luminous,[27] compound eyes that give the species adept vision.[28] The mouth consists of several sets of mandibles like those found on insects. Their hands sport opposable thumbs and three dextrous fingers. Yanme'e are "polydextrous", meaning that they are capable of using both their prehensile hands and feet to operate tools. The primary pair of legs are attached to a pelvis-like structure, while a smaller pair is attached to the abdomen. Although they generally use their primary set of limbs, Yanme'e can use this last set of limbs to operate weapons, grasp enemies, or latch on to ceilings and hang down vertically during sleep.[7][29] The Yanme'e have extremely sharp claws, located on all limbs,[30] that they can use to defend themselves if necessary, though they prefer to avoid close-quarters combat.[31] Yanme'e are a carnivorous species. Early in their history, the Yanme'e developed and bred types of feral livestock for food.[3]

There is essentially no apparent sexual dimorphism between male and female Yanme'e. Yanme'e exoskeletons are brightly colored, with different hues representing different functions or class.[7] Adolescent, or pupal, Yanme'e have translucent shells that glow luminescent yellow and orange. Almost nothing is known about the Yanme'e life cycle beyond the fact that the queen lays eggs. It is possible that the Yanme'e go through a complete metamorphosis including an egg, larva, pupae and adult stage, as many terrestrial insects and arthropods do.

To humans, Yanme'e have a natural musty odor.[32]

Intelligence[edit]

Yanme'e are a eusocial species, and therefore their intelligence is geared toward working in concert with large groups. They can accomplish tasks swiftly and efficiently when working together, and their knowledge of machinery is rivaled only by the Huragok. However, they lack individuality because of their hive lifestyle; their instincts and societal conditioning suppress creative thought and encourage total obedience to authority. They do not appear to experience higher emotions; it is known that they are able to feel jealousy, as seen when they killed the Huragok Lighter Than Some because he usurped their role as technician on board Rapid Conversion.[33] Yanme'e were allegedly incapable of feeling fear.[34] Despite their hive-minded nature, Yanme'e are still individually quite intelligent.[24]

Certain Yanme'e are unable to function in a hive society due to a form of personality disorder; these "Unmutuals" are capable of independent thought and tactical planning, although they tend to be extremely violent and aggressive. However, some of these Yanme'e appear to be very intelligent independently.[35] One individual was able to tamper with the inner circuitry of a UNSC Interrogator and allowed the device to translate the Yanme'e language into English in a matter of seconds.[36]

Culture[edit]

The Yanme'e are an insectoid species with a hive-minded social structure. Their society consists of reproductive queens, reproductive male drones and non-reproductive workers and soldiers. It is unknown if the soldier and worker caste is specific to one gender or another, but it is confirmed that the Yanme'e worker Hopalong was a male. Because of their eusocial nature, they can be extremely dogmatic and hive-minded,[28] a trait that may have made for an easy conversion into the Covenant hierarchy. The Hive Queen is the center of Yanme'e society and culture, to the point of her being the reason for the species' technological progress and advancement. This includes most major advances in science and other technology that typically results in emphasized protection and augmentation of the queen and the hives.[7]

Yanme'e obeyed the commands of the higher castes without question in the Covenant, but had little concept of religion and did not partake in social norms due to communication difficulties with other species. They referred to the San'Shyuum as "Queens", a remnant of their former hive lifestyle.[3] They did not interact with other Covenant member races except to trade resources and to serve in the military, where they typically serve as mechanics and repair crews on warships. Although highly skilled with technology, they aren't nearly as effective as Huragok; this has often brought them into a state of rivalry with Huragok, and in jealousy, the Yanme'e aboard Rapid Conversion even killed a Huragok named Lighter Than Some when it was assigned all of their former tasks.[33]

Role within the Covenant[edit]

A Yanme'e combat swarm on Reach.

