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Plasma torpedo: Difference between revisions
This edit is meant as a cleanup of this page using the new information obtained from Halo: Warfleet. The new information mostly involves the inert plasma torpedo cores and the Plasma Torpedo Silos described in that book.
(It's vague whether those are plasma torps at all; see the "Terminology" section and the note.) |
(This edit is meant as a cleanup of this page using the new information obtained from Halo: Warfleet. The new information mostly involves the inert plasma torpedo cores and the Plasma Torpedo Silos described in that book.) |
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{{Quote|Just another item in the Covenant's bottomless arsenal. Not a plasma torpedo, or we'd already be free-floating molecules.|[[Captain]] [[Jacob Keyes]]<ref name="tf molecules">'''Halo: The Flood''', ''page 11'' (2003)</ref>}} | {{Quote|Just another item in the Covenant's bottomless arsenal. Not a plasma torpedo, or we'd already be free-floating molecules.|[[Captain]] [[Jacob Keyes]]<ref name="tf molecules">'''Halo: The Flood''', ''page 11'' (2003)</ref>}} | ||
'''Plasma torpedoes''' are magnetically guided bolts of [[plasma]] used as weapons by most [[Covenant]] [[capital ship]]s. Fired by | '''Plasma torpedoes''' are magnetically guided bolts of [[plasma]] used as weapons by most [[Covenant]] [[capital ship]]s. Fired by Plasma torpedo Silos located along a ship's hull, plasma torpedoes can strike at exceedingly long ranges.<ref name="FS">'''Halo: First Strike''', ''page 78''</ref> Along with the [[pulse laser turret]], [[Plasma cannon (starship)|plasma cannon]] and [[energy projector]], they are one of the Covenant's primary [[Space warfare|ship-to-ship]] weapons. Upon contact, a plasma torpedo causes severe damage to the target, boiling armor or overloading [[Energy shielding|shields]]. The weapon can be used in conjunction with pulse laser turrets and energy projectors to destroy entire [[UNSC fleet]]s. | ||
==Design details== | ==Design details== | ||
The | The systems used to fire Plasma torpedoes are known as Plasma Torpedo Silos, which are located along the hull of the ship.<ref>'''Halo: Warfleet''', ''page 62-63''</ref> The torpedoes are typically described as red or purple in color and short with a ball-like head and a trail. | ||
===Operation | The Torpedoes themselves are initially stored aboard [[Covenant]] vessels as inert plasma torpedo cores, which are described as roughly cylindrical objects that range between 3-5 meters in total length. For Ket-pattern [[CCS-class battlecruiser]]s such as the [[Truth and Reconciliation]] and probably other large Covenant starships that are armed with Plasma Torpedo Silos as well, thousands of these inert cores are carefully packaged and stored in munitions racks before each deployment of the vessel. <ref>'''Halo: Warfleet''', ''page 62''</ref> | ||
==Plasma Torpedo Silos== | |||
===Jaet-pattern plasma torpedo silos=== | |||
[[CPV-class heavy destroyer]]s are armed with 6 of these silos, while [[DSC-class support ship]]s are armed with 8. <ref>'''Halo: Warfleet''', ''page 61, 68''</ref> | |||
===Sintra-pattern plasma torpedo silos=== | |||
[[CRS-class light cruiser]]s are armed with 6 of these silos. The specific type of torpedo employed by these silos is described as extremely swift in flight but almost impossible to control. They are considered to be best employed in a bombardment role rather than normal ship to ship combat. <ref>'''Halo: Warfleet''', ''page 72-73''</ref> | |||
===Serpens-pattern plasma torpedo silos=== | |||
The [[Truth and Reconciliation]] is armed with 16 of these silos, while other [[CCS-class battlecruiser]]s may be armed with them as well. <ref>'''Halo: Warfleet''', ''page 63''</ref> | |||
===Qur-pattern plasma torpedo silos=== | |||
[[ORS-class heavy cruiser]]s are armed with 16 of this type of silo. <ref>'''Halo: Warfleet''', ''page 64''</ref> | |||
===Mictix-pattern heavy plasma torpedo silos=== | |||
The [[Shadow of Intent]] is armed with 24 of this type of heavy silo, while other [[CAS-class assault carrier]]s could also be armed with this type of weapon. <ref>'''Halo: Warfleet''', ''page 70''</ref> | |||
===Litrex-pattern plasma torpedo silos=== | |||
[[Hekar Taa-pattern Blockade Runner]]s are armed with 16 of this type of silo. <ref>'''Halo: Warfleet''', ''page 78''</ref> | |||
==Operation== | |||
