Editing Energy projector

{{Era|HCW}}
[[File:Halo3_E3_TRAILER_2007_720p30_ST_6300Kbps_002_0001.jpg|thumb|300px|A [[CCS-class battlecruiser|''CCS''-class battlecruiser]] firing an energy projector.]]
{{Article Quote|The titanic vessel [[Jacob Keyes|Keyes]] had seen before was back. It fired its brilliant blue-white beam - a lance across space - that struck the destroyer ''[[UNSC Herodotus|Herodotus]]'', one hundred thousand kilometers distant. The beam cut clean through the ship, stem to stern, dissecting her.<ref name="for">'''[[Halo: The Fall of Reach]]''', ''page 320''</ref>}}

The '''energy projector''', also known as the '''cleansing beam''',<ref>'''Halo Wars'''</ref><ref name="EVG">'''[[Halo: The Essential Visual Guide]]''', ''page ???''</ref> is a [[Covenant Empire|Covenant]] weapon used exclusively by large warships. It fires a thin beam of energized matter, capable of destroying ships effortlessly at long range and "[[Glassing|glassing]]" planets, systematically rendering them sterile and incapable of sustaining life.

==History==
The energy projector was first encountered during the [[Second Battle of Harvest]], where it was used by a [[Covenant super-destroyer]]. It was more frequently seen in later years, such as during the [[Harvest]] [[Harvest Campaign|campaign]] and [[Operation: TORPEDO]]. Throughout the course of the [[Fall of Reach|Covenant invasion of Reach]], the population centres suffered tremendous structural damage due to the Covenant's glassing of the planet.<ref>'''[[Halo: Reach]]''', campaign level ''[[New Alexandria]]''</ref> Similarly, several frigates fell prey to the energy projectors during the engagement.<ref>'''Halo: Reach''', campaign level ''[[Tip of the Spear]]''</ref>

In a bid to kill [[John-117]], the ''[[Solemn Penance]]'' used an energy projector to destroy the [[Prophet of Regret]]'s temple after his assassination by the SPARTAN on [[Installation 05]].<ref>'''Halo 2''', campaign level ''[[Regret (level)|Regret]]''</ref> In the [[Battle of Earth]], the city of [[Voi]] was glassed by the [[Fleet of Retribution]] to stop a [[The Flood|Flood]] infestation.<ref>'''Halo 3''', campaign level ''[[Floodgate]]''</ref> According to Lord Hood, half of the African continent was glassed shortly after, though it was almost certainly a figurative exaggeration given the impossibility of a handful of ships glassing such a huge area in so short a time.

===Operation===
The weapon fires a thin beam of highly energetic particles, or plasma. It typically requires a brief charging period, during which a visible maelstrom of plasma appears around the emitter. The beam has an effective range of over 100,000 kilometers. The beam varies in color, possibly according to power output, but it generally appears as a silver-white color,  similar to the scintillation effect that is seen when a Covenant ship's energy shields are hit. Beams in the red, purple, orange and blue spectra have also been observed.

The energy projector's long range allows a ship armed with such weapons to 'snipe' targets during ship-to-ship combat. The weapon has been observed to gut UNSC ships from stem to stern, as happened to the [[uNSC frigate|frigate]] {{UNSCship|Gettysburg}} over Reach.<ref name="for"/><ref>'''[[Halo: First Strike]]'''</ref>

===Effects===
Against UNSC vessels, the weapon is able to pierce dozens of centimeters of [[Titanium-A armor|Titanium-A]] armor with comparative ease, rendering any form of physical defense useless. A single hit can potentially disable or destroy vital systems, such as the [[Magnetic Accelerator Cannon]] or engines, as seen during the [[Battle of Earth]] when a single pulse from an [[covenant assault carrier|assault carrier's]] dorsal energy projector crippled a [[marathon-class cruiser|''Marathon''-class cruiser]]. If an energy projector strikes in a critical area, such as the reactors of a ship, it could destroy the ship instantly.

The beam is functionally similar to the infantry-issued [[Type-50 Sniper Rifle System|particle beam rifle]], albeit on a vastly larger scale. It is also speculated that the beam can be focused to varying degrees. In space, the beam can be focused to a smaller, more concentrated, and thus more powerful beam generally used to decimate enemy fleets from afar. It also seems to drain all or most of the energy in a Covenant ship for a brief period, unless the ship is big enough to supply the power without too much of a drain.

When used for "glassing" a planet, the energy projector causes near-total atmospheric and biospheric destruction. The beam vitrifies the soil, converting massive swaths of terrain into molten glass, and causes massive atmospheric disruption. The climate of the planet is drastically altered, sometimes permanently; Harvest's global temperature dropped after being glassed, sending the planet into an "ice age." 