Yanme'e were initially conscripted into the Covenant only as mechanics and laborers. The Yanme'e were not as technically skilled as the Huragok, but they still proved to be incredibly competent mechanics and were efficient at general maintenance.[37] After years of serving in only custodial positions within the Covenant military, the Covenant had eventually developed numerous combat roles for the Yanme'e—largely due to their impressive flight capabilities.[7] They are typically used for surprise aerial ambushes and assaults, such as catching infantrymen off guard and diverting their attention so that their Covenant allies may gain the upper hand. The Yanme'e physiology made the species well-suited in infiltration roles.[34] Yanme'e are quite capable of using most light Covenant weaponry, and depending on their rank may wield plasma pistols, Needlers, and plasma rifles. The limb dexterity of the Yanme'e allows them to have competent aiming skills while in flight or while they are climbing over a structure. In addition, their speed and adept sight made the Yanme'e one of the most threatening infantry units in the entire Covenant military.[3]

Yanme'e were very territorial over the tasks they were assigned to. Although the Yanme'e would respect the Covenant's religious principles and would loyally obey their Sangheili and San'Shyuum commanders, they had no particular passion for the Covenant religion or desire to follow Covenant social normalities. Due to their lack of individual initiative, the Yanme'e remained low in the Covenant hierarchy, often commanded on the battlefield by Sangheili, Jiralhanae, or Kig-Yar.[31] Due to their low position, the Yanme'e were not represented on the High Council, but their interests were instead vetted by the Ministry of Concert.[38]

During large-scale ground engagements, Yanme'e have a tendency to entrench themselves and establish hives within enemy territory, as seen during the Fall of Reach and the conflicts in New Mombasa. This can make them a persistent threat, as the hives provide a constant supply of Yanme'e to reinforce occupying Covenant troops.[14]

Hives[edit]

A Yanme'e hive under New Mombasa.

"The first thing the Drones usually do when they set up in a place is build a hive made of spit, shit, and whatever else they can find lying around. It's how they mark a conquered area as their own."
— Edward Buck[24]

Yanme'e have the ability to form fully functional hives at incredibly fast rates; during the Battle of New Mombasa, the Yanme'e generated a vast hive structure within the city's data center within hours. Hives are primarily constructed from a collection of mud, wood, and cellulose materials that is then mixed with Yanme'e excretions, which are formed into large stalactite-shaped structures. Yanme'e are able to establish hives in any location where sufficient raw material was available. However, hives are most commonly found underground or in vast jungle canopies, like the ones that cover a majority of Palamok's surface. The Yanme'e have also formed densely packed hives within the massive geological structures on Palamok's moons of Ka'amoti and Oquiu.[7] A defining characteristic of Yanme'e hives is that they radiate heat to their surroundings from vent-like openings, elevating the temperature over a large area.[14]

During their service with in the Covenant, Yanme'e that are deployed in combat roles are often ordered to create temporary, makeshift hives that allowed the rest of the Covenant military to easily access enemy territory. The hives served as Covenant strongholds for invading forces, often hidden within enemy territory on cavernous ceilings or underground.[7] Hives were established on Earth and Verge by the Yanme'e during the Human-Covenant War.[14][39] They would often use these hives to show that they had conquered an area on a world.[24]

Language[edit]

The Yanme'e language is a cacophony of high-pitched clicking or whining from the rubbing of their waxy, leaf-like wings.[40] They are also known to communicate sonically with loud shrieks and screeches, as well as through the use of pheromones.[1][7] Combat units will usually elect an attaché to serve as a translator, learning how the other races communicate and relaying the relevant information to the other Yanme'e. However, the attaché still does not socialize with other species, only learning enough about their allies to keep the other Yanme'e organized and informed.[31] By 2552, the Yanme'e language was still not completely translated by the Office of Naval Intelligence due to lack of information about the species. ONI's Interrogator translation software was only capable of poorly imitating Yanme'e clicks, but the output was unintelligible to the species.[36]

Castes[edit]

The Yanme'e race, inclining towards a hive-like and eusocial society, are divided by several castes. Most individuals fall into one of the three main, distinct Yanme'e castes: domestic, worker, or protector. The colorations of the Yanme'e shell will indicate its caste, and function within the caste. All castes are subservient to the Hive Queen.[5][7]

