Covenant ship classification system: Difference between revisions

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While no presently-confirmed vessels yet fall into the advocate role, the {{Pattern|Ket|battlecruiser|}} and {{Pattern|Elefen|battlecruiser}}s and their predecessor, the {{Pattern|Maugen|armored cruiser}}, match the given description almost perfectly.
While no presently-confirmed vessels yet fall into the advocate role, the {{Pattern|Ket|battlecruiser|}} and {{Pattern|Elefen|battlecruiser}}s and their predecessor, the {{Pattern|Maugen|armored cruiser}}, match the given description almost perfectly.


===Attack Ships===
===Attack ships===
Attack ships were the most common warships available to the Covenant, but were considered beneath the notice of most Fleetmasters except for use as diversions to distract enemies from more valuable targets, generally being pawned off to Kig-Yar or Jiralhanae and other profit-focused crews.{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22}} They were usually assigned to patrol Covenant space, inspecting and escorting shipping that carried the tithes of Covenant worlds or pilgrims to High Charity.{{Ref/Reuse|warfleet72}} Sangheili crews that found themselves assigned to such vessels tended to regard them as inglorious assignments, eager to prove themselves worthy of transfer to more prestigious assignments in battle, such as examiner type ships,{{Ref/Reuse|warfleet64}} but were unenthusiastic about protecting executioner ships when assigned as escorts.{{Ref/Book|Id=warfleet72|HWF|Page=72-73}}
Attack ships were the most common warships available to the Covenant, but were considered beneath the notice of most Fleetmasters except for use as diversions to distract enemies from more valuable targets, generally being pawned off to Kig-Yar or Jiralhanae and other profit-focused crews.{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22}} They were usually assigned to patrol Covenant space, inspecting and escorting shipping that carried the tithes of Covenant worlds or pilgrims to High Charity.{{Ref/Reuse|warfleet72}} Sangheili crews that found themselves assigned to such vessels tended to regard them as inglorious assignments, eager to prove themselves worthy of transfer to more prestigious assignments in battle, such as examiner type ships,{{Ref/Reuse|warfleet64}} but were unenthusiastic about protecting executioner ships when assigned as escorts.{{Ref/Book|Id=warfleet72|HWF|Page=72-73}}
*{{Pattern|Zanar|light cruiser}}{{Ref/Reuse|warfleet72}}
*{{Pattern|Zanar|light cruiser}}{{Ref/Reuse|warfleet72}}
*{{Pattern|Mutan Et|storm cutter}}{{Ref/Book|Id=Enc22p269|Enc22|Page=269}}
*{{Pattern|Mutan Et|storm cutter}}{{Ref/Book|Id=Enc22p269|Enc22|Page=269}}
*{{Pattern|R'sikosh|man o' war}}


===Coadjutators===
===Coadjutators===
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===Vestiges===
===Vestiges===
Vestiges were old warships that served during the [[War of Beginnings]], when the Sangheili were united against the overwhelming power of the San'Shyuum's Keyship. Fleets of Vestiges were sent off to drift in space or buried in caverns beneath airless worlds, with any records of their history or battle-honors deleted from all data archives by clans that wished to overturn the [[Writ of Union]]. Forgotten by all but a few dedicated lineages, these vessels were reclaimed by Sangheili Covenant remnants after the [[Great Schism]] to be pitted against other Sangheili forces and burn what they were built to protect.{{Ref/Book|Id=warfleet78|HWF|Page=78-79}}
Vestiges were old warships that served during the [[War of Beginnings]], when the Sangheili were united against the overwhelming power of the San'Shyuum's Keyship. Fleets of Vestiges were sent off to drift in space or buried in caverns beneath airless worlds, with any records of their history or battle-honors deleted from all data archives by clans that wished to overturn the [[Writ of Union]]. Forgotten by all but a few dedicated lineages, these vessels were reclaimed by Sangheili Covenant remnants after the [[Great Schism]] to be pitted against other Sangheili forces and burn what they were built to protect.{{Ref/Book|Id=warfleet78|HWF|Page=78-79}}
Vestige ship classes are generally named after sailing ships from the Age of Sail.


Vestige warships include the following;
Vestige warships include the following;
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*{{Pattern|R'sikosh|man o' war}}
*{{Pattern|R'sikosh|man o' war}}
*{{Pattern|Rwaru|carrack}}
*{{Pattern|Rwaru|carrack}}
*[[Barque]]


The {{Pattern|Useumru|voidpiercer}}, constructed in the first two years of the Covenant's existence, may also count as a Vestige warship.
The {{Pattern|Useumru|voidpiercer}}, constructed in the first two years of the Covenant's existence, may also count as a Vestige warship.
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During the war, the [[United Nations Space Command]] and [[Office of Naval Intelligence]] attempted to classify Covenant ships based on observation and limited intelligence about the Covenant's own ship codes. This allowed UNSC analysts to create a schema for identifying Covenant vessel types roughly synonymous with [[human]] naval [[Hull classification symbol|hull codes]]{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22}} - though these classifications do not map perfectly to human standards.{{Ref/Reuse|Catalog}} These codes take the form of three letters forming the Covenant ship's "class" name (ie CCS-class), with each of the three letter codes derived from the Covenant's internal mission codes.{{Ref/Book|Id=Enc22|Enc22|Page=260}} Following the end of the war with the Covenant, cooperation with the [[Swords of Sanghelios]] revealed the true complex extent of Covenant naval organisation to human analysts, and a shift away from the three-letter codes.{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22}}
During the war, the [[United Nations Space Command]] and [[Office of Naval Intelligence]] attempted to classify Covenant ships based on observation and limited intelligence about the Covenant's own ship codes. This allowed UNSC analysts to create a schema for identifying Covenant vessel types roughly synonymous with [[human]] naval [[Hull classification symbol|hull codes]]{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22}} - though these classifications do not map perfectly to human standards.{{Ref/Reuse|Catalog}} These codes take the form of three letters forming the Covenant ship's "class" name (ie CCS-class), with each of the three letter codes derived from the Covenant's internal mission codes.{{Ref/Book|Id=Enc22|Enc22|Page=260}} Following the end of the war with the Covenant, cooperation with the [[Swords of Sanghelios]] revealed the true complex extent of Covenant naval organisation to human analysts, and a shift away from the three-letter codes.{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22}}


