CPV-class heavy destroyer

The CPV-class heavy destroyer is one of several destroyer-class warships developed by the Covenant.

Overview

The CPV-class heavy destroyer is the predominant offensive ship in the Covenant Navy, being primarily used for ship-to-ship warfare and glassing operations. CPVs are deployed aggressively, often being the first ships in a fleet to engage the enemy. Heavy destroyers that served in the forces of the various Ministries were largely assigned to crews deemed unfit for service aboard other ships, who had been condemned for disloyalty or disobedience, but whose actions did not warrant execution as heretics, who hoped to earn redemption through service for themselves and their families. Most glassing operations were undertaken by heavy destroyers, as the work was considered distasteful or suicidal by other Shipmasters, and human colonies attacked by the Covenant are littered with the wreckage of CPV-class heavy destroyers destroyed by the UNSC Navy during these operations. heavy destroyers were also assigned to combat human forces that a Supreme Commander considered beneath his notice. Late in the Human-Covenant War, the crews of heavy destroyers had developed a kind of mercenary culture of their own, with many Shipmasters offering their services to various ministries to secure artifacts and relics from conquered human worlds, working alongside or in opposition to artifact retrieval teams. Heavy destroyers are sufficiently equipped to serve as occupation vessels during planetary assaults, in lieu of the more occupation-centered CCS-class battlecruiser and CAS-class assault carrier.

Specifications

Design details

The CPV-class heavy destroyer features a roughly teardrop-shaped fore section that droops downward, forming a bulbous protrusion; the dorsal surface of this section contains a recessed area. Near the aft end, the hull splits into six sleek, wing-like structures. The shortest pair face outward at a slightly upward angle, the mid-sized structures curve upward at an inward-facing angle, and the largest structures curve downward, also facing inward.

CPVs carry large complements for ground engagements, including numerous infantry and ground vehicles. They also carry a large number of aircraft, including Seraph exoatmospheric fighters and Banshee attack craft, and Vampire atmospheric fighters. CPVs can also use their gravity lifts to help assemble prefabricated bases.

Armament

The CPV destroyer is built for heavy combat. It is armed with ventrally mounted pulse laser turrets, which can provide point defense, particularly against single ships. The destroyer is also equipped with several plasma torpedo turrets; two of these turrets are mounted on the inside of each downward-facing wing structure, two more are mounted on the vessel's anterior, and at least two more are mounted laterally. It is also armed with a single ventral energy projector, or "cleansing beam", for use in low-altitude glassing.

Operational history

After the battlecruiser Rapid Conversion began destroying Harvest's population centers in February 2525, many CPV-class heavy destroyers were deployed to continue glassing the planet. CPV-class heavy destroyers were deployed throughout the Harvest Campaign, which lasted from 2526 to 2531. During the Covenant's counterattacks in the early years of the campaign, CPVs were used to glass areas that had been secured by the United Nations Space Command, eradicating most of the human presence on Harvest; this cycle continued until the planet's liberation in February 2531.

Near the end of the Battle of Arcadia, several CPV-class destroyers arrived to do battle with the counterattacking UNSC forces, of which at least five were present. During this engagement, then-Captain Terrence Hood confronted at least one of these destroyers in a direct attack, and was ultimately forced to retreat after finding himself outgunned. Around this time, the Template:UNSCship pursued a CPV to a mysterious planet, which was later revealed to be a Forerunner Shield World. One such vessel, possibly the one that Spirit of Fire pursued from Arcadia, was present at the Shield World; there, it engaged Spirit of Fire after a midair collision between the two ships. The destroyer dispatched several large boarding parties, supported by Banshees, Vampires, and plasma torpedo fire, in an effort to disable the human vessel, though the attack was repelled. UNSC Battle Group Sierra-3 were nearly destroyed by a CPV-class destroyer at the Battle of 18 Scorpii in 2543, but were saved by the sudden arrival of, and subsequent assistance by, a large independent fleet, led by the heavily-modified, formerly assumed destroyed Insurrectionist frigate Bellerophon. With the help of the Insurrectionist reinforcements, the UNSC battle group was able to destroy the opposing Covenant vessel.

