Halcyon-class light cruiser
From Halopedia, the Halo wiki
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50[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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2510[2] - present | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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- "A dozen Covenant superior battleships against a single Halcyon-class cruiser. Given those odds, I'm content with three...make that four kills."
- — Cortana during the Battle of Installation 04.[6]
The Halcyon-class light cruiser,[2] known as the Human Attack Ship class C-II by the Covenant,[7] is a United Nations Space Command cruiser starship classification designed by Dr. Robert McLees before 2507, with a hull classification symbol of C. Originally designed for attack and defense role in mind,[8] they were also capable of being used as troop and supply transports.[3]
Their service lives were short due to a unique hull design that was costly to construct and maintain with low maneuverability, poor armament, and concerns about their tactical viability. They were replaced by the Marathon-class heavy cruiser and later the Autumn-class heavy cruiser. Despite the disadvantages of the original design, the heavily modified UNSC Pillar of Autumn proved to be one of the most effective, and costly, ships deployed in the war.
Overview[edit]
Design details[edit]
Maintaining the monolithic hull design of other UNSC cruisers, the Halcyon-class were visually distinguished by their composition of five hexagonal and octagonal hull sections, each of which stacked on top of each other and progressively grew as they ran towards the engines. The frontmost surface of these cruisers was dominated by a long antenna structure called the foremast, whose base sat below the muzzle of the MAC. The bridge was slung underneath the front section on a portruding structure, which made it very vulnerable to enemy fire. The second-last hull section possessed four docking bays that ran down either side like an equatorial line, and the keel featured a drop bay capable of deploying both SOEIV and dropships. Personnel made use of lifts, stairs, and mag-rail platforms for quick transit around the cruiser.[9] To evacuate personnel during emergencies, these cruisers had at least 18 Class-3 Bumblebees.
The aftmost section was largely devoted to the cruiser's propulsion and powerplant systems, which as originally installed were three Mark II Hanley-Messer DFRs.[5] Designed for bulk manoeuvring rather than speed,[10] they were woefully obsolete by 2552, only capable of providing a tenth the output of more modern systems.[11] They were complemented by four compact auxiliary fusion rockets mounted in pairs, which could provide high thrust but were dogged by inefficiency.[9] Combined, they gave the Halcyon-class a profound lack of speed, and coupled with their minimal firepower they were ineffective in combat.[11]
The most curious element of the Halcyon-class was their unusual frame construction. Designed by Doctor Robert McLees, they made use of a series of internal cross bracings and Titanium-A[12] honeycombs. This feature gave the class a reputation for enduring serious punishment, despite their usage of older, heavier armor that provided less protection than modern standards. Halcyon-class cruisers were known to remain operational despite suffering breaches to all compartments and losing 90% of their armor. However, such a scheme was costly and grossly overmassed compared to more conventional measures, which led to it being dropped after the first eleven cruisers.[11] Aiding in this, corr