Energy projector

"Were it not for the Arbiter's counsel, I would have glassed your entire planet!"

- Rtas 'Vadum

The Energy Projector is a Covenant weapon used exclusively by large ships. It fires a thin beam of energy which has very long range and is extremely accurate and destructive, capable of destroying ships effortlessly and "glassing" planets, rendering them incapable of sustaining life.

History
The Energy Projector was first encountered during the Battle of Reach, where it was used by a Covenant Supercruiser, a ship that was seen for the first time. It is more frequently seen years later, where Regret's Carrier uses one to destroy the Prophets temple after he had been assassinated by the Master Chief on Delta Halo. In Halo 3, parts of Eastern Africa and Kenya were glassed by Rtas Vadum to stop the Flood infestation.

Operation
The weapon can fire a thin beam of extremely powerful and energetic particles. It is possible to predict when it was about to fire because it typically charges the beam up before firing. The beam has an effective range of over 50,000 kilometers, longer even than that of a UNSC MAC gun used by Orbital Defense Platforms. It is described as looking like pulse lasers, but tinged silver white, which is compared to the scintillation effect that is seen when a Covenant ship's shields are hit. The long range allowed a ship armed with this weapon to 'snipe' targets during ship-to-ship combat, albeit less effectively. The weapon has been observed to gut UNSC ships from stem to stern, such as the Frigate Gettysburg over Reach. It alsoseems to be able to expand in size, depending on the size of the ship. Regret's Carrier seemed perfectly capable of destroying the Main Temple without moving its beam. It just grew in size and diameter.

Effects
The Energy Projector's beam is able to take down the shields of a Covenant Frigate or Covenant Destroyer with a single hit.

Against UNSC vessels, the weapon was able to pierce dozens of Titanium-A armor layers with comparative ease, rendering any form of physical solid defense useless. Therefore, a single hit or perforation could potentially disable or destroy vital systems, such as the MAC Cannon or engines, rendering the ship useless for combat (as seen at the First Battle of Earth when a single shot from an Assault Carrier crippled a Marathon-class cruiser), or if the shot was in the right place such as the reactors of a ship; it could destroy the ship completely.

The beam is similar to the Particle Beam Rifle on a larger scale in how and what it fires. It is also speculated that the beam can be focused to varying degrees. On planet Reach, it burned a hole through many meters of land. However, in space, they can be focused to a smaller, therefore more powerful beam generally used to decimate enemy ship fleets from afar. It also seems to drain all or most of the energy in a Covenant ship for a brief period unless the ship is big enough to supply the power without too much of a drain. This weapon is also used for glassing enemy planets.

The beam causes atmospheric and biospheric destruction by exciting the atoms in the air, thus scorching land and air life, and evaporating water with ease, suffocating aquatic life and destabilizing the planet's surface temperature. Therefore, merely firing it through the air would cause biospheric destruction on a planetary scale. In addition, the excitement of atoms could chemically alter the atmosphere or even blow it away. The combined effect can make the planet permanently inhospitable to life, as was the case with Harvest.

Distribution
According to Fred-104, only the "big ships have them." Ships of the, the Covenant Supercruiser, and the Assault Carrier were known to wield this weapon. Other large ship classes, such as the Covenant Supercarrier, are very likely to have it too. The CCS Class Cruiser has them too, albeit they have only 2 projectors, located under the ships bow, and under its middle. Covenant Battleships boast 12 energy projectors, enough firepower to destroy any UNSC Fleet.

Trivia

 * In the game, Halo Wars, the Prophet of Regret can use what seems to be a smaller version of the energy projector as one of his special abilities.
 * The Weapon's beam has a similar appearance to the Particle Beam Rifle's Beam, and also has a similar purpose: To land a precise shot into critical areas of the enemy.
 * In Halo Wars, the leader power Cleansing is the equivalent to the Energy Projectors in Halo 3.