Cheru-pattern Tyrant

The Type-38 Anti-Aircraft Cannon, nicknamed the Tyrant, is a Covenant anti-aircraft emplacement. It fires extremely powerful bolts of superheated plasma at a high velocity.

History
Several Type-38's were used by Covenant forces in the Fall of Reach. At least two were used in the Battle at Szurdok Ridge, both of which were destroyed by SPARTAN-B312 of NOBLE Team. Two more were seen outside SWORD Base, at Airview Base, after the Covenant had secured the area; both of those were also destroyed by SPARTAN-B312.

By early 2553, Insurrectionists on Venezia had acquired a number of these cannons, likely from a group of Kig-Yar operating in the Venezia sector. In January 2553, one of the cannons was fired on the ship. The ship was able to evade, however, and used missiles to destroy the cannon. During the Battle of Draetheus V at some point between 2553-2557, Covenant remnant commander Merg Vol surrounded his base with Tyrants.

During the Battle of Ealen IV, Paul DeMarco and Fireteam Bailey commandeered a Tyrant, and used it to clear an escape path for the besieged delegates. The Spartan-IVs succeeded, though at the cost of their own lives.

Design
The T-38 AAC differs considerably from the more sleek Type-27 Mantis AAC. It is significantly heavier in construction, and as such is more difficult to transport and deploy, though its firepower is generally considered to make up for these disadvantages. The weapon is able to fire three bolts in a rapid succession before cooling down. Unlike the unprotected observation balconies of the Type-27 cannon, the Type-38's heavy base structure effectively doubles as an infantry fortification. The base structure has two levels, with a small command center in the ground level, with slopes leading to the second level which also serves as an observation platform.

Each time the cannon fires, a bolt of plasma is generated in the core and fired up into the gun. The gun's vulnerable pinch fusion reactor is encased in a shielded power core in the center of the base structure. Destroying this will cause the gun to explode. Alternatively, the back of the cannon is weak, and anti-vehicle weapons such as the M808 Scorpion's main gun or the Type-26 Wraith's plasma mortar will easily penetrate it and destroy the gun. To prevent this, the Covenant army routinely stations large amounts of infantry around the gun.

List of appearances

 * Halo: Reach
 * Halo: Glasslands
 * Halo: Spartan Assault
 * Halo: Escalation