Hive Queen[edit]

Main article: Yanme'e Queen

The Hive Queen is the central figure of a hive. Her primary role, as with ants and bees, is to propagate the species. The queen serves as the leader of the Yanme'e species. The Yanme'e lead an aggressively matriarchal society, with the other castes of the Yanme'e serving the queen and carrying out her orders to ensure the preservation of the hive. Yanme'e queens are responsible for the species reproduction and way of life, leading to the well-being of a queen being the uppermost importance of a hive.[5][7] The queen is substantially larger than the other castes of the race, with a distended, egg-producing abdomen and thick legs.[41]

Protector caste[edit]

Yanme'e soldiers from the protector caste.

Similar in function to the soldier caste within many Earth-based insect species, the protector caste is charged with defending the queen. This caste was artificially merged with the worker caste by the Covenant, following the Yanme'e's joining of the Covenant.[7] The protector caste was used as the Yanme'e military, within hive society and in the Covenant military. Within the protector caste, there appear to be many ranks. Minors are the most common form and have a very low position in Covenant society. Majors likely represent higher class in the protector caste: they have larger wings, fly faster, are more skilled in combat and often carry Needlers.[42]

Worker caste[edit]

The worker caste is similar to the worker castes of similar function found within many eusocial Earth-based insect species. This caste was artificially merged with the protector caste by the Covenant, following the species' incorporation into the Covenant.[7] The caste is likely responsible for creating the hives and were likely employed by the Covenant in custodial positions. When the Covenant forced Yanme'e workers into combat positions on Rapid Conversion, several individuals became unusually clumsy and flustered; they became confused over the change in task.[28]

Other castes[edit]

Yanme'e males that are unable to fit in with the caste system or are born with destructive tendencies are known as Unmutuals, and are exiled from hives.[7] These are Drones unable to work in concert with the rest of the hive, and have in fact been known to go on rampages, destroying nests, smashing eggs, even murdering other adult Yanme'e. They are generally imprisoned to prevent them from communicating with the rest of the hive, and on at least one known occasion have been sent to mine helium-3 on planets captured by the Covenant. Yanme'e in these penal colonies are often guarded by Kig-Yar who may work them to death. On one occasion, a Kig-Yar actually removed the legs of a Drone whom SPARTAN Team Black named Hopalong. He helped the SPARTANs infiltrate their objective, deceiving them long enough to release the rest of the Drone prisoners.[35]

The domestic caste forms another large division within the Yanme'e caste structure, but its functions remain unknown. It is likely related to the wingless males that serve the queens.[41]

Homeworld and colonies[edit]

Main article: Palamok

The Yanme'e homeworld is Palamok, an Earth-like planet but twice the size with over twice the gravity (2.2 G). Palamok is a flat and geographically featureless world, with little tectonic or volcanic activity.[3] The planet features a warm atmosphere and a stable environment.[25] The planet's high gravity led to the Yanme'e evolving with hard shells that are able to absorb a large amount of damage. Due to their planet's high gravity, the Yanme'e are only capable of short bursts of flight on Palamok, though they can fly quite well in 1.0 G environments.[2] The Yanme'e have several colonies throughout the Napret system, with Oquiu and Ka'amoti being the most prominent.[7]

Military structure[edit]

Yanme'e follow a similar ranking system to that used by the rest of the Covenant. A number of ranks are divided into two categories; infantry[43] and leader.[44] Infantry are usually ill-armed and armoured, instead deployed in vast swarms to overrun enemy defenses from the air. Leaders are usually equipped with energy shielding and larger weapons such as Okarda'phaa-pattern plasma rifles, and appear rarely on the battlefield to direct vast swarms of infantry.