{{Quote|The Covenant cruiser came about to face them. Its plasma turrets glowed like angry red eyes.|Description<ref>'''Halo: First Strike''', ''page 228''</ref>}} | {{Quote|The Covenant cruiser came about to face them. Its plasma turrets glowed like angry red eyes.|Description<ref>'''Halo: First Strike''', ''page 228''</ref>}} | ||
[[File:ArabiaVostok.png|thumb|250px|left|The [[UNSC frigate|frigate]]s [[CMA Arabia|''Arabia'']] and [[CMA Vostok|''Vostok'']] being severed instantly by plasma torpedoes.]] | [[File:ArabiaVostok.png|thumb|250px|left|The [[UNSC frigate|frigate]]s [[CMA Arabia|''Arabia'']] and [[CMA Vostok|''Vostok'']] being severed instantly by plasma torpedoes.]] | ||
The inert plasma torpedo cores are ignited in a pinched magnetic field by energy supplied from the ship's [[pinch fusion reactor]]s. Magnetic coils guide the plasma core, acting as a sophisticated focusing lens. When the weapon charges, a line of superheated plasma forms alongside the exterior plasma conduit adjoining the turret.<ref>'''Halo: Ghosts of Onyx''', ''pages 193, 198''</ref> Once fully charged, the now ignited plasma torpedo core fires outward at its target. The torpedo is guided towards its target by a long-reaching magnetic field projected by the emitter.<ref name="fs266">'''Halo: First Strike''', ''page 266''</ref> Upon impact, the torpedo penetrates most unshielded starships, burning through internal decks and structures, thus causing heavy damage on the target. | |||
They are extraordinarily accurate; one of the only ways for UNSC ships to even temporarily avoid them is to use [[emergency thruster]]s to "dodge" incoming plasma torpedoes at the last moment. Particularly strong magnetospheres, such as those of gas giants, will disrupt the magnetic field | They are extraordinarily accurate; one of the only ways for UNSC ships to even temporarily avoid them is to use [[emergency thruster]]s to "dodge" incoming plasma torpedoes at the last moment. Particularly strong magnetospheres, such as those of gas giants, will disrupt the magnetic field guiding the torpedo, dissipating the plasma and rendering the torpedo harmless.<ref>'''Halo: Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe''', "The Impossible Life and the Possible Death of Preston J. Cole", ''page 480, 481''</ref> The dust and vapor from missiles detonated close enough to the ship may also absorb the energy from a torpedo, rendering it harmless.<ref>'''Halo: First Strike''', ''page 42''</ref> When the damaged ''[[Ascendant Justice]]'' entered the atmosphere of [[Threshold]], the massive wake of superheated gases trailing the ship scattered the plasma torpedoes fired by pursuing Covenant vessels.<ref>'''Halo: First Strike''', ''page 79''</ref> | ||
The attacking ship must lower a section of its shield in order to fire the torpedo, otherwise it would detonate inside the protective barrier. [[John-117]] used this weakness to temporarily blind a Covenant cruiser with a Longsword and to penetrate the shields of the ''Ascendant Justice''. | The attacking ship must lower a section of its shield in order to fire the torpedo, otherwise it would detonate inside the protective barrier. [[John-117]] used this weakness to temporarily blind a Covenant cruiser with a Longsword and to penetrate the shields of the ''Ascendant Justice''. | ||
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Plasma torpedoes can be manually guided from a weapons control station on the [[bridge]], by using holographic "steering spheres" superimposed over a holographic display of the space surrounding the ship. The plasma torpedoes and steering solutions of an enemy ship are similarly shown on the display.<ref>'''Halo: Ghosts of Onyx''', ''page 224-225''</ref> The Covenant have also developed "counter guiding signals", a form of [[electronic countermeasures|electronic countermeasure]] that disrupts the guidance control of an enemy ship's plasma torpedoes.<ref>'''Halo: Ghosts of Onyx''', ''page 193''</ref> | Plasma torpedoes can be manually guided from a weapons control station on the [[bridge]], by using holographic "steering spheres" superimposed over a holographic display of the space surrounding the ship. The plasma torpedoes and steering solutions of an enemy ship are similarly shown on the display.<ref>'''Halo: Ghosts of Onyx''', ''page 224-225''</ref> The Covenant have also developed "counter guiding signals", a form of [[electronic countermeasures|electronic countermeasure]] that disrupts the guidance control of an enemy ship's plasma torpedoes.<ref>'''Halo: Ghosts of Onyx''', ''page 193''</ref> | ||
