Sangheili Major

Elite Major, occasionally referred to as the Elite Major, Veteran, or Half-Commander, is a Covenant Sangheili (Elite) rank.

Rank
Elites bearing this rank are seasoned warriors whose rank is relatively low in the Covenant Sangheili rank structure: they are higher than a Minor Elite. Also, only a Major Elite can become an Ossoona, mainly due to the fact that a more seasoned warrior prefers combat, not stealth, and a Minor Elite is too inexperienced to become the Ossoona. The Ossoona is a temporary rank that is given to Elites. The job of an Ossoona is to spy on enemies but not attack them unless they are discovered.

They command groups of Minor Elites as well as other Covenant races in ground combat situations. On lower difficulties of both Halo: Combat Evolved and Halo 2, Major Elites are rarely seen without a Minor Elite present. However, on the higher difficulty levels (Heroic and Legendary), these Elites are more numerous than Minors, in order to increase the difficulty of the game.

They are the physical equivalent of a SPARTAN-II supersoldier, and are far more intuitive and quick-thinking than their subordinates. A single Major Elite can often hold its own against a squad of Marines. To humans, they would be and are considered Sergeants in the Covenant. The rank of a Major Elite can be compared to that of Grunt Majors among Unggoy, Jackal Majors among Kig-Yar, Sentinel Majors among Sentinels, and Heretic Elite Majors among Heretic Elites.

Equipment
Enemy Major Elites (encountered throughout Halo: Combat Evolved and in Halo 2 only when playing as the Master Chief) are only found wielding Plasma Rifles, Needlers, and sometimes Carbines. They also carry and use Plasma Grenades. However, when the player encounters them as the Arbiter they, like all Elite allies, can be given any held weapon, even the Energy Sword, although they aren't allowed because of its religious purpose.

These Elites have more powerful shields than their blue-clad Minor Domo subordinates, as fitting with their rank. In Halo 2, these shields are the same strength as those of Honor Guard Elites, Zealots, and Heretic Elite Majors. On lower difficulties they can take a maximum of three hits on the body, or a single headshot from the Sniper Rifle or Beam Rifle, and in higher difficulties, they can take up to 4 body shots and 2 headshots.

In Halo 3 when Majors are dropped into the battle to aid the player they always wield Plasma Rifles, although the player can always exchange weapons with the Elites.

Combating a Major Elite
The same tactics used to kill Minor Elites can be used against Major Elites as well. However, their stronger energy shields make them more resilient. For example, in Halo: CE on Normal difficulty, it takes eight headshots from the M6D pistol to kill a Major, compared to six for a Minor. Furthermore, the sniper rifle takes two headshots on Heroic and Legendary difficulty. However, the "noob combo" is just effective as it is against as any other Elite, as the plasma pistol's charged shot instantly disables any shields regardless of strength.

Tactics
Elite Majors fire in sustained bursts and evasively strafe while shooting. They are also far less prone to tactical mistakes, such as charging directly into a fight or forgetting to take cover. On higher difficulty settings, it is very dangerous to face a major Elite, as the quick bursts fired by major Elites can strip shields down in a matter of seconds.

Much like Minor Elites on higher difficulty, they will attempt to lure the player into the open. They do this far more often when they have support from significant threats such as Hunters, groups of Drones, or Jackal Snipers, but almost never attempt it while alone.

In Halo 3 Major Elite fire in what seems to be shorter bursts, rougthly equivalent to a Brute Stalker.

Physical Appearance
Major Elites wear distinct red (specifically crimson or scarlet) armor, comparable to the red armor of Grunt Majors. Major Elites in Halo 3 are clad in metallic crimson or metallic red colored armor, and have white symbols on the front of their chest armour.

Halo: Combat Evolved
Major Elites were seen in almost every battle Spartan 117 was involved. In the Pillar of Autumn, they along with a few Special Operations Elites led Grunts and Minor Elites onboard the hijacking of the Pillar of Autumn. After acknowledging that many UNSC forces onboard escape the ship, Major and Minor Elites along with Grunts and Jackals were deployed by Spirit Dropships on a part of Halo to kill any human survivors found. When the cruiser Truth and Reconciliation was boarded by Spartan 117 and a several ODSTs in The Truth and Reconciliation, Majors along with many other Covenant forces of different ranks defend the assault by the UNSC-tasked squads. When the Silent Cartographer was under attacked by UNSC forces in The Silent Cartographer, they along with many other Covenant infantries defend the structure with no success, and allowing the UNSC forces to discover Halo's Control Room. In Assault on the Control Room, throughout the entire Forerunner Snowing environment, they aided defenses in numerous structures and outdoor places with infantries and armor support against UNSC squads, but the Control Room defenses in the end was defeated by the arrival of Spartan 117. After the Spartan left on a quest, they with few other Elite ranks and Covenant species managed to reclaim back the defenses, but it was not before long they learn about the Flood, and were soon under attack of forms of the Flood, Sentinels and the one-man force Spartan 117. When the Truth and Reconciliation was besieged by the Flood in Keyes, Major Elites did their best to defend the cruiser until a Special Operations strike force consisting of Special Operations Elites and Grunts arrive to reinforce the cruiser's defenses.

Halo 2
In Halo 2, Major Elites appeared in every level where the player controlled the Master Chief except for High Charity. In Metropolis, two Elite Majors controlled the Scarab in the city-center. These Elites were unusual in that they could not be killed while still at their stations, even from a direct Rocket Launcher hit. Once they abandoned their posts, however, they were just as strong as normal Major Elites.

While playing as the Arbiter, a Major Elite was gained as an ally halfway through Quarantine Zone, only if all of the player's allies had already been killed. In The Great Journey, one of these Elites would present the player with a Banshee to accompany Sergeant Johnson's Scarab.

Halo 3
There were a few Major Elites leading several groups of Special Operation Elites on the Floodgate which one talks to the Arbiter about the current state of the Elite military forces and how as to the Flood-infested cruiser managed to reach Earth. This is an interesting point to note since Special Operations Elite are supposedly of higher ranking than Major Domos. Another point to note that during the Halo era, Majors can be seen carrying Energy Swords, along with Minors, since generally it has been assumed that only Elites of Special Operations Elite rank and higher can carry them.

On the The Covenant Major Elites, along with several Minors and the Arbiter are dropped in by a pair of Separatist Phantoms in towers 2 and 3.

They come in two different types of colors; the standard Crimson and an orangish bronze.