Yanme'e rank progression is often signified by physiological changes within the Yanme'e individual itself, signifying that age is a factor into Yanme'e promotions. The youngest pupal Yanme'e glow with a soft yellow light, and are rarely seen outside of the hives in which they grow.[45] These pupal-stage Yanme'e are extremely susceptible to gunfire, indicating that their carapaces are incapable of fending off attacks until fully-grown.[46] Once out of the pupal stage, Yanme'e continue to grow, with the carapaces of Captains and Captain Majors becoming more protective and ornate[46] while Majors and Ultras see the growth of "horns" on the head[47] - though some-observed Majors and Ultras exhibit the same lack of morphological change as a regular Minor.[46][48]

Rank Image Description
Yanme'e Leaders
Yanme'e Queen Art of a Yanme'e Queen. Queens are the leaders of Hives, responsible for the birth of new members of the Swarm.
Hiveward H3ODST DroneCapMaj Crop 1.png The highest-known rank of the Yanme'e, Hivewards command vast numbers of Yanme'e and have been rarely seen on the battlefield outside of a hive.
Captain H3ODST DroneCaptain Crop.png The lowest-known rank of Yanme'e leader, Captains regularly appear on the battlefield to command large units of infantry.
Yanme'e Infantry
Ultra HR YanmeUltra 2.png An Ultra is considered the highest regular military rank for the species. They are distinguished by their blue and cyan or silver-white exoskeletons, along with paired forked horn-like structures on their head and cephalothorax.
Major H3ODST DroneMajor 2.jpg Majors can be distinguished by a light blue[46] or brown-red exoskeleton and set of three horns[47], though some may also appear identical to the Minors below them.[48] They typically command a small unit of 2-3 Minors.[46]
Minor HTMCC Avatar Drone 2.png Drone Minors are the lowest of the Drone ranks, signified by their lack of extra horns or carapace - and green colouration.
Pupa Yanme'e Pupa inside the Data Hive. These Yanme'e are pupa, and undergoing transformation. They are extremely weak and emit a soft glow; they are rarely seen outside of a hive.

Production notes[edit]

One of several concepts for the Drone Engineer featured in The Art of Halo: Creating a Virtual World.

The Drones have had a number of cut variants over the years. During the development of Halo: Combat Evolved, one such cut unit was the Drone Engineer. At this stage in development, the Drone Engineer was envisioned to take the role of the Huragok featured in later media; with early designs depicting the Engineer as a fusion of insectoid and cybernetic elements. A number of designs were produced along this theme, eventually evolving into the Engineer design ultimately cut from the game.[49] This design was later re-considered for Halo 2, in which the Drone Engineer concept was brought back as a new flying infantry unit, while the "gas-bag" design of Engineer that was modelled (though not implemented) in Combat Evolved was also canonised as a separate entity in Halo: First Strike, Halo Wars and Halo 3: ODST.

The drones went on to recieve considerable expansion in ODST, seeing five rank variants introduced and a level set inside one of the Drones' hives. The same year's Halo Wars also intended to introduced Drones as a playable unit, though this was ultimately cut from the game. The "Recon Drone" would have served as the Covenant's scout unit, with no attack abilities. Another Drone unit was also cut from Halo 4; this drone was intended to be a sniper unit and was fully-concepted - though never implemented in the final game.

Trivia[edit]

Language Equivalent
Flag of France.png
French 		Les Drones in all media.

Les Vermines (nickname) in Halo: Reach's manual.

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  • The nickname "buggers" is likely a reference to the Formic race in the Orson Scott Card novel Ender's Game. Additionally, the Drones' native name, Yanme'e, could be based on the Japanese 蜻蜓 (yanma), meaning "large dragonfly".
  • The weight of a Drone averages around 77 kilograms, a reference of Bungie's love of the number 7.
  • During concept stages for Halo 3, the Yanme'e were planned to have an animation in which they would carry away a Marine.[50] This animation was cut from the final game but one does pick up a Marine for a short time at the beginning of the first swarm attack in Crow's Nest.
  • In Halo: Reach, when Drones are killed with a headshot, they explode, leaving behind only limbs.
  • In Halo: Reach, Drones are not encountered in Firefight mode, unlike Halo 3: ODST.
  • On the Bungie.net game stats for Halo: Reach, Yanme'e are referred to as "Buggers" rather than their more common nickname, "Drones".
  • In Halo 3: ODST, on the level Data Hive, you can find multiple Yanme'e eating the corpses of deceased police officers. This is the only time we are presented with a Covenant species actively eating human flesh in any Campaign level, albeit multiple claims that numerous species among the Covenant, predominantly Jiralhanae, consume human flesh.