If the firing ship is destroyed, all plasma torpedoes guided by its magnetic fields are detonated prematurely or fly about aimlessly.<ref name="fs266"/> However, it appears that torpedoes are sometimes able to hold together for a small amount of time, as demonstrated during the [[Fall of Reach]], when fired torpedoes destroyed UNSC [[orbital defense platform]]s even after their firers had been destroyed.<ref>'''Halo: The Fall of Reach''', ''page 299''</ref> | If the firing ship is destroyed, all plasma torpedoes guided by its magnetic fields are either detonated prematurely or fly about aimlessly.<ref name="fs266"/> However, it appears that torpedoes are sometimes able to hold together for a small amount of time, as demonstrated during the [[Fall of Reach]], when fired torpedoes destroyed UNSC [[orbital defense platform]]s even after their firers had been destroyed.<ref>'''Halo: The Fall of Reach''', ''page 299''</ref> | ||
===Tactics=== | ===Tactics=== | ||
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===Enhancement and atypical uses=== | ===Enhancement and atypical uses=== | ||
As with many other examples of their technology, the Covenant themselves only understand a fraction of the underlying science involved with the operation of the plasma turret. As a result, despite their overwhelming power against human ships, the Covenant's methods of using their weapons systems are highly inefficient, relying on crude brute-force calculations and causing wasteful energy expenditure due to their slow operation; this is also why the turrets glow before firing. When in control of the Covenant ship ''[[Ascendant Justice]]'', UNSC [[smart AI|AI]] [[Cortana]] was able to use the vessel's plasma turrets to their full potential; she created an entirely new system to control the plasma, using [[electromagnetic pulse]]s to direct the plasma | As with many other examples of their technology, the Covenant themselves only understand a fraction of the underlying science involved with the operation of the plasma turret. As a result, despite their overwhelming power against human ships, the Covenant's methods of using their weapons systems are highly inefficient, relying on crude brute-force calculations and causing wasteful energy expenditure due to their slow operation; this is also why the turrets glow before firing. When in control of the Covenant ship ''[[Ascendant Justice]]'', UNSC [[smart AI|AI]] [[Cortana]] was able to use the vessel's plasma turrets to their full potential; she created an entirely new system to control and fire the plasma, using [[electromagnetic pulse]]s to direct the plasma itself into precision beams within a microsecond instead of relying on inert plasma torpedo cores and using the Plasma produced by the ship's reactor to ignite them. This enabled her to use the weapons with far greater power and precision than the Covenant themselves, cutting through Covenant vessels like a scalpel, not unlike an [[energy projector]]. According to Cortana, she could have improved the plasma turrets even further had the Covenant ship possessed better electromagnetic systems.<ref name="fs171">'''Halo: First Strike''', ''pages 171-172''</ref> | ||
The magnetic coils used in a [[Magnetic Accelerator Cannon|MAC gun]] can be used to | The magnetic coils used in a [[Magnetic Accelerator Cannon|MAC gun]] can be used to guide the plasma fired by a plasma turret; this was seen before the [[Massacre at Eridanus Secundus]], when the {{UNSCShip|Gettysburg}}'s magnetic coils were used to guide plasma torpedoes that were ignited by the ''Ascendant Justice'''s plasma turrets.<ref>'''Halo: First Strike''', ''pages 264-266''</ref> | ||
==Production notes== | ==Production notes== | ||
=== | ===Possible Retcons=== | ||
''[[Halo: Mortal Dictata]]'' | ''[[Halo: Mortal Dictata]]'' was the first media to refer to the plasma torpedoes of the battlecruiser ''[[Pious Inquisitor]]'' as physical objects stored aboard the vessel in a dedicated "torpedo bay".<ref>'''Halo: Mortal Dictata''', ''pages 439, 443, 445, 446''</ref> Before this it was thought that Plasma torpedoes were simply created from an amorphous supply of plasma, but this does not appear to be the case. ''[[Halo: Warfleet]]'' confirmed that there is a tangible component to the munitions, in the form of inert plasma torpedo cores carried aboard Covenant starships.<ref>'''Halo: Warfleet''', ''page 62''</ref> | ||
