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this is alittle info on all the different Covenant homeworlds
1-Prophet homeworld-This planet is like the halos when it comes to fanna flora
2-Elite homeworld- Earth like with different plants and animals
3-Hunter homeworld- simaler to the elite homewold,larger
4-Drone homeworld- 3 small atomspere less(no atomsphere) planets close to each other
5-Jackel homeworld- a large jungie planet with large oceans
6-Engineer homeworld- this planet has not a inch of earth showing every thing is covered in machines
7-Brute homeworld- earth sized desert planet
8-Grunt homeworld- a swampey methine atomspere planet with natural ucuing pillers of fire
9-mixed- these are planets that have mixed covenant members
10-forerunner-this is a planet that covenant don't live on 24/7 but reasurh forerunner stuff
The Covenant hedgemony is a mix of races. Many have been subjugated into the Covenant by the Elites, the Covenant's military commanders. We do not know the real names for each race, so instead we have given them our own names that correspond to their function within the Covenant hierarchy, such as "Grunt", "Elite", "Brute", etc. As far as we can tell, the only races that have not been subjugated are the Elites, Prophets, and possibly the Engineers.
Even though the different Covenant races work together, there is much tension between them, particularly between the Brutes, Elites, and Prophets. The Elites believe in worshipping their gods by combat and conquest, while the Prophets believe in a simpler piety. This has caused friction between the religious leaders and the field commanders.
Recently, the UNSC has nearly perfected their auto-translation software and equipment. Because of this, certain Covenant species, particularly the Grunts and Elites, can be understood to a degree by humans equiped with translators. This represents a huge tactical advantage for the UNSC as human soliders equipped with auto-translators can understand enemy speech.
The Sangheili, or Elites as the Humans call them, are the iron heart of the Covenant military.
There are a few varieties of the Elite, but all are roughly 8'6" tall and incredibly strong. Their strength allows them to rely on brute force when necessary, but they are quite capable of brilliant battlefield tactics as well. Their natural resilience is augmented by full body energy shielding which recharges when depleted. They wield plasma pistols, plasma rifles, plasma grenades, needlers, carbines, beam rifles, fuel rod guns, and the formidable energy sword.
Elites consider the other Covenant client races to be below them in all ways. The Elites are the only known race permitted to operate starships within the Covenant, though the crews are always a mix of races.
In the Elite culture, names are considered a privilege. Only things of importance are named. The Elites generally consider humans to be nameless, and resent the fact that humans have assigned the label "Elite" to them, as humans have no standing to be naming things.
Because names are important to the Elite society, each element of the name has a meaning. Elite names are contructed from a series of parts. An example is Ado 'Mortumee. "Ado" is his given name, which is all he had until he was considered an adult. As an adult he earned the right to carry the badge name "'Mortumee". This name is made up of three parts: MOR (an adjectival descriptor, such as "fast", or "deadly"), TUM ( a créche name, basically his family name), and EE (an honorific indicating he is a participant in the military). Most Elites will have names with this kind of construction.
The Covenant military promotion is by merit. A Covenant soldier must succeed to advance. Success is often measured in scalps. A Covenant of "Admiral" or equivalent rank, may have personally slaughtered thousands of individuals.
Elites have several classes or ranks:
The Blue armored Elites are Elite minors, and generally serve as foot-soldiers. However they have been seen commanding several of the lesser Covenant races.
The Red armored Elites are Elite majors, or veterans who command other Elites and larger squads.
The Gold armored Elites are Zealots and "Ship Masters", and normally captain starships or lead whole regiments of troops in large engagements.
The Black and White armored Elites are Spec-Ops and usually command Spec-Op Grunts.
Gray and Light Blue armored Elites are Infiltrators and are rarely ever seen without their active camouflage generators engaged.
Elite Rangers are trained to use anti-gravity thruster packs in combat, are are equally dangerous in low or no-gravity enviroments as well as in "normal" gravity environments.
Elite Councilors are rarely seen in combat since their role within the Covenant seems to be strictly political. This does not mean, however, that they are unskilled combatants.
