The Covenant Military is the armed forces branch of the Covenant, incorporating the Covenant Navy and Covenant Army. It maintains the largest military force in the known galaxy. Their technology is far more advanced than that of the United Nations Space Command, due to their adoption of Forerunner technology. The Council of Deed and Doctrine is the governing force behind the Covenant military and aids the Hierarchs with military tactics and strategy. During major engagements the Council of Deed and Doctrine creates a Council of Masters to directly oversee the operation. The majority of the Covenant utilizes a caste type ranking system based on the color of their armor and type of armor Grunts and Elites, shield color Jackals, and accessories Brutes. There are only three species within the Covenant that have no known ranking system: Hunters, Drones, and Engineers. The Prophets are part of the Covenant’s religious caste and have their own ranking system. The strength of all Covenant soldiers differ by rank: high-ranking soldiers are stronger than lower-ranking soldiers due to experience, training, and equipment.
History
In the early centuries of the Covenant, the military was originally exclusively staffed by Elite personnel, with the Prophets having little part in its day-to-day running. As the Covenant conquered and assimilated the various species that it is now comprised of, members of each race were incorporated into the Covenant military to perform different functions, adding their own unique advantages and disadvantages. Now the Covenant Military is comprised of a number of branches, incorporating almost all Covenant member-races.
The Covenant Military is under the jurisdiction of the Council of Masters[1], formerly composed of Elite councilors who oversaw the operation of the military. With the Covenant Civil War, and the attack on High Charity by the Flood, it is unknown whether any members remain, whether the Brutes replaced them in Loyalist branches, or whether it still exists at all, essentially depriving the military of its leadership core.
Member Races
- Elites - former dominant military caste prior to the Great Schism.
- Brutes - current dominant military caste.
- Hunters - personal guards for Ship Masters, shock infantry.
- Drones - recent additions, airborne infantry.
- Jackals - scouts/assassins, police force
- Grunts - majority of infantry, "Cannon-Fodder."
Sub-Sections
- Navy - responsible for the coordination of the Covenant's numerous fleet's and its personnel in wartime operations against the Covenant's enemy. Primarily staffed by Elites, with Grunt work teams, and Drone and Engineer maintenance staff[2][3][4].
- Army - responsible for most ground-based combat operations, incorporating most of the Covenant's client races. Mostly comprised of Grunt, Drone and Jackal infantry, with Elite/Brute officers.
- See: Covenant Army
- Covenant Special Operations - responsible for small-scale, high-priority high-risk operations against specific points of interest, mostly comprised of Elite (before the Great Schism) and Grunt Commandoes.