===Terminology=== | ===Terminology=== | ||
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''[[Halo: Combat Evolved]]'', ''[[Halo 3]]'' and ''[[Halo: Reach]]'' depict Covenant starships firing blue or blue-purple bolts of plasma which are seemingly unguided. Meanwhile, the novels consistently describe plasma torpedoes as being red as well as highly maneuverable. Given these differences, it is likely that the plasma weapons depicted in the games are in fact representative of the "plasma cannons" listed in the ''Song of Retribution''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s arsenal rather than plasma torpedoes. ''Halo: Combat Evolved'' depicts the {{UNSCShip|Pillar of Autumn}} being struck by numerous blue plasma bolts. In ''[[Halo: The Flood]]'', [[Jacob Keyes|Captain Keyes]] remarks that the Covenant cannot be targeting the ''Autumn'' with plasma torpedoes, or else the ship would have been reduced into ''"free-floating molecules"'';<ref name="tf molecules"/> thus, the plasma weapons in question must be some other form of starship plasma weapon. Halo Waypoint's article for Covenant corvettes corroborates this distinction, listing "plasma cannons" as the corvettes' sole weapon system.<ref>[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-gb/universe/vehicles/covenant-corvette '''Halo Waypoint''': ''Covenant Corvette'']</ref> The distinction between "plasma cannons" and "plasma torpedoes" is carried over to ''[[Halo: Fleet Battles]]'', where many classes of Covenant ships are listed as being armed with both types of weapon systems. | ''[[Halo: Combat Evolved]]'', ''[[Halo 3]]'' and ''[[Halo: Reach]]'' depict Covenant starships firing blue or blue-purple bolts of plasma which are seemingly unguided. Meanwhile, the novels consistently describe plasma torpedoes as being red as well as highly maneuverable. Given these differences, it is likely that the plasma weapons depicted in the games are in fact representative of the "plasma cannons" listed in the ''Song of Retribution''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s arsenal rather than plasma torpedoes. ''Halo: Combat Evolved'' depicts the {{UNSCShip|Pillar of Autumn}} being struck by numerous blue plasma bolts. In ''[[Halo: The Flood]]'', [[Jacob Keyes|Captain Keyes]] remarks that the Covenant cannot be targeting the ''Autumn'' with plasma torpedoes, or else the ship would have been reduced into ''"free-floating molecules"'';<ref name="tf molecules"/> thus, the plasma weapons in question must be some other form of starship plasma weapon. Halo Waypoint's article for Covenant corvettes corroborates this distinction, listing "plasma cannons" as the corvettes' sole weapon system.<ref>[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-gb/universe/vehicles/covenant-corvette '''Halo Waypoint''': ''Covenant Corvette'']</ref> The distinction between "plasma cannons" and "plasma torpedoes" is carried over to ''[[Halo: Fleet Battles]]'', where many classes of Covenant ships are listed as being armed with both types of weapon systems. | ||
''[[Halo: Warfleet]]'' establishes that many types of Covenant starships such as [[CCS-class battlecruiser]]s, [[ORS-class heavy cruiser]]s, and [[CPV-class heavy destroyer]]s are armed with both Plasma Torpedo Silos and Plasma Cannons. These Plasma Torpedo Silos can only be assumed to be the "plasma turrets" that are described in ''[[Halo: First Strike]]'', while the separate Plasma Cannon weapon systems seem to explain the multiple instances in-game of Covenant starships firing unguided blue bolts of plasma. | |||
In light of these deductions, and for the purposes of categorization, this wiki assumes that the blue, unguided bolts of plasma are plasma cannon projectiles, while the red or purple and guided plasma bolts are plasma torpedoes. | In light of these deductions, and for the purposes of categorization, this wiki assumes that the blue, unguided bolts of plasma are plasma cannon projectiles, while the red or purple and guided plasma bolts are plasma torpedoes. | ||
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*''[[Halo: The Fall of Reach - The Animated Series]]'' | *''[[Halo: The Fall of Reach - The Animated Series]]'' | ||
*''[[Halo: Shadow of Intent]]'' | *''[[Halo: Shadow of Intent]]'' | ||
*''[[Halo: Warfleet]]'' | |||
==Sources== | ==Sources== | ||