Honor Guards are Elites with especially ornamented armor, and are the best of the best. Instead of fighting out in the field with the Covenant troops on the front lines, they guard the Prophets from harm personally.
Elites have an interesting physical appearance. Their jaw is quadruple-hinged; they have an upper jaw, and then four mandible-like lips which are lined with sharp teeth. Their legs are double jointed so they can jump great distances compared to humans, and their unusually shaped hoof-like feet give them tremendous balance. Their hands have four fingers; two middle fingers and two thumb-like fingers on the outside of the hand for grasping. They have grayish-brown skin and purple-blue blood and it is not known what chemical makes the blood this color, though it is assumed they breathe oxygen because they can breath the same atmosphere as humans.
It should be noted that the higher-ranking Elites have strange glyphs on the backs of their armor. Upon closer examination, these glyphs were found to be directly related to the same strange symbols that have appeared in ancient Forerunner structures found throughout known UNSC controlled space. This leaves considerable evidence that the Covenant worship, or at least revere, the Forerunners.
The Unggoy, or Grunts, are the cannon fodder of the Covenant military.
Appoximately 5' tall and relatively weak, Grunts tend to travel in packs and stick close to more powerful allies. Individually they are easy to defeat, but in groups they can overwhelm careless Marines. Their armor seems to house some sort of life-support mechanism. They are known to use a variety of weapons including the plasma pistol, plasma rifle, needler, plasma grenades, and even fuel rod guns.
Grunt culture has largely been erased by their incorporation into the Covenant. They are essentially a slave race. Their home world is a cold, swampy planet with a methane atmosphere and naturally occurring pillars of fire.
Grunts obey the other Covenant races out of fear, because they have no political power in Covenant society. However, within the Grunt community there is a strong hatred of other species, and a belief that someday a dynamic Grunt leader will lead them to freedom on a methane-rich paradise world.
Due to their low status, Grunts are not permitted by the Elites to possess family names. They do value their ties to their offspring, but are usually separated from their families at an early age by the requirements of their service to the Covenant. The Grunts resent this greatly, but are unable to muster any response. Examples of Grunt names include Yayap, Linglin, Gagaw, Zawaz, and Mehmep.
Grunts have several classes:
The Orange armored Grunts are Grunt minors and are basically used as cannon fodder.
The Red armored Grunts are veteran Grunts that are sometimes seen commanding a few other lesser Orange Grunts.
The Black armored Grunts are Spec-Op Grunts who are commanded by the SpecOp Elites, and have been known to wield Fuel Rod Guns more frequently than the other Grunt types.
Green armored Grunts are Gunners, and their main purpose seems to be to set up and use mounted plasma cannons and fixed turret emplacements.
White Grunts have been seen peforming a number of tasks, from being used in combat to cleaning starships. It is unknown exactly what position this seems to be.
Grunts have certain characteristics that make them difficult to classify scientifically. They have behavior similar to that of simians, but this does not reflect their appearance. They have hooves on their four-toed feet, their skin is leathery and purple-gray, and they have thick, light-blue blood (possibly because of the chemicals they breath and the cehmical reaction within their bodies). Even though they are small and not very agile, they are surprisingly strong--they can carry, and fire a Fuel Rod gun on their shoulder without toppling over. They also have to carry tanks of methane in their armor to breath, and without it they will suffocate to death.
Reports have been received about Grunts communications, and that have high-pitched tones in their voices (possibly due to the methane they breath). Also, there are several reports of Grunts referring to something called a "food-nipple". At this time it is not known what this device does. Since they breathe methane, they are mostly seen wearing rebreather apparatuses on their backs, but they have been seen habitating in large environment domes that have airlocks and methane filters for them to breathe while not in armor.
Hunters, or Lekgolo by their Covenant name, are more like living tanks than anything else.
Hunters stand 12' tall, though in their combat state they contract to approximately eight feet. Hunters fight with two different types of fuel rod guns integrated directly into their armor. They carry an enormous and nearly-impervious metal shield made of an unknown alloy, which they sometimes use as a melee weapon.
