Editing Skirmisher

{{Status|Canon}}
{{Disambig header|the military role|the species that filled this role within the Covenant|T'vaoan}}
[[File:HINF Skirmisher.jpg|300px|thumb|A Ruuhtian Skirmisher serving in the Banished.]]
'''Skirmisher''' is a role held exclusively by [[Kig-Yar]] warriors, most notably within the [[Covenant]] and [[Banished]] militaries. Within the [[Covenant military]], the skirmisher role was held almost exclusively by the [[T'vaoan]] subspecies of Kig-Yar. Still, the mantle and practice of skirmishers have their roots in the ancient past of the species as a whole.{{Ref/Site|Id=CFLegendary|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/news/canon-fodder-legendary-endings|SiteName=Halo Waypoint|PageName=Canon Fodder - Legendary Endings|D=18|M=12|Y=2021}}{{Ref/Book|Id=Enc22|Enc22|Page=433}} Other [[Covenant remnants|Covenant remnant]] groups, such as the [[Vata 'Gajat's mercenary group|mercenary outfit]] led by [[Vata 'Gajat]], have additionally made use of Skirmishers.{{Ref/Comic|Id=HE2|HEsc|Issue=2}}

==Overview==
===History===
[[File:Skirmisher Major.png|250px|thumb|A T'vaoan Skirmisher [[Obedientiary]] in the Covenant.]]
The role of skirmisher was created by the Kig-Yar long ago, seemingly even before the species even left [[Eayn]] to colonize other parts of their [[Y'Deio system|home system]]. After the [[Covenant]] discovered the Kig-Yar and grafted them into their empire, they kept the mantle of skirmisher as part of their [[Covenant military|military]]. During their time within the Covenant, most skirmishers would be [[T'vaoan]], a unique subspecies of Kig-Yar that settled and evolved on the asteroid known as [[T'vao]].{{Ref/Reuse|CFLegendary}}{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22}}

After the [[Banished]] began conscripting the Kig-Yar into their military, they discovered that the practice of skirmisher extended beyond the T'vaoan legacy and into the ancient history of all Kig-Yar. Many [[Ruuht|Ruuhtians]] within the Banished took it upon themselves to demonstrate this by donning the battle armor and bearing the technological and aesthetic markings of the traditional skirmisher. The strongest and most skilled Ruuhtian skirmishers of the Banished have proven to be every bit as deadly as their T'vaoan counterparts within the Covenant.{{Ref/Reuse|CFLegendary}}{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22}} Still, the Banished continued to make use of T'vaoan skirmishers, with [[Escharum]]'s forces deploying them to [[Reach]] during [[Operation: WOLFE]] in late [[2559]].{{Ref/Novel|Id=SOR16|SOR|Chapter=16}} Escharum would again make use of skirmishers during the [[Battle for Zeta Halo]], but only female Ruuhtian skirmishers have been known to be observed.{{Ref/Game|Id=HINFDialogue|HI|Skirmisher dialogue}}

===Role and responsibilities===
Skirmishers are typically deployed as shock troops or in tightly confined choke points where they can use their superior mobility to outmanoeuvre their enemy.{{Ref/Reuse|CFLegendary}} Within the Covenant, Skirmishers were able to attain several ranks in the standard Covenant [[Covenant rank structure|military rank system]] including [[Skirmisher Minor|Minor]] and [[Skirmisher Major|Major]], with the most combat-experienced of the latter drawn into the ranks of the [[Skirmisher Murmillo|Murmillones]]. [[Skirmisher Commando|Commandos]] served as special operations hunter-killer Skirmisher units, while [[Skirmisher Champion|Champions]] served as chief commanding officers over [[Unggoy]] and lower-ranked Kig-Yar.{{Ref/Book|Enc11|Page=186-187}}

Skirmishers are deployed as shock troopers or for the defence of critical choke points, using their speed to outflank, outmanoeuvre or overpower an enemy infantry force.{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22}} While serving in the Banished, the best skirmishers are granted a level of autonomy and discretion which far exceeds other Kig-Yar.{{Ref/Reuse|CFLegendary}} Those serving with the Banished regularly make use of point defence gauntlets similar to those utilized by the Covenant's Murmillones.{{Ref/Game|Id=HINFModel|HI|Skirmisher model}}
==Gameplay==
{{Linkbox|gameplay=yes|gameplaypage=Skirmisher/Gameplay}}
In both games they appear in, Skirmishers are evasive, lightly armored units that rely on their agility for combat. Skirmishers dart from cover to cover and most often shoot on the run, but have generally low health and no energy shielding, making them vulnerable if they are caught off guard.

==Notable personnel==
*[[Dahk'rah]]
*[[Sig Raan]]
*[[Tek]]
*[[Writh Kul]]

==Gallery==
{{Linkbox|gallery=yes|gallerypage=Images of Skirmishers}}
===Concept art===
<gallery>
File:HR SkirmisherVariant Concept.jpg|Concept art of a T'vaoan skirmisher for ''[[Halo: Reach]]''.
File:HINF-Skirmisherconcept.jpg|Concept art of the Banished skirmisher for ''[[Halo Infinite]]''.
File:HINF-Skirmisherconcept1.jpg|More finalized concept art.
File:HINF SkirmisherBossConcept.jpg|Concept art of a Banished skirmisher boss for ''Halo Infinite''.
</gallery>

===''Halo: Reach''===
<gallery>
File:HaloReach - Screenshot 03.jpg|Some T'vaoan Skirmisher Minors.
File:HTMCC-HR NeedleRifle&Needler.jpg|A Skirmisher Champion and a Skirmisher Minor.
File:HR Skirmisher Major Screenshot.jpg|A Skirmisher Major firing a {{Pattern|Nahle'hax|needler}} with all other Skirmisher ranks in the background.
File:HTMCC-HR SkirmisherTrio&PP.png|A trio of Skirmisher Majors.
File:HR SkirmisherMurmillones.jpg|A group of T'vaoan Skirmisher Murmillones.
</gallery>

===''Halo Infinite''===
<gallery>
File:HINF SkirmisherTower.jpg|A Banished Ruuhtian skirmisher.
File:HINF-Skirmishers.jpg|Two Banished Ruuhtian skirmishers.
File:HINF SkirmisherClose.png|Close-up view of a Banished Ruuhtian skirmisher.
File:HINF Skirmishers.png|Two Ruuhtian skirmishers.
File:HINF Skirmishers 2.png|Ruuhtian skirmishers.
File:HINF Skirmisher behind.png|Rear view of a Banished Ruuhtian skirmisher.
</gallery>

==List of appearances==
*''[[Remember Reach]]''
**''[[Deliver Hope]]'' {{1st}}
*''[[Halo: Reach]]''
*''[[Halo: Escalation]]''
*''[[Halo: Last Light]]''
*''[[Halo Mythos]]''
*''[[Halo: Rise of Atriox]]''
*''[[Halo: Official Spartan Field Manual]]''
*''[[Halo: Shadows of Reach]]''
*''[[Halo Infinite]]''
*''[[Halo: The Rubicon Protocol]]''
*''[[Halo: Whispers from the Pyre]]''

==Sources==
{{Ref/Sources}}

{{Kig-Yar Ranks}}

[[Category:Covenant titles]]