AN: Second entry is now up.
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Codex Entry Two: The Covenant
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Weapon Systems:
Plasma Torpedo: Main weapon of the Covenant Space Forces. The Plasma Torpedo is a massive bolt of un-condensed plasma, guided along a magnetic path to its target. This allows it to be 'steered' to the target, allowing greater potential accuracy than UNSC or Goa'uld weaponry. Plasma Torpedoes are considered to be a threat to anything below Asgard (and Forerunner) technology, especially to an unshielded hull, where the plasma will melt through armor, regardless of thickness.
Pulse Laser: The Point-Defense system used on Covenant warships. Fires blue beams that resemble Asgard weapons fire, at a rate sufficient to defeat even Archer Missiles. This is a large reason why the Archer's are a secondary weapon on modern UNSC warships. Pulse Laser systems are, however, next to useless against warship-grade armor/shields.
Energy Projector: The most powerful weapon in the Covenant arsenal is the Energy Projector. Fitted to a handful of classes (M-CCS Supercruiser, CAS Assault Carrier and CSO Supercarrier), this weapon has proven capable of 'sniping' even the largest of UNSC ships. Firing a condensed beam of energy, the Energy Projector has shown itself as able to pierce Goa'uld shields with ease. This has lead to ships equipped with this weapon to become primary targets for UNSC fleets. This weapon is most likely a match for an Ori Mothership's main cannon.
Defense Systems:
Covenant Shield: Based on ancient Forerunner technology, Covenant shields are the first type of energy shield to be encountered by the UNSC. These shields are of the hull-hugging Type 2 variety, and have the power to withstand anything short of a Super MAC shell or large nuclear weapon. Though smaller ships are vulnerable to ship-based MAC weaponry, and even larger ships can only take so much punishment.
Power Systems:
This is the one area the Covenant are decidedly ahead of the UNSC in (even with the upgrades). While their power-generation systems are mostly unknown (no ship has been captured with a working reactor) it is believed to be based on Forerunner technology. The power output of these reactors is astronomical, especially on the CSO-class Supercarrier. The power needed to simply move a ship of that size is far in excess of anything short of a ZPM.
Covenant Society:
The Covenant are a conglomeration of several different species. Each with a unique culture and place in the overall hierarchy. With help from the Forerunner Monitor 007 Grieving Light, the UNSC has compiled all available information on these races.
'Prophets'/ San 'Shyuum: The leadership race in the Covenant, the San 'Shyuum (UNSC designation, 'Prophet') are physically frail creatures that appear to rely on anti-gravity devices for movement over long distances. The most fanatical race in their misguided devotion to the Forerunner's and the Halo Array, the San 'Shyuum are the root cause of the war with the Covenant. As near as can be gathered, they are the ones pushing the hardest for the extermination of Humanity, though this is merely conjecture at this point. 007 Grieving Light is currently on a mission to make contact with the San 'Shyuum homeworld in an effort to end the war.
'Elites' Sangheili: The main military force of the Covenant is formed by the Sangheili, or Elites. Large bipedal aliens, the Sangheili are imposing figures, the higher ranking members of the race a match for the 'average' Spartan. Not much is known about their culture, their race not coming to prominence until after the Halo Event.
'Jackal'/Kig-Yar: The second highest ranked race in the Covenant military is the Kig-Yar (Jackal) race. Smaller and weaker than the Sangheili, they make up for this in their speed and intelligence. Kig-Yar are also the only race to maintain their own separate ship designs compared to the mainline Covenant military, though they are merely small privateer vessels. Another race that did not come to prominence until the Covenant discovered them.
'Grunt'/Unggoy: The lowest ranked combat force in the Covenant military, the Unggoy are small, physically weak cowards. While some members of their race are a match for the higher-ranked Kig-Yar, the Unggoy are generally considered cannon-fodder in anything but large numbers. In large numbers however, they are fully capable of running over Marine positions, even over mountains of their own dead.
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End Entry Two
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Redirect to Entry Three: Forerunner
AN :Second entry down. Not as much to work on in this chapter, but still some important points to make. As I said in the first 'entry', Plasma Torpedoes have shown themselves to be absurdly effective against unshielded hulls. Unless you happen to be in a Halcyon class ship, PT's are fully able to gut your ship, regardless of armor. More armor certainly helps, but if you get hit in a weak spot, God help you.
And, the thing that's certainly going to have people jumping down my throat...the Energy Projector=Ori Beam weapon bit. The reasoning behind this is quite simple really...have you seen what an Energy Projector can do? When a weapon can cleave a kilometer long ship in half, from a range that would make the Ori quite jealous, it isn't that unreasonable an assumption to make. Even disregarding that though, its mainly to give the Covenant a fighting chance. It would still take a supercarrier to do so, but even a ZPM powered Odyssey would have trouble taking hits from the equivalent of seven Ori Beam Weapons. It might not be completely accurate, but from what I've read/seen, it seems to work. It even works when you compare an Ori weapon and an EP firing on the surface of a world. Look at an Energy Projector in glassing mode, and compare it to when Adria's ship fired on Dakara. Not as much difference as one would expect.
As for power systems, I wasn't joking when I wrote what I did about the Supercarrier. The thing is twice the size of a Hive Ship for Forerunner's sake. Just the energy needed to move the thing is going to be massive. Then you have shields, life support, the Slipspace drive, and God only knows how many weapons. As much as we may love to laugh at the Covenant, the power needed here is leagues above and beyond what the Goa'uld or even the Wraith can do.
Next entry (Forerunner) up as soon as I can get it typed into here.