Hunters almost never associate (or indeed even communicate) with other Covenant client races, save for the Elites. They are dismissive, scornful, and arrogant to the "lesser" Covenant races, and are utterly contemptuous of their foes. Hunters were forced into the Covenant by the superior starship technology of the Elites - on the ground they were always victorious. Faced with extinction by orbital bombardment, they joined the Covenant.
Hunters have three names: personal name, bond name, and line name. The personal name is given at birth. The line name represents the genetic heritage, being the name of the most successful Hunter of his ancestors. If a Hunter reaches a certain level of status, his offspring will have his personal name as their line name. The bond name is taken between bonded pairs, a relationship about which little is known, but it appears to b something like a lifelong mate. Bonded Hunters consider themselves brothers and are fiercely protective of each other. Examples of Hunter names include Igido Nosa Hurru, and Ogada Nosa Fasu.
Hunters are nearly never seen alone, and are very dangerous as they work in pairs.
The Hunter is not a singular organism. The Hunter is actually composed of hundreds of small, orange, worm-like organisms that fit together to create the shape of the Hunter body. Their armor actually serves to hold the shape together, and without it it would fall apart. The worm-like beings form a singular collective consciousness with each other and act as one.
Hunters have very long spines composed of these worms, and are covered in metal armor. These spines are very sharp. Hunters have been known to impale careless Marines upon these spines when surrounded.
The only way to kill a Hunter is to attack the "soft spots" around it's midsection where it's armor does not fully protect the organisms. This spot is believed to be due to the fact that a Hunter, in combat stance, contracts and hunches over, so any armor around that portion of their body would cause severe discomfort and hinder movement. However, if a Hunter is caught off guard, these regions become exposed for brief moments. If a precise shot from a 12.7mm HE round or higher caliber weapon penetrates the Hunter's body, it instantly dies.
The Hunagok, or Engineers as they are referred to by the Humans, are the only known non-combatant Covenant race.
While the Prophets guide, direct and manage Forerunner research, it is the Engineer caste who must excavate, unlock and transport Forerunner artifacts. These remarkable aliens are patient, almost completely silent and utterly focused on their task and its religious implications.
Their concentration has been described as "a trance-like reverie" by the few who have witnessed it. They communicate only with Prophets - a fact that may contribute to the balance of power between Elites and Prophets - and will usually ignore anything that is neither a Prophet nor a Forerunner artifact. One observed exception is a high-pitched, keening wail that Engineers will emit should Forerunner objects or structures be threatened.
Some Engineers are used to help contruct and repair the Covenant starships from the inside, while in the conjunction with the Drones who contruct and repair the ships in space on the outside.
The Engineers are an amorphous, purple-skinned species that have six dark eyes, and have 4 tentacles that can split into very small, near-microscopic cilia. The Engineers use these cilia to construct, or repair nearly anything they can grasp. They can take apart whole vehicles and rearrange the entire structure of it in a matter of seconds, and it will still operate. They learn at an unprecedented rate, and store that information for future reference if ever they need to repair the same thing twice.
Engineers are not a tactical threat and are hardly ever seen in combat situations.
The Brutes, or Jiralhanae by their own name, have only been encountered a handful of times.
They are the newest race of the Covenant and have high aspirations. They act as the Ceremonial Guards of the Prophet's temples, and protect them fiercely.
They are gray skinned, and covered with brown, fur-like hair. They have very sharp teeth and sometimes use them as a weapon. They are immensely strong and fight hand-to-hand if they ever lose their weapon. They seem to prefer to use a weapon called the Brute Shot that fires high-velocity grenades and has a long blade on the underside of it which they use for melee attacks in close range.
An example of a Brute name is Tartarus, and Bracktanus.
The Brutes have a very primitive culture structure, lead by a "Chieftain" named Tartarus. The way a Brute moves up in rank or stature is unknown, but it is probably similar to that of the Elites.
Known Brute ranks include:
Brute minors are basic Brutes, they wield the Brute plasma rifle, basically just an overpowered plasma rifle, carbines and ocassionally the Brute Shot.
Brute majors are more skilled than their minor counterparts.
