Jiralhanae Chieftain

"The hopes of all the Covenant rest on your shoulders, Chieftain."

- Prophet of Truth

The Brute Chieftain, also known as the Alpha Jiralhanae, is a Covenant rank for the Jiralhanae (Brute) race, the highest in the Jiralhanae hierarchy. In Halo 2, there was only one, Tartarus, who was killed by the Arbiter and his Sangheili allies on Delta Halo. He used a powerful gravity hammer called the Fist of Rukt. The only known Brute Chieftain before Tartarus was his uncle, Maccabeus, who was also the previous wielder of Fist of Rukt.

In Halo 3, they command a "pack" of lesser Brutes, and enforce the pack-like mentality. In the Halo 3 video documentary "Et Tu, Brute?", there were multiple Brute Chieftains seen, although probably not as high as Tartarus or Maccabeus, who were believed to be the highest of the Jiralhanae. They wear very elaborate gold or red Power Armor (which is stronger then usual and impervious to sticky grenades and needler needles), breast-plates, and an even more intricate headdress. A Chieftain was seen wielding an Energy Sword, however they rarely if ever use them.  The Brute Chieftain may hold a rank similar to the the Elite Zealot.

Brute Chieftain - Weapon
These Brute Chieftains are clad in ornate red and black armor. Whilst it cannot take as much damage as the bronze armor worn by Armor Chieftains, it allows greater speed and mobility. Their Power Armor cannot be stuck by sticky grenades or Needler projectiles. Their primary armament is the Gravity Hammer, and are the only non-Flood enemy who uses the weapon. On Heroic and Legendary they carry and almost always use the Invincibility power-up. On their left arm, the armor is thicker to deliver bone-crushing melee attacks.

Brute Chieftain - Armor
This type of Brute Chieftain relies on heavy firepower weapons like the Fuel Rod Cannon, and Portable Plasma Cannon to crush their foes. Their ornate, bronze-and-gold armor is the most powerful and durable of the Brutes' Power Armor. Their armor cannot be stuck by Plasma Grenades or Needler projectiles unless you manage to get it on a section of their foot without armor or on their fuel rod gun. They will carry and occasionally use the Flare.

Tactics
It is advised to never charge a hammer wielding Chieftain, as it is almost always a one hit kill.

A hammer-wielding Chieftain is prone to utilizing the invincibility power-up while charging at you.

Also a good tactic is to shoot its helmet/headdress off and shoot it multiple times in its head.

A good way to kill a Chieftain is to use Cloaking and assassinate them. This way you are unharmed, but you can also pick up their Invincibility, since they did not have time to activate it.

A full magazine from a M6G pistol in it's head will kill a Chieftain on Normal difficulty.

Although you cannot stick him you can stick the Chieftain's Weapon, its difficult but it will be a one hit kill.

Firebomb Grenades are a good way to kill a Chieftain, although on Legendary this is not a guaranteed one hit kill.

Throwing a Spike Grenade beneath where they are or are going to be will kill them in one hit. It is best to lure them into a corner, first.

Carbine is a very good weapon to shoot off a Brute Chieftain`s helmet.

In the level Crow's Nest, when you first enter the barracks, use the portable grav lift to trap the chieftain under the ceilings so they can't move at all.

Trivia

 * Their Power Armor will not fall off when you shoot them or melee them.
 * The only way to stick them is if you throw a Plasma Grenade, Spike Grenade, or Flame Grenade on their Gravity Hammer.
 * If you kill a chieftain and take their Gravity Hammer and attack his pack of Brute they will say Who Gave him a hammer?!?
 * When a Chieftain gets killed its tribe will then grieve the fallen Chieftain.
 * It is possible for some Chieftains to berserk. Possibly from the removal of shields and the headdress, or provoking it to anger by staying alive while avoiding one. This may only be applicable to the Armor Chieftains, as the Weapon already has a Hammer and always charges.