CPV-class heavy destroyers also appeared in large numbers during the Battle of Sigma Octanus IV and the Fall of Reach in 2552.

After the Human-Covenant War CPV-class heavy destroyers were used by both forces under the command of Arbiter Thel 'Vadam and Jiralhanae Chieftain Lydus during the Battle of Ealen IV.

Ships of the line

• Bloodied Spirit
• Reverence (C-7)
• Esteem (C-10)
• Unidentified CPV-class heavy destroyer

Halo: Fleet Battles

Covenant CPV Heavy Destroyer

• Cost: 110 points
• Movement: 8"
• Damage Track: 8 • 6 • 4
• Build rating: 3
• Hangers: 2
• Boarding Craft: 3
• Security detail*: 4
• System loadouts:
  • Defense array (3)
  • Glide (4")
  • Point defense (4)
• Primary weapon: Plasma Beam
  • Range: 12/-"
  • Weapon loadouts: Beam/Plasma
  • Firing arc: Forward/Port/Starboard
  • Dice: 9/9/9
• Secondary Weapon: Plasma Torpedoes
  • Range: 12/24"
  • Weapon loadouts: Missiles/Plasma
  • Firing arc: Forward/Port/Starboard
  • Dice: 10

Covenant Supported CPV Heavy Destroyer

• Cost: 130 points
• Movement: 8"
• Damage Track: 8 • 7 • 4
• Build rating: 4
• Hangers: 3
• Boarding Craft: 4
• Security detail*: 4
• System loadouts:
  • Defense array (4)
  • Glide (4")
  • Point defense (4)
• Primary weapon: Plasma Beam
  • Range: 12/-"
  • Weapon loadouts: Beam/Plasma
  • Firing arc: Forward/Port/Starboard
  • Dice: 9/9/9
• Secondary Weapon: Plasma Cannon Arrays
  • Range: 10/20"
  • Weapon loadouts: Plasma
  • Firing arc: Forward/Port/Starboard
  • Dice: 5
• Additional Secondary Weapon: Plasma Torpedoes
  • Range: 12/24"
  • Weapon loadouts: Missiles/Plasma
  • Firing arc: Forward/Port/Starboard
  • Dice: 12

Special Rule: Penitents

• Security Details on this Element are considered to have the Assault Specialist (1) Loadout.

Gallery

• HW Genesis back cover.png

  CPV-class heavy destroyers glassing Harvest in Halo Wars: Genesis.

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  Concept art of a CPV-class heavy destroyer in space for Halo Wars.

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  A group of CPV-class heavy destroyers glassing Harvest.

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  A CPV-class heavy destroyer collides with the UNSC Spirit of Fire, destroying a large portion of the latter vessel's port side.

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  A CPV-class heavy destroyer, flanked by several CCS-class battlecruisers, deploys invasion forces to the surface of a human colony in Halo Legends: Origins.

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  Several CPV-class heavy destroyers during the Battle of Sigma Octanus IV in Halo: Fall of Reach.

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  The UNSC Spirit of Fire pursues several CPVs present at the Battle of Arcadia in Halo: Escalation.

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  Hood ordering a retreat from a losing battle with a CPV-class heavy destroyer.

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  A CPV-class heavy destroyer with SDV-class heavy corvettes in Halo: Fleet Battles.

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  CPV-class heavy destroyers in Halo: Fleet Battles.

Browse more images in this article's gallery page.

List of appearances

• Halo: Ghosts of Onyx (First appearance)
• Halo Wars: Genesis
• Halo Wars
• Halo Legends
  • Origins
• Halo: Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe
  • The Impossible Life and the Possible Death of Preston J. Cole
• Halo: Fall of Reach
  • Covenant
  • Invasion
• Halo: Escalation
• Halo 2: Anniversary (Poster only)
• Halo: Fleet Battles