The three-letter codes are transliterations of a given ship's primary, secondary and tertiary classification codes used in the Covenant fleet, with the letters' ordering determining the importance of that feature, role or ability in the ship's mission.{{Ref/Site|Id=Have S'moa|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/news/canon-fodder-have-s-moa|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=Canon Fodder - Have S'moa|D=30|M=10|Y=2021}} For example, the [[ORS-class heavy cruiser]] would be broken down as follows;
The three-letter codes are transliterations of a given ship's primary, secondary and tertiary classification codes used in the Covenant fleet, with the letters' ordering determining the importance of that feature, role or ability in the ship's mission.{{Ref/Site|Id=Have S'moa|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/news/canon-fodder-have-s-moa|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=Canon Fodder - Have S'moa|D=30|M=10|Y=2021}} For example, the [[ORS-class heavy cruiser]] would be broken down as follows;
*'''O - Ordained:''' This is not a mission type but instead denotes that the ship is enhanced with [[Forerunner]] technology.{{Ref/Reuse|Have S'moa}}
*'''O - Ordained:''' This is not a mission type but instead denotes that the ship is enhanced with [[Forerunner]] technology such as a [[relic core]].{{Ref/Reuse|Have S'moa}}
*'''R - Reverence:''' Reverence mission codes mean that a ship is capable of conducting reconnaissance missions and excavating Forerunner artefacts.{{Ref/Reuse|Have S'moa}}
*'''R - Reverence:''' Reverence mission codes mean that a ship is capable of conducting reconnaissance missions and excavating Forerunner artefacts.{{Ref/Reuse|Have S'moa}}
*'''S - Salvation:''' Salvation mission codes refer to a dedicated warship capable of cleansing their enemies with "holy fire".{{Ref/Reuse|Have S'moa}}
*'''S - Salvation:''' Salvation mission codes refer to a dedicated warship capable of cleansing their enemies with "holy fire".{{Ref/Reuse|Have S'moa}}
As such, the ORS' primary characteristic is that it is a Forerunner-enhanced ship, primarily intended for reconnaissance and excavation missions - with pure combat only a tertiary focus.{{Ref/Reuse|Have S'moa}} As such, Covenant ships (such as in the case of ''[[Incorruptible]]'') may sometimes be referred to off-hand as "''Reverence''"-class ships, though in reality any ship bearing the R in its letter code (such as the ORS and CRS-class cruisers, CAR-class frigate, etc) could be described as a ''Reverence''-class.{{Ref/Reuse|Have S'moa}}
As such, the ORS' primary characteristic is that it is a Forerunner-enhanced ship, primarily intended for reconnaissance and excavation missions - with pure combat only a tertiary focus.{{Ref/Reuse|Have S'moa}} As such, Covenant ships (such as in the case of ''[[Incorruptible]]'') may sometimes be referred to off-hand as "''Reverence''"-class ships, though in reality any ship bearing the R in its letter code (such as the ORS and CRS-class cruisers, CAR-class frigate, etc) could be described as a ''Reverence''-class.{{Ref/Reuse|Have S'moa}}


The known letters used in the classification system include '''A''', '''C''', '''D''', '''O''', '''P''', '''R''', '''S''', and '''V'''. Of these known letters, only the O, R, and S designations are known (listed above), though it should be noted that the letter classification codes do not have any correspondence with the class designations used by the Covenant (detailed at the top of this article). Equally, it is unknown what significance repetition of the letters in a class name (such as the CCS-class) signifies. Due to the limited understanding of Covenant ship organisation and manufacture, some human-ascribed three-letter codes correspond to multiple individually-recognised [[design pattern]] variations, similarly to the errors present in their [[type classification system]] for ground equipment. For example, both the {{Pattern|Ket|battlecruiser|}} and {{Pattern|Elefen|battlecruiser|}}s of battlecruiser maintain the CCS hull code.
The known letters used in the classification system include '''A''', '''C''', '''D''', '''O''', '''P''', '''R''', '''S''', and '''V'''. Of these known letters, only the O, R, and S designations are known (listed above), though it should be noted that the letter classification codes do not have any correspondence with the class designations used by the Covenant (detailed at the top of this article). Equally, it is unknown what significance repetition of the letters in a class name (such as the CCS-class) signifies. Due to the limited understanding of Covenant ship organisation and manufacture, some human-ascribed three-letter codes correspond to multiple individually-recognised [[design pattern]] variations, similarly to the errors present in their [[type classification system]] for ground equipment. For example, both the {{Pattern|Kerel|assault carrier|}} and {{Pattern|Syfon|assault carrier|}}s of assault carrier maintain the CAS hull code.


===List of three-letter classifications===
===List of three-letter classifications===
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;Frigates
;Frigates
*[[CAR-class frigate]]
*[[CAR-class frigate]]
*[[SCC-class sword frigate]]


;Corvettes and light warships
;Corvettes and light warships