Covenant society is highly segmented, consisting of a confederation of races.
While an overall socio-political review is important for understanding the nuances
of Covenant society, including the role of Prophets, the key for combating our
enemy is to review the Covenant fighting classes which are comprised of Grunts,
Jackals, Hunters, Elites, Brutes, Drones, and Prophets.
Elites
The Elites are the core of the Covenant military.
Excellent soldiers, brilliant tacticians, and disciplined,
aggressive fighters, they are the primary strength
of the Covenant force. Faster, stronger, and tougher
than Humans, they fight in relatively small numbers
but often lead squads of Grunts. Armor color seems
to indicate rank, and we believe Elites are promoted
based on numbers of casualties they inflict.
Grunts
The basic infantry unit of the Covenant, Grunts
are dangerous in groups but present little threat
individually. Short, stocky, and relatively slow, they
will often panic when faced with superior forces.
However, if they are being led by an Elite, they will
stand and fight.
Jackals
Excellent shots, the Jackals seem to be higher in
status—if not necessarily rank—than the Grunts. They
often will be found in defensive positions, fighting
from behind their distinctive energy shields. A well-
used shield makes a Jackal a difficult target, but the
notch they use to return fire provides a weak spot that
can be exploited.
Hunters
Hunters are incredibly dangerous foes, deployed
more like equipment than soldiers. They are brought
in for demolition or heavy defense, and always
work in pairs. These massive creatures appear to be
composed of multiple organisms that exist within the
Hunter armor, creating a bipedal hive creature. Near-
impenetrable armor and a devastating hand-held fuel
rod weapon make Hunter pairs very problematic.
Brutes
Not as readily understood as Elites, Brutes fight
together in a pack and are physically stronger. Brutes
demonstrate similar battlefield abilities to Elites, and
their numbers have demonstrably increased since
the conflict began. They carry a ballistic explosive
weapon with an attached bayonet device.
Drones
Like the Brutes, Drones appear to be new additions
to Covenant fighting forces and are being deployed
en masse. Apparently insectoid in origin, in addition
to maintaining Covenant spaceships, they have
a limited ability to fly and are excellent shots.
Highly intelligent, their mastery of antigravity
flight assistance has given them an almost
insurmountable strategic advantage in combat.
Prophets
Little intel is available on these creatures. We
know that they are administrative or religious in
nature and have little to do with actual battlefield
circumstances. None has ever been killed or
captured, and they appear to be few in number.
4
5
