Covenant military

The Covenant maintained a pervasive military force which it used to carry out the Hierarchs' will throughout the Covenant's vast empire. Under the political oversight of various ministries and the High Council, the Covenant military was originally led by the Sangheili, who were replaced by the Jiralhanae during the Great Schism.

History
In the early centuries of the Covenant, the Writ of Union established the armed forces of the Sangheili as the hegemony's sole military force, with the San 'Shyuum having little part in its day-to-day operation. As the Covenant conquered and assimilated various species for its cause, members of each race were incorporated into the Covenant military to perform different roles, adding their own unique advantages and disadvantages.

During the Great Schism, the Covenant military was violently torn between those loyal to the Covenant, who continued to follow the High Prophets, and the independent, Sangheili-led separatist faction, who followed the Arbiter against them. As the battle raged, the High Prophet of Truth formally transferred command of the military to the Jiralhanae, a position once exclusively held by the Sangheili. Following the Schism, the Flood outbreak on High Charity and the eventual destruction of the remaining Covenant leadership in the Battle of Installation 00, the Covenant military ceased to exist as a functioning force due to the absence of a structured Covenant government.

A number of splinter factions formed in the wake of the Covenant's fragmentation, including the Servants of the Abiding Truth and later the more powerful revived Covenant led by Jul 'Mdama. These groups have marshaled significant amounts of the Covenant's former matériel and troops while maintaining the practices and traditions of the former Covenant's military forces to varying degrees.

Political oversight
Politically, most of the military fell under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Resolution, while some of the more specialized military forces were overseen by different ministries, such as the Ministry of Fervent Intercession in the Zealots' case. Like the rest of the Covenant, the Covenant military was under the ultimate jurisdiction of the High Council, formerly composed of Sangheili Councilors who oversaw the operation of the military.

The Council of Deed and Doctrine was a command organization within the Covenant military and aided the Hierarchs with military tactics and strategy. During major conflicts, the Council of Deed and Doctrine created a Council of Masters to directly oversee operations. Because San 'Shyuum did not hold military ranks, no San 'Shyuum was truly a "member" of the military. Instead, they were responsible for strategic decision-making, but also traveled with Covenant military units as religious or political overseers.

Military organization
The Covenant military was heavily naval-oriented, with fleets ranging from small battle groups to entire armadas serving as the basic unit of organization. These fleets appeared to be under the direct authority of a given ministry, and there was seemingly no meaningful distinction between service branches, such as the human notions of a dedicated "navy" and "army"; for example, field officers, including Sangheili Generals, could command ground operations as well as starships. However, individual fleets operated a number of task-based groups, including the ground-oriented Occupational Forces and the Special Warfare Group, which contained the Special Operations Division.

The Covenant military was organized based on the Covenant's caste system. The officer corps was primarily staffed by Jiralhanae (and formerly by Sangheili), while the Unggoy and Kig-Yar generally filled menial or infantry roles. Ranks were denoted by the color, type of armor and accessories worn for Sangheili, Jiralhanae and Unggoy; different ranks of Kig-Yar would also be distinguished by the color of their shield gauntlets.

Despite the diversity of their weapons and forces, Covenant troops are heavily segregated. For instance, Unggoy are deployed as cannon fodder files, Kig-Yar are used as support and snipers, and Sangheili are commanders and fight in warrior lances. On a larger scale, Covenant troops are organized into legions. Weapons and technology are restricted by species and rank; only Elites receive personal energy shields and energy swords, only Jackals receive point defense gauntlets, and Grunts only receive basic weapons and armor, depending by rank. The reasons for these restrictions are often cultural; for instance, Elites view wielding shield gauntlets as dishonorable and that "lesser species" do not deserve their privileged weapons. This discrimination among the Covenant military is centuries old, but the dynamic is occasionally changed by violent rebellion. The Unggoy Rebellion caused Elites to mix their units with Grunts and give them better training. Likewise, the Great Schism put Jiralhanae in command of former Sangheili units, gave them personal shielded armor, and made Jiralhanae packs a prevalent unit within the military in addition to the mixed-species lance.

Structure

 * High Council
 * Ministry of Resolution — oversight of most military operations and fleets
 * Special Warfare Group
 * Covenant Special Operations
 * Fleet Security
 * Ossoona
 * Ministry of Fervent Intercession — oversight of the Sangheili Zealot corps
 * Sangheili Zealots
 * Ministry of Preservation — dealt with internal dissent and rebellions
 * Ministry of Abnegation
 * Ascetics

Member races

 * Sangheili - dominant military caste prior to the Covenant Schism
 * Jiralhanae - dominant military caste following the Covenant Schism
 * Mgalekgolo - shock-infantry, heavy-weapons platforms
 * Yanme'e - airborne infantry, combat engineers
 * Kig-Yar - scouts/snipers, police force
 * Unggoy - majority of infantry, "cannon-fodder"
 * Huragok - combat engineers, medics, suicide bombers

Legions

 * Dn'end Legion
 * E'Toro Warrior Crèche
 * R'Lan Warrior Crèche
 * N'Noro Warrior Crèche

List of appearances

 * Halo: Fall of Reach
 * Halo: Combat Evolved
 * Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary
 * Terminals
 * Halo: The Flood
 * Halo: First Strike
 * i love bees
 * Halo 2
 * Conversations from the Universe
 * Halo Graphic Novel
 * Second Sunrise Over New Mombasa
 * The Last Voyage of the Infinite Succor
 * Halo: Ghosts of Onyx
 * Halo: Landfall
 * Halo: Combat
 * Halo: Last One Standing
 * Halo: Uprising
 * Halo 3
 * Halo: Contact Harvest
 * Halo: The Cole Protocol
 * Halo Wars: Genesis
 * Halo Wars
 * Halo: Helljumper
 * The Life
 * Halo 3: ODST
 * Sadie's Story
 * Halo Legends
 * Homecoming
 * Odd One Out
 * Origins
 * Prototype
 * The Babysitter
 * The Duel
 * The Package


 * Halo: Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe
 * Blunt Instruments
 * Dirt
 * Headhunters
 * ''Midnight in the Heart of Midlothian
 * Palace Hotel
 * Stomping on the Heels of a Fuss
 * The Impossible Life and the Possible Death of Preston J. Cole
 * The Mona Lisa
 * The Return
 * Halo: Blood Line
 * Remember Reach
 * Deliver Hope
 * Halo: Reach
 * Halo: Fall of Reach
 * Boot Camp
 * Covenant
 * Invasion
 * Halo: Glasslands
 * Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn
 * Halo 4 (Prologue Only)
 * Halo: Initiation