Gallery[edit]

List of appearances[edit]

Sources[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e f Halo Encyclopedia (2009 edition), pages 148-149
  2. ^ a b c Halo: The Essential Visual Guide, page 51
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h Halo 3, Bestiarum
  4. ^ a b c d Halo 2, Conversations from the Universe
  5. ^ a b c d e Halo: Broken Circle, page 186
  6. ^ halo.bungie.org: Bestiarum Latin names translated
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r Halo Waypoint: Yanme'e
  8. ^ Halo Encyclopedia: The Definitive Guide to the Halo Universe, page 159 (2011 edition)
  9. ^ Halo Encyclopedia: The Definitive Guide to the Halo Universe, page 31
  10. ^ Halo: Contact Harvest, page 286
  11. ^ Halo: Contact Harvest
  12. ^ Halo: Battle Born, Chapter 4
  13. ^ Halo 2, campaign level, Cairo Station
  14. ^ a b c d Halo 3: ODST, campaign level, Data Hive
  15. ^ Halo 2, campaign level, Uprising
  16. ^ Halo 3, campaign level, The Ark
  17. ^ Halo Waypoint: Catalog Interaction (Page 43)
  18. ^ Halo: Shadow of Intent
  19. ^ Halo: Spartan Assault
  20. ^ Halo: Spartan Strike
  21. ^ Halo: New Blood, Chapter 16
  22. ^ Halo 5: Guardians, campaign level Guardians
  23. ^ Halo: Bad Blood, page 5
  24. ^ a b c d e Halo: New Blood, pages 69-70 (Google Play edition)
  25. ^ a b Halo Encyclopedia: The Definitive Guide to the Halo Universe, page 309 (2011 edition)
  26. ^ Halo 3, campaign level, Crow's Nest
  27. ^ Halo: Contact Harvest, page 202
  28. ^ a b c Halo: Contact Harvest, page 267
  29. ^ Halo 3: ODST
  30. ^ Halo: Contact Harvest, page 371
  31. ^ a b c Halo Encyclopedia: The Definitive Guide to the Halo Universe, page 159
  32. ^ Bungie.net, Halo 3 ODST : Field Guide - Drone (Retrieved on May 25, 2013) [local archive] [external archive]
  33. ^ a b Halo: Contact Harvest, page 369
  34. ^ a b Bungie.net: Stats
  35. ^ a b Halo: Evolutions, "Blunt Instruments", page 26
  36. ^ a b Halo: Evolutions, "Blunt Instruments", page 13
  37. ^ Halo Encyclopedia: The Definitive Guide to the Halo Universe, page 121
  38. ^ Halo: Contact Harvest, page 150
  39. ^ Halo: Evolutions, "Blunt Instruments", page 21
  40. ^ Halo: Contact Harvest, page 311
  41. ^ a b Halo: Contact Harvest, page 381
  42. ^ Halo: Reach
  43. ^ Bungie.net, Halo 3: ODST Stats (Retrieved on Jul 23, 2019) [archive]
  44. ^ Halo: The Essential Visual Guide, page 51
  45. ^ Halo 3: ODST Official Strategy Guide, page 25
  46. ^ a b c d e Halo 3: ODST
  47. ^ a b Halo: Reach
  48. ^ a b Halo 3
  49. ^ The Art of Halo: Creating a Virtual World, page 46
  50. ^ Bungie.net: A Certain Sense of Movement

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Sapient species of the Milky Way
Humanity
Covenant species
Ancient species
Protogenic
Other
Unidentified species
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