Type classification system: Difference between revisions

Type-classification of Covenant technology is a challenge for UNSC analysts, due to the way the Covenant categorises and uses its own technology. Rather than rigid standardisation as in the UNSC's armed services, the Covenant employ thousands of variations of a given design family, all roughly grouped as simply [[Shade]]s or [[Wraith]]s. By contrast, the meticulous standards of [[human]] analysts ensure that almost every single minor variation of an equipment series goes catalogued even when the Covenant would not do so.{{Ref/Site|Id=wraith|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/universe/weapons/shade|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=Shade Turret|D=04|M=01|Y=2020}}{{Ref/Site|Id=shade|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/universe/vehicles/wraith|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=Wraith|D=04|M=01|Y=2020}}{{Ref/Reuse|HWPP}}

*[[Type-1 Anskum-pattern plasma grenade|Type-1 Antipersonnel Grenade]]

*[[Type-2 gravity hammer|Type-2 Energy Weapon/Hammer]]

*[[Orgudam Workshop Orgudam Workshop firebomb|Type-3 Antipersonnel/Antimaterial Incendiary Grenade]]

Type-25 equipment constitutes the majority of weapons and vehicles encountered in the first months of the Covenant war in the year [[2525]], predominantly that encountered [[First Battle of Harvest|at Harvest]].{{Ref/Site|Id=HWPP|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/universe/weapons/plasma-pistol|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=Plasma Pistol|D=25|M=06|Y=2021}}

*[[Type-25 Chopper|Type-25 Rapid Assault Vehicle]]

*[[Type-26 Shade|Type-26 Anti-Infantry Stationary Gun]]

*[[Type-27 Shade|Type-27 Anti-Infantry Stationary Gun]]

*[[Type-29 Shade|Type-29 Anti-Infantry Stationary Gun]]

*[[Heavy plasma cannon|Type-26 Directed Energy Weapon/Mounted]]

*[[Type-50 concussion rifle|Type-50 Directed Energy Rifle/Heavy]]

*[[Type-52 Phantom|Type-52 Troop Carrier]]

*[[Type-54 Ghost|Type-54 Rapid Attack Vehicle]]

*[[Type-55 Shade|Type-55 Anti-Infantry Stationary Gun]]

*[[Type-58 Anti-Air Wraith|Type-58 Anti-Air Artillery]]

*[[Type-58 Wraith|Type-58 Light Assault Gun Carriage]]

A similar system for designating equipment of Covenant origin is also used by humanity in parallel with the Type-designations. Unlike the type-system, class-designations are used to describe families of weapon systems - predominantly the varying classifications of plasma cannons. Class designations typically designate their weapon type as ''Class-'' followed by a single-digit numeric suffix - usually a 1 or 2.{{Ref/Site|URL=http://halo.xbox.com/en-us/intel/related/gallery/plasma-cannon/7e7f4e70-db67-4477-9ee9-3956d2155fcc|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=Fuel Rod Gun|D=01|M=10|Y=2011|LocalArchive=Archive:Halo_Waypoint/2009_to_2014/Universe/Weapons#Plasma Cannon|Quote=The Plasma Cannon is a broad, rather open-ended colloquial designation for the Covenant’s Class-1 directed energy cannons, typically deployed as a stationary emplacement, within the heavy support role. The T-52 Directed Energy Support Weapon is the most updated variant of this weapon-type employed by the Covenant late in the war. Earlier, the leaner T-42 Plasma Cannon was frequently observed, its narrow, elongated shape vaguely resembling that of the T-51 Plasma Repeater.}} These classifications generally seem to correspond (respectively) with the concepts of "light" and "medium" iterations of a given weapon system, though it stands to follow that a hypothetical "Class-3" may correspond with heavy iterations of the same weapon systems.