Sangheili Honor Guardsman

"We have always been your protectors!"

- Arbiter Thel 'Vadamee talking to the Prophet of Truth

The honor guardsman was a Covenant Sangheili position, serving as elite protectors to the Prophets, particularly the Hierarchs.

Overview
Honor guardsmen were among the most skilled of all Sangheili warriors and were hand-picked for the duty of protecting the High Prophets and other high ranking officials in the Covenant High Council; they were commanded by the revered Lights of Sanghelios. Honor guardsmen in service to the Honor Guard of the Covenant wore highly ornate armor, colored in a combination of glowing red and orange. It featured jutting spikes and pauldrons, though this was not always so. It is unknown how many Sangheili honor guardsmen were in service, though the Sanctum of the Hierarchs on High Charity could accommodate as many as three hundred.

Honor guardsmen were expected to immediately kill anyone who drew a weapon in the presence of a Hierarch. In addition, they kept order during important meetings within the High Council. Although the position was a great honor, it was seen by some Sangheili as a merely ceremonial duty and a way to silence those who were aware of the Hierarchs' duplicity.

The Sangheili honor guardsmen were likely instated immediately after the signing of the Writ of Union, which led to the establishment of the Covenant. For thousands of years, the Sangheili protected the Hierarchs and the other Prophets according to the Writ's strictures. After the death of the Prophet of Regret during the Ninth Age of Reclamation in November 2552, the Prophets of Truth and Mercy replaced the Sangheili honor guards with the Jiralhanae. This "Changing of the Guard" was a major step in a carefully planned coup that soon devolved into the Great Schism. Some of the honor guardsmen killed themselves after learning of the prophets' treachery. Others assisted Arbiter Thel 'Vadamee in stopping Tartarus, the Chieftain of the Jiralhanae, from activating Halo Installation 05 and therefore killing all sentient life in the galaxy.

Personal honor guards
In addition to the formal Honor Guard of the Covenant, some Sangheili warlords maintain honor guards drawn from their personal forces. Ripa 'Moramee, a "warlord thrall", used his personal guard in an attempt to overthrow his kaidon on Decided Heart; this coup failed and 'Moramee was sentenced to a life of imprisonment. After the Prophet of Regret pardoned 'Moramee and granted him the rank of Arbiter, the latter's personal guard protected the two as they scoured a Forerunner Shield World in an attempt to gain control of several powerful dreadnoughts stationed at the Apex. When human forces from the entered the Shield World, 'Moramee had some of his guards escort the Hierarch to High Charity. Unlike formal honor guardsmen, who would kill anyone who drew a weapon in the presence of a Hierarch, 'Moramee's guard refrained from doing so.

Halo Wars gameplay
In Halo Wars, Sangheili honor guardsmen are the leader-specific unit of the Prophet of Regret. They wield energy swords and deal tremendous damage to infantry. They are trained directly from the Citadel. They initially lack energy shields, though they can be upgraded with them. They can also be outfitted with active camouflage.

List of appearances

 * Halo 2
 * Halo Wars
 * Halo: First Strike
 * Halo: The Cole Protocol
 * Halo: Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe
 * The Return
 * Halo Legends
 * Origins
 * The Babysitter