An energy projector beam also generates massive electromagnetic disturbances; energy shield systems are known to fail when within several miles of an active beam.

===Distribution===
According to [[Frederic-104]], "Only the big ships have them." [[reverence-class cruiser|''Reverence''-class cruisers]], [[Covenant supercruiser|supercruisers]], [[Covenant assault carrier|assault carriers]], [[Covenant supercarrier|supercarriers]], [[CPV-class heavy destroyer]] and [[CCS-class battlecruiser|''CCS''-class battlecruisers]] are known to be equipped with energy projectors. Carriers are armed with one energy projector underneath the bow, one on their dorsal sides, and one near the [[gravity lift]]. ''CCS''-class battlecruisers feature one under the bow and one on the underside of the gravity lift platform.


==''Halo Wars''==
In ''[[Halo Wars]]'', the [[Prophet of Regret]] uses the '''Cleansing Beam''' as his leader power. An orbiting vessel "[[Glassing|glasses]]" the target, and has the power to destroy almost anything. The weapon's capabilities can be upgraded to progressively increase power and decrease supply usage at the [[covenant temple|temple]]. The upgrades are named ''Regret's Sentence'', ''Regret's Doom'', and ''Regret's Condemnation'', respectively.

To use it, the player must select the Prophet of Regret and press the '''Y''' button. The player can then use the left thumbstick to move the beam around the Prophet's field of view. The Cleansing Beam can damage all units, including the player's and allies' forces; however, Regret himself cannot be damaged by the beam. The beam's color is dependent upon the player's team color.

==Trivia==
* The color of the energy projector's beam is not the same in every game. In ''[[Halo 2]]'', it is purple. In ''[[Halo 3]]'' and ''[[Halo 3: ODST]]'', it is blue. In ''[[Halo: Reach]]'', it is colored red. In ''[[Halo Wars]]'', it changes depending on what the team color is. This may be indicative of different power settings, as the energy projectors of [[CCS-class battlecruiser]]s have been seen in all three colors.
* The time an energy projector takes to charge is also often quite different. The CCS-class battlecruiser fought at the end of ''Halo: Reach'' takes 20 seconds to charge its energy projector, while ships of the same class in [[New Alexandria]] are shown charging theirs in only two, then sustaining fire for [[seven]] seconds. Likewise, a CAS-class assault carrier in ''ODST'' is shown charging its projector in thirty-six seconds, but an earlier one charges its own indefinitely until the player passes through a gate. This could be explained by a difference in operation, such as the cruisers at New Alexandria needing to expend less energy to destroy some buildings at New Alexandria while needing more to cut through the heavily armored ''[[UNSC Pillar of Autumn|Pillar of Autumn]]''.

==Gallery==
<gallery widths="150">
File:Firing Energy Projector.png|A Covenant assault carrier firing its energy projector in ''Halo 2''.
File:Glassing Upclose.jpg|A close-up to the energy projector used by a CCS-class battlecruiser.
File:AC Cargobay.jpg|Large Covenant ships, such as the ''[[Shadow of Intent]]'', have energy projectors located on their undersides.
File:Mombasa Glassing.jpg|A Covenant Assault carrier glassing [[New Mombasa]] with an energy projector.
File:Glassinglaz0r.jpg|The Cleansing Beam in ''[[Halo Wars]]''.
File:HaloReach - Glassing.jpg|A CCS-class Battlecruiser glassing [[New Alexandria]].
File:Energy_Projector.jpg|The [[Covenant supercarrier]] ''[[Long Night of Solace]]'' using its energy projector on the {{UNSCShip|Grafton}} during the [[Battle at Szurdok Ridge|Battle of Viery]].
</gallery>

==List of appearances==
*''[[Halo 2]]''
*''[[Halo 3]]''
*''[[Halo Wars]]''
*''[[Halo 3: ODST]]''
*''[[Halo: Reach]]''
*''[[Halo: The Fall of Reach]]'' {{1st}}
*''[[Halo: First Strike]]''
*''[[Halo: Ghosts of Onyx]]''
*''[[Halo: Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe]]''
**''[[The Impossible Life and the Possible Death of Preston J. Cole]]''
**''[[The Return]]''
*''[[Halo Wars: Genesis]]''
*''[[Halo Legends]]''
**''[[Origins]]''

==Sources==
<references/>

{{Covenant Weapons}}
[[Category:Covenant naval weapons]]
[[Category:Starship Weapons]]
[[Category:Directed-energy weapons]]