Stealth Sangheili

"I still have nightmares about the Stealth Elites... they would come out of nowhere. You have to look very, very closely: you could see the air move just before they jump you. But then it was usually already too late..."

- Private Roger Alfarsi

The Stealth Sangheili are a specialized Sangheili unit in the Covenant. They report to Fleet Security of the Special Warfare Group.

Roles
Not to be confused with Special Operations Sangheili, these Sangheili Stealth soldiers are the assassins and spies of the Covenant Fleet Security. The use of their active camouflage makes them experts at ambushing enemies in tight quarters. They are usually equipped with Energy Swords or a plasma rifle, and are seen commanding Unggoy soldiers similarly equipped with active camouflage.

Though part of the Special Warfare Group, Stealth Sangheili report through Fleet Security as their role concentrates more on the acquisition of intelligence and strategic countermeasures than direct combat. Their commanders are usually high-ranking fleet leaders and can even be Prophets, depending on the nature of their service. While Stealth Sangheili do not require to be armed, and several subgroups like the Ossoona very specifically are not, most still brandish at least a few standard-issue weapons in preparation of any new assignment.

While they possess active camouflage, their defensive capabilities are lower than those of other Elites due to the weakness of their personal energy shields. Early on in the Human-Covenant War, Stealth Sangheili had no energy shields, relying only on their stealth and weapons to accomplish their complicated missions. This was later rectified, but their newly gained energy shields were weak, causing any Sangheili who held the rank to still rely heavily on stealth and quickness. After the Great Schism, the Stealth Sangheili were replaced with the Jiralhanae Stalker, who have a similar set of equipment and role.

Combat
Stealth Sangheili are usually armed with plasma rifles, either single-wielded or dual-wielded. Frequently, these soldiers use energy swords. They often lie in wait in order to ambush their enemies. They are also far less prone to make tactical mistakes, such as not charging directly into a fight and taking cover more often. Their agility and active camouflage makes them difficult targets to hit, and they often attack in pairs, much like Mgalekgolo.

The best way to combat a Stealth Sangheili in Halo: Combat Evolved would be to take advantage of their lack of shields. The M6D magnum and the SRS99C-S2 AM sniper rifle will kill them with a single shot to the head, though it can be difficult to land shots due to the Sangheili's agility and camouflage ability. The sniper rifle's night vision makes this easier because it makes them quite visible. The MA5B assault rifle is very effective at close range, as its ability to fill the air with a large number of projectiles reduces the need for accurate aiming, and allows the player to find the Sangheili more easily while they are still camouflaged. Explosives are also effective when trying to flush them out of hiding or from behind cover, or to damage them.

Despite having active camouflage, when a Stealth Elite is equipped with an energy sword, the sword's glow will give away their location, making for an easy kill. Oddly enough, Marine allies will still be unable to see them.

In Halo 2, use head shot-capable weapons such as the SRS99C-S2 AMB sniper rifle, M6C magnum, BR55 Battle Rifle, or the Type-51 carbine. Their relatively weak shields can be broken easily by these weapons, and like any other Sangheili soldier, they can be killed by a single headshot while unshielded. Marksman weapons such as the Sniper Rifle can kill them with a single headshot even when fully-shielded depending on difficulty you're playing on. The M90 shotgun is very effective when combating a Stealth Elite in a close quarter’s environment.

Stealth Sangheilis appear frequently in the Halo 2 campaign and mainly the level Outskirts on Legendary, though they also appear in the underwater structure in the level Regret, and on Gravemind.

Armor and shields
Stealth Sangheili have been seen wearing several different types of armor. During and prior to the Battle of Installation 04, their armor was a light cyan and gray color, and was otherwise visually identical to the armor of Special Operations Sangheili. However, this armor system did not allow for use of a personal energy shield, allowing for a quick and easy kill if their location is known.

During the Battle of Earth and the Battle of Installation 05, these Stealth soldiers received updated and improved armor. The color was changed from a grayish tone to either a brown and steel or silver and steel color. In addition, the designers added in personal energy shields for increased survivability. The shielding system worn by Stealth Elites is significantly different from any other armor system worn by the Sangheili. Stealth Sangheilis' shields recharge incredibly quickly, much faster than any other shield system seen in use (including the shielding systems of Elite combat harnesses, SPARTAN power armor, and Brute power armor). Additionally, Stealth Elites appear to have almost twice as much health as a standard Minor Elite. On the downside, these shields are noticeably weaker than those worn and used by Sangheili Minors, with almost 50% the shield strength of a Minor Sangheili's shields.

List of appearances

 * Halo: Combat Evolved
 * Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary
 * Halo 2
 * Halo Wars
 * Halo: Spartan Assault