Ket-pattern battlecruiser

CCS-class Battlecruiser

The CCS-class Battlecruiser is a heavy warship classification in the Covenant Navy. CCS (its hull classification) stands for Strike Battlecruiser. This classification of heavy warships are long, vaguely organic-shaped spacecraft. They are armed with Covenant Pulse Laser Turrets and Plasma Turrets of unknown number. This style of ship is the main heavy warship in the Covenant and Covenant Separatists' armada and is one of the types of ships classified under the Capital Ship category. It is commonly seen in the Halo games.

Internal Systems
The CCS classification appears to be able to host ground operations, with upwards of a thousand troops of various races - Grunts, Jackals, Elites and Hunters. They also boast support vehicles - Ghosts, Wraiths and Banshees.



Gravity Lift
Troops and equipment can be transported between the battlecruiser and the ground via an amethyst colored Gravity Lift projected from the ventral surface of the cruiser. The battle cruiser, held by invisible gravity devices in the air, merely projects this beam, and can send and receive reinforcements through it, which either hover up or drift down, depending on the polarization of the gravity beam. However, unwanted perpetrators can also be taken up in this beam, as did SPARTAN-117 and various Orbital Drop Shock Troopers during a daring raid in the events of Halo: Combat Evolved in the level "Truth and Reconciliation".



Brig
The CCS classification has at least two brigs for holding prisoners. Each is a rectangular room with four forcefield-encased cells on either side, for a total of eight per brig. Each cell can accommodate a dozen humans, although normally only one is placed in each cell, probably for security purposes against the possibility of a riot. The fields are impermeable to all hand held weaponry, projectile or energy, but can be lowered by a holographic control panel on a raised platform on the far side of the brig opposite the entrance, the guards post. The cells are arranged at the periphery of a spacious room, with guard(s) patrolling the central section. The guards usually have active camouflage and are usually equipped with an Energy Sword.



Hangar Bays
Main Article: Shuttle Bay

There are at least four hangar bays aboard the CCS classification - two to starboard and two to port side. They are each three-floored, with one floor being the same as a basic two story, meaning six floors worth in height. Each bay contains various vehicles, such as the Spirit-class dropship, on the bottom floor. Covenant troops are arrayed upon the second and third floors, with multiple stationary plasma shields and Shade infantry plasma turrets. Echo 419 (Foe Hammer) managed to drop troops inside the hangar during the mission where the Master Chief was attempting to save Captain Keyes.

A plasma magnetic containment field operates at the mouth of the hangars, retaining atmosphere while in space transit.



Corridors
Many corridors run labyrinthine across the battlecruiser. All are burnished purple-blue metal, and have various circuitry running along the ceiling. Retracting doors punctuate them; openable doors are outlined in purple, while locked ones are outlined in crimson. Also at certain corridor junctions, there are holes to drop between floors.



Doors
There are various, virtually indestructible doors upon the CCS classification. Unlocked ones are outlined in purple light, while locked ones have crimson light. While locked doors can be forcibly opened by EMP (electro-magnetic pulse) detonations, such as nearby Plasma Grenade explosions, they are protected from electronic falsehood by a 128,000-bit modulating key, as seen by Cortana.

Control Room
The Control Room of a CCS classification, known as the "bridge" in human terminology, is located, as with on all Covenant starships, at the midsection of the battlecruiser. A raised platform in the center of the spacious room ringed with holographic controls is presumed to be the command center of the Control Room. These controls are most likely fire control computers, navigation computers, sensor computers, ship diagnostics computers and internal security moniters. In front of the command center is a large holographic "banner" which most likely is used for navigation purposes. The crew in the control room usually consists of an Elite/Brute Ship Master (who stands on the central platform), who is in charge of giving orders and commanding his vessel, accompanied by other Elites/Brutes (who patrol the lower level of the control room), whom are responsible for maintaining the ship.



Appearances
Several CCS-class battlecruisers have been seen throughout the Halo campaign, most notably the Truth and Reconciliation, Purity of Spirit and possibly the Sacred Promise. They have also been seen in Halo 3 glassing the Earth city Voi, Kenya in search for the portal that leads to the Ark. They are larger and more heavily armed than heavy cruisers and destroyers, but even the CCS-class battlecruiser is itself overshadowed by the Covenant Supercruiser, Assault Carrier and Covenant Supercarriers. Like most Covenant ships, the CCS is built to a near atomic scale.

Trivia

 * Could be 7 Reference: C = 3rd letter of alphabet, S = 19th letter of alphabet: 3+3+19=25: 2+5=7.
 * A "CCS-class Battlegroup" generally consists of at least three CCS-class ships.
 * During the Battle of Voi a Battlecruiser that flies overhead SPARTAN-117 has the Marathon logo on its side.
 * The Cruisers featured in Halo 3 have 4 fins instead of 2, such as the Truth and Reconciliation in Halo: CE.
 * The Cruisers from Halo: CE and Halo 2 bear a resemblance to an ancient arthropod of the Cambrian Era called Anomalocaris.
 * During the Arbiter's assault on the Delta Halo, a Jiralhanae-occupied CCS Battlecruiser can be seen in orbit over the sea near the Scarab walker. This Cruiser is later taken over by Rtas 'Vadum and allied Sangheili.
 * The CCS-Battlecruiser is one of the Covenant's largest ships.
 * The only CCS-Battlecruiser to ever be controlled by humans was the Truth and Reconciliation.
 * The grav lift on the botton of the cruisers is shaped like a brute proximity mine.

Related Links

 * Truth and Reconciliation