Brute Captains are signified by the flag mounted on their shoulder, and wield Brute Shots more often than otehr weapons.
Honor Guard Brutes have recently taken then place of the Elites as the protectors of the High Prophets, and wear highly ornamented armor.
Brutes have a high dislike for the Elites. They believe that they can do a better job of Protecting the Prophets than the Elites. This dislike led the beginnings of the Covenant civil war that started in October of 2552.
The Kig-Yar, or Jackals, serve as assassins, and scouts within the Covenant due to their exceptional senses of sight, smell and hearing.
They use plasma pistols, plasma rifles, needlers, beam rifles and carry a strong energy shield to compensate for their physical weakness; a well-positioned Jackal can hold his own against several Marines, though grenades are effective against them. They stand approximately 5'8" tall.
Jackals have little status in the Covenant hierarchy, and are subservient to all but the Grunts. Although they technically stand as equals with the Grunts, the reality is that Jackals are usually in an elevated position. While the other races consider the Grunts beneath notice, the Jackals are often purposefully cruel in order to assure themselves of their own superiority.
Jackals are not permitted by the Elites to have more than one name, but Jackal society had never placed a premium on such things, so they don't care. Examples of Jackal names include Yeg, Jak, and Bok.
The Jackals ranks include:
Jackal minors are signified by a blue energy shield and server as general infantry.
Jackal majors are slightly mor elevated and are signified by an orange shield. Not much is different about their appearance other than their shield color.
Sniper Jackals not not carry energy shields, as both their hands are used to operate beam rifles, the Covenant long range sniper weapon.
It should also be noted that Jackals actually do wear metal armor on their bodies along with their energy shields, though it is not known if this signifies rank.
Jackals are vaguely birdlike in appearance, with feather-like "hair" on their heads, arms, and feet. They have three fingers on each hand, and beak-like teeth. ONI scientists have noted a great variance in skin tone and color between Jackals, and they have discovered some kind of spots or patterns that cover their bodies. Some colors of Jackal skins include dark orange and dark green. Although the Jackals vary in skin color, their blood is always purple in color.
Little to nothing is known about the Prophets. What we do know is that they are the first species that started the Covenant with the Elites, and are the religious leaders of the Covenant.
It is theorized that the Prophets actually originated on a world that was once home to a Forerunner colony. This comes from several sources including recorded and translated transmissions. This may be the reason that the Covenant revere all Forerunner artifacts, and it is for this reason that the Covenant have seem to have such advanced technology, because they have been using technological remnants of the Forerunners.
The role of the Prophets, for as long as can be recalled, is to archive, explore and locate Forerunner technology and artifacts. These intelligent, highly evolved beings are physically weak, hence their need for Elite allies. The pact allows the Prophets to advance their search through conquest and occasionally assimilation of species whose home worlds or solar systems contain Forerunner architecture or technology, often disregarded by the resident species. Prophet ceremony and purpose is not generally known to the Covenant population, most of which simply trust in their wisdom to further the goals and territory of the Covenant.
Rather than have "names" in the traditional sense, most Prophets are instead simply referred to as "Holy One", "Eminence", or some other religiously significant title.
Prophets seem to be divided into two groups: High Prophets, and Lesser Prophets. High Prophets seem to be referred to in a more reverant manner by the other Covenant races than Lesser Prophets. The High Prophets have titles such as "High Prophet of Truth", while the Lesser Prophets do not recieve such titles as far as is known.
The Yanme'e, or Drones, are insect-like beings with wings.
Altough they have been part of the Covenant for some time, their have just recently been put to use as combatants. Their primary use within the Covenant was to help build starships since their favored enviroment seems to be in space.
Since the Drones prefer space as their favored environment, their wings are not as useful in planetary atmospheres. They can fly within atmospheres, but only for short periods of time before they have to rest their wings.
Drones prefer to stay at a distance and use long range tactics. However, they are skilled close-range combatants as well if the need arises.
Drones are insectoid in nature and seem to be covered in natural chitanous armor, altough it doesn't provide much protection. They wield light-weight weapons such as needlers and plasma pistols.
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