Hellbringers
From Halopedia, the Halo wiki
| Hellbringers | |
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 The Hellbringers' insignia.  A Hellbringer armed with an NA4 flamethrower. | |
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Specialized infantry[1] |
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Anti-infantry[1] |
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| “ | They know it's a dirty job, but someone has to do it.[1] | ” |
The Special Tactics and Equipment Group (STEG), colloquially nicknamed the Hellbringers, are a special unit of the United Nations Space Command's Orbital Drop Shock Troopers.[2] They are primarily responsible for conducting demolitions and CBRN operations using a variety of special equipment including nuclear weapons and chemical weapons, though are most famous for their battlefield use of flamethrowers.
Equipped with flamethrowers and deployed in two-person teams, Hellbringers are tasked with engaging entrenched infantry while suffering a high attrition rate.[1][5]
Overview[edit]
- "Bringin' the fire."
- — A Hellbringer aboard Spirit of Fire.[6]
Personnel of the Special Tactics and Equipment Group are trained to use, maintain and operate a wide variety of weapon systems that most UNSC personnel are not aware of; these include chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear (CBRN) and energy weapons.[7] In combat operations, they are authorised to use demolition charges and sub-tactical nukes to burn out well-entrenched enemies.[2] However, their most iconic use involves two-man teams deployed to the frontlines and making use of flamethrowers to directly attack the enemy in a process similar to attacks in the First World War.[1] While most UNSC incendiary munitions are thermobaric in nature, the Hellbringers' liquid-fuel projectors are well-suited to the task of taking on fortified Covenant troops and clearing Flood infestations.[5]
The consequence of the dangerous nature of Hellbringer work; wearing a tank of high-explosive fuel and the psychological cost of using such horrific weaponry, means that they have a reputation for bravery and crazy behaviour.[5] As with all UNSC personnel who utilize flamethrowers in combat, Hellbringers are subjected to a battery of psychological analyses to determine their mental fitness for the role.[8][9]
As members of the wider Orbital Drop Shock Troopers, Hellbringers are trained in orbital insertions via drop pods.[2] The STEG has relatively low personnel counts due to the extremely specialised role they play, and requirements for recruiting. As Hellbringers are deployed to engage only the most heavily entrenched enemies, these Marines tend to suffer heavy casualties.[1]
The ODSTs also operate another flamethrower-armed unit, the Firebreaks. Unlike the Hellbringers, Firebreaks are not used for general WMD deployments, but instead operate as shock infantry using standard ODST armor and regular weapons alongside the flamethrowers.
History[edit]
A detachment of Hellbringers known as the Firestorm Battle Group[10] were present aboard UNSC Spirit of Fire during the Harvest campaign in 2531. This unit was under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Morgan Kinsano, and went on to fight in the Battle for Arcadia and Battle of Trove.[6] While the Spirit of Fire attempted to return to human space Serina planned for the Hellbringers to eventually test cryo-based weapons.[7] During the Banished occupation of Installation 00 Hellbringers were used against Banished infantry and structures.[11] During the campaign, the Firestorm Battle Group were used to scout out Site Ricochet.[10]
In 2556, Hellbringers led by Major Moran stationed aboard the Paris-class heavy frigate UNSC Saturn were deployed to the asteroid Site 22 to combat an emerging outbreak of the Flood there. The Hellbringers were deployed in support of a Spartan Flood containment Fireteam, Fireteam Leviathan, though were quickly overwhelmed. The Hellbringers who weren't infected by the Flood were either killed when Saturn fired its Shiva-class nuclear missiles at the site, obliterating it as per CORRUPTER protocols; or were ejected into space after making it back onto the ship, as in the case of Moran himself.[12][13]
Organisation[edit]
Little is known of the internal organisation for the Special Tactics & Equipment Group. However, the Hellbringer forces under Lieutenant Colonel Morgan Kinsano aboard UNSC Spirit of Fire are organised as part of the "Firestorm Battle Group", consisting of numerous vehicles alongside regular ODST and Marine personnel.[3] Individual Hellbringer teams consist of two individuals deployed in the field. The Firestorm Battle Group has two scout teams, Nawal and Wajikol.