Special Operations Commander

The Special Operations Commander Elite is a Covenant Sangheili (Elite) rank. It seems to be a combination of a Ultra Elite and a Special Operations Elite.

Rank
Special Operations Commander is a position/office among the Ultras and the Special Operations Elites, not an actual rank per se (much like how Battalion Commander is a position but Major or Lieutenant Colonel is the actual rank). Thus far, only one Elite has been seen with this unique position, Rtas 'Vadumee. A Special Operations Commander commands a troupe of Special Operations Elites, much as the name of his position implies.

Armor
It's armor is slightly different from that of a normal Ultra's. The armor is white, with a slightly darker variant of white as the secondary color.

Combat
Most of the time, the Special Operations Commanders are seen wielding Energy Swords, but can use any Covenant and UNSC weapon. They can also drive any human or covenant vehicle, but are only seen in Spectres and Wraiths.

Rtas 'Vadumee
This is a list of where 'Vadumee appears in Halo 2. Note: he leads the Spec Ops Elites that the Arbiter works with on Threshold.


 * The Arbiter (level) - 'Vadumee is the commander of the Special Operations force (Arbiter, Special Operations Elites, and Special Operations Grunts) that storms the Gas Mine, and coordinates the attack from the safety of a Phantom.


 * The Oracle (level) - He joins in onthe attack, fighting the Heretics and Flood. At one point, however, he and his men withdraw, leaving the Arbiter to fight off the enemies to kill the Heretic Leader. Then, 'Vadumme appears to exfiltrate the Arbiter from the Gas Mine in his Phantom.


 * Quarantine Zone - Special Operations Elites assisted the Arbiter in forging a path to the Library. About at the two-thirds mark, Rtas 'Vadumee sent a Phantom with another Spectre and more Spec Ops Elites to assist. When the Covenant force reached the gondolas, further Elites defended the gondola from Flood attacks. When the gondola halted, Elites awaited on the gondola to protect their sole exfiltration craft as the Arbiter retrieved the Sacred Icon. It is likely that the Brutes slaughtered the remaining commandos that were defending the Gondola - one of the first acts of the Covenant Civil War.


 * The Great Journey - Rtas 'Vadumme drives a Wraith, escorting the Arbiter to the mouth of the Brute fortress before leaving the Arbiter to kill the Chieftan Tartarus, moving instead to retake a Brute-held CCS-class Battlecruiser in extreme low orbit(E.L.O.).

Known Spec Ops Commanders

 * Rtas 'Vadumee

Related Links

 * Elites
 * Special Operations Elite